Vikings Acquire No. 198, Select RB Demond Claiborne
For the second time in a few minutes, the Patriots have traded down. The defending AFC champions traded No. 191 to the Jaguars and have now moved No. 198 to the Vikings.
Minnesota will send No. 234 and a 2027 sixth-round pick to New England, the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed tweets. The Vikings are using the 198th choice on Wake Forest running back Demond Claiborne.
Claiborne totaled just 14 carries in 2022, his first year with the Demon Deacons, before taking over as their lead back. He had a breakout season in 2024, a 12-game showing in which he rushed for 1,049 yards and 11 touchdowns on 228 attempts. Claiborne added another 254 yards and two scores on 23 catches.
Claiborne amassed fewer carries (179) in a dozen games last season as he dealt with ball security issues. While he finished with five fumbles, he put up 907 yards on 5.1 per tote and recorded 10 TDs. Claiborne also pulled in a personal-best 28 grabs, though his yardage total fell to 140 (a paltry 5.0 per reception).
The 5-foot-10, 188-pound Claiborne possesses 4.37 speed and is similar in size to Dolphins star De’Von Achane (5-9, 191). Between his athleticism and pass-catching skills, Claiborne is “low-calorie” version of Achane, Dane Brugler of The Athletic observes. Claiborne will begin his NFL career behind Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason, but those two are only under contract for another year. That could give Claiborne a chance to carve out an important role in the Vikings’ offense in the near future.
Connor Byrne contributed to this post.
Jaguars Land No. 191 From Patriots, Draft WR Josh Cameron
The Jaguars are making another Day 3 trade-up move, acquiring No. 191 from the Patriots. New England will acquire Nos. 196 and 245 from Jacksonville.
Baylor wide receiver Josh Cameron is heading to Jacksonville via this trade. This marks the third pass-catcher the Jags have selected during the event, joining tight ends Nate Boerkircher (second round) and Tanner Koziol (fifth round). Cameron will look to compete for a depth role in Jacksonville’s receiver room.
Jacksonville has Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers and Parker Washington in position to remain key figures at the WR spot in 2026. Travis Hunter is also set to contribute on offense even if the team follows through with its plan of primarily using him as a cornerback. That will not leave much in the way of opportunities in the passing game for Cameron, but he could carve out a special teams role during training camp.
The 6-1, 220-pounder spent five years with Baylor, and his production took off beginning in 2024. Cameron caught 10 touchdown passes that season, adding another nine in 2025. He profiles as a red zone threat at the NFL level, with drops not viewed as a major concern. Further route-running refinement and better separation will be needed for Cameron to emerge as a regular on offense in the pros, however.
As things stand, the Jaguars own another sixth-round pick (No. 203). That will be followed by a trio of seventh-round selections on the part of general manager James Gladstone unless he winds up making any further trades.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
Jets Acquire No. 188 From Seahawks
The Jets are moving up for some Day 3 offensive line help. The Seahawks are trading No. 188, a move that will lead Miami offensive guard Anez Cooper to New York. Gang Green will send Seattle pick Nos. 199 and 242 for the move. The defending champions had expressed a desire to add more picks, and while the team did not do so early, it has made multiple moves to do so today.
At nearly 6-foot-6, 342 pounds, Cooper is a massive presence on the interior offensive line. Originally an unpolished, overweight three-star recruit out of Alabama, Cooper surprised as a true freshman in Coral Gables. As the Hurricanes struggled to find consistent play on their offensive line in the 2022 season, they inserted Cooper as their starting right guard in Week 9 of the season, and he never relinquished his starting role.
Cooper improved with each year of experience always excelling in pass pro but developing some grit as a run blocker over time, as well. He uses his elite size and physicality to cover up a lack of flexibility and quickness, and he plays with a mean streak staying as vocal on the field to opponents as he is with his teammates in the locker room. The Jets may want to continue monitoring his weight and perhaps continue the work of perfecting the proportions of good weight on his frame, but Cooper has done good work to get where he is and can certainly play with his current makeup.
Seeing Alijah Vera-Tucker and John Simpson depart in free agency, the Jets signed former Raiders guard Dylan Parham to a two-year deal in free agency to likely start across from Joe Tippman. Tippman and backup guard Xavier Newman-Johnson will play on contract years this season, so if Cooper shows encouraging signs of a potential future starter, this trade up in the sixth round will feel like a steal.
