NFL Draft targets for teams without a first-round pick in 2026: Bengals need a QB on defense

Night 1 of the NFL Draft always feels like a new beginning. For most teams, they’re hoping their first-round draft pick is the next franchise savior, or the missing piece to a Super Bowl. However, not every team gets to enjoy the hope of drafting a first-round pick this year. Six teams don’t have a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft: the Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons, Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers and the newly added Cincinnati Bengals. 

While most of these teams would willingly do their draft trades again, not having a first-round pick leaves them out of many prospect discussions.

Well, not this one. We care about the teams without a first-round pick over here and want to set the table for players they could realistically select when they get to that range. You won’t see any surefire first-rounders in this group, but there are still some very fun players and position groups among the batch that can help these teams win right now. 

So let’s break down each team’s top needs and the players that’ll be in range for their Day 2 selections.

Pick 42 (Round 2), 71 (Round 3)

Top need: Linebacker

The Bengals spent multiple picks in 2025 on the linebacker spot, adding Demetrius Knight on Day 2 and Barrett Carter on Day 3. The problem is that in 2025, Carter and Knight were one of the worst LB pairings in the NFL, either missing tackles (Carter and Knight missed 18 and 16 tackles last season, respectively) or being picked on in coverage (Knight gave up a 106.7 passer rating in coverage). With the addition of Dexter Lawrence in the middle of that defense, the Bengals could use a quarterback on defense, someone who can make plays in coverage but also play cleanup behind Lawrence and the Bengals’ revamped defensive line.

Top targets: CJ Allen (Georgia), Jake Golday (Cincinnati), Jacob Rodriguez (Texas Tech), Keyshaun Elliott (Arizona State)

Secondary need: Safety

Honestly, the reasons for needing a safety in Cincy are almost a carbon copy of linebacker. The Bengals added Bryan Cook and Kyle Dugger to this group in the offseason, but S Jordan Battle was awful last season. In addition, potentially finding a safety with nickel versatility could be beneficial, especially if Dax Hill is staying on the outside. The good thing is that this is an incredibly deep safety class, even beyond Ohio State’s Caleb Downs, so finding a guy who can play deep or play in the slot could help DC Al Golden’s defense turn itself around.

Top targets: Treydan Stukes (Arizona), AJ Haulcy (LSU), Keionte Scott (Miami), Zakee Wheatley (Penn State)

Pick 47 (Round 2), Pick 78 (Round 3)

Top need: Linebacker

The Colts are currently projected to start Akeem Davis-Gaither and Austin Aijake at linebacker in 2026 after trading Zaire Franklin to the Green Bay Packers. Not exactly where they want to be going into a year where they’re trying to win a Super Bowl. For the Colts specifically, I think their need at linebacker is a little more specific. After trading for CB Sauce Gardner at the deadline, the Colts blitzed at the second-highest rate in the NFL and played man coverage at the sixth-highest rate. DC Lou Anarumo wanted to lean into his ability to play man coverage and be more aggressive with Gardner on the field, and the linebacker group has to be able to affect the game as a blitzer for this to really work.

Top targets: Josiah Trotter (Missouri), Jake Golday (Cincinnati), Kyle Louis (Pitt), Keyshaun Elliott (Arizona State)

Secondary need: Wide Receiver

After trading away Michael Pittman Jr, the Colts’ depth at receiver is thin. Behind Alec Pierce and Josh Downs is Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, then you get into players like Laquon Treadwell. Again, not great at all, especially considering how Pittman Jr. helped to tie the skills of Pierce and Downs together. In his stead, the Colts should look for receiving help on Day 2, specifically guys that can do some of the dirty work that Pittman did for Indy. Guys who are willing and plus blockers, unafraid to work the middle of the field and can be a QB’s best friend, even if not super explosive or dynamic.

Top targets: Germie Bernard (Alabama), De’Zhaun Stribling (Ole Miss), Elijah Sarratt (Indiana)

Pick 48 (2nd round), Pick 79 (3rd round)

Top need: EDGE

The Falcons need to be preparing for the inevitability of not having EDGE James Pearce Jr. on the roster for the foreseeable future. Free agent additions Azeez Ojulari and Samson Ebukam provide nice depth behind promising second-year EDGE Jalon Walker, but they need more pop in that room to keep up with the defense’s breakout 2025. A lot of juice in that pass rush room has left the building, and Atlanta could use some more speed to keep their group boosted.

