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In 1938, Indiana Hoosiers running back Corby Davis went No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft to the Cleveland Rams. In the near century since, no Indiana player has been able to replicate that feat.
However, star quarterback Fernando Mendoza is expected to snap that streak on Thursday night when the Las Vegas Raiders presumably make him the first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
And when he does, his college coach, Curt Cignetti, and many of his former teammates will not be watching. But there’s a good reason for it.
Indiana Won’t Watch 2026 NFL Draft Due To Conflicting Spring Game
With any other program, you wouldn’t just expect them to watch their former teammate go No. 1 overall; you’d think they might schedule a team meeting specifically for the occasion.
Especially when you consider that fellow teammates Omar Cooper Jr. and D’Angelo Ponds could also hear their names called in a historic first round for the Indiana program on Thursday night.
But not the Cignetti’s Hoosiers. Instead, they’ll be hard at work.
Indiana will have its second No. 1 overall pick in school history when the NFL draft kicks off Thursday at 8 p.m. ET.
In vintage Curt Cignetti fashion, the Hoosiers’ spring game is also set for Thursday at 8 p.m. ET. https://t.co/r25NBmAMa0
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos) April 22, 2026
Rather than watching the draft, the Hoosiers will be holding their annual spring game on Thursday night at 8 p.m., right as the NFL Draft begins, at Memorial Stadium.
Now, it’s entirely possible that the program could show Mendoza’s selection on the jumbotron during the game. That would be the smart thing.
But as we know, Cignetti is all business, so it’s entirely possible he just plans to act like that draft doesn’t even exist. That seems a bit harsh on Mendoza, who led the program to a national championship this year. But at this point, who am I to question what Curt Cignetti does when seemingly every move works?