Another day, another slew of draft picks that have been ushered into the NFL. Friday concluded Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft, where both the second and third rounds unfolded, and 68 more prospects heard their names called. Those new faces coming to the forefront bring with them new narratives that are starting to take root in their new homes.
For instance, one of the more notable selections on Friday night was the Arizona Cardinals selecting Miami quarterback Carson Beck with the top pick of the third round. Sticking with quarterbacks, the host city, Pittsburgh, added a signal-caller of its own, plucking Penn State’s Drew Allar in the third as well. What could their arrivals mean for the big picture of their new franchises? We’re going to try to figure that out and more.
Just as we did after the first round on Thursday, we’re going to examine some of the notable storylines that have come out of Day 2 of the draft and give our verdict on whether or not they are off base and an overreaction, or if they are something we should take more seriously.
2026 NFL Draft essentials
- Round 2 recap: Relive every pick and all the biggest moments
- Interactive draft tracker: Filter every pick by round, team, position and more
- Live team grades: Instant analysis for every team’s draft class
- Round 2 pick grades: Full breakdowns for every second-round selection
- Round 3 pick grades: Full breakdowns for every third-round selection
A.J. Terrell doesn’t want to play with his brother
Overreaction vs. reality: Overreaction
One of the more unique moments of the entire draft thus far came in the second round when the Atlanta Falcons were on the clock with the No. 48 overall pick. There, they selected Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell. That pick reunited Terrell with his older brother, All-Pro corner A.J. Terrell, as the siblings are now slated to play together in the same secondary in the NFL.
Initially, this was thought to be awesome. However, a quote from A.J. surfaced from a wide-ranging feature about helping his brother prepare for the draft, where he admitted he’d rather Avieon not be drafted by Atlanta.
“I want to play against him and see him walk on the sideline,” A.J. told ESPN in a story posted in early April. “I want to see him play, and I want him to have his own story somewhere else. I don’t want the narrative to be the Terrell brothers.”
Well, fast-forward to the draft, and Avieon, rather unexpectedly, fell out of the first round, which paved the way for the Falcons to bring him aboard. Given his prior comment, it begs the question of whether or not A.J. is actually happy about this outcome. While he did say he’d rather play against him, I don’t believe A.J. is truly bummed out that his brother is now his teammate. That comment in the story was more about A.J. wanting Avieon to get out of his shadow after playing at both the same high school (Westlake High School) and college (Clemson), more than it was about not wanting to be teammates again.
Judging how excited they were the moment Avieon got the call from Atlanta, it’s safe to say that they are thrilled to be adding an NFL chapter to their football story.
Browns are quietly winning the NFL Draft
Overreaction vs. reality: Reality
Don’t look now, but the Cleveland Browns are crushing the draft. So far, they’ve made five selections over the first two rounds, and the lowest grade CBS Sports NFL Draft expert Mike Renner has given them has been an A-. After taking Utah tackle Spencer Fano and Texas A&M receiver KC Concepcion in the first round, Cleveland has only continued the positive momentum with some savvy additions on Day 2.
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1 (9)
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Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
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A+
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1 (24)
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KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M
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A+
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2 (41)
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Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
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A
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2 (58)
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Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo
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A+
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3 (86)
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Austin Barger, OT, Florida
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A-
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The franchise doubled down at receiver by adding Washington’s Denzel Boston with the No. 39 overall pick. He complements Concepcion perfectly, and the two inject some much-needed juice to the position group after their top two receivers (Jerry Jeudy and Isaiah Bond) combined for just 940 yards receiving in 2025.
Beyond Boston, the Browns stopped the Day 2 skid for Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, who had first-round buzz throughout the pre-draft process, at No. 58 overall. Renner called McNeil-Warren “the best box safety prospect” in this class and should be another immediate starter. As for their final Day 2 pick in Florida offensive tackle Austin Barber, Cleveland continues to bolster the O-line with a stud run-blocker.
After a 2025 draft that saw Day 1 starters like Mason Graham, Carson Schwesinger, Quinshon Judkins, and Harold Fannin come aboard, it appears Andrew Berry is working similar magic in 2026. Now, if they can only figure out that pesky quarterback position.
2026 NFL Draft overreactions: What’s real, what’s not after a wild first round
Tyler Sullivan
Carson Beck is the Cardinals’ QB of the future
Overreaction vs. reality: Overreaction
A large chunk of the conversation leading up to Day 2 centered around when and where Miami quarterback Carson Beck could come off the board. Given their glaring need at quarterback, the Arizona Cardinals were a popular pairing on Friday, and it ultimately came to fruition with the first pick in the third round.
While Beck may be heading to the desert, he’s not arriving as a franchise savior. This is not a situation where Beck is being brought in as the clear-cut quarterback of the future (or at least Cardinals fans better hope not). The 24-year-old has limited ability, and the ceiling isn’t nearly as high as you’d want it to be if you’re angling for him to be a long-term starter. Beck may eventually find his way as the Cardinals’ starter in 2026, but that says more about the current state of the quarterback room than anything else.
Most likely, Arizona will be going big game hunting for a quarterback in 2027, rendering this selection of Beck moot.
Kayden McDonald’s slide landed him in perfect situation
Overreaction vs. reality: Reality
McDonald was the last man standing in the greenroom. While the Ohio State defensive tackle certainly would’ve preferred to end his stay after Day 1 of the NFL Draft, it may have been worth the wait. McDonald heard his name called just four picks into the second round, with the Houston Texans selecting him with the No. 36 overall pick.
The 6-foot-2, 326-pounder is arguably the best run-stuffing defender in this draft, and he is now joining one of the best defenses in the league in Houston. Working alongside Sheldon Rankins on the interior and having the likes of Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter screaming off the edge, that defensive line is primed to be even more of a problem for offenses than it was last year, when they were among the best in the NFL in nearly every meaningful category.
This is a perfect situation for McDonald, who not only is playing with elite talent wherever he looks on defense, but is playing for one of the best defensive minds in the league in DeMeco Ryans. It’s the ideal landing spot, even if it took a little longer than he would’ve liked.
Steelers’ selection of Drew Allar tips hand on Aaron Rodgers’ future
Overreaction vs. reality: Overreaction
The Pittsburgh Steelers are in an awkward spot this weekend. On the one hand, they are the host city for the 2026 NFL Draft, and the Steelers faithful appear to be out in full force. That mentioned, the organization has this anvil looming over them with Aaron Rodgers yet to give them a firm decision on whether he’s going to play this coming season or not. NFL Media unveiled on Friday that Rodgers has not yet committed to returning to the Steelers, and while there is confidence that he will play, they do not know for sure.
So, when Pittsburgh used a third-round pick (No. 76 overall) on Penn State quarterback Drew Allar, the natural knee-jerk question was about what this could mean regarding Rodgers. While it’s understandable why one’s mind would immediately go there, I don’t know if they exactly correlate.
With Mason Rudolph and Will Howard as the only other quarterbacks on the roster at the moment, Allar is likely just a developmental piece to add to the room, rather than someone they would want to immediately pivot to in the event Rodgers retires. For instance, had they made a bigger splash and traded up to select Ty Simpson in the first round, that’d be way more telling about how they feel about where they stand with Rodgers. This feels more like a team adding depth with minimal to no ties to Rodgers.
