NFL Draft: Best Players Available For Rounds 2-3 On Day 2

The first round of the NFL Draft is over, but there are still plenty of excellent players on the board.

And if history tells us anything, stars can be found in Round 2 or later.

Here’s a look at some of the best available players going into Day 2 of the NFL Draft, which will feature Rounds 2 and 3.

Best Available Players In The NFL Draft

Rank	Name	Position
1	Emmanuel McNeil-Warren	SAF
2	Jermod McCoy	CB
3	Cashius Howell	EDGE
4	Eli Stowers	TE
5	Skyler Bell	WR
6	D’Angelo Ponds	CB
7	Keyron Crawford	EDGE
8	Emmanuel Pregnon	OL
9	AJ Haulcy	SAF
10	Chris Brazzell	WR

1. Toledo Safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren

McNeil-Warren is extremely physical. He’ll lower his shoulder and hit people with ferocity. 

He’s also excellent when the ball is in the air, as evidenced by the number of passes he broke up in college. He’s constantly looking to create turnovers, whether it’s from a “Peanut Punch” forced fumble or a pick. 

McNeil-Warren was graded as the No. 1 safety by Pro Football Focus (minimum 190 snaps) in 2025. He was also No. 1 at his position for coverage. 

In coverage, he tied for 10th-best mark in the country with an allowed reception rate of 40%. He allowed just six catches for 116 yards on 15 targets. Throws his way had an NFL passer rating of just 50.3. 

Presnap, he spent the majority of his time in the box, but he can also line up at free safety if needed. 

His lack of top-end speed might be a concern, but he could end up being an excellent, versatile safety in the NFL for several years.

2. Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy

McCoy’s injury history – he tore his ACL just over a year ago – will be a concern. And that’s likely why he’s still on the board.

An All-SEC cornerback, he allowed just one touchdown in 2024 after 640 snaps played. His Pro Football Focus grade of 89.6 was third among SEC cornerbacks and ninth in the FBS.

McCoy has excellent quickness, which makes gaining any sort of separation difficult for defenders. And when the ball is in the air, McCoy has exceptional closing speed and has a nose for the ball.

McCoy also showcased great anticipation. He can read offenses and acts instinctively, which led to a high number of turnovers and passes broken up.

McCoy isn’t a small corner, either, and is physical enough to help with run support. 

McCoy is all-around a great cornerback who could end up being a standout player at the next level.

3. Texas A&M EDGE Cashius Howell

Among EDGE players who had at least 450 snaps last year, Howell was 39th in the FBS for overall defense. But he was 18th for pass rushing. 

Over the last three years, Howell totaled 119 quarterback pressures. He was constantly in the back field on passing downs.

And that’s in part because of his elite first step at the snap. He’s also powerful at the point of attack and keeps a low pad level. He has great size for an EDGE, he can press the pocket, and he also has the speed to track down scrambling quarterbacks.

Howell displayed pretty solid footwork and good bend around the edge. And that’s all while keeping his eyes on the backfield so he’s ready for anything.

4. Vanderbilt TE Eli Stowers

Stowers is a classic mismatch nightmare. He can outrun linebackers to gain separation and can outmuscle defensive backs for catches.

In Pro Football Focus’ grades of tight ends (minimum 47 targets), Stowers was third in the FBS. He was also second for receiving. 

He was first in the country among TEs with 2.55 yards per route run and second with 377 yards after catch. His average depth of target was 8.2 yards, which was top 10. Stowers’ drop rate was 6.1%, which was top 20.

A lot of his damage was done on quick slants and outs, but Stowers can get open in any area of the field. He also has the speed to gain yards after catch and could even be utilized on gadget plays if an offensive coordinator wants to scheme that up for him.

Stowers probably isn’t going to be known for his blocking, if you were to point out a weakness in his game. But if he can improve on that, he could very well end up being one of the best tight ends in the NFL.

5. UConn WR Skyler Bell

Bell has crisp technique on his routes and knows how to find open areas on the field. In Pro Football Focus’ grades for wide receivers who were targeted at least 78 times, Bell was top 10 in the FBS for receiving and 16th for overall offense.

Bell excels when the ball is in his hands. He showcases excellent vision and knows how to leverage blockers to his advantage. He was second in the country last season with 835 yards after catch behind only Malachi Toney of Miami. Bell was also tied for fourth with 8.2 yards after catch per reception and with 3.13 yards per route run, so he consistently gained extra yards.

