One day after offense dominated the first round of the NFL draft, the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Chargers selected a pair of wide receivers back-to-back to start the second round Friday night in Detroit.
The Bills used the first pick of Round 2 (No. 33 overall) to select Florida State wide receiver Keon Coleman. It marked the first selection of the draft for the Bills, who hope that Coleman will provide quarterback Josh Allen with a deep threat after the team traded wideout Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans earlier this month.
The Chargers picked Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey moments later with the 34th overall pick. McConkey also could fill a void after Los Angeles sent veteran Keenan Allen to the Chicago Bears last month.
Four of the next five picks were defensive linemen. The Atlanta Falcons took Clemson’s Ruke Orhorhoro, the Washington Commanders drafted Illinois’ Johnny Newton, the Tennessee Titans turned to Texas’ T’Vondre Sweat and the Los Angeles Rams nabbed Florida State’s Braden Fiske.
The only team that did not beef up its defensive line in that five-pick stretch was the New England Patriots, who drafted Washington wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk at No. 37 overall. The 6-foot-1, 203-pound receiver will team up with rookie quarterback Drake Maye, whom the Patriots took at No. 3 overall on Friday night.
Four consecutive cornerbacks went off the board in picks No. 40-43. The Philadelphia Eagles started the run by drafting Cooper DeJean, an All-American out of Iowa whom many had projected as a first-round pick.
The next three picks were Alabama’s Kool-Aid McKinstry to the New Orleans Saints, Georgia’s Kamari Lassiter to the Texans and Rutgers’ Max Melton to the Arizona Cardinals.
Texas’ Jonathon Brooks was the first running back to be selected this year. The Carolina Panthers picked Brooks at No. 46 overall after he rushed for 1,139 yards and 10 touchdowns in 10 games with the Longhorns in 2023.
Another Longhorns skill player, wide receiver Adonai Mitchell, went to the Indianapolis Colts at No. 52. Mitchell, who hauled in 11 touchdowns among his 55 catches last season, will pair with second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson in Indianapolis.
The Detroit Lions, the host team of the draft this season, selected a cornerback for the second day in a row. The Lions chose Missouri cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. at No. 61 one day after they tabbed Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold at No. 24 in Round 1.
The San Francisco 49ers closed out the second round by selecting Florida State cornerback Renardo Green. He was the third Seminoles player to be selected in the second round, joining Coleman and Fiske.
