Here’s the second round of our 2026 Three-Round Mock Draft. 

Round Two

33 — New York Jets: Ohio State DT Kayden McDonald

New York goes back to the defensive side of the ball as HC Aaron Glenn works to improve that unit and save his job. The Jets have a mishmash of youngsters and veterans here, but no clear starters beyond this season. McDonald would hopefully change that and give Glenn a building block to start turning things around. He’s getting first-round buzz, which says more about this class to me than it does McDonald, who at this stage of his career is a one-trick pony (run defense). It’s a trick he does exceptionally well, though, with 65 total tackles for the Buckeyes last fall despite playing in a heavy rotation. I can see McDonald reminding Glenn of Lions DT Alim McNeill. 

34 — Arizona Cardinals: Alabama QB Ty Simpson

Arizona has been linked to Simpson since late last season (check the rumor tracker) and the Cardinals are in a weird limbo at the position after moving on from Kyler Murray. Plenty of people in the league think they’re tanking with eyes on the 2027 class of passers which is already gaining considerable hype. I’m not sure GM Monti Ossenfort has the leash to tank in his fourth season, though. LaFleur’s offense fits Simpson like a glove and there are two other veterans in the room who can take snaps until he’s ready. This is a notable investment but it also wouldn’t prevent the Cardinals from taking another shot at a quarterback in a year if things fall the right way. The Saints and QB Tyler Shough are an example of the potential benefits of rolling the dice on a passer in a “bad” class. 

35 — Tennessee Titans: Vanderbilt TE Eli Stowers

Despite the case laid out for going defense in Round 1, the Titans really do need to build up their offense around Ward more, too. Tight end isn’t a big need on paper after signing Daniel Bellinger and drafting Gunnar Helm last year, but Stowers is a unique player. He’s more like a jumbo receiver than a tight end, and Titans OC Brian Daboll would have a lot of flexibility to move him around seeking the best matchup. 

36 — Las Vegas Raiders: Georgia WR Zachariah Branch

I debated getting cute to see if Branch could last until the Raiders’ next pick near the top of the third round. But ultimately there were just too many connections to ignore. I think the Raiders are head over heels for Branch and won’t chance waiting. He’s the nephew of franchise great Cliff Branch and is from Las Vegas, starting his college career out at USC as an elite recruit. He has had several different touchpoints throughout the spring with the Raiders, including a formal Combine interview, pro day interview and an official visit. Las Vegas will be looking to augment the supporting cast around Mendoza, and receiver is a huge need. Branch is lightning quick and while his college teams never seemed to crack the code on how to weaponize him, I think Kubiak will look at Branch and see a clone of WR Rashid Shaheed, a player he deployed with a lot of impact in both New Orleans and Seattle. 

37 — New York Giants: Georgia DT Christen Miller

The Giants are probably going to have to choose between addressing major needs at either guard or defensive tackle, as they don’t have another pick until No. 105 in the fourth round. They’ve done a little more to set things up at the former than the latter, and Harbaugh has hammered the importance of stopping the run on defense. Miller should be a big boost in that area with some quickness to develop a more well-rounded game down the road. 

38 — Houston Texans (via WAS): Texas A&M G Chase Bisontis

A double dip on the offensive line after spending so much in free agency might be overkill, but the Texans are in a good enough spot with other needs to be able to take the swing with the goal of fixing the group not just for 2026 but for the foreseeable future. The talent drops off a cliff much faster at offensive line than at other positions, too. Bisontis has visited with the Texans and fits the style of offense they want to run as a downhill, gap-mashing team. 

39 — Cleveland Browns: Toledo S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren

There’s significant first-round buzz for McNeil-Warren, but more often than not safeties tend to fall on draft day as teams prioritize higher-value positions. In this simulation, there were three receivers, five tackles, five edge rushers, two corners, two defensive tackles and a quarterback drafted between the last safety off the board and McNeil-Warren. Two guards went and those aren’t traditional premium spots, but the depth at guard is shallower this year and teams have been putting safety closer to running back than guard when it comes to hierarchies. At any rate, this is great value for the Browns here, enough to take a detour from fortifying the offense. 

