NFL Draft: Top 20 Best Players Remaining Entering Day 2

Best Players Available at a Glance

• Jermod McCoy, CB
• Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S
• Avieon Terrell, CB
• CJ Allen, LB
• T.J. Parker, EDGE

Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft delivered the expected at the top — Fernando Mendoza to Las Vegas, Jeremiyah Love to Arizona at three, and Ohio State's Arvell Reese going fifth to the Giants.

But plenty of talented players remain on the board as teams prepare for Rounds 2 and 3 on Friday night. The second round kicks off at 7 PM ET on ESPN, ABC, and NFL Network from Pittsburgh.

Who are the best players available?

Best Players Remaining After Round 1 of the NFL Draft

1. CB Jermod McCoy — Tennessee

Height/Weight: 6-0, 193 lbs | Draft Range: Round 2 Early

• Widely considered a first-round talent who slid due to ACL concerns after missing all of 2025
• Ran a blazing 4.37 40-yard dash at his Pro Day — proof the knee has healed physically
• In 2024 at Tennessee, recorded 44 tackles, 4 interceptions, and 7 passes defensed before the injury
• Elite press-man cornerback who can mirror receivers with exceptional foot quickness
• Best Fits: Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts — teams needing an outside corner with shutdown potential
• The medicals will be the deciding factor; any team comfortable with them gets potential CB1 value on a Day 2 pick

2. S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren — Toledo

Height/Weight: 6-3, 201 lbs | Draft Range: Round 2

• One of the most athletically impressive safeties in this class — 42-inch vertical, 4.41 40-yard dash
• Physically dominant near the line of scrimmage with elite ball-hawk instincts
• Dominated MAC competition at Toledo but athletic testing and on-field production both back his projection
• Projects as an immediate box safety starter in a scheme that uses a physical enforcer in the middle
• Best Fits: Seattle Seahawks (lost multiple safeties this offseason), Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans

3. CB Avieon Terrell — Clemson

Height/Weight: 6-0, 192 lbs | Draft Range: Round 2

• Elite football IQ and playmaking instincts — reads quarterbacks like a veteran
• Capable of playing both inside and outside, giving defensive coordinators real versatility
• Slower 40-yard dash (4.55) raises athletic flags, but tape consistently shows him competing with top receivers
• Two-year starter at Clemson who earned consistent grades as a sound zone and matchup corner
• Best Fits: New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints (secondary depth), Los Angeles Rams

4. LB CJ Allen — Georgia

Height/Weight: 6-1, 228 lbs | Draft Range: Round 2

• 2025 Consensus All-American and First-Team All-SEC — breakout junior year with 85 tackles, 8 TFLs, 3.5 sacks
• Sideline-to-sideline speed with advanced tackling technique and a very low missed-tackle rate
• Georgia's pipeline of draft-ready linebackers is unmatched, and Allen is their latest product
• Suffered a torn meniscus late in 2025 but played 13 days after surgery — minor concern, not a red flag
• Best Fits: Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos — 3-4 and 4-3 teams needing a starting WILL linebacker

5. EDGE T.J. Parker — Clemson

Height/Weight: 6-4, 263 lbs | Draft Range: Round 2

• Had a down year in 2025 (5 sacks) after producing 11 sacks as a sophomore in 2024
• Strong Senior Bowl performance reminded evaluators why he was once a first-round conversation
• Sets the edge powerfully, fights through blocks, and has a developing pass-rush plan
• Just 21 years old on draft night — ceiling is considerably higher than his 2025 production suggests
• Best Fits: Houston Texans, Atlanta Falcons, Jacksonville Jaguars — teams investing in young pass-rush upside

