Table of Contents
First-Round Grades| Best Available Players| Fernando Mendoza is Tom Brady’s successor| Ty Simpson will test Sean McVay| Cardinals made the right pick
The 2026 NFL draft promised to be unpredictable, and the first round certainly met expectations.
There were bold moves and head-scratchers, in-division trades and sneaky value picks. And by night’s end, there were also several first-round-caliber players still on the board.
First-round picks, rightfully, generate the most buzz. But what happens from here on—over the final six rounds and 225 selections—will ultimately dictate which teams hit the mark this draft season and which fall short.
Here’s our full projection for Day 2, which starts at 7 p.m. ET Friday in Pittsburgh. You can follow Rounds 2 and 3 with live grades in SI’s draft tracker.
ROUND 2
33. San Francisco 49ers: Zion Young, edge, Missouri
The 49ers traded out of the first round and likely will field plenty of offers for this pick on Friday night, but Young fits the build of a traditional San Francisco pass rusher. The 49ers finished last in the league in sacks in 2025, and Young has the juice to elevate the unit this fall.
34. Arizona Cardinals: T.J. Parker, edge, Clemson
After taking running back Jeremiyah Love at No. 3, the Cardinals need to improve their play along both lines. Parker is a physical run defender with nuanced hands and has a chance to be a three-down player.
35. Buffalo Bills: R Mason Thomas, edge, Oklahoma
Buffalo traded down three times and ultimately moved out of the first round, but Thomas is a solid consolation prize. The Bills want to add more speed off the edge, and Thomas, while undersized, has the twitch and power to provide it.
36. Las Vegas Raiders: Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State
Perhaps the Raiders will opt to give QB Fernando Mendoza a new weapon, but the team also needs a physical presence on the interior of its defensive line. McDonald, the reigning Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year, has powerful hands and is one of the draft’s best run defenders.
37. New York Giants: Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
The Giants nabbed a pass rusher with Arvell Reese at No. 5 and an offensive lineman with Francis Mauigoa at No. 10. They didn’t, however, give QB Jaxson Dart a new target—until now. Boston is big and strong with tremendous ball skills, making him a strong complement to Malik Nabers.
38. Houston Texans: Christen Miller, DT, Georgia
Houston improved its interior offensive line with Keylan Rutledge in the first round, and it should continue bolstering its defensive line on Day 2. Miller blends power and athleticism to thrive against the run and flash on passing downs.
39. Cleveland Browns: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo
Day 1 went as the Browns hoped: Cleveland moved down and landed Utah tackle Spencer Fano at No. 9, and it still secured a playmaking receiver with KC Concepcion at No. 24. McNeil-Warren is long, lanky and a quality value pick at this slot.
40. Kansas City Chiefs: Cashius Howell, edge, Texas A&M
The Chiefs traded up to select cornerback Mansoor Delane with their first pick and added defensive tackle Peter Woods with their second. To cap a stronghold on the top 40, they get Howell, the SEC Defensive Player of the Year, who’s one of the draft’s best pure speed rushers.
41. Cincinnati Bengals: Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee
Cincinnati effectively used its first selection in a trade for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II, whom the Bengals acquired via trade last Saturday. The Bengals need more defensive help, especially at corner, and Hood was one of the more surprising omissions from the first round. Hood is physical, athletic and has a high ceiling, which bodes well in Cincinnati.
42. New Orleans Saints: Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
The Saints were tied to cornerbacks at No. 8, but after the Chiefs moved up to select Delane, New Orleans opted for Arizona State receiver Jordyn Tyson. Without medical concerns, McCoy could’ve been in play in the top 10. His speed, fluidity and ball production in 2024 warranted such a pick, but his knee injury justifies his fall.
43. Miami Dolphins: Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama
Miami’s receiving corps needs new life, and Bernard is a jack-of-all-trades weapon who can make plays with the ball in his hands and create separation from a variety of alignments.
