The NFL has revealed a list of 17 players who will be in attendance when the 2026 NFL Draft begin Thursday, April 23, in Pittsburgh.
Ty Simpson will be the only quarterback present after Fernando Mendoza opted not to attend. Blue-chip prospects Jeremiyah Love, David Bailey and Arvell Reese also headline the group attending the league’s biggest offseason event. Dillon Thieneman was a late addition.
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Here’s a full list of the players attending the NFL draft festivities:
Prospects attending the 2026 NFL Draft
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David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech
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Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami (FL)
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Keldric Faulk, Edge, Auburn
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Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
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Francis Mauigoa, OL, Miami (FL)
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Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State
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Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
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Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State
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Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
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Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
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Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
Eight of the 17 invitees are ranked within the top 10 of USA TODAY Sports’ top 150 big board: Reese, Downs, Love, Styles, Bailey, Delane, Tyson and Bain. Mendoza and Spencer Fano are the only ones who will not attend the event.
Meanwhile, Simpson is the lowest-ranked attendee on the big board. The Alabama quarterback checks in at 32 overall on the list.
Attending prospects will walk the red carpet ahead of the first round at Acrisure Stadium. Then the players will head to the green room, where they will wait to hear their names called on the stage at the NFL Draft Theater.
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The stage where the picks are announced is on the North Shore outside of Acrisure Stadium.
The 2026 NFL Draft will begin Thursday with the first round at 8 p.m. ET.
2026 NFL Draft order
Here’s the order of picks ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft:
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2026 NFL draft green room prospects: Ty Simpson among player invites
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