With two more rounds of the draft underway, NFL teams continued to collect puzzle pieces.
Some of these pieces are very obvious and look like real difference makers. Others are intriguing, but might take some time to develop.
We break down some of the early winners and losers from Rounds 2 and 3 and assess where things stand heading into the final four rounds of Saturday’s draft.
Winners
Defensive players — Forgotten for much of the first round, defensive players took the spotlight Friday night as 20 players were eliminated in the second round alone. Seven defensive tackles and seven cornerbacks led the way. At one point, cornerbacks — largely overlooked in the first round — went off the board as Iowa’s Cooper DeJean (Eagles), Alabama’s Kool-Aid McKinstry (Saints), Georgia’s Kamari Lassiter (Texans) and Max Melton from Rutgers (Cardinals) were taken. consecutively (Picks 40-43).
Offensive linemen — Over the course of three rounds, 25 offensive linemen heard their names called. Nine selections were made Thursday night, then 16 more were taken off the board Friday night. The O-line’s 25 selections are the most in three rounds in the modern draft era.
Washington Commanders — The day after selecting their franchise quarterback in Jayden Daniels, the Commanders had an active day making five more selections, including Michigan nickelback Mike Sainristil (18th second-round pick/50th overall), a player that many scouts consider to be a future star. Nick Saban described him as “the best football player in this draft, pound for pound.” Another notable acquisition: Kansas State tight end Ben Sinnott (21st pick in the second round/53rd overall), who draws comparisons to Baltimore’s Mark Andrews. This is the first time Washington has taken a tight end since 2008, when they drafted Fred Davis at 48th overall. Both positions fill real needs for Washington, and Sainristil and Sinnott have a chance to become true cornerstones of the franchise. Washington’s night ended with the selection of a promising receiver in Luke McCaffrey, the brother of Christian McCaffrey.
Buffalo Bills — After trading up twice and being completely eliminated from the first round, the Bills finally got to work and found some help at wide receiver with the selection of Keon Coleman from Florida State. Coleman, 6-foot-3 and 213 pounds, is a big target who will move the chains. The Bills still need to add a deep, speedy threat, but Coleman will serve Josh Allen and Buffalo well. Then they addressed another pressing need with Utah safety Cole Bishop, who brings both playmaking ability and leadership skills.
Arizona Cardinals — The night after landing one of the best wide receivers in Marvin Harrison Jr. and a promising passer in Missouri’s Darius Robinson, the Cardinals stayed active, making five more picks while filling holes in their roster with players like Melton (43rd), Florida State RB Trey Benson (66th), Illinois guard Isaiah Adams (71st), Illinois tight end Tip Reiman (82nd) and Boston College CB Elijah Jones (90th).
Michigan Wolverines — The national champions have had a big draft so far. The next night, quarterback JJ McCarthy went 10th overall to the Vikings, six more of his teammates — defensive tackle Kris Jenkins (Cincinnati, 49th overall), linebacker Sainristil (Washington, 50th), Junior Colson (Chargers, 69th), running back Blake Corum. (Rams, 83rd), receiver Roman Wilson (Steelers, 84th), guard Zak Zinter (Browns, 85th) – also had reason to celebrate.
Losers
Quarterbacks – After dominating the draft with six selections in the first 12 selections on opening night, not a single quarterback heard his name called Friday night. South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler is the best remaining quarterback. Some scouts believe he could eventually become a starter in this league. Will his wait extend beyond the fourth round?
Higgins T-shirt — The Bengals receiver will play the 2024 season with the franchise tag, but he may have become more replaceable after this season following Cincinnati’s selection of Jermaine Burton, who recorded a career-high eight touchdowns and a averaged 20.5 yards per reception last season.
Las Vegas Raiders — One night after missing the opportunity to fill their need for a franchise quarterback, the Raiders made a stunning pick, selecting Maryland guard/tackle Delmar Glaze. The 6-foot-4, 315-pound Glaze was projected as a fourth-rounder and has faced questions about whether he will ever become a starter. And more importantly, he doesn’t address the Raiders’ more pressing need for defensive impact players.
Required reading
(Photo: John Smolek/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images))