Raiders Draft Fernando Mendoza At No. 1
Since they clinched the No. 1 selection in the 2026 draft, the Raiders have been expected to select their quarterback of the future. The top choice in tonight’s opening round has not produced a surprise.
Fernando Mendoza has become the first prospect to hear his name called on Thursday. He is now officially in place with Vegas, a team looking to find stability under center for years to come. Veteran Kirk Cousins was signed earlier this month in a move which allowed him to reunite with new Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak.
Kubiak will lead a coaching staff which underwent several changes this winter. 2026 marks the second offseason with general manager John Spytek and minority owner Tom Brady in the fold for the Raiders, but their one-year Pete Carroll-Geno Smith setup did not go according to plan. Carroll was expectedly fired after the season ended, while Smith was dealt to the Jets. That created the need for a new veteran (Cousins) while further paving the way for Mendoza to take on QB1 duties early in his NFL career. Even if a training camp competition ensues, Mendoza will be counted on to take over the starting gig early in his rookie year.
The Raiders released Derek Carr in 2023 and have struggled to find a permanent successor since then. Last year’s 3-14 showing set the team up to reset under center, however. Mendoza has long been the presumed pick for Vegas, with his pre-draft visit not resulting in any hesitation on the team’s part. Work including an acclimation to the offense which will be used by the Raiders this year has further pointed to today’s outcome. Mendoza will now be able to begin preparing for his Vegas career in an official capacity.
After two seasons at Cal, Mendoza transferred to Indiana ahead of the 2025 campaign. The Hoosiers had enjoyed a run to the College Football Playoff the previous year with Kurtis Rourke at the helm, and Mendoza was expected to serve as a productive replacement. To say he did so would certainly be an understatement. The 22-year-old posted 41 passing touchdowns and just six interceptions while adding seven touchdowns on the ground as Indiana went undefeated en route to winning the national championship.
His success in that historic run resulted in a number of accolades for Mendoza. Big 10 Offensive Player of the Year and first-team All-American honors were received, along with the 2025 Heisman trophy. Passers have gone No. 1 after only a single season of high-end college production (as Cam Ward did last year), and Mendoza will face substantial expectations upon arrival in Vegas. Developing into a full-time starter would address an all-important roster matter for the foreseeable future.
Mendoza will join other core roster pieces like tight end Brock Bowers and running back Ashton Jeanty on offense. The play of those first-rounders will be key in determining the success of Kubiak’s first year at the helm and the Raiders’ overall outlook well beyond 2026.
LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier Receives Medical Clearance
LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier struggled with an abdominal injury for much of the 2025 season, raising some questions about his long-term health.
But those have seemingly been answered, as Combine medical testing uncovered a cyst on his spine that caused his abdominal injury, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. He has been healthy through the pre-draft process, but could require minor, minimally invasive surgery if it flares up again.
“Either way, doctors say, there is no short- or long-term risk for Nussmeier, who is projected a mid-round pick in this week’s NFL Draft,” Pellisero adds.
Nussmeier threw for over 4,000 yards in 2024 but his injury limited time and production on the field. He has an NFL-caliber arm, but needs to refine his vision and awareness in the pros. At 24-years-old, he is older than preferred for a developmental player, but positive reports about his intangibles (via Dane Brugler of The Athletic) suggest he can take to coaching.
Nussmeier is one of three Power 5 passers with claims to the QB3 spot in the draft class behind Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson. His positive medical update may make teams more comfortable drafting him on Day 2. Penn State’s Drew Allar and Miami’s Carson Beck are also on that list, with Beck receiving some late hype as a potentially Day 1 (but more likely Day 2) pick. Allar was much-hyped entering the 2025 season, but a broken ankle that sidelined in him October deprived him of the chance to boost his stock.
All three of those players could fall to Day 3, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. Mendoza will be drafted by the Raiders with the No. 1 pick, and Simpson’s stock has been inflated by the dearth of talent at the position. The gap between him and Nussmeier, Allar, and Beck is seen as a chasm, and teams may prefer to spend their Day 2 picks on players they see as more likely long-term starters.
Chiefs Assistant Coach Arrested, Suspected Of Domestic Battery
The Chiefs have seen their fair share of legal issues with coaches and players in recent years. They won’t escape such issues this offseason as Chloe Godding of KMBC News reports that the team’s cornerbacks coach, David Merritt, has been arrested on suspicion of domestic battery.
Merritt was arrested Wednesday evening by an officer of the Overland Park Police Department on the Kansas side of the border. He has reportedly been charged of misdemeanor domestic battery, though no details explaining the nature of the charge were provided to the media. Merritt had the opportunity to plead not guilty in court today and has been scheduled to return to court for a hearing June 24. Per Godding, the Chiefs are aware of the arrest but have not made comment.
