Nate Tice·Charles McDonaldFri, April 24, 2026 at 3:07 AM UTC·23 min readFernando Mendoza is off the board, as are 31 other players after Round 1 of the NFL Draft. Who are the best players still available?

Here, according to the combined big boards of Yahoo Sports NFL Draft experts Nate Tice and Charles McDonald, are the top players still on the board heading into Day 2 — Rounds 2 and 3 — of the 2026 draft:

Big Boards: Nate Tice • Charles McDonald | Draft guide

McCoy is a quick-twitch athlete who constantly makes plays on the football. He has good size and already shows the footwork and patience to stay sticky with receivers and be consistent in man coverage. McCoy suffered an ACL injury in January of 2025, and he hasn’t played or really done much since then to show teams where he is at physically. There are times where he is indifferent against the run, but his skill set and athleticism are just too fun of a package at the cornerback spot to drop too far. — Nate Tice

A smooth route runner in a big frame, Boston can easily get in and out of his breaks and is agile enough to be a dangerous punt returner despite being 6-foot-4, 212 pounds. Boston is a hands catcher with range who can quickly transition into a runner because of the confidence he has in his ball skills. His ability to consistently adjust for the football, combined with his frame, makes him a weapon along the sideline and in the red zone. Boston has build-up speed with the ball in his hands and can pull away with his long strides, and to cap it all off he has a knack for the little things like blocking and route timing. While Boston doesn’t seem to have overwhelming speed or burst, he is a fluid athlete who can win in isolated situations and at all three levels. It’s not easy to find a true “X” wide receiver body type with actual skills like this. — NT

As it has for many years, Clemson is sending multiple highly-touted defensive linemen into the draft. The athletic, heavy-handed Parker joins defensive tackle Peter Woods in the top 25 of this big board. Parker might not have the super athletic traits to end up as a perennial 10-sack player in the NFL, but he has the chance to at least be a plus starter on quality defensive lines in the future. At 263 pounds, Parker’s frame gives him the option to either be a true defensive end in a four-man front or get a little heavier to be a flex player in more creative defenses. — Charles McDonald

The strength of McDonald’s game is his, well, strength. He is a true run-stuffing defensive tackle, with the typical pass rushing abilities associated with such a profile. He has good initial pop and can plug the interior and hold up against double-teams, which makes him a valuable player on early downs, with the added bonus of having the awareness and soundness to actually be involved in the tackle on the play; 65 combined tackles and a steady helping of TFLs is not nothing for a player usually tasked with eating blocks. He needs to continue to add to his pass rush arsenal and plan to make him a more dynamic player, but he’s still an easy enough mover that he can stay on the field on pass rushing downs. It’s easy to envision McDonald as an effective plugger. — NT

Like his older brother A.J., a star cornerback for the Atlanta Falcons, Avieon Terrell has a chance to be a first-round pick and a longtime NFL starter. He might not be the most athletic corner in the draft, but he has the movement skills that should translate in a big way at the next level. Terrell might not ever be a true lockdown cornerback in the NFL, but he has enough skills to be considered early in the draft. — CM

Hood is a frisky cornerback who can consistently stay sticky in man coverage. He does a great job of never getting out of whack with his footwork and will stay balanced while staying latched onto his assignment. He is a good athlete who can close quickly on the football, and his competitiveness really shows up when defending the run. He’s a consistent tackler and doesn’t play with any fear. Hood’s competitive style can get him in trouble at times as he can get a little too handsy, but he checks a lot of boxes as an athlete and with his ability to play in man and having the awareness and burst to fit into zone-heavy schemes as well. — NT

A toolsy safety with size and explosiveness, McNeil-Warren plays with an edge on every snap that’s palpable. It’s hard to not notice where the future NFL prospect is located when watching Toledo’s defense. He’s a hard hitter who also has the length and range to play as the deep safety in coverage. His burst and physicality show up when he has to come down and play the run or when jarring the ball loose from pass catchers over the middle. He has a knack for being around the ball and forced a heaping of fumbles, but can be a bit inconsistent in how he closes in the run game. I like McNeil-Warren’s game in any type of modern defense, with his size being an asset against bigger wide receivers and athletic tight ends, there’s something to him and how he is always around the football. — NT

