Carolina Panthers News & Rumors

Ultimately, Styles feels like the obvious solution. After watching veteran Bobby Wagner‘s contract expire, the Commanders’ addition of Leo Chenal next to Frankie Luvu looked like a decent attempt to fill the hole. But Chenal played limited snaps in Kansas City and both players have split their time between the edge and the box.

Adding Styles to the linebacking corps would give the team an immediate presence on the inside, making up for the loss of Wagner and establishing the new defensive centerpiece Washington can build around. With an ideal size-speed makeup to roam over the middle, Styles would allow Luvu and Chenal to continue in the supplemental roles that they thrive in.

8) New Orleans Saints — WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State

Pass rusher, cornerback, and safety all felt like possibilities for New Orleans at No. 8, and there are great options at every position here. The Saints could make Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr. the third pass rusher to come off the board and replace Cameron Jordan or crack the seal on the secondary to take local cornerback Mansoor Delane out of LSU or safety Caleb Downs, yet another Ohio State prospect. With a young quarterback hoping to establish himself after a promising end to his 2025 campaign, though, the Saints take a look at his cupboard and realize some additions may need to be made to the wide receiving corps.

Tyler Shough has a reliable target in Chris Olave (when he’s healthy), but behind the former Ohio State talent, Devaughn Vele, Kevin Austin and Mason Tipton return from last year to compete for secondary targets. What’s worse, all of those pass catchers’ contracts expire this year or the next. While Bain, Delane or Downs could certainly make an impact on a defense moving on from a few veteran leaders, Tate feels like he could have the biggest impact on New Orleans’ future.

An Olave-Tate duo would be formidable for Shough to target, all while providing the Saints with a bit of long-term security at the position. Tate is a proven deep threat, a strong route runner, and a winner of contested targets. In addition to his producing on his own, Tate could really open things up for the other players in the Saints’ offense.

9) Kansas City Chiefs — DE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (Fla.)

Edge and receiver feel like the two biggest needs for Kansas City, a team not used to drafting this early. Defensive tackle is also a huge need as Chris Jones continues to age, but the draft’s best interior defender prospect would be a better value with the Chiefs’ second pick in the first round. With the Chiefs just missing out on Tate here, the next two receivers on the board — USC’s Makai Lemon and Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson — don’t feel like slam-dunk additions to a group of weapons we know Patrick Mahomes can make work if necessary.

With Bailey and Reese off the board, Bain is the top option for Kansas City, and he actually feels like a perfect fit regardless of who’s available. While Bain operates most often on the edge, the strong, stout pass rusher saw work across the defensive line during his time at Miami. Putting Bain next to Jones would be pairing him with an ideal mentor. Already adept at utilizing an elite get-off and sudden power, Bain could put the finishing touches on his game by taking after the disruptive veteran.

In college, Bain and teammate Akheem Mesidor elevated each other’s production by ensuring that neither side of the line ever felt secure. Adding Bain to a pass rush with Jones and George Karlaftis could pay huge dividends on a Kansas City defense that finished the season with the seventh-lowest sack total.

10) Cincinnati Bengals — S Caleb Downs, Ohio State

Look, until things improve here, Cincinnati needs to continue using these top picks on defense or its offensive line. While the draft’s top guard prospect — Penn State’s Olaivavega Ioane — could be a really strong addition here, defense does feel like the bigger priority at this point in time. Any picks at defensive tackle or linebacker would be too much of a reach at No. 10, now that Styles is gone, and it would feel strange for Cincy to go for a mid-first-round pass rusher for the second year in a row. Cornerback would honestly make a ton of sense for the Bengals, and Delane would slot in nicely, but there’s a more talented prospect who has already fallen much too far and would bring tremendous value here.

The Bengals let the draft come to them and land Downs, this year’s top safety prospect, as a result. Some have Downs as a potential top-five pick, and he very well could be. Cincinnati’s safety trio struggled through much of last year, and only Jordan Battle returns. The team made a strong pickup in free agency with Bryan Cook, and though Kyle Dugger has struggled in recent years, he adds depth and starting experience. Battle is entering the final year of his rookie deal, and while he put up big numbers this past year, he gave up some big plays and has not been able to effectively stop the bleeding in Cincinnati. Downs has potential to do just that. With intelligence and the ability to impact the game from anywhere on the field, Downs is too talented to fall out of the top 10.

