April 23 (UPI) -- Fernando Mendoza fulfilled expectations by landing with the Las Vegas Raiders as the No. 1 overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday in Pittsburgh.
But, in typical fashion, draft night mayhem ensued, with eight trades and a sprinkling of unanticipated selections. More than 320,000 fans, a record attendance for the event, were on hand for the festivities near Acrisure Stadium.
"I'm just looking forward to getting to work, proving it at the next level," Mendoza said on the ESPN broadcast. "College was fantastic. I'm so blessed to have that career.
"But now I step into a great game, the NFL. I look forward to proving it and earning it every single day."
Edge rusher David Bailey and running back Jeremiyah Love joined the New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals with the respective Nos. 2 and 3 selections after the Raiders started the night by picking the Indiana quarterback.
Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate (Tennessee Titans) and his former Buckeyes teammate, edge rusher Arvell Reese (New York Giants), rounded out the Top-5 selections.
"You know, even before the draft I always said that nothing was guaranteed," Reese told reporters when asked if he thought he'd be picked earlier. "It was all just speculation and mocks and stuff.
"Whatever happened was God's plan. I wasn't questioning anything, I wouldn't say I was surprised or not. I'm just blessed to be here."
Love was the earliest running back selected since Saquon Barkley went No. 2 overall in 2018. His Notre Dame teammate, Jadarian Price, went with the final pick (No. 32) to the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. With that selection, Price and Love became the first teammates to be the first running backs picked in an NFL Draft.
The Los Angeles Rams made arguably the most surprising pick of the night when they selected Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson at No. 13.
The Jets, who picked three times, were among seven teams with multiple first-round selections, while eight teams did not pick a player. The Jets landed Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq at No. 16 and Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. at No. 30, in addition to Texas Tech's Bailey.
The Titans picked up Auburn edge Keldric Faulk at No. 31, in addition to Tate. The Giants, who acquired the No. 10 selection when they traded defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals, landed Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa with that pick.
The Kansas City Chiefs traded up for the Cleveland Browns' No. 6 pick to acquire LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane and snagged Clemson Peter Woods at No. 29. The Browns picked Utah offensive tackle Spencer Fano at No. 9 and Texans A&M wide receiver K.C. Concepcion at No. 24.
The Dallas Cowboys acquired Ohio State safety Caleb Downs (No. 11) and UCF edge Malachi Lawrence (No. 23). The Miami Dolphins picked up Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor (No. 12) and San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson (No. 27).
The full list of first-round selections is below. Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft, which will feature the second and third rounds, will air at 7 p.m. EDT Friday on NFL Network, ABC and ESPN. The final day, which will include rounds four through seven, will air at noon Saturday on the same platforms.
6. Kansas City Chiefs (traded from Cleveland Browns)
9. Cleveland Browns (traded from Kansas City Chiefs)
20. Philadelphia Eagles (traded from Dallas Cowboys)
23. Dallas Cowboys (traded from Philadelphia Eagles)
27. Miami Dolphins (traded from San Francisco 49ers)