Live 2025 NFL Draft Grades: Round 2

2025 NFL Draft Grades for Round 2:

33. Cleveland Browns: Carson Schwesinger, LB, UCLA – A- Grade
    It’s odd that the Browns would target defense atop the second round when they had so many needs on offense. However, Carson Schwesinger was getting some interest in the late teens, so he provides great value to start Round 2.
    
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34. Houston Texans: Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State – B Grade
    I worry about Jayden Higgins’ ability to separate. He ran a good 40 at his size, but I still have concerns. However, Jayden Higgins makes sense in the second round, and he potentially fills a huge need for the Texans, who lost two receivers to departure/injury.
    
    
35. Seattle Seahawks: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina – A+ Grade
    When I heard that the Seahawks traded up to No. 35, Nick Emmanwori’s name immediately popped into my head. This is such a great fit. Emmanwori is the type of defensive back the Seahawks love, and he fills a huge need. Plus, he’s arguably the best player available. If the Seahawks drafted Emmanwori at No. 18, I would have graded that favorably!
    
    
36. Cleveland Browns: Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State – A Grade
    It had to be one of the Ohio State running backs, right? I thought the Browns would draft Treyveon Henderson, but Quinshon Judkins makes sense as well. Judkins is the better pure runner and should be a great replacement for Nick Chubb. The Browns still need a quarterback, but they had a huge running back as well. That’s no longer the case.
    
    
37. Miami Dolphins: Jonah Savaiinaea, OT/G, Arizona – A- Grade
    Unlike the Seattle second-round pick, predicting this pick was much trickier. The Dolphins needed everything. One big hole is left tackle, thanks to Terron Armstead’s retirement. Jonah Savaiinaea is an athletic left tackle who fits the range in the second round. He can also play guard and fill a huge need at that position. The Dolphins only gave up a third and a very small swap early on Day 3 for this move up, so it was a great value.
    
    
38. New England Patriots: TreVeyeon Henderson, RB, Ohio State – A Grade
    I’m not a big fan of Rhamondre Stevenson, so I’m all for the Patriots attempting to either upgrade him or complement him. TreVeyon Henderson should be a better pro, and he’s one of the best players available. He can play all three downs for New England, which Stevenson can’t really do that well. Henderson easily could have gone in the first round.
    
    
39. Chicago Bears: Luther Burden, WR, Missouri – A+ Grade
    The Bears lost Keenan Allen, so another receiver makes sense. Especially one as talented as Luther Burden. No one would have had an issue with a team drafting Burden in the 20s, and yet Chicago stole him at No. 39. This is an outstanding value that fills a need. Thus, Chicago’s selection should be graded highly.
    
    
40. New Orleans Saints: Tyler Shough, QB, Louisville – C- Grade
    Oh boy. The “eVeRyThInG iS rAcIsT” crowd is going to have a field day with this one. I’m not a fan of this pick. Tyler Shough is so old that he was in my 2022 NFL Mock Draft. He has great tools, but never put it together in college, and there’s a long history of older quarterbacks not panning out. I get this pick, but I’m not a big fan.
    
    
41. Buffalo Bills: T.J. Sanders, DT, South Carolina – A Grade
    The Bills traded up to this pick, but didn’t really surrender much for it. With that in mind, I love this pick. The Bills must have watched what the Eagles did to the Chiefs in the Super Bowl, so they know they need a great pass rush. They signed Joey Bosa, and now they traded up for T.J. Sanders, who has incredible upside as an interior defensive lineman.
    
    
42. New York Jets: Mason Taylor, TE, LSU – A- Grade
    The Jets had just one viable receiving threat in Garrett Wilson after losing Davante Adams. They needed another wide receiver or a tight end, and they opted for the latter, who is arguably the best player available among the two positions. This is a good pick, and as a bonus, the Jets get to obtain a former rival’s son, which is fun.
    
