Las Vegas Raiders sit on the first overall pick for the 2026 NFL draft, a selection that will ignite the seven‑round, 257‑pick event kicking off Thursday in Pittsburgh. ESPN’s cheat sheet outlines every angle—from top prospects to sleepers—and highlights the Raiders’ top target, Fernando Mendoza, the Indiana quarterback projected to go No. 1.

Draft day will unfold over three days: Thursday night for Round 1, Friday evening for Rounds 2–3, and Saturday noon for Rounds 4–7, all streamed on ESPN, ABC, and the ESPN App. Sixteen elite players will attend in person, including Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr., underscoring the class’s depth at key positions for teams.

Scouts Inc. names Arvell Reese of Ohio State as the top overall prospect, followed by Mendoza and Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey. The top five quarterbacks—Mendoza, Alabama’s Ty Simpson, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Miami’s Carson Beck, and Penn State’s Drew Allar—will shape the early rounds, with the Raiders likely picking Mendoza and the Jets eyeing Bailey.

With the Raiders’ first pick, the draft’s early narrative centers on Mendoza’s arrival, while the Jets’ focus on Bailey could signal a shift toward a young, mobile arm. Teams like the Cardinals and Steelers, both with quarterback gaps, will monitor the top ten to secure a signal‑call that could reshape their offensive futures in next season for.