2026 NFL Draft Second-Day Values: Defense

In recent weeks, there have been a lot of questions about who my value picks are in the 2026 NFL Draft class. A value or sleeper prospect is basically a player who gets drafted after the first round and proves to be a steal. The second day of the draft is when the men are separated from the boys among NFL general managers. All the players have strengths and flaws, but the top evaluators find future starters and team-building blocks on day two. Every year I pick my favorite day two values. In case the player I picked goes in the first round, I started picking two or three players in case one or two end up being a first-round pick. If a player goes in the first round, I should not get credit for calling him a day two value pick if he pans out. Here is my track record, starting in 2008, going back to my time with Pewter Report.

Previous Selections for Value Picks – All Positions

This year, my top day-two values are Jadarian Price, Zachariah Branch, and Gabe Jacas.

Overall, this list is very strong, with a few exceptions, like the pairs in 2015 and 2016. I definitely hit on Sam LaPorta a couple of years ago, as he was one of the best tight ends in the NFL as a rookie. In other years, there were good selections like Brandon Flowers, Mike Wallace, Justin Houston, Derek Wolfe, Larry Warford, Jaylon Smith, Ronald Darby, and Deebo Samuel. Here is a breakdown of a top day-two value prospect at each position for the 2026 draft class. All of these prospects are likely to go on the second day of the draft. If a player is a possible late first-round pick, I generally don’t include them as an option.

Defensive Linemen

Gabe Jacas, DE, Illinois

Jacas has been a consistent and productive force for the Fighting Illini the past few seasons. In the pass rush, Jacas is a tenacious beast who is a power rusher who plays with violence and non-stop physicality. He is a strong rusher who really works offensive tackles with an intense bull rush and tremendous power rip move. He uses that power to gain leverage and charges through the pocket with chaos. Jacas has great instincts to go for the strip, and his six forced fumbles over the past two seasons are no accident. With good strength to shed blocks, Jacas is dangerous on second efforts, and he never quits on a rush, playing hard through the whistle. In the ground game, Jacas is very good. He is physical and strong at the point of attack to lock down the C-gap. Jacas holds his ground against downhill runs and shows the ability to shed blocks to pursue out of his gap. I think Jacas is going to have a long and productive pro career. In this analyst’s opinion, Jacas could be one of the sleeper steals in this draft and one of the best value picks on the second day of the draft.

Caleb Banks, DT, Florida

If it weren’t for injuries, Banks would be a first-round pick, but after foot injuries last season and around the time of the NFL Scouting Combine, Banks looks very likely to slide to the second day of the draft. In the pass rush, Banks does an impressive job of collapsing the pocket for a nose tackle prospect. Banks has a serious bull rush with devastating power that can overwhelm blockers. He can embarrass some guards with how he can get them backpedaling against their will straight into their quarterback. On top of a power bull rush, Banks shows a nice rip move to get on the edge of blockers and collapse the pocket. He is tough to stop once he gets moving, and Banks shows a burst to close. As a run defender, Banks should be an asset for his pro team. He is strong, large, and stout at the point of attack. He has the power to anchor and stop downhill runs coming straight at him. If Banks can stay healthy, he could be a massive day-two steal.

Previous Selections for Value Picks – Defensive Linemen

Linebacker

Kyle Louis, LB, Pitt

Louis is an undersized linebacker, but he is fast, instinctive, and a real weapon in pass coverage. He is very smooth dropping in coverage and covers a lot of ground in zone. The athletic and agile Louis demonstrates strong coverage skills against tight ends down the seam and receivers entering his territory. Louis can really run, so he should be a nice asset for defending receiving tight ends. On top of being able to cover and run with receivers, Louis’s ball skills are excellent for a linebacker. He doesn’t panic when passes come his way, and he attacks the ball. Louis is capable of slapping passes away and is dangerous to pick the ball off. On top of his coverage skills, Louis is a dangerous blitzer who closes on the quarterback in a blur. As a run defender, Louis is dynamic in pursuit as he flies around the field and can go sideline-to-sideline. Louis is fast to explode to the flat to defend perimeter runs, and he will come downhill to cut down backs. Louis can get bounced around by blockers, and he will have issues with that when taking on pro offensive linemen. Thus, adding more strength for the pro game would help, but I think Louis could turn into an excellent starting Will linebacker in the NFL.

Previous Selections for Value Picks – Linebackers

Cornerbacks

Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina

Cisse could use some development, but he has an excellent skill set to be a good pro starter with size, speed, and athleticism. For the NFL, Cisse is an ascending and improving player. He shows good size, speed, and athleticism to match up against all kinds of receivers. Cisse is big and physical to take on large, wideouts, while being fast to carry verticals downfield with speed receivers. With twitch and agility, Cisse is smooth out of breaks, showing the ability to run the route and prevent separation. When receivers do get a step, Cisse has a burst to close and recoverability to make up ground. With his well-rounded skill set, Cisse is capable of playing press man, off man, and zone coverage. Cisse is a physical run defender and a willing tackler. He will fire downhill in a blur and cut out the legs of a ball carrier. He is willing to lower his shoulder and shows zero hesitancy to take on big backs. Cisse could use pro coaching, but he has the potential to be an excellent starting cornerback.

Previous Selections for Value Picks – Cornerbacks

Safety

Kamari Ramsey, S, USC

Ramsey has gone under the radar, but he is a very effective safety who can play strong and free safety. For the NFL, Ramsey is an interchangeable safety that can play free or strong safety. Deep down the field, Ramsey covers a lot of ground and shows the range to be a deep free safety. He has quality instincts, route recognition, and reads the eyes of the quarterback. He times his breakups well and shows some developed ball skills. He is also functional as a strong safety in zone coverage in the short to intermediate part of the field. He can help with man coverage on tight ends, and he flies around the field in the middle portion with impressive speed to the flat. Ramsey might not be a great fit to constantly line up in man coverage as a slot corner. He is better suited to play zone and help defend receivers that come into his area. In the ground game and in pass coverage, Ramsey is an adept open-field tackler. He shows good form to wrap up the ball carrier and also delivers some hard hits that punish the ball carrier. Ramsey is a willing tackler and run defender who will attack downhill. Ramsey could stand to get stronger and add some bulk for the NFL

Bud Clark, S, TCU

Other safeties have gotten more attention, but Clark is an instinctive defender with outstanding ball skills. Clark has speed and coverage ability with some outstanding tape. Clark could slide to day three of the draft because of medical concerns, but Clark is a serious threat as a ballhawk that could be a massive steal in the third round or the early rounds of day three.

Previous Selections for Value Picks – Safeties

2026 NFL Draft Day 2 Values: Offense | 2026 NFL Draft Day 2 Values: Defense
2026 NFL Draft Potential Busts: Offense | 2026 NFL Draft Potential Busts: Defense
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