The NFC South is setting up for another knife-edge race in 2026, and the rookies who didn’t come off the board in the first round may end up making just as much noise as the headline names. Jordan Tyson, Ruben Bain Jr., and Monroe Freeling bring the top-end star power, but the real trouble for the rest of the division could come from the Day 2 and Day 3 picks who fit their new homes perfectly.
Atlanta’s best sleeper might be Zachariah Branch, the Georgia wideout taken No. 79 overall. The Falcons didn’t have a first-round pick, but they still came away with a draft that added real juice, including Avieon Terrell in the secondary.
Branch, though, is the one who can tilt games on offense. He stays in Georgia, joins Drake London, and gives Atlanta a true speed threat from the slot.
He can also help as a kick returner, and while he is not built to be the Falcons’ answer at No. 2 receiver, his quickness and lateral burst make him a problem. New head coach Kevin Stefanski should have plenty of fun finding ways to get him the ball.
Carolina’s version of that kind of problem is Chris Brazzell II, taken No. 83 overall out of Tennessee. He brings exactly what you’d expect from a player described as speed personified: vertical stress, big-play punch, and the kind of size-speed blend that makes corners uneasy.
At 6-foot-4, Brazzell gives the Panthers another towering target next to 2026 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan, and that’s before you factor in the rest of the receiver room, where Carolina now has a group of wideouts standing at 6-foot-3 or higher. Brazzell had plenty of buzz before the draft thanks to his explosiveness at Tennessee, and slipping to the third round could make him an even better value if he takes snaps from Xavier Legette and claims the WR3 role.
New Orleans found one of its quieter additions in tight end Oscar Delp, selected No. 73 overall from Georgia. The Saints spent big on offense, taking Jordyn Tyson with the 8th overall pick and later adding Bryce Lance in the fourth round to help second-year quarterback Tyler Shough and give Chris Olave more support.
Delp doesn’t come with huge college production, but his 6-foot-5, 245-pound frame and natural receiving ability give him real NFL upside. With Juwan Johnson and Noah Fant currently ahead of him, he still has a path to meaningful snaps right away.
If he earns them, he becomes yet another target defenses in the NFC South have to track.
And then there’s Tampa Bay, where Josiah Trotter could end up being the kind of second-round find that changes the feel of a defense. The Buccaneers already hit it big with Ruben Bain Jr. at No. 15 overall, and Trotter, picked No. 46, may have given them another immediate answer.
After Lavonte David retired, Tampa Bay needed help at inside linebacker, and while Alex Anzalone arrived as a short-term fix, Trotter is the longer look. He plays downhill, tackles with force, and shows strong awareness in space.
As the son of Jeremiah Trotter, he brings elite run defense in the bloodline, and his instincts and physical style fit what Tampa Bay wants to do. That combination could make him one of the most impactful second-round defenders in the division.
In Other News...
Falcons Quarterback Battle Just Took A More Unsettling Turn
The Falcons offseason quarterback competition has been shaped by a strange mix of urgency and caution, with Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa both getting evaluated as the club tries to sort out its future under center. Spring practices have offered one notable clue: Tagovailoa has handled all the first-team 11-on-11 work so far, even as the team continues to weigh a larger organizational investment in Penix.
Penixs return to full contact is expected to come by the start of training camp, and that should push the conversation into a more meaningful stage once the Falcons get to Flowery Branch on July 29. For now, the setup leaves Atlanta with plenty to monitor, from how the reps are divided to whether the picture changes once the pads come on and the competition becomes harder to manage on feel alone. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Rookie Quarterback Is Making This Roster Battle Very Real
The Falcons quarterback room is already crowded enough with Michael Penix Jr. and the veteran options around him, but Jack Strand has added an unexpected wrinkle to the mix. The undrafted rookie has started drawing notice from coaches and fans after his work during minicamp and OTAs, giving Atlanta something more interesting than the usual camp arm storyline.
Strands appeal is easy to understand once you look at the path that brought him here, even without the Division I pedigree most quarterbacks lean on to get drafted. Atlanta appears intrigued by the idea of developing him as a longer-term backup, and that makes every rep matter as he pushes to stay in the conversation for a roster spot. The real question now is whether that early buzz can carry him through the rest of the summer and keep him on the Falcons radar in a very real quarterback battle. [Read more 🡒]