2026 NFL draft: Latest buzz on No. 2 pick, bold predictions

With the 2026 NFL draft less than two weeks away (April 23-25), we asked analysts Matt Miller, Jordan Reid and Field Yates to break down the latest intel from around the league.

This week, we’re mainly attacking the draft buzz from the team side. What are we hearing on the Jets’ plans at No. 2? Which teams are we most certain — or uncertain — about in Round 1? And what does the perfect draft look like for three franchises picking outside the top 10?

We also asked our experts to give some bold predictions about the top prospects. And to wrap it up, Miller, Reid and Yates emptied their scouting notebooks with what they’re hearing, seeing and thinking.

Jump to a section:
Bold predictions | Jets’ No. 2 pick
Certain picks | Uncertain picks
Seven-round mock drafts: CAR, DET, LAC
Emptying notebooks: What we’re hearing

Give us your best bold prediction for the draft.

Reid: Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez will be the second linebacker off the board … inside the first round. To be clear, I’m placing Arvell Reese (Ohio State) at edge rusher here. It’s fair to assume that Sonny Styles (Ohio State) will be the first linebacker drafted, sometime in the top 10 picks. After Styles, there aren’t many second-level defenders as accomplished as Rodriguez. Teams absolutely love his mental makeup, instincts and playmaking ability (seven forced fumbles, four INTs in 2025).

Rodriguez has continued to check all boxes during the predraft process, and many evaluators have strong second-round grades on him. But don’t be completely shocked if someone takes the leap late on Day 1.

Yates: We wanted bold, so how about this: Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. will go outside the top 12 picks. Bain is an exceptional player, and there is no shortage of teams with a pass rush need to pick in the first 12 spots. But he is going to be an outlier in the first round, as the first edge rusher with sub-31-inch arms to get picked there. There are some scouts who are skeptical of a team taking an outlier super early. The teams that could take a chance are the Saints, Chiefs and Bengals (Nos. 8-10, respectively), but there’s a chance he’s still there in the teens.

Miller: Arizona State receiver Jordyn Tyson will take a draft-day tumble outside the top 20 picks. His hamstring issues are concerning for teams, causing him to miss three straight games in November. He also had eight drops in 2024. Teams I’ve talked to like Tyson’s juice as a route runner and his production, but the injuries and drops are causing him to slide behind Carnell Tate (Ohio State) and Makai Lemon (USC) on the receiver board. It’s even possible Omar Cooper Jr. (Indiana) gets picked before him.

What are you hearing on the Jets’ preferences at No. 2?

Yates: In canvassing people around the NFL, the overwhelming majority of them have defaulted to Texas Tech’s David Bailey and Ohio State’s Arvell Reese as the pick. Each player would provide the Jets with a young, building-block pass rusher. Bailey is regarded as the more refined, pro-ready rusher, while Reese is considered the higher-ceiling prospect with better fluidity and overall athleticism. But … the Jets have given no indication on the pick.

Miller: I’ll echo what Field has heard, although I did hear that the Jets really like Tate and would consider him if the team was better set at quarterback. As of today, it sounds like Bailey has more fans in the building. The Jets understand that an impact player is needed right now for coach Aaron Glenn’s defense. Bailey’s 14.5 sacks in 2025 and speed around the edge make for an ideal fit for a team moving to more of a 3-4 defense.

Reid: I’ve heard the same line of thinking as Field and Matt, though I ultimately believe the Jets go with Reese and his upside at No. 2. Opinions are mixed on which position he projects best at in the NFL, but I have him graded as an off-ball linebacker who could be sparingly used as an edge rusher. This is a pick that truly feels 50-50.

Which pick beyond No. 1 are you most certain on right now?

Miller: I don’t feel higher than 75% confidence in any pick outside of No. 1 right now, but if the Titans find themselves at No. 4 with Reese and Bailey off the board, I would expect Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love to be the selection. And he might be the pick regardless of who is available based on how active the Titans were in adding pass rushers this offseason. Love will go somewhere in the top five, and I think Tennessee has eyes on pairing him with quarterback Cam Ward.

