With five weeks left in the NFL’s regular season, and the New York Jets trending toward a high draft pick, many fans have already shifted their attention to Saturdays.

Tonight brings one of the most crucial college football matchups of the year: the Big Ten championship, featuring No. 2 Indiana and No. 1 Ohio State, both 12-0. The game is loaded with projected first-round talents who could be in play for Gang Green.

Here are three players Jets fans should keep an eye on when kickoff arrives at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.

Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana (No. 15)

Mendoza has been among the NCAA’s best quarterbacks this season, compiling a compelling case to be the No. 1 overall selection in April.

While leading Indiana to an undefeated 12-0 record, Mendoza ranks second among qualified FBS signal-callers with a 72% completion percentage. He is averaging 9.4 yards per attempt and has thrown an FBS-high 32 touchdown passes.

“He’s wired the right way. He’s one of those young men who has a laser focus and does a great job of blocking out the outside noise,” Mendoza’s high school coach, David Dunn, told Jets X-Factor in an exclusive conversation.

If he can knock off the country’s No. 1-ranked team in Ohio State tonight, Mendoza’s odds to take home the Heisman Trophy would increase significantly, while his NFL draft stock would only continue to rise.

Elijah Sarratt, WR, Indiana (No. 13)

Ranked No. 65 overall on NFL Mock Draft Database’s consensus big board, Sarratt could be a potential target for New York in the second round.

Known for his elite body control, the Virginia native has logged 650 yards this season on 48 receptions (13.5 yards per catch) with a whopping 11 touchdowns.

During Sarratt’s breakout 2024 season at Indiana, it wasn’t just the numbers that stood out, though 53 catches for 957 yards and eight touchdowns certainly jumped off the page. What really defined Sarratt’s year was his reliability in big moments, including a pair of game-winning touchdowns. The highlight of his season was a 165-yard outburst against Purdue in the Old Oaken Bucket rivalry, a performance that will live on forever in Hoosier history.

When the Hoosiers need a play to extend a drive, Sarratt delivers: 77 of his 101 career grabs for Indiana have moved the chains, showcasing his dependability. At 6-foot-2 and 213 pounds, he is a reliable target in critical situations.

With Garrett Wilson being the only proven receiver on New York’s roster, the Jets could pursue a wide receiver with one of their two first-round picks in the 2026 draft. However, the recent rise of Adonai Mitchell and John Metchie could convince them otherwise.

If Mitchell and Metchie continue playing well, perhaps the Jets will elect to bypass taking a receiver until the second round, which is where Sarratt could come into play.

Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State (No. 17)

Currently ranked 10th on the consensus big board, Tate is the type of receiver who might be too talented for New York to ignore.

Pairing Tate with former Buckeye Garrett Wilson could immediately give New York one of the league’s most impressive receiver duos — that’s how dynamic the kid has already proven to be at 20 years old.

In nine games, Tate has hauled in 44 receptions for 793 yards and eight touchdowns. Despite competing for targets with Jeremiah Smith, the nation’s No. 1 overall recruit in the 2024 class, Tate leads the 12-0 Buckeyes with 88.1 receiving yards per game. He also leads Power 4 receivers with 3.54 yards per route run.

The 6-foot-3 Tate has come down with the ball on 12 of 14 contested-catch opportunities this season, an absurd catch rate of 85.7%. It’s the best mark among FBS wide receivers with at least 10 contested-catch opportunities, exemplifying the junior’s physical dominance at a young age.

To boot, Tate is one of the premier deep threats in college football. On just 13 deep targets, he’s caught 10 passes for 433 yards and six touchdowns, solidifying his case as arguably the top receiver in this year’s class.

Tate brings the kind of instant-impact profile that can dramatically overhaul an NFL offense, making him especially appealing to a Jets team desperate for playmaking talent.