2026 NFL Second-Spherical Mock Draft: 49ers Open Friday With Excessive-Upside Defender

[ad_1] The primary spherical of the 2026 NFL Draft is within the books, however there are many noteworthy names remaining.

5 of the final six first-round picks had been traded, which implies loads of groups moved again into the second spherical. Actually, two of the primary three groups set to select on Friday night time (as of midnight ET) made the playoffs final season. I've these groups set to take potential influence defenders.

How will the second spherical, which begins Friday night time, shake out? Right here’s my second-round mock draft, beginning with the 49ers getting a brand new potential beginning security.

San Francisco 49ers

S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (Toledo)

The Niners might use an improve at security. Right here, they get that in McNeil-Warren, who was a third-team AP All-American this previous season after posting two interceptions, three compelled fumbles and 5 cross breakups.

Emmanuel McNeil-Warren went from Toledo to a possible second-round choose. (Michael Hickey/Getty Pictures)

Arizona Cardinals

S Treydan Stukes (Arizona)

With Jalen Thompson departing in free company and Budda Baker being 30 years outdated, the Cardinals should take into consideration their future at security. Stukes picked off 4 passes final season en path to third-team AP All-American honors.

Buffalo Payments

EDGE Zion Younger (Missouri)

The Payments signed Bradley Chubb in free company, however they nonetheless want younger expertise at edge rusher. Younger, who was a first-team All-SEC choice in 2025, recorded 6.5 sacks and 42 tackles for Missouri final season.

Las Vegas Raiders

DT Kayden McDonald (Ohio State)

After taking Fernando Mendoza with the primary total choose, the Raiders ought to shift to protection. They want a long-term starter at defensive sort out. The 6-foot-2, 326-pound McDonald recorded 65 tackles (9 tackles for loss), three sacks and two compelled fumbles en path to first-team AP All-American honors in 2025.

New York Giants

DT Christen Miller (Georgia)

After rating second worst in run protection final season, the Giants will fortify their inside defensive position with Miller, who had 23 tackles (4 for loss) and 1.5 sacks for Georgia in 2025.

Houston Texans

CB Jermod McCoy (Tennessee)

The Texans are loaded on protection however would profit from extra depth at cornerback. McCoy didn’t play in 2025 due to a torn ACL, however he was a second-team AP All-American the yr prior after choosing off 4 passes and including 9 cross breakups.

Jermod McCoy was projected as a possible first-round choose. (Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire through Getty Pictures)

Cleveland Browns

WR Denzel Boston (Washington)

The Browns didn’t have a 700-yard broad receiver final season, so including extra expertise on the place ought to be a precedence, even after including KC Concepcion within the first spherical.

An enormous-bodied cross catcher, the 6-foot-3 Boston caught 62 passes for 881 yards and 11 touchdowns (ninth within the FBS) for Washington final season.

Former Washington WR Denzel Boston. (Greg Fiume/Getty Pictures)

Kansas Metropolis Chiefs

DT Zxavian Harris (Ole Miss)

The Chiefs want extra depth at defensive sort out, the place perennial Professional Bowler Chris Jones is 31 and free-agent acquisition Khyiris Tonga turns 30 earlier than coaching camp.

At 6-foot-7 and 330 kilos, Harris has the same lengthy body to Jones. Harris registered 58 tackles (9 for loss), three sacks, three cross breakups and an interception in 15 video games for Ole Miss this previous season.

Cincinnati Bengals

OT Caleb Tiernan (Northwestern)

Franchise quarterback Joe Burrow might all the time use extra safety, so the Bengals ought to be out there for a swing sort out behind starters Orlando Brown Jr. and Amarius Mims.

At 6-foot-7, Tiernan suits the bushes manning the sort out spots for Cincinnati (each Orlando Brown and Armarius Mims are 6-foot-8). He made 25 consecutive begins for Northwestern at left sort out, and in addition began 5 video games at RT in 2022.

