The NFL drafts took place in Pittsburgh between April 23-29. This was the 91st annual selection meeting. A few rule changes also took place during this meeting, such as the shortening of the time between first-round selections, ranging from eight to ten minutes.
The Las Vegas Raiders got first pick this year, and they selected Indiana quarterback, Fernando Mendoza. Mendoza had remarkable gameplay during his 2025 year. He led the Indiana Hoosiers to their first ever national championship. After moving from California to Indiana,
Mendoza also secured several awards during his season, such as the Heisman trophy and Maxwell and O’Brien award.
The next team to pick was the New York Jets. They selected David Bailey from Texas Tech. Bailey is an edge rusher, which means he played outside linebacker and defensive end. He was selected because of his fast gameplay and his ability to endure until the end. Bailey was also viewed as an early contender for the 2026 Defensive Rookie of the Year with projections to raise the New York Jet’s pass rush and potentially secure more than eight wins as a rookie.
The next selection in the drafts was made by the New York Giants, who picked Arvell Reese, another edge rusher. Reese went to Ohio State University. Reese was considered one of the top defensive prospects in his class. Coaches describe him as versatile and very talented, which is part of the reason he was selected by the New York Giants.
The list goes on, as many teams select the best players for the upcoming seasons. Games are looking very good for some of these teams, especially for the Las Vegas Raiders, since they got the first pick.
The NFL drafts happen every year and are a big moment for these players. The top five drafts were Fernando Mendoza, David Bailey, Arvell Reese, Jeremiah Love, and Carnell Tate.