NFL Draft Picks: Complete Round 1 Results
The 2026 NFL Draft opened with one of the most predictable No. 1 picks in recent memory, then immediately pivoted into chaos. Here’s every selection from Thursday night:
| Pick | Team | Player | Position | School |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Las Vegas Raiders | Fernando Mendoza | QB | Indiana |
| 2 | New York Jets | David Bailey | EDGE | Texas Tech |
| 3 | Arizona Cardinals | Jeremiyah Love | RB | Notre Dame |
| 4 | Tennessee Titans | Carnell Tate | WR | Ohio State |
| 5 | New York Giants | Arvell Reese | EDGE | Ohio State |
| 6 | Kansas City Chiefs (from CLE) | Mansoor Delane | CB | LSU |
| 7 | Washington Commanders | Sonny Styles | LB | Ohio State |
| 8 | New Orleans Saints | Jordyn Tyson | WR | Arizona State |
| 9 | Cleveland Browns (from KC) | Spencer Fano | OT | Utah |
| 10 | New York Giants (from CIN) | Francis Mauigoa | OT | Miami |
| 11 | Dallas Cowboys (from MIA) | Caleb Downs | S | Ohio State |
| 12 | Miami Dolphins (from DAL) | Kadyn Proctor | OT | Alabama |
| 13 | Los Angeles Rams (from ATL) | Ty Simpson | QB | Alabama |
| 14 | Baltimore Ravens | Olaivavega Ioane | G | Penn State |
| 15 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Rueben Bain Jr. | EDGE | Miami |
| 16 | New York Jets (from IND) | Kenyon Sadiq | TE | Oregon |
| 17 | Detroit Lions | Blake Miller | OT | Clemson |
| 18 | Minnesota Vikings | Caleb Banks | DT | Florida |
| 19 | Carolina Panthers | Monroe Freeling | OT | Georgia |
| 20 | Philadelphia Eagles (from DAL) | Makai Lemon | WR | USC |
| 21 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Max Iheanachor | OT | Arizona State |
| 22 | Los Angeles Chargers | Hakeem Mesidor | EDGE | Miami |
| 23 | Dallas Cowboys (from PHI) | Malachi Lawrence | EDGE | UCF |
| 24 | Cleveland Browns (from JAX) | KC Concepcion | WR | Texas A&M |
| 25 | Chicago Bears | Dillon Thieneman | S | Oregon |
| 26 | Houston Texans (from BUF) | Keylan Rutledge | G | Georgia Tech |
| 27 | Miami Dolphins (from SF) | Chris Johnson | CB | San Diego State |
| 28 | New England Patriots (from BUF) | Caleb Lomu | OT | Utah |
| 29 | Kansas City Chiefs (from LAR) | Peter Woods | DT | Clemson |
| 30 | New York Jets (from SF) | Omar Cooper Jr. | WR | Indiana |
| 31 | Tennessee Titans (from BUF) | Keldric Faulk | EDGE | Auburn |
| 32 | Seattle Seahawks | Jadarian Price | RB | Notre Dame |
The No. 1 Pick: Raiders Secure Their Franchise Quarterback
As expected, the Las Vegas Raiders opened the NFL Draft by selecting Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick. The Heisman Trophy winner and national champion gives the Raiders their potential franchise quarterback, ending months of speculation and mock draft projections.
Mendoza wasn’t just the best quarterback in this class—he was one of the most decorated college players in recent memory. After transferring to Indiana, he led the Hoosiers to a national championship and captured the Heisman, making him the undisputed prize of this NFL Draft class.
The Raiders, holding the top pick for just the second time in the common draft era, now face the challenge of surrounding Mendoza with talent. With nine additional picks remaining, expect Las Vegas to target weapons and protection early on Day 2—possibly including Mendoza’s Indiana teammate Elijah Sarratt.