44. New York Jets: Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
The Jets gave QB Geno Smith two shiny weapons in tight end Kenyon Sadiq and receiver Omar Cooper Jr., but they still need to improve their secondary. Injuries limited Terrell during the predraft process, but he’s a first-round talent whose physicality and instincts make him a starting-caliber corner.
45. Baltimore Ravens: Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt
Rebuilding depth and talent in the tight end room should be a priority for Baltimore, which was linked to Sadiq in the first round at various points in the draft process. No matter, Stowers is an athletic, movement-based tight end who can play in space and be a potent pass-catcher for Lamar Jackson.
46.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina
One of the biggest winners from the draft’s opening round after stopping Rueben Bain Jr.’s slide, the Buccaneers again secure a value pick in Cisse, who has first-round physical tools.
47.Indianapolis Colts: Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech
Rodriguez, among college football’s most dominant defenders last season, is a well-rounded player with the tangible and intangible traits to fill the Colts’ void at middle linebacker.
48.Atlanta Falcons: Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech
The Falcons figure to consider defensive tackles and receivers at this spot, and Hunter, a strong, powerful defender, has the goods to earn snaps in the rotation as a rookie.
49.Minnesota Vikings: D’Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana
The Vikings pulled a bit of a surprise in Round 1, drafting Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks at No. 18. Ponds would help Minnesota’s secondary, and he’s pound-for-pound one of the draft’s best pure football players.
50.Detroit Lions: Gabe Jacas, edge, Illinois
Detroit added a veteran plug-and-play right tackle in Blake Miller on Day 1 and may follow a similar track with Jacas on Day 2. Jacas is a tough, physical pass rusher, with a strong track record of production against high-level competition.
51.Carolina Panthers: Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia
Pigeonholed by many as a gadget player, Branch’s athleticism and suddenness offer hope that he can run a full route tree. If he can, his playmaking skills will give QB Bryce Young a quality weapon.
52.Green Bay Packers: Derrick Moore, edge, Michigan
The Packers are expected to tap into the edge market, and Moore is a rock-solid option. He’s physical, consistent and a ready-made run defender with enough pass-rush flashes to eventually become a three-down player.
53.Pittsburgh Steelers: Antonio Williams, WR, Clemson
Williams is a smooth-moving wideout whose athleticism nicely complements the physical, big-bodied presence that offseason trade acquisition Michael Pittman Jr. brings to Pittsburgh’s receiving corps.
54.Philadelphia Eagles: Caleb Tiernan, OT, Northwestern
The Eagles were heavily linked to offensive tackles in the first round but pounced when Makai Lemon fell further than expected. Tiernan, a seasoned starter at Northwestern, projects as an immediate swing tackle with the potential to be Lane Johnson’s successor.
55.Los Angeles Chargers: Chase Bisontis, OG, Texas A&M
Bisontis could go much sooner, and few teams would’ve blinked if the Chargers took him in the first round. Instead, Los Angeles waits and fills its biggest hole with a big, strong, tough and athletic blocker.
56. Jacksonville Jaguars: CJ Allen, LB, Georgia
The Jaguars are in an advantageous position relative to the inside linebacker market, and Allen has the instincts, physicality and high-level experience to make an impact as a rookie.
57.Chicago Bears: Dani Dennis-Sutton, DE, Penn State
Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen prefers bigger-bodied defensive ends, and the 6' 6", 256-pound Dennis-Sutton fits the bill. He has a diverse bag of pass-rush moves and a motor that always runs hot.
58.San Francisco 49ers: Emmanuel Pregnon, OG, Oregon
The 49ers may consider a tackle, but they need help on the interior, too. Pregnon, who stands 6' 4" and 314 pounds, has four years of starting experience at guard and brings a tough, physical presence.
59.Houston Texans: Davison Igbinosun, CB, Ohio State
Igbinosun won’t be a match for every team, but he’s an extremely competitive corner who should appeal to Texans coach DeMeco Ryans. Igbinosun’s instincts help him stay in phase during routes, and he has starting-level talent.
