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NFL draft: 10 most valuable potential day 2 picks

Every draft season, most of the focus is on the first rounders. But while these guys are the best prospects there is no shortage of talent in rounds 2 and 3. Looking back on every draft, there are some guys that just make us wonder how they weren’t first rounders. Here’s a list of 10 2021 draft prospects that I think will have us asking ourselves that very question.

1. Rashod Bateman, WR: It boggles my mind that this guy is falling out of the first round in some mock drafts. Bateman wasn’t quite as much of a monster on the field in 2020 as he was in 2019 but he has still put together too much impressive tape for him to be falling out of round 1. Bateman arguably has the most NFL ready skill set of all of the receivers in this star studded class. He had the best route running skills in college football and had big catches as well. The big knock on him is speed but it isn’t like he is slow, it’s just that he’s a little bit slower than the speedsters in this class.
2. Rondale Moore, WR: Moore is a great player but there are some real question marks about his game. While he had one of the greatest freshman seasons ever by a receiver and great production, the fact that his role may not translate in the NFL will make him fall down boards a bit. I just think that we’ve seen Moore succeed in everything that he tried in college and his athleticism can translate. He may be undersized but not many people can do what he does after the catch.
3. Samuel Cosmi, OT: Cosmi has all the traits of a top tackle and that’s what he’ll become if he can put it all together. He probably will fall out of the first round because of some bad habits that he showed in college but he still had an extremely successful collegiate career. His production and upside is enough for me to think that he’ll become a great tackle in the NFL.
4. Walker Little, OT: After being a highly coveted recruit coming out of high school, Walker Little starred early in his Stanford career. But after getting injured in junior year and opting out of his senior season due to COVID, he has played well under 100 snaps in the last two seasons. It is a legitimate concern because we don’t really know where he is at in his development. The reason he is on this list though, is that he could’ve had a real shot at being a top 10–15 pick had he continued on his trajectory. It’s rare that a player with the franchise tackle potential that Little has, is available in day 2.
5. Ronnie Perkins, DE: If Perkin’s only game ever was his game against Kansas this year, he might still make this list. Aside from nearly ending the Kansas football program (with a simply astonishing PFF grade of 98 in that game), this season Perkins showed that he has production to go with his traits. While he may never have the best bull rush in the league, Perkins could become one of the top speed rushers in the whole NFL.
6. Joe Tryon, DE: Tryon is truly on this list as a projection. He was alright throughout his college but missed a breakout opportunity by opting out this season. According to reports he has truly made the most of his time away from the game and added to his extremely ideal physical traits. Tryon has already shown how well he can utilise power in his game. He is extremely raw, but if this pick hits, it would mean that Tryon is a star player.
7. Greg Newsome, CB: Newsome’s drawback is that he isn’t a top athlete but I think that he’ll be able to overcome that. He is plays both man and zone very well which means that a lot of teams will him if he is around on day 2. He allowed a 31.7 passer rating last year and that is indicative of his shutdown corner potential. Newsome was the best player on the best Northwestern team in a long while. In my opinion, Newsome is a top 5 cornerback prospect in this class.
8. Dyami Brown, WR: Brown is another guy that might have his draft stock affected by his collegiate role. The thing about Dyami Brown that makes me think he’ll be a star is that he has shown all the things that the NFL likes in a receiver. He has size, athleticism, route running, contested catch ability, and ability after the catch. One of the most underrated receivers this year, Brown will likely be have a very successful career.
9. Ar’Darious Washington, S: At 5'8, Washington will probably be the shortest player on every NFL field that he plays on. He is just such a great player with such great versatility that he could still be well worth a second round pick. Everything about him reminds me of Tyrann Mathieu and he could fill that same jack of all trades role. If he were a few inches taller he’d have just about everything that you’d want in a safety. Since Washington plays so many positions, his size may not even be all that big a deal in the NFL.
10. Brevin Jordan, TE: Brevin Jordan is just an absolute stud with the ball in his hands. He can add another dimension to offenses with his skill set. There will be downs where he will line up in the backfield, in the slot, or outside. He could fill the George Kittle type of role if he lands in the right scheme. If he keeps adding weight to his frame, he will be a truly complete tight end at the next level.