A first-round mock draft is extremely difficult, and the same exercise for Day 2 takes things to another level. Still, there is a ton of talent on the board, so it’s worth going through tonight’s action to see how franchises could theoretically continue to build their rosters.
Round 2
33. TB (via JAX): Logan Hall, DT, Houston
Hall is the favorite to be picked here, and he’d fill a hole on Tampa Bay’s roster alongside Vita Vea on the defensive line.
34. MIN (via DET): Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson
Minnesota might have taken Georgia safety Lewis Cine to close out Round 1 knowing he’d be a potential target for Tampa Bay, and now they add to the secondary again with Booth Jr.
35. TEN (via NYJ): Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati
Tennessee feels somewhat lost in the water after trading A.J. Brown to the Eagles, and perhaps selecting the quarterback of the future will create a spark heading into 2022. It will be interesting to see how the signal-callers other than Kenny Pickett are valued tonight.
36. NYG: Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia
Dean has no business being on the board in Round 2, but the Giants have a chance to take advantage by putting him behind Kayvon Thibodeaux, Leonard Williams, Dexter Lawrence, and Azeez Ojulari.
37. HOU: Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State
Houston’s need for a running back has been publicized as much as their need for a cornerback (taken care of by selecting Derek Stingley Jr.), and Hall is a three-down option that runs with physicality.
38. NYJ (via CAR): Chad Muma, LB, Wyoming
New York was connected to Quay Walker at the top of the second round throughout the pre-draft process, but him going last night could make Muma the next man on the board for them.
39. CHI: George Pickens, WR, Georgia
Pickens is the guy most Chicago fans want here, and he’s a great complement to Darnell Mooney as the franchise hopes to get a clear picture of Justin Fields this season.
40. SEA (via DEN): Malik Willis, QB, Liberty
Willis is the wild card tonight—along with the other quarterbacks still available—and second-round capital makes him not as much of a perceived risk for the retooling Seahawks.
41. SEA: Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington
He didn’t run as fast as expected at the Combine, but Gordon is the prototype for Seattle as a long and athletic cornerback.
42. IND (via WAS): Bernhard Raimann, OT, Central Michigan
Raimann to the Colts is a natural fit as the long-term answer at left tackle. If projecting trades, I’d probably also have Indy moving up for a wide receiver.
43. ATL: David Ojabo, OLB, Michigan
Atlanta needs an edge rusher, and Ojabo is a forward-looking investment coming off a torn Achilles.
44. CLE: Boye Mafe, DE, Minnesota
Cleveland will likely go defensive line or wide receiver here, so Maye is the choice as a guy that drew Round 1 buzz.
45. BAL: Travis Jones, DT, Connecticut
Many believe the Ravens were jumped by the Eagles for Jordan Davis, and they’ll get Jones as a backup plan to join Kyle Hamilton and Tyler Linderbaum from last night’s selections.
46. DET (via MIN): Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn
I’m sure Dan Campbell would love McCreary’s game in the Motor City, and the Lions saw him compete versus Jameson Williams as well as anyone in the Iron Bowl.
47. WAS (via IND): Martin Emerson Jr., CB, Mississippi State
Washington could be hoping for McCreary to be here for them, but cornerback is a huge need, and this wouldn’t be too early for Emerson Jr.
48. CHI (via LAC): Arnold Ebiketie, DE, Penn State
It sounds like veteran Robert Quinn isn’t going anywhere, but Chicago can still add another young player to grow with Trevis Gipson on the edge.
49. NO: Perrion Winfrey, DT, Oklahoma
New Orleans is a team that could potentially target a quarterback, but would they take someone they passed on twice in Round 1 for what they believe is a championship-caliber roster?
50. KC (via MIA): Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State
Travis Kelce mentioned more firepower as something Kansas City could use, and Watson is a big, athletic field-stretcher to help replace Tyreek Hill by committee.
51. PHI: Cam Taylor-Britt, CB, Nebraska
Taylor-Britt has received limited attention throughout the pre-draft process, but I’d bet he’s someone rated much higher by NFL teams than the media.
52. PIT: Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State
Some top cornerbacks flying off the board leaves Pittsburgh in a tough spot, but Brisker can push Terrell Edmunds for snaps alongside Minkah Fitzpatrick on the backend.
53. GB (via LV): Jalen Tolbert, WR, South Alabama
Green Bay almost has to take a wideout in Round 2, and Tolbert compares favorably to Gabriel Davis… he just needs to clean up some of the drop issues to keep Aaron Rodgers happy.
54. NE: Christian Harris, LB, Alabama
New England made the surprise selection of Round 1 with UT-Chattanooga guard Cole Strange, but at this pick, they go back to the SEC with Harris to join former teammates Mac Jones and Christian Barmore.
55. ARI: Drake Jackson, OLB, USC
I wouldn’t be surprised if Jackson went as high as the Tampa Bay selection to kickoff Day 2; if not, he’s a great fit with Arizona to replace Chandler Jones.
