NFL Draft Day 2 Predictions: Where will Adonai Mitchell, Jonathon Brooks, Spencer Rattler and Others Land?

A look at a few likely (in some cases) outcomes on Friday based on the players available and the teams in line to pick early in the second round.

What started as a ho-hum draft began picking up steam with the fifth pick and ended with major decisions being made by the time Denver made their selection at No. 12. With all the mock drafts now busted, let’s look at some of the likely outcomes on Day 2 of the draft.

The following are my own predictions based on the remaining prospects and upcoming choices in Rounds 2 and 3. None of these scenarios are likely to come exactly true, but they follow a few themes and common beliefs related to the remaining players on the board.

The run on receivers will continue

ESPN’s best available players page has three receivers among the top seven remaining players. Adonai Mitchell from Texas, Ladd McConkey of Georgia and Florida State’s Keon Coleman each had first-round buzz and were frequently mocked in the late first or early second round.

The Bills, Patriots, Chargers and Titans have all been linked to receiving help and own top-six picks in the second round. Along with each of these guys likely going before the 40th pick, a few veterans could be on the move also.

I’ve floated the idea of Buffalo trading the 33rd pick (which they acquired through two trades while moving down from No. 28) for either Tee Higgins or Brandon Aiyuk, as both have reached an unsure contract status. Wide receiver is one of the premium positions in today’s NFL, and the fireworks will continue into Day 2.

Someone will acquire a 2025 first-round pick in a trade

With those receivers likely to go early, a team may be willing to pay a steep price to secure one of the last three guys in their tier (according to most analysts). An active team like Detroit at No. 61 could offer their first rounder next year to move up for a pass catcher, a position that has been commonly linked to the team after the first round.

Philadelphia, Cleveland and Miami are other teams who have been aggressive at times and also linked to receivers while owning picks outside the top 50. One of these teams (or someone else) might see a big move up the board as the best way to solidify their pass catchers.

Defensive players will have their day

After a record 23 offensive players were drafted in the first round, many good defensive prospects are available as potential Week 1 starters. Referring to ESPN’s best available, 19 of the top 25 players remaining play on the defensive side.

Illinois defensive tackle Jerry Newton and cornerbacks Cooper DeJean (Iowa), Kool-Aid McKinstry (Alabama), and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (Missouri) were all potential first-round picks, and all the top linebacker prospects, including Texas A&M’s Edgerrin Cooper, are also available. Multiple teams will find defensive starters on the second day of the draft.

Someone will reach for quarterback Spencer Rattler (maybe after a trade up)

With six quarterbacks going in the top 12, the position has mostly been wiped out until Day 3. Rattler is the one passer likely to be taken on Friday, probably in the second round. Three teams reached for quarterbacks according to most experts, and another is likely to do the same for Rattler.

The Giants were linked to J.J. McCarthy and other passers, and they would make sense as a landing spot for Rattler. The Raiders, Saints, Rams and Cowboys are among the teams who could be interested in targeting the last quarterback with real upside in this class.

Las Vegas chooses 12th in the second round (44th overall), and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see one of the other teams jump them with a trade, such as the Giants at 47. A recent exercise I did identifying five-star recruits who weren’t drafted in the first round pointed to Rattler being no more than a backup in his career (as he fits in that group).

With that as a measuring stick, passing on more good defensive prospects to grab a backup quarterback is a bad use of resources. That doesn’t mean someone won’t make a big move for Rattler, but it will likely be a poor value play.

The Cowboys will draft a top-10 fantasy running back in the second round

Dallas has a few holes to target, but none may loom larger than running back after the team drafted offensive tackle Tyler Guyton on Day 1. No back was drafted in the first round, and only a few are projected as second-round talents, so it’s realistic that Dallas could choose the first back off the board at No. 56.

With the Cowboys upgrading the offensive line and having a successful offense in general, there will be plenty of opportunities for the starting running back to gain yards and score touchdowns. Jonathon Brooks from Texas and Trey Benson from Florida State are among the top players at the position and could end up starting for Dallas in Week 1.

Offensive linemen will show up often

Nine guys who play on the O-line were drafted in the first round. That’s more than 28% of the picks. This is seen as a very good class, especially at tackle, but a few guys on the interior will likely hear their names on Day 2.

Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson was projected often as a first rounder but recently slipped in many rankings. West Virginia center Zach Frazier is a great talent who fell due to injury, but he’s thought of as a Week 1 starter. Washington right tackle Roger Rosengarten, BYU tackle Kingsley Suamataia and Kansas State guard Cooper Beebe are among the others likely to go in the second or third round and compete for starting roles right away.

The trenches aren’t flashy, but it’s often said that the smartest teams build from the lines out. With a number of good prospects still available, another 10 guys on the offensive line being drafted on Day 2 isn’t crazy.

Your interest will wane by the 50th pick

The draft is great. I wait all year for it, and the build up is among the most fun parts of the sports calendar. By the time they hit the 20th pick, though, things start to drag. The skits and special guests don’t hit the same after more than two hours of BS surrounding small spurts of excitement.

The second day of the draft features players many fans don’t know, and the picks start becoming depth players and developmental projects more than guys who will make an instant impact. We’ll forget about most of these players before we ever see them in a big spot.

Many people I’ve talked to said they won’t watch any of the coverage on Friday, opting instead to check the results from time to time. The same discussion on ESPN for the 50th time will get to be too much; it’s OK to tap out at some point.

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