Top targets: R Mason Thomas (Oklahoma), Jaishawn Barham (Michigan), Derrick Moore (Michigan), Romello Height (Texas Tech)

Secondary need: Right tackle

After the sudden retirement of Kaleb McGary, the Falcons were left looking for answers on the right side. A stopgap of Jawaan Taylor could help in the short term, but there aren’t a lot of long-term answers or depth behind Taylor if the experiment goes poorly. Storm Norton isn’t stopping the Falcons from drafting a potential replacement at right tackle, nor is Taylor, if we’re being frank. The issue then becomes how they address it at 48 and 79. The odds that the top right tackles (Arizona State’s Max Iheanachor and Clemson’s Blake Miller) will be there are exceptionally slim, and Atlanta doesn’t have the capital to move up to take one of those guys. However, I do think there are some intriguing options that’ll fit new head coach Kevin Stefanski’s offense.

Top targets: Caleb Tiernan (Northwestern), Markel Bell (Miami), Travis Burke (Memphis)

Pick 52 (2nd Round), Pick 84 (3rd Round)

Top need: Defensive tackle

Even after trading for Micah Parsons, the Packers could use some help on the defensive line. Green Bay is one of the smallest teams in the NFL between the tackles, and under former DC Jeff Hafley, they would use a lot of slanting and movement to try and hide that their defensive rotation up front was really small. However, it was a problem then and under new coordinator Jonathan Gannon (who could potentially run a five-man front that includes a nose tackle), it becomes a glaring hole. The Packers need a nose tackle who can hold the point of attack and allow for the smaller defenders on Green Bay’s defense to flow freely without having to take on blockers.

Top targets: Domonique Orange (Iowa State), Lee Hunter (Texas Tech), Christen Miller (Georgia)

Secondary need: Cornerback

The Packers are another team I think will take advantage of a deep cornerback class. They especially need outside cornerback help, where Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine are physical but volatile. Jonathan Gannon is probably going to change some of the formula for Green Bay in the secondary, but under GM Brian Gutekunst, they remain one of the strictest teams in the league when it comes to athletic standards. They like their corners to be at least 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, with a sub-4.6 40-yard dash and a sub-7.00-second three-cone drill. Which every team would want, for sure, but the Packers are strongly hunting after these players.

Top targets: Julian Neal (Arkansas), Davison Igbinosun (Ohio State), Ephesians Prysock (Washington)

Pick 56 (2nd Round), Picks 81, 88, 100 (3rd Round)

Top need: Safety

I think the Jaguars think that they’re fine at safety, especially if Caleb Ransaw can get healthy and take over a starting spot. However, I do think they can get aggressive about adding more ball production in the safety room by going after a class as deep as this safety group. The Jaguars put a lot on their safeties when it comes to coverage responsibilities in Anthony Campanile’s defense, but where I think they can get better is by adding impact plays on the back end to emphasize the versatile coverages they deploy.

Top targets: Treydan Stukes (Arizona), Genesis Smith (Arizona), AJ Haulcy (LSU), Bud Clark (TCU)

Secondary need: Pass rush

The Jaguars just extended Travon Walker this offseason, but I think they’re going to be in the market for more pass rush help or a third guy who can win off the edge and allow the Jaguars to be more versatile with their defensive line deployment. The Jaguars made a lot of hay in 2025, moving Travon Walker inside on passing downs, but that only works if there’s a pass rusher opposite Josh Hines-Allen that can actually be a factor, winning in a different way than Hines-Allen and Walker. With the Jaguars being directly in Super Bowl contention, adding hockey lines of pass rushers could be the move in 2026.

Top targets: Jaishawn Barham (Michigan), Gabe Jacas (Illinois), Joshua Josephs (Tennessee)

Pick 62 (2nd Round)

Top need: Running back

At 62, the Broncos have been linked to running back a lot, and for good reason. JK Dobbins is recovering from a Lisfranc injury, another lower-body injury for Dobbins. I’m a fan of RJ Harvey, but without Dobbins on the field, the Broncos’ run game lacked a lot of teeth and couldn’t maximize what is a very good offensive line unit. To ensure Dobbins doesn’t have to rush back from his injury, the Broncos addressing the RB spot would make sense. With Harvey’s explosive capabilities, they might need a guy with better vision who works between the tackles.

Top targets: Jadarian Price (Notre Dame), Jonah Coleman (Washington), Mike Washington Jr (Arkansas)

Secondary need: Linebacker

Despite keeping LBs Justin Strnad and Alex Singleton, I think they can still get younger and faster at the second level of their defense. With both LBs under contract until 2027, I do think drafting LB could be a bit more of a luxury, but this is also a spectacular linebacker class, so grabbing a guy who can give the second level a nitro boost in range and coverage capabilities. I do wonder how Jonah Elliss factors into this conversation, though. A former EDGE with his movement skills could make a linebacker a little more expendable. Even with that, though, getting a young linebacker for Vance Joseph to develop could be fun.

Top targets:

Josiah Trotter (Missouri), Anthony Hill Jr (Texas), Keyshaun Elliott (Arizona State)