2026 NFL Draft Rounds 2-3 Predictions: Best Players Available and Where They Could Land on Day 2

Round 1 delivered drama, surprises, and trades at every turn. Now the real depth of the 2026 NFL Draft gets tested as teams return to Pittsburgh on Friday night for Rounds 2 and 3 — and there is plenty of talent still on the board.

With the San Francisco 49ers holding the No. 33 overall pick after trading out of Round 1, Day 2 kicks off with one of the most analytically sharp front offices in football looking to make up for the picks they dealt away Thursday night. From there, 32 teams — including six that did not pick in Round 1 at all — will be scrambling to fill roster holes, address needs, and hopefully find the hidden gems that define successful franchises.

Here is a full prediction of how Rounds 2 and 3 could unfold, based on team needs, prospect fit, and the talent still available.

Round 2 Predictions — Picks 33–64

33. San Francisco 49ers — Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo The 49ers moved out of Round 1 but the player they wanted may still be waiting. McNeil-Warren is a rangy, instinctive safety who has drawn comparisons to elite playmakers at the position. General manager John Lynch, himself a former safety, knows exactly what he is looking for here — and McNeil-Warren fits the mould.

34. Arizona Cardinals — Carson Beck, QB, Miami The Cardinals are still searching for their long-term answer at quarterback, and Beck’s outstanding play in the College Football Playoff changed how teams view him. This may feel slightly early based on pre-draft rankings, but Arizona cannot afford to keep passing on quarterbacks and hoping the position solves itself.

35. Buffalo Bills (via Tennessee) — Denzel Boston, WR, Washington Big-bodied, physical and reliable in contested catch situations — Denzel Boston is exactly the type of red-zone weapon Josh Allen has been missing. Boston gives the Bills a genuine mismatch threat to complement DJ Moore and Khalil Shakir.

36. Las Vegas Raiders — Treydan Stukes, S, Arizona Fernando Mendoza was the headliner Thursday night, but safety was almost as pressing a need. Stukes is a three-time team captain who ran a blazing 4.33-second 40-yard dash — the kind of versatile defensive back who can line up anywhere and impact the game immediately.

37. New York Giants — Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee McCoy was considered a top-10 talent on film, but an ACL injury in January 2025 caused him to slide significantly. The Giants will not hesitate. Getting a potential top-10 player at cornerback in Round 2 is the kind of value that rebuilding teams dream about.

38. Houston Texans (via Washington) — Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald was in the first-round conversation on Thursday. Getting him in Round 2 is an absolute steal for a Houston defence that under coordinator DeMeco Ryans is built on generating interior pressure. McDonald racked up 65 tackles last season from the nose tackle position — a remarkable total for a defensive lineman.

39. Cleveland Browns — Chase Bisontis, G, Texas A&M Cleveland’s offensive line rebuild continues. Bisontis is a physical, bully-style run blocker who brings the kind of nasty edge to the interior that contending teams covet. He needs to clean up his penalty count, but his talent is not in question.

40. Kansas City Chiefs — T.J. Parker, EDGE, Clemson After addressing cornerback and defensive tackle on Thursday night, Kansas City stays on defence with a long-armed, powerful edge rusher in T.J. Parker. The Chiefs continue to find a way to add pass rushers in every draft — and Parker has the tools to develop into a legitimate starter.

41. Cincinnati Bengals — Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee The Bengals watched Dexter Lawrence II highlights all Thursday evening after trading the No. 10 pick, and now they get to work filling needs. Hood is the most aggressive cornerback in the class — a long, physical corner who can press and disrupt at the line of scrimmage.

42. New Orleans Saints — Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M New Orleans needed a pass rusher badly coming into this draft, and Howell — who recorded 11.5 sacks in 2025 — provides exactly that. Quick off the snap and difficult to contain in space, Howell gives the Saints’ defence a genuine threat on the outside.

43. Miami Dolphins — Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama Wide receiver was Miami’s biggest need heading into this draft and they did not address it in Round 1. Bernard is a dynamic gadget player who can produce from the backfield or split out wide — his big-play ability is exactly what the Dolphins’ offence has been missing.

44. New York Jets (via Dallas) — Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina Having traded Sauce Gardner to Indianapolis, the Jets need to rebuild their cornerback room quickly. Cisse has excellent length and closing speed, and gives New York a legitimate outside corner to pair with their existing personnel.

45. Baltimore Ravens — Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson The Ravens have a habit of finding elite players who have slipped down draft boards — and Terrell is exactly that. A physical, feisty cornerback with excellent press technique and short-area quickness, he could be a Day 1 starter in Baltimore’s secondary.

46. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech Replacing a legend like Lavonte David is an impossible task — but Rodriguez gives Tampa Bay the best available option. Seven forced fumbles and four interceptions last season tell the story of a linebacker who creates chaos and makes plays in every phase of the game.

47. Indianapolis Colts — CJ Allen, LB, Georgia With Zaire Franklin gone in free agency, the Colts need a legitimate starting linebacker. Allen is a well-regarded run defender who comes highly recommended by coaches and scouts — the kind of player who earns a green dot helmet quickly at the NFL level.

48. Atlanta Falcons — Christen Miller, DT, Georgia Atlanta builds the defensive line further with Georgia nose tackle Christen Miller — a 6-foot-4, 321-pound interior presence who can anchor a two-gap scheme and hold the point of attack against even the most physical running games.

