Samwise NFL Newsletter
Friday, April 24, 2026
Fernando Mendoza Selected No. 1 Overall by Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders selected Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday in Pittsburgh. Mendoza led the Hoosiers to a 16-0 season and the College Football Playoff National Championship, earning the Heisman Trophy. He joins Joe Burrow and Cam Newton as the only players to win the Heisman, a national title, and be drafted first overall in the common draft era. Mendoza skipped the ceremony to stay with his mother, who has multiple sclerosis, even after the NFL asked Peyton Manning to persuade him to attend. Raiders GM John Spytek praised him as a great person raised the right way.
Sources: NFL.com
Jets Use All Three First-Round Picks to Overhaul Roster in One Night
The New York Jets entered Thursday with three first-round selections and used all three aggressively. At No. 2 they took Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey, who led the FBS with 14.5 sacks last season. At No. 16 they added Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq, one of the draft’s most explosive pass-catching tight ends. At No. 30 they secured Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr., a rugged slot target with strong hands and yards-after-catch ability. New York’s pass rush ranked 31st in the NFL last season with just 26 sacks, and Bailey arriving opposite Will McDonald IV gives the franchise its most significant defensive line investment in years.
Sources: NFL.com
Rams Stun Draft Room, Select Alabama QB Ty Simpson at No. 13
The Los Angeles Rams shocked the room Thursday by selecting Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick, defying projections that had him going mid-to-late in the first round. Matthew Stafford, 38, is under contract for 2026 and coming off an MVP season, giving Simpson a full year to absorb head coach Sean McVay’s system before taking over. CBS Sports graded the pick an A, citing Simpson’s ability to attack tight windows with anticipation, light pocket feet, and an NFL-caliber arm. The Rams acquired the pick through last year’s trade with Atlanta and had long been connected to Simpson, but the selection still generated immediate shock across the league.
Sources: NFL.com
Cardinals Take Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love at No. 3, Highest RB Pick Since Barkley
Arizona made Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love the third overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, the highest any running back has been selected since Saquon Barkley went second in 2018. Love tallied 1,372 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns last season for Notre Dame, adding 27 catches for 280 receiving yards and three scores. The 6-foot, 212-pound back signs a four-year rookie deal averaging $12.5 million annually. Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort noted the only delay was that the team initially called the wrong number to reach Love. Arizona went 3-14 in 2025 and needed a dynamic playmaker around second-year quarterback Kyler Murray.
Sources: NFL.com
Giants Add Arvell Reese at No. 5, Build NFL’s Most Fearsome Edge Group
The New York Giants used the fifth overall pick on Ohio State edge rusher Arvell Reese, immediately elevating their pass-rush unit into elite territory. Reese pairs a 4.46-second 40-yard dash with rare play strength for a player who had not yet turned 21 on draft night. CBS Sports awarded the pick an A+, writing that the Giants are now the scariest edge-rushing group in the NFL, with Reese joining an existing core that gives defensive coordinator Shane Bowen a lethal third-down package. After finishing 4-13 in 2025, New York has made consecutive-offseason investments in their defensive line.
Sources: CBS Sports
Buccaneers Land Top-Graded Edge Rusher Rueben Bain Jr. at No. 15
Tampa Bay selected Miami defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. with the 15th overall pick, addressing the Buccaneers’ most glaring need. CBS Sports rated Bain the top edge rusher in the draft class and awarded the pick an A+, praising his ability to set a hard edge in the run game and collapse the pocket as a pass rusher. He rarely left the field for Miami last season and dominated competition at multiple alignments. Tampa Bay’s defensive line lost key contributors during free agency, and Bain arrives as a potential cornerstone piece for a team that finished 8-9 in 2025 and is pushing to return to the playoffs.
