Best and worst from Day 2 of the NFL Draft

There were plenty of trades, a few reaches and some home run picks on Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft. The draft slides for quarterbacks Will Levis and Hendon Hooker finally ended, while a few teams benefitted from first-round talent sliding down draft boards.

With Day 2 of the draft now in the books, here are the moments from Rounds 2 and 3 that caught our attention:

Best picks:

Joey Porter Jr., CB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Cornerback was arguably the Steelers’ biggest need and they benefitted from a first-round talent like Porter Jr. falling to them at the top of Round 2 –with the pick they acquired from Chicago in the Chase Claypool trade. After losing Cam Sutton in free agency, Porter Jr. could step right in and challenge for a starting spot as a rookie. And don’t forget his family ties with the Steelers — his father played for the organization for eight years, winning a Super Bowl and earning All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors three times each.

Michael Mayer, TE, Las Vegas Raiders

Though they have tight ends Austin Hooper and O.J. Howard under contract for 2023, the Raiders needed a true replacement for Darren Waller. Mayer gives them exactly that. He set Notre Dame single-season tight end records for receptions and receiving yards and he is an excellent mover of the chains. Mayer gives the Raiders a true pass-catching tight end with strong blocking ability.

O’Cyrus Torrence, OG, Buffalo Bills

Guard was perhaps the Bills’ biggest position of need and the 6-foot-5, 345-pound Torrence is a perfect fit for what they need. He is big and strong enough to slow down interior defenders, he sustains blocks, he possesses a quick first step, he handles rushes well and he doesn’t commit many penalties. Torrence will be a welcome addition in run blocking for Buffalo — the Bills ranked 28th in that category for the past campaign, per Pro Football Focus.

Worst picks:

Marvin Mims, WR, Denver Broncos

The Broncos already have four pretty good receivers in Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, K.J. Hamler and Marquez Callaway, so why spend a second-rounder on another? Especially when the team had more pressing needs. Denver needs help at running back, defensive tackle, edge rusher and center. Players like Tyjae Spears and Devon Achane (RB), Byron Young and Zacc Pickens (DT), Adetomiwa Adebawore and Zach Harrison (DE) and Luke Wypler (C) were all still available at the time Denver added Mims to their already crowded receivers room.

Tucker Kraft, TE, Green Bay Packers

After selecting a defensive end in Round 1, good on the Packers for getting Jordan Love some more weapons. But why go tight end in back-to-back rounds. Luke Musgrave has upside as a potential No. 1 at the position. Adding Kraft one round later was just puzzling. An argument could be made that giving Love another receiver in addition to Jayden Reed would have made more sense. Josh Downs, Tyler Scott, Michael Wilson and A.T. Perry were on the board when Green Bay doubled down at tight end.

Tyjae Spears, RB, Tennessee Titans

Tennessee Titans GM Ran Carthon specifically said in his introductory news conference that it made no sense for the Titans to keep pursuing players with concerning injury histories. So, why pick Spears? He suffered an ACL and meniscus tear in 2020 and there are concerns about how his knees might hold up in the long term. Receiver Tyler Scott or tight end Darnell Washington would have been better choices with the No. 81 overall pick.

Other notable moments from Day 2:

Best troll job: Jason McCourty

The beef between the Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts isn’t limited to just the AFC South. After former Colts punter Pat McAfee trolled Titans fans to their faces in Nashville during the 2019 NFL Draft, McCourty, a former Titans cornerback, decided to return the favor. McCourty additionally ruffled some feathers by declaring Tennessee home of the best barbecue in the nation (spoiler alert: it’s not).