Summary of 2026 NFL Draft night two recap

Overview of 2026 NFL Draft Night Two Recap

The Athletic Football Show broke down the biggest storylines from rounds 2 and 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft, with Robert Mays joined by Dane Brugler, Derek Klassen, and Dave Helman. The episode focused on the night’s best moments, favorite picks, best overall team hauls, most surprising selections, intriguing player-team pairings, and a few veteran trades that shaped the board.

Best Moment of Night Two

Avion Terrell to the Falcons

The clear emotional high point was Avion Terrell being drafted by Atlanta and embracing his brother, A.J. Terrell, on stage.

• The panel loved both the human moment and the football fit.
• Avion was viewed as a first-round caliber talent who slipped for reasons like injury/40-time concerns.
• Atlanta getting him at 48 overall while pairing him with his older brother made it one of the most memorable draft scenes in years.

Favorite Picks from Round 2-3

Caden McDonald to the Texans

Dave’s favorite pick was Houston adding McDonald, a disruptive interior defender.

• Viewed as a perfect fit for a dominant defense.
• The panel liked Houston using draft capital to add a player who could take an already strong unit to another level.
• His ability to create explosive plays from the nose/inside was highlighted.

CJ Allen to the Colts

Robert’s favorite pick was Allen landing with Indianapolis.

• Seen as an ideal linebacker fit for a major team need.
• The comparison was made to a “Nick Bolton” style linebacker: physical, instinctive, and strong against the run.
• The Colts also picked up extra draft capital in the process, which made it even better value.

The Steelers’ offensive additions

The Steelers earned praise for adding needed help on offense, especially along the offensive line and at receiver.

• The guard pick was viewed as especially important.
• The receiver addition was less flashy, but exactly the kind of reliable, adult-professional presence the roster needed.
• The panel wanted Pittsburgh to give fans something to be excited about, and these moves helped.

Zion Young to the Ravens

Dave also loved Baltimore adding Zion Young.

• A classic Ravens-style edge defender: physical, high-effort, and nasty.
• The pick fit both a roster need and Baltimore’s defensive identity.
• The Ravens were praised for getting a player they loved without overreaching.

Favorite Overall Draft Hauls

Cleveland Browns

The Browns were the panel’s top overall haul.

• They paired first-round receivers with more weapons and offensive line help on day two.
• Denzel Boston was praised as a strong boundary receiver fit.
• Emmanuel McNeil-Warren was considered excellent value at safety.
• Austin Barber added another ready-to-play offensive line piece.
• The common theme: Cleveland kept adding players who can contribute quickly.

New Orleans Saints

The Saints were another favorite class.

• Jordan Tyson fit beautifully alongside Chris Olave.
• Kristian Miller was seen as exactly the kind of block-eating defensive tackle the Saints wanted.
• Oscar Delp added a more complete tight end presence to the offense.
• The Saints’ vision was easy to understand and easy to like.

New York Giants

The Giants got a strong response for their day two work.

• Colton Hood was viewed as a starting-caliber corner with physicality and quickness.
• Malachi Fields was liked as a big-bodied receiver who is more fluid than most players his size.
• The class added both upside and immediate usefulness.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs were praised for clearly trying to recreate the toughness and success of their recent contending teams.

• They added a hard-nosed edge rusher.
• They brought in a linebacker who hits hard.
• They added a vertical receiver to replace departed veterans.
• The philosophy was simple: replace legends and keep the identity intact.

Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs’ haul was one of the more intriguing.

• They leaned into edge-rush upside and defensive vision.
• The panel liked the idea of the player fits, even if not every pick was universally loved.
• They were seen as taking real swings rather than just filling roles.

Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders got positive marks for versatility and upside.

• Their defenders were praised for position flexibility.
• Fernando Mendoza at quarterback had already been extensively discussed by the show, but the overall class still drew interest because of how many different roles the team addressed.

Biggest Surprises of Night Two

The tight end run started earlier than expected

One of the biggest surprises was how quickly tight ends came off the board.

• The run started in the second round, earlier than anticipated.
• Once it started, several teams clearly prioritized the position.
• The panel noted that this was a strong tight end class and the market reflected that.

Players drafted much earlier than the Athletic board

Dane called out two receivers, Caleb Douglas and Xavier Thomas, as being drafted well ahead of where The Athletic had them graded.

• Both were outside his top 200.
• He acknowledged teams clearly valued them more highly than the public board did.
• Xavier Thomas in particular was a true surprise given his projected range.

Emmanuel Pregnon falling farther than expected

Derek’s biggest surprise was guard Emmanuel Pregnon sliding to 88.

• He expected him to go much earlier because true guards were scarce in this class.
• Even acknowledging some uncertainty in Pregnon’s range, the slide was still notable.

The Cardinals’ quarterback strategy

The Cardinals drew strong criticism for taking Chase Peisontis in the second round and then Carson Beck at 65.

• The panel felt this was too much investment in quarterback for a team with bigger roster holes.
• They questioned whether Arizona was trying to “signal” that it was competing, rather than making the best football decision.
• The move was framed as more of a PR attempt than a roster-building necessity.

The Jaguars’ tight end pick

Brock Bowers? No—this transcript discussed the Jaguars taking a tight end much earlier than expected, with the panel saying it would be hard to justify the draft slot.

• The consensus was that the team clearly had a vision.
• The concern was whether that vision could realistically be realized given where he was selected.

Player-Team Pairings the Panel Loved

Aaron Glenn and D’Angelo Pons

Dane’s favorite “pairing you didn’t know you needed” was Aaron Glenn drafting a corner who matches his defensive identity.

• Small, feisty, fast, and competitive.
• A perfect embodiment of what Glenn wants on defense.

Jordan Brooks and Jacob Rodriguez

Dave loved the fit of Jacob Rodriguez with Jordan Brooks.

• The Dolphins had a lot of needs, but this linebacker pairing gave them a smart, run-capable, coverage-capable second level.
• Rodriguez was praised for his efficiency and ability to play downhill.

Jake Golday to the Vikings

Another strong fit was Jake Golday with Minnesota.

• Brian Flores’ scheme was viewed as ideal for his versatility.
• The panel liked the idea of getting creative with a player who still looks like an edge rusher in some ways.

Markel Bell to the Eagles

Bell landing in Philadelphia was seen as a smart developmental move.

• The Eagles were viewed as a great environment for a long-term tackle projection.
• The panel liked the succession-plan logic behind it.

Veteran Trades and Roster Impact

Jonathan Grenard move

The panel also discussed a veteran edge trade involving Jonathan Grenard.

• They viewed it as a cap-driven decision and a meaningful roster move.
• Philadelphia was praised for being willing to spend for a high-end player in a championship window.
• Minnesota’s decision suggested confidence in its broader defensive plans, even if the move was risky.

Dee Winters to the Cowboys

Dallas’ trade for Dee Winters was seen as a practical linebacker solution.

• Not flashy, but useful.
• The Cowboys needed a dependable adult at linebacker, and Winters provided that.
• His speed and experience made him a sensible fit, especially alongside DeMarvion Overshown if healthy.

Key Takeaways

• The best moment of the night was the Avion Terrell–A.J. Terrell brother reunion in Atlanta.
• Cleveland, New Orleans, and New York all came away with classes the panel really liked.
• Tight ends and edge rushers were major themes across night two.
• Arizona’s quarterback approach was the most questioned strategy.
• Several teams made smart, boring, necessary moves that fit their roster needs better than splashier alternatives.