Day 2 of 2026 NFL Draft Starts at 7 ET on ESPN Sport By lines April 24, 2026 The 2026 NFL Draft Day 2 begins at 7 ET Friday on ESPN and ABC. The Las Vegas Raiders closed Round 1 by selecting Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick. Mendoza Caps a Loaded First Round Fernando Mendoza won the 2025 Heisman Trophy at Indiana. Mendoza threw 41 touchdown passes as a senior for the Hoosiers. Indiana finished 16-0 and won the College Football Playoff National Championship. Mendoza completed 72 percent of his passes, per ESPN. The Arizona Cardinals selected Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love at No. 3 overall. Love became the third running back taken in the top three picks over the last 20 years. The Los Angeles Rams selected Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson at No. 13 overall. Most pre-draft boards projected Simpson as a Round 2 prospect. Four Ohio State players went inside the first 11 picks on Thursday. Teams drafted nine offensive linemen in Round 1 on Thursday. The nine offensive linemen tied the most in any first round since 2000, per the NFL. Day 2 begins Friday at 7 ET on ESPN and ABC. Teams work through Round 2 and Round 3 from Pittsburgh. The San Francisco 49ers hold seven picks from Rounds 2 through 7. Day 3 covers Rounds 4 through 7 on Saturday. Related Sports Coverage NFL Draft Opens Thursday With 7 First-Round Trades Raiders Set to Pick Fernando Mendoza at No. 1 Overall Steelers Still Waiting on Rodgers as Draft Opens Sources: ESPN draft analysis, NFL.com.
