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By Tyler Erzberger
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Although the first round of the NFL is where the spotlight is with all the glitz and glamor, the second round is where some teams find foundational pieces of their franchise for the next decade.
The second round of the 2026 NFL Draft is over in Pittsburgh, and here are the winners and losers as we head into the third.
More news: Winners and Losers From Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft
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Winner: Cleveland Browns
Are the Browns just having an amazing draft?
Almost every year, we leave the draft scratching our heads about what the Browns are doing, but that's not the case in 2026.
They made the straightforward, smart choices in the first, and then continued by grabbing the best players available that came their way in the second.
Denzel Boston might end up as the best wideout of his class if everything clicks, and then they followed it up by grabbing safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren out of Toledo, who was seen as possibly a mid-first-round pick.
Loser: Los Angeles Rams
On the opposite end of things, arguably the most talented roster in football is continuing to take chances.
After taking quarterback Ty Simpson in the first yesterday, the Rams, who already have a roster with four good-but-not-amazing tight ends, added a fifth, good-but-not-amazing tight end in the form of Ohio State Buckeye Max Klare.
Klare is certainly a weapon and will fit perfectly within the 13 personnel packages that Sean McVay has revolutionized, but did the Rams really need to invest their second-round pick in another tight end?
Winner: Atlanta Falcons
What a cool story for the Falcons and their newest cornerback Avieon Terrell, who gets to link up and play with his older brother AJ in Atlanta.
And it goes beyond the sentimental story: Avieon is a strong, resourceful character, and the guidance his brother can give him will only push him to be his best.
For a team that didn't have a first-rounder this year, the Falcons should be happy with their first selection in 2026.
Loser: Jacksonville Jaguars
Another team, like the Rams, reached on a tight end when they already have better options on the roster.
It does make sense, though, as whiz-kid general manager James Gladstone is a disciple of the Rams' front office and similarly sees the game through L.A.'s brain trust of Sean McVay and Les Snead.
Nate Boerkircher is a great blocker, but he has never had a season with 200-plus receiving yards. In his five years of college play, Boerkircher only went for 417 yards with four touchdowns.
We've seen how McVay has done wonders with 13 personnel and enabled his tight ends in so many ways, and the Jaguars seem not far behind in how the Rams see the game of football evolving.
The two losers of the second round might get poor grades today, but they might be laughing at every pundit once the season actually begins.
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