2026 NFL draft first round highlights: Mendoza goes No. 1, Rams draft Ty Simpson

Notre Dame made history when running back Jadarian Price was taken by Seattle with the final pick of the first round after his backfield mate Jeremiyah Love went third overall to Arizona.

It was the first time in the common draft era that started in 1967 that the first two running backs selected came from the same school.

This was also just the sixth time in the common draft era that one school produced two first-round running backs. It last happened in 2008 when Arkansas’ Darren McFadden went fourth overall and Felix Jones was taken with the 22nd pick.

The other schools to do it were Auburn in 2005, Texas A&M in 1987, Florida in 1986 and Ohio State in 1971.

Southern California wide receiver Makai Lemon might be the one that got away from Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Steelers, who had the 21st pick, were on the phone with Lemon while he sat in the green room before Philadelphia traded up from No. 23 to No. 20 to take him.

“Pittsburgh called me and I thought they were going to draft me and then the Eagles called at the same time,” Lemon said. “I guess it was meant to be. I’m super excited to be in Philly.”

The Steelers ended up taking offensive tackle Max Iheanachor.

The Southeastern Conference’s 10-year run of having the most first-round draft picks is over.

The Big Ten led all conferences with 10 players selected, including the No. 1 pick, quarterback Fernando Mendoza of Indiana. Ohio State led all schools with four first-rounders, all between Nos. 4 and 11.

The SEC had seven first-round picks, its fewest since 2015. The SEC last year tied its record with 15.

The Atlantic Coast Conference and Big 12 each had six first-rounders. Miami led the ACC with three and Arizona State and Utah tied for the Big 12 lead with two each.

The Mountain West was the only Group of Five conference with a first-rounder — San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson at No. 27.

Notre Dame had its top two running backs taken in the first round, Jeremiyah Love at No. 3 and Jadarian Price at No. 32.

Not all of the 17 draft prospects who hunkered down in the green room on Thursday ended up hugging NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on stage.

Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood and Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald did not hear their names called by Goodell as 32 picks came and went.

While both players likely won’t have to wait long for that life-changing moment, it’s unclear whether they will return to attend the draft’s second day or head back home for a quieter celebration.

The Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks filled a hole at running back by selecting Jadarian Price of Notre Dame with the 32nd and final pick of the first round.

A compact runner at 5-foot-11 and 203 pounds, Price was overshadowed by fellow Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love in Notre Dame’s backfield. But he is adept at blitz pickup and an elusive runner who should start right away as a pro.

The Seahawks lost Super Bowl MVP running back Kenneth Walker III to the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency.

The Steel City showed out during the opening night of the draft.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said a record 320,000 people crammed into the area around Acrisure Stadium for Thursday night’s first round.

The previous record was set in Detroit two years ago, when the NFL said 275,000 people descended on the Motor City on the first night.

Pittsburgh will still have work to do over the next two days to catch Detroit’s announced attendance of 700,000 for the entire draft.

The Tennessee Titans traded up to the No. 31 pick and took edge rusher Keldric Faulk of Auburn.

Scouts rave about the versatile Faulk’s leadership, work ethic and talent. At 6-foot-6 and 285 pounds, he has an ideal frame for today’s game. He’s a steady pass rusher and uses good balance and length to hold his own against the run.

National championship-winning wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. of Indiana is heading to the New York Jets.

Cooper was selected with the 30th pick. He’s the Jets’ third selection of the first round.

The 6-foot, 200-pound Cooper is known for his strength, speed and savvy and recorded a 4.42-second 40-yard dash. He has the power and speed to get plenty of yardage after the catch.

Defensive tackle Peter Woods of Clemson is heading to Kansas City.

The Chiefs drafted him at No. 29 overall, making him their second selection of the first round after a 6-11 season. Both picks were defensive players, with safety Mansoor Delane going to Kansas City with the No. 6 pick.

At 6-foot-3 and 315 pounds, Woods has power and versatility.

The New England Patriots drafted Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu with the 28th pick after trading up three spots.

At 6-foot-6 and 313 pounds, the Utes’ left tackle has an ideal frame with room to grow. He doesn’t wow with his skillset but he’s a technician in both the passing and running games and has what it takes to excel in the NFL.