Merritt’s NFL career started as a player after getting drafted as a seventh-round linebacker out of North Carolina State in 1993. He only appeared in four games as a rookie with the Dolphins, who drafted him, spending the rest of the year with the Phoenix Cardinals. His playing career in the NFL came to a quick end after three years in the league. He attempted a short move to play for a team with NFL Europe, but ultimately returned stateside to begin his coaching career.
Merritt started coaching at the collegiate level but elevated at a fast pace to an NFL job after stops at Tennessee-Chattanooga and Virginia Military Institute. He began in the league as a defensive assistant and linebackers coach with the Jets. Merritt then spent 14 years with the Giants, starting as a defensive assistant & quality control coach and working up to a role as secondary coach & safeties coach, a role he held for 12 years. After his time in New York came to an end, he spent a year with the Cardinals as defensive backs coach before landing at his next long-term stop in Kansas City as defensive backs coach.
In the past seven years with the Chiefs, Merritt has coached multiple secondaries that routinely finished in the top half of the league in pass defense. It’s unclear if this new legal situation will do anything to prevent him from participating with Kansas City this season. We should hear more later on in the summer.
Patriots Hoping To Trade Down
The Patriots hold the 31st selection in the opening round of the 2026 NFL Draft, but their first pick may not come Thursday night. The reigning AFC champions will “actively” look to move down, Albert Breer of SI.com reports. They join their Super Bowl opponent, Seattle, in hoping to exit the first round without making a pick.
[RELATED: Mike Vrabel To Miss Day 3 Of Draft]
New England already has 11 picks, which is tied for the second-highest total in the league, and would add to its haul with a trade. The Patriots are hoping to find a trade partner motivated by the fifth-year option, according to Breer. First-round picks are controllable for up to five years. All other rookies sign four-year contracts.
Now in his third year as the Patriots’ executive vice president of player personnel, Eliot Wolf‘s most noteworthy draft trade came in a move-down in 2024. He sent the 34th and 137th picks to the Chargers for Nos. 37 and 110. The Chargers came away with standout receiver Ladd McConkey and starting cornerback Tarheeb Still. The Patriots, who used their choices on wideouts Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, came out on the wrong end. Both Polk and Baker are already out of the organization.
Receiver is still a need for the Patriots two years later, but they may pass on it in the draft in favor of an A.J. Brown trade with the Eagles. That leaves edge defender and offensive tackle as areas the Pats could bolster with their top pick, but they will wait a little longer to do it if a trade comes together Thursday night.
George Pickens To Sign Franchise Tag
6:30pm: The news that Pickens will sign his tag comes after Stephen and Jerry Jones “extended an olive branch” to agent David Mulugheta (per Rapoport). Pickens’ situation was discussed, although it remains to be seen what his future awaits. NFL Network’s Jane Slater adds no trade talks have taken place yet, pointing to no major developments for at least tonight.
5:03pm: The Cowboys will not negotiate a long-term extension with wide receiver George Pickens, but he is now in position to play next season under the franchise tag. Pickens is signing his $27.3MM franchise tender, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
This move could keep Pickens in Dallas in 2026, but it also makes him eligible for a trade. As of April 14, the Cowboys had not received any trade calls for Pickens. Perhaps that will change during or after the draft. If Pickens is still a Cowboy when mandatory minicamp and training camp kick off over the summer, he will be subject to fines if he does not report.
As things stand, Pickens is the first NFLer in line to play under the tag since Bengals receiver Tee Higgins did so in 2024. Higgins went on to score a four-year, $115MM extension with the Bengals in March 2025. Pickens may have angled for a similar payday with the Cowboys this offseason, but executive vice president Stephen Jones shot down the possibility of an extension on Wednesday. If Pickens stays in Dallas, he will become the fifth Cowboy to play under the tag in an eight-year span, joining DeMarcus Lawrence (2018), Dak Prescott (2020), Dalton Schultz (2022) and Tony Pollard (2023).
Pickens was a post-draft addition last year for the Cowboys, who acquired him and a 2027 sixth-round pick from the Steelers for a 2026 third-rounder and a 2027 fifth-rounder. The move worked out beautifully for Dallas, which saw Pickens’ production go from solid to great. After the former second-rounder averaged approximately 16 games, 59 grabs, 947 yards and four touchdowns per year during his three seasons as a Steeler, he hauled in 93 receptions, 1,429 yards and nine TDs over 17 contests in 2025. Pickens ranked top 10 in the league in all three categories.
Barring another post-draft trade, the 25-year-old Pickens should continue forming an elite receiver tandem with CeeDee Lamb in 2026. The Cowboys authorized a four-year, $136MM extension for Lamb in August 2024, but they have not been willing to sign off on a second huge contract at the position. With another excellent season, Pickens could join Lamb among the league’s highest-paid receivers next spring.