Ely Allen contributed to this post.
Buccaneers Acquire No. 185 From Raiders, Select TE Bauer Sharp
The latest trade involving Day 3 picks has resulted in a deal between the Buccaneers and the Raiders. Tampa Bay has acquired pick No. 185 from Vegas in exchange for Nos. 195 and 229.
The Bucs have used their new selection on LSU tight end Bauer Sharp. As things stand, this represents Tampa Bay’s final pick of the 2026 draft. Sharp is the first and only tight end selected by general manager Jason Licht and Co this year, and he is the second rookie pass-catcher added to the mix this weekend (joining receiver Ted Hurst, who was taken in last night’s third round).
Sharp played quarterback in high school but transitioned to tight end upon arrival at Southeastern Louisiana in 2022. After two seasons there, he transferred to Oklahoma. A single campaign with the Sooners was followed by another move, this time to LSU. During his lone season as a member of the Tigers, Sharp scored a pair of touchdowns for the second year in a row while seeing his yards per catch average jump to 10.5 (compared to 7.7 in 2024).
Modest production at the collegiate level will no doubt lead to expectations for Sharp to earn an NFL roster spot as a run blocker and special teams presence. He is not regarded as one of the top blockers in this year’s TE class, but the 6-4, 249-pounder will look to offer depth during training camp with Tampa Bay. The Bucs’ depth chart at the position is set to be led once more by Cade Otton, with Ko Kieft, Devin Culp and Payne Durham also in the mix.
The Bucs have now made seven selections in the draft. A trade aimed at acquiring another Day 3 pick could be in the cards. Otherwise, Licht and the front office will now turn their attention to the upcoming undrafted free agent class.
Browns Select QB Taylen Green At No. 182
The Browns are adding another quarterback to the mix. The team will select Arkansas’ Taylen Green with the 182nd pick, insider Jordan Schultz reports.
The Browns spent two picks on quarterbacks a year ago, when they took Dillon Gabriel in the third round and Shedeur Sanders in the fifth. Even though Gabriel went before Sanders, the latter is now higher on the depth chart. Sanders and Deshaun Watson, who missed all of 2025 after re-rupturing his Achilles, are expected to compete for the starting job this summer.
If it is down to Sanders versus Watson, Green could vie with Gabriel for the third-string gig. For now, general manager Andrew Berry intends to move forward with all four signal-callers (via Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN).
Known for his impressive blend of size and athleticism, the 6-foot-6, 227-pound Green put on a show at the Combine. Green’s 4.36-second 40-yard dash, 43 1/2-inch vertical leap and 11-foot-2 broad jump lead all QBs since 2003, per Oyefusi . While Green’s athleticism could translate at another position, Berry has no plans to move him away from his current spot (via Mike Garafolo of NFL Network).
“He’s playing quarterback,” Berry insisted. “He’s playing quarterback.”
With 46 college starts, Green is entering the NFL with a solid amount of experience. He spent his first three years at Boise State before transferring to Arkansas in 2024. As a passer, the 23-year-old wrapped up his college career with a 60.1% completion rate and 59 touchdowns. He was a huge threat on the ground, having averaged 5.2 yards per rush and added 35 scores on 458 attempts. During Green’s two years with the Razorbacks, he racked up the most plays of 20-plus yards of anyone at the college level. However, he paired his big-play ability with severe turnover issues. Green threw 35 interceptions in college. Twenty of those came at Arkansas, where he also lost 17 fumbles.
Despite his flaws, Green is an intriguing Day 3 dart throw for a Cleveland franchise starved for a solution at the game’s most important position. The Browns were not expected to draft a signal-caller this year, but after addressing other needs with their first eight picks, they deemed Green worthy of a late-round flier.
Eagles Add NDSU QB Cole Payton In Fifth Round
The Eagles have taken a swing on an athletic quarterback option, drafting North Dakota State dual-threat passer Cole Payton with the 178th pick in the fifth round of the draft. Payton becomes the sixth quarterback off the board and the fourth Bison quarterback drafted since Carson Wentz went second overall in 2016, following in the footsteps of Trey Lance and Cam Miller.
