Fernando Mendoza's NFL contract could be a record. But there's a catch

The No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL draft — likely Fernando Mendoza to the Las Vegas Raiders — is projected to receive the highest average annual value ever for a rookie contract.

But the raw figures don’t tell the full story.

Per Spotrac, 2026’s top pick is projected to receive a four-year contract worth $54.6 million based on the rookie wage scale, which is set via the league’s collective bargaining agreement. Per year, that works out to $13.6 million.

On face value, the $13.6 million figure will break a 16-year league record, set in 2010 when the then-St. Louis Rams drafted Sam Bradford out of Oklahoma for $13 million per year over six seasons.

That monster deal became a symbol of the pre-2011 rookie market. The next CBA then imposed the rookie wage scale, which capped draftee salaries and contract lengths.

However, when you adjust for inflation, Bradford’s average annual value still far exceeds what Mendoza is likely to earn. Using the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index as a guide, Bradford’s contract works out to $19.7 million per year, or roughly 44% higher than this year’s projected average annual value.

DIG DEEPER:USA TODAY's 2026 NFL mock draft

In fact, when adjusting for inflation, this year’s projected average annual value fails to beat every No. 1 pick from 2004 through 2010. The last pick it tops was 2003, when the Cincinnati Bengals signed Carson Palmer for $7.1 million per year, or $12.8 million annually in 2026 dollars.

So, Mendoza will likely get paid the highest average annual value in nominal dollars and should be the first rookie to top $50 million since 2010. But it will take a few more years for the draft to break Bradford’s inflation-adjusted record.

Methodology note: Average annual value based on individual player pages on Spotrac. The average annual value for the 2026 No. 1 pick is a projection from Spotrac’s draft tracker. Inflation-adjusted figures are based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers and are shown in March 2026 dollars.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL draft salaries: 2026’s No. 1 pick could see a record payday, with a catch