Why Fernando Mendoza Isn’t Attending the 2026 NFL Draft

What other presumed No. 1 picks haven’t attended the NFL draft?

Presumptive No. 1 draft pick Fernando Mendoza is not planning to attend the 2026 NFL draft. | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

In just over two weeks, commissioner Roger Goodell is expected to commence the 2026 NFL draft in Pittsburgh by announcing that the Raiders are selecting Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick. Mendoza, however, is not expected to be there to join Goodell on stage and pose with his new team jersey and cap.

Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, Mendoza has informed the NFL that he will not be attending the draft in person because he plans to celebrate with his family in Miami instead. The broadcast will likely show Mendoza enjoying the moment remotely, as the league typically does with players who don’t go to the draft.

Though many presumed No. 1 picks—and first-round picks in general—choose to attend the draft in person for the experience, Mendoza is far from the first No. 1 pick to opt out of going to the event. Several players have chosen to watch the draft and celebrate with all their friends and family back home, as Mendoza will do this year.

What other No. 1 picks have not attended the NFL draft?

Up until 1980, the NFL draft—previously known as the annual player selection meeting—was not even televised. The NFL draft began in 1936, but did not hit television until ESPN pitched the idea to then-commissioner Pete Rozell. Within several years of being on the air, the top players were already receiving invites to attend the draft in person.

In the 1980s, during the infancy of the event’s appearance on television, No. 1 picks such as Bruce Smith (1985), Vinny Testaverde (1987) and Troy Aikman (1989) were among the players to attend the draft in person. As the event became more popular over the years, more and more prospects began attending in person.

From the archives: A Bold New Network, a Preposterous Idea: How the NFL Draft Came to TV

Assuming the Raiders take Mendoza with the top selection, he will be the first No. 1 pick to not attend the draft in person since Travon Walker in 2022. Walker instead opted to watch the draft with his family at a hotel in Atlanta. While the last three No. 1 picks—Bryce Young, Caleb Williams and Cam Ward—all attended the draft in person, several recent top picks have not. This includes 2020 No. 1 pick Joe Burrow, who did not have the option to attend the draft in person since the entire event was held remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here’s a list of other No. 1 picks since 2000 that have not attended the NFL draft:

• Travon Walker, Jaguars (2022)
• Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars (2021)
• Joe Burrow, Bengals (2020)
• Baker Mayfield, Browns (2018)
• Myles Garrett, Browns (2017)
• Jameis Winston, Buccaneers (2015)

It does appear to be a more recent trend in the last decade that some No. 1 picks opt against attending the draft in person. Every No. 1 pick in the 2000s was present at the event when they were selected. Though the draft remains a huge event that sees lots of players still attending, several players, like Mendoza, are choosing to watch it elsewhere.

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