Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh begins Friday evening as teams fill needs after a Round 1 headlined by QB Fernando Mendoza going first overall to Las Vegas.
When Fernando Mendoza's name was called first overall by the Las Vegas Raiders at 8:23 PM Eastern on Thursday, the roar from the crowd gathered along Pittsburgh's North Shore told you everything about what the 2026 NFL Draft means to the city that has never hosted this event before: not just a football milestone, but a validation. By the time the first round ended past midnight, 32 picks had been made, at least two had already drawn fierce criticism, and Day 2 — Rounds 2 and 3, beginning Friday evening — arrives with teams scrambling to plug the gaps they couldn't fill Thursday.
Mendoza's selection was inevitable the moment Indiana's Heisman-winning quarterback led the Hoosiers to a national championship last season. His 72.4 percent completion rate in 2025 and 38 touchdowns against 4 interceptions gave the Raiders — who have not made the playoffs since 2021 — a genuine franchise cornerstone for the first time in years. The pick drew universal praise from evaluators. Rounds 2 and 3 on 24 April will determine whether Las Vegas can build enough around him quickly.
NFL Draft 2026 · NFL Draft Pittsburgh · Fernando Mendoza
The night's other unambiguous win was Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love going third overall to the Arizona Cardinals, making him and teammate Jadarian Price — taken later in the first round by the Seattle Seahawks — the first pair of Notre Dame running backs drafted in Round 1 since the franchise system was introduced in 1936. Love ran for 1,842 yards and 22 touchdowns last season, numbers that made his selection feel less like a gamble and more like the Cardinals finally accepting reality: running the ball at elite efficiency is the fastest route to relevance when you're rebuilding around an unproven passing game.
“Kansas City's decision to trade up to grab LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane at No.”
Kansas City's decision to trade up to grab LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane at No. 6 generated the evening's most knowing nods from draft analysts. The Chiefs enter 2026 with Patrick Mahomes still in his prime but a secondary that surrendered 28 passing touchdowns in 2025 — second-most in the AFC. Delane, who ran a 4.28 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine and recorded 14 pass breakups in his final LSU season, addresses that need directly. Bill Belichick, in his debut as Carolina Panthers head coach after taking the job in February, traded back from No. 8 to stockpile picks for Rounds 2 and 3 — a manoeuvre that drew predictable praise and equally predictable scepticism from analysts who noted the Panthers' roster needs are too acute for patience.
Key Takeaways
→NFL Draft 2026: Fernando Mendoza, a quarterback from Indiana, was selected first overall by the Las Vegas Raiders on 23 April 2026.
→NFL Draft Pittsburgh: Fernando Mendoza, a quarterback from Indiana, was selected first overall by the Las Vegas Raiders on 23 April 2026.
→Fernando Mendoza: Fernando Mendoza, a quarterback from Indiana, was selected first overall by the Las Vegas Raiders on 23 April 2026.
→Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, a quarterback from Indiana, was selected first overall by the Las Vegas Raiders on 23 April 2026.
The pick that generated genuine confusion was the Los Angeles Rams taking Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson at No. 13. Simpson is a legitimate NFL prospect — 34 touchdowns, 3,900 yards in his senior season — but selecting him in the top 15 with Matthew Stafford still on the roster and three years remaining on his contract struck most evaluators as premature at best. CBS Sports graded the pick a D. The Rams' front office offered no public explanation beyond standard statements about best-available player, which, in the context of 13th overall, few in the league bought.
NFL Draft 2026 · NFL Draft Pittsburgh · Fernando Mendoza
The Eagles rounded out the evening's notable trades by swapping picks with Dallas to land USC wide receiver Makai Lemon at No. 23. Lemon caught 94 passes for 1,312 yards in 2025 behind what was arguably college football's most media-scrutinised offensive scheme. In Philadelphia, he will step into a system that threw for 4,700 yards last season and does not need to be rebuilt around him — which is exactly the situation a receiver of his calibre should want in Year 1.
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The bigger picture from Round 1 is that the 2026 quarterback class is thinner at the top than most draft cycles. Only Mendoza and Simpson went in the first round. That scarcity means teams that still need a quarterback of the future are watching Day 2 and Day 3 in Pittsburgh with unusual intensity — searching for the kind of mid-round discovery that turns a forgettable draft into a franchise-defining one. The Pittsburgh Steelers, hosting the event with 12 total picks and their own uncertain quarterback situation, make their first selection early in Round 2. The city on the North Shore is paying attention.
Who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft?
Fernando Mendoza, a quarterback from Indiana, was selected first overall by the Las Vegas Raiders on 23 April 2026. Mendoza led Indiana to a national championship in 2025, completing 72.4 percent of his passes with 38 touchdowns and 4 interceptions.
What happens in Rounds 2 and 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft?
Rounds 2 and 3 take place on 24 April 2026 in Pittsburgh, beginning Friday evening. Teams use Day 2 picks to fill needs not addressed in Round 1 — typically targeting starters at premium positions or trading accumulated picks for a specific target.
Why did the Rams' selection of Ty Simpson draw criticism?
The Los Angeles Rams took Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson at No. 13 overall, but already have Matthew Stafford under contract for three more seasons. CBS Sports graded the pick a D, with most analysts calling the selection premature given Stafford's remaining tenure and the Rams' other roster needs.
Which Notre Dame running backs were drafted in Round 1?
Jeremiyah Love went third overall to the Arizona Cardinals and Jadarian Price was taken later in Round 1 by the Seattle Seahawks — the first time two Notre Dame running backs have been selected in the first round in the modern draft era.
