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The NFL Draft is here, offering the opportunity for prospects to leap into the spotlight on -- and off -- the field.
Over the years, various starlets have treated the NFL Draft stage like a catwalk, prancing down the platform while dressed to the nines. Some call it tradition, a rite of passage that takes hold of every prospect invited into the green room ahead of their official entry into the NFL's ranks.
From Ezekiel Elliott's cropped dress shirt in 2016 to Sauce Gardner's glint "Sauce" and sauce bottle chains, NFL prospects have basked under the spectacle's heavy spotlight over the years. Those who filtered into the green room in 2026 were no exception, sporting some fascinating -- if polarizing -- apparel.
The Sporting News is tracking outfits from the 2026 NFL Draft. Follow below to see what some of football's best prospects wore as they cemented themselves as NFL talents.
2026 NFL DRAFT HQ: Live tracker | Pick-by-pick grades | Best players still available
NFL Draft outfits
Fernando Mendoza
Mendoza left no doubt as to who his employers are, striding into Pittsburgh's North Shore in a simple black Hugo Boss suit accompanied by a silver tie. Expected to go No. 1 overall to the Raiders, Mendoza let his outfit do the talking on Thursday night.
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 23, 2026Arvell Reese
Reese left his mark during Thursday's proceedings, taking to the North Shore in a suit jacket that features Reese's marketing on the inner sleeve. Looks like he's taking inspiration from Angel Reese (no relation), who famously invoked the chocolate brand throughout her collegiate -- and now, professional -- career.
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) April 23, 2026NFL DRAFT RANKINGS 2026: QBs | WRs | TEs | EDGE | RBs
Jeremiyah Love
Love's suit is decked in vigor. He is draped in a brown patterned suit and tie. The real magic comes in the inner lining: Love partnered with Sharpie to turn Jeremonstar, the protagonist of a line of comic books created by Love and artist Chris Walker, into an emblem.
"Sharpie helped me bring to life my comic, Jeremonstar," Love told ESPN's Molly McGrath. "I love comics, outside of football, that's pretty much all I do is watch anime, read manga and read comics as well. ... I feel like I'm sharing a little bit of a part of myself to other people."
"This is the biggest stage of my life so far, so I want to make sure I'm ready for it. ... It's a blessing to be here."
Jeremiyah Love tells @MollyAMcGrath what the NFL draft night means to him ❤️ pic.twitter.com/oqSmMaI9q8
Francis Mauigoa
Mauigoa hails from American Samoa, an island located in the South Pacific Ocean that became a U.S. territory "by deed of cession" in 1900, according to the U.S. Department of Interior. He honored his homeland with a stunning suit that features the facade of one of the island's shores and the American Samoa flag.
Mauigoa might be in Pittsburgh. But his heart resides in 'Ili'ili, his hometown in American Samoa.
— NFL (@NFL) April 23, 2026Carnell Tate
Widely expected to be the first wide receiver off the board in this year's draft, Tate cloaked himself in the finest of furs on Thursday night. The Ohio State product sported a cropped cream jacket that included the names of his mother and sister woven into the folds of the suit.
Tate also rocked glint jewelry, pairing a diamond-encrusted cross with a gold wristwatch.
Carnell Tate made sure to put his mom and sisters names inside his suit jacket 🫶
Watch the NFL draft at 8 PM ET on ESPN, ABC, NFL Network and the ESPN App 🍿 pic.twitter.com/amSviibZEP
Sonny Styles
Styles sported a simple black number and a billowy bow tie, keeping things traditional ahead of the biggest night of his life. A pendant featuring his two initials took hold of the fold of his suit jacket.
— NFL (@NFL) April 23, 2026Caleb Downs
Downs, a former Ohio State safety expected to hear his name within the first 10 or so picks, rocked a three-piece kit. He wasn't the only one in his family to do such a thing -- so did his mother and father. Downs' football career was sprawled across his outfit, with the inner lining of his suit featuring pictures of him snapped throughout his youth and college career.
— NFL (@NFL) April 23, 2026Makai Lemon
Lemon pulled up to the draft in a classic look, sporting a gray pinstripe suit and shades during the proceedings. If you squint your eyes close enough, you might think Lemon was resembling Richard Pryor's character in "Harlem Nights."
— NFL (@NFL) April 23, 2026MORE NFL DRAFT NEWS:
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