NFL draft winners, losers: Patriots prosper, Cowboys confound on Day 2

Round 1 of the NFL draft earns the bulk of fan and media attention, but the moves that general managers and coaches make on Day 2 can be just as integral to teams’ fortunes. 

On Friday, offensive linemen and cornerbacks were in high demand, and there was even a mini-run on quarterbacks, with three signal-callers being taken in the span of four picks. With the first three rounds complete, a few teams and players stood out as clear beneficiaries of the evening’s action, while several others were left in questionable spots.

Here are the biggest winners and losers from Day 2 of the 2021 NFL draft:

WINNERS

New England Patriots: Bill Belichick’s recent record on Day 2 has been spotty at best, but this is the kind of haul the coach needed to accelerate his team’s return to form. Keeping the Nick Saban pipeline running after taking Alabama quarterback Mac Jones with the No. 15 overall pick, the Patriots used their second-round selection on another Crimson Tide product in defensive tackle Christian Barmore, a first-round talent and perhaps the best player available entering Friday. New England further bolstered its pass rush by adding Oklahoma’s Ronnie Perkins toward the end of the third round.

No. 2 pick ample support. Following his move to trade up for USC offensive guard Alijah Vera-Tucker in Round 1, Douglas used the lone remaining piece of his Friday arsenal to equip Wilson with a shifty and surehanded target in Ole Miss wide receiver Elijah Moore. The state of the secondary could leave Wilson playing catch-up frequently as a rookie, but the offensive pieces are starting to come together nicely.its trade for offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr., the team added another former Oklahoma standout in center Creed Humphrey. The decision was met with immediate approval from the signal-caller himself.the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made him the final pick of the second round. Tom Brady and Bruce Arians are ideal tutors for the young passer, and Trask won’t face any pressure to step into action for some time. Najee Harris: It sure seemed like the Pittsburgh Steelers’ focus would turn to its patchwork front after the team used its top selection Thursday on the Alabama running back. But the organization instead chose Penn State tight end Pat Freiermuth in Round 2. The Steelers finally turned their attention to the line in the third round with Illinois center/guard Kendrick Green, but the addition feels slightly underwhelming. Given Ben Roethlisberger’s diminishing ability and the outlook along the line, Harris could have a rough time as a rookie.with the Houston Texans. The Stanford signal-caller likely isn’t ready for any substantial role early in his career after making just 11 starts in college, yet Houston can’t really commit to any path amid the uncertainty on Deshaun Watson’s future. Even if the star quarterback and the franchise make a clean break, this hardly seems like the right atmosphere for a young signal-caller to properly develop.

Follow Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz on Twitter @MikeMSchwartz.

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