Jets Expected To Draft David Bailey Second Overall; Latest On WR Possibilities
The Jets canceled a scheduled “30” visit with David Bailey, but that is hardly an indication they will pass on the Texas Tech edge defender at No. 2 overall in the draft. On the contrary, “most of the league” expects the Jets to use their first pick on Bailey, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports hears.
The possibility of the Jets taking Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles in the second slot exists, but the popular belief is they will settle on Bailey or Buckeyes LB/edge Arvell Reese. Not even two weeks ago, Reese was reportedly the favorite to end up in New York. The draft is still a week away, leaving enough time for this to swing in a different direction by next Thursday.
Will McDonald and free agent additions Joseph Ossai and Kingsley Enagbare are the Jets’ top edge options heading into the draft. They make for a decent trio, but the Jets are in need of a game-wrecking pass rusher. They may get one in the 22-year-old Bailey, whose production exploded last season. Spending his first three college seasons at Stanford, Bailey combined for 14.5 sacks over 32 games. He matched that sack total in 14 games with the Red Raiders.
After leading his conference in sacks and tackles for loss (19.5) in 2025, Bailey earned a unanimous All-America selection and Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year honors. The 6-foot-3, 250-pounder further demonstrated his athletic prowess at the Combine, where he paced his position in the 40-yard dash (4.50) and ranked third in the broad jump, seventh in the 10-yard split and tied for 10th in the vertical jump.
Even if Bailey does not end up as their choice, the Jets are likely to take a defender with their initial pick. The Jets also have another first-rounder, No. 16, and may use that selection to bring in a potential impact player on offense. Receiver is a glaring weakness for the Jets, who need a high-end complement to the excellent Garrett Wilson. A recent report indicated the Jets are “extremely high on” Indiana wideout Omar Cooper Jr., but they like him much better as a potential option at No. 33 than at 16, according to Tony Pauline of Essentially Sports.
New York spending a first-rounder on Cooper is not on the table, per Pauline, who reports the team has only given Round 1 grades to three receivers: Carnell Tate (Ohio State), Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State) and Denzel Boston (Washington). Tate should be long gone when the Jets are on the clock again at the midpoint of the first round, but coming away with either Tyson or Boston looks like a realistic outcome.
Commanders High On Jeremiyah Love At No. 7; Team Unlikely To Pick Caleb Downs?
Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is considered one of the Commanders’ top choices for the No. 7 pick in next week’s draft, according to EssentiallySports’ Tony Pauline.
Washington has operated a backfield-by-committee approach for several years without investing much in any one individual running back. In 2025, they traded Brian Robinson – their last player to take more than 200 carries in a season back in 2022 – to the 49ers and split their touches between 2023 sixth-round pick Chris Rodriguez and 2025 seventh-round pick Jacory Croskey-Merritt. The Commanders added former Buccaneer Rachaad White into their rotation this offseason, too.
Drafting Love would end the committee approach. He would step in as a full-time, three-down RB1 right away who will only need to be rotated out for rest and load management. The Commanders would be able to lean on a more traditional running game without putting Jayden Daniels in as much danger after an injury-riddled 2025 season. And when Washington does use Daniels’ legs, they may find that combining an elite running back with a mobile quarterback can lead to explosive results, as the Ravens showed with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry in 2024.
Love was one of several projected top-10 picks to take a top-30 visit to Washington this week. He joined edge rushers Arvell Reese (Ohio State), David Bailey (Texas Tech), and Rueben Bain Jr. (Miami), among others, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Any would fill the Commanders’ significant need off the edge, though either Reese or Bailey is expected to be the Jets’ pick at No. 2. The other is unlikely to fall to the seventh pick, but Washington should have a shot at Bain with some teams scared off by his below-average arm length.
Ohio State safety Caleb Downs was also present for Tuesday’s top-30 gathering, but he is not expected to be the team’s pick at No. 7. The Commanders are returning their top three safeties from last season – Jartavius Martin, Jeremy Reaves, and Will Harris – and signed Nick Cross in free agency. Cross will take up one starting role, and the team is confident that Martin, a 2023 second-rounder, can bounce back after struggling in coverage last year, according to Pauline. Downs has more long-term upside than any currently-rostered Commanders safety, but the front office may value a position with more value or immediate need.
Instead, Pauline adds, one of the aforementioned pass rushers, a wide receiver, or cornerback are “in play” for the seventh overall pick, but that may not matter if Love falls that far. At present, that does not seem especially likely. He has been linked with a number of clubs with top-five picks, and in what is considered a thin draft class in terms of elite prospects, one may be inclined to ignore Love’s position and select him based on his pure talent.
