Rounds 2-3 Mock Draft | Day 2 Best Available | Round 1 Grades | Round 1 Winners and Losers

The first round of the 2025 NFL draft is in the books. That was the easy part for NFL teams. Rounds 2 through 7 is where the legitimate contenders separate themselves from the pretenders. 

The first-round prospects dominated the headlines and talk shows in the months leading up to the draft, but there’s often plenty of talent that comes from Day 2. Last year, Cooper DeJean, Ladd McConkey, Braden Fiske, Edgerrin Cooper and T’Vondre Sweat were all taken in the second round. DeJean went from daydreaming about intercepting a Patrick Mahomes pass to actually doing it in the Super Bowl for a memorable pick-six. 

Who are the next stars from Rounds 2 and 3? We’ll do our best to assess that with our instant grades for each pick Friday night, ranging from Nos. 33–102.

Let’s get to it.

33. Cleveland Browns

Carson Schwesinger, LB, UCLA

Schwesinger went from a walk-on special teams contributor to becoming UCLA’s starting middle linebacker last season. He will now make plays for the Browns next to Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. 

Considered by many as the second-best pure off-ball linebacker in this class—behind the Philadelphia Eagles’ Jihaad Campbell—Schwesinger flourished with his nose for the ball and sideline-to-sideline speed. The fast processor and reactor racked up 136 tackles, four sacks and two interceptions in his breakout season for the Bruins. —GM

Scouting report: Schwesinger’s meteoric three-year rise from walk-on to first-team All-American was spearheaded by an impressive mix of athleticism, instincts and size. At 6' 2½" and 243 pounds, Schwesinger has the speed, fluidity and footwork to cover significant ground in zone coverage and make plays laterally against the run. He’s smart, processes quickly and fills gaps well when playing the run. Schwesinger’s pure take-on ability against blockers isn’t advanced, and he needs to get stronger at the next level. But his blend of range, instincts, tackling and special teams background should get him drafted early on Day 2. —Daniel Flick

Grade: A

34. Houston Texans

Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State

Higgins has all the size anybody could ask for at 6' 4"and 214 pounds, while also running a 4.47 40-time. At Iowa State, Higgins caught 53 passes for 983 yards after transferring from Eastern Kentucky prior to the 2023 season. Last year, Higgins registered 87 receptions for 1,183 yards and nine touchdowns. —MV

Scouting report: Higgins is a big-bodied receiver with long strides, suddenness and elusiveness after the catch. He is a physically imposing receiver with 33⅛-inch arms, creating a friendly window for quarterbacks. He’s quick, fluid and clean entering and exiting breaks, and while he’s not a burner, his stride length helps him accelerate past corners downfield. Higgins is strong and competitive at the catch point, and he’s an above average wideout in contested-catch situations. Higgins has the size, physicality, hands and nuance to be a quality starting receiver early at the next level.

Grade: B

35. Seattle Seahawks

Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina

Nobody tested better at the combine than Emmanwori, who is a physical freak in every capacity. Measuring at 6' 3" and 220 pounds, the South Carolina safety ran a 4.38 40-time with a 43" vertical jump and a 11' 6" long jump. Emmanwori was first-team All-SEC and first-team All-American in 2024 with 88 tackles, four interceptions and a pair of touchdowns. —MV

Scouting report: Emmanwori had one of the greatest NFL combine performances of all time relative to his position. He’s explosive and eats up space, which helps him make plays sideline to sideline when roaming the box and in pursuit. Emmanwori’s ability to take on blocks in run support runs hot and cold. In man coverage, his transitional quickness and route recognition are only average, which creates clear passing windows when receivers exit breaks. Emmanwori has experience as a single-high safety, but he’s best suited to roam the box, cover tight ends and make plays working laterally. —DF

36. Cleveland Browns

Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State

Judkins is a physical freak, standing 6' 0" and 221 pounds while running a 4.48 40-time. Before transferring to Ohio State, Judkins starred for two seasons with Ole Miss, rushing for 2,725 yards and 31 touchdowns. Then, for the Buckeyes in 2024, he split time with TreVeyon Henderson and ran for 1,060 yards and 14 scores. He has all the makings of a star back. —MV

Scouting report: Judkins eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards in each of his three collegiate campaigns. He’s a decisive runner who hits his top gear quickly and can collect yards inside and outside, though he lacks breakaway speed and elusiveness in space. Judkins is a power-oriented runner who’s adept at lowering his shoulder, running through arm tackles and falling forward after contact. While not a high-end pass catcher, he’s functional out of the backfield and a physical, willing blocker. —DF

Grade: A-


This article was originally published on www.si.com as NFL Draft 2025: Grades for Every Second- and Third-Round Pick.