On Monday night, the Indiana Hoosiers and Miami Hurricanes will face off in the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship. Not only will the game determine which school has the right to be called a national champion, but it will also provide several future NFL stars one last opportunity to boost their draft stock.
The 2026 NFL draft is just over three months away. For elite prospects like Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza and Miami edge-rusher Rueben Bain Jr., a strong performance on a high-pressure stage could be the final stamp that vaults them to the top of the first round.
For a less-heralded prospect such as Miami quarterback Carson Beck, winning a championship could leave the sort of lasting impression that will loom large over draft weekend.
How highly will Mendoza and Bain be drafted? Can Beck enter the first-round conversation? Which other prospects are worth tracking when the Hurricanes and Hoosiers do battle?
While things may well change over the next 24 hours, let’s take a look at the draft landscape heading into Monday’s CFP Championship, beginning with a first-round mock draft.
Updated 2026 Mock Draft Entering CFP Championship
1. Las Vegas Raiders: QBÂ Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
2. New York Jets: Edge Rueben Bain Jr., Miami
3. Arizona Cardinals: OTÂ Spencer Fano, Utah
4. Tennessee Titans: WRÂ Carnell Tate, Ohio State
5. New York Giants: SÂ Caleb Downs, Ohio State
6. Cleveland Browns: OLÂ Francis Mauigoa, Miami
7. Washington Commanders: LBÂ Arvell Reese, Ohio State
8. New Orleans Saints: RBÂ Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
9. Kansas City Chiefs: CBÂ Mansoor Delane, LSU
10. Cincinnati Bengals: Edge David Bailey, Texas Tech
11. Miami Dolphins: WRÂ Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
12. Dallas Cowboys: LBÂ Sonny Styles, Ohio State
13. Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta): CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
14. Baltimore Ravens: IOLÂ Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Edge Cashius Howell, Texas A&M
16. New York Jets (from Indianapolis): WRÂ Makai Lemon, USC
17. Detroit Lions: DLÂ Peter Woods, Clemson
18. Minnesota Vikings: SÂ Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo
19. Carolina Panthers: TEÂ Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
20. Dallas Cowboys (from Green Bay): CBÂ Avieon Terrell, Clemson
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: QBÂ Ty Simpson, Alabama
22. Los Angeles Chargers: OL Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
23. Philadelphia Eagles: WR Kevin Concepcion, Texas A&M
24. Cleveland Browns (from Jacksonville): WRÂ Denzel Boston, Washington
25. Chicago Bears: SÂ Zakee Wheatley, Penn State
26. Buffalo Bills: Edge Keldric Faulk, Auburn
27. San Francisco 49ers: Edge T.J. Parker, Clemson
28. Houston Texans: IOLÂ Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon
29. Los Angeles Rams: CB Colton Hood, Tennessee
30. New England Patriots: Edge Matayo Uiagalelei, Oregon
31. Denver Broncos: LBÂ CJ Allen, Georgia
32. Seattle Seahawks: WRÂ Elijah Sarratt, Indiana
Mendoza and Bain are Veritable Top-5 Locks
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The Las Vegas Raiders have the top pick in April’s draft, and it would be a massive surprise if they took a prospect other than Mendoza.
The Indiana signal-caller is the top-ranked quarterback on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department’s big board, and the Raiders are in dire need of a long-term answer behind center.
The Raiders don’t know who their head coach will be in 2026 yet, but it’s hard to see them pivoting away from a quarterback at No. 1. Mendoza checks almost all of the boxes, including leadership, physical tools, accuracy, and an ability to rise to the occasion.
Against Oregon in the CFP semifinal, he completed 17 of 20 pass attempts for 177 yards and five touchdowns. Even a quality Ducks defense had no answers for his combination of field vision, anticipation, and ball placement—skills he showcased all season.
With Oregon quarterback Dante Moore opting to return to school for another season, Mendoza should be an easy choice for Las Vegas at No. 1.
The only real weakness Mendoza showed this season was an inability to consistently identify, sense, and escape pressure. That could be a problem against Bain and an aggressive Miami pass rush.
Bain could realistically go as high as No. 2 overall because of the elite skill set he brings to a premium position. He’s the second-ranked player on the B/R Scouting Department’s draft board, and the New York Jets find themselves in position to take the best player available with the second pick.