11) Miami Dolphins — WR Makai Lemon, USC

Miami has too many needs to address at the moment and not enough first-round picks to cover them all. On the edge, the Dolphins bid farewell to Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips and didn’t do a good enough job replacing them in free agency. Replacements Josh Uche, David Ojabo and Robert Beal combined last year for all of 1.5 sacks. The same can be said at cornerback, where free agents Kader Kohou, Jack Jones and Rasul Douglas have been replaced by Darrell Baker, Marco Wilson and Alex Austin. Mesidor or Delane would make a ton of sense for these reasons, but another pick feels better here.

Just like at EDGE and cornerback, Miami lost significant contributors at wide receiver last year, saying goodbye to Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. The free agents signed in their place? Jalen Tolbert and Tutu Atwell, joining a group led by returners Malik Washington and Theo Wease. The Dolphins aren’t doing new quarterback Malik Willis any favors; to that point, adding Lemon here feels like a must.

Lemon has the potential to be a carbon-copy replacement of Waddle, just with fresher legs and a cheaper contract. Lacking elite size, Lemon is a crafty route runner with excellent hands and elusiveness. In a bad place at several positions, the Dolphins still have a chance to make lemonade.

12) Dallas Cowboys — CB Mansoor Delane, LSU

The Cowboys’ roster does not really feature too many holes. Dallas certainly has room for improvement, but the team employs workable players at every position. The Cowboys’ issues really tend to come as a result of poor health. Linebacker may be their biggest actual need, but at this point in the first round, that’s not a viable option. Dallas would also stand to benefit from additions on the offensive line, but after last year, defense has to be the priority. Adding a third edge rusher to rotate in amongst Rashan Gary and Donovan Ezeiruaku could be beneficial, but the value may not be great here.

Instead, the Cowboys have a chance to add the top prospect at the cornerback position. Dallas has one of the NFL’s best cornerbacks in pick-six machine DaRon Bland, but the talent level drops off a bit behind him. Shavon Revel showed first-round talent before injury forced him into the third round last year, and the free agent signings of former Rams cornerbacks Cobie Durant and Derion Kendrick certainly help Dallas, but top-end talent remains an issue.

Delane would be an instant plug and play in Dallas. He doesn’t have ideal size or speed, and he could certainly get stronger, but he does the things a cornerback needs to do and makes it look easy. Elite hips, quick feet, and controlled transitions will allow Delane to cover guys bigger or faster than him at the next level.

13) Los Angeles Rams — WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State

The Rams are such a well-stocked team that their lack of a Super Bowl in the past couple years is honestly surprising. Adding offensive line depth is always a possibility, especially when a team is rich in talent and especially when that talent is young and could soon earn big contracts elsewhere in free agency. Los Angeles did an outstanding job of reloading its cornerbacks room after losing four players to free agency. Bringing in Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson from the Chiefs represents a huge improvement, but there is plenty of room on the roster for depth.

We’ll go in a slightly different direction here. The Rams obviously have very talented players leading their receiving corps in Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. We’ll only mention in quick passing Nacua’s offseason activities and the hint of volatility they add to his job security. Even if Nacua stays squeaky clean and never misses a day again, Los Angeles could still certainly benefit from the addition of a third wideout to contribute alongside he and Adams or step up in either player’s absence.

Though Tyson has an injury history of his own that warrants consideration, he has an expert feel for getting open and finding the holes in coverages when he is on the field. Defenses will already be keying in on the proven weapons at Matthew Stafford‘s disposal; throwing in a man open more often than a 7-Eleven feels like a cheat code.

14) Baltimore Ravens — OG Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State

Before getting to the obvious points, let’s pretend they don’t exist for a second. With the declining performance of tight end Mark Andrews — though, he’s still a regular-season touchdown machine — and presumed heir apparent Isaiah Likely following Harbaugh to New York, Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq is such a tempting pick here. The continued questions surrounding Nnamdi Madubuike‘s future make interior defensive line an option to consider later on in the draft, and adding some edge depth behind new star Trey Hendrickson and last year’s draft addition Mike Green could be beneficial. Don’t rule out cornerback either, as the team’s future at the position holds a bit of intrigue at the moment.

Let’s not overthink this one, though. Passing up on interior offensive line here would be insane. Lamar Jackson can work miracles, but it just seems cruel to force him to do so as often as he needed to last year when poor play at the guard positions put him in constant danger. Throw in the loss of star center Tyler Linderbaum, and the Ravens have almost no choice but to start rebuilding in front of Jackson. With Ronnie Stanley‘s contract situation a bit tenuous over the next two years, even offensive tackle would be a decent move here.

