After six trades on Day 1 of the 2023 NFL draft, there was some movement at the top of Round 2. The Cardinals and Lions each added early selections to try to improve their rosters. The Steelers own the first selection of the day, and they could stay put to target a cornerback or solicit trade offers to acquire more capital and move down the board.
There are several noteworthy prospects still available, starting with Kentucky quarterback Will Levis, who tumbled out of Round 1. Could he find an early landing spot Friday? The other highest-regarded remaining players include Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer, Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr., Alabama defensive back Brian Branch and Oregon State tight end Luke Musgrave. Each was thought to have a chance to go in the first round.
Below is my prediction of how all of Round 2 will play out, Nos. 32 through 63. There are plenty of really solid prospects on the board. I'm doing this projection based purely on fit and need and how every team could fill holes. Trades undoubtedly will happen, but I'm not going to try to predict them. Let's start with Pittsburgh:
coverage:
Kiper picks Round 1 winners
Draft experts debate Round 1
Consensus position rankings
32. Pittsburgh Steelers (from CHI)
Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State
Pittsburgh addresses a need here and gets the 23rd-ranked player on our board, adding the son of former Steelers linebacker Joey Porter Sr.
33. Arizona Cardinals (from HOU)
Keeanu Benton, DT, Wisconsin
During the 2022 season, only the Chicago Bears allowed more points than Arizona. The Cardinals need to address the defensive line and will do so with Benton.
34. Detroit Lions (from ARI)
Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
Getting Mayer at No. 34 is an excellent value. He is a potential replacement for TE T.J. Hockenson, traded by the Lions last year.
35. Indianapolis Colts
Steve Avila, G, TCU
The Colts add one of the best interior linemen in the draft to their offensive line that ranked 32nd in pass block win rate and 23rd in run block win rate last season, according to ESPN Analytics data.
36. Los Angeles Rams
Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
The slide for Levis stops here. Matthew Stafford is 35 years old and coming off a season-ending injury, and there's no insurance policy. Levis gives the Rams depth at QB.
37. Seattle Seahawks (from DEN)
Joe Tippmann, C, Wisconsin
The Seahawks' center, Austin Blythe, retired in February after seven years in the NFL. The team fills the need with Tippmann, the best center in the draft.
38. Las Vegas Raiders
Tyrique Stevenson, CB, Miami
The Raiders address their most pressing need and add a cornerback with the skill set to push for a starting job as a rookie.
39. Carolina Panthers
Jonathan Mingo, WR, Ole Miss
The Panthers signed receivers Adam Thielen and DJ Chark already this offseason after trading DJ Moore to the Bears in the deal for the No. 1 pick, but they need to surround new quarterback Bryce Young with as many options as they can.
40. New Orleans Saints
Brian Branch, S/CB, Alabama
Branch represents an upgrade over current nickelback Bradley Roby. The Saints should be ecstatic to draft him if he falls to them here.
41. Tennessee Titans
Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State
The Titans need to improve a passing offense that ranked 30th in the league last season. In addition to 2022 fourth-round pick Chigoziem Okonkwo, who flashed last season, adding Musgrave gives them a young and talented tandem at tight end.
42. Green Bay Packers (from CLE/NYJ)
Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia
This pick fills a need for the Packers, with Robert Tonyan having signed with the Bears this offseason and Marcedes Lewis a 38-year-old free agent. Picking up Washington at No. 42 is a good value.
43. New York Jets
Matthew Bergeron, OT, Syracuse
Former first-round pick Mekhi Becton enters the last year on his rookie contract -- and he has missed 33 of the past 34 games. Free agent signing Duane Brown turns 38 years old this year. Bergeron gives the Jets a young, talented option in an uncertain tackle group.
44. Atlanta Falcons
Keion White, DE, Georgia Tech
The Falcons have signed veteran Calais Campbell and Bud Dupree this offseason, but they need to continue to address the defensive front after finishing last in sacks in 2021 and second to last in 2022. The defensive line will look different in 2023.
45. Green Bay Packers
Jayden Reed, WR, Michigan State
The Packers saw rookie receiver Christian Watson break out over the second half of the 2022 season and Romeo Doubs flashed last year, but Allen Lazard signed with the Jets, so the Packers need to add depth to their receiving group and give QB Jordan Love multiple targets.