Trade Frenzy: Eight Deals Shake Up Round 1
The 2026 NFL Draft first round featured eight trades, more movement than most analysts predicted. Here’s a complete breakdown of every deal:
Browns trade No. 6 to Chiefs (8:43 p.m. ET)
- Chiefs get: 6th overall pick
- Browns get: 9th overall, 74th overall, 148th overall
The Chiefs jumped up to select LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane, addressing a critical need in their secondary. The Browns, already holding the 24th pick, added valuable Day 2 and Day 3 capital while still landing offensive tackle Spencer Fano at No. 9.
Cowboys trade up with Dolphins (9:10 p.m. ET)
- Cowboys get: 11th overall
- Dolphins get: 12th overall, 177th overall, 180th overall
Dallas sacrificed two late picks to move up one spot for Ohio State safety Caleb Downs—widely considered one of the best overall prospects in the draft.
Eagles trade up with Cowboys (9:55 p.m. ET)
- Eagles get: 20th overall, 7th-round pick
- Cowboys get: 23rd overall, 114th overall, 137th overall
Philadelphia moved up three spots to grab USC wide receiver Makai Lemon, a move that signals potential changes to their receiver corps. The Eagles have now added four receivers in six weeks, fueling speculation about A.J. Brown’s future.
Texans trade up with Bills (10:29 p.m. ET)
- Texans get: 26th overall, 91st overall
- Bills get: 28th overall, 69th overall, 167th overall
Houston moved up two spots to select Georgia Tech guard Keylan Rutledge, continuing their offensive line overhaul.
Dolphins trade up with 49ers (10:34 p.m. ET)
- Dolphins get: 27th overall, 138th overall
- 49ers get: 30th overall, 90th overall
Miami moved up three spots to grab San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson, addressing a critical need in their secondary.
Patriots trade up with Bills (10:45 p.m. ET)
- Patriots get: 28th overall
- Bills get: 31st overall, 125th overall
New England jumped up to select Utah tackle Caleb Lomu, providing much-needed protection for quarterback Drake Maye after his brutal Super Bowl experience.
Jets trade up with 49ers (10:49 p.m. ET)
- Jets get: 30th overall
- 49ers get: 33rd overall, 179th overall
The Jets made their third first-round pick of the night, selecting Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. to pair with earlier selections David Bailey and Kenyon Sadiq.
Titans trade up with Bills (10:57 p.m. ET)
- Titans get: 31st overall, 69th overall, 165th overall
- Bills get: 35th overall, 66th overall, 101st overall
Tennessee added Auburn edge rusher Keldric Faulk to pair with earlier selection Carnell Tate, giving them two first-round talents.
Biggest Surprises from Round 1 NFL Draft Picks
While Mendoza going first was no shock, several NFL Draft picks defied expectations:
Carnell Tate at No. 4: The Ohio State wide receiver went significantly earlier than projected, landing with the Titans at fourth overall. This made Ohio State the first school with back-to-back top-five receivers in draft history, continuing a streak that includes Emeka Egbuka (2025), Marvin Harrison Jr. (2024), and Jaxon Smith-Njigba (2023).
Ty Simpson slides to No. 13: The Alabama quarterback was once considered a top-10 lock, but he fell to the Rams at 13th overall. This made 2026 just the third draft in modern history where only one quarterback was selected in Round 1.
Nine offensive linemen selected: More than a quarter of first-round picks were big men, including a stunning run of four tackles between picks 17 and 28. The Patriots even traded up to ensure they got the last premium tackle, Caleb Lomu, at No. 28.
Jeremiyah Love goes third overall: The Notre Dame running back became the highest-drafted back since Saquon Barkley in 2018, with ESPN’s Draft Day Predictor giving him a 90% chance of going in the top five.
Winners and Losers from Round 1
Winners
New York Jets: No team had a better first round. The Jets selected three players—David Bailey (No. 2), Kenyon Sadiq (No. 16), and Omar Cooper Jr. (No. 30)—giving them an incredible influx of talent. General Manager Darren Mougey positioned the team perfectly for future quarterback acquisition while building a supporting cast that will benefit whoever is under center.
Cleveland Browns: Andrew Berry’s draft strategy was masterful. After trading back from No. 6 and still landing Spencer Fano at No. 9, the Browns added explosive wide receiver KC Concepcion at No. 24. With nine remaining picks and extra Day 2 capital, Cleveland is positioned to dominate the rest of the draft.