56. DAL: Sam Williams, DE, Ole Miss
Williams would be more highly regarded if not for off-field concerns, but he’s been heavily connected to the Cowboys in this slot.
57. BUF: Kenneth Walker III, RB, Michigan State
Buffalo could decide to go with Isaiah Spiller as a more versatile three-down option, but Walker is projected to be drafted earlier and would help cap drives for Josh Allen.
58. ATL (via TEN): Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss
A quarterback selected in the late second round doesn’t preclude Atlanta from drafting one in 2023 (which I think is the plan), but Corral has a similar skillset to current starter Marcus Mariota.
59. GB: Greg Dulcich, TE, UCLA
Green Bay adding another tight end—and one that happens to be a former wideout—would at least be a way to add weapons for Aaron Rodgers, and Dulcich is a big-play threat.
60. TB: Jalen Pitre, S, Baylor
Some might say Pitre is too much of a repeatable talent with Antoine Winfield Jr. at safety, but I think he’d fit nicely as more of a combo slot/safety type.
61. SF: Nick Cross, S, Maryland
Cross has been a hot name in the media for the past couple of weeks, and I could see the Niners being the team that covets him in this range.
62. KC: DeMarvin Leal, DT, Texas A&M
Kansas City seems to believe they can get the most out of “tweener” types on the defensive line, and Leal was a projected first-round pick last fall.
63. CIN: Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State
Cincinnati was rumored to have interest in McBride with the No. 31 pick, but they get him towards the end of Round 2 to join Hayden Hurst at tight end.
64. DEN (via LAR): Nik Bonitto, OLB, Oklahoma
Denver could use a speed complement to Bradley Chubb, and Bonitto fits the billing for a team that will need closers in the AFC West.
Round 3
65. JAX: Cam Jurgens, C, Nebraska
Jurgens should remind Doug Pederson of Jason Kelce, and the former Super Bowl-winning head coach gets a chance to bolster the offense after two defenders were drafted in the first round.
66. MIN (via DET): Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina
Howell is an analytics darling, and Minnesota’s new front office could be of the mind that you should draft a quarterback every year.
67. NYG: Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan
The Giants would already have hit a home run for the draft if they add Nakobe Dean to their Round 1 haul, and Moore adds some versatility at wide receiver.
68. HOU: Leo Chenal, LB, Wisconsin
Chenal is a polarizing prospect, but he’d be a strong option as a downhill, blitzing linebacker in Lovie Smith’s defense.
69. TEN (via NYJ): Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota
Dillon Radunz could play left guard and/or be the successor to Taylor Lewan at left tackle, and Faalele is a monster right tackle to join a run-first offense.
70. JAX (via CAR): Alec Pierce, WR, Cincinnati
Jacksonville obviously signed Christian Kirk to a huge deal and followed it up by signing Zay Jones, but Pierce may be viewed as a big-bodied option for the future with Marvin Jones set to be a free agent next spring.
71. CHI: Marcus Jones, CB, Houston
The Bears are the closest thing the NFL has to a hard rebuild, but I’m sure every team still wants to win, and Jones can spark the return game in addition to his defensive contributions.
72. SEA: Joshua Paschal, DE, Kentucky
Paschal is a power edge that—as mentioned for Kyler Gordon—would seem to fit the desired prototype for them.
73: IND (via WAS): Jalyn Armour-Davis, CB, Alabama
Still no wideout for the Colts, but Armour-Davis would be a starter on the outside with Stephon Gilmore as Kenny Moore II mans the slot.
74. ATL: John Metchie III, WR, Alabama
Metchie’s value is complicated by a torn ACL, but when healthy, he’d be a great complement to Drake London and Kyle Pitts.
75. DEN: Troy Andersen, LB, Montana State
Denver wants to keep adding pieces on defense, and the linebacker trio of Josey Jewell, Baron Browning, and Andersen would be very solid.
76. BAL: Coby Bryant, CB, Cincinnati
Bryant feels like a Baltimore selection as the 2021 Jim Thorpe Award winner, and depth is needed behind Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters.
77. MIN: Myjai Sanders, OLB, Cincinnati
You can never have too many pass rushers, so the signing of Za’Darius Smith doesn’t stop Minnesota from targeting an edge defender on Day 2—especially based on the availability of Danielle Hunter in recent years.
78. CLE: Romeo Doubs, WR, Nevada
Doubs is an overlooked name at receiver, but he brings a skillset reminiscent of Michael Gallup with the ability to be both a downfield and possession target.
79. LAC: Neil Farrell Jr., DT, LSU
The Chargers need bodies between Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack on the interior, and Farrell Jr. can plug holes while also being a quality penetrator.
80. HOU (via NO): Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson
Ross’ stock is a mystery because his injury history, but Houston can afford to take a chance on him as talented player that appeared to be the No. 1 wideout in the class as a true freshman.
