Notre Dame in the NFL draft: Live updates and reactions of first round
Live updates on Notre Dame players in the NFL draft's first round!
The 2026 NFL Draft is marked by significant trades, with six first-round picks already moved. Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is expected to be the first overall pick for the Raiders, while the fate of Ty Simpson remains uncertain.
Mentioned in this story

Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports Design
After a year that featured no trades heading into night one of the NFL draft, 2026 has been at the opposite end of the trade spectrum. Six first-round picks have already been moved for veteran players, with a good chance to have even more on the move throughout the weekend. That means the Jets, Giants, Browns, Chiefs, Dolphins, and Cowboys will all be doubling up Thursday night, while the Colts, Bengals, Jaguars, Falcons, Broncos, and Packers all have to wait until Friday.
The only pick that feels known at this point is No. 1 overall, where Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is pegged to become the Raiders' franchise quarterback under new head coach Klint Kubiak. He'll be the first Hoosier drafted in the first round since 1994 (WR Thomas Lewis to the Giants), but he won't be the first Hoosier to ever go No. 1 overall. That honor, as everyone knows, belongs to the great Corbett Davis, who was taken first overall by the Cleveland Rams in 1938 (I swear that sentence wasn't an AI hallucination).
While there isn't much intrigue in this quarterback class after Mendoza, where Ty Simpson lands is still a mystery. The takes on his lone season as a starter have been all over the map. Some see him as worthy of a top-10 pick, while others wouldn't take him on night one at all. One thing is for certain: there are not enough quarterbacks to go around, as the Cardinals, Browns, and Steelers all enter this weekend relatively empty-handed at the most valuable position.
The story of this draft that I'll be watching for is how the NFL handles positional value. From a pure grade perspective, the top-3 players in the class are Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, and Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles. A running back hasn't gone top-5 since 2018, a safety hasn't gone top-5 since 2010 or top-10 since 2016, and a linebacker hasn't gone top-5 since 2019. Those streaks could all fall on Thursday night.
Be sure to refresh this page throughout the weekend to get all the latest grades. If you want to do all that plus track the best available prospects and get access to every pick in the draft on one page, you can with our interactive draft tracker. And follow along with each pick, rumor and every trade in our live blog.
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is projected to be the first overall pick for the Raiders.
The Jets, Giants, Browns, Chiefs, Dolphins, and Cowboys all have multiple first-round picks due to trades.
Ty Simpson's draft position is uncertain, with opinions varying on whether he is a top-10 pick or not worthy of a first-round selection.
Live updates on Notre Dame players in the NFL draft's first round!
Dianna Russini goes dark online as Mike Vrabel scandal escalates
Cavaliers focus on limiting Scottie Barnes' passing skills in NBA Playoffs.
Cowboys predicted to cut George Pickens for a Bills WR option
Live Updates from the 2026 NFL Draft: Round 1 Highlights
Will any Colorado football players be picked in the 2026 NFL Draft?
See every story in Sports — including breaking news and analysis.
Grades: Round 1 • Round 2 • Round 3 • Round 4 • Round 5 • Round 6 • Round 7