Biggest Moments From The NFL Draft  2026

The 2026 NFL Draft got underway on Thursday night in Pittsburgh, and the city treated it like a full-blown football holiday. With Round 1 taking place on April 23 and the rest of the draft continuing through April 25, fans packed the North Shore near Acrisure Stadium and Point State Park as the league’s next wave of stars found out where they’ll begin their pro careers. The first night reportedly drew a record-setting crowd of 320,000 fans, so yeah, Pittsburgh showed up and showed out.

Coming into the night, everybody knew quarterbacks, pass rushers and offensive linemen were going to drive the conversation. Fernando Mendoza was the name at the top of most boards, but after that, the real drama was in how teams would maneuver. Would franchises trade up? Would somebody reach? Would a contender get aggressive and shake the room? That’s the beauty of the draft: all the mock drafts in the world can’t stop one general manager from getting spicy.

And Round 1 gave us plenty to talk about. From a new franchise quarterback in Las Vegas to a running back going way higher than most people expected, this draft had trades, surprises, future-proofing and a couple “wait, what?” moments that instantly became conversation starters. So let’s get into the biggest moments from the 2026 NFL Draft so far.

Fernando Mendoza Goes No. 1 To The Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders made it official by taking Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick, giving the franchise a new face after another rough season.

Mendoza’s rise is one of those stories that feels made for the draft stage: he went from being overlooked earlier in his college career to winning the Heisman, leading Indiana to a national championship and becoming the first pick in the draft. For a Raiders team that has been searching for real stability at quarterback, this was a sign that could change the entire direction of the franchise.

The Cardinals Shock Everybody By Taking Jeremiyah Love At No. 3

Running backs have spent years hearing about how the league “doesn’t value the position like that anymore,” and then Arizona went and took Notre Dame star Jeremiyah Love third overall. Love becoming the highest-drafted running back since 2018 was a major statement, especially in a league where teams usually don’t spend top-five picks on backs anymore. But Arizona clearly saw him as more than just a traditional runner. With his ability to run, catch and create explosive plays, the Cardinals treated him like a franchise-changing weapon, not just another piece in the backfield.

The Titans Grab Carnell Tate — And Not Everybody Loved It

The Tennessee Titans took Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate at No. 4, which gave them a big-bodied playmaker to pair with quarterback Cam Ward. Talent-wise, Tate makes sense: he has the size, catch radius, and red-zone ability teams look for in a first-round receiver. But the conversation started immediately because many people viewed the pick as a reach at that high a draft spot. That doesn’t mean Tate can’t prove everybody wrong, but Tennessee definitely made one of those picks where the player and the slot will be debated until he gets on the field.

The Chiefs Trade Up For Mansoor Delane

Kansas City didn’t sit back and wait for the board to come to them. The Chiefs moved from No. 9 to No. 6 in a trade with the Browns so they could grab LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane, one of the top defensive backs in the class. That move hit even harder because Kansas City had already moved on from All-Pro corner Trent McDuffie earlier in the offseason, so this felt like the Chiefs quickly trying to reload in the secondary before anybody else could take their guy. It was aggressive, but that’s what contenders do when they believe a player can help them right away.

The Saints Land Jordyn Tyson, Who Many Had As WR1

The New Orleans Saints grabbed Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson at No. 8, and depending on who you asked before the draft, they may have landed the best wideout in the class. Tyson had plenty of WR1 buzz because of his size, route-running and ability to win in different areas of the field. For the Saints, this was about giving their offense a true building block on the outside. In a draft where receivers were going to be judged heavily by team fit, New Orleans got one of the cleanest talent-and-need matches of the night.

The Giants Pass On Caleb Downs, Then The Cowboys Grab Him With The Next Pick

This was one of those draft moments that instantly felt like NFC East drama. The Giants had a shot at Ohio State safety Caleb Downs at No. 10 and passed, then Dallas came right behind them at No. 11 and scooped him up. For Cowboys fans, it felt like Jerry Jones got his guy and maybe even stole one from a division rival in the process. For Giants fans, this is the kind of pick they’re going to revisit if Downs becomes the type of defensive star man people think he can be.

The Rams Stun The Room By Drafting Ty Simpson

One of the biggest shockers of the night came when the Los Angeles Rams selected Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson at No. 13. On paper, it was surprising because Matthew Stafford is still there and is coming off an MVP season. Still, the Rams clearly have one eye on the future. Simpson only had limited starting experience in college, which makes the pick feel risky, but Sean McVay getting a young quarterback to develop behind Stafford is the kind of move that could either look brilliant in a few years or have people bringing up the receipts. Either way, it immediately became one of the most talked-about picks of the night.

The Jets Leave Round 1 With Three New Pieces

The New York Jets were busy. After taking Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey at No. 2 and tight end Kenyon Sadiq at No. 16, they traded back into the first round to grab Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. at No. 30. That gave them three first-round picks in one night, which is either a sign of a franchise attacking its rebuild with purpose or a team under serious pressure to get this thing right immediately. Regardless, the Jets walked away with help on both sides of the ball and gave their fans a whole lot to argue about before Day 2 even started.

The Eagles Trade Up For Makai Lemon, Adding More A.J. Brown Questions

Philadelphia made one of the more dramatic moves of the night by trading up with Dallas to take USC wide receiver Makai Lemon at No. 20. On its own, taking a talented receiver makes sense. But with all the noise already surrounding A.J. Brown’s future, the pick instantly poured more gas on the speculation. Lemon gives Philly another young playmaker, but the timing made everybody wonder whether the Eagles are simply adding depth or preparing for something bigger. When a team trades up for a receiver while its star receiver’s name is floating around trade rumors, people are going to connect those dots.

Offensive Linemen Started Flying Off The Board

For all the flashy skill-position talk, Round 1 also reminded everybody that football still starts up front. Offensive linemen came off the board early and often, with players like Spencer Fano, Francis Mauigoa, Blake Miller, Max Iheanachor, Keylan Rutledge and Caleb Lomu all going in the first round. Teams clearly weren’t playing around about protecting their quarterbacks, especially after a season where bad offensive line play wrecked more than a few offenses. It may not be the sexiest draft night storyline, but when these quarterbacks are upright in December, fans will understand why their teams made those picks.

RELATED: A Grown Man’s Guide To The 2026 NFL Draft

See more reactions from the night below.