Ohio State Buckeyes: The draft’s biggest positional story was Ohio State’s dominance. Four Buckeyes went in the top 11 picks: Carnell Tate (No. 4), Arvell Reese (No. 5), Sonny Styles (No. 7), and Caleb Downs (No. 11). No school has ever had four top-11 selections in the modern draft era.
Dallas Cowboys: Trading up for Caleb Downs and then down to still get Malachi Lawrence gave Dallas two impact defensive players while accumulating extra draft capital. Downs is already being compared to franchise legend Darren Woodson.
Losers
Pittsburgh Steelers: The hometown team missed out on their reported target, Makai Lemon, when the Eagles traded up to No. 20. The Steelers settled for Max Iheanachor at No. 21—a solid tackle but not the game-breaking receiver they coveted.
Rueben Bain Jr.: The Miami edge rusher slid to No. 15, well below his projected top-12 range. The fall likely cost him upward of $10 million in guaranteed salary. His historically short arm length (30 7/8 inches) may have spooked teams.
Minnesota Vikings: Reaching for Caleb Banks at No. 18—62nd on Mel Kiper’s board—was the biggest stretch of the night. With safety Dillon Thieneman still available and Harrison Smith’s future uncertain, passing on a perfect scheme fit raised eyebrows.
Top Prospects Still Available for Day 2
Rounds 2 and 3 kick off Friday at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN, ABC, and NFL Network. Several premium talents surprisingly went undrafted on Day 1:
- Denzel Boston, WR, Washington – Originally projected as a first-rounder, the 6’2″ receiver had 72 catches for 917 yards in 2025 before an ACL injury ended his season.
- Zion Young, EDGE, Missouri – Explosive pass rusher who dominated the SEC.
- CJ Allen, LB, Georgia – Instinctive linebacker with three-down potential.
- Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee – Returning from an ACL tear but was a first-round talent before the injury.
- Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo – Small-school standout with elite athletic traits.
- Chase Bisontis, G, Texas A&M – Physical interior lineman who allowed just one sack in 2025.
The quarterback market is particularly interesting. With Ty Simpson gone, Carson Beck (Miami) is now the top passer available, ranked 111th overall by ESPN. Teams like the Jets (No. 33), Browns (No. 39), and others could pounce early on Day 2 if they haven’t solved their quarterback situations.
What to Watch on Day 2
Friday night’s coverage of Rounds 2 and 3 promises more excitement. Here are the key storylines:
The Bills’ strategy: After trading out of the first round entirely, Buffalo holds picks 35, 66, 101, and more. They’ve positioned themselves to dominate Day 2 with volume.
Receiver run: With Denzel Boston and others still available, expect a feeding frenzy at the position. The 2020 record of 13 receivers in the first two rounds could be shattered.
Jets at No. 33: The first pick of Day 2 gives New York another opportunity to add talent. With three first-rounders already in the fold, they could afford to take a quarterback like Carson Beck or continue building around their future signal-caller.
Saints’ selections: New Orleans holds picks 42 and 73, with their first pick estimated around 6:44 p.m. CT. After grabbing Jordyn Tyson on Day 1, they’ll look to continue rebuilding their offense.
How to Follow the NFL Draft Picks
For real-time updates on all NFL Draft picks throughout the weekend:
- Television: ESPN, ABC, NFL Network
- Streaming: NFL+, ESPN+, fuboTV
- Online Trackers: ESPN Draftcast, CBS Sports Interactive Tracker, The Sporting News live tracker
- Team Resources: Official team websites and apps for pick-specific content
At DailyTalkWeb, we’ll continue providing live updates, instant grades for every pick, and complete coverage of all 257 NFL Draft picks as they happen.
Conclusion: Pittsburgh Delivers a Memorable Round 1
The 2026 NFL Draft first round will be remembered for its offensive line dominance, Ohio State’s historic showing, and the Jets’ incredible three-pick haul. With eight trades reshaping the board and several premium talents still available, Days 2 and 3 promise even more drama.
