Raiders Select Fernando Mendoza No. 1 Overall in 2026 NFL Draft; Mendoza Skips Draft Stage

Eight trades were agreed on day one as the draft opened, with multiple teams moving to position themselves for picks throughout the first round and beyond.

A crowd of about 320,000 attended the start of the draft outside the home of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Washington Commanders drafted pass rusher Sonny Styles with the seventh pick. Styles, 21, is the son of Super Bowl-winning linebacker Lorenzo Styles, with his older brother Lorenzo Jr. also hoping to be drafted this weekend. 'He's my best friend, my inspiration,' Styles said, describing the lifelong dream.

The New York Jets jumped back into the first round to add wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr., giving the Jets three first-round picks overall.

The Pittsburgh Steelers were set to select Makai Lemon before the Philadelphia Eagles moved in to take him 20th overall.

The Philadelphia Eagles moved in ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers to select wide receiver Makai Lemon with the 20th pick.

The Los Angeles Rams selected quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th pick. Simpson is viewed as a developmental quarterback to be developed under head coach Sean McVay, with Matthew Stafford entering his 38-year-old season and committing to one more year.

The Dallas Cowboys moved up to claim safety Caleb Downs with the 11th pick. Downs attended the draft with his parents; his father Gary Downs is a former NFL running back and his brother Josh Downs is with the Indianapolis Colts.

The Kansas City Chiefs traded up from the ninth pick to sixth to select cornerback Mansoor Delane. Delane noted that the move was done quietly and he viewed it as the best move of the draft; he cited the Chiefs’ plan to rebuild.

The New York Giants added offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa with the tenth pick. Mauigoa, 20, grew up in American Samoa and paid homage to his homeland with a collage on the back of his suit jacket.

The New York Giants drafted pass rusher Arvell Reese with the fifth pick.

The Tennessee Titans drafted wide receiver Carnell Tate with the fourth pick, a pick noted as a surprise by some observers.

The Arizona Cardinals selected running back Jeremiyah Love with the third overall pick.

The New York Jets drafted pass rusher David Bailey with the second overall pick.

The Las Vegas Raiders selected quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft. Mendoza, 22, did not attend the start of the draft in Pittsburgh, opting to share the moment with his family at home in Miami. He had been widely regarded as the top player after leading Indiana to their first national championship and being named the best player in college football. He becomes the third Heisman winner to also win a national championship and be selected No. 1 overall in the same year, joining Cam Newton (2011) and Joe Burrow (2020).