NFL draft 2026: Mendoza goes No 1 as Rams surprise with move for QB Ty Simpson at No 13

• https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2026/apr/23/nfl-draft-live-updates">Pick-by-pick: all the selections from the first round

• Two quarterbacks go in Thursday’s first round

The story of the https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2026/apr/23/nfl-draft-live-updates">first round of the 2026 NFL draft surrounded a quarterback but it wasn’t https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/apr/22/fernando-mendoza-nfl-draft-quarterback">No 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza.

As expected, the Las Vegas Raiders selected Mendoza with the first pick on Thursday after he led Indiana to the national title last season.

But the shock of the night came when the Los Angeles Rams picked another quarterback, Alabama’s Ty Simpson, at No 13.

The Rams current starting quarterback, Matthew Stafford, https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/feb/05/matthew-stafford-wins-nfl-mvp-and-vows-to-return-to-rams-next-season">was named NFL MVP last season and Simpson was projected to be a second-round pick by many analysts.

However, Stafford turned 38 in February and the Rams are starting to plan for life without him.