2026 NFL Draft: Steals and reaches from Day 2

Big Board gaps define steals and reaches: Prospects like Emmanuel McNeil-Warren and CJ Allen fell well below their PFF Big Board rankings, creating strong value picks, while others were selected far earlier than expected.

Niners kick things off with a reach at the top of Round 3: WR De'Zhaun Stribling entered the draft at No. 112 on the PFF board but was selected at No. 33 overall on Friday night.

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Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft is typically where team-specific boards begin to take over, and this year was no different. After a relatively straightforward first round, Rounds 2 and 3 opened with Mississippi wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling landing in San Francisco and continued with selections like Denzel Boston to Cleveland and Avieon Terrell to Atlanta. From that point on, the separation between consensus rankings and team valuations became more pronounced.

With that context, here are the biggest “steals” and “reaches” from Day 2, measured against PFF’s Big Board.

Biggest steals of Round 2

S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo Rockets

PFF Big Board Rank: 21

Actual Pick: 58

2025 PFF Grade: 91.9

McNeil-Warren is a big, explosive safety with a knack for creating turnovers. He projects as a potential impact starter in a box role.

LB CJ Allen, Georgia Bulldogs

PFF Big Board Rank: 18

Actual Pick: 53

2025 PFF Grade: 75.8

Allen is a physical, reliable middle linebacker with strong run-defense ability. His length limitations are notable, but he flashes enough in coverage to project as a starter.

CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson Tigers

PFF Big Board Rank: 23

Actual Pick: 48

2025 PFF Grade: 83.5

Terrell's lack of length may limit him to zone-heavy schemes, but his elite football IQ and playmaking instincts give him starting potential across multiple systems.

ED Cashius Howell, Texas A&M Aggies

PFF Big Board Rank: 26

Actual Pick: 41

2025 PFF Grade: 81.2

Howell's measurables are not ideal, but his hand usage, burst and pass-rush arsenal allow him to be disruptive in one-on-one situations as a situational edge defender.

CB Brandon Cisse, South Carolina Gamecocks

PFF Big Board Rank: 41

Actual Pick: 52

2025 PFF Grade: 75.2

Cisse can lack physicality at times, but his explosiveness and twitch give him the tools to develop into a starting NFL cornerback.

Biggest reaches of Round 2

TE Nate Boerkircher, Texas A&M Aggies

PFF Big Board Rank: 158

Actual Pick: 56

2025 PFF Grade: 74.5

Boerkircher will be one of the oldest prospects in the class as a sixth-year senior, but he showed depth-level NFL ability in 2025. He is a tenacious run blocker with strong competitive toughness and better athleticism than his receiving production suggests. He projects as a Day 3 depth option with versatile blocking value.

WR De'Zhaun Stribling, Mississippi Rebels

PFF Big Board Rank: 112

Actual Pick: 33

2025 PFF Grade: 79.2

Stribling is a strong, competitive receiver with natural hands and a physical playstyle that shows up as a blocker, after the catch and at the catch point. While he lacks the agility to consistently create separation, he has sufficient long speed to remain a vertical threat from any alignment.

TE Marlin Klein, Michigan Wolverines

PFF Big Board Rank: 138

Actual Pick: 59

2025 PFF Grade: 64.6

Klein is an intriguing young prospect who is relatively new to football but shows the effort and mentality to develop into a difference-making in-line tight end. If he continues to add weight and strength, he projects as a strong TE2-type with blocking upside.

S Bud Clark, TCU Horned Frogs

PFF Big Board Rank: 117

Actual Pick: 64

2025 PFF Grade: 80.4

Clark is a long, explosive playmaker with strong ball skills, but his lack of strength in run defense will need to be managed.

C Logan Jones, Iowa Hawkeyes

PFF Big Board Rank: 95

Actual Pick: 57

2025 PFF Grade: 79

Jones is a high-IQ, feisty center with strong athleticism for zone schemes. He moves well laterally and shows good hand usage, but his outlier-short arm length creates challenges sustaining blocks and handling longer defenders.