Jalen Hurts job is clearly secure in Philadelphia at this moment. It appears to be Tanner McKee‘s hold on the backup job that may not be secure. The Stanford product has made to NFL starts since the Eagles drafted him in the sixth round in three years ago. Both games were meaningless Week 18 contests in each of the past two seasons. In the first, McKee looked fairly effective, completing 27 of 41 pass attempts for 269 yards and two touchdowns in a win. This past season’s start didn’t go as well as he barely completed half his attempts for 241 yards a touchdown and an interception in a loss.
The first sign that changes in the room may be on the way came when the Eagles traded for veteran backup passer Andy Dalton near the start of free agency. Despite not holding a role as a true starting quarterback since his days in Cincinnati, Dalton has made at least one start in all 15 years of his NFL career. Over the course of his most recent three-year stint with the Panthers, Dalton earned seven starts, going 1-6 in those games.
Payton really stuck it out during his time in Fargo, sitting as a backup quarterback for four years until Miller got drafted last year. He made the most of his lone season leading the Bison offense. Though North Dakota State didn’t rely heavily on Payton’s arm, it was reliable when utilized. Payton completed 71.9 percent of his pass attempts for 2,719, averaging 16.9 yards per completion for 16 touchdowns and only four interceptions. On the ground, Payton averaged 5.7 yards per carry en route to 777 yards and 13 touchdowns rushing. While backing up Miller as a redshirt sophomore in 2023, Payton still found his way onto the field, carrying the ball 84 times for 615 yards (7.3 ypc) and 13 scores.
Payton certainly needs polishing before he holds any significant responsibility in the NFL. His throwing motion and dropback mechanics need refinement, and he will have to develop some pocket awareness at the next level. Still, there are a lot of good attributes to build on here. With an athletic frame, strong arm, surprising speed, and unquestionable work ethic, Payton will be an interesting prospect to watch in Philadelphia. Dalton may have been brought in to serve as QB2 in 2026, but with both his and McKee’s contracts expiring at the end of the season, Payton may just be the plan for the future of the role.
Lions Add No. 168 From Bills, Draft WR Kendrick Law
The Bills will not end up making back-to-back picks in the fifth round; they sent the second of that set to the Lions.
Buffalo will receive Nos. 181 and 213 from Detroit in exchange for No. 168. The Lions are taking Kentucky wide receiver Kendrick Law with the obtained choice.
Law played the first three years of his college career at Alabama, where he combined for just 33 catches in 34 games. Law lined up on the outside and in the slot, but he struggled to produce while stuck behind the likes of Ryan Williams, Germie Bernard, Jermaine Burton and Isaiah Bond for various portions of his Crimson Tide tenure. After transferring to Kentucky last year, Law worked almost exclusively as a slot wideout. The 5-foot-11, 203-pounder took on a major role in the Wildcats’ offense, easily leading the team in catches (53) and yards (540). He also added three receiving touchdowns, tripling his output at Alabama.
The speedy Law will now join a Detroit receiving corps that’s settled at the top. Superstar Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams are the Lions’ one-two punch. Isaac TeSlaa and Greg Dortch are also among those in the mix. Brown could compete for a back-end receiver role and also contribute on special teams at the outset of his pro career. He amassed 500-plus ST snaps in college and averaged 22.9 yards on 31 kick returns.
Connor Byrne contributed to this post.
Chiefs Trade Up To No. 161 For Nebraska RB Emmett Johnson
The Chiefs have acquired the No. 161 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft from the Steelers, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz, and used it to select Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson. They also received the 249th pick. The Steelers landed the 169th and 210th choices, per Nick Sloan of KMBC-TV.
After redshirting as a freshman in 2022, Johnson was stuck in a timeshare over the next two seasons. The 5-foot-11, 205-pounder rushed for a solid 1,009 yards on 207 carries over that 25-game span. Johnson took over as Nebraska’s bell cow last season, and his production went through the roof. He amassed 1,451 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on 251 attempts (5.8 YPC) in a dozen games. As a pass catcher, he picked up 46 receptions for 370 yards and three more scores.
An All-American and the Big Ten Running Back of the Year, Johnson was the lone FBS player to average at least 150 yards from scrimmage per game in 2025 (via Dane Brugler of The Athletic). Brugler ranked Johnson as the 105th-best prospect in this class. Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com placed him 123rd.