    
43. San Francisco 49ers: Alfred Collins, DT, Texas – B+ Grade
    It comes as no surprise that the 49ers have used their first two picks on their defensive line. They got their pass rusher with their first pick, and now they have their run stuffer. Alfred Collins fits the range in the middle of the second round and potentially fills a big need.
    
    
44. Dallas Cowboys: Donovan Ezeiruaku, DE/OLB, Boston College – A+ Grade
    I chided the Cowboys for passing on Jalon Walker when he fell to them at No. 12. They made up for it with this pick. Donovan Ezeiruaku easily could have been chosen in the late teens or early 20s without any complaints. He’s a huge steal, and he’ll complement Micah Parsons extremely well as Dallas tries to chase down Jalen Hurts and Jayden Daniels.
    
    
45. Indianapolis Colts: J.T. Tuimoloau, DE, Ohio State – B+ Grade
    J.T. Tuimoloau had some first-round buzz, but ultimately went in the second round. I like the value, and I also like the need fit. The Colts will have just one edge rusher under contract following this season in Laiatu Latu, so they had to find a pass rusher to help them beat C.J. Stroud, Trevor Lawrence, and now Cam Ward.
    
    
46. Los Angeles Rams: Terrance Ferguson, TE, Oregon – C- Grade
    This is a reach. I thought Terrance Ferguson would go in the third or fourth round, so it’s not an egregious reach, but Ferguson was taken too early nonetheless. We knew the Rams were looking for a tight end as insurance for Tyler Higbee, but they could have drafted a similar player a round or two later.
    
    
47. Arizona Cardinals: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan – A+ Grade
    Will Johnson was the top cornerback in this class not named Travis Hunter. He was going to be drafted in the top 10, but then he was flagged for a knee issue. The knee could crush his career, but if it doesn’t, the Cardinals will have obtained a shutdown cornerback in the middle of Round 2. Every draft pick is a roll of the dice, so why not gamble on such a talented player’s upside?
    
    
48. Houston Texans: Aireontae Ersery, OT, Minnesota – A+ Grade
    The Texans did well to trade up for Aireontae Ersery, who was receiving some first-round buzz late in the pre-draft process. Ersery’s correct spot was likely the beginning of the second round, so this is a great bargain for the Texans. It obviously fills a need, given the severe issues the Texans have on their offensive line.
    
    
49. Cincinnati Bengals: Demetrius Knight, LB, South Carolina – B- Grade
    Any defensive player makes sense for the Bengals, though I would have preferred to see them draft a defensive lineman or a defensive back. Still, Demetrius Knight is a decent prospect who was very productive, though I worry a bit about his coverage skills. This is a decent, but not a great selection.
    
    
50. Seattle Seahawks: Elijah Arroyo, TE, Miami – A Grade
    The Seahawks lost two receivers this offseason, but didn’t really find a replacement because Cooper Kupp is nearing the end of his career. They needed to find another pass-catcher for Sam Darnold. A tight end definitely qualifies, and Elijah Arroyo provides good value as a prospect who could have possibly gone at the end of the opening round.
    
    
51. Carolina Panthers: Nic Scourton, DE, Texas A&M – A Grade
    The Panthers finally get a defensive player. I’ve heard Nic Scourton discussed as a late first-round possibility, so getting him in the middle of the second round is nice value. The Panthers had the worst pressure rate in the NFL last year, so Scourton will certainly help in that regard.
    
    
52. Tennessee Titans: Olu Oladejo, DE, UCLA – B Grade
    This pick can’t be a surprise. The Titans lost Harold Landry this offseason, so they needed to find a pass rusher. Olu Oladejo can rush the passer, and I thought he made sense in the 50-70 range. This is a solid pick.
    
    
53. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame – A- Grade
    I considered Benjamin Morrison to be a first-round prospect earlier in this draft process, but a hip injury pushed him down draft boards. Injuries can come and go, however, so Morrison has a ton of upside. He would potentially fill a big need that the Buccaneers have had to address for several years.
    