New Orleans Saints

WR Chris Brazzell II (Tennessee)

After taking Jordan Tyson, the Saints proceed stacking expertise at broad receiver reverse Chris Olave, who’s set to play on his fifth-year possibility.

An extended-limbed deep menace, the 6-foot-4 Brazzell led Tennessee with 1,017 receiving yards and 9 receiving touchdowns en path to first-team All-SEC honors.

Chris Brazzell II might go from Knoxville to New Orleans. (Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Pictures)

Miami Dolphins

CB Keionte Scott (Miami)

New head coach Jeff Hafley has a heavy background working with defensive backs, and the Dolphins’ present cornerbacks room is underwhelming. Miami will get the juice it wants in its personal yard with Scott, who had two pick-sixes, 13 tackles for loss, 5 cross breakups and two compelled fumbles en path to second-team All-ACC honors.

New York Jets

LB CJ Allen (Georgia)

The Jets added David Bailey at No. 2 total earlier than getting a pair of pass-catchers within the first spherical, however they shouldn’t be accomplished on protection. An AP first-team All-American, Allen is a brilliant addition at linebacker, the place New York might use extra premium expertise alongside 37-year-old Demario Davis.

Baltimore Ravens

WR Germie Bernard (Alabama)

Aside from Zay Flowers, no different Ravens receiver reached 350 receiving yards final season. The 6-foot-1 Bernard would deliver extra playmaking capability, as he had 114 receptions and 1,656 receiving yards over the previous two seasons for the Crimson Tide.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

LB Jacob Rodriguez (Texas Tech)

Free-agent acquisitions Alex Anzalone and Christian Rozeboom mitigate desperation for the Bucs within the wake of Lavonte David’s retirement, however Tampa would profit from younger blood on the place. The reigning Large 12 Defensive Participant of the Yr, Rodriguez led the FBS with seven compelled fumbles in 2025.

The Buccaneers might fill a gap at linebacker with Jacob Rodriguez. (John E. Moore III/Getty Pictures)

Indianapolis Colts

EDGE Cashius Howell (Texas A&M)

With their prime choose, the Colts should nab an influence participant on protection. They get that in Howell, who had 11.5 sacks (seventh within the FBS) and 6 cross breakups en path to being named the SEC Defensive Participant of the Yr in 2025.

Atlanta Falcons

LB Anthony Hill Jr. (Texas)

The Falcons want to exchange Kaden Elliss, who walked in free company. The 6-foot-2, 238-pound Hill earned second-team All-American and All-SEC honors after stuffing the stat sheet with seven tackles for loss, 4 sacks, three compelled fumbles and two interceptions for Texas final season.

Minnesota Vikings

CB Avieon Terrell (Clemson)

The Vikings ought to be pondering long run at cornerback, the place 28-year-old Isaiah Rodgers is coming into a contract yr and Byron Murphy doesn’t have a assured wage past 2026.

Terrell, a third-team AP All-American this previous season, broke up 9 passes and tied for third within the FBS with 5 compelled fumbles in 2025.

Detroit Lions

G Chase Bisontis (Texas A&M)

The Lions enter 2026 with uncertainty on the inside offensive line, particularly at left guard and middle. A 3rd-team All-SEC in 2025, Bisontis began 22 video games at left guard for Texas A&M over the previous two seasons.

Carolina Panthers

S AJ Haulcy (LSU)

The Panthers could be clever to nab a starting-caliber security who might succeed Nick Scott, who turns 31 subsequent month. Haulcy was a first-team All-SEC choice for LSU in 2025, when he posted 88 tackles, three interceptions and 4 cross breakups.

Inexperienced Bay Packers

CB Colton Hood (Tennessee)

The Packers are skinny at cornerback, even with the signing of Benjamin St-Juste in free company. A 3rd-team All-SEC choice, Hood had 50 tackles, eight cross breakups and a pick-six in 2025.

