Who are the players to watch at the NFL Draft?

ByBen Collins

BBC Sport journalist

The NFL Draft is always full of surprises and last year's event provided one of the biggest yet.

The initial favourite to be the first overall pick, Shedeur Sanders, was ultimately selected in the fifth round - with the 144th pick.

The quarterback's dramatic draft slide sparked a social media storm in the US. Even President Donald Trump was stunned., external

It would be a huge shock if fellow quarterback Fernando Mendoza is not the first name read out at this year's event, which begins on Thursday (Friday BST).

But beyond that, there is sure to be plenty more drama as NFL teams take it in turn to choose the best of this year's young talent.

A total of 257 players will be selected over seven rounds, spread over three days.

All 32 teams have one pick in each round - unless they have agreed trades - and go in the reverse order of last season's standings, so the team with the worst record gets the first pick and Super Bowl winners Seattle go last.

Four teams finished the 2025 season with a 3-14 record - and the Las Vegas Raiders secured the first pick via a strength-of-schedule tie-breaker.

Their opponents last season were deemed weaker than those faced by the New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans, who have the next three picks respectively.

The Raiders need a quarterback and Fernando Mendoza is the standout from this year's prospects having led Indiana to their first national championship and won the Heisman Trophy, which goes to the year's best college player.

The 22-year-old is set to emulate Cam Newton (2011) and Joe Burrow (2020) by being the Heisman Trophy winner, a national champion and the first overall draft pick in the same year.

The Jets and Cardinals also need a quarterback but this year's draft class is not strong for QBs.

Although six of the first 12 picks in 2024 were quarterbacks, Mendoza could be the only one selected in this year's first round, with Alabama's Ty Simpson the only other seen as a potential day-one selection.

Carson Beck slipped out of first-round contention after a poor year with Georgia, but then led Miami to the national championship game and could be picked up as a development project.

Other intriguing quarterbacks are the athletic Cole Payton, who impressed at the NFL Combine and could be used as a hybrid player like Taysom Hill, and the 5ft 10in Diego Pavia, who defied the odds with Vanderbilt to become the Heisman runner-up and could be a late-round gamble.

Mendoza has opted to share the draft experience with his family in Miami so will not be among the 16 prospects attending the event in Pittsburgh.

Five of those waiting for their name to be called are from the 2024 national champions Ohio State, four of whom are tipped to be among the first 10 picks - pass rusher Arvell Reese, linebacker Sonny Styles, wide receiver Carnell Tate and safety Caleb Downs.

The strongest area in this year's draft class is the defensive front, with pass rushers David Bailey and Rueben Bain Jr also expected to come off the board early.

Otherwise there is depth at wide receiver, with Makai Lemon and Jordyn Tyson leading options, while Jeremiyah Love is the top-rated running back.

Lee Hunter's draft stock has risen after the defensive tackle, nicknamed 'The Fridge', interviewed well at the Combine.

At 6ft 4in and 318lbs, he is not as imposing as the original 'Fridge', 1980s star William Perry, but he has had pre-draft visits with the Buffalo Bills and Green Bay Packers.

Two sets of non-twin brothers could also be selected in the same draft - Lorenzo Styles Jr and Sonny Styles, plus Logan and Spencer Fano.

Like Hunter, Max Iheanachor could sneak into the first round, just five years after the 22-year-old started playing American football.

After moving from Nigeria to the US at 13, he played football and basketball before becoming a 6ft 6in, 321lbs offensive tackle who already has a tattoo of the NFL logo.

Draft prospects traditionally come through the American college system but a small number of international athletes are now eligible each year via the NFL's International Player Pathway programme.

Launched in 2017, it puts NFL hopefuls through a 10-week training camp in readiness for the draft, and Uar Bernard's physical development during the camp alone has astounded NFL trainers and scouts.

The numbers the Nigerian put up in pre-draft tests are exceptional for a defensive player so one team may take a chance on the raw, inexperienced 21-year-old late in the draft, just as they did with previous IPP graduates Jordan Mailata and Travis Clayton.

The NFL Draft will take place in Pittsburgh for the first time since 1948 and up to 700,000 fans are expected at the three-day event, which is free to attend.

Several activities will be held across the Pennsylvania city, which has been dubbed 'Picksburgh' for the week.

The draft theatre and main stage will be located just outside Acrisure Stadium - home of the Pittsburgh Steelers - on the city's North Shore.

The first round will take place on Thursday, 23 April, with the Raiders 'on the clock' from 20:00 ET (01:00 BST, Friday).

The picks will come thick and fast as the time each team has to submit their first-round selection has been reduced from 10 minutes to eight.

The first round takes place entirely on day one, with rounds two and three held on Friday and rounds four to seven on Saturday.