The bowl season gives fans and scouts alike a chance to analyze NFL Draft prospects against solid competition. Bowl scheduling allows all eyes to be on each game. Here are the NFL Draft prospects in the 2026 Rose Bowl.
Ty Simpson, QB
Simpson joined Alabama in 2022 as a highly-recruited prospect. He played in four games, but redshirted in 2022. In 2023 and 2024, he played sparingly as a backup quarterback. This season has been his first as a starter. He has passed for 3,500 yards, 28 touchdowns and five interceptions on 64.1 percent completion.
At 6-foot-2 and 208 pounds, Simpson can add some weight, but has decent enough size for the NFL. He has shown good accuracy to the intermediate part of the field this season. Simpson cooled off down the stretch, which could make his NFL Draft decision more complicated. Does he enter the draft and maybe be a day two or three pick? Or does he return to Alabama or transfer?
Projected Draft Range: Second Round Pick-Third Round Pick
Kadyn Proctor, OT
Proctor was a great prospect out of Iowa who signed with Alabama in 2023. He played left tackle as a true freshman and was an All-SEC Freshman Team selection. After briefly transferring to Iowa, Proctor returned to Alabama for the 2024 season. He was named Second Team All-SEC that season. This season, he returned at left tackle and was named First Team All-SEC.
At 6-foot-7 and 360 pounds, Proctor has great size for an NFL offensive tackle. He has great strength and can anchor well. Proctor has to make sure his pad level stays down and there is a chance he moves inside to guard due to lack of mobility. Currently, he is projected to be an early round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Projected Draft Range: First Round Pick-Second Round Pick
Other Draft Prospects: EDGE LT Overton (1st-2nd), WR Germie Bernard (2nd-3rd), LB Deontae Lawson (2nd-4th), CB Domani Jackson (3rd-5th), IOL Parker Brailsford (3rd-5th), S Keon Sabb (4th-6th), S Bray Hubbard (4th-6th), DL Tim Keenan (4th-6th), IOL Jaeden Roberts (4th-6th), RB Jam Miller (5th-7th), EDGE Yhonzae Pierre (5th-7th), TE Josh Cuevas (5th-7th), LB Justin Jefferson (6th-UFA), DL James Smith (6th-UFA), CB Cam Calhoun (UFA), EDGE Jordan Renaud (UFA), EDGE Keon Keeley (UFA), WR Isaiah Horton (UFA), IOL Wilkin Formby (UFA), EDGE Qua Rusaw (UFA)
Fernando Mendoza, QB
Mendoza played the first two seasons of his college career at California. He passed for 4,712 yards, 30 touchdowns and 16 interceptions on 66.5 percent completion. Mendoza transferred to Indiana for the 2025 season. This year, he has passed for 2,980 yards, 33 touchdowns and six interceptions on 71.5 percent completion.
At 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, Mendoza has great size for an NFL quarterback. His accuracy and decision-making have been great, especially this season. While he doesn’t have the strongest arm, he does have enough traits to warrant being drafted very highly in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Projected Draft Range: Top Five Pick
Elijah Sarratt, WR
Sarratt played his first season of college football at James Madison. With the Dukes, he caught 82 passes for 1,191 yards and eight touchdowns. He followed head coach Curt Cignetti to Indiana in 2024. In his two seasons with the Hoosiers, Sarratt has caught 104 passes for 1,644 yards and 20 touchdowns.
He stands at 6-foot-2 and 213 pounds, giving him good size for an NFL receiver. Sarratt uses his size well and is a reliable possession receiver. While he may not create much after the catch, he can win one-on-one matchups down the field if the ball is thrown in his area.
Projected Draft Range: Second Round Pick-Fourth Round Pick
Other Draft Prospects: OT Carter Smith (2nd-4th), CB D’Angelo Ponds (3rd-5th), WR Omar Cooper (3rd-5th), EDGE Mikail Kamara (4th-6th), S Amare Ferrell (4th-6th), LB Aiden Fishers (5th-7th), S Louis Moore (6th-UFA), RB Roman Hemby (6th-UFA), IOL Pat Coogan (6th-UFA), RB Kaelon Black (6th-UFA), TE Holden Staes (UFA)
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