For the ninth straight year more than 20 players who have played in or were on a roster for a team that played in a Rose Bowl Game were selected in the NFL Draft. A total of 45 Rose Bowl Game alums were selected in the 2026 draft, the third highest total in recent history.
Ohio State paced all schools with 11 players selected.
Alabama was just behind with 10 players selected.
Indiana and
Penn State had eight players drafted, while
Oregon had seven. Here is the breakdown of picks by round:
1st – 10
2nd – 7
3rd – 3
4th – 5
5th – 9
6th – 6
7th – 5
At least one player was drafted from the last four Rose Bowl Games, including players from both schools from the 2024, 2025 and 2026 games.
Some key drafted players from recent Rose Bowl Game history Indiana center
Pat Coogan (2026 Offensive Player of the Game) and cornerback
D'Angelo Ponds (2026 Defensive Player of the Game).
The Rose Bowl Game has accounted for multiple top-ten picks for the seventh year in a row and the tenth time in the last 12 years.
In the 2026 Draft, 25 of the 32 NFL franchises selected a player who has been a part of America's New Year's Celebration. The Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys selected four players who have played in the Granddaddy of Them All, while the Houston Texas, LA Rams, New York Jets and Tennessee Titans picked three. Eight different teams selected two Rose Bowl Game alums.
See the entire list of players drafted, by round, below.
| Round |
Pick |
NFL Team |
Player |
College |
| 1 |
1 |
LV |
Fernando Mendoza |
Indiana |
| 1 |
4 |
TEN |
Carnell Tate |
Ohio State |
| 1 |
5 |
NYG |
Arvell Reese |
Ohio State |
| 1 |
7 |
WAS |
Sonny Styles |
Ohio State |
| 1 |
11 |
DAL |
Caleb Downs |
Ohio State |
| 1 |
12 |
MIA |
Kadyn Proctor |
Alabama |
| 1 |
13 |
LAR |
Ty Simpson |
Alabama |
| 1 |
14 |
BAL |
Olaviavega Ioane |
Penn State |
| 1 |
16 |
NYJ |
Sadiq Kenyon |
Oregon |
| 1 |
30 |
NYJ |
Omar Cooper Jr. |
Indiana |
|
|
|
|
|
| 2 |
26 |
HOU |
Kayden McDonald |
Ohio State |
| 2 |
44 |
DET |
Derrick Moore |
Michigan |
| 2 |
47 |
PIT |
Germie Bernard |
Alabama |
| 2 |
50 |
NYJ |
D'Angelo Ponds |
Indiana |
| 2 |
59 |
HOU |
Marlin Klein |
Michigan |
| 2 |
61 |
LAR |
Max Klare |
Ohio State |
| 2 |
62 |
BUF |
Davison Igbinosun |
Ohio State |
|
|
|
|
|
| 3 |
87 |
MIA |
Will Kacmarek |
Ohio State |
| 3 |
90 |
SF |
Kaelon Black |
Indiana |
| 3 |
92 |
DAL |
Jaishawn Barham |
Michigan |
|
|
|
|
|
| 4 |
112 |
DAL |
Drew Shelton |
Penn State |
| 4 |
115 |
BAL |
Elijah Sarratt |
Indiana |
| 4 |
118 |
DET |
Jimmy Rolder |
Michigan |
| 4 |
135 |
IND |
Bryce Boettcher |
Oregon |
| 4 |
137 |
DAL |
LT Overton |
Alabama |
|
|
|
|
|
| 5 |
146 |
CLE |
Parker Brailsford |
Alabama |
| 5 |
149 |
CLE |
Justin Jefferson |
Alabama |
| 5 |
151 |
CAR |
Zakee Wheatley |
Penn State |
| 5 |
159 |
MIN |
Max Bredeson |
Michigan |
| 5 |
165 |
TEN |
Nicholas Singleton |
Penn State |
| 5 |
169 |
PIT |
Riley Nowakowski |
Indiana |
| 5 |
172 |
NO |
Lorenzo Styles Jr. |
Ohio State |
| 5 |
173 |
BAL |
Josh Cuevas |
Alabama |
| 5 |
181 |
BUF |
Zane Durant |
Penn State |
|
|
|
|
|
| 6 |
187 |
WAS |
Kaytron Allen |
Penn State |
| 6 |
194 |
TEN |
Pat Coogan |
Indiana |
| 6 |
185 |
LV |
Malik Benson |
Oregon |
| 6 |
201 |
GB |
Domani Jackson |
Alabama |
| 6 |
207 |
LAC |
Alex Harkey |
Oregon |
| 6 |
214 |
IND |
Caden Curry |
Ohio State |
|
|
|
|
|
| 7 |
231 |
ATL |
Ethan Onianwa |
Ohio State |
| 7 |
232 |
LAR |
Tim Keenan III |
Alabama |
| 7 |
243 |
HOU |
Aiden Fisher |
Indiana |
| 7 |
245 |
NE |
Jam Miller |
Alabama |
| 7 |
250 |
BAL |
Rayshaun Penny |
Michigan |
|
