Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
By Chris Marler
Thursday’s first round was fairly predictable, but Friday delivered plenty of surprises as the second and third rounds of the NFL Draft unfolded in Pittsburgh.
By the numbers
The SEC retook the lead for most draft picks at the end of the third round. NFL teams have selected 100 players so far in the draft, and after having their fewest first round picks in the last 20 years on Thursday, the SEC made up for it on Friday.
The 36 players from the SEC is the most of any Power Four conference and over 2.5 times the amount of the ACC and Big 12. Both the SEC and the Big Ten had more picks than the Big 12 and ACC combined.
SEC – 36
Big Ten – 29
ACC – 14
Big 12 – 14
The depth of the conference has been on display, as six different teams have three or more picks while no other conference has more than four. Conferences like the ACC have seen their numbers skewed with top heavy program picks. For instance, of the ACC’s 14 picks, 11 came from Miami and Clemson.
Schools With Most NFL Draft Picks Rounds 1-3:
Ohio State – 8
Texas A&M – 7
Georgia – 6
Miami – 6
Clemson – 5
Texas Tech – 5
Indiana – 4
Mizzou – 4
Notre Dame – 4
Alabama – 3
Florida – 3
LSU – 3
Michigan – 3
Oregon – 3 pic.twitter.com/YZtjCvDvYI— College Football Report (@CFBReport) April 25, 2026
Pass catchers everywhere
It was a ridiculous run of pass catchers taken in this year’s draft. We knew the first round would be wide receiver heavy, as the initial line set by sportsbooks was over/under 7.5 wideouts taken in the first round.
When LSU’s Zavion Thomas was selected at No. 89 by the Bears, he was the 24th wide receiver selected. Through three rounds and 100 picks, there have now been 25. That’s the most in the common draft era.
The tight ends have also been picked at a record pace. As of the end of the third round, nine tight ends were selected . That’s also the most of the common draft era through three rounds and means that 34 of the first 100 picks this year were pass catchers. I continue to say pass catchers and not skill position players because only three running backs have been taken through round three. You guessed it, that is also a record in the common draft era.
WR De’Zhaun Stribling ranked as the No. 17 wide receiver on the consensus big board. He posted an impressive 4.36 in the 40‑yard dash at the combine. https://t.co/ZxpXgwlpTZ pic.twitter.com/BXDC6YiAzH
— SFdata9ers🏈📊 (@sfdata9ers) April 24, 2026
The case for Nuss
Matt Moscona summed it up pretty well on Twitter, “taking Drew Allar over Nussmeier is certainly a decision.”
I don’t necessarily hate that he won’t end up in Pittsburgh. It would’ve been cool to see Paul Skenes and Garrett Nussmeier in the same city, but I don’t wish living in Pittsburgh on anyone. I can’t prove it, but I’m pretty sure the sun hasn’t come out behind those cloudy, grey skies since the Reagan administration.
The Steelers taking Drew Allar over Nussmeier is certainly a decision.
— Matt Moscona (@MattMoscona) April 25, 2026
There were three landing spots tethered to Nussmeier’s name through the pre-draft process – Arizona, Pittsburgh, and Green Bay.
Pittsburgh most likely won’t draft two quarterbacks in the same draft, I mean who are they the Browns? Arizona on the other hand also drafted Carson Beck with the first pick of round three. As beautiful as Scottsdale is, I think that would have been the worst fit for Nussmeier because he would have been thrust into action too soon.
He may not end up in Green Bay either, but Nussmeier is almost assuredly going to go early on day three and do so in a place that will not force him into a starting role too quickly. That’s a great thing for Nussmeier who should’ve been the third quarterback taken off the board.
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