Adidas Unveils Its Elite NFL Rookie Class and Debuts a Game Changing Innovation Lab

Adidas has unveiled its 2026 NFL Rookie Class, a group of 14 top prospects headlined by projected No. 1 overall pick and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, marking what the brand describes as its most first round projected signing class to date. The announcement arrived alongside the debut of adidas’ newly renovated Innovation Lab at its Portland headquarters, where the athletes became the first in the world to be introduced to Project R.A.P., a new platform for bespoke performance product development.

The Class and What it Gignals

Adidas welcomed the 14 player group to Portland for its first ever adidas Football Pro Day, an immersive on campus session covering gear testing, custom fittings, brand meetings, and styling sessions. The event is designed to set the tone for what a long term adidas partnership looks like, connecting incoming athletes directly to the people, technology, and product teams behind the brand’s football program.

The class draws heavily from adidas’ partner universities, with Arvell Reese, Carnell Tate, and Caleb Downs all coming out of The Ohio State University, and D’Angelo Ponds and Elijah Sarratt joining Mendoza from Indiana University. The program also pulls from USC, Arizona State, Oregon, Miami, Washington, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech, giving adidas representation across some of the sport’s highest profile programs.

Mendoza Leads the Chapter

Fernando Mendoza arrives in the class as its most high profile name, having led the Indiana Hoosiers to adidas’ first College Football Playoff era National Championship and becoming the first Indiana University player to win the Heisman Trophy. His NIL partnership with adidas during his senior season made the transition to a professional partnership a natural continuation rather than a new relationship.

Fernando Mendoza said, “adidas has been part of my story since I got to Indiana, so getting to continue that into the next chapter feels right. Coming to Portland with this class and seeing what the brand is building — the innovation, the investment, the people — it reinforced that this is where I want to be. I can’t wait to get to work.”

Innovation Lab and Project R.A.P.

The Portland visit doubled as the public reveal of adidas’ renovated Innovation Lab, a space built to bring athletes and designers into direct collaboration for real time testing, learning, and iteration. The lab is framed as the physical home of adidas’ next phase of performance product development across all major sports categories.

The 2026 NFL Rookie Class became the first group in the world to be introduced to Project R.A.P., which stands for Radical Athlete Perception, a new platform for creating bespoke products through additive manufacturing for different sports and individual athletes. In basketball, the platform has already produced a 3D printed shoe providing bespoke fit with tailored support, cushioning, and stiffness, which recently made its on court debut and will be available for purchase in the coming months.

For football specifically, the class tested a new American Football cleat stemming from Project R.A.P. that is currently in development and set to be available for athletes later in 2026. Athletes also tested the recently revealed ADIZERO HORIZON cleat and a new range of CLIMACOOL 3D printed footwear during their time on campus.

Ecosystem Play

Aaron Seabron, General Manager, US Sports and Creation Center Portland at Adidas, added, “This class reflects where adidas Football is headed and the type of athletes we’re committed to supporting as they enter the next stage of their careers. Our focus is on giving them access to the innovation, product, and platform that help them succeed at the highest level. Bringing them to Portland to experience our Innovation Lab and meet the teams behind our performance products is an important step in building those relationships from day one.”

The 2026 class joins an existing adidas NFL roster that includes Patrick Mahomes, Micah Parsons, Brock Purdy, Trevor Lawrence, Travis Hunter, Abdul Carter, Amon Ra St. Brown, Garrett Wilson, and Chris Jones, among others. For a brand that has consistently expanded its football footprint over the past few seasons, the depth of this rookie class and the Innovation Lab reveal together signal that adidas is treating the NFL as a long term platform for both performance credibility and commercial growth.