A whopping nine offensive linemen came off the board in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. After they dominated the proceedings on Thursday, there are other positions to watch heading into Day 2. A slew of defensive tackles, cornerbacks and wide receivers could hear their names called Friday.
Florida’s Caleb Banks and Clemson’s Peter Woods were the only D-tackles taken in the opening round. The Vikings selected Banks 18th overall, while the Chiefs grabbed Woods at No. 29. There will be an early run on the position on Friday, according to James Palmer of Bleacher Report. Veteran insider Jordan Schultz passes along similar information, reporting a “ton” of DTs will find homes in the second round. Kayden McDonald (Ohio State), Christen Miller (Georgia) and Lee Hunter (Texas Tech) are among prominent options still out there.
Before grabbing Woods, the Chiefs drafted LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane sixth overall. Twenty-one picks later, the Dolphins reeled in San Diego State’s Chris Johnson. No other corners went in Round 1, but there will be a “big” run in the second round, Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network says.
A pair of Tennessee products, Jermod McCoy and Colton Hood, as well as Avieon Terrell (Clemson), D’Angelo Ponds (Indiana) and Brandon Cisse (South Carolina) have gone unpicked so far. Along with Delane, McCoy was considered one of the two best corners in this class as recently as three weeks ago. His stock has dropped as a result of concerns over the long-term health of his knee. It was a similar story last year with ex-Michigan standout Will Johnson, who fell to the Cardinals at pick 47.
It was no surprise that teams scooped up receivers Carnell Tate (Titans), Jordyn Tyson (Saints), Makai Lemon (Eagles), KC Concepcion (Browns) and Omar Cooper Jr. (Jets) on Thursday. There is still intriguing talent left at the position, though, and Schultz expects significant receiver movement in the third round. Denzel Boston (Washington), Germie Bernard (Alabama), Chris Bell (Louisville), Elijah Sarratt (Indiana), Zachariah Branch (Georgia), Chris Brazzell (Tennessee) and Malachi Fields (Notre Dame) are among several well-regarded pass catchers who may be gone when the fourth round gets underway on Saturday.