Remember me
The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft will take place in Pittsburgh on April 23.
Historically, first-round draft picks make the glorious walk from the green room to the stage, where they greet NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and put on the hat of their new team.
Former Indiana quarterback and reigning Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza, this year's presumptive No. 1 overall pick, will forego that tradition to "share the draft experience with his family in Miami," according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
But the North Shore around Acrisure Stadium will still boast star power. By the looks of the newly confirmed list of draft attendees, it will double as an Ohio State reunion.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport shared the confirmed list, as seen below:
Running back Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame)Edge rusher David Bailey (Texas Tech)Edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. (Miami)Cornerback Mansoor Delane (LSU)Safety Caleb Downs (Ohio State)Edge rusher Keldric Faulk (Auburn)Cornerback Colton Hood (Tennessee)Wide receiver Makai Lemon (USC)Offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa (Miami)Defensive tackle Kayden McDonald (Ohio State)Offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor (Alabama)Edge rusher Arvell Reese (Ohio State)Quarterback Ty Simpson (Alabama)Linebacker Sonny Styles (Ohio State)Wide receiver Carnell Tate (Ohio State)Wide receiver Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State)It's not unprecedented for a presumptive No. 1 overall pick to skip out on attending, but Mendoza would become the first quarterback to be the No. 1 overall pick to watch from home since Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence not attending the 2021 draft.
Longtime draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah has Love as the second-ranked prospect in this class, followed by Styles at No. 3, Bailey at No. 4, Reese at No. 5, Tate at No. 6, Bain Jr. at No. 7, Delane at No. 8, Downs at No. 9, and Mauigoa at No. 10. See his full ranking here.