Overview
- Spotrac projects the 2026 No. 1 pick, widely expected to be quarterback Fernando Mendoza, to sign a fully guaranteed four-year, $54.6 million contract with a $36.1 million signing bonus and a $13.6 million average annual value.
- That projected per-year figure would be the highest for a rookie in raw dollars, yet Sam Bradford’s 2010 deal equals about $19.7 million per year in 2026 dollars.
- The NFL’s rookie wage scale gives first-rounders four-year contracts with a team option for a fifth year and full guarantees through the first four seasons.
- With the 2026 salary cap at $301.2 million, slot values range from about $54.6 million at No. 1 to roughly $16.2 million at No. 32 over four years.
- Sportico reports first-round signing bonuses are up about 18.5% this year and estimates the 32 first-round contracts will total just over $900 million, including about $542 million in bonuses.