Day 2of the2026 NFL Draftmight not have carried the same weight asthe first round, but the stakes were still significant throughout the order.
Eight teams finally made their first selections after sitting out Day 1, while other franchises carried on filling out their classes. With a number ofbig names coming off the board, some organizations seized on opportunities to address key deficiencies and build for the future. Others, however, raised questions about the path they're taking in the roster-building process.
Here are the biggest winners and losers of Rounds 2 and 3 in the 2026 NFL Draft:
Winners of NFL draft Day 2
Cleveland Browns
The immediate and impressive returns on last year's draft class were perhaps the only non-Myles Garrett silver lining for the Browns last fall. With Todd Monken taking over as coach and uncertainty lingering at quarterback, Cleveland needed to continue refurbishing its roster with another infusion of the young talent it long lacked.
And Andrew Berry appears to have delivered once again.
After landing Spencer Fano and KC Concepcion in the first round, Cleveland struck it big on Day 2 with wide receiver Denzel Boston and safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, either of whom would have been entirely reasonable choices at the No. 24 overall pick the night before. Boston can open up back-shoulder throws and more deep heaves for the offense, while McNeil-Warren can help match up against tight ends and lock down the middle. Third-round offensive tackle Austin Barber offers some upside as a developmental option up front.
The Terrell family
Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell was sure to be ecstatic no matter where little brother Avieon landed. But when the Falcons made their secondary a sibling affair by scooping up the fellow Clemson product and cornerback, it sparked one of the cooler moments of the entire event.
This isn't just a feel-good story for a family that can now watch the brothers compete alongside one another. Avieon is a highly capable cover man who can hold down either the outside spot opposite A.J. or work from the slot, though his skill set seems better suited for the latter. Not a bad way for Matt Ryan to begin his reign.
Kayden McDonald
The Ohio State defensive tackle was understandably emotional after his extended green-room wait finally came to an end. Once thought to be a leading candidate to be the first player at his position taken, he heard two other interior linemen have their names called on Day 1 while he was left in limbo.
In the end, however, McDonald ended up in a highly favorable situation.
After all, what better spot is there for a defensive tackle between Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter? The Houston Texans leapfrogged the New York Giants to secure McDonald, and he figures to serve a vital role along DeMeco Ryans' front. With a rapid acclimation period, he can put his draft wait behind him in short order.
Tight ends
As teams skew toward higher run rates, getting multiple tight ends on the field has become en vogue. That dynamic looks set to continue in 2026, as eight players at the position were taken on Day 2.
Perhaps even stranger than the sum of tight ends taken was how many teams that already appeared set there jumped into the fray. TheLos Angeles Ramsadded Max Klare to a group that already includes Colby Parkinson and 2025 second-rounder Terrance Ferguson, among others, and the Chicago Bears brought on third-rounder Sam Roush behind Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet. It speaks volumes that two of the league's biggest trendsetters in Sean McVay and Ben Johnson are having their rosters built his way.
More:NFL draft trend: What tight end craze has to do with offensive innovation and Sean McVay
Veteran running backs
It was long clear that this draft class was short on potential starting ball carriers. Day 2, however, drove home how few established backs were in jeopardy of having their roles reduced. After former Notre Dame teammates Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price became NFC West rivals in Round 1, Kaelon Black (No. 90 overall, San Francisco 49ers) was the only player at the position selected in either Round 2 or 3.
Black won't do more than spell Christian McCaffrey on inside runs. And his selection might speak more to Kyle Shanahan's pattern of investing in mid-round running backs than his leaguewide value. Meanwhile, Arkansas' Mike Washington Jr., Nebraska's Emmett Johnson and Washington's Jonah Coleman continue to wait despite having the makeup of potential starters.
Losers of NFL draft Day 2
Jermod McCoy
When the2024 All-American slid out of Round 1, many assumed he was headed for a trajectory similar to that of Will Johnson, the former Michigan cornerback who lasted to the second round in 2025 amid injury concerns. McCoy's tumble, however, is far more precipitous - and it's still yet to meet a resolution.
