Who has No. 1 pick for the 2026 NFL Draft?

For the third time in franchise history, the Las Vegas Raiders will have the first overall pick at the NFL Draft in 2026. The ailing franchise endured a historically bad 2025 season but had to wait until the final day to see the No. 1 pick confirmed.

The Raiders’ draft position was confirmed on Sunday with the New York Giants’ 34-17 win over the Dallas Cowboys. Heading into the Raiders’ season finale against the Kansas City Chiefs, the team’s 2-14 record is the joint-worst in franchise history.

Raiders coach Pete Caroll is in his first season with the team after a 14-year stint with the Seattle Seahawks. His arrival had brought fresh optimism to Las Vegas but any early hopes were short-lived.

When was the last time the Raiders had No. 1 pick?

The 2026 NFL Draft will be the third time that the Raiders have been first on the clock. The team’s most recent No. 1 pick did not go to plan.

In 2007 the Raiders used their first overall pick on LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell, who is regularly listed as the biggest draft bust of all time. Russell was highly coveted for his size and athleticism at quarterback and, after a prolonged contract hold-out, signed the biggest rookie deal in NFL history.

That $68 million, six-year contract included $31.5 million in guaranteed money and Russell did not come close to providing good value. He stayed with the Raiders for three seasons, going 7-18 as a starter, before being released. After that he was unable to find another team in the NFL and never played in the league again.

“Russell simply didn’t care,” a former Raiders executive said, according to Sports Illustrated. “He made his money and had no desire to get any better or make the Raiders any better. It is one of the tragic stories in NFL history. He didn’t work hard on or off the field, didn’t study game plans and thought he could get by on his talent alone.”

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