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Peter Schrager’s latest NFL first-round mock draft features 12 B1G players
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
It’s been a big last few months for the Big Ten Conference. Indiana won the College Football Playoff in January, making it three straight years that a B1G program has hoisted the trophy. Then, on Sunday in Phoenix, UCLA won its first NCAA women’s basketball championship, a day before Michigan cut down the nets in Indianapolis as the men’s champions.
The NFL Draft in a few weeks might have quite a heavy B1G lean, at least in the first round. That’s if the latest Round One mock draft from ESPN’s Peter Schrager is on target.
There’s no question who the Las Vegas Raiders will take with their No. 1 overall pick: Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. Joining Mendoza in the top five in Schrager’s mock is Ohio State linebacker/edge Arvell Reese, taken third overall by the Arizona Cardinals. Reese’s teammate, linebacker Sonny Styles, is projected by Schrager to go to the Washington Commanders at No. 7.
Picks 11 through 14 are all projected to be B1G players on Schrager’s mock: Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate to the Miami Dolphins at No. 11, Buckeyes safety Caleb Downs at No. 12 to the Dallas Cowboys, USC WR Makai Lemon to the Los Angeles Rams at No. 13, and Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq at No. 14 to the Baltimore Ravens. Indiana WR Omar Cooper Jr. is projected to go to the New York Jets at No. 16, while Penn State offensive guard Olaivavega Ioane is shown as the Detroit Lions’ selection at No. 17.
Outside the Top 20, Washington WR Denzel Boston (No. 23, Philadelphia Eagles), Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald (No. 26, Buffalo Bills), and Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman (No. 30, Miami Dolphins) round out the list.
If you’re counting, that’s 12 B1G players projected by Schrager to go in the first round right now. In 2025, the B1G saw 11 players taken in Round 1. Will that number be surpassed in 2026?