Live updates, draft order, top prospects and more
WGAL • • sports
Key Points:
- The 2026 NFL Draft took place at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, with 257 players selected over three days, highlighting the hard work and sacrifices leading up to their professional careers.
- Fernando Mendoza, a former two-star recruit and Heisman Trophy winner from Indiana, was chosen first overall by the Las Vegas Raiders, marking a remarkable rise from obscurity to NFL prospect.
- The draft featured notable surprises, including the Los Angeles Rams selecting Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson at 13th overall, and the New York Jets picking Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey second overall.
- Several teams made strategic moves, such as the Kansas City Chiefs trading up to pick LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane sixth overall, and the Dallas Cowboys trading up to select Ohio State safety Caleb Downs at 11th.
- Raiders rookie Mendoza will learn behind veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins and part-owner Tom Brady, while the draft concluded efficiently in under 3.5 hours with reduced time between picks.