Bills Could Re-Sign CB Tre’Davious White
A first-round pick in 2017, Tre’Davious White was a high-level starting cornerback over his first few years in Buffalo. White was a two-time All-Pro and a two-time Pro Bowler through four seasons, but a torn ACL in 2021 and a torn Achilles in 2023 threw his career off course.
The Bills cut White in 2024, and after a rough year divided between the Rams and Ravens, he returned to Buffalo last season. While White is a free agent again, he played well enough in 2025 that the Bills could re-sign him after the draft.
“Yeah, I mean, we love Tre’Davious,” general manager Brandon Beane said Monday (via Josh Alper of PFT). “I think at this point, you know, we’re waiting through the draft and probably he is as well. You would never close the door on bringing a guy like Tre back here to Buffalo.”
A week before last April’s draft, the Bills reunited with White on a deal worth up to $6.8MM. The Bills went on to use their first-round pick on former Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston, who would have competed for the No. 2 job with White over the summer. However, Hairston sprained his LCL early in training camp, which gave White a season-opening starting role opposite Christian Benford by default.
Hairston debuted in late October, but the Bills eased him in and used White as a 16-game starter. White logged a 71.38% defensive snap share, good for third on the team, and totaled 40 tackles, 10 passes defensed and an interception. Pro Football Focus ranked White’s performance a respectable 49th among 106 corners.
Although White held his own in 2025, it is fair to wonder whether he is a fit in the Bills’ new defensive scheme. White played all eight of his Bills seasons under defensive-minded head coach Sean McDermott, whom they fired in January. The Bills stayed in-house to replace McDermott with former offensive coordinator Joe Brady, but their defense will look much different under rookie coordinator Jim Leonhard. Along with switching from a 4-3 to a 3-4 base, the Bills are expected to run more man coverage after using a zone-heavy scheme under McDermott. At 31 years old, the aging White may be better suited for a McDermott-style defense.
Whether the Bills re-sign White or add another notable veteran in free agency may depend on how their draft unfolds. Benford is a lock to remain a starter next season. Hairston will probably serve as the No. 2, but the cupboard at outside corner is mostly empty beyond those two. The Bills spent a sixth-rounder on Dorian Strong last year, though his status has been up in the air since he suffered a season-ending neck injury in Week 4. Aside from free agent pickup Dee Alford, who will handle slot duties, the only other corners under contract in Buffalo are M.J. Devonshire, Te’Cory Couch and Daryl Porter Jr.. Devonshire and Couch have zero regular-season appearances between them. Porter has just one, which came with the Steelers last year.
Elsewhere on defense, Greg Rousseau will continue as one of the Bills’ top edge rushers next season. He was a defensive end under McDermott, but Beane recently confirmed to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic that Rousseau will switch to outside linebacker. Rousseau, free agent signing Bradley Chubb and Michael Hoecht are the Bills’ top options at the position. They could also add to the group in the draft, perhaps as early as Round 1.
Teams Calling Texans About Nico Collins
The draft represents a major checkpoint on the NFL calendar when it comes to high-profile player movement. Several veterans are always the subject of calls from suitors, and one of the Texans’ offensive pillars is on that list.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports teams are calling Houston about Nico Collins. He adds no trade is currently expected, but traction on this front will be worth monitoring. Per Schultz, interested teams are operating with the assumption a Collins extension will be sought out this offseason.
After two seasons with modest production, Collins saw his production surge. The former third-rounder topped 1,000 yards in 2023, a feat he has matched each of the past two years. Collins, 27, is attached to the three-year, $72.75MM extension he inked in 2024. The pact contains $20.63MM in compensation for the coming season, but it does not include any guaranteed salary for 2027.
No later than next spring, it would thus come as no surprise if Collins and his camp sought out a new deal. The receiver market has continued to surge, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba recently moved the bar to $42.15MM in average annual value with his monster Seahawks extension. In terms of AAV, Collins currently ranks 18th leaguewide at the WR position. Moving up the pecking order could very well be a goal when negotiations commence.
The Texans have Collins and 2025 draftees Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel in place at the receiver position. The team added Jaylen Watson that year, and he is on the books for one more season. Xavier Hutchinson‘s rookie contract runs through 2026, while Tank Dell is on course to return to action after a one-year absence. That depth could lead to Houston avoiding a notable receiver investment during the draft, but the team’s stance on that front could of course change if serious consideration were to be given to a Collins trade.
Browns Not Expected To Draft QB
The Browns seem to enter every draft with a need at quarterback. But this year might be a little different.
Cleveland currently has 2025 draft picks Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel in their quarterback room, along with Deshaun Watson, who is expected to return from his Achilles injuries this year. New head coach Todd Monken has indicated his confidence in that group, though it is unclear who will be the Week 1 starter.