Reid: Sources have told me the Dolphins are big fans of Utah lineman Spencer Fano and would take him at No. 11. The team loves his versatility, believing he can play any interior spot or be a plug-and-play starter at right tackle. Austin Jackson is entering a contract year, and there are a lot of question marks surrounding his durability. New front offices have leaned on selecting an offensive lineman to start their tenure, so this pairing makes a lot of sense.

Yates: It’s extremely hard for me to see the Bengals passing on LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane if he is on the board at No. 10. Delane fills a priority need for Cincinnati and is an extremely clean prospect. He had a dominant 2025 season, ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at his pro day and has rock-solid size (6-foot, 187 pounds). Will he make it to No. 10? I’m not sure, given the cornerback need for other teams with top-10 picks.

And which pick are you the most uncertain on?

Reid: The Browns at No. 6 is one that sources have been conflicted on. Offensive tackle and wide receiver are clearly two of their biggest holes, but which order would they attack those positions with their two first-round picks (No. 24 being the latter)? Or would they stick to taking the “best player available” here?

General manager Andrew Berry could also replicate his strategy from the 2025 draft and trade back. If the Browns do elect to target offensive tackle and receiver, it comes down to which position Cleveland sees as having more depth. If it feels like there’s a shortage of pass catchers that could be available at No. 24, then it should take Tate. If it doesn’t love the tackle depth, then Fano and Monroe Freeling (Georgia) are two names that have been mentioned by sources. But here’s a name that shocked me when speaking about who Cleveland really likes at No. 6 … Alabama tackle Kadyn Proctor.

Yates: I’ll offer two in back-to-back spots, as the Titans and Giants offer a couple of similar dynamics (Nos. 4 and 5, respectively). Each team has a second-year quarterback and ambitions to make a leap this year, but neither has a dominant running back that takes drafting Love off the table. He is my No. 2 overall prospect and perhaps the best bet to become a Pro Bowler early in his career, but would either team eschew needs at other more premium positions to take a running back? Where Love goes in the top 10 is one of the biggest questions people around the league have wondered about for months.

Miller: Kansas City is a confusing team at No. 9 for a few reasons. The roster has many needs at core positions such as wide receiver, right tackle, defensive end, defensive tackle, cornerback and safety. Any of those spots could be the pick at No. 9, depending on how the board falls. And that’s the second part of the issue with accurately predicting the team’s first pick — which pass rushers and wide receivers will still be there? Would Kansas City pivot to Fano if it doesn’t like anyone on the board at pass rusher or wide receiver? The variety of options available to general manager Brett Veach makes this a tough prediction.

Mini-mock of the week: Perfect seven-round draft for teams picking outside the top 10

Miller’s ideal picks for the Lions

17. Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
50. Gabe Jacas, Edge, Illinois
118. Kamari Ramsey, S, USC
128. Zane Durant, DT, Penn State
157. Demond Claiborne, RB, Wake Forest
181. Justin Jefferson, LB, Alabama
205. Barion Brown, WR, LSU
213. Pat Coogan, C, Indiana
222. Collin Wright, CB, Stanford

The Lions look to get back into the postseason by beefing up the trenches in this draft. In Round 1, a powerful offensive tackle in the form of Proctor allows the team flexibility to keep Penei Sewell on the right side or flip Proctor there. Round 2 is all about getting a pass rusher opposite Aidan Hutchinson, with Durant helping there as well. The Lions signed running back Isiah Pacheco in free agency, but Claiborne could provide another spark next to Jahmyr Gibbs.