The only thing Allen might be missing is elite speed as far as his draft profile goes. Allen earned time as a true freshman on Georgia’s talented defense and ascended to a leadership role quickly. His smarts, physicality and willingness to do the dirty work helped make him a star in Athens and should help him get into the starting lineup quickly in the NFL. — CM

Hill is like the opposite of CJ Allen. He has the speed, size and physicality that teams desperately want in the middle of their defense, but his attention to detail in terms of being where he is supposed to be schematically wasn’t always his strongest suit. He was banged up a bit during his final season with the Longhorns, but in a class that lacks defined star power at many positions, he may end up a beneficiary of teams taking a bet on his athletic upside. — CM

Nussmeier had an inconsistent final season as he survived the death throes of the Brian Kelly era in Baton Rouge. He has a below-average build and isn’t an overwhelming athlete, but his gunslinger mentality maximizes every concept that’s run for him and he knows how to get the ball in play. Nussmeier will push the ball and does so with clean timing and ball placement. He has plenty of arm and maximizes it with his timing. He can get himself in trouble with his aggression, but he really makes constant good decisions with the football and plays to win the game rather than just find the safest answer. I see a potential solid starter in the right situation with a good understanding of properly playing quarterback. — NT

Young is a fun prospect to watch. He’s not the most explosive or bendiest pass rusher in the world, but he has a rugged approach to the game that should endear himself to teams looking for high-end depth on the edge of their defense. Young excels at stuffing the run and appears to have the upside to keep progressing as a pass rusher. — CM

Miller is not the most dynamic defensive lineman that Georgia has had during the Kirby Smart era, but he’s a steady player who should be a quality piece on the interior in the NFL. He runs hot and cold, but his best tape is good enough to land him on this top 50 in what is perceived to be a weaker class. — CM

Vanderbilt was on the national stage this past season and it might have a highly drafted prospect in Stowers, who is one of the most athletic pass catchers in the draft. Stowers set a record for TEs with a 45.5-inch vertical leap and he continued his strong workout by running a 4.51 40-yard dash. The athleticism transfers to the field as well, giving some proof of concept that he’s not just a workout warrior. — CM

Every defense could use a dirty work edge defender and Thomas fits that bill easily. He doesn’t necessarily excel in every single task he’s asked to do, but he is at least competent as an all-around player and shows flashes of brilliance throughout his film. He was a big reason why the Sooners’ defensive line was one of the most feared in the country and should be a high-end rotation player at worst in the NFL. — CM

Bisontis is an explosive athlete who can fire out of his stance. His athleticism shows up with his ability to bend, create leverage and readjust his blocks with some real pop on delivery. Bisontis is light on his feet as a puller and can consistently adjust when working on the second level. He can get upright as a pass protector, which will cause his footwork and balance to unravel, and combined with his lack of overwhelming length (31 3/4-inch arms) led to some flags in his career. He looks like an early starter at guard who can fit in any type of scheme because of his movement ability and play strength. — NT

Ponds is just a football player. He lacks size, but he’s explosive, intelligent and tenacious, a combination that lets him play bigger than his size and impact games constantly. I understand if there’s a cap on how high he ends up going, but Ponds could stick on the outside in a zone-heavy system because of his explosiveness and ball skills. Or he could end up being a slot dynamo because of his toughness, awareness and competitiveness. Just a player you like having on your team. — NT

Scott is an older prospect, who will be 25 at the start of his rookie year, but he has the playmaking ability to immediately be a weapon in the secondary. Scott really made his presence felt during the Hurricanes’ run through the playoffs en route to the national championship game. As an older slot defender, maybe this is a bit high for him, but the ability to win in multiple ways and get his hands on the ball as an aggressor in the secondary will be key. — CM