As a result, the Browns are not expected to draft a quarterback this weekend, per ESPN’s Matt Miller. Of course, this was rumored to be the case last year with Cleveland instead looking ahead to the current draft class. Their trade down from the No. 3 pick, which yielded an extra 2026 first-rounder, furthered that belief.
Instead, they drafted Gabriel in the third round and Sanders in the fifth, though the second selection was seen as a value play for a falling prospect. Both started as rookies, but neither made a firm case to carry the job into 2026.
However, this year’s draft class lacks high-end talent, too, after several top prospects elected to stay in college for another year. The Raiders quickly locked onto Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza once they secured the No. 1 pick at the end of the season, and the Browns may understandably prefer to develop their current talent rather than add a second-tier prospect. That will give Gabriel, Sanders, and (theoretically) Watson a chance to prove themselves.
If one emerges as a starter: great! The Browns can focus then their 2027 draft capital on building around him. If not, the 2027 class offers a far richer well of QB talent to draw from that will likely yield better long-term results than this year’s pool of prospects.
Texans Bullish On DT Kayden McDonald
Defensive tackles are not expected to factor in much during the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, but Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald could be an exception. The Texans, owners of the 28th overall pick, may be a team to watch for McDonald. They have a “high” opinion of the 6-foot-2, 326-pounder, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports.
McDonald is among 16 prospects who will be in attendance for Thursday’s opening round, but he is not a lock to come off the board in the top 32. If the Texans pass on McDonald at 28, they may have an early enough pick in the second round (No. 38) to have a shot at him then. Both Dane Brugler of The Athletic (No. 32) and Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network (No. 33) rank McDonald between the Texans’ top two selections.
McDonald, who spent three years at Ohio State, broke out in his lone season as a starter in 2025. He notched 65 tackles, including nine for loss, and three sacks in 14 games. McDonald was named a unanimous All-American. He also took home Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year honors.
While McDonald is considered a work in progress as a pass rusher, his excellence as a run defender gives him a high floor. If he heads to Houston, the 21-year-old would join an already dominant defense. The Texans ended last year first in total defense, second in scoring and fourth against the run, though they have since lost Tim Settle to the Commanders in free agency. The run-stuffing Settle played a key role along the interior D-line in Houston, but McDonald could help replace him.
Poll: What Will Cardinals Do With Third Overall Pick?
We have a good idea of how the first two picks of this year’s NFL draft will go. The Raiders are going to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza first overall. Barring something unexpected, the Jets will use the second choice on either Texas Tech edge defender David Bailey or Ohio State linebacker/edge Arvell Reese. There is less certainty at No. 3, where the Cardinals could go a handful of different directions.
Arizona has posted a woeful 15-36 record in Monti Ossenfort‘s three seasons as its general manager, but he will nonetheless run his fourth draft this year. If Ossenfort’s seat isn’t hot yet, it stands to reason his chances of being in this position a year from now will decrease if he misses on his first-rounder tonight. While the Cardinals are entering this draft with glaring needs at right tackle and edge defender, among other spots, Ossenfort could opt for a splashy pick to add more skill to a subpar offense.
Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, arguably the best prospect at any position in this class, has won over the Cardinals’ new Mike LaFleur-led coaching staff. Love could be the Cardinals’ pick, even though they added former Falcon Tyler Allgeier in free agency and still have James Conner, Trey Benson and Zonovan Knight on their roster.
If the Cardinals pass on Love to upgrade in the trenches, they could be the first team to take an offensive lineman. As a rookie GM in 2023, Ossenfort spent the sixth pick on left tackle Paris Johnson, who has turned into a franchise cornerstone. Ossenfort could land a capable bookend for the right side if he grabs someone like Spencer Fano (Utah) or Francis Mauigoa (Miami).
On the defensive side, Reese or Bailey would provide a much-needed pass-rushing upgrade to a unit that tied for 30th in sacks last year. Reese spent a significant portion of his Buckeyes tenure as an off-ball linebacker, but the Cardinals view him as an edge defender going forward.
While there will be enticing prospects available at No. 3, the Cardinals may move down to collect more draft capital. New Orleans, which owns the eighth pick, is one potential trade partner. If the Cardinals trade with the Saints, they would surely receive the eighth selection as part of the package. The Cardinals would still be in good position to upgrade their roster in that scenario. Perhaps Ossenfort will decide trading down is the best option.
What do you expect the Cardinals to do with the third pick tonight? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.
What will the Cardinals do with the third overall pick?
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Trade down 44% (270)
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Draft Jeremiyah Love 27% (165)
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Draft an edge defender 21% (127)
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Draft an offensive tackle 7% (45)
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Draft a different position 2% (11)
Total votes: 618