Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is widely expected to be the first pick in April’s NFL draft, and the Detroit Lions probably don’t have any shot at landing the draft’s best offensive tackle, Miami’s Francis Mauigoa, with their first-round pick, No. 17 overall, either.
But there will be plenty of intriguing draft talent on the field when Indiana plays Miami in Monday’s national championship game.
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Here are five players to keep an eye whose names you might hear again come April.
Dec 31, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. (4) rushes the line during the 2025 Cotton Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at AT&T Stadium.
Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Miami
Bain has been a terror in the playoffs, reasserting himself as the best defensive end in college football. He has just one sack in wins over Ohio State and Ole Miss, but he and teammate Akheem Mesidor have 40 combined pressures the past three games, according to Pro Football Focus, and his power and motor are evident every play. Bain has been knocked for his short arms, but he’s a lock of a first-round pick and if he makes it to 17 the pass rush-needy Lions may have a hard time passing him up.
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Akheem Mesidor, DE, Miami
Mesidor is another potential first-round pick who could come off the board in the Lions’ draft range. He’s slightly bigger than Bain at a listed 6 feet 3 and 280 pounds and older having played two seasons at West Virginia and four at Miami, and he could fill the Lions’ big end position. Mesidor doesn’t jump off the screen quite like Bain, but his production has been better with 10½ sacks and four forced fumbles this year (to Bain’s 8½ and one forced fumble).
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Pat Coogan, C, Indiana
Coogan doesn’t generate much buzz as a draft prospect – he’s not ranked among Mel Kiper’s top 10 interior linemen – but the Notre Dame transfer is the heart of an excellent Indiana offensive line and the Lions are in the market for an upgrade in the pivot. Coogan played the 2023 season at left guard for Notre Dame before moving to center as a junior. He was Offensive MVP of Indiana’s Rose Bowl win over Alabama and has the size the Lions like at the position at a listed 6 feet 5 and 311 pounds.
Indiana offensive lineman Pat Coogan snaps the ball as the Oregon Ducks face the Indiana Hoosiers in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 9, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
Carter Smith, OT, Indiana
Smith is probably Indiana’s best offensive lineman and a potential Day 2 draft pick after starting the past three seasons at left tackle. The Hoosiers ranked 12th in the NCAA in rushing this season at 218.3 yards per game and Mendoza has been sacked just 22 times in 15 games. Smith’s arm length will be scrutinized once the draft process begins, but he’s been a key part of Indiana’s success.
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Zechariah Poyser, S, Miami
Indiana and Miami have cornerbacks worth mentioning who should go on the first two days of the draft. Indiana’s D’Angelo Ponds is an undersized playmaker, while Miami’s Keionte Scott is playing through a foot injury. I wanted to highlight Poyser, though, as a do-it-all playmaker who would be an interesting fit for a Lions’ secondary that’s thin at safety with Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch coming off serious injuries. A transfer from Jacksonville State, Poyser has played both safety spots and slot cornerback for the Hurricanes this season, is fourth on the team in tackles, has six pass breakups and should be tested by Indiana’s talented passing game. Like all underclassmen playing in the national championship game, he has until Jan. 23 to declare for the draft or return to school.
Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 5 NFL draft prospects for Lions to watch from Indiana-Miami title game