Cornerback Chris Johnson of San Diego State is heading to the Miami Dolphins, who traded up three spots to pick him at No. 27.

Johnson was a second-team Associated Press All-America selection. He had four interceptions in 2025, returning two of them for touchdowns.

Beefy guard Keylan Rutledge of Georgia Tech is heading to Houston.

The Texans selected the 6-foot-4, 330-pounder with the 26th overall pick. They traded up two spots to get him, giving their third- and fifth-round selections to Buffalo and getting the Bills’ pick later in the third round.

Rutledge was a third-team Associated Press All-America selection.

Safety Dillon Thieneman of Oregon is heading to a 2025 playoff team. The Chicago Bears drafted him at No. 25.

Thieneman had an impressive combine, running a 4.36 40-yard dash that was faster than some of the NFL’s best receivers. A three-year starter, he was a versatile part of the Ducks’ defense.

The arrival of Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor in Pittsburgh means the end might be near for Broderick Jones.

Jones, Pittsburgh’s first-round pick in 2023, is recovering from a neck injury sustained last season against Chicago. General manager Omar Khan said this week that Jones is progressing, though there remains no timetable for his return.

The Nigerian-born Iheanachor is the third tackle taken by the Steelers in the first round in the last four drafts, joining Jones and 2024 first-round pick Troy Fautanu. While Jones struggled last season after moving from the right side to the left side, Fautanu thrived after missing most of 2024 due to injury.

The only bummer for the Steelers fans who descended on the city for the draft is that Iheanachor was celebrating elsewhere. He’ll likely be in Pittsburgh by Friday, with perhaps a chance to walk onto the stage during the second or third round.

New Browns coach Todd Monken has an exciting prospect for his offense. Cleveland drafted wide receiver KC Concepcion of Texas A&M with the 24th pick.

At 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, Concepcion is considered undersized but he boasts an elite burst. His drop rate in college is a concern but if he can clean up that part of his game, his speed is electric.

The Dallas Cowboys made Malachi Lawrence their second pick of the first round.

Lawrence is an edge rusher from UCF. He was taken 23rd overall.

Earlier, the Cowboys took Ohio State safety Caleb Downs with the 11th pick.

The 6-foot-4 Lawrence was an All-Big 12 selection who led the Knights with seven sacks and 11 tackles for loss.

The Los Angeles Chargers picked one of the older prospects in the draft, taking edge rusher Akheem Mesidor of Miami with the 22nd pick.

Mesidor is 25 years old but has an ideal frame at 6-foot-3 and 260 pounds and his talent is clear on video. With good instincts and a high, relentless motor, he’ll generate pressure from the outside and is a solid defender against the run, too.

The Pittsburgh Steelers appeared to make the Acrisure Stadium crowd happy by taking tackle Max Iheanachor of Arizona State with the 21st pick.

A raw, talented right tackle, Iheanachor is an athletic former basketball player with ideal size who will need time to develop but nevertheless projects as a potential immediate starter in the NFL. A native of Nigeria, he didn’t pick up football until junior college.

Wide receiver Makai Lemon of Southern California is heading to the Philadelphia Eagles.

By taking Lemon at No. 20 overall, the Eagles signaled they may be moving on from star wideout A.J. Brown.

Lemon is an elite playmaker who creates matchup nightmares for defenses in the slot. He plays bigger than his size (5-foot-11, 192 pounds) with great leaping ability for high throws. He brings a linebacker’s temperament to the position, always fighting for extra yards.

Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling is heading to Carolina as the 19th overall pick by the Panthers.

Freeling has elite athleticism and just needs more experience after starting just one season on the right side. He sports ideal size (6-foot-7, 315 pounds) and agility to play tackle in the pros.

Defensive tackle Caleb Banks of Florida is heading to the Minnesota Vikings, who took him at No. 18 overall.

Banks was widely considered a first-round talent, but he cracked the fourth metatarsal in his left foot in February while practicing for the 40-yard dash the night before the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis.

The same foot caused him to miss games in 2023 and 2025. He had surgery in early March, his second in six months. Banks’ injury history makes him a risky selection at this stage of the draft.

The Detroit Lions sought to shore up their offensive line by taking tackle Blake Miller of Clemson with the 17th pick.

