Every year in the NFL, there are players for all 32 teams who find ways to outplay their draft status. It's especially sweet for NFL teams when Day 3 draft picks turn out to be immediate contributors, and if you can find an immediate starter?
That can be the difference between being a playoff team, in some cases.
Finding diamonds in the rough isn't just great for the résumé of a general manager. When you can find franchise building blocks on Day 3 of the Draft, it can eliminate future needs and accelerate timelines.
And those are the players we're talking about here. Our newest NFL Power Rankings are going to take a look at Day 3 draft picks for every NFC team that could not only make an impact in 2026 but also potentially start on their respective teams, making them unexpected building blocks.
NFL Power Rankings: Day 3 draft picks for every NFC team that could start in 2026
16. Philadelphia Eagles: Cole Wisniewski, safety (7th round)
The Philadelphia Eagles took some chances on Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft, but not on many guys who project as quick starting options. With Reed Blankenship leaving this offseason for the Texans, former Texas Tech star safety Cole Wisnewski might have as good of a chance as any.
As a 7th-round pick, Wisniewski was considered a huge steal late in the draft for the Eagles, and he might open the season as the team's 3rd-best option at safety behind Andrew Mukuba and Marcus Epps. It wouldn't be shocking if Wisniewski wins a roster spot for special teams ability, then gets a shot in the rotation for Vic Fangio.
15. New York Giants: Bobby Jamison-Travis, defensive line (6th round)
The Giants will have a lot of immediate impact from this year's rookie class, but the Day 3 picks don't all have the clearest path into the lineup. The one area where we've seen the Giants turn the roster over more than most in the first year of the John Harbaugh era is the interior defensive line.
With Dexter Lawrence being shipped off to the Bengals in a trade, the Giants have supplemented by adding a ton of veteran options like Shelby Harris, DJ Reader, and others. But still, Bobby Jamison-Travis is a big nose tackle with 34-inch arms who excels at stopping the run. That ability to anchor against the run could earn him early playing time.
14. Carolina Panthers: Sam Hecht, center (5th round)
The center position is often devalued when it comes to the NFL Draft, so a player like Sam Hecht could end up being an immediate steal for the Carolina Panthers. Hecht was considered a possible Day 2 prospect at the center position after starting the last 25 games at Kansas State.
The Panthers brought in Luke Fortner to compete at the center position this offseason, but it's not out of the realm of possibility that Hecht is immediately their best option at that position, even without any NFL experience.
13. Dallas Cowboys: Drew Shelton, offensive tackle (4th round)
There was a time throughout the 2025 college football season when Penn State offensive tackle Drew Shelton was being discussed as possibly one of the best offensive tackles in the entire class. He had some 1st-round hype at one point.
The Dallas Cowboys scooped him up in the 4th round, and he might be the top swing tackle option on the roster going into this season. He might not beat a player like Terence Steele for a job, but with former 1st-round pick Tyler Guyton struggling when he plays (and struggling to stay healthy), Shelton might get some action in the starting lineup.
12. Seattle Seahawks: Beau Stephens, guard (5th round)
One thing we know every year when it comes to the NFL Draft: Iowa is going to crank out starting-caliber offensive linemen.
With Kirk Ferentz calling the shots, the Hawkeyes always have players NFL teams covet for their rotations, even if they are more on the developmental side. Beau Stephens was drafted after two of his fellow Hawkeye teammates on the offensive line, but he went to a really great situation in Seattle.
The Seahawks didn't have a finished product of an offensive line last year, and Stephens is going to come in being technically sound and ready to play.
11. Los Angeles Rams: CJ Daniels, wide receiver (6th round)
The Los Angeles Rams obviously have one of the top wide receiver duos in the NFL right now in Davante Adams and Puka Nacua, but will all due respect to perhaps some favorites of the coaching staff in Los Angeles, what else do they have?