Biggest steals of Round 3

G Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon Ducks

PFF Big Board Rank: 36

Actual Pick: 88

2025 PFF Grade: 86.7

Pregnon took a major leap in 2025, earning an 86.7 PFF grade across a career-high 910 snaps after never dipping below 625 snaps in any season. His 88.1 pass-blocking grade ranked seventh among FBS guards, and he allowed just one sack, two hits and two hurries on 471 pass-blocking snaps. He flashed high-end upside with 85th-percentile marks on true pass sets and elite production in zone schemes (98th percentile zone run-blocking grade).

WR Chris Bell, Louisville Cardinals

PFF Big Board Rank: 44

Actual Pick: 94

2025 PFF Grade: 81.8

Bell offers an impressive blend of size — particularly weight — and explosiveness as a WR2 in a vertical offense. Some tightness in his lateral movements limits his ability to win with nuanced route-running, but when kept on vertical or horizontal routes, he can generate separation on deep routes and create yards after the catch on shorter touches.

T Gennings Dunker, Iowa Hawkeyes

PFF Big Board Rank: 57

Actual Pick: 96

2025 PFF Grade: 82

Dunker has tackle experience but projects best to guard due to his build and skill set. He flashes devastating power, particularly in zone schemes, but must clean up inconsistencies with balance and patience to raise his floor.

T Caleb Tiernan, Northwestern Wildcats

PFF Big Board Rank: 64

Actual Pick: 97

2025 PFF Grade: 70.5

Tiernan is a smart, balanced and experienced tackle whose limitations stem from a naturally high pad level and shorter arm length. Despite that, his technique and football IQ give him a path to a starting role.

S A.J. Haulcy, LSU Tigers

PFF Big Board Rank: 52

Actual Pick: 78

2025 PFF Grade: 86.6

Haulcy is a true deep safety with strong range, ball skills and an aggressive playmaking mentality. He projects as a starter in systems that keep him in a traditional backend role.

Biggest reaches of Round 3

DI Tyler Onyedim, Texas A&M Aggies

PFF Big Board Rank: 244

Actual Pick: 66

2025 PFF Grade: 71.9

Onyedim delivered steady production in 2025, earning a 71.9 PFF grade driven by his work against the run. He posted a 73.2 run-defense grade, recorded 22 defensive stops, including seven tackles for loss or no gain and consistently impacted early downs. His pass-rush contribution remains a secondary part of his profile, as he generated 17 pressures and earned a 65.0 pass-rush grade. At 6-foot-3 and 295 pounds, he wins with first-step quickness and active hands to shed blocks and close space. The overall profile aligns with his No. 244 ranking on PFF’s Big Board as a rotational interior defender with upside in the right scheme.

S Jalen Huskey, Maryland Terrapins

PFF Big Board Rank: 247

Actual Pick: 100

2025 PFF Grade: 83.6

Huskey delivered a highly productive 2025 season, earning an 83.6 PFF grade across 678 snaps, including an 83.5 coverage grade and an 82.5 run-defense grade. He allowed just 11 receptions for 81 yards on 17 targets while recording four interceptions, giving up just a 55.9 passer rating into his coverage. That reinforces a strong track record of ball production that includes 11 interceptions, six pass breakups and just four touchdowns allowed on 87 career targets. He also added 36 solo tackles and 12 run stops in 2025. His usage reflects notable versatility, with snaps split between free safety (349), the box (211) and the slot (111), which supports his projection as a movable defensive back capable of contributing in multiple roles.

TE Oscar Delp, Georgia Bulldogs

PFF Big Board Rank: 215

Actual Pick: 73

2025 PFF Grade: 63.2

Delp is an intriguing athlete with a high-effort play style that should get him drafted. However, his limited receiving impact and lack of feel in that area project him as a TE3 or TE4 option.

WR Zavion Thomas, LSU Tigers

PFF Big Board Rank: 213

Actual Pick: 89

2025 PFF Grade: 66.2

Thomas plays with energy and determination, giving him a strong chance to stick on an NFL roster, particularly because of his special-teams return ability.

HB Kaelon Black, Indiana Hoosiers

PFF Big Board Rank: 187

Actual Pick: 90

2025 PFF Grade: 83.7

Black brings strong legs, good burst and the kind of effort coaches appreciate in a hard-nosed running style. However, his run game lacks true difference-making creativity, and his third-down usage is very limited.

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