A right tackle for the Tigers, Miller started 54 games in college and can step in right away as a plug-and-play tackle in the NFL. He has prototypical size (6-foot-7, 315 pounds) for the position along with a mix of strength and smarts to excel at the next level.

Tight end Kenyon Sadiq of Oregon is the New York Jets’ second pick of the night at No. 16.

The Jets also had the second overall pick and took Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey.

The best tight end in the draft, Sadiq sports excellent speed and athleticism. He has an explosive release and can separate on wheel routes. Quick screens are his forte, because he can flash his skills after the catch.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers added a gifted edge rusher in Rueben Bain Jr. of Miami with the 15th pick.

Bain is a versatile rusher who can line up on the edge or inside against guards, creating mismatches. Sporting a variety of moves and brute strength, he is a solid disruptor who can uproot offensive tackles to get to the quarterback.

The Baltimore Ravens got a needed blocker for Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, taking guard Olaivavega Ioane of Penn State with the 14th pick.

Ioane is a strong, powerful, tough guard who was, well, the vanguard for the Nittany Lions. He is an adept pass protector and run blocker who is expected to be an immediate impact starter in the NFL.

Ty Simpson is a first-rounder.

The Alabama quarterback went to the Los Angeles Rams with the 13th overall pick. He’s the second QB selected after Fernando Mendoza was taken at No. 1.

He’s set to start his NFL career as a backup to Matthew Stafford, last season’s MVP.

Simpson’s stock has risen since the scouting combine despite just 15 collegiate starts, and ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky said he’s the best quarterback in the draft. At 6-foot and 208 pounds, he is a little undersized, but Simpson has the requisite confidence, boasting, “I’m a program changer.”

Miami offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa brought a piece — several pieces, actually — of his Samoan ancestry with him to the NFL draft stage when the Giants took him with the 10th pick.

Mauigoa, who was born and raised in American Samoa, wore a necklace called an ula fala, which pays tribute to the high chief or high monarch. That’s the rank held by his father, Fa’alialia.

“The Samoan community, the Samoan culture has built me into who I am,” Mauigoa said on the red carpet. “There’s a saying that goes, ‘Never forget where you came from.’ It’s the least I could do is give back to the community and representing them on a big stage means a lot to them.”

Mauigoa also had a painting on the back of his suit that he said “oversees the whole idea of the American Samoa community.”

Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor was taken by the Miami Dolphins with the No. 12 pick.

Proctor has excellent agility for a big man. He started at left tackle as a freshman and allowed just two sacks in his three seasons. He has great size — 6-foot-7, 352 pounds — and plenty of athleticism, as evidenced by his being used as an occasional rusher and receiver.

Athleticism is not a word normally associated with a 311-pound offensive lineman, but it fits with Spencer Fano, who went to the Browns with the ninth pick.

He started playing tackle football in kindergarten but was so big he was assigned to a third-grade team. His primary position was running back until he was in eighth grade. The Outland Trophy winner moves so well that scouts call him an overgrown tight end.

His quickness and advanced footwork allow him to get out of his stance, pull and get to the second level of the defense in a hurry.

Francis Mauigoa’s path to the New York Giants was unconventional, to say the least.

Growing up in American Samoa, volleyball was the first sport introduced to him. His parents both played, so Francis and older brother Francisco did, too.

By third grade, he began fire knife dancing, performances that have deep meaning in Samoan culture. Francis credits volleyball and fire knife dancing for developing his athleticism and footwork.

Then he started playing rugby.

He said on Storm Sessions, the Miami athletic department’s podcast, that he first played football in sixth grade — on his town’s high school team. He was a starter in seventh grade. He said he got his toughness from playing high school ball at such a young age.

Ohio State safety Caleb Downs is heading to the Dallas Cowboys at No. 11 overall.

Downs is an elite, versatile playmaker who stands to make an immediate impact in the NFL. He moved all around the Buckeyes’ defense, lining up mostly underneath as a nickel, strong safety or nickel linebacker, capitalizing on his mix of speed, strength and football IQ.

Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson didn’t make it to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell before the emotions of being taken by New Orleans with the eighth pick got to him.

Tyson kneeled in front of the Saints logo in the hallway that leads to the stage at Acrisure Stadium. His eventful and injury-marred journey from prospect to pro was finally complete.