The Rams are more likely to give a lot of targets to the tight end position, considering they have about 15 of those on the roster, but the next most targeted receiver on the team last year behind Adams and Nacua was Jordan Whittington, who had 25 targets the entire season.
CJ Daniels has a real shot to impress this offseason, and we know the Rams are willing to give a lot of targets to Day 3 rookies who prove themselves early on.
10. Arizona Cardinals: Reggie Virgil, wide receiver (5th round)
The Arizona Cardinals have a handful of young receivers they're already invested in, but 5th-round pick Reggie Virgil was a really fascinating pickup.
At 6-foot-3, 187 pounds, Virgil is simply too light to make an every-down impact in the NFL as a rookie. He's got to add weight to his frame and be ready to play against bigger, more physical corners. His ability to create separation early in the route as well as make contested catches, could quickly endear him to a new coaching staff.
The Cardinals have every reason to get extended looks at these young players in 2026, so we expect to see players like Virgil getting opportunities when Arizona goes to its 11 personnel looks.
9. Chicago Bears: Keyshaun Elliott, linebacker (5th round)
The Chicago Bears had to overhaul a good amount of their defense this offseason, but that came mostly in the secondary. The linebacker position was another underrated area that got a slight makeover with starter Tremaine Edmunds being replaced in free agency by Devin Bush.
While Bush will be the starter alongside TJ Edwards this year, don't be surprised if Keyshaun Elliott starts to get some looks with the Bears' top defense. It may only be as an injury replacement that he starts on a full-time basis, but Elliott has the athletic traits and instincts to be a long-term starter in the NFL.
He had 14 tackles for loss at Arizona State last year and is always around the football.
8. Detroit Lions: Jimmy Rolder, linebacker (4th round)
The Detroit Lions took a couple of local products in their 2026 NFL Draft class, including 2nd-round pick Derrick Moore off the edge and 4th-round pick Jimmy Rolder at the linebacker position. Rolder was a really interesting pickup because he was only a one-year starter at Michigan, but what he flashed this past season could make this pick look like highway robbery in short order.
The Lions lost Alex Anzalone this offseason, so they're looking to replace 1,004 snaps in their defense. While Rolder didn't have a ton of experience at Michigan, he could benefit from playing alongside a veteran and core player like Jack Campbell.
Even with players like Derrick Barnes and Malcolm Rodriguez, Rolder could find his way into the mix early on.
7. New Orleans Saints: Bryce Lance, wide receiver (4th round)
The New Orleans Saints doubled up at the wide receiver position in the first four rounds of this year's draft, using their top pick on Arizona State star Jordyn Tyson before going after a sleeper in North Dakota State's Bryce Lance in the 4th round.
At 6-foot-4, 204 pounds, Lance runs a blazing 4.34 in the 40-yard dash, freaky athletic traits, and big-play ability in the vertical passing game.
The Saints' wide receiver position is a wide-open competition behind Chris Olave right now, and that likely includes Tyson. While the pecking order on paper won't include Lance among the top 3 players in targets, he could end up in that mix by the end of the season as there are a lot of durability concerns with this Saints receiver room.
Although the adjustment from the FCS level will be something to monitor, Lance is one of the most talented Day 3 picks in the entire conference.
6. San Francisco 49ers: Carver Willis, offensive lineman (4th round)
The San Francisco 49ers could be having an open competition this offseason at the left guard position, and nobody should be shocked if Carver Willis wins it.
Willis is a classic short-armed college tackle prospect who will kick inside to the guard position at the next level, and he has the type of athletic traits and sound technique to be an asset for a team like the 49ers right away.
Right now, 2025 7th-round pick Connor Colby is penciled in as the 49ers' starting left guard. He played 452 snaps last year, and PFF was not kind to him with their overall grades. Willis should have a really good shot at early playing time if he can be a quick study on the interior.
5. Atlanta Falcons: Harold Perkins, linebacker (6th round)
This is simply a personal favorite selection of mine, but it's possible we could see Harold Perkins fill one of the most underrated vacancies around the NFC this coming season.
