Alabama quarterback Fernando Mendoza stunned the NFL Draft by slipping to the Las Vegas Raiders as the first overall selection. The move makes him only the third player ever to combine a Heisman Trophy, a national championship and the top pick in a single year, a feat that instantly elevates his marketability and expectations.

The Kansas City Chiefs, reeling from their first missed playoff berth since 2014, traded up from ninth to sixth to grab cornerback Mansoor Delane, who praised the quiet maneuver. Dallas nudged forward one slot to select safety Caleb Downs at eleven, while the Los Angeles Rams shocked the board by taking former Alabama signal‑caller Ty Simpson, hoping to mold him under veteran quarterback Matt Stafford.

A crowd of roughly 320,000 gathered outside the Steelers’ home stadium as eight first‑day trades reshaped the order. Philadelphia leapt ahead to snatch wide receiver Makai Lemon at twenty, forcing Pittsburgh to turn to Nigerian‑born tackle Max Iheanachor. Six franchises left with two first‑rounders; New York secured a third by drafting wideout Omar Cooper Jr. The draft now moves to rounds two and three on Friday.