NEW ORLEANS – Thirty-seven players who were on Allstate Sugar Bowl rosters were selected in the 2026 NFL Draft. Five of this year's NFL first-round picks had Allstate Sugar Bowl connections – four that were in Allstate Sugar Bowl games and this year's Manning Award winner.
Fernando Mendoza, the winner of the Sugar Bowl's Manning Award as the top collegiate quarterback in the country, was selected No. 1 overall by the Las Vegas Raiders. He is the 14th Manning Award winner (out of 21) to be selected in the top three of the NFL Draft, and the ninth to be taken with the top selection in the draft.
The highest pick that played in an Allstate Sugar Bowl game was Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, who played in the 2025 College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl. He was selected by the Arizona Cardinals with the third overall pick.
Over the last 10 years, 374 Sugar Bowlers (only includes players on Sugar Bowl rosters, not Manning Award winners or participants in other Sugar Bowl events) have been selected in the NFL Draft. Those selections include 85 first-rounders (including a high of 10 in 2023). The Sugar Bowl had a record 44 selections in last year's Draft.
Allstate Sugar Bowlers in the 2026 NFL Draft
| Name |
School |
Sugar Bowl(s) |
NFL Team |
Round (Overall) |
| Jeremiyah Love |
Notre Dame |
2025 |
Arizona Cardinals |
1 (3) |
| Ty Simpson |
Alabama |
2022 |
Los Angeles Rams |
1 (13) |
| Monroe Freeling |
Georgia |
2026, 2025 |
Carolina Panthers |
1 (20) |
| Jadarian Price |
Notre Dame |
2025 |
Seattle Seahawks |
1 (32) |
| De'Zhaun Stribling |
Ole Miss |
2026 |
San Francisco 49ers |
2 (33) |
| Denzel Boston |
Washington |
2024 |
Cleveland Browns |
2 (39) |
| Christen Miller |
Georgia |
2026, 2025 |
New Orleans Saints |
2 (42) |
| Germie Bernard |
Washington% |
2024 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
2 (47) |
| CJ Allen |
Georgia |
2026, 2025 |
Indianapolis Colts |
2 (53) |
| Anthony Hill Jr. |
Texas |
2024 |
Tennessee Titans |
2 (60) |
| Carson Beck |
Georgia#% |
2025 |
Arizona Cardinals |
3 (65) |
| Oscar Delp |
Georgia |
2026, 2025 |
New Orleans Saints |
3 (73) |
| Zachariah Branch |
Georgia |
2026 |
Atlanta Falcons |
3 (79) |
| Daylan Everette |
Georgia |
2026, 2025 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
3 (85) |
| Eli Raridon |
Notre Dame |
2025 |
New England Patriots |
3 (95) |
| Malik Muhammad |
Texas |
2024 |
Chicago Bears |
4 (124) |
| Carver Willis |
K-State% |
2022 |
San Francisco 49ers |
4 (127) |
| Colbie Young |
Georgia |
2026 |
Cincinnati Bengals |
4 (140) |
| Sam Hecht |
K-State# |
2022 |
Carolina Panthers |
5 (144) |
| Parker Brailsford |
Washington% |
2024 |
Cleveland Browns |
5 (146) |
| DeMonte Capehart |
Clemson |
2021 |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
5 (155) |
| Michael Taafe |
Texas |
2024 |
Miami Dolphins |
5 (158) |
| Billy Schrauth |
Notre Dame |
2025 |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
5 (160) |
| Kendrick Law |
Alabama% |
2022 |
Detroit Lions |
5 (168) |
| Joe Royer |
Ohio State#% |
2021 |
Cleveland Browns |
5 (170) |
| Josh Cuevas |
Washington% |
2024 |
Baltimore Ravens |
5 (173) |
| Josh Cameron |
Baylor |
2022 |
Jacksonville Jaguars |
6 (191) |
| Pat Coogan |
Notre Dame% |
2025 |
Tennessee Titans |
6 (194) |
| Emmanuel Henderson |
Alabama#% |
2022 |
Seattle Seahawks |
6 (199) |
| DJ Campbell |
Texas |
2024 |
Miami Dolphins |
6 (200) |
| Micah Morris |
Georgia |
2026, 2025 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
6 (207) |
| Gabriel Rubio |
Notre Dame |
2025 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
6 (210) |
| Jayden Williams |
Ole Miss |
2026 |
Arizona Cardinals |
7 (217) |
| VJ Payne |
K-State |
2022 |
New York Jets |
7 (228) |
| Tim Keenan III |
Alabama# |
2022 |
Los Angeles Rams |
7 (232) |
| Zach Durfee |
Washington# |
2024 |
Jacksonville Jaguars |
7 (233) |
| Jam Miller |
Alabama |
2022 |
New England Patriots |
7 (245) |
# On team but did not participate in Bowl
% Finished career at different school
The
Allstate Sugar Bowl has established itself as one of the premier college football bowl games, having hosted 29 national champions, 114 Hall of Fame players, 55 Hall of Fame coaches and 21 Heisman Trophy winners in its 92-year history. The 93rd Allstate Sugar Bowl Football Classic, which will serve as a College Football Playoff Semifinal, will be played on January 15, 2027. In addition to football, the Sugar Bowl Committee annually invests over $1 million into the community through the hosting and sponsorship of sporting events, awards, scholarships and clinics. Through these efforts, the organization supports and honors thousands of student-athletes each year, while injecting over $2.5 billion into the local economy in the last decade.
-www.AllstateSugarBowl.org-
