By Nick Jenkinson-SCINN Sports Director
The Indiana Hoosiers saw two more players drafted Friday Night with Second and Third Rounds of the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Cornerback D’Angelo Ponds was selected with the 50th overall pick in the second round by the New York Jets and will join Omar Cooper Jr who the Jets selected in the first round with the 30th overall pick.
Running Back Kaelon Black was selected with the 90th pick in the third round by the San Francisco 49ers and becomes the third Hoosier drafted by the organization in the last two season as the 49ers drafted CJ West and Kurtis Rourke in 2025.
The Jets become the fourth team in the common draft era to draft multiple Hoosiers in the same draft joining the Chicago Bears in 1981, The New York Giants in 1988 and San Francisco 49ers in 2025.
The Hoosiers continue to make history as they have three selected in the first two rounds of NFL Draft for the first time ever. It’s the first time since 2016 that Hoosiers have three players selected in the same draft and 26th time in program history they have had three or more picks in the same draft.
Once Kaelon Black was selected Indiana has four players selected in the first three rounds which is a program record and the four players selected in a single draft are the most since 1988 along with 1938, 1949, 1959, 1963 and 1 966 making the seven time that four Hoosiers have been selected in the same NFL Draft, The Hoosiers have 188 players that have been drafted in the NFL and they look to add more today with the final four rounds of the draft starting at Noon.
The Hoosiers had seven players drafted in 1976 which is the most in a single draft and could have eight or more selected in this year’s draft. Four Times in 1952, 1957, 1961 and 1973 that five players have been. selected. There have been two occasions in 1944 and 1947 that six players have been selected.
Indiana continues to change is narrative under Head Coach Curt Cignetti. The Number 1 Overall Pick in Fernando Mendoza for the first time since 1938. Two first round selections in the same draft for the first time. Three selections in the first two rounds and four selections in the first three rounds which is a program first. However this final day of draft commences one thing is for sure this will be the best NFL Draft in the History of Indiana University Football.