Most of the attention after this NFL draft will go to the Round 1 picks, but there are 225 other selections who could make just as big of an impact.
Last year's class had plenty of examples of Day 2 and Day 3 picks making a huge difference. The Browns selected linebacker Carson Schwesinger at the top of the second round, and he went on to win Defensive Rookie of the Year after leading the team with 146 tackles. Meanwhile, fourth-round pick Chimere Dike led the NFL with 2,427 all-purpose yards for the Titans.
So who could be this year's version of Schwesinger and Dike? I'm listing 10 players on each side of the ball selected in Rounds 2-7 whom I expect will make the greatest immediate impact as rookies. I'm factoring in potential role, upside and talent. Let's start with an offensive lineman who's filling a critical need in Arizona.
Offensive players
Chase Bisontis, G, Arizona Cardinals (No. 34)
It should not be surprising that the second pick of Day 2 is expected to have a legitimate early role. However, I'm particularly enthused by Bisontis' short-term outlook because of Arizona's needs on the right side of its line. While I fully expect Bisontis to settle in as the starting right guard, his experience as a right tackle as a freshman at Texas A&M indicates that he has the necessary versatility to play significant snaps immediately.
Nate Boerkircher, TE, Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 56)
Eyebrows were raised when Boerkircher went off the board in Round 2, but the Jaguars expect him to play meaningful snaps early. He was regarded as one of the best blocking tight ends in the class but has been underutilized as a pass catcher, even though he has a skill set that outpaced his production. Multiple tight end sets are trendy in the NFL, and while Brenton Strange is set to be Jacksonville's lead tight end, Boerkircher will figure into the mix.
Jake Slaughter, G, Los Angeles Chargers (No. 63)
Every one of Slaughter's 2,053 college snaps came at center, but he projects to play right away at guard for the Chargers after they signed center Tyler Biadasz in free agency.
Slaughter is tough and rugged while possessing the lateral quickness to excel in a zone-blocking scheme. He's one of four linemen the Chargers drafted and should make an instant impact.
Sam Roush, TE, Chicago Bears (No. 69)
Roush has an assortment of tight end skills, being a premium athlete for his 6-foot-5, 260-pound size. He figures to assume the valuable TE3 role that Durham Smythe played for the Bears last season, along with being a major special teams factor.
Roush should see the field plenty considering that Smythe played 25% of Chicago's offensive snaps and 50% of its special teams snaps in 2025.
Antonio Williams, WR, Washington Commanders (No. 71)
Draft position and fit are why Williams cracks this list. He is an extremely experienced, savvy, pro-ready wideout who can start in the slot from Day 1. The Commanders needed receiver help alongside Terry McLaurin, and Williams will compete with players such as Dyami Brown and Luke McCaffrey for snaps. I love Williams' instincts, as he was a persistent chain-mover at Clemson.
Caleb Douglas, WR, Miami Dolphins (No. 75)
Several Miami receivers could make this list, as the Dolphins have the thinnest wideout room in the league. But I chose Douglas because of his inside-outside versatility over fellow third-rounder Chris Bell, who is recovering from a November ACL tear, and fifth-rounder Kevin Coleman Jr.
At 6-foot-3, 206 pounds, Douglas has the size profile of a perimeter wideout, but he also saw snaps as Texas Tech's big slot last season. His blazing speed (4.39 seconds in the 40-yard dash) should also help him crack the lineup early.
Trey Zuhn III, OL, Las Vegas Raiders (No. 91)
Zuhn's exact fit remains to be seen, but he's one of the most versatile prospects in this class regardless of position. He spent most of his time at Texas A&M at left tackle and then played more than 100 snaps at center late last season.
Zuhn is an easy mover with really good length (6-foot-6, 319 pounds) and could play an interior spot in Klint Kubiak's zone-heavy scheme. While big-ticket free agent Tyler Linderbaum has center locked, Zuhn should compete for guard snaps instantly.
Jeremiah Wright, G, New Orleans Saints (No. 132)
The Saints wanted to get tougher, nastier and more physical during the draft and did exactly that by adding Wright at the end of Round 4. The hulking 6-foot-5, 331-pounder mostly anchored the right guard spot for Auburn, showing off serious power in the running game. His competitive spirit was visible at practices during Senior Bowl week, and he should be in the running for early snaps in New Orleans' offense.
Beau Stephens, G, Seattle Seahawks (No. 148)
Defending Super Bowl champions don't have many weaknesses, but interior offensive line was a position group the Seahawks wanted to address. I had a fourth-round grade on Stephens, who went early in Round 5, and he should be a hand-in-glove fit for Seattle's heavy-zone-run scheme.
Like many Iowa offensive linemen, Stephens is fundamentally sound. He strikes with a good base supporting him, deftly uses leverage and moves his feet extremely well. I think Stephens can push for starting right guard Anthony Bradford's spot.
