The NFL Draft opened with no suspense at the top, as the Raiders took Fernando Mendoza at No. 1 overall. But the rest of the night quickly picked up, with trades and a surprise QB selection by the Rams.
PITTSBURGH — There was absolutely no mystery or surprise at the start of the 2026 NFL Draft as the Raiders, as expected for months, selected Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick Thursday night.
Mendoza, who led the undefeated Hoosiers to the 2025 College Football Playoff title and won the Heisman Trophy, became the fourth straight quarterback to garner the draft’s top selection following the Titans’ Cam Ward, the Bears’ Caleb Williams, and the Panthers’ Bryce Young.
The rapid success of those three predecessors, particularly Williams and Young, raises the expectations further for Mendoza. Already, Mendoza will be looked upon as a franchise cornerstone for a Las Vegas team that badly needs one. The Raiders have just one playoff appearance since 2017, haven’t won a postseason game since the 2002 season, and have just two winning seasons since that run to Super Bowl XXXVII 23 years ago.
Because of all of that, the story of the NFL in Las Vegas has almost been more about the Super Bowl, now set to head there for a second time in 2029. Mendoza’s pedigree of success and star power, however, presents an opportunity to change that.
“We’ve gotten a few calls, and those teams know where they stand,” Spytek said.
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Mendoza Is Big Business
With the No. 1 pick now official, Mendoza will sign a four-year, rookie-level contract worth $54.56 million. That pact is one of three this year that will be the first to surpass $50 million since the league’s rookie wage scale was implemented in 2011.
Like all 32 first-round picks, Mendoza’s deal will also be fully guaranteed with a team option for a fifth year. His contract is also 38% higher than the comparable pact that Williams signed with Chicago two years ago, a direct reflection of the steady growth of the NFL’s salary cap in recent seasons.
Mendoza did not travel to Pittsburgh to attend the draft in person, instead choosing to celebrate the news with family and friends in Miami.
Even with the selection of Mendoza, the Raiders also hedged their bets somewhat by recently signing veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins, who will be expected to help shepherd the rookie. The two are expected to compete for the team’s starting job to begin the season.
Mendoza, meanwhile, will also be under the tutelage of Raiders co-owner Tom Brady, a seven-time Super Bowl winner.
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ONE BIG FIG
Record Turnout
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320,000
That’s the number of fans who attended the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, setting a new league record for opening-night turnout. The figure easily surpassed last year’s 205,000 in Green Bay and the previous high of 275,000 set in Detroit.
The massive crowd puts the NFL on pace to reach its projected 500,000 to 700,000 total attendance for the three-day event, reinforcing Pittsburgh’s push to land more major sports events. Read the story.
Can you list the last five NFL Draft locations in reverse chronological order starting with 2026?
LOUD AND CLEAR
Uncertain Timeline
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“However long it takes.”
—Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel on how long he expects to undergo counseling following a growing personal scandal, just before the start of the 2026 NFL Draft. The situation involves a romantic relationship with reporter Dianna Russini that became public after photos of the two surfaced.
Vrabel said he will miss the third day of the draft, but did not say whether additional absences are coming. The comment points to uncertainty around his immediate future with the team and what comes next. Read the story.
SPONSORED BY U.S. BANK
Better Together
The wins that stay with you—you know, the ones that actually mean something—they never happen alone. They’re earned because you never stopped showing up for one another. And that’s exactly what U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking and Savings are designed to do: work together, so we can reward you even more. Because you truly deserve a bank that’s always in it with you, every single step of the way. That’s the power of us.
FOS NEWS
Joe Flacco Gets Candid
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Joe Flacco is heading into his 19th NFL season at 41 years old, coming off his first Pro Bowl selection, and he still thinks some teams made a mistake by not giving him a starting job. He joins Front Office Sports and explains why he went back to Cincinnati over other choices.
He also discusses his business ventures, how extra games impact the quality of playoff football, and whether a TV career is something he has actually started exploring. Watch the full interview.
By sorecery