Round 1, Pick One, Las Vegas Raiders- Fernando Mendoza
With Ben Roethlisberger and Terry Bradshaw on the stage, all minds were wondering if the Raiders would pick their franchise Quarterback. As predicted in VAVEL's NFL Mock Draft ahead of the 2026 selection.
They did and they took a guy who All-Pro QB Kurt Warner described as "deadly" accurate, Mendoza who did the impossible and delivered the Indiana Hoosiers a National Championship.
The Raiders drafted a QB who when entering the red zone in the last two years has thrown 37 touchdowns to zero interceptions, the Raiders have drafted a truly clutch performer with the winning mentality.
Round 1, Pick Two, New York Jets - David Bailey
Next up on the clock is a team who have not won a playoff game since 2020, with glaring needs across the board heading into the 2026 NFL Draft the draft following the first pick was blown wide open.
A team who did not register an interception in 2025, the first ever in NFL history to do so, went for edge rush, with 29 sacks in college the linebacker converted to edge rusher and will hunt QBs for the Jets.
Bailey registered the quickest get-off in the FBS and ran a 4.5 flat at the NFL draft he will surely add to the Jets defensive pressure, he is also the highest ever drafted Jets player.
Round One, Pick 3, Arizona Cardinals- Jeremiyah Love
The Cardinals go offense in the first round, and take who is almost certainly one of the best players in the draft.
For Notre Dame, he rushed for 18 touchdowns, the Cardinals will need to address the QB issue, but one thing is for certain when Love is on the field they will be interesting to watch.
Any QB that plays for the Cardinals in 2026 will benefit from having Love out on the field and they will truly want to maximize Love's touches as he truly will win you games.
Love is the first RB to be taken in the top five since the 2018 NFL draft.
Round one, Pick 4, Tennessee Titans - Carnell Tate
With two Ohio State defenders on the board the question on everybody's mind is which way the Robert Saleh lead Titans would go.
In a shock choice the Titans went offense, as he beat out his defensive team mates, the Titans went out to support Cam Ward and draft him a true offensive weapon out of WR university Ohio State.
They selected a player who is only described as "exceptional" and while he was not the best player on his college team he was definitely the best receiver in this draft class according to film study.
Defensive Stars Shine in the Middle of Round One
Round One, Pick 5, New York Giants - Arvell Reese
The Giants almost certainly never thought that a defensive player with this level of talent would fall down the draft board to them and now makes previous first-round pick Kayvon Thibodeaux a trade target.
They pair Reese up with Abdul Carter and create a truly dominant defensive front which is blossoming with young and aggressive talent that will dominate back fields for years to come.
Round one, Pick 5, Trade Kansas City Chiefs - Cleveland Browns - Mansoor Delane
The Chiefs are not just sitting back and accepting the end of their dynasty as they trade their 3rd round pick as well as their 5th round pick to go out and select the LSU corner back.
After losing Trent Mcduffie to the Los Angeles Rams this year, and they moved up three spots to take what could possibly be a star at the position.
Delane is an athletic phenom as they draft a CB who ran a 4.38 40 yard dash time at this year's combine as well as allowing under 400 yards in coverage placing him at third in the FBS.
Round One, Pick Seven, Washington Commanders- Sonny Styles
The Commanders address an issue and take the other Ohio State edge rusher off the board, with 83 total tackles they have drafted a backer who will mop up any issues.
The Commanders have added 6 total defensive pieces this offseason, and Styles should slot right in as he was a wrecking ball defender in college.
The third Buckeye in the top three picks, he has been described as "being made in a lab for Dan Quinn "the former safety will be flying downhill for years to come.
Building for the Future: Picks 8-12
Round One, Pick Eight, New Orleans Saints - Jordyn Tyson
The Saints selected Tyson who is up there with the best hands in this or any year's draft, he will come in and help their sophomore QB.
Despite injury concerns he went for a whopping 1812 yards as well as 18 touchdowns across the last two seasons, he will play alongside Chris Olave and his numbers should only rise in the pros.
Round One, Pick Nine, Cleveland Browns - Spencer Fano
The first offensive lineman off the board is the Utah tackle Fano which is who the Browns wanted at the sixth pick but now they get an elite tackle and two extra picks.
The ninth overall pick will protect whoever is the signal caller for the Browns in 2026, he can play on both sides of the offensive line despite looking like he had a small frame, when measured these worries went away.
Round One, Pick Ten, New York Giants - Francis Mauigoa
The second first-round pick for the New York Football Giants, as they went for the other side of the trenches in Miami's tackle.
Mauigoa was a three-year starter in the FBS and allowed the lowest pressure rate in 2025, he will come and protect the second-year first-round pick Jaxson Dart.
With the way the contracts are looking on the Giants it looks like they will move him inside and play him at guard despite starting 42 games at right tackle.
Round One, Pick Eleven, Dallas Cowboys - Miami Dolphins - Caleb Downs
The Cowboys move up one spot using two fifth round picks to select Ohio State's Caleb Downs, Jerry Jones has been after Downs since the 2025 season.
The safety will turn the ball over, forcing two forced fumbles and two interceptions in the 25/26 season, leading to him winning the Jim Thorpe Award.
Downs is the fourth Buckeye off the board and will improve a defense which finished rock bottom of the NFL statistically.
Round One, Pick Twelve, Miami Dolphins - Kaydn Proctor
The Alabama tackle becomes the 3rd tackle off the board, the 6ft 6 tackle will set the tone in the trenches, he is arguably the best run defender in the draft.
He has shades of Trent Williams and it indicates that maybe the new regime in Miami will be moving towards a more dominant style of offense and with Malik Willis and Deveon Achane sitting behind him they will set the tone.