    
54. Green Bay Packers: Anthony Belton, OT/G, N.C. State – B Grade
    Anthony Belton is a big lineman, but has decent quickness and agility for a player his size. Belton can play both tackle and guard, so his talent and versatility should be able to help “No Cookie” Jordan Love. I had Belton going around this range.
    
    
55. Los Angeles Chargers: Tre Harris, WR, Ole Miss – B+ Grade
    The Chargers hit a home run with Ladd McConkey last year, but they needed help at outside receiver. Tre Harris is a big receiver who makes contested catches, and it’s unlikely that he’ll have issues with drops like Quentin Johnston has in his career. Harris makes sense late in the second round.
    
    
56. Chicago Bears: Ozzy Trapilo, OT, Boston College – A Grade
    The Bears signed three interior offensive linemen this offseason, but they still needed a tackle. They found one in Ozzy Trapilo, whom we projected very early in the second round. I love the value here for the Bears, who have added enough blockers that Caleb Williams will be able to spend hours in the pocket waiting to be sacked.
    
    
57. Detroit Lions: Tate Ratledge, G, Georgia – B+ Grade
    The Lions wanted to address guard in the first round, but they couldn’t land Tyler Booker or Donovan Jackson. They finally get their guard in the second round. Tate Ratledge’s pass protection is worrying, but he’s a great run blocker. He makes sense in this range.
    
    
58. Las Vegas Raiders: Jack Bech, WR, TCU – B+ Grade
    No Shedeur Sanders is interesting. The Raiders needed to find a receiver after losing Davante Adams during the 2024 season. Jack Bech had a great Senior Bowl and answered some questions about his separation issues during the pre-draft process.
    
    
59. Baltimore Ravens: Mike Green, DE, Marshall – A+ Grade
    LOL. Can we just end this draft? The Ravens have won it. Mike Green is a first-round talent. He had off-the-field issues, but at this point, it doesn’t matter. Every pick is a roll of the dice, so why not take a chance on such a high-upside player? If Green stays out of trouble, he could be a devastating edge rusher in the NFL.
    
    
60. Denver Broncos: R.J. Harvey, RB, Central Florida – D Grade
    The Broncos could have drafted a viable running back earlier, but they messed around and that caused them to miss out on all the talented players at the position. R.J. Harvey, a former quarterback, was projected as a fourth-round prospect, so this is a reach.
    
    
61. Washington Redskins: Trey Amos, CB, Ole Miss – A+ Grade
    Another A+ plus pick from a team in the I-95 corridor. Trey Amos is a tall cornerback with great speed and athleticism. I’ve had him in the first round of many of my mock drafts, so I love this pick. The Redskins could have easily drafted him in the first round. He fills a need to go along with Marshon Lattimore and Mike Sainristil.
    
    
62. Chicago Bears: Shemar Turner, DT, Texas A&M – B Grade
    Outside of the offensive line, the defensive interior was Chicago’s biggest weakness entering the offseason. Shemar Turner is a bit of a project, but he has lots of upside and could end up being a very good player for Chicago. The range is about right here for Turner.
    
    
63. Kansas City Chiefs: Omar Norman-Lott, DT, Tennessee – B+ Grade
    The Chiefs need offensive line more than anything, but they also had to find a defensive tackle to play next to Chris Jones. Omar Norman-Lott could be a quality starter. He’s a smaller defensive tackle, but gets good pressure on the quarterback. He makes sense at the bottom of Round 2.
    
    
64. Philadelphia Eagles: Andrew Mukuba, S, Texas – D Grade
    The Eagles had interest in the safeties, so when Xavier Watts fell to them, I thought it was going to be a no-brainer pick. Instead, they made a rare mistake by drafting Andrew Mukuba, who is a mid-round prospect and a very mediocre athlete. I don’t understand why the Eagles made this pick, given that there were better safeties available.