Even though Baltimore is known for drafting the best player available, one has to believe Ioane is near the top of that list. If guards were generally valued as highly as tackles, Ioane may even be the top lineman in the class. An elite run grader and damn near elite in pass pro, Ioane is a true, powerful people mover reminiscent of the days of Marshal Yanda. It would be bold of the Ravens to pass up an opportunity to fully solve a multiyear problem by drafting Ioane.

15) Tampa Bay Buccaneers — CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee

Tampa Bay did a good job addressing its losses in free agency by bringing in contributors at defensive tackle and linebacker, and drafting Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan over the past few years made Mike Evans‘ departure a bit easier to stomach. Adding an edge rusher here is tempting with YaYa Diaby and Al-Quadin Muhammad looking like the top two players at that position at the moment, but the Buccaneers have a more glaring need to fill.

Jamel Dean‘s departure in free agency deals a major blow to the Bucs’ secondary. Sure, the team utilized a high pick on a cornerback last year (Benjamin Morrison) and watched him struggle through his rookie season, so it may be scary to take a chance on a cornerback coming back from a major injury. But McCoy is definitely worth the risk.

The Tennessee product showed so many good traits as an underclassman that he’s still considered a first-round talent after missing his entire third year of collegiate play due to an ACL tear. He’ll have to quickly grow out of some youthful tendencies to commit penalties when in trouble, but if McCoy is fully recovered in time for his rookie year, he has a lot of strong tools that will translate well to the next level, including elite on-ball production.

16) New York Jets — WR Denzel Boston, Washington

We swing back around to the Jets, who took care of their edge rush with their first pick in the first round and can now move on to their next biggest need, keeping in mind that quarterback seems to be a focus for the 2027 offseason. Interior offensive line, linebacker, or cornerback could all be serious considerations here if there were any that felt like a mid-first-round value, but the best available players at those positions are seen more as late-first-round prospects.

We can still attack a position of need here in the receiving corps, though, where Garrett Wilson remains WR1, but competition with Adonai Mitchell for the WR2 job is wide open for any takers. Personally, Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr. feels like the top option available here, but the Jets put more value on Boston, who is one of three wideouts on whom they are believed to have a first-round grade.

The biggest knock on Boston is his speed, but Wilson and Mitchell already have that in spades. Boston provides them with a big-bodied, sure-handed pass catcher who is also a physical, willing blocker. As rare as it is to say, New York seems to really like Boston here, and Boston could be part of Gang Green’s long-term plan for next year’s quarterback addition.

17) Detroit Lions — T Monroe Freeling, Georgia

Like the Rams, the Lions have very few holes on their depth chart. Some potential health issues at safety, cornerback, defensive tackle and tight end could pose some trouble, but Detroit has already built impressive depth at those positions. There is no depth at the linebacker spots behind strong starters, but that’s a concern for the later rounds of the draft. The one real consideration to make here is at edge rusher, where the expired contracts of Marcus Davenport and Josh Paschal and the departure of Al-Quadin Muhammad have left Aidan Hutchinson to rush opposite D.J. Wonnum for the 2026 season. Adding someone with a bit more production potential would be a really good move here.

But it’s time we finally get to the rumored run of offensive tackles as we start to run into teams they finally make sense for. With Taylor Decker‘s contract expired, free agent addition Larry Borom — traditionally known more as a swing tackle — is currently the team’s best option to start opposite Penei Sewell. Freeling has shot up draft boards in the past few weeks with an impressive frame, advanced athleticism, and a quick get-off. The 21-year-old has some developing to do once he enters the NFL, but he has enough tools to potentially start right away. The Lions are set up well to have him sit behind Borom, if necessary, until he’s ready to take on a starting job on the offensive line.

18) Minnesota Vikings — S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon

Minnesota definitely has some areas to address in the draft, but positions of need like center and defensive tackle should wait until prospects better fit the value of the pick. Cornerback is an interesting position to look at here for the Vikings, who could use some more top-end talent and depth in their current group. Wide receiver is also an obvious secondary need with the sheer drop-off that occurs after Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison on the depth chart, and a smaller slot guy like Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion could be an attractive third option in Minnesota.

The biggest hole on the depth chart, though, is at safety, where the expired contract of veteran Harrison Smith has left the team thin. Determining this draft class’ No. 2 safety is a real challenge and probably a toss-up for outsiders, but the Vikings are likely going to have some preference in the options between Thieneman and Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren. Both players could slip into any scheme. McNeil-Warren’s strength comes from his physical attributes and abilities, while Thieneman’s comes from versatility and play recognition. Both players have the ability to start and make plays all over the field as rookies, but Thieneman slips into the that old Smith mold a bit too well to pass up.

