Plenty of high-end talent available for NFL teams on Day 2 of draft after some early surprises
A year after Shedeur Sanders' stunning fall from first-round hopeful to late-round draft pick, another perplexing passer was all the buzz at the NFL draft Thursday night. With the 13th overall pick, the Los Angeles Rams selected undersized and inexperienced quarterback Ty Simpson out of Alabama to serve an apprenticeship under NFL MVP Matthew Stafford. Simpson's selection was the biggest shocker on the draft's opening night in Pittsburgh, but there were a few others that also pushed value into the top of the second round Friday night, when the San Francisco 49ers own the first pick.
Rams general manager Les Snead made a first-round pick for only the second time in the past decade — and he turned in a surprise by taking Simpson, who wasn’t considered a first-round talent on most draft boards. Simpson was a starter for only one season with the Crimson Tide, passing for 3,567 yards and leading them to the Rose Bowl after three seasons as a backup. Other players who went higher than many anticipated included Clemson offensive lineman Blake Miller to Detroit at No.
17, Georgia Tech guard Keylan Rutledge to Houston at 26 and Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods to the Chiefs at 29. Two University of Tennessee cornerbacks are among the prime prospects expected to go early in the second round: Colton Hood, who also played at Auburn and Colorado; and Jermod McCoy, who missed the 2025 season with a torn ACL. Others who could hear their names called early in Round 2 include: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo A high-energy defensive back, McNeil-Warren is a tall (almost 6-foot-4, 201 pounds), long safety who makes big hits his hallmark.
He’s just as aggressive tackling ballcarriers as he is in hitting wide receivers. He forced eight fumbles in four seasons at Toledo. Anthony Hill Jr.
, LB, Texas Hill has exceptional speed (low 4. 4 in the 40) for his size (6-foot-3, 238 pounds). He works around blockers with quickness and an elite change of direction and he sports impressive closing speed.