Beyond the first round: Prime Day 2 or 3 NFL Draft candidates for AFC teams

Standout players aren't just found in the first round of the NFL Draft. Beyond the first round, teams will find many quality starters.

Ahead of the draft in Green Bay (April 24-26), Yardbarker NFL writers identify one player for every AFC team who should be a prime candidate for selection on Day 2 (Rounds 2-3 on Friday) or Day 3 (Rounds 4-7 on Saturday).

AFC East

BUFFALO BILLS | Safety Kevin Winston Jr. | Winston measured 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds at Penn State’s pro day, where he ran a 4.50 40-yard dash five months after an ACL tear that ended the 2024 season for the former team captain. With 60 tackles, five pass breakups and an interception in 2023, Winston may have first-round talent, but the Bills will gladly take him in the later rounds to challenge Damar Hamlin and new addition Darrick Forrest, who both signed one-year deals with the team in the offseason.

MIAMI DOLPHINS | Guard Donovan Jackson | Given the team’s strong desire to protect oft-injured QB Tua Tagovailoa, the Dolphins are projected in many mock drafts to take an offensive lineman in the first round. But another wouldn’t hurt, especially Brown, a 6-foot-4, 315-pound guard who moved to left tackle for Ohio State’s last nine games in 2024 to help the school win its ninth national championship. 

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS | DE Jordan Burch, Oregon | As a player, new head coach Mike Vrabel excelled in Bill Belichick’s 3-4 defense, but he mostly ran a 4-3 scheme as Titans HC. Burch is comfortable in both formations, had 8.5 sacks in 10 games last season and has impressive size (6-foot-6 and 295 pounds). 

NEW YORK JETS | WR Tez Johnson, Oregon | After three years at Troy, Johnson followed his adoptive brother, Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, to Oregon, where he made 169 catches for 2,080 yards and 20 touchdowns from 2023 to 2024. He's not big (5-foot-11, 165 pounds) or super fast (4.51 in 40-yard dash), but his route-running ability and short-area quickness could open things up for No. 1 receiver Garrett Wilson. — Bruce Ewing

AFC West

DENVER BRONCOS | RB Jaydon Blue, Texas | Denver could take North Carolina RB Omarion Hampton (6-foot, 221 pounds) with pick No. 20 in the first round, but Blue (5-foot-9, 196 pounds) may be a better fit for head coach Sean Payton’s offense. In 15 games in 2024, the versatile back had 1,098 yards (730 rushing and 368 receiving).  

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS | Edge-rusher Bradyn Swinson, LSU | During their 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX, the Chiefs had just two sacks. Swinson (6-foot-4, 255 pounds) recorded 8.5 sacks in 13 games in 2024, so he could fortify K.C.’s pass rush.   

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS | WR Ricky White III, UNLV | At UNLV pro day on March 24, White (6-foot-1, 184 pounds) told Nick Walters of KTNV-TV in Las Vegas he "would love to be a Raider." Vegas should consider keeping White in Sin City, as he had 79 receptions for 1,041 yards and 11 touchdown catches in 13 games in 2024.   

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS | Defensive lineman Darius Alexander, Toledo | Alexander could replace D-lineman Poona Ford, who signed a three-year, $27.6M deal with the L.A. Rams in free agency. At the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., offensive linemen voted Alexander (6-foot-4, 305 pounds) the top D-lineman. He also had eight tackles for loss in 12 games in 2024.  — Clark Dalton

AFC North

BALTIMORE RAVENS | OG Tate Ratledge, Georgia | It’s never a bad idea to build up the trenches with Georgia players, and the Ravens have a hole in their interior offensive line after left guard Patrick Mekari signed with the Jaguars. Ratledge (6-foot-6, 308 pounds) showcased his elite athleticism with a 4.97 40-yard dash and a 9-foot-5 broad jump at the NFL Scouting Combine. 

CINCINNATI BENGALS | Safety Kevin Winston Jr., Penn State | The Bengals need a tone-setter on defense, and they can’t go another season relying on Geno Stone and Jordan Battle in the back end of the secondary. Winston (6-foot-2, 205 pounds) is a hard-hitting safety with great size, and he could’ve been a first-round pick if he hadn’t missed most of last season with a torn ACL. 

CLEVELAND BROWNS | RB TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State | The Browns don’t have a ton of talent in the running back room, but Henderson (5-foot-10, 202 pounds) would immediately change that as a home-run hitter out of the backfield. The former No. 1 RB recruit in the country averaged 7.1 yards per carry and scored 11 touchdowns in his senior year.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS | QB Will Howard, Ohio State | If the Steelers go down the Aaron Rodgers road, which seems imminent, they must add a QB in the draft to study and develop under one of the greatest QBs of all time. Howard (6-foot-4, 236 pounds) is coming off a national championship run with Ohio State, has outstanding size and strength and is one of the more accurate QBs (73 percent completion percentage last season) in this year’s class. — Jack Dougherty

AFC South

HOUSTON TEXANS | OT Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota | The Texans traded Laremy Tunsil this offseason and may need to use multiple draft picks to address their offensive line issues to adequately protect C.J. Stroud. Ersery (6-foot-6, 330 pounds) is one of the bigger tackles in the draft, excellent in pass protection and has extensive experience in Houston's zone-based running scheme. 

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS | TE Gunnar Helm, Texas | The Colts have received next to nothing from tight ends in the passing game over the past few seasons. Helm (6-foot-5, 241 pounds) had 60 catches, 786 yards and seven touchdowns for the Longhorns last season. He is outstanding after the catch, which would provide a nice safety valve for QBs Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones. 

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS | WR Tre Harris, Ole Miss | After losing Calvin Ridley via free agency last offseason and releasing Christian Kirk this offseason, the Jaguars do not have much wide receiver depth beyond Brian Thomas Jr. Harris (6-foot-2, 205 pounds) has the combination of NFL size and speed, big-play ability and experience that could help open things up for Thomas. 

TENNESSEE TITANS | DE J.T. Tuimoloau, Ohio State | The Titans badly need to find a way to get to the QB after they generated just 32 sacks as a team last season, tied for 29th in the NFL. Tuimoloau (6-foot-4, 266 pounds) is far from the most athletic edge-rusher in the country, but he had 6.5 sacks against elite competition in the College Football Playoff last season and has a knack for disrupting plays in the backfield. —  Steve DelVecchio