Yates’ ideal picks for the Panthers

19. Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
51. Caleb Tiernan, OT, Northwestern
83. Jalen Farmer, G, Kentucky
119. Joe Royer, TE, Cincinnati
158. Kendrick Law, WR, Kentucky
159. Logan Fano, Edge, Utah
200. Thaddeus Dixon, CB, North Carolina

Despite re-signing Nick Scott to a one-year deal, Carolina enters the draft with a primary need at safety. It also should have an eye toward the future along the offensive line. Thieneman is my second-ranked safety, with the best ball skills of any defensive back prospect. Tiernan is an experienced left tackle at 6-foot-8, though he has just 32¼-inch arms. On Day 3, Carolina could find more effective pass catchers behind Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker. Royer and Law have both shown great skills after the catch.

Reid’s ideal picks for the Chargers

22. T.J. Parker, Edge, Clemson
55. Emmanuel Pregnon, G, Oregon
86. Kaleb Elarms-Orr, LB, TCU
123. Chandler Rivers, CB, Duke
204. Gary Smith III, DT, UCLA

Edge rusher and interior offensive line are two major needs for the Chargers, who are tied with the Falcons for the second-lowest number of picks. Parker is a heavy-handed and powerful run defender, while having upside as a complementary pass rusher. Pregnon is a physical tone-setter with enough foot quickness to fit in the team’s zone scheme. Elarms-Orr provides immediate depth and competition for a linebacker room that needs it. Rivers is one of the top nickel corners in this class, as he has developed enough to be a starter this season.

What else did you hear and see this week?

Miller’s notes:

• Teams are going to wait on wide receivers this year. It’s a trend we’ve seen recently with depth at receiver in seemingly every class — teams understand they can wait until later in Round 1 or even Round 2 to find starting-quality talent. This could play out in 2026, as only Tate and Lemon are poised to go in the top 15. Teams will likely wait for Omar Cooper Jr., Jordyn Tyson, KC Concepcion (Texas A&M) and others.

• I’m still struggling to find a team for Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson in Round 1. In talking to sources throughout the league, you often hear teams suggest someone might take him, but no one is convinced on who that might be. Even the idea of the Cardinals trading back into Round 1 was met with skepticism from one scouting director I spoke to. “Why give up draft picks to jump into Round 1 when the Jets didn’t like him enough at No. 2 or No. 16 to take him?” they said. A surprise team could emerge as a landing spot for Simpson, but the more likely reality is he’s still on the board in Round 2.

Reid’s notes:

• For the first time since 2021, it is possible that no defensive tackles could be selected in Round 1. I haven’t found a team that has a true first-round grade on any defensive tackle. With Caleb Banks (Florida) recently having foot surgery, he’s likely to be a Day 2 pick. The inconsistencies of Peter Woods (Clemson) throughout the season and during the predraft process have caused most teams I have spoken with to put an early-to-mid second-round mark on him. Kayden McDonald (Ohio State) has mixed reviews because of his lack of pass-rushing ability; many teams wouldn’t use a first-round pick on a two-down interior defender.

• Olaivavega Ioane (Penn State) is the clear top interior offensive lineman, but many sources believe as many as three interior blockers could go in the first round. Texas A&M’s Chase Bisontis, Oregon’s Emmanuel Pregnon and Georgia Tech’s Keylan Rutledge were mentioned as the top candidates to sneak in. The Chargers and Seahawks were two teams repeatedly suggested as ones to watch here.

• A prospect who is scorching hot in league circles is San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson. Many executives whom I spoke with said he could be the third cornerback off the board after LSU’s Mansoor Delane and Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy. Johnson has aced the predraft process, as he had a favorable showing at the Senior Bowl and then ran a 4.40-second 40-yard dash at the combine. The Steelers and Jets are the only top-30 visits Johnson has had, though many teams believe others are trying to hide their interest. Multiple sources have said his realistic draft range starts with the Cowboys at No. 20.

Yates’ notes:

• A Day 3 prospect who has intrigue because of his skill set and background is Mississippi State tight end Seydou Traore. He was born and raised in London, England, before spending one season in the United States in high school in hopes of earning a football scholarship. He eventually landed at Arkansas State before finishing up in Starkville. Traore is an extremely athletic, “move” TE who has come a long way in a short period of time. His ability to generate separation at the top of routes and run-after-catch skills are among his hallmark traits.