2026 NFL Draft Round 1 Results: Mendoza Goes #1, Rams Shock With Ty Simpson, Cowboys Win the Night

# 2026 NFL Draft Round 1 Results: Mendoza Goes #1, Rams Shock With Ty Simpson, Cowboys Win the Night

The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft is in the books. Pittsburgh's Acrisure Stadium was electric on Thursday night as 32 picks reshaped the NFL landscape — and delivered at least two moments that will be debated through training camp and beyond. From a historic quarterback selection at the top to a stunning mid-first-round move that sent shockwaves through the scouting community, Round 1 of the 2026 draft delivered exactly the kind of drama the league promises every spring.

AEO Answer Box: Who went #1 in the 2026 NFL Draft? The Las Vegas Raiders selected Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23, 2026. Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy and led Indiana to a perfect 16-0 national championship season, making him the consensus top prospect entering draft night. He joins Joe Burrow and Cam Newton as the only players in the modern era to win the Heisman, win a national title, and be drafted first overall in the same draft cycle.

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The Night's Defining Story: Fernando Mendoza to Las Vegas

Nothing about the Raiders' selection at No. 1 was a surprise — oddsmakers had Mendoza at -10,000 to go first overall for months — but the circumstances surrounding the pick made it genuinely moving. Mendoza was not in attendance at Acrisure Stadium, instead remaining home with his mother, who has been battling multiple sclerosis. The moment the Raiders called his name, the Cuban-American signal-caller became a symbol of something larger than football.

The football case is airtight. At Indiana, Mendoza orchestrated the program's first undefeated season and first national championship, doing so against one of the most demanding schedules in college football. He finished the year completing 71.4% of his passes with 38 touchdowns against just 4 interceptions. His Heisman Trophy was one of the most lopsided votes in recent memory.

At 6-foot-4 with a quick release and an elite football IQ, Mendoza is precisely what rebuilding franchises dream of. He won't be asked to be perfect immediately — Raiders minority owner Tom Brady has reportedly been instrumental in recruiting Mendoza to the franchise culture, and veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins is positioned to mentor the rookie through his transition.

"The more I've dug into Fernando Mendoza with coaches and scouts, the more the fit with the Raiders really makes sense," one league analyst noted post-draft. "You have the work ethic and maniacal drive and all that stuff, which will appeal to Brady."

For bettors tracking Las Vegas's future odds, this pick is the franchise reset that needed to happen. The Raiders' win total will be a fascinating market heading into the summer — watch for movement as Mendoza's development timeline becomes clearer. Stay current on our NFL picks page as the summer progresses and preseason data starts rolling in.

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The Full First Round: Pick-by-Pick Breakdown

Here's a snapshot of how Round 1 unfolded at Acrisure Stadium:

| Pick | Team | Player | Position | School | |------|------|--------|----------|--------| | 1 | Las Vegas Raiders | Fernando Mendoza | QB | Indiana | | 2 | New York Jets | David Bailey | Edge | Texas Tech | | 3 | Arizona Cardinals | Jeremiyah Love | RB | Notre Dame | | 6 | Kansas City Chiefs | Mansoor Delane | CB | LSU | | 7 | Washington Commanders | Sonny Styles | LB | Ohio State | | 8 | New Orleans Saints | Jordyn Tyson | WR | Arizona State | | 9 | Cleveland Browns | Spencer Fano | OT | Utah | | 11 | Dallas Cowboys | Caleb Downs | S | Ohio State | | 12 | Miami Dolphins | Kadyn Proctor | OT | Alabama | | 13 | Los Angeles Rams | Ty Simpson | QB | Alabama | | 14 | Baltimore Ravens | Olaivavega Ioane | G | Penn State | | 15 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Rueben Bain Jr. | Edge | Miami |

Nine offensive linemen were selected in the first round — more than a quarter of all picks — reflecting both the depth at the position and the league-wide scarcity of quality pass protection. Only two cornerbacks went in Round 1: Mansoor Delane at No. 6 to Kansas City and Chris Johnson at No. 27 to Miami.

