While NFL teams expect immediate production from their highest draft picks, Day 3 picks are often fliers and long-term development projects. But here are several players drafted in the fourth round or later that could have a real impact in 2026.
The post-NFL draft rookie minicamps got underway last weekend around the league with more to come this week, as teams get their first look at their newest additions.
Most of the national interest is, of course, on seeing the first-round picks in their new uniforms … or noticing just how small undrafted quarterback Diego Pavia looks with the Baltimore Ravens.
But TeamFB7 dove deep into the depth charts to spotlight some Day 3 draft picks (rounds 4-7) that have the best chance of making a major impact on the field in 2026.
Day 3 NFL Draft Picks With Best Chance To Produce In 2026
1. Raiders CB Jermod McCoy
This is an obvious choice, but it of course comes with a major caveat.
McCoy was considered a first-round talent despite missing all of last season at Tennessee due to a torn ACL, but he had the most notable slide in this draft while falling to the first pick of the fourth round (No. 101 overall) due to concerns about the long-term strength of that surgically repaired knee.
The Raiders could slow-play McCoy’s first season out of an abundance of caution as a team in the first year of a reset/rebuild, but his injury occurred in January 2025, so by the start of the season he will have already had almost 20 months of recovery.
But if Las Vegas gives McCoy a chance to compete for a starting job right away, he easily could end up providing the best return of any Day 3 pick.
Darien Porter, a third-round pick in 2025 who started as a rookie for the Raiders, was one of PFF’s lowest-graded cornerbacks (54.4 — 90th out of 114).
Raiders general manager John Spytek has been coy about the plan for McCoy in 2026, so until there’s more clarity, this is a total wildcard pick.
2. Chiefs RB Emmett Johnson/Raiders RB Mike Washington Jr.
Both the Chiefs and Raiders have substantial financial investments in their starting running backs with Kansas City splurging in free agency for Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III (3 years, $43.05 million) and the Raiders taking Ashton Jeanty sixth overall in the 2025 NFL Draft.
But every team needs at least two good running backs these days, and the Chiefs and Raiders both found incredible values on Day 3 of the draft.
Kansas City needed to totally rebuild its backfield after veterans Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco combined for one of the league’s most plodding rushing attacks last year. Signing Walker was the big piece, but look at how he was used in Seattle — last season Walker and Zach Charbonnet split carries 221-184 in the regular season and it would have been even closer to even had Charbonnet not missed a game.
Insert Johnson into that role now and it’s easy to see the Nebraska star having a productive rookie season behind Walker. Johnson led all Power Four players in rushing attempts per game (20.9) last season and was second in rushing yards per game (120.92), while totaling 1,451 yards and 12 TDs on a robust 5.78 yards per carry. He also had 46 catches for 370 yards and 3 TDs for the Huskers.
He was an absolute steal in the fifth round at pick 161.
Meanwhile, Washington seemed to have a lot of momentum through the pre-draft process, especially after posting the fastest 40-yard dash (4.33 seconds) by a running back at the NFL Scouting Combine this year. Yet the Arkansas standout fell to the fourth round (pick 122).
All Washington did with that speed last fall was rush for 1,070 yards and 8 TDs on 6.4 YPC — second-best in the SEC.
Jeanty averaged 15.6 carries per game last season, leaving plenty of room for a second RB to contribute.
3. Buccaneers CB Keionte Scott
While edge rushers Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor got most of the attention for Miami’s elite defense last season, Scott was an integral contributor at nickel cornerback.
He totaled 64 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 2 interceptions — both returned for touchdowns, including one in the CFP quarterfinals win over Ohio State. PFF ranked him the third highest-graded cornerback out of 896 it evaluated in college football last season.
And yet, Scott was still sitting there in the fourth round at pick 116 for the Buccaneers.
There’s already buzz that Scott could take over as the team’s starting nickel this season, moving Jacob Parrish to the rotation on the outside.
Adding to the hype, Bucs legend Ronde Barber had this to say about Scott: “I mean, this dude was Agent Zero at Miami. Like, the guy did everything — blitz, tackle for loss, he was a cover guy of sorts. I don’t know that we could have found a better player to kind of do everything for us in the draft.”
4. Ravens WR Elijah Sarratt
The Ravens waited until Rounds 3-4 of the draft to address their pressing need at wide receiver with an underwhelming depth chart behind star WR1 Zay Flowers. Rashod Bateman had a breakout 2024 season but came crashing back to reality in 2025 with 19 catches for 224 yards and 2 TDs in 13 games. The rest of the unit is entirely unproven.
That sets up a prime opportunity for both USC WR Ja’Kobi Lane (a third-round pick) and Sarratt, the former Indiana star who fell to the fourth round. He could prove to be one of the biggest bargains in the draft.
Sarratt was one of the most reliable receivers in all of college football last season while hauling in 65 catches for 830 yards and 15 TDs for the Hoosiers on their national championship run. Working his way up from FCS-level St. Francis (Pennsylvania) to James Madison and then Indiana, Sarratt had 242 total receptions for 3,678 yards and 44 TDs in his college career.
It’s hard to see him not carving out an immediate role in the Ravens’ passing attack.
5. Ravens P Ryan Eckley
This feels like cheating as Eckley was drafted to take over as Baltimore’s starting punter to replace Pro Bowl standout Jordan Stout, who signed with the Giants. But hey, punters are people too and he fits the scope of the list.
Eckley was drafted in the sixth round (pick 211 overall) out of Michigan State. He led all FBS punters in averaging 48.5 yards per punt in 2025.
Eckley was one of three kickers/punters drafted this year, but he’s the only one with a clear path to the starting job. Sixth-round pick Trey Smack is going to compete with veteran Brandon McManus for the Packers’ placekicking job and seventh-round punter Tommy Doman Jr. is battling veteran Mitch Wishnowsky with the Bills.
