The 2026 NFL Draft has arrived, and the fallout from the first round was instantaneous.
The action in Pittsburgh got off to a predictable start with Fernando Mendoza's coronation as the No. 1 overall pick by the Las Vegas Raiders. It didn't take much longer, however, for the prevailing pre-draft wisdom to fall apart. The Arizona Cardinals selected Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love in one of the night's most scrutinized moves, and the Tennessee Titans surprised many by opting for Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate rather than a defensive player. And questions of whether Ty Simpson would make it into Day 1 found a quick and surprising answer, as the Los Angeles Rams nabbed the Alabama quarterback with the No. 13 overall pick.
Here are USA TODAY Sports' grades for each pick in the first round of this year's draft:
The Raiders didn't bother indulging in much misdirection about this pick, and with good reason. Mendoza is a remarkably complete and composed quarterback prospect and could help Las Vegas escape its unending cycle of resets. There could be some early turbulence, especially if an offensive line that surrendered a league-worst 64 sacks doesn't make significant strides. But the Heisman Trophy winner isn't merely a caretaker, as he's proven fully capable of pulling an offense out of deep holes on third down. And with Kirk Cousins in the fold, Las Vegas can prioritize Mendoza's development and not rush him into a potentially unfavorable situation for his long-term trajectory. There's considerable work to do to enact a proper support system, but between the arrival of Mendoza and first-time coach Klint Kubiak, there's finally some legitimate reason for excitement for the Silver and Black.