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The Night's Biggest Shock: Ty Simpson at #13 to the Rams

If Mendoza at No. 1 was inevitable, the Rams selecting Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson at No. 13 was the night's true stunner. Los Angeles just watched Matthew Stafford win MVP honors. Stafford is still under contract. This pick was not about 2026 — it was about preparing for the inevitable transition at the game's most important position.

The football logic is understandable. Simpson has the arm, the pedigree, and the upside to develop into a starter. But the timing is jarring. Multiple analysts noted that Simpson made only 15 career starts at Alabama and is "nowhere close to being NFL-ready" by most scouting metrics. Taking him at 13 — ahead of multiple prospects widely viewed as superior talents — drew immediate criticism.

The Rams and Seahawks both took significant heat for their selections Thursday night. Los Angeles reaches for a developmental quarterback when it has a Super Bowl-caliber starter on the roster, and Seattle's pick of Kaleb Price was characterized by multiple analysts as a clear Day 2 talent getting a first-round price tag.

For Rams fans, the silver lining is that Stafford gets an heir apparent without any urgency. For bettors, it's worth monitoring how this affects Los Angeles's Super Bowl odds going into camp — a team this committed to the present doesn't make this pick unless it believes it's already a contender. Check out our football picks analysis for updated outlooks as the offseason develops.

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Winners of Round 1

Las Vegas Raiders: The foundational piece is in place. Mendoza's acquisition of Tom Brady as a mentor and Kirk Cousins as a bridge adds unusual infrastructure for a top prospect. Grade: A.

Dallas Cowboys: Dallas traded up to No. 11 to land Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, and the analytics community loved it. The Cowboys ranked dead last in the NFL last season with just six interceptions and 42 passes defended — fewest in the league by 10. Downs is a plug-and-play starter and one of the most complete defensive backs in the draft class.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Bucs sat still and let the board come to them, landing edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. at No. 15 — a player many projected as a top-10 talent. Concerns about arm length may have pushed Bain down boards, but Tampa Bay's front office didn't blink, and the immediate production expectation is real.

New York Jets: After years of failed quarterback attempts, New York held firm at No. 2 and grabbed Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey rather than reaching for a signal-caller. The Jets addressed a premium position at a premium price and didn't flinch.

Kansas City Chiefs: Landing corner Mansoor Delane at No. 6 shores up a secondary that needed help. The reigning dynasty adds another first-round piece.

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Losers of Round 1

Los Angeles Rams: Taking a project quarterback behind a healthy, MVP-caliber starter confused evaluators and raised questions about organizational alignment. The pick may look prescient in three years, but Thursday it felt like a reach.

Seattle Seahawks: The Seahawks selected Kaleb Price, a prospect many pegged as a Round 2-3 value. Taking him in the top 32 felt like a panic pick, and the fan and media reaction reflected that.

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The Jeremiyah Love Effect: Running Back Renaissance?

The Arizona Cardinals' selection of Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love at No. 3 overall represents one of the highest running back selections in years — a direct statement about how the draft class shaped up and how the Cardinals view their offensive identity. Love is a complete back with elite vision, contact balance, and receiving ability out of the backfield. He gives Arizona a playmaker that their offense has lacked.

Love's selection came directly after Notre Dame RB selections became a theme of the evening, with two Fighting Irish running backs going in the first round — an unprecedented feat in the modern era. The Notre Dame pipeline to the NFL has never been more active on the offensive side of the ball.

For those following college football picks and the emerging stars from Power Five programs, Love's trajectory is worth tracking as a barometer for how teams value dynamic backfield weapons in the new NFL.

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Draft Betting: Who Hit and Who Missed

For those who wagered on draft props, Thursday delivered a clear verdict:

• **Mendoza at No. 1**: Already priced as a virtual certainty at -10,000, this was a lock that paid nothing but confirmed the obvious.
• **Over 1.5 QBs in Round 1**: This was one of the night's most-discussed props. Only two signal-callers came off the board — Mendoza at No. 1 and Simpson at No. 13 — meaning the "over" at -350 hit comfortably.
• **OL totals**: The market offered Over/Under on offensive linemen drafted in Round 1. With nine going in the first 32 picks, overs in this category were among the night's biggest winners.
• **CB totals**: The under on cornerbacks in Round 1 was a profitable angle. Only two corners went off the board, hitting the under on most available totals.