40 — Kansas City Chiefs: Alabama WR Germie Bernard

It feels like the Chiefs need to add to their offensive firepower still, and they should have some good opportunities this draft to go in a variety of directions. My bias is toward Bernard. It feels like he’s flying under the radar compared to other pass catchers because he’s not huge, didn’t run a 4.3 and didn’t put up massive numbers. But he’s been consistently above average to good in just about every aspect of his profile, from his tape to his testing to his stats. The Chiefs need that glue guy who QB Patrick Mahomes can count on in clutch situations and who does some of the dirty work to set up other players for success. Think someone like Robert Woods or Jakobi Meyers. Bernard is that dude. 

41 — Cincinnati Bengals: Clemson DT Peter Woods

Getting more out of the pass rush in 2026 is one of the top priorities for the Bengals as they seek to get back to contending status. Defensive tackle looks crowded at first glance with Jonathan Allen, B.J. Hill and Kris Jenkins Jr. all in the mix for snaps at three-technique. But Allen and Hill are veterans with an expiration date and Jenkins hasn’t put much together in two seasons. Woods is a faller because after a statistical slump this past season, he failed to change the conversation with his work in the pre-draft process, unlike his Clemson teammate Parker for instance. Woods didn’t measure or test well. Teams can tolerate a lack of production or questionable measurables, but rarely give a pass for both. And yet, the high points on Woods on tape were so good that he was the No. 1 player for the Athletic’s Dane Brugler heading into this past collegiate season. It might not be in the first round but someone in the top 50 or so picks is likely going to take a chance on Woods. 

42 — New Orleans Saints: Louisville WR Chris Bell

Bell was teammates with Shough in 2024 at Louisville and the two have been stumping all spring for a reunion. Any team that wants to prevent that knows how high they have to trade up or pick Bell, but there’s still good reason to think he’ll be available here. Bell tore his ACL late in last year’s college season, meaning he’ll be behind the eight-ball for his rookie year. For a rebuilding Saints team, that’s no big deal. They have time to wait, a quarterback Bell already has chemistry with, and a big need for more playmakers on offense. With his size and speed combination, Bell brings something to the Saints’ receiving corps that they don’t really have right now. 

43 — Miami Dolphins: Indiana CB D’Angelo Ponds

Double-dipping at cornerback before taking a receiver might not make Dolphins fans happy, but once again the wideouts are off the board and the secondary remains a gaping hole. If Ponds weren’t 5-8 and 180 pounds, he’d probably be in the mix for the first round. However, he’s ridiculously athletic and competes like an enraged wolverine. There are multiple instances of him shutting down far bigger receivers. Originally from Miami as well, Ponds would give Hafley a tone-setter for his secondary. 

44 — New York Jets (via DAL): Georgia LB CJ Allen

Once viewed as a first-round caliber prospect, Allen has slipped due to underwhelming size and no athletic testing, leaving concerns that he might be more Denzel Perryman than Roquan Smith. However, Allen’s football IQ and physicality can’t be questioned. Georgia even let him call the defense a decent chunk of the time — not relay the call in from the sideline, but actually picking a play from the playbook and calling it. I can see Glenn telling the front office, “measurables be damned, I want that kind of guy on my defense.” 

45 — Baltimore Ravens: Florida DT Caleb Banks

Banks might be one of the biggest boom-bust picks of the draft. There are just not many people on the planet who have the movement skills he does at 6-6 and 327 pounds. Out of all the defensive tackles in this class, he probably has the most pass-rushing upside if he puts it all together. That’s a big area of need for the Ravens, especially if Nnamdi Madubuike isn’t able to make it back. However, Banks has just one good year as a starter and played in only three games due to a foot injury last year. He’s injured that same foot four times in roughly the last calendar year and has had surgery at least twice. That’s why there’s a great chance he’s available in the second round. 

