NCAAF News

Home

Teams

Quizzes

Newsletter

Power Rankings

Main Photo: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

4 NFL Draft Risers From Conference Championship Week

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports
By Grant Potter | Last updated Dec 10, 2025 4:00 PM ET

After many great conference championship games, there were players on both offense and defense who became big NFL Draft risers in Week 15 of the college football season. Here are four of the best NFL Draft risers who greatly improved their draft stock with standout performances in conference championship games.

Top NFL Draft Risers From Conference Championship Week of College Football

QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

Fernando Mendoza helped Indiana win its first Big Ten title since 1967, and helped clinch the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff as the last remaining undefeated team in the FBS. Against the nation’s top-ranked defense in Ohio State, Mendoza threw for 222 yards on 9.7 yards per attempt and had an incredible 90.2 QBR.

Mendoza continued to make big plays in big moments throughout the entire game. A 51-yard pass to Charlie Becker on a third-and-2, an impressive 17-yard touchdown pass to Elijah Sarratt to take a 13-10 lead, and on the most important play of the game, completed a 33-yard pass on a third-and-6 before the two-minute warning. Mendoza has been arguably the best quarterback in college football all season, and his performance in the Big Ten Championship further increased his chances to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Main Photo: [Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times] Imagn Images

WR Cooper Barkate, Duke

Cooper Barkate has been Duke quarterback Darian Mensah’s top target all season, and he once again was Duke’s leading receiver in the ACC Championship. Barkate helped Duke win its first ACC Championship since 1989 and end Virginia’s playoff chances with five receptions for 91 yards in the game. He has the 10th most receiving yards in the country and also ranks in the top-20 for total receptions. Barkate is a good route runner with reliable hands and has a chance to be a late Day 3 pick in the NFL Draft.

Edge Nadame Tucker, Western Michigan

Nadame Tucker had a breakout season in his first year at Western Michigan. He was dominant in Western Michigan’s 23-13 win over Miami (OH) in the MAC Championship with 2.5 sacks and six total tackles. He won PFF Pass Rusher of the Week honors with 10 total pressures and an amazing 44.4% pass rush win rate, according to PFF. Tucker leads all of college football in sacks with 14.5 this season. He only has one season of great production, but he has been so great this season that he has a good chance to go on Day 3 of the NFL Draft.

Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles (0) pressures Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) during the Big Ten Conference championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Dec. 6, 2025. Ohio State lost 13-10.

LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State

It was a disappointing loss for Ohio State against Indiana, but Sonny Styles still had a standout game for the Buckeyes. In a defensive battle, Styles led both teams in tackles with 12 total tackles and seven solo tackles. Styles was great against the run and demonstrated good range and tackling ability against the Hoosiers. He has been a big reason for Ohio State being the top-ranked scoring defense in college football this season, being the team’s leading tackler, and earning an 89.6 overall PFF defense grade. Styles is currently projected to be the second linebacker taken in the draft after his teammate Arvell Reese, and he has a chance to be a top 20 pick in the draft.

This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: