25 late-round draft picks who will impact the 2026 NFL season

Bell is coming off a massive season at UConn, garnering All-American honors with 1,278 yards and 13 touchdowns. He has a similar size and skillset to DJ Moore and has a chance to carve out a significant role despite being drafted in the fourth round.

The Raiders were mostly quiet, adding weapons for Fernando Mendoza, but Benson is a notable exception. He has breakaway deep speed and showed up as a receiver and punt returner in his only season at Oregon.

A consistent receiver with good hands, Bond's productivity exceeded his physical tools at Boston College. He's undersized but could emerge as a viable slot receiver for C.J. Stroud and company.

Bredeson didn't contribute much to the Michigan offense over his five seasons, but he could earn the opportunity to help the Vikings on Day 1 as a fullback. A strong blocker, the Vikings knew exactly what they were getting when they selected Bredeson in the fifth round.

The Chiefs revamped their secondary during the offseason, and Canady could be the final piece. He fell to the fourth round due to his lack of size, but was a very productive player at three stops in college and could be a rare plug-and-play as a fourth-round pick.

The Dolphins are going young at wideout in 2026, drafting three players at the position. Coleman could have a tough time jumping third-round picks Chris Bell and Caleb Douglas initially, but the versatile wideout could help immediately as a kick returner.

Adding pass rush talent has been a priority for the Packers this offseason, with Micah Parsons coming off an injury. Dennis-Sutton is coming off two productive seasons at Penn State and could help immediately as a pass-rushing specialist.

Doman adds to the punter competition as a seventh-rounder out of Florida. He also showed his talent in three seasons at Michigan.

Baltimore continues to revamp its specialists with the addition of Eckley, after adding placekicker Tyler Loop in the sixth round last year. Eckley has consistently shown elite leg strength at Michigan State.

The departure of Isaiah Likely opens up a potential role for a No. 2 tight end in Baltimore behind Mark Andrews. A transfer from Michigan to SMU, Hibner didn't produce huge numbers in college, but has the physical tools to be a contributor in the receiving game.

Jefferson was a highly productive player at Alabama, with 85 tackles and three sacks last season. The fifth-round pick could work his way into a regular role on defense and special teams.

The Chiefs traded up for Johnson in the fifth round, as they look for a complementary back to Kenneth Walker III. He had more than 1,800 yards from scrimmage last season, and has a chance to help immediately as a third-down back.

Joly had four productive seasons at UConn and NC State. He enters the season well down on the depth chart behind Adam Trautman and Evan Engram, but the heavy usage of the tight end in Sean Payton's offense makes Joly a player to watch.

Buffalo's secondary has undergone a massive change in recent seasons, and added free agents Dee Alford, Geno Stone, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson this offseason. Kilgore was a playmaker at South Carolina with eight interceptions in three years, and could carve out a major role in nickel packages and special teams.

There might not be anyone who thinks Geno Smith is the answer at quarterback outside of the Jets building. Klubnik immediately steps in as the No. 2 quarterback despite being drafted in the fourth round, and it's a fair bet to expect him to start some games in 2026. 

Jacksonville went a long way in improving their tight end depth, selecting Koziol in the fifth round and Nate Boerkircher in the second round. Both players are clearly behind Brenton Strange on the depth chart, but Koziol is an intriguing option, in particular, after producing big numbers at Ball State and Houston.

Lack of size and durability concerns dropped Louis to the fourth round, but he has clear potential to help now as either a linebacker or safety. The rebuilding Dolphins can afford to give him plenty of leeway.

McCoy showed first-round talent at Tennessee, but injury red flags dropped him to the start of Day 3. While another knee surgery might be inevitable, McCoy can help the Raiders immediately behind a revamped linebacker corps.

Steelers fans love their hard-nosed tight ends and fullbacks, and Nowakowski could fit the bill. The fifth-round pick lines up third on the depth chart behind Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington, but could fill in immediately at fullback.

Overton's pure talent exceeds his college production at Texas A&M and Alabama, but his power-rush potential surely intrigued the Cowboys. Dallas has a strong track record of developing pass rushers, and Overton is a fit as a rotational option.

A small school prospect with big potential, Proctor held his own as a productive player at Southeastern Louisiana. Arizona has time to allow him to develop and make his mark as a rookie.

Randall is a converted wide receiver whose size somewhat resembles Ravens starter, Derrick Henry. He's by no means a direct comparison, but Randall has a similar big running back to emulate his game while also potentially serving as a third-down back early in his career.

Sarratt was a Red Zone fiend at Indiana, with 23 touchdowns over the last two seasons. His lack of speed dropped him in the draft, but Sarratt's polish and size could allow him to earn a role opposite Rashod Bateman.

Smack could replace Brandon McManus as the Packers' placekicker after being drafted in the sixth round. He has a strong leg and converted 83% of his field goals over the last three seasons at Florida.

Wetjen has a chance to start for the Steelers immediately as a return specialist, a role he filled at Iowa over the last three seasons. The fourth-round investment is steep for a role player, but the Steelers clearly feel he can make a difference in field position.