While Johnson was great as a lead back last year, he does not possess high-end speed. He ran a 4.56-second 40-yard dash at the Combine and a 4.49 at his pro day. That may explain why he tumbled down the board in a weak class for running backs.
Regardless, Johnson will open his career as a reserve in Kansas City’s backfield. The Chiefs made a big free agent investment in former Seahawk Kenneth Walker, whom they added on a three-year, $43.05MM deal. Walker is the unquestioned starter, which will leave Johnson to compete for touches with 2025 seventh-rounder Brashard Smith and ex-Cardinal Emari Demercado.
Nikhil Mehta contributed to this post.
Broncos Make Big Move Up For NC State TE Justin Joly
The Broncos are sending the Browns a solid pair of picks in order to move up 18 spots and draft NC State tight end Justin Joly at No. 152 overall. Cleveland will receive Denver’s fifth-round pick (170) and the first pick of the sixth round (182) in exchange.
In the final pick of PFR’s 2026 NFL Mock Draft, we projected the Broncos to target a tight end at the first opportunity available to them, since they didn’t own a first-round pick. By the midpoint of Day 2’s festivities, the team didn’t own a second-round pick either. After waking up on the third day of the draft with only one rookie secured, the Broncos got to work today and sacrificed one of their seven Day 3 picks to move up and finally address the tight end spot.
Currently, Denver’s tight ends room is fairly crowded. Led by veterans Evan Engram and Adam Trautman, the rest of the room is filled out by Nate Adkins, Lucas Krull, and Caleb Lohner. Injuries hurt the team’s depth at the position in 2025, though, to the point where they dragged a 41-year-old Marcedes Lewis off the free agent market. Engram led the group in receiving last year with 50 receptions for 461 yards and a touchdown, and Trautman functioned as the group’s main blocking tight end with some assistance from Adkins. Including Trautman’s contributions the receiving production outside of Engram netted 28 receptions for 258 yards and two touchdowns.
Joly adds another strong receiving threat to the room. Transferring to Raleigh after two years at UConn, Joly led the Wolfpack in receiving yards (661) in his first year with the team, surpassing eventual transfer and first-round pick KC Concepcion. In 2025, Joly’s yardage dropped a bit (489), but he still led the team in receptions (49) and receiving touchdowns (7). After showing a tendency for drops — six in 2023 — as a Husky, Joly demonstrated improved hands with just four drops at NC State and only one in 2025.
Despite having plus speed, Joly hasn’t shown much as a downfield threat and can improve a lot with his route-running, but he’s an athletic pass catcher with a knack for gaining enough of a cushion of separation to be successful. His strength gives him an advantage in contested catches and makes him a menace as a blocker. He isn’t going to displace Engram from the first-team offense anytime soon, but Joly projects to be an effective second receiving option, providing quarterback Bo Nix with a new, big in-line target.
Seahawks Acquire 148th Pick, Draft G Beau Stephens
The Seahawks have acquired the 148th overall pick from the Browns for a 2027 fourth-rounder, Tony Grossi of 850 ESPN Cleveland reports. Iowa guard Beau Stephens is going to Seattle.
Stephens spent five years at Iowa, which has a reputation as an offensive line factory. Two of Stephens’ former O-line mates, Logan Jones (No. 57, Bears) and Gennings Dunker (No. 96, Steelers), came off the board earlier. The 6-foot-5, 315-pound Stephens played in 41 games with the Hawkeyes and served as a three-year starter. Stephens worked as a right guard in 2022, but he primarily lined up on the left side. He capped off a 620-snap, 13-game 2025 with first-team All-America and first-team All-Big Ten honors.
Stephens, who did not allow a sack or take a penalty last year, ranked as Pro Football Focus’ fourth-best guard in 2025. Both Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com and Dane Brugler of The Athletic rated him as the 137th prospect in this draft class. There are concerns over Stephens’ lack of length and athleticism, per Brugler, though he adds “coachability and mental maturation” could help make up for it.
Stephens may begin his career as a reserve with the reigning Super Bowl champions, who have 2025 first-rounder Grey Zabel at left guard and Anthony Bradford on the right side. While Zabel is locked in, Stephens could compete with Bradford for a starting job. Even if Bradford remains atop the depth chart, he only has one year left on his contract. Unless the Seahawks extend Bradford before free agency opens next March, Stephens could emerge as a starter by 2027.