46 — Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Texas A&M OLB Cashius Howell

The Buccaneers need to roll the dice on finding some more pass-rush juice, and Howell brings juice in gallons even if he has other limitations that will hold down his draft stock. For one, his arms are remarkably short, substantially shorter than Bain’s despite the headlines and among the shortest ever recorded for NFL edge rushers. Combined with being on the smaller side overall, and it could limit Howell to being a designated pass rusher. However, he’s got speed, burst and effort to spare and a shot to still be a productive player even if it’s in a specific role. 

47 — Indianapolis Colts: Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez

The Colts’ depth chart is precariously thin at linebacker, meaning there is a high chance this pick is a linebacker no matter what even though Indianapolis has some other needs at higher value positions. Rodriguez could go even higher than this after dominating the athletic testing to go on top of terrific statistical production for the Red Raiders. 

48 — Atlanta Falcons: Oklahoma OLB R Mason Thomas

Despite the most prolific pass-rushing season in franchise history, this is still an area of need for the Falcons due to OLB James Pearce Jr.’s pending felony domestic violence case. Pearce’s availability for the foreseeable future is in doubt given the charges, whether he lands on the exempt list, is suspended or even ends up serving jail time. Thomas would be a pick to build the pass rush back up and keep it as a strength. An undersized speed rusher, Thomas might remind Falcons DC Jeff Ulbrich of one of his former players, DE Bryce Huff. 

49 — Minnesota Vikings: Texas LB Anthony Hill Jr.

Minnesota has poked around a few linebackers in this year’s class, hosting Hill and Cincinnati LB Jake Golday for visits. Both players have strong backgrounds as blitzers. Golday was actually an edge rusher before converting. Both would be fits in Flores’ scheme, but I’m giving a slight edge to Hill since he’s younger and played at a higher level of competition. 

50 — Detroit Lions: Illinois DE Gabe Jacas

The Lions have been searching for a worthy complement for DE Aidan Hutchinson almost since drafting him No. 2 overall. Jacas would be the latest swing. He has the size and demeanor to play on all three downs, fits Detroit’s gritty culture with his motor, work ethic and leadership chops, and has some potential to develop into a high-end contributor. 

51 — Carolina Panthers: Arizona CB Treydan Stukes

Although he’s an older prospect, there’s a lot to like about Stukes’ game, from his speed to his ball skills to his instincts and smarts. He might be able to play all across the secondary, which makes it easier for a team like the Panthers to find a role for him, but his best spot might be nickel. That’s an area the Panthers seem to be interested in upgrading this offseason. 

52 — Green Bay Packers: Oregon G Emmanuel Pregnon

There has been a good amount of buzz between the Packers and Pregnon, which isn’t usual for a second-round prospect. The Packers have Aaron Banks and 2025 second-rounder Anthony Belton as projected starters at guard, but the roster is in a good spot to go best player available if Green Bay thinks Pregnon is that guy. 

53 — Pittsburgh Steelers: Clemson CB Avieon Terrell

This is a stark fall for Terrell who’s been widely viewed as a first-round player. But the younger brother of Falcons CB AJ Terrell was already dealing with questions about his size, coming in at 5-11 and 184 pounds. He added questions about his speed after running a 4.64-second 40 at his pro day. Even if that time comes with an asterisk due to dealing with an injury, it’s still not been a good spring for him. Terrell is still a fiery competitor and a physical player despite his size limitations. He reminds me of veteran Donte Jackson, another slim corner who has carved out a solid career in large part due to his physicality. 

54 — Philadelphia Eagles: Georgia Tech G Keylan Rutledge

Two offensive linemen in two picks may seem like overkill, but the Eagles are all about being strong in the trenches. Between Landon Dickerson‘s injury history and Tyler Steen still finding his stride, guard is a long-term question mark. Rutledge is a punishing player who has a chance to go higher than this thanks to the high demand for offensive linemen. 

