There is no shame in being a second round NFL Draft pick.When you consider that there are 1,696 active players in the NFL on any given weekend during the season, and that there are 22 players on the field on every NFL snap, you begin to realize just how many bodies are needed to make America’s favorite pastime a possibility.
Each year, the second round of the Draft is still overflowing with elite talent. Super Bowl champions like Brett Favre, Drew Brees, Rob Gronkowski, Michael Strahan, and Bobby Wagner were all drafted in the second round.
So, if you’re a fan of a team that had an underwhelming draft performance on Thursday night, Friday night offers a great opportunity. These are the 10 Best Prospects Still Available in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama
Bernard is a superb route-runner that owns extremely reliable hands. He posted 64 receptions for 862 receiving yards, and had 7 receiving touchdowns last season for the Crimson Tide. Bernard showed he could take over a game last season, as he racked up 146 receiving yards against Florida State on Aug. 30, 2025.
Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt
There is “athletic,” and then there is Eli Stowers. Stowers made jaws drop at the NFL Combine as he recorded a 45.5-inch vertical, a new Combine record for a tight end. The Denton, Texas native posted 62 catches for 769 yards and 4 touchdowns in his final collegiate season. He was particularly hot down the stretch of the 2025 season for Vanderbilt as he posted back-to-back 100-plus yard receiving days in the month of November.
Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina
Cisse is extremely quick to the football and has great stickiness in man coverage. Teams mostly shied away from his side of the field last season, so he was only able to come away with 1 interception. The 5-foot-11, 189-pounder is noted for his explosive athleticism. Prior to joining South Carolina last season, he played two seasons for North Carolina State.
TJ Parker, DE, Clemson
A very impressive 32.4 percent of Parker’s career tackles at Clemson were for a loss. A big reason as to why Parker slipped to the second round is that his production with the Tigers actually dropped from 2024 to 2025. In 2024 he posted 57 total tackles, 6 sacks, and he forced 6 fumbles. This past season, he registered just 37 total tackles and 5 sacks. He did not force any fumbles this past season.
Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State
McDonald, listed at 6-foot-3, is elite at shedding blocks and shutting down the opponent’s run game. He earned Big Ten Conference DL of the Year honors. The Georgia native posted three sacks last season for the Buckeyes and forced a pair of fumbles. He had 65 total tackles on the season.
CJ Allen, LB, Georgia
Allen was a three-year starter for the Bulldogs and a First-Team All-American this past season. He posted 8 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks this past season.He did not test at the NFL Combine, possibly due to a knee injury that he suffered last November. Allen is now fully recovered. That said, his decision to skip the Combine may have caused him to slip out of the first round.
Zion Young, Edge, Missouri
There’s a ton to like about Missouri’s Zion Young. The defensive end has great footwork and is capable of defeating double team blocks. The 6-foot-5, 262-pounder posted 6.5 sacks last season and 16.5 tackles for loss. He was charged with DWI last December, which may have caused him to slip out of the first round.
Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
Boston is a big-bodied playmaker who has consistently drawn comparisons to Colts WR Michael Pittman Jr. The 6-foot-4, 209-pound Boston had 62 catches for 881 yards and 11 touchdowns last season for Washington. His breakout game was a 10-catch, 153-yard day against Illinois on Oct. 25, 2025.
Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
We are so far removed from the last time that McCoy played in a football game that teams were scared off of the talented cornerback in Round 1 despite him possessing Round 1 talent. McCoy tore his ACL while training in January 2025, and has not played in a game since Dec. 21, 2024. McCoy was a monster for Oregon State in 2023 and Tennessee in 2024. He finished his collegiate career with 6 interceptions. He also returned punts during his time with the Vols.
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo
We had Emmanuel McNeil-Warren as a late first rounder in our Complex Bets mock. The Toledo safety is great at setting the edge, and he is a tremendous tackler. He can disrupt an offense with the best of them as he had eight career forced fumbles and five interceptions in college. The 49ers might have interest right out of the gate Friday night as they own the first pick of night 2 (No. 33 overall). The Giants (pick 37) or Chiefs (pick 40) could also call McNeil-Warren’s name Friday night.