Pittsburgh Steelers

G Emmanuel Pregnon (Oregon)

With Isaac Seumalo gone to the Cardinals as a free agent, including extra guard expertise ought to be a precedence for the Steelers. Pregnon was a first-team AP All-American for the Geese final season and began 51 video games at guard between his time at Wyoming and Oregon.

Philadelphia Eagles

EDGE T.J. Parker (Clemson)

The Eagles have a gap on the sting after shedding Jaelan Phillips in free company. Over the past two seasons, Parker registered 16 sacks, 29 tackles for loss and 6 compelled fumbles for Clemson.

Los Angeles Chargers

OL Gennings Dunker (Iowa)

After addressing the defensive entrance within the first spherical, the Chargers should now give attention to bolstering their new-look inside offensive line. The 6-foot-5, 319-pound Dunker began 37 video games at proper sort out for Iowa during the last three seasons, however some league observers consider his greatest NFL place will likely be guard.

Former Iowa standout Gennings Dunker could be an instantaneous fan favourite in Philly. (Cooper Neill/Getty Pictures)

Jacksonville Jaguars

LB Jake Golday (Cincinnati)

After letting Devin Lloyd stroll in free company, the Jags should shore up the linebacker spot. Golday was a first-team All-Large 12 choice in 2025, recording 105 tackles (six for loss), 3.5 sacks and three cross breakups.

Chicago Bears

EDGE R Mason Thomas (Oklahoma)

The Bears want an edge rusher who can begin reverse Montez Sweat. Thomas had 9.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, two compelled fumbles and a security final season en path to first-team All-SEC honors.

San Francisco 49ers

EDGE Derrick Moore (Michigan)

The Niners drafted Mykel Williams within the first spherical final yr, however Nick Bosa is coming off a torn ACL and San Francisco likes to load up on the defensive position. A primary-team All-Large Ten choice in 2025, Moore had 10 sacks, 10.5 tackles for loss, three cross breakups and two compelled fumbles for Michigan final season.

Houston Texans

DT Gracen Halton (Oklahoma)

As deep because the Texans are at edge rusher, they want a long-term reply on the inside defensive position. Halton recorded 8.5 sacks over his final two seasons at Oklahoma, additionally including 13 tackles for loss, three compelled fumbles and two cross breakups.

Chicago Bears

C Sam Hecht (Florida)

The Bears traded for Patriots middle Garrett Bradbury after Drew Dalman’s retirement, however Bradbury — who has only one yr left on his contract — may very well be seen as a short-term answer. Cue Hecht, who began 25 video games for Kansas State over the previous two seasons.

Los Angeles Rams

WR Ted Hurst (Georgia State)

The Rams ought to be prioritizing a WR3 behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, who turns 34 in December. The 6-foot-3, 206-pound Hurst caught 71 passes for 1,004 yards and 6 touchdowns for Georgia State in 2025, when he was named a first-team All-Solar Belt choice.

Former Georgia State WR Ted Hurst on the scouting mix. (Stacy Revere/Getty Pictures)

Denver Broncos

TE Eli Stowers (Vanderbilt)

The Broncos received simply three touchdowns from their tight ends final season. They'll get extra juice on the place within the athletic Stowers, who received the John Mackey Award because the nation’s prime tight finish final season.

New England Patriots

LB Josiah Trotter (Missouri)

Robert Spillane turns 31 subsequent season and Christian Elliss is coming into the ultimate yr of his contract, so Mike Vrabel & Co. could also be pondering long run at inside linebacker. Trotter had 84 tackles, together with 13 for loss, and two sacks for Missouri final season.

Seattle Seahawks

CB Brandon Cisse (South Carolina)

Tariq Woolen is now with the Eagles, so the Seahawks want a brand new No. 3 cornerback. Enter Cisse, who had 5 cross breakups, an interception and a compelled fumble for the Gamecocks in 2025.