Malachi Lawrence Drawing Major Interest
APRIL 16: The Patriots used a “30” visit on Lawrence, Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald relays. In addition to the Pats and the previously reported Colts, 49ers, Seahawks and Texans, Lawrence met with the Cardinals, Chiefs, Falcons, Saints, Chargers, Ravens, Eagles, Dolphins, Buccaneers, Commanders, Raiders, Titans and Jets, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2.
APRIL 9: As a potential first- or second-round pick, UCF edge defender Malachi Lawrence is generating significant interest in the lead-up to the NFL draft. Sixteen teams have set up visits with Lawrence, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. The Colts, 49ers and Seahawks will all meet with him this week.
The 6-foot-4, 253-pound Lawrence’s college career took off as a redshirt sophomore in 2023. He registered 10.5 tackles for loss and a personal-best 7.5 sacks in 13 games that year. Lawrence’s production dropped a bit during an 11-game 2024 (six TFL, five sacks), but he earned a first-team All-Big 12 selection last season. Over 12 games, Lawrence picked up 11 TFL and seven sacks.
Lawrence further boosted his stock with an off-the-charts performance at the Combine, where he ran a 4.52-second 40-yard dash. He finished second among edge defenders at the Combine in 40 time, 10-yard split, vertical jump and broad jump (via PFF College). Dane Brugler of The Athletic (No. 36) and Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com (No. 46) consider Lawrence a top-50 prospect.
The Colts were a passable 15th in sacks last season, but they ranked an alarming 30th in pass rush win rate. The team made a run at Trey Hendrickson early in free agency, but the Ravens won that sweepstakes. The Colts have settled for modest additions (Arden Key and Micheal Clemons) to replace the departed Kwity Paye and Samson Ebukam. They continue to lack needle-moving pass rushers to complement Laiatu Latu. Indianapolis is without a first-round pick, but Lawrence could be on the board when it selects 47th overall in the second round.
The 49ers will pick 27th and 58th in the first two rounds. They totaled the fewest sacks in the league last season, though losing Nick Bosa to a Week 3 ACL tear heavily contributed to their struggles. They should get Bosa and Mykel Williams, who tore his ACL in November, back next season. The rest of their edge rushers – Sam Okuayinonu, Keion White, William Bradley-King, Andrew Farmer and the just-signed Cameron Sample – combined for just five sacks last year. With that in mind, bolstering the pass rush via the draft should be a high priority for the 49ers.
The reigning Super Bowl champion Seahawks aren’t exactly teeming with weaknesses, but taking an edge defender early may be on their to-do list. Owners of just four picks, including Nos. 32 and 64 in the first two rounds, the Seahawks lost Boye Mafe in free agency. They have not brought in a replacement for Maye, and the clock is ticking on Demarcus Lawrence‘s career. The soon-to-be 34-year-old pondered retirement after the season, which could add to the Seahawks’ urgency to make a notable investment along the edge.
WR Germie Bernard Visited Falcons
The Falcons have identified receiver as a position of need going into the draft. Alabama’s Germie Bernard is among the wideouts on their radar. They hosted Bernard on Wednesday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
The Falcons are devoid of a first-round pick after trading it to move up for James Pearce Jr. in 2025, but it would be a surprise to see Bernard go that high. The Falcons are scheduled to make their first choice at No. 48 in the second round, where Bernard could be a possibility. Dane Brugler of The Athletic and Daniel Jeremiah of The Athletic rank Bernard 41st and 50th, respectively, in this year’s class.
Bernard is a pro-ready prospect who profiles as a second or third receiver in the NFL, per Brugler, which is something Atlanta is lacking. The Falcons have a stud No. 1 in Drake London (who should land a mega-extension soon). Running back Bijan Robinson and tight end Kyle Pitts also eat up a lot of targets, but the Falcons’ receiving corps is underwhelming beyond London.
The free agent additions of Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus gave the Falcons some insurance before the draft, though general manager Ian Cunningham could bring in someone with more upside. Dotson caught fewer than 20 passes in each of the previous two seasons in Philadelphia, while Zaccheaus averaged just 8.0 yards per reception during a 39-catch 2025 in Chicago.
Bernard played for three different schools in four college seasons. After a seven-catch freshman year at Michigan State, he experienced an uptick in production at Washington in 2023. As part of a crowded receiving corps led by Rome Odunze, Ja’lynn Polk and Jalen McMillan, Bernard pulled in 34 catches for 419 yards and two touchdowns. His quarterback that year was Michael Penix Jr., who is now entering his third season with the Falcons. Bernard and Penix could reunite in Atlanta, though the latter will have to beat out Tua Tagovailoa for the starting job.
