There is still plenty of talent available on the board since Day 2 of the draft kicked off. There are also questions about some of that highly rated talent that remains on the board. And without a doubt, it is going to be a dramatic day once again.

But not more than what has already begun on Day 1 with Tennessee’s Jerod McCoy sliding down even further. With that being the storyline of the 2026 Draft, here’s a primer of the second round:

MCCOY COULD HANG AROUND A LONG TIME

Imagine being a touted cornerback since the year you were not even eligible to enter the NFL. Then think about tumbling down deep so that you no longer understand what’s happening. That’s the story of Jerod McCoy, the player who was considered an NFL standout after just his sophomore season in 2024. But an ACL tear got him to his knees, literally.

The injury in question happened in early January last year during a training session. While it was thought he would return to begin his junior season, squarely putting him in the top 10-15 conversations in this draft, that did not happen. Instead, he missed the entire 2025 season rehabbing, which is a possibility with a notorious injury like the ACL tear.

A silver lining was that McCoy was feeling good. And even though he did not participate in the Combine in Indy, he impressed the scouts with a 4.37 run at his Pro Day in March. Just when everything felt right, a report early in April proved that football can be the sport you love, but it doesn’t have to love you back.

After we were the first to break the news of the red flags on the knee of Jermod McCoy two weeks ago, I mentioned during the EssentiallySports livestream last night that there was a real chance the talented cornerback from Tennessee, who many thought would be a top-12 pick, could fall out of Round 1, and he did. Heading towards Day 2, McCoy is graded as one of the best players available, yet it could be a while before he’s drafted, if that even happens at all.

Update: As expected, unfortunately, McCoy slipped out of Day 2 as well. However, his prospects look pretty good entering the final day of the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh. Yet, questions regarding his health and longevity remain.

People with knowledge of the situation tell me that there’s a real possibility McCoy does not get selected in either Round 2 or 3 this evening and, when all is said and done, he could fall into the very late rounds. Here’s the real issue with his knee:

A bone plug used to repair a cartilage defect in his knee is the concern. Several sources informed me that the initial surgery to repair the knee McCoy injured did not go as expected and “has not taken hold,” meaning another procedure is very likely. That procedure would require extensive recovery, which would place him on the pine for his rookie season or even further.

“You’ve got 32 team doctors, 32 degrees of risk tolerance,” NFL Network’s Tom Pellisero said ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. “Everybody is looking at this — this is a top 10 talent who potentially may not go that high. May not even go in round one.”

But this is what I think will work for him…

Any team that drafts McCoy would be looking at him as their future investment and not an instant gain. But if he is able to get to the field and show up, he would get the positive attention he deserves. Then, even if a team doesn’t rush him onto the playing field, it would know what they have developing in their roster.

A team could draft McCoy at some point and then redshirt him for most, if not all, of 2026, yet that means McCoy could be away from the field for almost two full seasons. The good news is that he doesn’t even turn 21 until August, putting time on his side.

Hopefully, once he is back to playing, his knee stays healthy, and he could be looking at a big payday in a few years.

EXPECT A RUN ON LINEBACKERS IN ROUND 2

Round 2 is the make-or-break day of the NFL Draft. The teams either find hidden gems for their rosters or face their worst investments. With this draft class already weak in LB talent, that fact holds.

But with only two linebackers in Sonny Styles (Commanders) and Arvell Reese (Giants) selected in the first round and players like CJ Allen, Anthony Hill, Jacob Rodriguez, and Jake Golday still available, expect a run on linebackers to start early.

The Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, Tampa Bay Bucs, Indianapolis Colts, and Chicago Bears are just some of the teams expected to take a linebacker in the second round.

Buffalo made multiple moves last night and finally traded out of the first round, believing there was better value in the linebacker market at the top of the second round. It’s conceivable they select Allen with the 35th pick. I’m told the Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals like Rodriguez, while the Houston Texans will consider Golday late in Round 2.

Update: Five linebackers were selected in Round 2, putting money on my prediction. The Cowboys further selected Jaishawn Barham in Round 3, the only LB picked in that round. As expected, all the above-named linebackers found their first (or only) home in the NFL.

Sources told me the Denver Broncos’ pick in Round 2 is expected to come down to a linebacker or tight end, Eli Stowers, if he’s still available. They did not go with either. Instead, they selected DL Tyler Onyedim as the 66th overall pick, their only selection today.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE TALENT IS STILL AVAILABLE

Just two defensive tackles were selected in the first round last night, Caleb Banks and Peter Woods, to the surprise of many, while Kayden McDonald is still available. The Ohio State junior is an elite run-defending nose tackle prospect who can envelop double teams and make plays in the run game. He was projected to be the 37th pick, going to the Giants, who needed a replacement for the recently traded Dexter Lawrence.

Update: McDonald was the first DT out of the draft last night but went at 36th to the Houston Texans. He will fill any and every gap that the Texans’ defense has.

If Lee Hunter of Texas Tech makes it to the Green Bay Packers’ pick at 52, presently their first selection in this draft, that is a direction many believe they will go. The Pack needs a bigger body to man the nose tackle position in their 3-4 alignment.

Update: Lee Hunter went out a little early at 49th with the Carolina Panthers. With the Panthers’ Derrick Brown complementing Hunter’s lack of double-team specialty, consider this a great pick overall.

Tyler Onyedim of Texas A&M will likely come off the board soon after Hunter this evening. The Atlanta Falcons, Jacksonville Jaguars, and San Francisco 49ers like him in the third round. The sneaky team is the New York Jets.

Update: The Broncos added to their defense with Onyedim at 66th in the third round. It was overall a good day for the DTs, with three of seven going in Round 2 alone.

WATCH THE O-LINEMEN

Quarterback Fernando Mendoza might get some protection this evening, as I’m told the Las Vegas Raiders will consider offensive guard Chase Bisontis if he’s still available at pick 36.

Update: Bisontis rose to 34 to go to the Arizona Cardinals. Placing him alongside Jeremiyah Love from Round 1 will help the team open running lanes and clean up pockets when required. The Raiders, meanwhile, selected Trey Zuhn III at the 91st from Buffalo through Houston.

Interestingly, despite shorter arms, he is bound to fit perfectly in Klint Kubiak’s running scheme with Kirk Cousins and Mendoza, whoever is placed under the center. The best advantage with him for a team like the Raiders is that they can place him anywhere on the offensive line, and he will deliver.

Speaking of guards, offensive lineman Gennings Dunker of Iowa is expected to be selected at some point tonight. When he is, pay attention to the position he’s announced at, guard or tackle. While I have Dunker on my tackle board, the majority of teams project the big lineman to right guard.

Update: A B- grade to the Steelers for adding Dunker at the 96th overall. However, he needs to develop and improve his balance and lateral agility before he sees some action on the field. Three OLs were selected in Round 2, and four in Round 3, making it a profitable day for them.

Next, we will head into the final round of the 2026 NFL Draft, where some prospects remain to look out for.