60.Chicago Bears: Chris Brazzell II, WR, Tennessee
Brazzell’s physical tools are among the best in this receiving class. He’s long, athletic and a legitimate field-stretcher, and his size and ball skills make him productive above the rim.
61.Los Angeles Rams: Chris Bell, WR, Louisville
The Rams surprised nearly everyone by taking Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson in the first round, a move seemingly unconducive to a team in win-now mode. Bell, who suffered a torn ACL in November, doesn’t inherently fit the bill, either. But before his injury, his ball skills and post-catch playmaking put him in the first-round conversation, and he’d be a good value pick here.
62.Denver Broncos: Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas
The Broncos have long needed linebacker help, and Hill is an intriguing talent. He’s big, long, rangy and athletic, with a high ceiling and proven versatility as a blitzer.
63.New England Patriots: Keyron Crawford, edge, Auburn
New England wants to add explosiveness to its pass rush, and Crawford is a high-twitch mover off the edge. He can work speed to power and should see snaps on passing downs as a rookie.
64.Seattle Seahawks: A.J. Haulcy, S, LSU
Haulcy’s instincts and anticipation generated eight interceptions over the past two years, and his ball production and physicality fit well in Seattle’s secondary.
ROUND 3
65. Arizona Cardinals: Carson Beck, QB, Miami
66. Buffalo Bills: Romello Height, edge, Texas Tech
67. Las Vegas Raiders: Elijah Sarratt, WR, Indiana
68. Philadelphia Eagles: Max Klare, TE, Ohio State
69. Tennessee Titans: Jake Golday, LB, Cincinnati
70.Cleveland Browns: Keith Abney II, CB, Arizona State
71.Washington Commanders: De’Zhaun Stribling, WR, Ole Miss
72.Cincinnati Bengals: Josiah Trotter, LB, Missouri
73.New Orleans Saints: Darrell Jackson Jr., DT, Florida State
74.Cleveland Browns: Oscar Delp, TE, Georgia
75.Miami Dolphins: Jalon Kilgore, S, South Carolina
76.Pittsburgh Steelers: Gennings Dunker, OG, Iowa
77.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Kyle Louis, LB, Pittsburgh
78.Indianapolis Colts: Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame
79.Atlanta Falcons: Bryce Lance, WR, North Dakota State
80.Baltimore Ravens: Logan Jones, C, Iowa
81.Jacksonville Jaguars: Mike Washington Jr., RB, Arkansas
82.Minnesota Vikings: Jake Slaughter, C, Florida
83.Carolina Panthers: Bud Clark, S, TCU
84.Green Bay Packers: Billy Schrauth, OG, Notre Dame
85.Pittsburgh Steelers: Drew Allar, QB, Penn State
86.Los Angeles Chargers: Justin Joly, TE, North Carolina State
87.Miami Dolphins: Eli Raridon, TE, Notre Dame
88.Jacksonville Jaguars: Zxavian Harris, DT, Ole Miss
89.Chicago Bears: Domonique Orange, DT, Iowa State
90.San Francisco 49ers: Brenen Thompson, WR, Mississippi State
91.Houston Texans: Kaleb Elarms-Orr, LB, TCU
92.Dallas Cowboys: Malik Muhammad, CB, Texas
93.Los Angeles Rams: Chandler Rivers, CB, Duke
94.Miami Dolphins: Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State
95.New England Patriots: Skyler Bell, WR, UConn
96.Seattle Seahawks: Joshua Josephs, edge, Tennessee
97.Minnesota Vikings: Genesis Smith, S, Arizona
98.Philadelphia Eagles: Zakee Wheatley, S, Penn State
99.Pittsburgh Steelers: Keyshaun Elliott, LB, Arizona State
100.Jacksonville Jaguars: Trey Moore, edge, Texas
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DANIEL FLICK
Daniel Flick covers the NFL draft for Sports Illustrated and Indiana University athletics for OnSI. Proudly a former Indiana Daily Student writer and sports editor, Flick also has boots-on-the-ground experience covering the Atlanta Falcons for OnSI.
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