While many young football players' dreams involve shaking the commi sioner's hand on Draft Night, a few top prospects will not be in attendance this year in Pittsburgh. Both Fernando Mendoza and Kenyon Sadiq headline this year's list of best talents to be Justin Herbert Jersey absent on the stage. Some prospects wish to be surrounded by their families for a more relaxed outing on the couch. Mendoza has always pledged himself as a family man, so the decision for the former Heisman winner to not attend does not come as a huge surprise. Here's a breakdown of why Mendoza and some other top prospects will not be at the NFL Draft this year. NFL DRAFT RANKINGS 2026: | | | | Is Fernando Mendoza at the NFL Draft? No, Fernando Mendoza will not be present in Pittsburgh for the upcoming NFL Draft. , Mendoza shared his desire to live out one of his career's premiere moments at home surrounded by family, along with making it easier to travel the following day. Itd be a dream for a lot of guys, however, my mom really wanted to do it at home, and so did both my parents, Mendoza said. It was a lot easier for us, especially with the family situation, and I would have to hop on a plane the next morning anyway. For that travel, it would be a lot easier to stay at home. Mendoza appears to become the first No. 1 selected quarterback not to attend the draft since Trevor Lawrence abstained in 2021. Projected No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza has informed the NFL that he is not planning to attend the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh this month, per sources. Mendoza wants to share the draft experience with his family in Miami. Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) MORE 2026 NFL DRAFT: Is Kenyon Sadiq at the NFL Draft? No, Kenyon Sadiq was not on initial list shared by the NFL on prospects who would be attending the draft. Sadiq is one of the best, if not the best, tight-end prospect heading into Thursday and will most likely be a first-round selection. The former Oregon Duck ran the fastest 40-yard dash since at least 2003, with a blazing 4.39 pace. , Sadiq is planning to rent an AirBNB with his family, friends, and potentially his former Oregon coach Dan Lanning. MORE: Prospects at the 2026 NFL Draft One of the best parts of the NFL Draft is seeing players achieve their dreams and shake Roger Goodell's hand on stage immediately after getting drafted. However, only a select few will have the opportunity to attend the draft in Pittsburgh. After the NFL extended invitations for prospects to attend the NFL draft, 16 of those prospects accepted and will be in Pittsburgh on April 23. The league presumably expects these players to be potential first-round draft picks, so they don't have to endure a long wait in the green room. Here's a look at who will be attending this year's NFL Draft. Player Position College David Bailey DE Texas Tech Rueben Bain Jr. DE Miami Mansoor Delane CB LSU Caleb Downs CB Ohio State Keldric Faulk DE Auburn Colton Hood CB Tenne see Makai Lemon WR USC Jeremiyah Love RB Notre Dame Francis Mauigoa OT Miami Kayden McDonald DT Ohio State Kaydn Proctor OT Alabama Arvell Reese LB Ohio State Ty Simpson QB Alabama Sonny Styles LB Ohio State Carnell Tate WR Ohio State Jordyn Tyson WR Arizona State Ohio State leads the pack with five draft attendees this year, which is tied for the most ever, . Ohio States five draft attendees this year are tied for the most ever. The Buckeyesalso had five draft attendees in 2016, withAlabama matching this in 2012. When is the NFL Draft? Date : Thursday, April 23 Time : 8:00 p.m. ET The NFL Draft kicks off with the first round on Thursday, April 23. ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network will all have coverage of the event over the following few days. MORE: Elijah Dotson Jersey