Standout gamers aren’t simply discovered within the first spherical of the NFL Draft. Past the primary spherical, groups will discover many high quality starters.
Forward of the draft in Inexperienced Bay (April 24-26), Yardbarker NFL writers establish one participant for each AFC crew who must be a primary candidate for choice on Day 2 (Rounds 2-3 on Friday) or Day 3 (Rounds 4-7 on Saturday).
AFC East
BUFFALO BILLS | Security Kevin Winston Jr. | Winston measured 6-foot-2 and 205 kilos at Penn State’s professional day, the place he ran a 4.50 40-yard sprint 5 months after an ACL tear that ended the 2024 season for the previous crew captain. With 60 tackles, 5 cross breakups and an interception in 2023, Winston might have first-round expertise, however the Payments will gladly take him within the later rounds to problem Damar Hamlin and new addition Darrick Forrest, who each signed one-year offers with the crew within the offseason.
MIAMI DOLPHINS | Guard Donovan Jackson | Given the crew’s sturdy want to guard oft-injured QB Tua Tagovailoa, the Dolphins are projected in lots of mock drafts to take an offensive lineman within the first spherical. However one other wouldn’t harm, particularly Brown, a 6-foot-4, 315-pound guard who moved to left sort out for Ohio State’s final 9 video games in 2024 to assist the varsity win its ninth nationwide championship.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS | DE Jordan Burch, Oregon | As a participant, new head coach Mike Vrabel excelled in Invoice Belichick’s 3-4 protection, however he largely ran a 4-3 scheme as Titans HC. Burch is snug in each formations, had 8.5 sacks in 10 video games final season and has spectacular measurement (6-foot-6 and 295 kilos).
NEW YORK JETS | WR Tez Johnson, Oregon | After three years at Troy, Johnson adopted his adoptive brother, Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, to Oregon, the place he made 169 catches for two,080 yards and 20 touchdowns from 2023 to 2024. He is not large (5-foot-11, 165 kilos) or tremendous quick (4.51 in 40-yard sprint), however his route-running capacity and short-area quickness may open issues up for No. 1 receiver Garrett Wilson. — Bruce Ewing
AFC West
DENVER BRONCOS | RB Jaydon Blue, Texas | Denver may take North Carolina RB Omarion Hampton (6-foot, 221 kilos) with decide No. 20 within the first spherical, however Blue (5-foot-9, 196 kilos) could also be a greater match for head coach Sean Payton’s offense. In 15 video games in 2024, the versatile again had 1,098 yards (730 speeding and 368 receiving).
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS | Edge-rusher Bradyn Swinson, LSU | Throughout their 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Tremendous Bowl LIX, the Chiefs had simply two sacks. Swinson (6-foot-4, 255 kilos) recorded 8.5 sacks in 13 video games in 2024, so he may fortify Ok.C.’s cross rush.
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS | WR Ricky White III, UNLV | At UNLV professional day on March 24, White (6-foot-1, 184 kilos) advised Nick Walters of KTNV-TV in Las Vegas he “would like to be a Raider.” Vegas ought to think about preserving White in Sin Metropolis, as he had 79 receptions for 1,041 yards and 11 landing catches in 13 video games in 2024.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS | Defensive lineman Darius Alexander, Toledo | Alexander may change D-lineman Poona Ford, who signed a three-year, $27.6M cope with the L.A. Rams in free company. On the Senior Bowl in Cellular, Ala., offensive linemen voted Alexander (6-foot-4, 305 kilos) the top D-lineman. He additionally had eight tackles for loss in 12 video games in 2024. — Clark Dalton
AFC North
BALTIMORE RAVENS | OG Tate Ratledge, Georgia | It’s by no means a nasty concept to construct up the trenches with Georgia gamers, and the Ravens have a gap of their inside offensive line after left guard Patrick Mekari signed with the Jaguars. Ratledge (6-foot-6, 308 kilos) showcased his elite athleticism with a 4.97 40-yard sprint and a 9-foot-5 broad leap on the NFL Scouting Mix.
CINCINNATI BENGALS | Security Kevin Winston Jr., Penn State | The Bengals want a tone-setter on protection, they usually can’t go one other season counting on Geno Stone and Jordan Battle within the again finish of the secondary. Winston (6-foot-2, 205 kilos) is a hard-hitting security with nice measurement, and he may’ve been a first-round decide if he hadn’t missed most of final season with a torn ACL.
CLEVELAND BROWNS | RB TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State | The Browns don’t have a ton of expertise within the operating again room, however Henderson (5-foot-10, 202 kilos) would instantly change that as a home-run hitter out of the backfield. The previous No. 1 RB recruit within the nation averaged 7.1 yards per carry and scored 11 touchdowns in his senior 12 months.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS | QB Will Howard, Ohio State | If the Steelers go down the Aaron Rodgers highway, which appears imminent, they have to add a QB within the draft to review and develop below one of many best QBs of all time. Howard (6-foot-4, 236 kilos) is coming off a nationwide championship run with Ohio State, has excellent measurement and power and is among the extra correct QBs (73 % completion share final season) on this 12 months’s class. — Jack Dougherty
AFC South
HOUSTON TEXANS | OT Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota | The Texans traded Laremy Tunsil this offseason and may have to make use of a number of draft picks to deal with their offensive line points to adequately shield C.J. Stroud. Ersery (6-foot-6, 330 kilos) is among the greater tackles within the draft, wonderful in cross safety and has in depth expertise in Houston’s zone-based operating scheme.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS | TE Gunnar Helm, Texas | The Colts have acquired subsequent to nothing from tight ends within the passing recreation over the previous few seasons. Helm (6-foot-5, 241 kilos) had 60 catches, 786 yards and 7 touchdowns for the Longhorns final season. He’s excellent after the catch, which would offer a pleasant security valve for QBs Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS | WR Tre Harris, Ole Miss | After dropping Calvin Ridley through free company final offseason and releasing Christian Kirk this offseason, the Jaguars don’t have a lot broad receiver depth past Brian Thomas Jr. Harris (6-foot-2, 205 kilos) has the mixture of NFL measurement and velocity, big-play capacity and expertise that would assist open issues up for Thomas.
TENNESSEE TITANS | DE J.T. Tuimoloau, Ohio State | The Titans badly have to discover a strategy to get to the QB after they generated simply 32 sacks as a crew final season, tied for twenty ninth within the NFL. Tuimoloau (6-foot-4, 266 kilos) is much from probably the most athletic edge-rusher within the nation, however he had 6.5 sacks towards elite competitors within the School Soccer Playoff final season and has a knack for disrupting performs within the backfield. — Steve DelVecchio