Bernard followed head coach Kalen DeBoer from Washington to Alabama in 2024, and the 6-foot-1, 206-pounder’s output improved significantly in Tuscaloosa. He notched 50 receptions, 794 yards and two scores in 13 games his first year with the Crimson Tide. Bernard wrapped up his college tenure with personal bests in catches (64), yards (862) and TDs (seven) over 14 games in 2025.
Texans Hosted Denzel Boston, Malachi Lawrence
With the draft a week away, Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston continues drawing plenty of interest. Boston visited the Texans earlier this week, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. The Texans also met with UCF edge defender Malachi Lawrence, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 reports.
Boston and Lawrence are potential first-round picks who appear to have second-round floors. In his latest ranking of 2026 prospects, Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com places Boston 27th and Lawrence 46th. As owners of the 28th and 38th overall picks, the Texans could come away with one or both of those players in the first two rounds.
Boston would be another notable receiver investment for the Texans, who drafted the Iowa State tandem of Jayden Higgins at No. 34 and Jaylin Noel at No. 79 last year. The rookies combined for 67 catches, 817 yards and eight touchdowns in 2025. Houston also counts star No. 1 receiver Nico Collins, Xavier Hutchinson and Tank Dell among its options, though the latter’s status is up in the air after a gruesome knee injury cost him all of last season.
Unlike the 5-foot-11 Noel and the 5-10 Dell, all of Boston, Higgins, Collins and Hutchinson stand 6-3 or taller, which would give quarterback C.J. Stroud a handful of big targets. The 6-4, 209-pound Boston took advantage of his size at Washington, where he established himself as a sure-handed red zone weapon. Boston posted a 3.1% drop rate in college and averaged 63 catches, 858 yards and 10 TDs per season from 2024-25.
The Texans already have an all-world pass-rushing duo in Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter, but they were intrigued enough with Lawrence to meet with him. Houston is hardly alone in that regard, as half of the league’s 32 teams held visits with Lawrence before Wednesday’s deadline. After combining for 27.5 tackles for loss and 19.5 sacks from 2023-25, Lawrence upped his stock at the Combine in February. The 6-4, 253-pounder ran a 4.52-second 40-yard dash, which ranked second among edge defenders. He also placed second in the 10-yard split, vertical jump and broad jump (via PFF College).
Lawrence would begin his career in a depth role in Houston, which saw Anderson and Hunter record respective defensive snap shares of 66.79% and 70.07% in 2025. Anderson and Hunter are under Texans control for the next two years, but the former is likely to stick around for longer on a record-breaking extension. Hunter landed a massive deal of his own last month, though it may be his last with the Texans. He will be 33 when the pact expires. The Texans could develop Lawrence as a replacement if they draft him and he shows he is worthy of a promotion to a starting job by 2028.
49ers Host WRs Omar Cooper Jr., KC Concepcion
49ers general manager John Lynch recently indicated the team is likely to make at least one draft investment at the receiver position. A number of first-round options have received a look.
Omar Cooper Jr. spent the deadline for top-30 visits meeting with San Francisco, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. That completed a busy pre-draft process in his case. Cooper has visited numerous teams recently, and the Indiana product is one of several receivers with a strong chance of being selected during the middle or late stages of the first round. The 49ers own pick No. 27.
San Francisco also hosted KC Concepcion on a visit earlier this week, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. By means of a strong one-and-done showing at Texas A&M, Concepcion established himself as a first-round option for many teams. He has also received widespread interest leading up to the draft, so it comes as little surprise the 49ers have taken part in a top-30 visit as well. Denzel Boston is another WR prospect San Francisco has taken a close look at.
Free agent additions Mike Evans and Christian Kirk are set to top the depth chart for 2026. With Brandon Aiyuk unlikely to play again for the 49ers and Jauan Jennings set to sign elsewhere on the open market, though, adding depth via the draft would be a reasonable approach from Lynch and Co. On the other hand, receiver is not considered as much of an immediate need as other positions, so spending a first-rounder in that regard could leave the team thin elsewhere.
The 49ers have a second-round selection as well as four picks in the fourth round. Using one of those on a depth WR prospect could of course be in store, but the team will have done its homework on Day 1 options when on the clock Thursday night.
Teams Medically Red-Flagged CB Jermod McCoy
Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy is one of the biggest X-factors in the 2026 draft class.
His tape from 2023 and 2024 show a first-round cornerback with sticky, physical coverage and plenty of ball production (16 passes defended, six interceptions). But a torn ACL in January 2025 sidelined him for his third season, depriving scouts of another year of film to evaluate. That would be especially important after McCoy’s breakout 2024, as opposing teams would have been able to offer new challenges in 2025.
