One of the most exciting storylines for a fan base to follow throughout the course of the offseason is a potential NFL Draft steal. For some teams, there are more than one.
The offseason program is a time for optimism, and a time for young players to make a great first impression.
As we continue to evaluate and inspect every aspect of every roster around the league, we thought it would be fun to take a look at some of the biggest potential NFL Draft steals for every team in the AFC. We're going to take a division-by-division look at our official predictions for Day 3 draft picks that could end up starting at some point or another in 2026.
2026 NFL predictions: Day 3 draft picks that could end up starting for AFC teams
Las Vegas Raiders: Jermod McCoy, cornerback (4th round)
We start off in the AFC West with some of the lowest of low-hanging fruit in this entire post. Jermod McCoy was supposed to be a 1st-round pick, but every team seemingly had a different evaluation of what the future could be with his knee. If further operations are needed, it could complicate his NFL future, but McCoy has legitimate 1st-round talent, maybe CB1 of his class type of talent.
He is already practicing with the Raiders and is expected to play this season. If that's the case, I would almost be more shocked if he's not starting at some point in 2026, especially with the Raiders' cornerback group.
Kansas City Chiefs: Jadon Canady, cornerback (4th round)
The Chiefs took a shot in NFL free agency on veteran Kader Kohou, who played really well out of the slot for the Dolphins back in 2024. He missed all of last year with an injury, however, and could end up in a true competition for playing time with a rookie like Jadon Canady.
Canady has experience all over the secondary from his time at the college level, but what he showed this past season at Oregon is that he has an NFL future as a nickel corner. The higher profile selection is obviously 1st-round pick Mansoor Delane, but Canady could be a steal right away for the Chiefs.
Los Angeles Chargers: Brenen Thompson, wide receiver (4th round)
Anytime you have a coach banging the table for a player, you have to start paying attention to that guy. Going into Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft, Mike McDaniel was quite literally saying to Chargers GM Joe Hortiz, "Brenen Thompson, no matter what."
The Chargers didn't really address their wide receiver position, but considering the way explosive receivers have played in McDaniel's offense in the past, the fact that he wanted Thompson so bad speaks volumes. He could be an immediate vertical threat for the Chargers and starter in 11 personnel.
Denver Broncos: Justin Joly, tight end (5th round)
Even though the Broncos only had one selection on the first two days of the NFL Draft (3rd-round pick Tyler Onyedim) due to the Jaylen Waddle trade, they landed some serious steals on Day 3. One of their best picks was 5th-round tight end Justin Joly, who could start for them sooner rather than later.
Joly has big, strong hands and could bring a presence to the tight end position that has been missing for the Broncos since Sean Payton came aboard.
The Broncos might have a couple of candidates for this particular category, including Mr. Irrelevant pick Red Murdock, who might open the season as LB3 on their depth chart.
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