19) Carolina Panthers — TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon

After seeing Thieneman go off the board following the onset of the long-rumored tackle run before that, Carolina could be tempted to go after either position. The Panthers return four safeties from last year, but McNeil-Warren could certainly work his way onto the field in three-safety looks for Carolina. Ikem Ekwonu and Rasheed Walker‘s contracts expire after this season, and Taylor Moton‘s deal expires the year after that; the team could get a head start on restocking in case the long-term solution at the position isn’t currently in the building. Adding more edge depth is a thought for the draft, as well, but after shelling out for Jaelan Phillips and using a high draft pick on Nic Scourton last year, the Panthers have likely invested enough at the position.

The Panthers have commented on potentially taking a pass catcher with their first-round pick for the third year in a row, but we’re going to mess with that a bit to reward Carolina with a pass catcher that more effectively improves the outlook of the depth chart.

Instead of encouraging the team to add a third Day 1 receiver, after Tetairoa McMillan and Xavier Legette, to a room that also includes Jalen Coker, John Metchie, and others, we’re bringing Sadiq in to lead a tight end group that currently houses Ja’Tavion Sanders, Tommy Tremble, Mitchell Evans, and Feleipe Franks. Sadiq is far and away the top tight end prospect in this class. To reach elite status, he’ll have to cut down on drops and work to make sure his blocking skills translate at the NFL level, but Sadiq has all the tools to be an impact player in the Panthers’ offense.

20) Dallas Cowboys — OLB Akheem Mesidor, Miami (Fla.)

The Cowboys are considering kicking All-Pro guard Tyler Smith out to the tackle position he manned as a rookie, but if they were tempted to leave him in at guard, partaking in the tackle run could be a beneficial move here. Dallas found huge success in the early days of Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott thanks to outstanding offensive line play and would do well to return to such an approach with the addition of someone like Alabama tackle Kadyn Proctor.

But even after taking a cornerback earlier in the first round, it still would behoove the Cowboys to continue improving their defense. And since they didn’t add a third pass rusher up at No. 12, we’ll make sure they get one here.

There have been late rumors that Dallas could be looking to trade up from its first pick for Bain, but since trades aren’t allowed here, Mesidor heads to the Cowboys as a hell of a consolation prize. The only reasons Mesidor isn’t up closer to Bain are his advanced age and injury history, but the 25-year-old is a menace with a nonstop motor and ridiculous production. He’s a plug-and-play defender who, like Bain, has versatile experience playing throughout the defensive line.

21) Pittsburgh Steelers — T Kadyn Proctor, Alabama

Until we hear anything definitive about the plans of ole Discount Double Check, quarterback remains a massive need for Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, it seems Alabama passer Ty Simpson’s single year of starting experience is too much of a concern for the Steelers to add him to the crew. The team could also take a close look at safety, where the oft-injured DeShon Elliott is set to return next to some combination of Jalen Ramsey and free agent addition Jaquan Brisker. If Ramsey and Elliott can return to their top levels of play, they should be fine, but adding McNeil-Warren this late in the draft would certainly annoy the rest of the AFC North.

Instead, we’re going to attempt to shore up Pittsburgh’s offensive line, which is solid at three points at the moment. The departure of Isaac Seumalo in free agency makes that guard spot a question mark, and Broderick Jones‘ struggles have continued into his third season. An injury coming during the 2025 campaign further derailed his year. Proctor is another tackle prospect that will need some development at the next level, but he has so many good tools already.

Like many of the other tackles in the draft class, Proctor has strong tackle potential, but many teams will be interested seeing how he fits in at guard. This makes Proctor a strong fit for a Steelers team that could slip him into Seumalo’s old spot or bump him out to replace Jones in case of emergency.

22) Los Angeles Chargers — CB Chris Johnson, San Diego State

Because of a disastrous 2025 campaign up front, adding anywhere along the offensive line would make sense for Los Angeles. The team is currently thin in terms of tackle depth after watching both Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt go down with season-ending injuries last year. Using a third first-round pick on a tackle in just five years, though, feels limiting to the rest of the roster. Another area the Chargers could look at here is defensive tackle, and even though we’re getting much closer to an appropriate value slot for Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald, another defensive position probably needs more help in Los Angeles here.

While the Chargers return three starters at cornerback, the depth behind them is suspect. The Southern California-based prospect would immediately improve the depth and quality of the room. Johnson could even push for a starting spot with a good chance of earning it. In college, Johnson had a tendency to lose out to bigger, more physical receivers, and his only experience playing Power 4 competition came in two games against Cal. As long as the next stages of the game aren’t too big for him, the 21-year-old cover man’ instincts, ball skills and big-play ability give him every opportunity to make an impact as a rookie.

