Standout players aren’t just found in the first round of the NFL Draft. Beyond the first round, teams will find many quality starters.
Ahead of the draft in Green Bay (April 24-26), Yardbarker NFL writers identify one player for every NFC team who should be a prime candidate for selection on Day 2 (rounds 2-3 Friday) or Day 3 (rounds 4-7 Saturday).
DALLAS COWBOYS | RB TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State | With Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty almost a certainty to land with the Raiders and North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton somewhat of a wild card in the first round, Henderson could be the team’s best bet at running back on Day 2. The 5-foot-10, 202-pounder accounted for 1,560 total yards and 19 touchdowns last season and finished the NFL Scouting Combine with the highest athleticism score (92) of all running backs, per Next Gen Stats.
NEW YORK GIANTS | QB Jalen Milroe, Alabama |
Pro Football Focus called Milroe “the most physically gifted quarterback in the 2025 draft class,” but added, “In a perfect world, he would be drafted with a plan to let him sit and develop.” Milroe (6-foot-2, 225 pounds) struggled with consistency in four years with Alabama but threw for 2,844 yards and 16 TDs and rushed for 726 yards and 20 TDs last season, making him an ideal candidate to sit behind Russell Wilson, who recently signed a one-year, $10.5M contract with the Giants.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES | TE Mason Taylor, LSU | Dallas Goedert is talented, but the 30-year-old tight end has missed 23 games over the past five seasons and was given permission by the team to seek a trade. Taylor, the 6-foot-5, 255-pound son of Hall of Fame defensive end Jason Taylor, had 129 catches for 1,308 yards and six TDs in three years with LSU. When asked to identify the NFL player who best resembles Taylor, NFL Network’s Lance Zierlein named Goedert.
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS | RB Tahj Brooks, Texas Tech | On a recent episode of the “Up & Adams Show With Kay Adams,” the 5-foot-9, 214-pound Texas native said he wanted to play under OC Kliff Kingsbury and run-game coordinator Anthony Lynn, who both spent time with Texas Tech, where Brooks rushed for 100 or more yards in 19 of his past 22 games. He also set school records with 879 carries and 4,557 yards as a Red Raider, and per PFF, Brooks had 26 runs of 15 yards or more yards last season, tied for fourth most among FBS ball-carriers. — Bruce Ewing
NFC West
ARIZONA CARDINALS | QB Jalen Milroe, Alabama | The Cardinals have a reasonable out in QB Kyler Murray’s contract after this season, so 2025 seems like a make-or-break year for the six-year vet. Milroe has a lot to work on to be effective in the NFL, but with the right coaching and system, he could become an elite playmaker.
LOS ANGELES RAMS | CB Trey Amos, Mississippi | Cornerback has been a problem for the Rams since 2022, when they traded Jalen Ramsey. After spending premium picks to bolster their defensive line in 2024, the Rams must make a similar investment in the secondary. Amos figures to be an early Day 2 pick (and perhaps even a late Day 1 pick) and could bring needed size (he’s 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds), speed (4.43 in 40 at combine) and man-coverage ability to the defense.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS| Edge Landon Jackson, Arkansas | The 49ers, who are enduring a miserable offseason, have big needs along their defensive line. Jackson (6-foot-6, 264 pounds) has top-tier run-stuffing ability and should be available on Day 2, when the 49ers will have three draft picks, including two third-rounders.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS | QB Quinn Ewers, Texas | Although the Seahawks signed QB Sam Darnold in free agency, there is no guarantee he’ll spend more than one season in Seattle. With no young QB on the roster, Ewers (6-foot-2, 210 pounds) would be an intriguing project to take on in the middle rounds. — Adam Gretz
NFC North
CHICAGO BEARS | EDGE Kyle Kennard, South Carolina | Kennard (6-foot-4, 264 pounds) is coming off an impressive fifth year in which he recorded 11.5 sacks, 16 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and won the Bronko Nagurski Award for the most outstanding defensive player in college football. The Bears are building through the trenches, so Kennard should be high on their board on Day 2.
DETROIT LIONS | CB Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame | This is a bit of a cop-out because Morrison (6-foot-0, 190 pounds) is good enough to sneak into the first round, but the Lions should pounce on a trade-up if the talented cornerback slips to the middle of the second. Morrison is an NFL-ready defensive back with outstanding ball skills (nine interceptions and 18 passes defended in 31 games).
GREEN BAY PACKERS | CB Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky | After losing Eric Stokes, Robert Rochell and Corey Ballentine this offseason, the Packers must leave the draft with at least one cornerback. Hairston (5-foot-11, 179 pounds) is an intriguing Day 2 prospect who tied a school record with three pick-sixes at Kentucky and runs a 4.28 40-yard dash. He could help soften the blow if the Packers dump oft-injured CB Jaire Alexander, too.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS | DT Jordan Phillips, Maryland | The Vikings have only three picks after the first round and none in the second, so they must hit on the few chances they have at improving the roster through the draft. Phillips (6-foot-2, 318 pounds) has the potential to become a game-wrecking defensive tackle, and learning behind veterans Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen would be great for his development. — Jack Dougherty
NFC South
ATLANTA FALCONS | CB Azareye’h Thomas, Florida State | Atlanta’s pass defense took a step back last season, which could force the front office to target a corner in later rounds. Per Pro Football Focus, the 6-foot-1, 197-pound corner allowed 17 receptions for 141 yards and no touchdowns on 33 targets last season for the Seminoles, making him a potential excellent complement to entrenched Falcons CB1 A.J. Terrell.
CAROLINA PANTHERS | LB Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma | The senior linebacker had an impressive combine performance, running a 4.52 40-yard dash. After fielding arguably the league’s worst defense in 2024, the Panthers need playmakers on all three levels, and Stutsman (6-foot-3, 233 pounds) fits the bill.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | DT Darius Alexander, Toledo | The 6-foot-4, 320-pound fifth-year senior could be the run-stopper the Saints desperately need as they gradually move to a 3-4 defensive scheme under first-year coordinator Brandon Staley. Offseason trade acquisition Davon Godchaux will help, but that shouldn’t stop New Orleans from considering Alexander, who was credited with 23 run-play “stops,” or tackles that constitute a “failure” for the offense, per Pro Football Focus, the 12th most in college football among interior defensive linemen in 2024.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS | Guard Tate Ratledge, Georgia | The Bucs have done an excellent job rebuilding their offensive line into a strength over the past few seasons, but they could still potentially upgrade at left guard. Ratledge, who played on the right side for the Bulldogs, received an impressive 98 athleticism score at the NFL Scouting Combine, per Combine IQ, and measured 6-foot-6 and 308 pounds, making the senior a rare talent for a likely Day 2 pick. — Eric Smithling