Bell also has great hands. He only needed one hand to haul in several passes in 2025, a season in which he dropped just four throws. He was 24th in the FBS last season with a 72.3% reception rate and was 30th with a drop rate of 3.8%.

But Bell is also capable of bringing down 50/50 balls. He’s crafty when the ball is in the air. He can jump over defenders and attack the ball that way, or he can use his footwork to fool defenders who have their heads turned to the ball to create opportunities. He tied for 16th in the nation with 13 contested catches in 2025 and was 14th with a contested catch rate of 65%.

Bell was a top-10 receiver in the nation by many metrics. He can play in a variety of roles. It would surprise me if he lands on the right team and isn’t an impact NFL player.

6. Indiana CB D’Angelo Ponds

Ponds’ size will be a concern for NFL teams, which may lead to him playing nickelback. But either way, he can be an impactful player.

Among cornerbacks in the FBS who played at least 490 snaps last year, Ponds was fifth in Pro Football Focus’ grades for overall defense and coverage. 

Though he’s not the tallest, Ponds finishes tackles and isn’t afraid to lower his shoulder and hit people. With just two missed tackles, he had the fourth-best missed tackle rate at 3% in 2025. He was top 20 for yards after catch allowed with 56. He was 11th for tackling and 16th for run defense in PFF’s grades last year.

Ponds has great closing speed and instinctively knows how to attack the ball when it’s in the air. He allowed 32 catches for 379 yards on 64 targets while allowing no touchdowns. In fact, he allowed just one touchdown in his two years at Indiana. 

Ponds is also disciplined, as he committed just one penalty last season. He can also contribute on special teams, as he blocked a couple kicks and returned a couple blocked punts for touchdowns during his collegiate career.

Wherever he goes, wherever he plays, I expect Ponds to make a difference for an NFL team.

7. Auburn EDGE Keyron Crawford

Crawford is extremely fluid and smooth while simultaneously being quick at the snap. He has good bend around the edge and possesses solid balance.

In Pro Football Focus’ grades, Crawford ranked 24th among EDGE players who played at least 450 snaps in 2025. He was 39th with 43 quarterback pressures.

With active hands, Crawford can win against offensive linemen in several ways. He can also engage blockers and push them back at the snap to make things tougher for offenses in the run game. For his size, he’s also a versatile player. He can play out of a two-, three-, or four-point stance.

I expect Crawford will be drafted on Day 2 but will contribute for an NFL team almost immediately.

8. Oregon OL Emmanuel Pregnon

For his size, Pregnon moves his feet well. He’s quick enough to pull and climb to the second level in order to influence plays that way. But, of course, he’s also physical, keeps his feet moving at the point of attack, and will move a pile.

Pregnon allowed just one sack while at Oregon in 2025 and none while at USC the two years prior. He gave up five total quarterback pressures after allowing 18 in 2024 and 14 in 2023. He committed just two penalties his final year of college. 

Pregnon is a pretty straightforward prospect. He won’t need to be shuffled around the offensive line. He can play either guard spot, as he did in college, and is a proficient run and pass blocker.

9. LSU Safety AJ Haulcy

Among FBS safeties who played at least 470 snaps last year, Haulcy ranked 12th in Pro Football Focus’ grades for overall defense and was tied for ninth for coverage.

Haulcy allowed 23 receptions on 37 targets for 265 yards with just one touchdown while intercepting three passes. He has great instincts when the ball is in the air. He’s excellent at reading offenses and predicting what they’re going to do before the snap.

Haulcy’s physicality really jumps out to me when watching his tape. He’s a solid tackler. He’s not afraid to lower his shoulder and deliver a hit. He also has solid closing speed when tracking down ball carriers. 

Haulcy can bring a lot to an NFL organization.

10. Tennessee WR Chris Brazzell II

Brazzell is an efficient player with his targets. He ranked 18th in the FBS with 2.57 yards per route run. And that’s in part because his average depth of target was 15.7 yards, which was seventh in the country.

Brazzell will be an enticing NFL prospect because of his big-play ability. His speed stands out on tape. He also has great size for an outside receiver, adjusts well when the ball is in the air, and will successfully fight for 50-50 throws.

But he may need to expand his skill set in the pros, because most of his damage was done with go routes or hitches when defenders were lined up too far off the line of scrimmage to account for that speed. 

Still, Brazzell could end up developing into an explosive wide receiver.

When Does Round 2 Of The NFL Draft Start Today?

The second day of the NFL Draft will begin at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, April 24. It will be televised on ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network and is taking place in Pittsburgh.