McCoy only participated at the bench press at the Combine, preferring to wait until his pro day for the rest of his testing. That seemed to pay off, as a 4.4-second 40-yard dash and strong vertical and broad jumps boosted his stock with a month until the draft. Not only did he show that he was fully recovered from his ACL tear, but his numbers cemented assessments of his high-end athleticism and seemed to lock him into a first-round pick.
However, teams have medically red-flagged the 20-year-old for a potentially degenerative knee condition, per EssentiallySports’ Tony Pauline. This could take him off some boards entirely, while others may drop his grade by a half or full round. This could result in a similar fall to Will Johnson‘s in 2025, when the projected first-rounder was not selected until the third round.
However, as Pauline notes, “medical opinions differ team by team since there is no central body to govern a physical.” Some clubs are willing to tolerate more injury risk than others, especially if they see McCoy as a potential lockdown cornerback
Giants Have Received Calls About No. 5
With one week remaining until the opening round of the draft, calls amongst teams will no doubt pick up. Movement near the top of the board could involve the Giants.
New York is currently slated to select fifth overall. The team has been mentioned as one to watch with respect to a move down the board, something which will of course only be feasible if a strong enough trade market exists. Things on that front can change over the coming days, but interest is being shown from potential suitors for the Giants’ top pick.
GM Joe Schoen said (via Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post) calls have been made recently with teams sending out “feelers” about the fifth overall selection. Interest to one extent or another is always present leading up to a draft, and in 2026 teams have indeed inquired about the No. 1 pick even though its fate has long been known. The number of teams prepared to move out of a premium spot in a class defined by its depth rather than its star power will make for a key storyline over the coming week.
If the Giants remain in place, they will have a number of intriguing options to choose from. Running back Jeremiyah Love has been named as a strong consideration, but even if the Notre Dame star is available the team could look to add on defense. ESPN’s Adam Schefter predicts (video link) preference will ultimately been shown for safety Caleb Downs or linebacker Sonny Styles. Both Ohio State standouts would be expected to make an immediate impact upon arrival and serve as a mainstay for several years.
Positional value will be put to the test in the opening stages of this year’s draft. Each member of the Love-Downs-Styles trio plays in a spot not weighted as heavily as quarterback, offensive tackle, receiver, edge rusher or corner when it comes to contract value or draft investments. That factor will no doubt be a major consideration as teams lower in the Day 1 order contemplate a move up the board. The Cowboys have emerged as a potential team to watch on that front, with a trade from No. 12 into the top five frequently mentioned as a possibility.
The Giants’ second pick is No. 37. Schoen indicated (via Dunleavy) he is confident a trade down from that spot can be worked out. The early and middle portions of Day 2 regularly include trading up and down the board, so it would come as no surprise if Schoen elected to add more picks for later in the event at that point. His preparation for No. 5 will continue, but a trade moving New York out of that spot could become tangible if a strong market develops in the near future.
Browns Could Prioritize T Over WR In First Round
APRIL 16: Moving down from No. 6 remains a possibility to watch for in the Browns’ case, Tony Pauline of Essentially Sports writes. In any event, he adds that Fano in particular is a prospect viewed as one Cleveland believes can handle left tackle duties at the NFL level. It will be interesting to see how the Browns proceed along the offensive line in general and with respect to Fano in particular on Day 1 of the draft.
APRIL 11: The draft needs in Cleveland are fairly obvious, and though they can’t address all of them in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, they can address two. Early reports seem to indicate that wide receiver and offensive tackle are the biggest priorities for the Browns heading into the draft, but which position will they address with their sixth overall pick, and which will have to wait for pick No. 24?
Now, Cleveland didn’t lose anybody from its 2025 receiving corps, but the group from last year underperformed to a point that it can be considered a position of need. Additionally, there are only two players in the room not playing on contract years in 2026, and those players are only under contract for one more year than their corpsman. If the Browns are going to begin rebuilding the room around a new, young pair of hands, now would be an ideal time.
The situation on the offensive line is almost the opposite. With all five starters hitting the free agent market this offseason, Cleveland has been working to rebuild its line after the teardown. The team utilized free agency to bring in guard Zion Johnson and center Elgton Jenkins and traded for former Texans tackle Tytus Howard. It seems the door is open for guard Joel Bitonio to return, if he decides not to retire, but if he does, the Browns re-signed Teven Jenkins, who has plenty of starting experience at guard. The other tackle spot is currently being manned by Dawand Jones, the former fourth-round pick who’s started 20 games in his first three seasons.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, there’s belief that a vast need for quality linemen and a large number of talented prospects could lead to a run on offensive tackles in the first round. At the same time, it’s believed that only two wide receivers could end up going in the top half of the draft, with the eventual WR3 projected to go anywhere from pick Nos. 16-19. Because of this, it would make much more sense for the Browns to address their offensive tackle need than their receiver need.