81. NYG (via MIA): Jamaree Salyer, G, Georgia
New York plugging holes at right tackle (with Evan Neal) and left guard (with Salyer) would go a long way to evaluating Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley in 2022.
82. ATL (via IND): Channing Tindall, LB, Georgia
There are many linebackers with the speed of Tindall, and Atlanta can add him behind Deion Jones and Rashaan Evans.
83. PHI: Isaiah Spiller, RB, Texas A&M
Spiller is a perfect fit with the Eagles because of his natural feet and vision on the second level behind an offensive line that will consistently generate a push up front.
84. PIT: Tariq Woolen, CB, UTSA
At six-foot-four with 4.26 speed, Woolen could go higher than this, but he’s in the same mold as Ahkello Witherspoon and Justin Layne on the Pittsburgh depth chart.
85. NE: Cameron Thomas, DE, San Diego State
Thomas probably fits best as a 4-3 defensive end, though New England’s versatile front could allow him to kick inside some, too.
86. LV: James Cook, RB, Georgia
The Raiders didn’t pick up the fifth-year option for Josh Jacobs, and Kenyan Drake is entering the final year of his deal. This would be an awesome spot for Cook to be used as a mismatch in the passing game.
87. ARI: Dylan Parham, G, Memphis
Kyler Murray is happy with the addition of Marquise Brown, and Parham would be some protection up front as a more athletic option than the current veteran starters.
88. DAL: JT Woods, S, Baylor
I like Malik Hooker to be even better in Year 2 of his Dallas tenure, but Woods is another centerfield type with tremendous ball skills.
89. BUF: Bo Melton, WR, Rutgers
Although this might seem high, Melton could remind Brandon Beane of John Brown as a speedy option at wide receiver.
90. TEN: Jelani Woods, TE, Virginia
Tennessee has Austin Hooper at tight end, but Woods is a high-upside prospect that would see a good amount of playing time as a rookie.
91. TB: Luke Goedeke, G, Central Michigan
Goedeke is projected to be drafted as a guard, and Tampa Bay could immediately slide him in as a replacement for Ali Marpet on the left side.
92. GB: Abraham Lucas, OT, Washington State
It’s unclear how exactly the Green Bay offensive line will settle for 2022, but Lucas can either be a possible starter at right tackle or swing option if Elgton Jenkins ends up starting there.
93. SF: Luke Fortner, C, Kentucky
Alex Mack is still considering retirement, and Fortner can be drafted to grow with Trey Lance if the 36-year-old doesn’t return.
94. NE (via KC): Nicholas Petit-Frere, OT, Ohio State
Petit-Frere was the nation’s top offensive tackle prospect coming out of high school, and he started on both sides for the Buckeyes to give New England more options up front.
95. CIN: Kingsley Enagbare, DE, South Carolina
Cincinnati might be set to draft an offensive lineman at some point, but there are quite a few developmental options to consider in a deep class. Instead, Enagbare is another piece on the edge.
96. DEN (via LAR): Cade Otton, TE, Washington
Albert Okwuegbunam being used as a hybrid WR/TE could have Denver searching for a more traditional option, which is a role that would suit Otton.
97. DET: Brandon Smith, LB, Penn State
Smith falls under the knee-cap-biting category of linebacker, and Detroit would be a lot tougher if they come away with him and Roger McCreary tonight.
98. WAS: Charlie Kolar, TE, Iowa State
John Bates is a promising option, but with the status of Logan Thomas (knee) in doubt for the start of the season, Carson Wentz could use another tight end.
99. CLE: Phidarian Mathis, DT, Alabama
Maybe they will go in another direction, but Cleveland seems likely to select a defensive end, defensive tackle, and wide receiver in some sort of order after not having a first-round pick.
100. ARI: Damarri Mathis, CB, Pittsburgh
Even though the Cardinals signed 2020 first-rounder Jeff Gladney in free agency, cornerback can still be bolstered, and Mathis fits their profile after a 4.39 40-yard dash at the Combine and 43.5-inch vertical at his Pro Day.
101. NYJ: Brian Robinson Jr., RB, Alabama
The Jets drafting a bigger complement to Michael Carter is something I’ve expected all offseason (warning to fantasy football owners), and Robinson Jr. would be an excellent value here.
102. MIA: Dominique Robinson, OLB, Miami (OH)
Robinson has big-time upside on the edge, and the Dolphins could undoubtedly use more pass rushers considering all the high-powered attacks in the AFC.
103. KC: Ryan Van Demark, OT, Connecticut
Van Demark wasn’t invited to the Combine, but that could turn out to be a significant miss if he’s drafted and developed by Kansas City.
104. LAR: Aaron Hansford, LB, Texas A&M
Hansford just feels like a target for the Rams to me, as he’d bring speed and coverage ability to the second level of the defense.
105. SF: Velus Jones Jr., WR, Tennessee
Billed as a potential replacement for Deebo Samuel, Jones Jr. can still be taken as an insurance policy to close out Round 3.