A full quarter of the league didn’t make a pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday night, which sets up a pivotal Day 2 for those eight teams.
The San Francisco 49ers start off the second round at pick No. 33 after trading back twice Thursday to move out of the first round and collect extra draft capital.
Then the Buffalo Bills get going at No. 35 after also making three draft-day trades to move back from 26 to 28 (with Houston) and then from 28 to 31 (with New England) and ultimately 31 to 35 (with Tennessee).
The Cincinnati Bengals have the ninth pick in the second round (No. 41) after trading away pick No. 10 to the Giants in exchange for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence leading up to the draft.
The Indianapolis Colts get going at pick No. 47 after trading away their first-rounder last year to the Jets for cornerback Sauce Gardner.
Then it’s the Atlanta Falcons at No. 48, who traded their first to the Rams last year in a draft-day trade to move up and take edge rusher James Pearce Jr.
The Green Bay Packers finally get on the board at pick No. 52, having traded their first rounder before last season to the Cowboys for star edge rusher Micah Parsons.
The Jacksonville Jaguars join the action at No. 56, after trading their 2026 first-rounder away last year to the Browns to move up and get WR/CB Travis Hunter.
And finally it’s the Denver Broncos’ turn at No. 62 after trading their first rounder last month to the Dolphins for WR Jaylen Waddle.
Let’s take a quick look at what each team should prioritize with that belated first selection.
San Francisco 49ers
Day 2 Picks: 33, 58, 90
Top Priority: Edge Rusher, with star Nick Bosa and 2025 first-round pick Mykel Williams both recovering from torn ACLs. Bosa should be back for training camp, but Williams is a little behind him and didn’t exactly overwhelm in nine games (1 sack) as a rookie. The rest of the depth chart is just complementary parts. The 49ers need to pounce on an EDGE at No. 33 and can then look WR, CB or OT.
Best Outcome: The 49ers can still address their top need with good value at pick 33, as Clemson’s T.J. Parker, Missouri’s Zion Young and Texas A&M’s Cashius Howell remain on the board. Any of the three make for a good selection. At No. 58, there should still be good WR value to round out a unit led by soon-to-be 33-year-old Mike Evans coming off an injury-plagued season, oft-injured third-year WR Ricky Pearsall and low-upside veteran Christian Kirk.
Buffalo Bills
Day 2 Picks: 35, 66
Top Priority: Linebacker or Edge Rusher. In letting injury-plagued longtime starter Matt Milano become a free agent after playing in only 21 games over the last three seasons, Buffalo has fifth-year pro Terrel Bernard (limited to 12 games last season, graded 73rd out of 88 qualifying LBs by PFF) and Dorian Williams (20 starts in 33 games the last two years, graded 59th out of 88 LBs by PFF) presently atop the depth chart without a lot behind them. That unit needs urgent help.
Best Outcome: Georgia LB C.J. Allen. This would also explain the Bills moving back, as Allen would have been a reach in the first round. If Buffalo wanted to prioritize an EDGE, it would have taken one at one of those points (26, 28 or 31). So this tells us the Bills agree Allen is the pick.
Cincinnati Bengals
Day 2 Picks: 41, 72
Top Priority: EDGE, LB. The Bengals lost top edge rushers Trey Hendrickson and Joseph Ossai in free agency and replaced them by greatly overpaying for former Seahawks rotational pass rusher Boye Mafe. They need more there and could still have a shot at the bottom of the second-tier of EDGE prospects like Illinois’ Gabe Jacas or Oklahoma’s R Mason Thomas. Meanwhile, Cincinnati’s two starting LBs Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter have been underwhelming, to say the least. Texas Tech All-American Jacob Rodriguez or Texas’ Anthony Hill would make sense here.
Best Outcome: We like the upside at linebacker more, but it can also be addressed in Round 3. The Bengals flat-out need to take an EDGE before the value at the position totally dissipates. They should hope one of Young, Parker or Howell falls to No. 41, but even if not they need to take the best EDGE available. Cincinnati’s own Jake Golday or Pittsburgh’s Kyle Louis would be good linebacker targets in Round 3.
Indianapolis Colts
Day 2 Picks: 47, 78
Priority Need: LB, EDGE, WR, CB, S. The Colts have a lot of areas that need bolstering, but they should prioritize upgrading at linebacker. After trading Zaire Franklin away in a salary cap-saving move, the unit is presently led by Akeem Davis-Gaither (117 tackles for Arizona last year while a full-time starter for the first time in his five-year NFL career, ranked 71st out of 88 LBs by PFF) with minimal proven experience otherwise.
Best Outcome: Texas Tech All-American Jacob Rodriguez or Texas’ Anthony Hill.
Atlanta Falcons
Day 2 Picks: 48, 79
Priority Need: WR, DT. The Falcons have the potential to be an elite offense if free agent QB Tua Tagovailoa can provide a stabilizing upgrade over Michael Penix Jr. (we did say “IF”), with top-end talent in RB Bijan Robinson, WR Drake London and TE Kyle Pitts. But beyond London, the Falcons are lacking any notable WR depth with Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus rounding out the depth chart for now.
Best Outcome: There’s a wealth of wide receiver depth on Day 2 of this draft, so the Falcons should be able to find a nice No. 2 option with pick 48. Hoping speedy Georgia slot weapon Zachariah Branch falls to this spot would be ideal for Atlanta. Tennessee’s Chris Brazzell II is another target to watch, though.
Green Bay Packers
Day 2 Picks: 52, 84
Priority Need: DT, OG, CB, EDGE. The Packers signed free agent veteran DT Javon Hargrave to help shore up the interior of the defensive line, but the rest of the unit is thin on experience and proven production. While starting offensive guards Aaron Banks and Anthony Belton are underwhelming and a long-term upgrade there would make sense, DT is a more dire need.
Best Outcome: Georgia’s Christen Miller and Texas Tech’s Lee Hunter could both be on the board at No. 52 and either would fill the Packers’ need and upgrade that defensive line considerably.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Day 2 Picks: 56, 81, 88 and 100
Priority Need: LB, TE. Losing star linebacker Devin Lloyd in free agency leaves a big opening that hasn’t been addressed. Meanwhile, the top tight end on the depth chart is Brenton Strange (46-540-3 in 12 games last season), who is serviceable and a free agent after this season, while the depth behind him is lacking.
Best Outcome: Hoping that LBs Rodriguez or Hill falls to No. 56 would be optimistic, but they could also consider Golday, the Cincinnati LB who had 104 tackles last season and impressed scouts in the pre-draft process.
Denver Broncos
Day 2 Picks: 62
Priority Need: TE, LB, RB. With only one pick in the top 100 of this draft, the Broncos have to be selective on what they prioritize. Tight end Evan Engram underwhelmed as a free agent last year with 50 catches for 461 yards and just 1 TD and he’s set to turn 32 years old. No. 2 TE Adam Trautman isn’t a weapon in the passing game. The Broncos should capitalize on a draft rich in Day 2 TE talent.
Best Outcome: It’s doubtful Vanderbilt TE Eli Stowers fall this far, but Georgia’s Oscar Delp or Stanford’s Sam Roush might. Either way, that would be a nice get for the Broncos for the present and future.