Locking down the draft’s top receiver — likely Ohio State’s Carnell Tate — would certainly be a great addition to the offense, but it would mean missing out on most of the class’s top tackle prospects if a run takes place. Locking down a top available tackle would mean missing out on Tate, and perhaps Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson and USC’s Makai Lemon, but there are several impact options that make perfect sense in the late-first or early-second round. It could be the difference of having Tate and choosing between Arizona State’s Max Iheanachor, Northwestern’s Caleb Tiernan, or Memphis’ Travis Burke or having one of Utah’s Spencer Fano, Miami’s Francis Mauigoa, Georgia’s Monroe Freeling, or Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor then getting your pick of Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion, Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr., Washington’s Denzel Boston, Alabama’s Germie Bernard, and Louisville’s Chris Bell.
An interesting additional factor to this situation is the reporting that the Browns have been shopping out their current draft slots in the hope of bringing in more Day 2 draft capital; they seemingly are willing to move down from either the sixth or 24th picks, per Zac Jackson of The Athletic. That could explain the depth at which Cleveland has been researching top offensive tackle prospects, as Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reports. The team hosted Utah’s other tackle, Caleb Lomu, two days ago, per Jackson McCurry of The Dawg Land podcast, and ESPN’s Jordan Reid was “shocked’ to hear that the Browns reportedly like Proctor at No. 6.
In theory, both could be trade down targets. Proctor has routinely found himself ranked behind the likes of Mauigoa and Fano throughout the draft process, and even more recently, Freeling and, in some cases, Clemson’s Blake Miller have snuck by him in the eyes of draft pundits, as well.
Perhaps, the Browns are not interested in selecting Proctor at No. 6 overall but, instead, interested in trading back to a place in the first round in which they may still be able to walk away with Proctor — or, if there’s a serious run at the position, Lomu — while adding some picks in the process. With the depth of wide receivers listed above, they could easily attempt to do the same at that position, if they feel their preferred option may be a reach at No. 24.
The Browns’ toss up in priorities between tackle and wide receiver alone make it impossible to predict who their top overall pick will be. Adding in the potential for a run or drought at either position or a Browns’ trade down from either spot makes even speculation a wild goose chase. It seems the Browns are making plans for a number of contingencies, but it looks like offensive tackle and wide receiver — whatever the order — remain the top priorities 12 days out.
Chiefs Eyeing T At No. 9; Team Interested In Monroe Freeling
The Chiefs will have a number of options to consider when they find themselves drafting ninth overall next week. The possibility of adding an offensive tackle will likely present itself, and it will be something to monitor closely.
Executives and evaluators who spoke with SportsBoom’s Jason La Canfora predicted Kansas City’s top priority in the first round will be adding an offensive tackle. The receiver position is one which the Chiefs have been linked to in the pre-draft process, and it would come as no surprise if a pass rusher were to be selected early in the event. Spending a top-10 pick on a left tackle would be highly valuable as well, however.
Kansas City has Josh Simmons in the fold after taking him 32nd overall last year. The Ohio State product was limited to eight games during his rookie season, though, and adding another prospect would provide depth at the left tackle spot. The Chiefs have been linked to Trent Williams interest in the event his 49ers contractual situation is not resolved; free agent Taylor Decker has also been named as a short-term option on the blindside.
Kadyn Proctor is among the offensive line prospects Kansas City has hosted on a pre-draft visit. The Alabama alum is not expected to last beyond Detroit at No. 17, so the Chiefs would likely not be able to draft him when back on the clock at No. 29. Another offensive line option receiving consideration is Georgia’s Monroe Freeling. Mike Garafolo of NFL Network notes Kansas City is one of several teams which have shown interest in Freeling during the lead-up to the draft.
Freeling has seen his stock rise, and he is a strong candidate to hear his name called at some point on Day 1. Proctor, along with the likes of Francis Mauigoa and Spencer Fano, is also expected to be selected relatively early during the first round. The 2026 class is not held in high regard with respect to bluechip prospects at many positions, and the offensive line group offers view options projected to handle left tackle duties in particular in the NFL.
That could lead the Chiefs to prioritize an investment up front first while waiting for their other first-round selection to bring in a pass rusher or pass catcher. With plenty of uncertainty still lingering through the top-10 order, Kansas City’s approach will likely remain unclear for several more days.