2026 NFL Draft Scouting Notebook: Week 4 Standouts – Justice Haynes, Fernando Mendoza, and Dante Moore are Rising Fast

Four weeks into the 2025 college football season, the 2026 NFL Draft picture continues to evolve. While the quarterback race remains in flux, new stars are emerging across the country. Michigan running back Justice Haynes has vaulted himself into the Heisman conversation, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza delivered his first true signature win, and Oregon’s Dante Moore kept his hot start rolling.

On defense, Miami edge Rueben Bain Jr. and Texas Tech’s duo of Romello Height and David Bailey flashed disruptive traits that NFL scouts are taking note of.

Scouting Notebook: Week 4 NFL Draft Players on the Rise

Justice Haynes, RB, Michigan

It’s been a decade since Derrick Henry last broke through as a Heisman-winning running back, but Haynes is forcing his way into that conversation. Compact, powerful, and patient, the junior back torched Nebraska with three touchdowns in a road win, showing the blend of strength and burst that makes him a nightmare in short spaces. He’s now cleared 100 yards with a score in each of his first four games, giving Michigan the true workhorse presence their offense thrives on. If he sustains this pace, Haynes won’t just push for New York — he could push himself into the day one conversation in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Romello Height & David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech

Texas Tech’s defense has quietly become must-see tape, thanks in large part to their two edge rushers. Against Utah, Height posted three pressures and earned a 75.4 PFF pass-rush grade, while Bailey added four pressures, a sack, and two stops. Scouts knew Bailey’s name entering the year — a versatile hybrid with athleticism to stand up or slide inside — but Height is quickly earning his own buzz as a Georgia Tech transfer who plays with twitch and urgency. Together, they gave future top tackles Caleb Lomu and Spencer Fano all they could handle. Bailey still projects as the higher-profile prospect, but Height’s arrow is pointing up fast.

Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana

Week 4 was Mendoza’s official coming-out party. Facing No. 9 Illinois, he shredded the Illini defense in a 63-10 blowout — Indiana’s biggest win over a ranked opponent in program history. Mendoza went 15-of-17 for 220 yards and 4 TDs in the first half alone, finishing with five touchdowns on the night. He’s now sitting at 975 yards, 14 TDs, and zero interceptions through four weeks while completing nearly 77% of his throws. Scouts already loved the arm talent and clean mechanics, but Saturday was proof he can win big games with surgical decision-making. He’s no longer just a “tools guy” — Mendoza has planted himself firmly in the Heisman race and the early QB1 conversation.

Dante Moore, QB, Oregon

Moore continues to look like the complete package in Eugene. Against Oregon State, he threw for 305 yards and 4 touchdowns on 21-of-31 passing while adding 53 yards on the ground. His connection with Dakorien Moore (3 catches, 63 yards, 1 TD) continues to blossom, and his ball placement on throws like a 32-yard strike to Malik Benson showed NFL-level touch. Through four games, Moore has 11 touchdowns to just one interception, plus newfound efficiency as a scrambler. He’s now tied for third in Heisman odds (+1300 per FanDuel), and scouts see a prospect whose floor is Day 1 starter and whose ceiling could creep toward QB1 if he passes his looming road test at Penn State.

Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami

No defensive player in college football graded higher in Week 4. Bain posted a ridiculous 93.8 PFF grade against South Florida, racking up 10 pressures and a sack while overwhelming tackles with his blend of explosiveness and power. At 6’3”, 275, he’s built like an NFL edge already, and his ability to collapse pockets consistently has him climbing draft boards into the top-10 discussion. Bain is the type of physical, disruptive presence who can anchor a pro defense — and his momentum is only building as ACC play ramps up.