6. DT Kayden McDonald — Ohio State

Height/Weight: 6-2, 326 lbs | Draft Range: Round 2

• Career-best 86.0 PFF grade in 2025 powered by elite run defense — 91.2 run-defense grade ranked first among all FBS interior defenders
• Run-stop rate in the 99th percentile; anchors the middle of the line against any physical front
• The limitation is real — his pass-rush grade (63.1) is average, and he does not project as a penetrator
• A true 1-technique nose tackle who can anchor a 3-4 system from Day 1
• Best Fits: Cincinnati Bengals, Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers — run-first defenses in need of interior anchors

7. WR Denzel Boston — Washington

Height/Weight: 6-4, 212 lbs | Draft Range: Round 2

• Towering outside receiver with rare size-speed combination and exceptional contested-catch ability
• Tracks the deep ball like a centerfielder — his 67% contested catch rate in 2025 is elite for a college receiver
• Recorded 742 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns at Washington in 2025 on a limited target share
• Questions around long speed (4.52 combine) and separation in zone coverage, but his catch-point dominance and size fill a specific need
• Best Fits: New York Giants, Chicago Bears, Baltimore Ravens — teams searching for a red-zone and 50/50-ball specialist

8. EDGE Zion Young — Missouri

Height/Weight: 6-4, 268 lbs | Draft Range: Round 2

• High-effort, physical edge defender who dominates the point of attack and sets the edge with strength
• Posted 10.5 sacks and 16 TFLs in 2025 — legitimate production against SEC competition
• Not a natural bender off the edge, which limits his pure speed-to-the-corner projection
• Best schematic home is in a 4-3 defense where his combination of power and relentless motor can be maximized as a run stopper who also flashes pass-rush upside
• Best Fits: Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders

9. CB Colton Hood — Tennessee

Height/Weight: 6-0, 193 lbs | Draft Range: Round 2

• Mel Kiper called Hood a "red-hot" second-round target after he went undrafted Thursday night
• Good size with an aggressive, physical press coverage mentality and strong tackling instincts for a corner
• Only one full season as a primary starter — his development ceiling is high but his floor requires coaching
• Teammate of McCoy, and while not the prospect McCoy is, Hood's physical tools are legitimate
• Best Fits: Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns, Washington Commanders

10. G Emmanuel Pregnon — Oregon

Height/Weight: 6-5, 310 lbs | Draft Range: Round 2

• Posted an 86.7 PFF grade in 2025 across a career-high 910 snaps — his pass-blocking grade of 88.1 ranked 7th among all FBS guards
• Allowed just one sack, two hits, and two hurries on 471 pass-blocking snaps — exceptionally clean
• Excels in zone run-blocking with 98th percentile marks in zone schemes
• Versatility to slide inside from tackle to guard at the next level gives teams offensive line flexibility
• Best Fits: Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals, New Orleans Saints — zones-scheme offenses needing immediate interior line help

11. DT Christen Miller — Georgia

Height/Weight: 6-4, 295 lbs | Draft Range: Round 2-3

• Strong frame with rare quickness for his size — quick first step and outstanding leverage generate consistent disruption
• Part of Georgia's pipeline of first-round caliber defenders who project as long-term NFL starters
• Must continue developing his anchor against powerful NFL centers and guards
• Projects in a wide variety of fronts as an interior disruptor who can play in a gap or slant scheme
• Best Fits: New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers

12. S A.J. Haulcy — LSU

Height/Weight: 6-1, 201 lbs | Draft Range: Round 2-3

• Deep safety with outstanding range, ball-hawking instincts, and an aggressive playmaking mentality
• Ideal for a single-high or Cover-3 defense that needs a backend anchor who can eliminate the big play
• Posted multiple interceptions at LSU in 2025 with consistent range in the deep half
• Not a scheme-versatile player — best fits are defenses that keep him at free safety, away from run-force responsibilities
• Best Fits: New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Chargers

