Mendoza Goes No. 1 as Raiders Open 2026 NFL Draft Sport By lines April 24, 2026 The 2026 NFL Draft Round 1 wrapped up Thursday night at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh. Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza went first to the Las Vegas Raiders. Mendoza won the 2025 Heisman Trophy at Indiana. Mendoza joins a Raiders team that held the No. 1 overall pick entering Thursday. Offensive Linemen and Ohio State Dominate Round 1 Nine offensive linemen came off the board in Round 1. The nine-man total ties the most since 2000. Four Ohio State players went inside the top 11 picks. The Tennessee Titans took Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate at No. 4. The Titans paired Tate with second-year QB Cam Ward for 2026. The New York Jets grabbed Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey at No. 2. The Arizona Cardinals followed with Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love at No. 3. The Los Angeles Rams took Alabama QB Ty Simpson at No. 13. The Pittsburgh Steelers closed the first round by drafting Arizona State tackle Max Iheanachor. Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft resumes Friday at 7 p.m. ET with Rounds 2 and 3. Related Sports Coverage Raiders Set to Pick Fernando Mendoza at No. 1 Overall NFL Draft Opens Thursday With 7 First-Round Trades Day 2 of 2026 NFL Draft Starts at 7 ET on ESPN Source: 2026 NFL Draft first-round results via NFL.com.
