SECOND ROUND
Anthony Hill Jr. – Texas
Hill is a 6-foot-2, 238-pound missile with modern-day athleticism to be a three-down impact player in the NFL. He is quick to react and even faster once he gets moving, especially downhill. His eight career forced fumbles will appeal to defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, who could find all sorts of ways to use Hill. Only problem is that he could be well off the board before pick No. 48.
Golday checks a lot of boxes and is an explosive player in the middle of a defense. In two seasons at Cincinnati, Golday had 163 tackles, 13 tackles for a loss, 5 sacks, 5 pass defenses and 3 forced fumbles. He can be deployed effectively as a blitzer, a zone coverage defender or a downhill thumper.
Jacob Rodriguez – Texas Tech
One of the stars of the 2025 college football season, Rodriguez was a central force on what many consider the best FBS defense last year. He led the country with seven forced fumbles last season and gobbles up tackles like a Hungry Hungry Hippo. Like some of the best inside linebackers, Rodriguez is a multiplying force whose leadership skills have been highly touted. Notably, NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein compared Rodriguez to Carson Schwesinger, whom Kevin Stefanski’s Cleveland Browns took in the second round last year.
Josiah Trotter – Missouri
The son of Philadelphia Eagles legend Jeremiah Trotter Sr., Trotter is a crafty player who could immediately improve a team’s run defense. He’s slippery when engaging blockers and flexible enough to reduce his surface area while maintaining a good angle to the ball carrier. When he decides to run through a blocker, though, Trotter arrives violently and can put a lineman on his back.