23) Philadelphia Eagles — S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo

Much like their NFC foes in Detroit and L.A., the Eagles have a solid first-team build. If we’re nit-picking, Philadelphia could use a bit of depth at guard, especially with Tyler Steen entering a contract year. An option like Texas A&M’s Chase Bisontis might not be too much of a reach here. The team could also stand to add a bit more talent to its receiving corps. With A.J. Brown‘s departure seeming like a foregone conclusion at this point, Cooper could be a strong replacement fit.

But the Eagles actually have a decent hole on the depth chart at safety. With Reed Blankenship departing for Houston in free agency, the Eagles need a new starter next to last year’s high draft pick, Andrew Mukuba. Marcus Epps is still around after serving as a backup last year, but McNeil-Warren could be an immediate difference-maker for Philadelphia here.

A physical specimen, McNeil-Warren’s tall, long-legged frame isn’t the typical build of a safety, but he doesn’t look a bit out of place in the defensive backfield. He’s disciplined but aggressive with great hands for catching balls or punching them loose. He’s got potential to elevate the Eagles’ safety room if the team can land him here.

24) Cleveland Browns — WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M

We were very clear when discussing Cleveland’s first pick of the first round; offensive tackle and wide receiver are the Browns’ biggest needs. We mocked them to land a top tackle option in Fano, and they can now turn focus to their receiving corps. A few receivers have come off the board by now, and of the remaining options, two feel like the best fits at this point. Cooper offers decent size and run-after-catch ability that could supplement some of the weapons Cleveland already has, but there could be a better fit still.

Concepcion provides that same RAC ability and a bit more. Concepcion and Cooper are a tad undersized, but the former more than makes up for it with elite agility that helps him navigate traffic and evade tacklers after the catch. The quarterback situation in Cleveland is still in flux, but regardless of whether Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders is behind center, a diverse array of receiving targets will be an essential factor in how successful the eventual starting passer will be. If Concepcion plays up to his potential, he could be an upgrade at WR3 over Isaiah Bond and a return-game improvement over Tylan Wallace.

25) Chicago Bears — DE Keldric Faulk, Auburn

The Bears are in tough spot here. Safety would have been an easy need to fill just a couple picks ago, but with Thieneman and McNeil-Warren off the board, there are no longer any safeties worth drafting in this range. The Bears also need a center, but it doesn’t look like anybody is drafting a center in this year’s first round, so Chicago can probably land a top center prospect on Day 2. Offensive tackle feels like a decent need because of the injury to Ozzy Trapilo, though the 2025 second-rounder looked like a real long-term solution for the Bears before going down with injury. Spending a first-round pick to fill his role will feel like a waste if he’s able to return with ease by 2027.

There is a hole on the depth chart that the Bears can reasonably address here, however. After Montez Sweat, a big talent drop-off exists within the team’s edge-rushing group. Faulk isn’t your typical potential-without-production prospect. It’s not that he looks the part and has the physical tools but just can’t put it together on the field; he is just, seemingly, always right around the play, disrupting it, but hardly ever the one finishing it. The 21-year-old has plenty of room to grow, and learning under Sweat could do wonders for his game and a Bears defense that produced the fifth-lowest sack total in the NFL last year.

26) Buffalo Bills — DT Kayden McDonald, Ohio State

Buffalo lost a lot in free agency, but for the most part, the Bills were able to restock at a lot of key positions. The team did some shuffling at safety, moving on from Darnell Savage, Taylor Rapp and Jordan Poyer but re-signing Damar Hamlin and adding C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Geno Stone. Still, the Bills may not feel quite comfortable with the depth chart there just yet. Either way, there aren’t any first-round-worthy prospects left at safety, so they could trade back or just wait for later picks to address that area. The Bills could also benefit from another addition to their receiving corps, but they’ve swung and missed there before, and Josh Allen can certainly do more than most quarterbacks with less.

With DaQuan Jones, Larry Ogunjobi and Jordan Phillips all hitting free agency, the Bills could really use some promising young talent on the defensive line. Fortunately for McDonald, a team with a need at his position is finally within a reasonable range to draft him.

McDonald is a perfect piece to slot into this Bills defensive line. He’s an elite run stopper in the middle who doesn’t have a super formidable pass rush at the moment. Give him time to develop one as he grows accustomed to the speed and physicality of the NFL game. He should be fine playing early and often, competing for snaps with 2025 draft additions T.J. Sanders and Deone Walker.

