ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — The Washington Commanders filled two areas of need on the second day of the NFL draft — once they could get ahold of their third-round pick. Washington took Illinois defensive back Quan Martin in the second round at No. 47. Later, coach Ron Rivera tried to call Arkansas center Ricky Stromberg and a phone malfunction sent it to a wrong number instead. General manager Martin Mayhew got a hold of Stromberg’s agent and then his father to deliver the news that he was coming to Washington. Stromberg now joins the team’s revamped offensive line that will protect quarterbacks Sam Howell and Jacoby Brissett. And Martin provides some depth and versatility in the secondary.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Joey Porter Jr. is going home to Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh Steelers selected the Penn State cornerback and Pittsburgh native with the first pick in the second round of the NFL draft. Porter, the son of former Steelers linebacker and assistant coach Joey Porter Sr., played high school football in Pittsburgh’s northern suburbs before spending four seasons with the Nittany Lions. Porter joins a cornerback group in need of an influx of youth and talent. The team signed veteran Patrick Peterson during the offseason but lost Cam Sutton to Detroit in free agency.
ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — The Detroit Lions had a slew of selections entering the NFL draft and took advantage of those assets — and they may have found their quarterback of the future in Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker. Detroit traded up in the second round and made two deals to move down in exchange for extra picks. The Lions selected Iowa tight end Sam LaPorta No. 34 overall, traded up to take Alabama safety Brian Branch with the 45th pick and then got Hooker early in the third round. Hooker can develop behind starting QB Jared Goff.
CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Bengals selected Michigan cornerback DJ Turner in the second round of the NFL draft. The Bengals used the 60th overall pick on Turner, who was a two-time All-Big Ten Conference performer for the Wolverines and had a team-high nine pass breakups last season. Turner reunites with his former college teammate Dax Hill. Cincinnati drafted the former Michigan safety in the first round a season ago.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — After having to wait a day to make their first pick in the NFL draft, the San Francisco 49ers traded up and selected safety Ji’Ayir Brown from Penn State with the 87th overall selection Friday night. Brown doesn’t fill an immediate need for the Niners but he gives them flexibility in the secondary with his versatility and ability to play nickel corner.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The Jacksonville Jaguars used the early rounds of the NFL draft to put more pieces around budding quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The Jaguars selected Penn State tight end Brenton Strange with the 61st overall pick and then added Auburn running back Tank Bigsby with the 88th choice. They joined offensive tackle Anton Harrison in Jacksonville’s draft class. Harrison was the 27th pick in first round Thursday night. All three choices were designed to help Lawrence take his game to the next level in a season that should open with the expectation to repeat as AFC South champion.
FRISCO, Texas (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys have made it two-for-two on picks from Michigan in the NFL draft. Dallas used its second-round choice on tight end Luke Schoonmaker. He is the 58th overall pick. The selection of Schoonmaker comes after Dallas took Michigan defensive tackle Mazi Smith 26th overall in the first round. Dallas went back to defense with the 90th overall pick in the third round, taking Texas linebacker DeMarvion Overshown.
HOUSTON (AP) — The Texans traded up twice on the second day of the draft, first to select Penn State center Juice Scruggs with the 62nd pick and then to get Houston Cougars wide receiver Tank Dell seven spots later. The Texans sent picks No. 65, 188 and 230 to the Eagles to trade up and get their pick in the second round. He joins Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud, who was taken second overall, and Alabama outside linebacker Will Anderson Jr., who the Texans traded up to take third.
