2026 NFL Draft Stock Up: Fernando Mendoza and Jacob Rodriguez headline Week 12 risers

With three weeks left in the 2025 college football season, this is when prospects either cement their draft stock or get exposed. Two quarterbacks with top five potential showed exactly why they’re in that conversation. At the same time, mid and late round guys like Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez and Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton made it clear they’re being underrated.

Top 10 performances Week 12

1. Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana

One of the regulars on this list, Mendoza was again one of the top performers of the week. He carved up Wisconsin in a 31 to 7 win and earned his highest Pro Football Focus grade of the season with a 91.2. He finished 22 of 24, with one incompletion coming on a drop, and threw for 299 yards and four touchdowns. He was in complete command from start to finish. The two draft fits that make the most sense for him right now are the New Orleans Saints and the Cleveland Browns.

2. Dante Moore, QB, Oregon 

The other top tier quarterback who delivered this week was Oregon’s Dante Moore. After a rough showing against Iowa, he bounced back with one of the best games of his career against Minnesota. He set an Oregon record by completing 90 percent of his passes and finished with 306 yards and two touchdowns. If he declares after the season, expect the Jets to make a hard push to bring him to New York.

3. Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame

There’s plenty of debate about Notre Dame in the Heisman race, but there’s no debate about where Love stands in the 2026 running back class. He’s the top back. He showed it again against Pittsburgh, putting up 147 yards for his fifth 100 yard game of the season. He also delivered one of the best plays of the week when he spun out of two tackles and broke loose for a 56 yard touchdown.

4. Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech 

Texas Tech may have its best linebacker since Hall of Famer Zack Thomas, and that player is Jacob Rodriguez. This season he already has 97 tackles, seven forced fumbles, and four interceptions. Against Central Florida this week, he added his first rushing touchdown of the season while making nine tackles and picking off a pass. Like Thomas, Rodriguez looks like a mid-round pick who will outperform his draft slot.

5. Makai Lemon, WR, USC

USC’s Makai Lemon might be the top slot receiver in the 2026 NFL Draft, and he’s been on fire over the last two games. He’s totaled 21 receptions for 314 yards and two touchdowns during that span. In Week 12 against Iowa, he caught 10 passes for 153 yards, prompting Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz to say, “No. 6 is as good as I’ve seen. Going back 20-plus years, I don’t know if anybody’s impacted the game more. I can think of one guy, maybe. But he’s a really outstanding player.” One team that would love to land Lemon in the first round is the San Francisco 49ers.

6. OJ Arnold, RB, Georgia Southern

One of two players on this list who doesn’t carry a draftable grade on my board is Georgia Southern’s OJ Arnold. Still, it will be hard to ignore him if he keeps performing like he did against Coastal Carolina, where he became the first Eagle to rush, catch, and throw a touchdown in the same game while racking up 267 rushing yards. This was not a one-game fluke. Arnold has topped 100 yards three times this season and is averaging 6.8 yards per carry. If he keeps this pace, he will almost certainly receive an invite to an NFL training camp. 

7. Harold Perkins Jr., LB, LSU

LSU linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. is more valued for his upside than his production, but he showed why he belongs on the radar with one of his best games in the past two years against Arkansas. He finished with four tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack, and an interception. While he will need to prove to NFL scouts he is more than just an athlete, his quickness, agility, and pass rushing ability give him the tools to be a difference maker at the next level. The Kansas City Chiefs have shown interest in the athletic edge rusher.

8. Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon

The second Oregon Duck on this list is tight end Kenyon Sadiq, who had a career game with eight receptions for 96 yards against Minnesota. In that performance, he showed several traits that make him the top tight end in the 2026 NFL Draft, including elite athleticism and the speed to stretch a defense. While many project him as a first-round pick, he will likely end up going in the second round to a team like the Denver Broncos.

9. Gunner Stockton, QB, Georgia

One of the more underrated quarterbacks who could be in the 2026 NFL Draft is Georgia’s Gunner Stockton. His toughness jumps off the screen. He’ll take a hit and pop right back up, tuck the ball and move the sticks, or stand in and deliver a big throw with pressure in his face. He showed all of that against Texas, going 24 of 29 for 229 yards and accounting for five total touchdowns. It sounds like he plans to return to Georgia next season, but if he does enter the draft he should be a day three pick.

10. Jakobe Thomas, S, Miami

The other prospect on this list who currently carries a free agent grade is Miami safety Jakobe Thomas, who hasn’t seen a ton of snaps this season. Even so, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound defender is starting to push himself into day three territory. Against NC State he picked off two passes, returned one for a touchdown, and earned a 97.9 grade, the highest in college football for the week. That performance followed another strong outing where he came away with a fumble recovery and an interception against Syracuse.