Matt Johnson
Rounds 2 and 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft are really what will help shape the future of the National Football League. There are always Day 2 picks that prove to be massive hits for clubs every year and these selections also shed light on how front offices view team needs and the future.
As tonight’s action draws to a close, we’re providing some analysis on what we learned from tonight’s picks. Among the lessons are what all of this said about how general managers and scouts view the 2026 NFL Draft class.
Let’s dive into our takeaways from Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Houston Texans Defense Will Be Even More Dominant in 2026
In 2025, the Houston Texans defense allowed the third-fewest total yards per drive (25.4) and the second-fewest points per drive (1.54), all with the fourth-highest takeaway rate (14.6 percent) in the NFL. All of this was accomplished without DeMeco Ryans getting really great production out of the interior. That’s about to change. Kayden McDonald got overshadowed on a dominant Ohio State defense, but he’s an absolute force on early downs. A year after the Texans had the seventh-lowest Rush Success Rate allowed (37.7 percent), this could be a top-five run defense. That means a lot more second- and third-and-longs, which just means the Texans’ pass rush gets to feast more. Houston’s defense is going to be an even bigger problem for the rest of the league.
Related: Winners, Losers from Day 2 of 2026 NFL Draft
Teams Are Enamored with 2027 NFL Draft Class
How much higher are NFL teams on the 2027 class than the 2026 NFL Draft class? Just look at how few future picks were dealt these past two nights. Historically, general managers have viewed a present pick to be worth a future pick one round higher. Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is obviously a generational talent, a Julio Jones-caliber offensive prospect. Next year’s class is also much deeper at running back, quarterback and wide receiver. There’s been some buzz among analysts that the 2027 class could be one of the strongest and deepest in recent years. Based on how teams clung to their future draft capital, that opinion seems to be shared.
Cleveland Browns Believe in Shedeur Sanders
It’s been made pretty evident that Todd Monken was telling the truth regarding his belief in quarterback Shedeur Sanders. While the front office is implying there will be a starting quarterback battle, Sanders is the favorite, and Cleveland just invested premium draft capital into supporting him. Just look at how much better the supporting cast is now. Spencer Fano is a plug-and-play starter who should at least be serviceable at left tackle as a rookie, and his ceiling is much higher than that. The Browns then doubled down at wide receiver, providing Sanders with a YAC threat in KC Concepcion who can get open quickly and complemented that with 6-foot-3 wideout Denzel Boston, who has some shades of Courtland Sutton, with glue-like hands and a massive catch radius. Boston and Concepcion help a quarterback in different ways, and that’s what Sanders needed.
Philadelphia Eagles Found Their Jaelan Phillips Replacement
The Philadelphia Eagles absolutely wanted to bring back Jaelan Phillips, but the Carolina Panthers pushed a bidding war to a price that couldn’t be matched. Fast forward to the 2026 NFL Draft: Philadelphia flips the 98th overall pick and a 2027 third-round selection to the Minnesota Vikings for edge rusher Jonathan Greenard. He only had 3 sacks this past season, but he was a double-digit sack player in the previous two campaigns. He’s an above-average pass rusher, and the Eagles clearly believe he can return to his 2023-24 form, as evidenced by that $100 million contract extension.
NFL Teams Loved TE Class, Hated 2026 QB and RB Prospects
NFL free agency is typically a good indicator of how teams view certain positions in the upcoming draft class. A few months ago, Travis Etienne and Kenneth Walker all got paid, while the likes of Keaton Mitchell, Rico Dowdle, Kenneth Gainwell, Rachaad White, Chris Rodriguez Jr. and JK Dobbins came off the board quickly. Likewise, many of the quarterbacks found new homes and backups made good money. It all indicated NFL teams did not like the quarterback and running back prospects, outside of the blue-chip talents this year. That proved to be the case with only one of them (quarterback Carson Beck) taken in the first 75 selections.
Meanwhile, Kenyon Sadiq was taken with the 16th overall pick on Thursday night, and we saw a run on tight ends midway through Day 2. From the 54th through 73rd overall pick, six tight ends came off the board. There was a lengthy stretch in the NFL where tight end seemed to be quite thin. That’s no longer the case, and it’s evident teams are putting a greater emphasis on 2TE sets.
Minnesota Vikings All in On Brian Flores’ Front Seven
You would think based on the Minnesota Vikings draft picks this year that Brian Flores is the head coach and not Kevin O’Connell. Minnesota took a massive gamble in Round 1 on defensive tackle Caleb Banks, betting on his elite size and athleticism translating into success in Flores’ system and disregarding the long-term injury concerns with his foot. On Day 2, the Vikings landed linebacker Jake Golday. It’s another bet on explosiveness and size, with Golday (6-foot-4 and 1.60 10-yard dash) really showcasing that ability as a blitzer. In Round 3, Minnesota added some significant beef to the interior in landing Domonique Orange. Standing at 6-foot-2 and over 320 pounds, he’s a classic nose tackle who makes his presence felt stuffing the run. Minnesota will once again boast one of the league’s best defenses in 2026.
