The Indiana NFL pipeline is already making noise before the regular season even kicks off.
After a 2026 draft that broke program records - eight Hoosiers selected, one more than the previous high mark of seven from 1976 - Indiana is now seeing that wave carry straight into roster cutdown day. With teams trimming to 53 players by 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, 18 former Hoosiers survived the final preseason squeeze and locked in spots for now.
A few familiar names are landing in the same NFL locker room. San Francisco kept quarterback Kurtis Rourke, running back Kaelon Black and defensive tackle C.J.
West. The Jets brought in a Hoosier trio of wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr., cornerback D'Angelo Ponds and linebacker Marcelino McCrary Ball.
In Las Vegas, quarterback Fernando Mendoza and tight end Ian Thomas are teammates.
Here’s the full group of Indiana alumni who made 53-man rosters:
QB Fernando Mendoza - Las Vegas Raiders
QB Kurtis Rourke - San Francisco 49ers
LB Aiden Fisher - Houston Texans
WR Omar Cooper Jr. - New York Jets
TE Riley Nowakowski - Pittsburgh Steelers
WR Elijah Sarratt - Baltimore Ravens
RB Kaelon Black - San Francisco 49ers
C Pat Coogan - Tennessee Titans
TE Ian Thomas - Las Vegas Raiders
LB Micah McFadden - New York Giants
G Dan Feeney - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
WR Ke'Shawn Williams - Cincinnati Bengals
OT Luke Haggard - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
OT Khalil Benson - Kansas City Chiefs
CB D'Angelo Ponds - New York Jets
LB Marcelino McCrary Ball - New York Jets
DT C.J. West - San Francisco 49ers
WR Myles Price - Minnesota Vikings
Not everyone got the call to the 53, but that doesn’t necessarily close the door. Players cut at this stage can still wind up on practice squads, which keeps them in the mix for later opportunities during the season. NFL teams have until Noon ET to claim waived players, and after that they can start adding guys back to practice squads.
That includes several more former Hoosiers who were waived or released during roster cuts. Las Vegas waived running back Roman Hemby and wide receiver E.J.
Williams. Miami let go of safety Louis Moore.
Pittsburgh waived cornerback Devan Boykin. The Giants waived safety Raheem Lane.
Kansas City waived linebacker Cam Jones. Detroit waived tight end Zach Horton.
And one more Hoosier moved immediately into free agency: wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine was released by the Colts over the weekend, making him an unrestricted free agent effective immediately.
In Other News...
Indiana Fans Just Got A Telling NFL Reality Check At Quarterback
Fernando Mendozas path to the NFL has already turned into a reminder that even top-end draft capital does not guarantee an immediate starting job. The former Indiana quarterback was taken No. 1 overall by the Las Vegas Raiders, but he is set to open the season behind Kirk Cousins, a familiar reality for young passers trying to adjust to the pro game while waiting for their turn.
Around the league, another quarterback with Indiana ties is also navigating a crowded depth chart. The San Francisco 49ers have kept Kurtis Rourke as their third quarterback and released Adrian Martinez, a sign that Rourkes preseason work mattered even as he recovers from broken ribs. He is expected to be ready for the start of the season, but for now the Hoosiers are seeing both of their recent quarterback stories shaped by patience more than instant opportunity. [Read more 🡒]
Fernando Mendozas NFL Timeline Just Hit A Reality Indiana Fans Feared
The Raiders quarterback plan is already taking shape, and it points to a familiar early-career path for Fernando Mendoza. According to a report from Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports, Las Vegas is expected to open the season with Kirk Cousins as its Week 1 starter, while Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, is on the roster and positioned to begin as the backup. For Indiana fans who watched Mendoza rise into a franchise-changing prospect, it is the kind of first-step reality that comes with a short wait before the spotlight fully shifts.
Even so, this is not a case of the Raiders backing away from their long view. The organization still sees Mendoza as its quarterback of the future, and head coach Klint Kubiak has already voiced confidence in what he can become. That makes the early depth-chart arrangement more of a timeline than a judgment, but it also leaves the most interesting part of the story unresolved: how quickly the Raiders decide the future is ready to become the present. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Just Got Another Shot At A Recruit Fans Will Notice
Darian DeVries has made it clear that Indianas recruiting push is going to stretch well beyond the transfer portal. Along with chasing immediate help, the Hoosiers have been active in building out future classes, and that work is starting to show in the form of official visits for some of the most closely watched high school prospects in the country.
Brady Pettigrew is the name that will draw the most attention. The five-star point guard in the 2028 class already has multiple official visits lined up this fall, and Indiana is one of the programs getting a closer look. He has not made a commitment decision yet, which leaves the Hoosiers with a real opening as they try to stay in the mix for a recruit who would immediately resonate with fans paying attention to the programs long-term direction. [Read more 🡒]