The broader takeaway for draft-day bettors: position group totals are increasingly sharp angles when the pre-draft consensus on class depth is strong. This year's OL class was unanimously rated deep; the prop markets reflected that, and the board confirmed it.

For our analytical breakdowns on team futures and win totals following the draft, check our results page and the full sports handicappers section.

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What Rounds 2 and 3 Could Deliver

With the first round in the books, attention now shifts to Day 2, where teams will look to address needs that weren't met Thursday. Several positions remain strikingly thin after Round 1:

• **Cornerback**: Only two CBs went in the first 32 picks. Expect a run on corners Friday.
• **Wide receiver**: Despite Jordyn Tyson going to New Orleans at No. 8, receiver demand across the league is high heading into the weekend.
• **Linebacker**: After Sonny Styles at No. 7, the position went quiet. Day 2 will likely correct that.

Teams like the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, and Philadelphia Eagles all figure to make noise in the second and third rounds based on their roster construction needs entering draft week.

For a complete look at how these moves affect team projections for the fall, the NFL picks page will have updated outlooks throughout the offseason.

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FAQ: 2026 NFL Draft Round 1

Q: Who was the #1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft? A: Fernando Mendoza, the Indiana quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner, was selected first overall by the Las Vegas Raiders. Mendoza led Indiana to a perfect 16-0 national championship season and was the consensus top prospect in the class. He becomes just the third player in the modern era — joining Joe Burrow and Cam Newton — to win the Heisman, win a national title, and be drafted first overall.

Q: Why did Fernando Mendoza skip the NFL Draft ceremony? A: Mendoza was not in attendance at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh because he chose to remain home with his mother, who has multiple sclerosis. The decision was widely praised across the league and only strengthened his reputation as a high-character leader, a quality the Raiders organization specifically cited in their evaluation.

Q: Why did the Rams take a quarterback at #13 with Stafford still on the roster? A: The Los Angeles Rams selected Alabama's Ty Simpson at No. 13 as a long-term succession plan behind Matthew Stafford, who won NFL MVP honors the prior season. It was a development pick — Simpson is not expected to see the field in 2026. Critics called it a reach, as Simpson made only 15 career college starts, but the Rams clearly believe in his upside and ceiling.

Q: Who were the biggest winners of the 2026 NFL Draft first round? A: The Las Vegas Raiders, Dallas Cowboys, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers were widely regarded as the biggest winners. Dallas traded up to land Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, addressing a glaring secondary weakness. The Buccaneers landed edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. at No. 15 despite many projecting him as a top-10 talent. The Raiders, of course, secured the draft's consensus top player.

Q: How many quarterbacks went in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft? A: Two quarterbacks were selected in Round 1: Fernando Mendoza at No. 1 to the Raiders and Ty Simpson at No. 13 to the Rams. Pre-draft props offering Over/Under 1.5 QBs in the first round were widely bet, and the over hit with room to spare.

Q: What was the most surprising pick of the 2026 NFL Draft first round? A: The Rams taking Ty Simpson at No. 13 was universally considered the night's biggest surprise. With MVP quarterback Matthew Stafford still under contract, Los Angeles used a premium first-round pick on a developmental quarterback with limited college experience. The Seahawks' selection of Kaleb Price was also widely criticized as a reach above his projected draft range.

Q: How does the 2026 NFL Draft first round affect sports betting markets? A: The draft reshapes team futures across the board. The Raiders' acquisition of Mendoza will generate significant movement on Las Vegas's win total and AFC West odds once the market fully digests the pick's implications. The Cowboys' addition of Caleb Downs strengthens a defense that was historically bad in coverage last season, which could suppress opponents' passing totals in Dallas games. Tracking early-offseason win totals and divisional odds through sites like our buy page and the full blog archive gives bettors a head start before the market adjusts in summer. The NBA picks, MLB picks, and college basketball picks pages continue to offer active markets throughout the offseason for bettors looking to stay active.

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*Jake Sullivan covers the NFL, college football, and sports betting markets for The Best Bet on Sports. For daily analysis and expert picks, visit thebestbetonsports.com.*