Lazar’s Best Available Players Heading Into Day Two of the 2026 NFL Draft – USA News 26 April 2026

Date: April 26, 2026  |  Source: Patriots.com  |  Category: USA News

Overview

After selecting Utah OT Caleb Lomu in the first round, who could the Patriots target on day two of the draft?

Key Details

The Patriots kicked off the 2026 NFL Draft by trading up in the first round to select Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu with the 28th overall pick on Thursday night.

After six tackles went in the first 21 picks, Lomu was the final of seven projected first-round offensive tackles. Therefore, it makes sense that the Patriots jumped at the opportunity to select a player they didn't expect to be available at the end of the first round. Along with needing a succession plan at right tackle behind 35-year-old Morgan Moses, the Patriots were also thin on depth behind Moses and LT Will Campbell.

By selecting Lomu, they checked both boxes, giving them quality tackle depth and a potential heir to Moses. Before the draft, we discussed the "gap" in talent at offensive tackle after the top seven players at the position, all selected in the first round. If the Patriots didn't take Lomu on Thursday night, they probably would've had to wait until the middle rounds for the next run at tackle, whereas there's more day-two depth at their more immediate needs. For example, there are plenty of intriguing options at edge rusher and tight end who are still available heading into day two.

As we turn our attention to day two, the tricky part about projecting the best available players for the Patriots is that they don't pick again until the end of the second round (No. 63). Although there are intriguing players still available that fell out of the first round, it doesn't seem likely that a slew of names we discussed all draft season will last until New England is on the clock again.

In the interest of projecting who they might target at the backend of the second round, we crossed off the following names from the big board because they'll likely hear their name called early on Friday night: Cashius Howell, Denzel Boston, T.J. Parker, Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Kayden McDonald, R Mason Thomas, and Zion Young. Instead, we'll focus on players who could realistically still be available in the Patriots range.

Here are my top available players for the Patriots heading into day two of the NFL Draft.

WR Chris Brazzell II, Tennessee (6-4, 198)

Brazzell is my favorite wideout in this year's class for the Patriots because of his fit with QB Drake Maye. As we discussed with Pierce in free agency, Brazzell has field-stretching ability (4.37s speed), a large catch radius (92nd percentile wingspan), and start-stop quickness to separate on outs/comebacks/digs at the intermediate level. If we were handing out Madden ratings for the rookie class, Brazzell wouldn't be at the top of the ratings just yet, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a better match for a deep-ball artist like Maye.

Why This Matters for Exam Students

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

When was this news published?

April 26, 2026

What is this news about?

After selecting Utah OT Caleb Lomu in the first round, who could the Patriots target on day two of the draft?

Which exams cover this topic?

UPSC, SSC CGL, SSC CHSL, Railway RRB, IBPS, SBI PO, and all State PSC exams.

Who reported this news?

Patriots.com

Conclusion

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Source: Patriots.com

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