Five Top Stories from Day Two of NFL Draft

The elite players left on the board at the end of Round One flew off quickly once the commissioner launched the draft for Day Two.

Here are the top five stories from Rounds Two and Three:

1. Injured Prospects Go Early—Jaylon Smith and Myles Jack were major stories throughout the draft process, and they did not have to wait long on Day Two. Smith went to the Cowboys while Jack went to the Jaguars, who were thought to be targeting the Bruin at #5 overall until the knee issue really became more prominent. These are two outstanding players who are well worth the risk.
2. Jets Go with Hackenberg—Connor Cook, who some considered the top QB prospect at the beginning of 2015, was thought to come off the board early on Day Two—perhaps to the QB needy Browns or Cowboys. Instead, it was the Jets who opted instead for Christian Hackenberg. The woefully inaccurate signal caller has a lot of development to undergo before seeing an NFL field.
3. Great Story Taken by the Browns—Shon Coleman was a five-star high school recruit and considered a lock to be an early pick three years from National Signing Day. Instead, three years after he signed with Auburn, he was still acclimating to college football after spending two years away from the game due to cancer. Coleman overcame much to get to the Browns in Round Three, and he still has a very high ceiling to be a great offensive tackle.
4. Heisman Winner Goes to Titans—Derrick Henry had to wait until the middle of Round Three to hear his name called, but he will join preceding Heisman winner, Marcus Mariota, in Tennessee.
5. Lowly Franchises Boasting Stellar Hauls—Cleveland and Tennessee still possess a host of remaining picks, but they have already added a number of impact players to their roster. Meanwhile, Jacksonville is building a fearsome defense adding Jalen Ramsey, Myles Jack, and Yannick Ngakoue to last year’s selection—who missed 2015—Dante Fowler, Jr. Gus Bradley now has an absolutely loaded unit that also includes a strong free-agent class.

Best Pick: Jacksonville Jaguars Take LB Myles Jack (UCLA)—We will likely see Jack this season, which gives him the nod over Jaylon Smith going to the Cowboys. Yes, this is a risk, but to get such an impact guy in Round Two is a very, very rare thing.

Worst Pick: Tampa Bay Bucs Take K Roberto Aguayo (Florida State)—I do not care that this is one of the best kickers to come out in a long time. He’s a kicker! Taking a kicker in Round Two is an act of desperation. I thought Vernon Hargreaves was a bit of a reach in Round One but a solid selection, and I loved Noah Spence in Round Two. However, the Bucs really lose points for taking a kicker on the second day of the draft. Wow!

Strange Picks: Hackenberg, Brissett, and Kessler Taken Before Connor Cook—Apparently the worst thing you can do as a quarterback prospect is fail to be elected team captain. Connor Cook inexplicably tumbled on Day Two and remains on the board. Hackenberg has a big arm and Brissett has big potential, but both are boom or bust prospects. Meanwhile, Cody Kessler looks like a very solid career backup with little chance of being a serviceable starter. Connor Cook still on the board is the biggest story going into Day Two, especially considering the three flawed quarterbacks taken ahead of him.