46. New England Patriots
Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee
The Patriots added WR JuJu Smith-Schuster in free agency but lost receivers Jakobi Meyers and Nelson Agholor. Selecting Hyatt would give the Patriots an infusion of youth and depth at the position.
47. Washington Commanders
Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee
Sam Howell (2022 fifth-round pick) and 30-year old journeyman Jacoby Brissett are expected to compete for the starting QB job, but it might be that neither will be the long-term answer for the Commanders. Getting Hooker here is an excellent value, and he is capable of competing for the job as soon as he recovers from the ACL injury to his left knee he suffered in November.
48. Detroit Lions
Adetomiwa Adebawore, DE, Northwestern
The Lions need another pass-rusher to complement 2022 No. 2 pick Aidan Hutchinson -- who was the most double-teamed edge rusher in the NFL last season, according to ESPN Stats & Information data -- and promising second-year linebacker James Houston.
49. Pittsburgh Steelers
Trenton Simpson, ILB, Clemson
The Steelers have signed Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts in free agency but have lost Myles Jack, Devin Bush and Robert Spillane. Pittsburgh adds depth to the position here.
50. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
O'Cyrus Torrence, G, Florida
The Buccaneers traded Shaq Mason to the Texans in March, making guard one of their most pressing needs at the draft. Torrence grades out as a Day 1 starter and fills the need.
51. Miami Dolphins
Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa
The Dolphins lost tight end Mike Gesicki to New England in free agency and their other TE, Durham Smythe, caught just 15 passes last season. Picking up LaPorta at this point is an excellent value for the Dolphins.
52. Seattle Seahawks
Cody Mauch, OT, North Dakota State
While the Seahawks drafted both of their starting offensive tackles just last year, Mauch would kick inside to guard, where they have a need and where he arguably has a higher upside.
53. Chicago Bears (from BAL)
Julius Brents, CB, Kansas State
Ideally the Bears would address the defensive front with this pick, but the value isn't there in this scenario. Meanwhile, corner is also a need and Brents is the best available player on our board.
54. Los Angeles Chargers
BJ Ojulari, OLB, LSU
Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa ideally could give the Chargers the dangerous pass-rush tandem they envisioned when they traded for Mack last year, but a groin injury limited Bosa to five games and, although Mack is still playing at a high level, he is 32 years old. Drafting depth at the position doesn't sound like a bad idea.
55. Detroit Lions (from MIN)
Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia
The Lions signed Cam Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley in an effort to improve a passing defense that finished 30th in the league last season, but Moseley is coming off an ACL injury and signed a one-year deal. This pick provides depth and options for the future.
56. Jacksonville Jaguars
DJ Turner, CB, Michigan
The Jaguars ranked 28th in passing defense last season, and cornerback is one of their most pressing needs. Getting Turner at this point in the draft is a good value.
57. New York Giants
John Michael Schmitz, OC, Minnesota
The Giants have a pressing need at center, and Schmitz, who is the second-best center on our board, is a potential steal this late in the draft.
58. Dallas Cowboys
Tucker Kraft, TE, South Dakota State
This is a deep tight end class and Kraft would have come off the board earlier in most years. He has the talent to fill the substantial void created by Dalton Schultz signing with the Texans.
59. Buffalo Bills
Daiyan Henley, ILB, Washington State
We have a third-round grade on Henley and Arkansas' Drew Sanders is still on the board, but I think that picking up Henley here is a good value and that he would fill a need for the Bills.
60. Cincinnati Bengals
Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA
Running back Joe Mixon had his lowest rushing yards per game since his rookie year and ranked 33rd among running backs in yards per carry last season. The Bengals would save over $7 million if they cut or traded him before June 1 and $10 million if they did it after June 1. Picking up a running back here would give them that option.
61. Chicago Bears (from SF/CAR)
Drew Sanders, ILB, Arkansas
Adding Sanders here gives the Bears a versatile defender who can push for a starting outside linebacker job and contribute as a pass-rusher.
62. Philadelphia Eagles
Sydney Brown, S, Illinois
The Eagles signed Justin Evans and Terrell Edmunds in free agency, but C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Marcus Epps have gone elsewhere, exposing a need for depth.
63. Kansas City Chiefs
Cedric Tillman, WR, Tennessee
The Chiefs adding a receiver after losing Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman Jr. in free agency makes sense, and getting Tillman here is a good-value pick to finish off the second round.