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Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) drops back to pass against the Miami Hurricanes in the first half during the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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Broncos Watch AFC West Rivals Reload in Round 1

Originally posted on Denver Broncos on SI
By Chad Jensen | Last updated Apr 23, 2026 10:52 PM ET

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On Thursday night, the Denver Broncos had to watch the first round of the 2026 NFL draft unfold from the sidelines. The Jaylen Waddle trade last month cost the Broncos their first and third-round pick, which means they can't join the draft party until pick No. 62 on Day 2, barring a trade-up.

That wasn't the case for Denver's AFC West rivals. All three made selections in Round 1 of the draft, and while we await Day 2's festivities and the Broncos finally getting in the game, let's break down how the AFC West clubs made out.

Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza | QB | Indiana

As expected, the Raiders drafted the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and National Champion. Mendoza did not attend the draft in Pittsburgh, opting to stay at home surrounded by family, which created some, shall we say, interesting optics for the Raiders and the NFL.

It's official, though. Mendoza serves as the first draft pick of the Klint Kubiak head-coaching era. In a weak quarterback class, Mendoza rose to the top, but some wonder whether he'd be a bona fide first-rounder, let alone the No. 1 overall pick, in a little bit deeper draft.

Mendoza is a cerebral quarterback and he knows how to win. The kid is a smart competitor, but after seeing Kirk Cousins sign with the Raiders recently, it'll be interesting to see how quickly Kubiak inserts his No. 1 pick into the starting lineup.

Kansas City Chiefs: Mansoor Delane | CB | LSU &

Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

In a move that raised some eyebrows around the league, the Chiefs moved up from No. 9 overall to No. 6 to take Delane, giving up picks No. 74 and 148 to the Cleveland Browns. Kansas City relinquished a lot to land Delane, and that puts a lot of pressure on the rookie.

There's no question that Kansas City had a big need at cornerback, though, after trading Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams and seeing Jaylen Watson join him shortly after. The AFC West is replete with quality quarterbacks, and that includes the Raiders, so Kansas City opted to make some sacrifices in order to get the top cornerback in this class.

Kansas City Chiefs: Peter Woods | DL | Clemson

Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Chiefs' second first-round selection was another move to bolster the defense. Woods was viewed by most draftniks as the top interior defender in this draft class, but his final season at Clemson had many NFL teams questioning him as a bona fide first-rounder.

Woods will be developed to help rush the passer from the insider and bolster the run. If the Chiefs can figure out why he took the step back he did at Clemson in 2025, this could be a great value pick.

Los Angeles Chargers: Akheem Mesidor | Edge | Miami (FL)

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

At pick No. 22, the Chargers added some pass-rushing prowess to their defense with Mesidor. The rookie brings a speed element to the Chargers' pass rush, giving them a solid No. 3 guy behind Khalil Mack and Tuli Tuipulotu.

L.A. lost Odafe Owe in free agency, which added some urgency to find a solid replacement. Going against the difficult-to-sack Bo Nix and Patrick Mahomes twice per year, the Chargers reloaded the edge position with some addition speed and youth.

This article first appeared on Denver Broncos on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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