The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft is in the books. Through the first 32 picks, the Big Ten was the big winner, headlined by No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza.
Mendoza went to the Las Vegas Raiders atop the board and was part of a strong group of Big Ten players selected in the first round. All told, 10 players from the conference were selected, marking the first time since 2015 that the SEC did not have the most picks in the first round. The SEC had the second-most selections in this year's edition.
Ohio State led the way for the Big Ten with four first-rounders, including two in the top five: Carnell Tate (No. 4, Titans) and Arvell Reese (No. 5, Giants)
On3 took a closer look at the picks by conference throughout the 2026 NFL Draft. Here’s how things shook out from the first round last night in Pittsburgh.
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- Multiple programs exited spring ball without a named starter, and Pete Nakos has the intel on where each battle stands heading into the summer.
- Alabama's competition is as advertised. Keelon Russell's dual-threat upside turned heads at A-Day, but a source close to the situation says nobody "has the edge" with Austin Mack still firmly in the mix.
- The unsettled rooms don't stop there. Tennessee, Florida, Iowa, Nebraska, Clemson, and Virginia are all headed into fall camp with genuine competition under center.
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- Arch Manning and Dante Moore headline a long list of draft-eligible players who opted to return to college football in 2026 rather than enter this weekend's NFL Draft in Pittsburgh.
- The 2027 quarterback class is shaping up to be special. Manning, Moore, LaNorris Sellers, Sam Leavitt, and others all returned to school, setting up what could be one of the deepest QB pools in recent memory.
- The NIL era has changed the calculus for top prospects. An established veteran college quarterback now commands a salary that only first-round picks can match under the NFL's rookie pay structure, and it's not just quarterbacks opting to stay.
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Kentucky well-positioned for transfer forward |
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Kentucky hosted a coveted transfer forward on Wednesday and Thursday, and is in good position entering the weekend. The 6-foot-7 junior canceled his subsequent visit to Louisville, so this recruitment sounds like it’s UK's to lose. |
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Kentucky well-positioned for transfer forward Kentucky hosted a coveted transfer forward on Wednesday and Thursday, and is in good position entering the weekend. The 6-foot-7 junior canceled his subsequent visit to Louisville, so this recruitment sounds like it’s UK's to lose. |
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