THEIR FAVORITE PART OF IT ALL. BEING AROUND EVERYONE, JUST GETTING THIS EXPERIENCE IS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS IN THE WORLD. FROM THE SOUTH HILLS TO OHIO, MARYLAND, CALIFORNIA AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN, FOOTBALL FANS MAKE SURE THEY WEREN’T MISSING DAY ONE OF THE NFL DRAFT. SO OBVIOUSLY THE BIG EVENT TONIGHT WAS THE DRAFT STAGE. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS HOURS LONG LINE TO GET IN ABOUT HALF AN HOUR BEFORE THE DRAFT BEGAN. IT DID REACH FULL CAPACITY, LIKE WE MENTIONED, BUT THERE WAS STILL PLENTY OF OTHER SIGHTS AND ACTIVITIES TO ENJOY. THERE WERE PHOTO OPS, RETAIL SHOPS, POP UP BARS, AND SO MUCH MORE. THE NORTH SHORE TRULY TRANSFORMED INTO SOMETHING SPECIAL AND THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE HERE, I MEAN, YOU REALLY CANNOT PUT IT INTO WORDS, BUT THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE HERE WAS SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF THE LOCALS HIGHLIGHTED, TELLING ME THEY WERE PROUD TO SEE THEIR CITY TRANSFORM LIKE THIS. I’VE NEVER SEEN THIS MANY PEOPLE. I DON’T THINK PITTSBURGH COULD HOLD THIS MANY PEOPLE, TO BE HONEST. THIS IS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME EXPERIENCE. LIKE, I’M SO HAPPY THIS IS HERE. AND I KNOW I DEFINITELY CANNOT WAIT FOR DAY TWO TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE COME BACK. THE ENERGY CANNOT WAIT TO SEE I
Live updates: Several teams to make first picks in second night of 2026 NFL Draft
Eight teams will make their first selections in the second night of the 2026 NFL Draft after the first round saw a flurry of trades. Thousands of fans are in Pittsburgh to hear the second and third round selections announced at Acrisure Stadium. Follow live updates here. On Thursday night, the 49ers, Bills, Falcons, Bengals, Packers, Broncos, Jaguars and Colts traded out their first round picks.Fernando Mendoza, the quarterback who led Indiana to a national championship, went first to the Las Vegas Raiders, a pick that was anticipated for months.Mendoza’s NFL rookie deal is slotted to top $57 million, including nearly $10.5 million in 2026.Select a year in the chart below to see how the NFL’s first pick salary compares to the league’s highest-paid player in original and inflation-adjusted dollars going back to 1983. Following the Raiders’ expected pick, several teams followed up with some surprises. Beginning at No. 2, the New York Jets selected Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey over Ohio State edge Arvell Reese.Arizona took Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love with the third pick, followed by Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate, who was picked fourth by Tennessee in a surprise move that gives QB Cam Ward — last year’s No. 1 overall pick — a top target. Later on, the Eagles moved up to 20th in a pick swap involving division rivals and took USC wideout Makai Lemon while he was on the phone with Pittsburgh’s front office. After missing out on Lemon, the Steelers took an offensive tackle in the first round for the third time in four years, selecting Max Iheanachor.The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Eight teams will make their first selections in the second night of the 2026 NFL Draft after the first round saw a flurry of trades. Thousands of fans are in Pittsburgh to hear the second and third round selections announced at Acrisure Stadium. Follow live updates here.
On Thursday night, the 49ers, Bills, Falcons, Bengals, Packers, Broncos, Jaguars and Colts traded out their first round picks.
Fernando Mendoza, the quarterback who led Indiana to a national championship, went first to the Las Vegas Raiders, a pick that was anticipated for months.
Mendoza’s NFL rookie deal is slotted to top $57 million, including nearly $10.5 million in 2026.
Select a year in the chart below to see how the NFL’s first pick salary compares to the league’s highest-paid player in original and inflation-adjusted dollars going back to 1983.
Following the Raiders’ expected pick, several teams followed up with some surprises.
Beginning at No. 2, the New York Jets selected Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey over Ohio State edge Arvell Reese.
Arizona took Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love with the third pick, followed by Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate, who was picked fourth by Tennessee in a surprise move that gives QB Cam Ward — last year’s No. 1 overall pick — a top target.
Later on, the Eagles moved up to 20th in a pick swap involving division rivals and took USC wideout Makai Lemon while he was on the phone with Pittsburgh’s front office.
After missing out on Lemon, the Steelers took an offensive tackle in the first round for the third time in four years, selecting Max Iheanachor.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
