2026 NFL Mock Draft: Round 2

The Jets lost Sauce Gardner, so they’ll need to find a replacement for him with one of their earlier picks.

Jermod McCoy is an instinctive cornerback who tackles well, but is coming off a torn ACL. There’s growing concern about his health that could boot him out of the first round.

Follow @walterfootball for updates.

Also, if you haven’t visited the site in a while, you may have noticed the new look. Yes, after nearly two decades, we’ve finally re-designed our site to be more modern. This was not done on a whim, but rather out of necessity because of what occurred during the 2023 NFL Draft. Our site crashed during the entire first day of the draft, which was disastrous for our revenue stream because we make more money during the draft than any other time. The site crashed because a line of code conflicted with the old format of the site, so we had to transition to this new look.

Because we lost so much money during the draft, I want to point out that you can really help support the site by paying for the ad-free version of it. It’s $7.99 per month, but you’ll get a super-fast site with no ads. My developer will be adding new features to paid subscribers as well, so look for that in the near future. If you don’t want to pay, please spread the word about the site through word of mouth. That would also be a big help!

The Seahawks are likely to trade down because they have just four draft choices, but they could always stay put and draft a talented pass rusher to help them defeat the Rams once again, or a cornerback to help replace the departed Tariq Woolen.

Colton Hood stepped up for the injured Jermod McCoy and became a great cover corner.

The Titans are weak in most places on the defensive side of the ball, and that includes the middle of the field.

C.J. Allen is a smart, tough, and instinctive linebacker.

The Raiders don’t have a true No. 1 receiver, so they’ll have to focus on acquiring one. Perhaps they’ll be able to do so with this pick.

Germie Bernard looks to be the next great Alabama receiver in the pros with his nice size and upside.

Pick change; previously Chris Bell, WR

Dexter Lawrence is gone, so the Giants may target his replacement on Day 2.

Lee Hunter has surprising speed and athleticism for a big nose tackle.

The Texans could strengthen a strength by addressing the defensive line with one of their initial draft picks.

Kayden McDonald is a disruptive defender who has plus athleticism at his big size.

Pick change; previously Christen Miller, DT

Myles Garrett is into his 30s, so the Browns need to start thinking about finding their primary edge rusher of the future.

Zion Young has good size and length. There’s plenty of upside.

The Chiefs need as much defensive line help as possible. .

Caleb Banks is a big interior defender who has quality pass-rush ability for his size.

Sonny Styles is no longer an option for the Bengals at No. 10. Instead, they could target the third off-ball linebacker in this class at No. 41.

Jacob Rodriguez is an instinctive linebacker. He thrived at the combine.

Pick change; previously Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S

The Saints won’t have Cameron Jordan moving forward, so they could use an early draft pick to acquire a pass rusher.

R Mason Thomas is a speedy and dynamic edge rusher.

Pick change; previously Akheem Mesidor, DE

The Dolphins cut Tyreek Hill, and Jaylen Waddle was traded. They’re desperate for a play-making receiver, so they could select two with their first three picks.

Malachi Fields is a big receiver and a red zone weapon.

The Jets really miss Quinnen Williams, so here’s a potential replacement. The Jets added some defensive line talent in free agency, but not enough.

Christen Miller has talent, but hasn’t been able to put it together on the field yet.

Pick change; previously Emmanuel Pregnon, G

Derrick Henry will turn 32 just prior to the 2026 NFL Draft, so Baltimore will have to find a potential successor.

Jadarian Price is an explosive, big-play back who doubles as a return specialist.

The Buccaneers have great tackle play, but their interior blocking is rather weak.

Chase Bisontis lacks length so he may have to play inside at the next level, but he could end up being a power right tackle in the pros.

Pick change; previously R Mason Thomas, DE/OLB

The Colts lost multiple edge rushers this offseason, so they desperately need help at the position.

T.J. Parker had a breakout sophomore campaign. He has impressive instincts and was very productive.

Jake Matthews is an older player, while Kaleb McGary is entering his contract year.

Gennings Dunker had a great Senior Bowl. He’s a nasty run blocker.

There have been reports that the Vikings could trade Jonathan Greenard. If that happens, an edge rusher will be an obvious big need.

Dani Dennis-Sutton has a lot of untapped potential.

The Bears have elite blocking, so the Lions will need as many potent pass rushers as possible to crack through the Chicago offensive line.

Gabe Jacas is a strong and quick defensive end, capable in run support and as a pass rusher.

Here’s some more defensive back help for the Panthers, who will be looking to fix this problem area.

Treydan Stukes has great size and speed, but there’s not much upside because he’s 24.

The Packers could stand to add another interior blocker to help them against some of the great defensive lines.

Keylon Rutledge is a strong lineman who run blocks at a high level.

The Steelers lost Isaac Seumalo in free agency, so they have a big hole to fill in the interior of the offensive line.

Emmanuel Pregnon is a well-built guard who played at three different schools.

Pick change; previously Jacob Rodriguez, LB

There’s nothing beyond A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, and Brown may not be on the team for much longer.

Antonio Williams has excellent play-making ability and quality route-running skills.

Keenan Allen is gone, so the Chargers will think about using an early-round choice on another receiver so Justin Herbert can have as many potent weapons as possible.

Elijah Sarratt has speed questions, but he’s a tall receiver who can make contested catches over the middle of the field.

The Jaguars lost Devin Lloyd, so it would be shocking if they didn’t address linebacker early in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Anthony Hill Jr. covered the field very well to begin his collegiate career.

Given Chicago’s severe pass-rushing issues, the team could stand to draft two edge rushers with its first couple of picks.

Cashius Howell is fast off the edge and has several impressive pass-rushing moves.

Mike Evans is 34, while Ricky Pearsall has issues staying healthy. Another receiver is needed.

Chris Brazzell is a mismatch problem with upside.

The Texans have terrific edge rushers, but it never hurts to have more. Strengthening a strength is a good idea in the event of an injury.

Derrick Moore was a productive pass rusher in college, but is a bit undersized.

The Bears lost their great center to retirement. Luckily for them, this draft class features some very talented second-day center prospects.

Jake Slaughter has quality size, strength, and athleticism.

The Rams have a strong, young defense, but they’ve had issues at cornerback last year. They signed two corners, but I could see them adding another player at the position.

Brandon Cisse has been an impressive cover cornerback. He has nice size and plus speed and athleticism.

Evan Engram is on the roster, but he’s just a temporary solution at tight end.

Eli Stowers shattered jumping records at the combine. He was also very productive at Vanderbilt.

The Patriots had one of the weakest starting centers in the NFL last year, so they’ll need to give Drake Maye someone new under center.

Connor Lew is a strong and agile blocker.

The Seahawks met with a bunch of edge rushers, which is not a surprise because they’ll need to bring as much heat on Matthew Stafford as possible.

Keyron Crawford is a raw pas rusher who had decent production at Auburn.