The Falcons lost veteran linebacker Kaden Elliss in free agency to their rival New Orleans Saints, and not so quietly for them, that is a huge loss. Christian Harris is the favorite right now to replace Elliss, but Perkins might have the best long-term upside at the position.
Once a top-ranked recruit and Freshman All-American at LSU, Perkins' college career (and NFL Draft stock) was derailed by injuries. After his freshman season at LSU, there was legitimate 1st-round hype around his name for the future. He can do it all from the linebacker position, but where he could be the ideal replacement for Kaden Elliss is as an off-ball pressure player. Perkins is a great ball of clay for Jeff Ulbrich to quickly mold into an impact NFL Draft steal.
4. Washington Commanders: Joshua Josephs, edge rusher (5th round)
While the Dallas Cowboys catch a lot of flak for their horrendous defense last year (rightfully so), the Commanders probably don't catch enough.
This is the team that allowed more yards than any other team last season, and they were one of the worst teams in the league against the run, against the pass, creating takeaways -- you name it. Going into last season, we all talked plenty about the Commanders' pass rush lacking on paper, nad they apparently agreed.
They went out in free agency and got Odafe Oweh and K'Lavon Chaisson, but they also turned down a 4th-round pick in 2027 to select Joshua Josephs out of Tennessee in round 5. Josephs had 15 sacks and 6 forced fumbles over the last two years at Tennessee, and could be an immediate factor in the Commanders' pass rush.
3. Minnesota Vikings: Charles Demmings, cornerback (5th round)
There will be a lot of new faces on the Minnesota Vikings' defense this coming season, and one of the most talented rookies they brought in this year is 5th-round cornerback Charles Demmings.
Because of NCAA transfer rules, we don't see guys sticking around at the lower levels of competition quite as often as we used to, and that's perhaps why Demmings was selected as late as he was. The Stephen F. Austin State product had six interceptions over the past two seasons, and looks like the ideal fit for an aggressive press-man role at outside corner.
Brian Flores is going to be tasked with getting a number of young players ready to make an early impact, and the Vikings' current projected starters are Isaiah Rodgers and James Pierre. Demmings is 6-foot-1, 193 pounds, and could contend for a starting role during training camp.
2. Green Bay Packers: Dani Dennis-Sutton, edge rusher (4th round)
With Micah Parsons likely to start the season on the PUP list, and former 1st-round pick Rashan Gary off to the Dallas Cowboys, the Packers will have some openings in their pass rush rotation for a player like Dani Dennis-Sutton.
In early mock drafts last year, Dennis-Sutton made routine appearances in the 1st round of projections. He was thought to be the next Penn State pass rusher to be coveted by NFL teams. While being a 4th-round pick doesn't exactly make him a slouch, it could end up making him more of a steal than a guy with 1st-round expectations obviously would be.
On top of losing Rashan Gary this offseason, rotational player Kingsley Enagbare also left in free agency. The Packers really need young guys to step up, and the opportunity will be there for the taking for someone like Dennis-Sutton, whose size and athletic traits are perfect for coming off the edge in Jonathan Gannon's defense.
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Keionte Scott, cornerback (4th round)
There may not have been a better all-around value on Day 3 of the NFL Draft than Buccaneers 4th round pick Keionte Scott.
Scott is going to be a starting nickel in the NFL before too long, and the type of physicality he brings to the table will immediately endear him to a coaching staff like the Bucs have. He's so instinctive and has a knack for always being around the football.
When the football constantly finds a guy, that's not happening by accident. His move to Miami this past season was a really good one, and he absolutely loaded up the stat sheet (64 tackles, 13 TFLs, 2 INTs, 5 sacks, 2 FF).
The Bucs got a couple of former Miami prospects who were severely under-drafted. Rueben Bain was their top pick, but he probably went at least 5-10 picks later than he should have. To get his teammate Scott in the 4th round was huge, and this pick will undoubtedly pay immediate dividends.