27) San Francisco 49ers — T Caleb Lomu, Utah

There was a decent chance we were about to see a run of defensive tackles, or at least three in a row. The free agency departures of Jordan Elliott, Kalia Davis and Kevin Givens certainly limited the 49ers’ depth on the interior defensive line, and they will have to address that — even after trading for Osa Odighizuwa. After dedicating two high picks to the D-line by drafting Mykel Williams and Alfred Collins last year, though, San Francisco may want to spread its high draft picks to other position groups.

Trent Williams is entering an age-38 season. The future Hall of Famer is still playing at a high level, but he and the 49ers — despite the team making a recent offer — have not agreed on an extension that locks him down beyond 2026. Even if the sides do work something out, it may be time to start planning for the future.

The 49ers signed former Patriots tackle Vederian Lowe in free agency, but he seems like a swing tackle option to replace Spencer Burford. San Francisco could bring Lomu in here to sap every liquid ounce of knowledge Williams has to offer. Lomu is not quite ready to start just yet, needing to further develop his technique and get stronger. Letting him do so behind Williams is a no-brainer.

28) Houston Texans — DT Peter Woods, Clemson

On defense, the Texans are so good, the only thing that seems to be hurting them is the existence of contract expiration dates. Houston is in a good spot to add a top-tier linebacker prospect, but there’s better value picks to choose from. The team has sustained too many wide receiver injuries over the years not to consider looking at that position group. The Texans may think to add there or even at tight end. It is probably still just too early for any of the available tight ends, but receivers like Cooper, Alabama’s Germie Bernard or Louisville’s Chris Bell are all thoughts here.

On the topic of expiring contracts, Woods is a great value pick here to set up the future of the Texans’ defensive line. Tommy Togiai is on the final year of his contract, and Sheldon Rankins (re-signed on a two-year, $17MM deal) turned 32 this month. Woods has big-play ability and should be able to contribute on defense right away as he develops on the go. He’s quick for his size and has a decent pass-rush arsenal for an interior defender. If picked here, Woods could be a solid rotational lineman gaining experience until he is ready to take over in a full-time starting role.

29) Kansas City Chiefs — WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana

Like the Browns, the Chiefs’ needs were pretty clearly laid out with defensive end and wide receiver the top priorities. They passed up the likes of Lemon and Tyson to secure an elite, game-wrecking pass rusher earlier in the night. After taking care of its pass rush with the ninth overall pick, Kansas City can now shop for a new weapon for Mahomes. Boston felt like a great fit for what the Chiefs were missing on offense, but the Jets fell in love with him and ruined that plan. If the Chiefs do still want that kind of big-bodied receiver, Notre Dame’s Malachi Fields could be an option in the second or third round.

Whether or not he adds the new element Boston could have, Cooper is too talented to still be on the board here; the Chiefs luck out in landing him. The Chiefs have plenty of speed from the likes of Xavier Worthy and Tyquan Thornton. Cooper actually looks to be around the same size as Rashee Rice, and both players’ biggest asset to the game is their elite yards-after-catch production.

A few final points: Rice is set to play on a contract year in 2026, the former second-rounder has — for some reason or another — only played in 12 of a possible 34 games over the past two seasons, and his frequent off-field issues may warrant drafting an eventual replacement.

30) Miami Dolphins — DE T.J. Parker, Clemson

Having taken care of the wide receiver position at No. 11, the Dolphins can go for one of the other two positions that clearly need addressing. As mentioned above, Miami has some obvious holes at a couple positions on the depth chart. It is tempting to address the cornerbacks group here; the departures of Kohou, Jones and Douglas necessitate it at some point. With needs at another positions, though, the depth of the CB prospect pool could suggest that that spot can be addressed in Round 2 or later.

With Chubb and Phillips gone, Parker has a chance to establish a role opposite Chop Robinson on the edge. Over the course of his three years at Clemson, Parker lived in his opponents’ backfields. After an All-American sophomore season included 11 sacks, 19.5 tackles for loss and six forced fumbles, Parker’s junior campaign saw career lows in all three stats. Parker plays with a high motor, doesn’t miss games and has a decent NFL pass rush arsenal at only 21 years old. If he can return to the production he put out before this year, a starting role would be well within reach with the Dolphins.