55 — Los Angeles Chargers: Arizona State CB Keith Abney

There are bigger needs for the Chargers at guard and defensive tackle but the board here is underwhelming. Perhaps they reach anyway, or this informs their pick in the first round given the depth at edge rusher seems like it will last into Round 3. I do like cornerback for them to continue keeping a strength strong. There’s a lot to like with Abney given his unique background as a competitive speed skater and his ball skills. 

56 — Jacksonville Jaguars: Georgia TE Oscar Delp

Delp’s stats aren’t anything to write home about, but Georgia’s offense is a tough one for most prospects to stand out in. His testing at his pro day despite an injury drew a lot of attention around the league and Delp is getting buzz as a player who could be a better pro than collegian. The Jaguars have starting TE Brenton Strange entering a contract year, so Delp gives them insurance if they can’t re-sign him. 

57 — Chicago Bears: Miami CB Keionte Scott

The Bears didn’t keep any of their secondary players who were on expiring contracts this offseason, hitting the reset button instead. Some of those spots will be filled by players coming back healthy, others by new additions. Scott has reportedly taken a 30 visit with Chicago and it’s easy to see how DC Dennis Allen would be drawn to his physical, high-energy style of play. 

58 — San Francisco 49ers: Auburn DE Keyron Crawford

A guiding principle for the 49ers under GM John Lynch and HC Kyle Shanahan has been consistent and heavy investment in the defensive line. They go back to the well to fill out the edge rushing rotation with Crawford, a twitchy pass rusher from Auburn who’s drawn rave reviews for his work ethic. 

59 — Houston Texans: Cincinnati LB Jake Golday

The Texans have been doing a little bit of work on this linebacker class with Henry T’oTo’o in a contract year and Azeez Al-Shaair turning 29. Golday’s one of the best remaining and stands out even in a deep group. He’s fast and fits the run and hit mold Houston likes. 

60 — Chicago Bears (via BUF): Notre Dame RB Jadarian Price

Bears HC Ben Johnson was perfectly content with the backfield of D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai last year despite questions from the outside, and those two largely backed up his confidence. However, Swift is entering a contract year. Price brings Swift’s explosiveness in a compact, rugged package like Monangai, blending a lot of the best of both backs. 

61 — Los Angeles Rams: Missouri LB Josiah Trotter

The Rams don’t have many holes, so while they don’t usually spend picks this high on the linebacker position, it’s hard to find another place to get more bang for their buck. Trotter has strong NFL bloodlines as the son of longtime Eagles LB Jeremiah Trotter and his older brother was just drafted by the Eagles as well. He’s better against the run than the pass at this point. 

62 — Denver Broncos: Ohio State TE Max Klare

Denver has been doing extensive work on the tight end group this year and Broncos HC Sean Payton has a strong history with the position. It’s made the lack of production from Denver’s tight ends the last couple of years stand out glaringly. Klare could help change that as a polished receiving type with good size and athleticism.  

63 — New England Patriots: Arizona State LB Keyshaun Elliott

Receiver was considered here, but the Patriots have plenty of bodies in the room already. They need impact players and there weren’t clear upgrades on the board. Linebacker is another area the Patriots could fortify, both short and long-term, and Elliott has multiple attractive qualities that could draw the Patriots to him like his athleticism and football character. 

64 — Seattle Seahawks: Arkansas RB Mike Washington

It feels irresponsible for the Seahawks to wait any longer than this to address the running back room. Fortunately it’s not a big priority for a lot of teams this year and Seattle can get a guy like Washington, who is an amazing athlete, at the end of the second. At 6-1 and 223 pounds, Washington ran a blazing 4.33-second 40. That should help replace the big-play threat they lost when Kenneth Walker left. 

Continue To Round 3