49. Minnesota Vikings — A.J. Haulcy, S, LSU The Vikings bypassed safety in Round 1 despite widespread expectations they would address the position. They will not wait any longer. Haulcy intercepted 10 passes in his college career and brings the combination of size, power, and ball-hawking instinct that Minnesota’s defence needs.

50. Detroit Lions — Zion Young, EDGE, Missouri Finding a complementary pass rusher opposite Aidan Hutchinson has been Detroit’s priority for two years. Young is a three-down defensive end who can hold his own against the run while consistently threatening quarterbacks off the edge — a complete player at a position of clear need.

51. Carolina Panthers — Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt Stowers posted record-breaking combine numbers — a 45.5-inch vertical and over 11-foot broad jump — alongside genuine production at Vanderbilt, with nine touchdowns across his final two seasons. Carolina has been searching for a tight end who can become a genuine weapon. Stowers has that potential.

52. Green Bay Packers — Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas Green Bay finds a rare commodity — a linebacker who can rush the passer. Hill recorded 17 sacks, eight forced fumbles, and three interceptions across his final three college seasons. Questions about his run defence instincts pushed him to Round 2, but his talent is undeniable.

53. Pittsburgh Steelers — Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU Even if Aaron Rodgers is back for 2026, Pittsburgh needs a long-term answer. Nussmeier threw for 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2024 in what looked like a first-round calibre performance. If he can return to that level, the Steelers may have found their franchise quarterback in Round 2.

54. Philadelphia Eagles — Emmanuel Pregnon, G, Oregon With questions surrounding Landon Dickerson’s long-term future, the Eagles invest in the interior offensive line. Pregnon had legitimate first-round buzz in some scouting departments — Philadelphia is getting excellent value here.

55. Los Angeles Chargers — D’Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana A personal favourite of many scouts, Ponds is a feisty, elite-blitzing slot cornerback whose lack of ideal size has pushed him down boards. Jim Harbaugh will love the competitiveness and football IQ Ponds brings to the secondary.

56. Jacksonville Jaguars — R Mason Thomas, EDGE, Oklahoma Thomas is a blur around the edge with the versatility to drop into coverage when required. At 6-foot-2 and 241 pounds he is undersized for a traditional edge rusher, but his pass-rush production and athleticism make him an ideal developmental piece with immediate situational value.

57. Chicago Bears — Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois Chicago stays on defence after adding safety Dillon Thieneman in Round 1. Jacas is a powerful, physical edge rusher at 6-foot-4 and 261 pounds who racked up 26.5 tackles for loss across his final two college seasons.

58. San Francisco 49ers — Antonio Williams, WR, Clemson With Mike Evans added in free agency, San Francisco adds an intermediate slot option in Williams — a precise route-runner with reliable hands and consistent yards-after-catch ability who can complement the 49ers’ existing receiver room beautifully.

59. Houston Texans — Keionte Scott, CB, Miami Scott may be the most explosive blitzing cornerback in the entire draft class — and he has the speed and versatility to play both inside and outside at the NFL level. Getting him in Round 2 would be a significant win for Houston.

60. Chicago Bears (via Buffalo) — Sam Hecht, C, Kansas State The top centre in the draft class goes to Chicago, who were willing to wait for him but did not want to risk losing him to Round 3. Hecht is an elite run blocker who will anchor the Bears’ offensive line for years.

61. Los Angeles Rams — Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame With Ty Simpson in place as the quarterback of the future, the Rams add a 6-foot-4 wide receiver who can win contested catches and be an immediate asset in the passing game. Fields gives Simpson a genuine target to grow with.

62. Denver Broncos — Josiah Trotter, LB, Missouri Denver’s first pick of the entire draft addresses one of their most pressing needs. Trotter is a downhill, attacking linebacker who excels against the run — exactly the type of physical presence Denver’s defence needs at the second level.

63. New England Patriots — Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech The trenches theme continues for New England, who took offensive tackle Caleb Lomu in Round 1. Hunter is an active, versatile defensive tackle with nose guard experience who can move around the line as needed.

64. Seattle Seahawks — Derrick Moore, EDGE, Michigan The defending champions get richer. Moore generated 10 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss last season — adding him to what is already one of the league’s most complete defences is almost unfair.

ALSO READ: 2026 NFL Draft Round 1: Every Pick, Every Trade, and the Stories Behind the Night Pittsburgh Will Never Forget

Round 3 Highlights — The Hidden Gems

Round 3 is where smart franchises separate themselves. Here are the standout predictions:

Carson Beck’s Cardinals partner up front (Pick 65 — Travis Burke, OT, Memphis): Arizona gives Beck offensive line protection to go with his new quarterback in Round 2.

Pittsburgh finds their heir apparent and a receiver (Picks 53 and 99): Nussmeier at 53 gives them a future quarterback, while Zachariah Branch from Georgia at Pick 99 gives Nussmeier a future weapon.

The Jets keep stockpiling weapons (Pick 92 — Dallas to Jets, Elijah Sarratt, WR, Indiana): New York continues building around their new weapons from Round 1.

Six teams without Round 1 picks go to work: The Falcons, Broncos, Packers, Colts, Jaguars, and Bengals — all empty-handed on Thursday night — will be among the most active teams on Friday, targeting players at positions of urgent need.

Full Round 3 Predictions at a Glance

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