Justin Joly, TE, Denver Broncos (No. 152)
Sean Payton-coached teams have long emphasized having a "Joker" -- a running back or tight end who creates mismatches in the passing game. The Broncos signed Evan Engram last offseason to fill that role, but his numbers (50 catches, 461 yards, one touchdown) were modest.
Joly is a nimble, talented pass catcher who specializes in making catches outside his strike zone. He averaged more than 6 yards after the catch per reception his first three college seasons and didn't have a drop in 2025.
Defensive players
Kayden McDonald, DT, Houston Texans (No. 36)
McDonald was the top nose tackle in this class after a breakout 2025 in coordinator Matt Patricia's scheme at Ohio State. McDonald had three sacks last season, but he'll be tasked with being a dominant run defender in Houston's overwhelming defense.
While the Texans' defense is at the top of the league, it needed youth at defensive tackle. McDonald should benefit from having two dominant edge rushers (Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter) drawing attention away from him.
What Kayden McDonald brings to the Texans
R Mason Thomas, Edge, Kansas City Chiefs (No. 40)
Thomas was a top-25 player on my final board, so this was great value for the Chiefs to stay patient and land him. What he lacks in size (6-foot-2, 249 pounds), he makes up for with juice. He's a blur coming off the edge, with strong first-step quickness and active, combative hands.
The Chiefs needed to find pass rushers who major in getting home quick to take the burden off Chris Jones. Mission accomplished.
Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Miami Dolphins (No. 43)
Rodriguez boosted his stock as much as anyone in the 2026 draft class over the past year. He is rangy, instinctive and intelligent, and he has a rare ability to generate turnovers (he forced seven fumbles and intercepted four passes in 2025).
The Dolphins are at the ground floor of their rebuild, but pairing Rodriguez with veteran inside linebacker Jordyn Brooks is reason for excitement. Rodriguez will be a team leader and a productive player in no time.
CJ Allen, LB, Indianapolis Colts (No. 53)
Despite not having a first-round pick, I was a fan of what the Colts did in the draft. Indianapolis added multiple players who should contribute right away, with Allen being at the forefront.
After trading Zaire Franklin to Green Bay, the Colts have snaps available at inside linebacker for Allen and fellow draftee Bryce Boettcher. Allen is an excellent defensive quarterback with good instincts, a feel for zone coverage and pass-rush juice (3.5 sacks last season).
Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Tennessee Titans (No. 60)
Hill's versatility is why I think he has an easy pathway to playing time. He is a highly skilled athlete with the ability to make plays from sideline to sideline and flip the field (17 sacks, seven forced fumbles in a three-year college career). Whether he plays as a stand-up inside linebacker, rushes the passer off the edge or drops into coverage in sub packages, Hill should be a busy and active player for new Titans coach Robert Saleh.
Jakobe Thomas, S, Minnesota Vikings (No. 98)
The exact impact Thomas will make on the Vikings' defense is difficult to forecast, but that's a testament to defensive coordinator Brian Flores' creativity. Thomas has excellent size for a safety (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) and plays with an ultra-physical mentality.
His on-ball production last season spoke for itself, as he had five interceptions and 3.5 sacks. Minnesota is in the process of reshaping its secondary, and Thomas will be a key part of that transition.
Keionte Scott, CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (No. 116)
I thought Scott could sneak into Round 2, so the Buccaneers getting him in the middle of Round 4 was extremely good value. The former Miami star should get immediate snaps at nickel, as he is explosive and instinctive. He brings a potent package of vision, ball skills and tackling intensity that translates to the NFL. I loved how Scott showed up during the biggest moments of Miami's run to the CFP National Championship game, which furthers my confidence that he's NFL-ready.
Kaleb Elarms-Orr, LB, Buffalo Bills (No. 126)
I thought Elarms-Orr had a chance to crack the top 100, but he fell to a good spot since Buffalo is shifting to more of a 3-4 scheme under new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard. Elarms-Orr is a speedy player who can quickly diagnose and get downhill against the run and as a blitzer, as evidenced by his four sacks last season.
Kyle Louis, LB, Miami Dolphins (No. 138)
Louis was one of my favorite players to watch on tape during the predraft process, as he was everywhere on film at Pitt. He doesn't have prototypical linebacker size (6-foot, 220 pounds), but Louis can flat-out fly and cover. He is going to find a role quickly with the Dolphins -- be it at weakside linebacker or box safety. New coach Jeff Hafley should be able to tap into Louis' unique skill set.
Bobby Jamison-Travis, DT, New York Giants (No. 186)
The Giants badly needed defensive tackle reinforcements after trading Pro Bowler Dexter Lawrence II five days before the draft. While expecting Jamison-Travis to fully replace Lawrence is unrealistic, the former Auburn player was one of my favorite Day 3 run defenders.
Jamison-Travis is powerful and stout, and he can hold his ground with great length and overall size (6-foot-4, 322 pounds). He's not a pass rusher (one sack in three seasons at Auburn), but he will help on early-down run defense.