Sources: CBS Sports
Cowboys Trade Up to No. 11 to Select Jim Thorpe Winner Caleb Downs
The Dallas Cowboys traded up from No. 12 to No. 11 to select Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, sending two fifth-round picks to the Miami Dolphins to move ahead one spot. Downs won the 2025 Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back, recording 257 total tackles and six interceptions across his college career along with two punt return touchdowns. CBS Sports graded the pick an A, citing Downs as a true do-it-all safety who fills one of Dallas’s most glaring needs after their secondary struggled throughout 2025. New defensive coordinator Christian Parker now has a versatile back-end anchor to build his scheme around.
Sources: NFL.com
Cowboys End George Pickens Contract Talks; WR to Play on $27.3M Franchise Tag
Dallas Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones confirmed Thursday that the club has ended long-term contract talks with wide receiver George Pickens, who will play 2026 on the $27.3 million franchise tag. Dallas declined to pursue a multi-year extension before the July 15 deadline, citing financial constraints from already paying CeeDee Lamb $34 million annually. Pickens produced 93 catches for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns in his first Dallas season after arriving from Pittsburgh. The franchise tag is fully guaranteed but leaves Pickens’s long-term future unresolved. The Cowboys have until next offseason to either extend him or let him reach free agency.
Sources: NFL.com
Brandon Aubrey Signs Record $28M Deal, Becomes NFL’s Highest-Paid Kicker
Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey became the highest-paid kicker in NFL history Thursday after signing a four-year, $28 million extension with $20 million guaranteed. Aubrey, 29, converted better than 90 percent of his field goal attempts across the 2024 and 2025 seasons combined, making him one of the league’s most consistent specialists. Dallas finalized the deal alongside an extension for running back Javonte Williams before the draft opened in Pittsburgh. The Cowboys have now locked up their kicker and offensive backfield before a busy draft night that included trading up to select Ohio State safety Caleb Downs with the 11th pick.
Sources: Yahoo Sports
Steelers Open Minicamp Without Aaron Rodgers; QB Decision Unlikely Before Draft Ends
The Pittsburgh Steelers opened voluntary minicamp Monday without any indication from quarterback Aaron Rodgers on whether he plans to return for the 2026 season. Rodgers has been traveling and did not attend, leaving 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard to take first-team reps under new head coach Mike McCarthy. GM Omar Khan said communication with Rodgers has been positive but no decision is expected before the draft concludes this weekend. Rodgers did not commit to Pittsburgh last year until early June, suggesting a similar timeline is possible. The absence leaves Pittsburgh’s quarterback situation unresolved entering a critical offseason.
Sources: Yahoo Sports
American Conference
AFC East
1. New England Patriots — 14–3–0
2. Buffalo Bills — 12–5–0
3. Miami Dolphins — 7–10–0
4. New York Jets — 3–14–0
AFC North
1. Pittsburgh Steelers — 10–7–0
2. Baltimore Ravens — 8–9–0
3. Cincinnati Bengals — 6–11–0
4. Cleveland Browns — 5–12–0
AFC South
1. Jacksonville Jaguars — 13–4–0
2. Houston Texans — 12–5–0
3. Indianapolis Colts — 8–9–0
4. Tennessee Titans — 3–14–0
AFC West
1. Denver Broncos — 14–3–0
2. Los Angeles Chargers — 11–6–0
3. Kansas City Chiefs — 6–11–0
4. Las Vegas Raiders — 3–14–0
National Conference
NFC East
1. Philadelphia Eagles — 11–6–0
2. Dallas Cowboys — 7–9–1
3. Washington Commanders — 5–12–0
4. New York Giants — 4–13–0
NFC North
1. Chicago Bears — 11–6–0
2. Green Bay Packers — 9–7–1
3. Minnesota Vikings — 9–8–0
4. Detroit Lions — 9–8–0
NFC South
1. Carolina Panthers — 8–9–0
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — 8–9–0
3. Atlanta Falcons — 8–9–0
4. New Orleans Saints — 6–11–0
NFC West
1. Seattle Seahawks — 14–3–0
2. Los Angeles Rams — 12–5–0
3. San Francisco 49ers — 12–5–0
4. Arizona Cardinals — 3–14–0
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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