13. EDGE Cashius Howell — Texas A&M

Height/Weight: 6-2, 260 lbs | Draft Range: Round 2-3

• Undersized but explosive off the snap — wins with hand technique and pass-rush burst in one-on-one situations
• Generated consistent pressure at Texas A&M in the SEC, earning attention as a Day 2 riser throughout the pre-draft process
• Measurables will limit his first-round ceiling, but his burst, hand usage, and pass-rush plan project to a rotating edge role immediately
• Best Fits: Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers — teams building deep edge rotations

14. OG Chase Bisontis — Texas A&M

Height/Weight: 6-4, 320 lbs | Draft Range: Round 2-3

• Guard-only prospect due to short arm length, but within that role he is arguably the best pure mauler available
• Rare weight-room strength with excellent pass-protection instincts — his punch and anchor on inside moves is NFL-ready
• Two-year starter in the SEC against elite interior rushers
• Best Fits: Los Angeles Rams, Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars — physical run-first offenses needing a starting guard

15. WR Chris Bell — Louisville

Height/Weight: 6-3, 225 lbs | Draft Range: Round 3

• Imposing big-bodied receiver with a rare combination of size and explosiveness for the position
• Excels on vertical and horizontal routes — not a nuanced route runner, but when kept in his lane he separates downfield
• Creates yards after contact in a way few receivers in this class can match at his size
• Best Fits: Los Angeles Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots — teams that need an X receiver with red-zone presence

16. LB Jacob Rodriguez — Texas Tech

Height/Weight: 6-2, 230 lbs | Draft Range: Round 3

• Makes plays at an extraordinary rate for his draft position — posted elite combine athletic scores that surprised evaluators
• Plays with top-end football IQ and instincts, diagnosed offenses better than nearly any linebacker at his level in 2025
• Physical limitations at the point of attack are the legitimate concern — lacks the power of an NFL two-down linebacker
• Best Fits: San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles — coverage-heavy linebacker schemes where his range and IQ outweigh his strength deficiency

17. CB D'Angelo Ponds — Indiana

Height/Weight: 5-11, 186 lbs | Draft Range: Round 3

• Indiana product who played in the CFP national championship environment — proven against elite competition
• Football IQ and zone instincts are his calling card; reads quarterbacks early and jumps routes with reliability
• Size and athleticism are modest for an outside corner — projects as a zone-first starter or nickel option at the NFL level
• Best Fits: Cincinnati Bengals, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers — teams that can deploy him in a defined zone role

18. TE Eli Stowers — Vanderbilt

Height/Weight: 6-5, 247 lbs | Draft Range: Round 3

• Natural, versatile receiving tight end with 85 ESPN Scouts Inc. grade — projects best in a big-slot or move TE role
• Consistent route runner over two seasons at Vanderbilt with a high usage rate as a primary target
• In-line blocking is limited — not a traditional 2TE scheme player, but a legitimate receiving weapon in spread-heavy passing attacks
• Best Fits: Los Angeles Rams, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings — pass-heavy offenses looking for a move TE with receiving upside

19. EDGE Gabe Jacas — Illinois

Height/Weight: 6-4, 258 lbs | Draft Range: Round 3

• When he diagnoses plays correctly, he shows genuine NFL-level pass-rush ability with good burst and strength
• Versatile enough to play in both 3-4 and 4-3 fronts — can operate as a 3-4 OLB or a 4-3 DE
• Can be reactionary rather than instinctive on the snap, which limits his ceiling from a first-step standpoint
• Best Fits: Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions — NFC North teams building defensive depth

20. WR Zachariah Branch — Georgia

Height/Weight: 5-10, 185 lbs | Draft Range: Round 2-3

• One of the few true difference-making athletes remaining on the board — elite burst, top-end speed, and YAC ability
• Transferred from USC to Georgia and produced immediately as a dynamic underneath and gadget weapon
• Route tree is underdeveloped — heavily reliant on athleticism rather than technique to create separation
• High boom-or-bust upside: could develop into a legitimate starting slot receiver or end up as a specialist and return man
• Best Fits: San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles — creative play-callers who use speed in space

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