Two days of the 2026 NFL draft down, one to go. I broke down what I liked (and didn't like) in Round 1 on Thursday night, and now I'm doing the same for Rounds 2-3.
Only four players in the top 32 of my Big Board rankings were still available Friday, which meant teams had to be savvy in finding strong fits and value. The 49ers -- who had traded back with the Jets to land at No. 33 -- started things off with De'Zhaun Stribling. It took seven picks before receiver Denzel Boston came off the board, joining the Browns' offense -- he was my best available prospect coming out of Round 1. We also saw two quarterbacks get picked; Arizona took Carson Beck, then Pittsburgh selected Drew Allar. And one of the stories of the night was the tight end run. The picks came fast at the position, but they might have come too fast.
There were some really strong selections, where front offices attacked roster needs. But there were also some confusing moves, where teams missed opportunities to make better additions. Let's put the 68 picks into context.
Which teams were the big winners of the night? To break down the best and worst from Friday, I leaned on my own Big Board rankings and prospect grades to get a sense of which teams got steals and which teams reached. Each roster's biggest needs, what each front office did in Round 1 and any trades involved in the picks -- both up and down the board -- were also important considerations.
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Biggest winners and best picks from Rounds 2-3
Cleveland Browns
The pick: Denzel Boston (No. 39), Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (No. 58), Austin Barber (No. 86)
Cleveland reached for KC Concepcion a little Thursday, but they turned it around and got value on Boston on Day 2. He was my best remaining player on the board coming into Friday night, and he can immediately make an impact in this Browns offense. Boston runs strong routes, and he uses his 6-foot-4, 212-pound frame to take defenders out of the play. With long arms and sure hands, he catches everything (which is the knock on Concepcion), adjusting his body to haul in the ball.