31) New England Patriots — OLB Cashius Howell, Texas A&M

Now, we’ve got a mini-run at edge rusher. The Patriots will be looking to add a guard in the draft as well, but with so few going in the first round, New England can easily wait things out and address the interior offensive line in future rounds. Bisontis, Emmanuel Pregnon out of Oregon and Keylan Rutledge out of Georgia Tech will be the most coveted at their position in the long wait after Ioane comes off the board much earlier in the night. UCF’s Malachi Lawrence may be a higher-ranked prospect because he’s more well-rounded with strong pass-rush and run-defending abilities, but he may not be the best fit for New England here.

Howell is a bit more of a pure pass rusher; he rarely had his hand in the dirt in College Station. His success relies on a quick burst off the snap. A relentless pass rusher, Howell has a lot of room to improve in run defense and may end up a role player early on in his career. After watching rookie first-round left tackle Will Campbell endure embarrassment throughout the playoffs en route to this year’s Super Bowl loss, New England may be hesitant to take a risk on another short-armed player in the first round. After finishing the 2025 season with the fifth-lowest sack total in the league, though, the Patriots may be eager to get Howell in the mix with Harold Landry and UFA addition Dre’Mont Jones.

32) Seattle Seahawks — OLB Malachi Lawrence, UCF

The Seahawks didn’t lose many pieces after winning the Super Bowl, but the ones that did depart were impactful. The defending champs have done well to build at positions they know may see attrition in the near future. They will miss Riq Woolen and Coby Bryant, but a deep secondary remains. There’s a chance Seattle takes a running back here. With Kenneth Walker departed in free agency and Zach Charbonnet likely to miss some time this season, the Seahawks could select the second running back of the draft, adding Notre Dame’s Jadarian Price to their depth chart. They may feel comfortable enough with Emanuel Wilson, George Holani and Kenny McIntosh covering until Charbonnet is back, however.

Instead, Seattle may start working to replace departed free agent Boye Mafe. That edge spot appears to be the only position where the Seahawks lost someone in free agency and didn’t effectively restock with another player. As mentioned in Howell’s pick summary, Lawrence is a well-rounded end who can work with his hand in the dirt or standing up. He’s likely too stiff to be an elite pass rusher, but the goal here would be for him to fill the versatile defensive end role left vacant by Mafe. His pass-rush skills should improve naturally as he works alongside veteran DeMarcus Lawrence.

47) Indianapolis Colts — G Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M

One of the areas where Indianapolis is thinnest entering the draft is middle linebacker, and this is a perfect spot to need an off-ball LB. The Colts could have their pick here of Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez or Georgia’s CJ Allen, and either player could be an instant plug-and-play starter. Indianapolis also needs a new starting safety next to Camryn Bynum in 2026, but after Downs, Thieneman, and McNeil-Warren, there aren’t any clear first- or second-round talents.

Instead, the Colts could be looking toward the future. Indianapolis has developed a reputation for quality offensive line play. In order to continue that example, the Colts need to keep investing in the position group. Indy lost Braden Smith to Houston in free agency. The Colts have the tackle spots locked down, but star guard Quenton Nelson is entering the final year of his contract, and recent starters Matt Goncalves and Tanor Bortolini both with see their contracts expire after the 2027 season.

With some contracts to address on the interior offensive line between now and March 2028, Indianapolis could bring Bisontis in to get a head start on their future at this position. Bisontis needs a bit of work before he’s ready to start in the NFL. He was penalty prone in College Station and showed some bad habits. The 21-year-old is a thick-bodied bully, though, who claims Nelson was his idol growing up.

48) Atlanta Falcons — LB CJ Allen, Georgia

Atlanta has a need on the interior defensive line, and after ignoring teams’ needs at the position for most of the first round, we’re finally at a great range for the current prospect pool at the position. The Falcons could land Georgia interior defender Christen Miller or Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks here and start the run on interior defenders. Unfortunately, we’re going to, once again, ignore the interior line. Atlanta could also bring in some young talent at wide receiver. Bernard or Bell could easily have a chance to crack the starting lineup, with nomadic cogs Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus penciled in at the Nos. 2 and 3 WR spots.

The Falcons have a much bigger need to fill with this pick. With recent tackling machine Kaden Elliss returning to New Orleans in free agency, Atlanta could use a new starting off-ball linebacker. It may be ambitious to assume either are still available halfway through the second round, but the top two remaining linebacker prospects — Allen and Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez — are both quite comfortable in red and black.

Not only is Allen local like Miller, but he’s also been rising up draft boards quite a bit lately. Allen’s speed, play recognition and discipline have pushed him up near the first round. Allen is not great in coverage, but honestly, that just makes him that more akin to Elliss. If selected here, Allen would likely end up starting as a rookie next to Divine Deablo.