With a gospel song playing over the speakers as he emerged on the stage, Tyson had tears in his eyes as he was visibly moved by one of the defining moments of his young life.

“Just so thankful, so blessed,” Tyson said. “The Lord is doing work in me, he’s not done.”

Tyson had a message for those facing adversity.

“The Lord said it’s going to be hard. You have to persevere. Life is not easy,” he said.

Jordyn Tyson learned from one of the best in Arizona State receivers coach and Pittsburgh Steelers great Hines Ward.

Tyson has the ability to play all three receiver spots, and he’s adept at winning battles for balls thrown into tight windows.

Injuries dogged Tyson through his college career. He missed a combined 17 games because of injuries, including a torn ACL in 2022, broken collarbone in 2024 and hamstring issues in 2025.

With the No. 10 pick and their second first-round selection, the New York Giants took Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa.

Mauigoa started at right tackle since his freshman year with the Hurricanes in 2023. At 6-foot-6 and 335 pounds, he plays with a firm base in pass protection and has the ability to displace defenders in the run game.

Scouts believe he can make an immediate impact in the NFL as a dominant run blocker.

Spencer Fano of Utah became the first offensive lineman selected this year, going to the Cleveland Browns at No. 9 overall. The Browns traded down, giving the sixth pick to the Kansas City Chiefs for two later picks.

Fano started at left tackle as a freshman and right tackle the last two seasons but probably fits best on the interior in the NFL because he has shorter arms than most tackles. He has the versatility to play all five O-line positions and is adept at using his leverage and quickness to win matchups.

The second wide receiver picked this year is Jordyn Tyson of Arizona State, who went to the New Orleans Saints at No. 8 overall.

Tyson is an exceptional route-runner with wiggle and speed who catches the ball in traffic. His explosiveness off the line and out of breaks makes him an exceptional playmaker and he has the speed to turn routine routes into big plays.

Sonny Styles has strong football genes.

His brother, Lorenzo Styles Jr., played cornerback the last three years at Ohio State after spending his first two years at Notre Dame. Lorenzo is projected to be a Day 3 draft pick.

Their dad, Lorenzo Styles Sr., was a linebacker for the Buckeyes and was drafted in the third round in 1995. The elder Styles was a backup on the St. Louis Rams team that won the Super Bowl in 2000.

Sonny’s given name is Alex. His mother started calling him Sonny because his quick temper as a child reminded her of James Caan’s character from “The Godfather,” Sonny Corleone.

Mansoor Delane proved to be a lockdown corner at LSU who is equally comfortable in man or zone coverage.

He allowed only 165 yards in receptions last season, third-fewest in the Bowl Subdivision, and his 11 pass breakups led the Tigers. He had 31 breakups in his college career.

The Washington Commanders took Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles with the seventh pick.

Styles’ epic combine performance after an impressive showing against Indiana in the Big Ten title game helped him soar up many draft boards.

A tall, rangy prospect, Styles switched from safety to linebacker in college to capitalize on his multitalented skill set. He is outstanding in coverage and displays sideline-to-sideline range against the run.

The NFL cut the time between first-round picks from 10 minutes to eight. It led to a brisker pace than usual, though Steelers general manager Omar Khan admits he’s not a fan.

“I would love to have the 10 minutes, but hey, it’s the same for everybody else,” Khan said before the draft. “So, eight minutes is what it is. Those two minutes, man, it feels like an eternity sometimes.”

Steelers coach Mike McCarthy, a Pittsburgh native in his first season with the club after replacing Mike Tomlin, has a slightly different view.

“You only get 40 seconds to call a play,” McCarthy joked. “Come on, it’s not that bad.”

Arvell Reese was not exactly an afterthought in Ohio State’s 2023 recruiting class, but he wasn’t among the top linebacker prospects the Buckeyes were chasing.

In the local media, he was called a “potential four-star hidden gem” and “late blooming.”

Ted Ginn Sr., the coach at Cleveland Glenville High, saw the potential in Reese well before others did. “When he really gets coached up,” Ginn said, “I can only imagine what it will be.”

Reese got onto the field on special teams his first year, was a part-time starter his second and took a giant leap last season when he was voted a first-team AP All-American.

Now he’s a first-round draft pick, heading to the New York Giants.