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The Tennessee cornerback heads into Day 3 as the clear top player available. Yet talent isn't the X-factor here.NFL Network reportedon April 20 that a bone plug used to repair cartilage in his knee has clouded McCoy's stock after his recovery from a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered last January.
At some point, a team should be drawn in by the potential payoff. But this is a rather harsh reality for McCoy to face after he spent much of the pre-draft process being seen in a comparable category to Mansoor Delane, who went No. 6 overall to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Omar Khan made it clear in the run-up to the draft that he wanted what lots of people envision from an AFC North quarterback: a statuesque figure with a strong arm. He found one in Allar, the former Penn State quarterback whom the general manager nabbed in the third round.
Therein lies the problem with Allar, however. He resembles an ideal at quarterback but doesn't come close to actually embodying one.
The former five-star recruit has long tantalized with his 6-5, 228-pound build and capacity for threatening defenses vertically in the passing game. But a final season in which many expected Allar to make a long-awaited leap in his development laid bare all his shortcomings. Before suffering a season-ending ankle injury, he was repeatedly undone by sloppy footwork, erratic ball placement and a hesitant approach that consistently leaves him out of rhythm.
With their focus on physical traits, the Steelers might be adopting an "I can fix him" mentality here. Allar, however, can't be trusted to step in for Aaron Rodgers anytime soon, regardless of whether the four-time NFL MVP re-signs with the team. And while it's understandable that the Steelers would want to bring along a passer behind Rodgers, they very well might be looking to do so with another passer in the near future.
Arizona Cardinals
After making themselves the subject of widespread ridicule with their selection of running back Jeremiyah Love at No. 3 overall, the Cardinals looked due for a reprieve on Day 2. It seemed as though they were headed for one with their second-round pick of offensive guard Chase Bisontis, who upgrades a rickety front.
Then, the Cardinals again engineered one of this year's strangest moves in grabbing quarterback Carson Beck.
Hitting on a mid-round signal-caller would surely expedite what looks to be an extensive build for general manager Monti Ossenfort and first-year coach Mike LaFleur. But this isn't really a sound investment strategy so much as an attempt to cash in on a lottery ticket.
And Beck isn't a prospect who looks to have a particularly high payoff even if everything goes right for him. At his best, he can be a competent distributor from the pocket. But he can come undone in the face of pressure, and he doesn't have the toolkit to buy second chances. That's not so much the profile of a potential legitimate starter, but rather a trustworthy backup capable of filling in.
Beck might be a worthwhile project for some franchises to take on. Arizona, however, can't fritter away early third-round picks.
Tyler Dragon:New QB1 in AZ? Why Cardinals should give Carson Beck chance to start | Opinion
Garrett Nussmeier
The LSU gunslinger once looked to be on relatively equal footing with Beck and Allar in the second tier of quarterbacks in this class, with many even placing him above his two peers. But the 6-2, 203-pound passer took a backseat to more prototypical players at his position.
This isn't merely all about size. Nussmeier's devil-may-care approach might have been a deterrent for some teams, who also might have had a sour taste in their mouth from a disappointing final season marred by injuries. Now as a Day 3 prospect, however, he won't amount to much more than a dart throw for whatever team takes him on. That doesn't render him irrelevant, as Shedeur Sanders' rise from fifth-round pick to rookie starter reinforced. But his climb will be a steep one.
James Gladstone
In his inaugural draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars general manager made a bold statement by trading up for Travis Hunter Jr. at No. 2 overall. With diminished capital this time around, Gladstone got this year's class off to a pretty puzzling start.
The second-round selection of tight end Nate Boerkircher set the tone for the night. The Texas A&M product was taken ahead of several more high-upside alternatives at tight end. While Jacksonville might not have been on the hunt for a receiving threat at the position with Brenton Strange in the fold, there was better value available at this spot than a player who might top out as a good blocker. He then doubled-down on his reaches by closing out the evening with Jalen Huskey, a defensive back with some substantial coverage limitations. The Jaguars have a promising core, but this felt like a missed opportunity to supplement that group.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:2026 NFL draft winners and losers: Steelers whiff on Drew Allar pick