52) Green Bay Packers — G Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech

The Packers could use some new, young talent at cornerback to push Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine and Benjamin St-Juste to be their best. This late in the second round, Clemson’s Avieon Terrell likely won’t still be here, but Indiana’s D’Angelo Ponds or South Carolina’s Brandon Cisse may be options. After losing Romeo Doubs to free agency and not seeing first-round production out of Matthew Golden in his rookie year, Green Bay may look to increase its talent pool at wide receiver.

After cutting Elgton Jenkins, Green Bay isn’t totally without answers at center. Sean Rhyan filled in some last year due to injury and re-signed on a three-year contract last month. Rutledge isn’t necessarily a top center prospect — Kansas State’s Sam Hecht, Auburn’s Connor Lew and Florida’s Jake Slaughter would be in the running for that honor — but he’s one of the top guard prospects and has been projected as potential future NFL center. Rutledge has even worked snapping the ball for teams throughout the pre-draft process. The Packers experienced struggles all over the interior offensive line in 2025, and Rutledge could be a strong asset where he’s asked to line up.

56) Jacksonville Jaguars — LB Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech

The Jaguars have plenty of options they could address with their first pick near the end of the second round. We haven’t heard much about tight ends since Sadiq came off the board in the first round, but the second-tier players at the position could be options in Duval. With Brenton Strange entering the final year of his rookie deal, Jacksonville could do its homework on Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers, Ohio State’s Max Klare and Georgia’s Oscar Delp — on the off chance a second contract for Strange comes from another team. The Jaguars could also stand to look for improvements at the safety spot next to Antonio Johnson or on the interior offensive line.

For now, the obvious hole to fill is at inside linebacker following the free agent departure of Devin Lloyd. The Falcons took it out of Jacksonville’s hands when they mocked Allen. That’s nothing to be disappointed about, though, as it presents Duval with Rodriguez on a silver platter.

A bit undersized, Rodriguez will be one of the hardest workers wherever he goes. Instinctual, smart, and decisively aggressive, Rodriguez is a spotlight-grabbing playmaker for his defense, logging 254 tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, 10 forced fumbles, 11 passes defensed, and five interceptions over the past two years. The unanimous All-American would likely slot right into a starting role right next to Foye Oluokun.

62) Denver Broncos — TE Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt

Man, the Broncos were virtually untouched this year in free agency. They lost defensive tackle John Franklin-Myers, linebacker Dre Greenlaw and safety P.J. Locke to the free agent market. Veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis, fullback Michael Burton and backup center Sam Mustipher are the only remaining unsigned free agents from their roster last year. The Broncos re-signed their other free agents, signed former Bengals safety Tycen Anderson and traded for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. Reminder: this was a team that went 14-3 and lost the AFC championship game by only three points despite not having its starting quarterback.

If we’re really going to nit-pick, this team could maybe look for more pass-rushing depth or D-line aid. Denver is so set to run it back with nearly the same team as last year that, to determine this pick, we evaluated expiring contracts on the roster and differentiated between younger expiring contracts with potential for extensions or one-year re-signings and expiring contracts that look more likely to go the way of Lewis, Burton and Mustipher.

At tight end, Evan Engram is only three years removed over 100 receptions and nearly 1,000 yards receiving, but injury and opportunities have killed the 31-year-old pass catcher’s production over the past two years. Stowers is the TE2 of this year’s draft class, and it’s likely wishful thinking that he’ll be around here near the end of the second round (honestly, most of these second-round picks have been wishful). He’s a pure explosive receiving tight end who has not shown he can effectively block in the NFL, but the presences of Adam Trautman and Nate Adkins all but guarantee he won’t be asked to do that at a high level on Day 1.

Best remaining available: QB Ty Simpson (Alabama), RB Jadarian Price (Notre Dame), WR Chris Bell (Louisville), WR Germie Bernard (Alabama), T Blake Miller (Clemson), T Max Iheanachor (Arizona State), G Emmanuel Pregnon (Oregon), C Sam Hecht (Kansas State), C Connor Lew (Auburn), C Jake Slaughter (Florida), DT Caleb Banks (Florida), DT Lee Hunter (Texas Tech), DT Christen Miller (Georgia), EDGE Zion Young (Missouri), EDGE R Mason Thomas (Oklahoma), LB Anthony Hill Jr. (Texas), LB Josiah Trotter (Missouri), CB Avieon Terrell (Clemson), CB D’Angelo Ponds (Indiana), CB Colton Hood (Tennessee), CB Keionte Scott (Miami), S Bud Clark (TCU)