NFL Draft 2026 winners & losers on Day 2: Eagles, Dolphins make value picks, Steelers create QB mess with Drew Allar

The 2026 NFL Draft continued on Friday with the second and third rounds, and quarterbacks became the storyline in Round 3. 

The Arizona Cardinals made another bold pick in Round 3 with Miami quarterback Carson Beck (No. 65). Beck joins Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, who the Cardinals selected in the first round with the No. 3 pick on Thursday. Beck was arguably the most interesting pick on Day 2. 

Pittsburgh added to the quarterback intrigue by selecting Penn State quarterback Drew Allar in the third round with the No. 76 pick. What does that mean for Aaron Rodgers? That was all part of the second-day drama of the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, which concludes Saturday. 

Who were the winners and losers on Day 2? Sporting News takes a closer look: 

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2026 NFL Draft winners: Day 2

Carson Beck to Cardinals in Round 3 

Beck will have the opportunity to compete for a starting job with the Cardinals. He led the Hurricanes to the CFP championship game, had a 37-6 record in the FBS between Georgia and Miami and will have a chance to push veterans Jacob Brissett and Gardner Minshew under first-year coach Mike LaFleur. This is a more reasonable landing spot than Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, who faces the pressure of following Matthew Stafford in Los Angeles after being selected with the No. 13 pick in the first round. 

MORE: What Carson Beck pick means for Jacoby Brissett, Cardinals QB battle

Philadelphia Eagles 

Philadelphia general manager Howie Roseman made a huge trade and added another strong pick in the second round. 

The Eagles traded third-round picks in 2026 and 2027 to the Minnesota Vikings for edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, who had just three sacks last season but totaled 24.5 sacks between 2022-24. Philadelphia also drafted Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers (No. 54) in the second round. Stowers won the Mackey Award last season and is a logical replacement for veteran Dallas Goedert. The Eagles drafted USC receiver Makai Lemon in the first round. 

Philadelphia added Miami tackle Markel Bell (No. 68) – a 6-9, 346-pounder – in the third round. A.J. Brown trade speculation continues, but the Eagles are making good moves with an aggressive draft strategy. 

MORE: Eagles defense projection after trading for Jonathan Greenard

Miami Dolphins 

First-year coach Jeff Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan continued a solid foundation draft after selecting San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson in the first round. Miami took Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez (No. 43) in the second round. He is one of our favorite sleepers and will draw comparisons to Miami legend Zack Thomas if the pick pans out. The Dolphins added Texas Tech receiver Caleb Douglas (No. 75), who had 54 catches for 846 yards and seven TDs and could be a potential replacement for Jaylen Waddle. 

Miami also grabbed Ohio State tight end Will Kacmarek (No. 87) and Louisville receiver Chris Bell (No. 94) in the third round. 

It's a solid two-day start for the new regime in Miami. 

Kayden McDonald 

McDonald – a 6-2, 326-pound defensive tackle from Ohio State – had to wait an extra day after being snubbed in the first round. It could be worth the wait. McDonald (No. 36) landed with the Texans in the second round. Houston ranked second in the NFL in scoring defense at 17.4 points per game. McDonald's emotional reaction – which culminated when he gave NFL commissioner Roger Goodell a hug on the podium – is one of those moments that make the NFL Draft special. 

Kayden McDonald was emotional after being drafted the Texans 🥹 pic.twitter.com/3ZSx0PgppC

Avieon Terrell to Atlanta Falcons 

Terrell (5-11, 186) reunites with his brother A.J. with the Atlanta Falcons, and that provided another go-to emotional moment that Day 2 provided. Avieon Terrell (No. 48) was selected in the second round. Terrell had 21 pass breakups and eight forced fumbles for the Tigers the last two seasons and will have a chance to earn a spot opposite A.J., who started in 15 games for Atlanta in 2025. 

Texas A&M 

The Aggies have a chance to have the most players selected in the NFL Draft. Texas A&M receiver KC Concepcion (No. 24) was a first-round pick by Cleveland, and the Aggies had six players selected on Day 2, including three second-round picks. Guard Chase Bisontis (No. 34) went to Arizona, edge rusher Cashius Howell (No. 41) landed with Cincinnati, and tight end Nate Boerkircher (No. 56) was selected by Jacksonville. 

2026 NFL Draft losers: Day 2 

Drew Allar to Steelers in Round 3 

Aaron Rodgers has not made a decision about whether he will return for a 22nd season. The Steelers added to the intrigue by selecting Allar, 6-5, 228-pound quarterback. He was a three-year starter at Penn State, and he is coming off a season-ending ankle injury. If Rodgers retires, then Allar would join a quarterback battle that includes Mason Rudolph and Will Howard, a 6-4, 236-pound quarterback who was a sixth-round pick last season. This is quite the room for first-year coach Mike McCarthy, who coached Rodgers in Green Bay. 

MORE: What Drew Allar pick means for Steelers with Aaron Rodgers ongoing question

Jermod McCoy's draft slide 

McCoy – a 6-foot, 188-pound cornerback – was one of the notable slides down the draft board. McCoy was a projected first-round pick, but he slipped to Day 3. McCoy did not work out at the NFL Scouting Combine, and nine cornerbacks have been selected through three rounds. McCoy suffered a torn ACL in 2025 – and those injury concerns led to a free-fall down the draft board. 

MORE: How injury history has caused Jermod McCoy to slide out of first three rounds

Buffalo Bills 

The Bills traded down in the first round, and they went defense in the second round with a pair of interesting picks. Clemson edge rusher TJ Parker (No. 35) was among the top players on SN's Big Board last April, but he had just five sacks for the Tigers in 2025. Buffalo also traded up in the second round for Ohio State cornerback Davison Igbinosun (No. 62), who reduced the penalties last season for the Buckeyes. Both picks have a boom-or-bust feel to a defense that allowed 30 or more points six times in 2025. 

Garrett Nussmeier 

Nussmeier — a veteran LSU quarterback — was projected to be a possible Day 2 quarterback. He played through injuries last season, and he had 41 TDs and 17 interceptions as a two-year starter. Beck and Allar were the Day 2 QBs, however, and that means Nussmeier slides into the Day 3 crowd. 

Group of 6 draft picks  

Through three rounds, only three players outside the Power 4 have been selected in the NFL Draft. That included just two Day 2 picks in Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (No. 58); a second-round pick to Cleveland. Tampa Bay selected Georgia State receiver Ted Hurst (No. 84) in the third round.