2026 NFL Draft Day 3 Picks Most Likely to Make Immediate Impact

For the most part, the third day of the NFL draft is a crapshoot, filled with dart throws on long-shot prospects trying to beat the odds.

Every year, though, a few of those long shots turn into real contributors faster than anyone expects.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy went from "Mr. Irrelevant" to starting a Super Bowl. Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams went from fifth-round pick to sixth in the NFL in rushing, while teammate Puka Nacua was a fifth-round pick as well—and a star from the moment he took the field.

Plus, there's that Tom Brady guy from the olden days. Sixth round. Seven rings.

Guys like Nacua are the rarest of finds. Not only do they exceed expectations, but they also do so from the jump. It's a convergence of talent, situation and good old-fashioned luck that can have a massive impact on a franchise's fortunes.

And these youngsters have the potential to make that kind of dent as rookies in 2026.

RB Jonah Coleman, Denver Broncos

AP Photo/David Zalubowski

Round 4, Pick No. 108

Jonah Coleman was highly productive at Washington, topping 1,000 rushing yards in 2024 and posted 25 scores on the ground the past two seasons.

That was part of what got the 5'8", 220-pounder drafted early on Day 3 by the Broncos, but head coach Sean Payton told reporters that the team was attracted by how well Coleman handled pass protection duties in college.

"You saw it in [the] college tape," he said. "Most of the time when you're drafting or signing a college running back, there's going to be a learning curve with protections. That was a strong suit when you were looking at his tape, different than the rest of the class."

The Broncos were mediocre at best running the ball last year, averaging just under 118 yards per game on the ground. But surprisingly the team didn't do much to upgrade the unit, instead electing to re-sign veteran JK Dobbins.

Dobbins was effective when healthy in 2025, but "when healthy" is a caveat that has hounded Dobbins throughout his career. R.J. Harvey was OK as a rookie, but the second-round pick averaged just 3.7 yards per carry.

There's a pathway to an early workload for Coleman, especially if he can show that he isn't a liability as a pass-blocker. And given Dobbins' penchant for getting hurt (he has averaged 12 missed games the last four years), it won't be a huge upset if Coleman winds up the lead back for one of the AFC's best teams sooner rather than later.

WR Elijah Sarratt, Baltimore Ravens

AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough

Round 4, Pick No. 115

Wide receiver Elijah Sarratt was a big part of Indiana's march to a national championship last year, leading the FBS with 15 touchdown catches.

But while teammate Omar Cooper Jr. heard his name called on Day 1, Sarratt had to wait until Day 3 before the Baltimore Ravens came calling.

It's a pick that Bleacher Report's Moe Moton believes could pay immediate dividends for the Ravens.

"ESPN's Jamison Hensley expects Sarratt to carve out a role in the slot," Moton wrote. "In that spot, he'll face less competition for snaps than Lane on the perimeter. The Ravens can deploy (Zay) Flowers, (Rashod) Bateman and Sarratt in three-receiver sets.  Also, with the departure of Isaiah Likely in free agency, Sarratt could see more looks in the red zone behind tight end Mark Andrews, who saw a significant drop-off in scoring production between 2024 and 2025."

The Ravens have an unquestioned top-two at wide receiver in Flowers and Bateman, and the team also selected Ja'Kobi Lane in Round 3. But Sarratt is a polished route-runner and physical presence who appears a better fit in the slot than Lane. He also showed 15 times last year that he can be a problem in the red zone.

It won't be especially surprising if Sarratt opens the season as Baltimore's No. 3 receiver. If he leads the Ravens in touchdown catches as a rookie, it would be surprising—but don't rule it out.

OG Beau Stephens, Seattle Seahawks

AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson

Round 5, Pick No. 148

As one might expect, the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks didn't enter the offseason with a ton of glaring needs. But the interior of the offensive line wasn't a strength, so it was a bit surprising to see the Seahawks wait well into Day 3 to take a guard.

That guard was Iowa's Beau Stephens, a 6'6", 315-pounder who made 34 career starts for the Hawkeyes.

Per Michael Hanich of SI, Stephens' prowess in zone-blocking schemes was one of the things that attracted the team to him:

"There are a lot of key attributes that make Stephens one of the better offensive linemen in this 2026 Draft class. Stephens is one of the best zone blockers among the rookie offensive linemen, which is a big reason why the Seahawks selected him. He possesses a solid combination of quickness, physicality, and climbing to the second level of the defense."