New York would have provided a logical landing spot for Moore, had he declared for the draft. Alabama’s Ty Simpson now lurks as QB2 in the 2026 draft, though No. 2 feels far too high for him at this point in the pre-draft process—if the Jets or another QB-needy team falls in love with Simpson between now and April, that could change.
If Bain has the sort of standout playoff performance that Abdul Carter had for Penn State last season, he’ll likely command the Jets’ interest and cement himself as a top-five selection.
Francis Mauigoa, Other Potential 1st-Round Picks To Shine on Monday Night
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Mendoza and Bain are likely to be early first-round picks, regardless of how they perform on Monday night. However, they’re not the only first-round hopefuls who will be on the field in the title game.
Miami offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa is practically a first-round lock and could find his way into the top 10 with a strong performance against Indiana. The 16th-ranked prospect on the B/R board, Mauigoa has the combination of size (6’6″, 335 lbs) and skills needed to be an early contributor at the pro level.
“Francis Mauigoa is a densely-built, stout presence with very good play strength and square power to anchor and create movement on day one in the NFL,” Brandon Thorn of the B/R Scouting Department wrote.
Mauigoa is the only other Indiana or Miami prospect ranked inside the top 32 by the B/R Scouting Department, but no one should be surprised if Monday’s game changes that perception.
Hoosiers receiver  Elijah Sarratt is the 36th-ranked prospect on the B/R board and could easily go on Day 1 if there’s an early run at the position. While Sarratt may not have the athletic traits needed to win at the scouting combine, he seems to have a knack for finding space in the secondary and knows how to use positioning and strong hands to win contested catches.
At worst, Sarratt should be an early Day 2 selection, which is also likely the floor for Indiana cornerback D’Angelo Ponds. The 43rd-ranked prospect on the B/R board, Ponds may not have the size (5’9″, 173 lbs) to enter the first-round conversation. On Monday, however, Ponds should show fans exactly why scouts are going to love him.
“D’Angelo Ponds is the type of competitive, athletic and playmaking cornerback that coaches want in their secondary,” Daniel Harms of the B/R Scouting Department wrote. “He plays bigger than his size and doesn’t back down to any receiver.”
Expect teams like the Washington Commanders, Kansas City Chiefs, and New Orleans Saints to have Ponds on their radar in Round 2.
Carson Beck May Have More to Gain From CFP Championship Than Anyone
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Several other NFL hopefuls will be worth tracking during the CFP Championship Game, including Indiana offensive tackle Carter Smith, Hoosiers safety Louis Moore, and Indiana receiver Omar Cooper Jr. However, there might not be a player with more on the line than Beck.
The Miami signal-caller, who began his career at Georgia, could dramatically improve his stock by out-dueling Mendoza on the biggest stage.
There was a time when Beck felt like a likely first-round pick. The 6’4″ signal-caller won two national titles as a backup with the Bulldogs and then led the SEC in passing during his first year as a starter.
However, Beck showed an inconsistent level of play and a lack of ball security last season at Georgia, issues that have followed him to Miami. He also lacks elite physical traits, which may leave him out of the first-round conversation.
“Carson Beck’s play style and strengths fit the mold of a high-end game manager quarterback in the NFL,” Damian Parson wrote.
Yet, it’s hard to ignore Beck’s starting experience or the poise he’s showcased during this year’s playoff. The 23-year-old led a 15-play, 75-yard drive near the end of regulation against Mississippi in the semifinal, capping it with a rushing touchdown.
With Moore headed back to Oregon, Beck is the third-ranked quarterback on the Scouting Department’s board after Mendoza and Simpson. A stellar performance on Monday could make the race for QB2 an incredibly tight one.
Right now, Beck feels like a Day-2 target for quarterback-needy teams like the Jets, the Arizona Cardinals, and the Cleveland Browns. Teams looking for a future starter, like the Los Angeles Rams, could also be interested.
Being a Day-2 prospect doesn’t mean that Beck won’t be a future NFL starter either. This past April, the New Orleans Saints used the 40th overall pick on Tyler Shough, and he had arguably the best season among rookie quarterbacks in 2025.
Expect plenty of pre-draft conversations to revolve around Beck, especially if he caps his college career with a championship. Heading into the game, a Bo Nix-like rise into Round 1 can’t be dismissed.
*Updated draft order from Tankathon