There are only so many picks to be had in the NFL Draft. With the way the first round shakes out, we always end up having players fall to day two that probably should not have. Obviously, the biggest prospect to not hear his name called on Thursday is former Colorado Buffaloes star quarterback Shedeur Sanders. There are varying reasons why he ultimately did not go in the first round I will get to later.
So what I want to do today in the handful of hours we have before the 2025 NFL Draft reignites in earnest from spectacular Green Bay, Wisconsin, is identify some of the best players who were not taken on Thursday. Many of these prospects had first-round grades or were consensus first-rounders in mock drafts; now, they have to wait at least one more day to hear their names called.
I would argue that the better prospects slated to go at the top of the second round play on the defensive side of the ball. That being said, there are players besides Sanders still readily available who can light up a scoreboard offensively. The best part about the second day of the draft is that this is where great teams build champions. Conversely, this is where bad teams can remain in the doldrums.
Shoutout to NFL Mock Draft Database for being our guiding light throughout much of this process!
- Best offensive players available on Day 2 of 2025 NFL Draft
- Best defensive players available on Day 2
- Best overall available players on Day 2
Best offensive players available on Day 2 of 2025 NFL Draft
Here are the 10 best offensive players still on the board heading into day two of the 2025 NFL Draft.
NFL Draft Prospect | Position | College Team |
|---|---|---|
Shedeur Sanders | Quarterback | Colorado Buffaloes |
Luther Burden III | Wide Receiver | Missouri Tigers |
TreVeyon Henderson | Running Back | Ohio State Buckeyes |
Jalen Milroe | Quarterback | Alabama Crimson Tide |
Mason Taylor | Tight End | LSU Tigers |
Aireontae Ersery | Offensive Tackle | Minnesota Golden Gophers |
Jayden Higgins | Wide Receiver | Iowa State Cyclones |
Quinshon Judkins | Running Back | Ohio State Buckeyes |
Jonah Savaiinaea | Interior Offensive Lineman | Arizona Wildcats |
Elijah Arroyo | Tight End | Miami Hurricanes |
There are certainty players who can help your team win on the offensive side of the football here.
Best defensive players available on Day 2
These are the best defensive players still on the board heading into day two of the 2025 NFL Draft.
NFL Draft Prospect | Position | College Team |
|---|---|---|
Will Johnson | Cornerback | Michigan Wolverines |
Mike Green | Edge Rusher | Marshall Thundering Herd |
Nick Emmanwori | Safety | South Carolina Gamecocks |
Donovan Ezeiruaku | Edge Rusher | Boston College Eagles |
Trey Amos | Cornerback | Ole Miss Rebels |
Nic Scourton | Edge Rusher | Texas A&M Aggies |
Shavon Revel Jr. | Cornerback | East Carolina Pirates |
Carson Schwesinger | Linebacker | UCLA Bruins |
Darius Alexander | Defensive Lineman | Toledo Rockets |
Azareye'h Thomas | Cornerback | Florida State Seminoles |
I would argue many of the players taken early in day two will be from the defensive side of the ball.
Best overall available players on Day 2
Here are who I view are the 10 best prospects still on the board heading into the day two of the draft.
Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders
It baffles me that Sanders is still available. Last night, I finally saw someone who is a bigger fan of Sanders' game than me: ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. felt personally offended that he was not taken inside the top 32. It may have something to do with who is father is; it may have something to do with his athleticism being a bit overstated. All I know is this guy is mentally tough, incredibly accurate and has NFL pedigree.
Michigan Wolverines cornerback Will Johnson
The second of three players I am stunned to find here is Michigan Wolverines cornerback Will Johnson. At the start of the draft process, Johnson felt like a player destined to go in the top five. Once the San Francisco 49ers passed on him in favor of Georgia edge rusher Mykel Williams at No. 11, I grew concerned. This may have everything to do with his medicals, but this guy can really play.
Marshall Thundering Herd edge rusher Mike Green
While I am surprised to see former Marshall pass rusher Mike Green still available, I think it ultimately came down to two things for him: level of competition and character concerns. Marshall may have won the Sun Belt, but the Thundering Herd compete at the Group of Five level. Green may have tore it up at the Senior Bowl, but apparently it was not good enough to take him yesterday.
South Carolina Gamecocks safety Nick Emmanwori
Although I never saw South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori as a first-round prospect, I fully expect he will be taken within the first 10 picks of the second round. He is the best player coming off a very underrated South Carolina defense. It would have been cool to see him go to a winning team in the final stages of Round 1, but I think he has a chance to make an even bigger impact with a team that really needs him.
Boston College Eagles edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku
The fact well-run teams like the Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders all passed on him is concerning. Ezeiruaku seemed destined to go to a great team in the 20s; now, he is still on the board in the early 30s. The longer we wait to hear his name be called, the more and more I may have misevaluated him. I do like his upside, though.
Missouri Tigers wide receiver Luther Burden III
I understand Luther Burden III did not have much help at all offensively during his final year with the Missouri Tigers, but this guy has star wide receiver written all over him. While I want to say that I am stunned he was not a first-round pick, this is the price you pay for staying home at a place like Missouri where they do not always do the best job of developing their skill-position players on offense.
Ohio State Buckeyes running back TreVeyon Henderson
We could see both former Ohio State star running backs come off the board in Round 2. It could go either way, but TreVeyon Henderson seems to be getting slightly more love from the NFL talent evaluators than Quinshon Judkins. There were some mock drafts that had him as a first-round prospect, which sounded crazy to me in the moment. He was always a day-two pick, but one who will help his new team win big.
Ole Miss Rebels cornerback Trey Amos
There we some rumblings that Ole Miss Rebels cornerback Trey Amos could have been a late first-round pick, but nothing manifested in that regard. He certainly had his moments in Oxford, but nothing he did really jumped off the screen when I watched him play. Amos always felt like a good, but not great prospect, one destined to be coming off the board in day two. Where he goes will matter to his future NFL success.
Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe
There is a reason why Jalen Milroe was invited to attend the 2025 NFL Draft in person: The former Alabama Crimson Tide starting quarterback is the epitome of a boom-or-bust type of prospect. He is dripping with all sorts of athleticism and talent, but he has to become a more precise thrower of the football. It is why I think a team like the Cleveland Browns or Pittsburgh Steelers will take him today.
Texas A&M Aggies edge rusher Nic Scourton
Nic Scourton was a fringe first-round prospect. After having initially played his college football at Purdue, he transferred back to his native Texas to play for Mike Elko's Aggies in 2024. While he may not possess the freakish traits that former teammate Shemar Stewart has, Scourton is the type of player who is every bit a high ceiling but also an equally low floor. He felt like the lesser version of Kenneth Grant in this draft.