Projecting a Day 3 offensive lineman to start at all in the NFL is tricky. It's a position that comes with a relatively steep learning curve. Starting for the reigning champions is another matter altogether.

But Stephens hails from a school with a long history of developing offensive linemen. His skill set meshes extremely well with what Seattle likes to do offensively. And the team's current starter at right guard (Anthony Bradford) was poor in pass protection a year ago, according to Pro Football Focus.

Edge Caden Curry, Indianapolis Colts

AP Photo/Michael Conroy

Round 6, Pick No. 214

In his lone year as a starter at Ohio State in 2025, edge-rusher Caden Curry was a force—the 6'3" 257-pounder finished second in the Big Ten in sacks with 11.

However, Curry's lack of arm length caused him to fall outside the top 200 picks in this year's draft.

Colts general manager Chris Ballard thinks the team may have gotten a steal, though:

"His first three years, he was a role player and really good on teams. Like, really good. And then, Ohio State, I mean, they're recruiting guys behind him. It's not like the cupboards are bare at Ohio State. They're bringing other (elite defensive ends) in. (Ohio State defensive end coach) Larry Johnson texted me and said, 'He's one of the better football players I've been around.' Sometimes the physical measurements, people will knock you down, but we'll see how he does. I think he'll do well. I do."

Curry joins an Indianapolis team that has been looking for consistent production on the edge for years. The Colts hope to have one end of the line handled with Laiatu Latu, who paced the team last season with 8.5 sacks. But the other end spot is a major question mark, with veteran Arden Key, youngster JT Tuimoloau and others fighting for snaps.

At the very least, Curry can carve out a rotational role in Indianapolis with a solid camp. If he shines? He could lead that rotation in snaps.

LB/S Kyle Louis, Miami Dolphins

AP Photo/Julio Cortez

Round 4, Pick No. 138

In the leadup to the 2026 draft, many pundits had Pitt linebacker Kyle Louis pegged as a Day 2 prospect. Over his last two years with the Panthers, he averaged over 90 stops a season and intercepted six passes.

However, at just 6'0" and 220 pounds, Louis is undersized and then some by NFL linebacker standards, and as a result he slipped toward the end of Round 4 before the Miami Dolphins pulled the trigger.

Louis may be undersized, but he's also versatile—his range and coverage skills give him the tools to play multiple roles.

While addressing the media, Miami defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley said he's looking forward to figuring out how to best utilize Louis.

"It excites me," he said. "I think anytime you can draft a player who can do multiple things, it's our job as coaches to have a vision for him and figure out where to play him or play him in multiple spots."

Today's NFL is all about versatility on defense. Louis probably isn't going to supplant Tyrel Dodson or Jordyn Brooks to start at linebacker, especially with fellow rookie Jacob Rodriguez also in Miami.

However, the safety spots in Miami are far less certain, and the ability to slide up and play linebacker in subpackages won't hurt his chances of getting on the field early.

CB Keionte Scott, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

AP Photo/Chris O'Meara

Round 4, Pick No. 116

Like Kyle Louis, Miami cornerback Keionte Scott was regarded by some as a Day 2 prospect after an excellent 2025 season with the Hurricanes—64 total tackles, a whopping 13 tackles for loss and two picks (both of which were returned for touchdowns).

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com noted before the draft that Scott had a real chance to earn significant playing time from the jump:

"Scott's play style and tackle production resemble that of a Will linebacker. He's edgy and urgent near the line with an ability to slip or play off of blocks. He can snuff out run plays before they get started. He keeps yards after contact to a minimum. Scott's blitz talent off the edge makes him a value-added rusher. He's an older prospect and needs to play in a scheme that allows him to keep his eyes forward, but Scott's football character should make him a team favorite as a starting nickelback."

When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers took Scott in Round 4, he got that favorable scheme. Not only that, but Tampa's depth chart at the position is unsettled, with Zyon McCollum and Benjamin Morrison slated to start outside with Jacob Parrish in the slot.

Parrish was decent for the Buccaneers as a rookie, but he wasn't much more than that—the argument can be made that Scott is the better talent the moment he gets to Tampa.