NFL Rookies Who Could Emerge as Surprise Starters in 2026

First- and second-round draft picks are supposed to see plenty of time in the lineup during their rookies years, likely as starters sooner rather than later. The same can't be said about mid-to-late-round draftees. Yet, a handful always emerge in Year 1.

Last year, the likes of Harold Fannin Jr., Darien Porter, Dylan Fairchild, Jacob Parrish, Jared Wilson, Xavier Watts, Upton Stout, Craig Woodson, Woody Marks, Barrett Carter, Elic Ayomanor, Francisco Mauigoa, Oronde Gadsden II, Jackson Hawes, Bill Croskey-Merritt, etc. all made significant contributions during their initial campaigns. None of them were selected before last year's 67th overall pick.

A handful of rookies drafted outside of this year's first two rounds already turned heads in organized team activities and minicamps. They appear to be well on their way to contributing significantly more than initially anticipated.

QB Carson Beck, Arizona Cardinals

AP Photo/Rick Scuteri

The plan in Arizona for the Cardinals' quarterback setup was supposed to go as follows: Jacoby Brissett is named QB1, while Gardner Minshew II serves as the veteran backup, then both would eventually give way to Carson Beck late in the season to see if he can be a legitimate NFL starter.

However, plans often go awry. Brissett's insistence on a reworked contract to serve as the starter this fall created an opening for the rookie to impress and possibly push to start sooner rather than later.

"Beck said he has been putting in 13-hour days at the Cardinals' facility, going beyond what Arizona is asking of its rookies," ESPN's Josh Weinfuss reported. "After the rookies are done with their meetings, Beck spends time with offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett and quarterbacks coach Matt Schaub. Beck also has access to first-year head coach Mike LaFleur if questions arise."

Once upon a time, Beck was viewed as a potential No. 1 overall pick. But an elbow injury and some mistakes in big moments drove down his draft stock. Even so, he was still one of the class' best rhythm passes when he had the opportunity to stand tall in the pocket and deliver.

"Beck has the skill set suited to a team with strong talent and culture that can win games," B/R scout Dame Parson wrote. "He excels in a point-guard role under center. He combines good anticipation, quick game efficiency, and timely throwing."

The Cardinals don't provide an ideal setup, as a team with a new coaching staff trying to build a long-term foundation. Though ample opportunity is present.

Also, plenty of young talent can be found around the quarterback position, with tight end Trey McBride, wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and this year's third overall draft pick, running back Jeremiyah Love. If Beck shows he has a handle on the offense, there's no reason to keep the rookie out of the lineup since this season is an evaluation year in Arizona.

WR Malachi Fields, New York Giants

AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura

The New York Giants wide receiver corps features Malik Nabers and a mess. Even Nabers' status for the start of the 2026 campaign remains ambiguous as he continues his recovery from a torn ACL. To ensure the roster had enough depth at the position, the Giants went out and signed Odell Beckham Jr., JuJu Smith-Schuster and Braxton Berrios. However, a third-round target may turn out to be the biggest difference.

Malachi Fields was considered a solid second-round option heading into April's draft. While he didn't post huge numbers during his final season on campus, the near-6'5", 218-pound target dominated at the Senior Bowl. Because of Field's frame, ball-winning traits and blocking on the outside, the rookie adds an immediate skill set to the Giants' offense that's largely missing from the rest of the group. Specifically, he can be an instant red-zone threat and security blanket on critical downs.

Plenty of name recognition is now found among Jaxson Dart's wide receivers. However, the team invested in Fields before going out and trying to fill out the rest of the room. The organization sees this year's 74th overall pick as a legitimate piece of the puzzle.

"The guys we brought in in free agency. We drafted a really good player [in Fields]. We'll get Darius [Slayton] back, another guy," head coach John Harbaugh told reporters. "When you step back and look at it, you got about five guys you feel really good about."

Nabers will treated as the Giants' WR1 whenever he's cleared to return. Plenty must still be decided withing the rest of the group. Though it's difficult to envision Fields not be a big part of the team's plans this season considering the potential to move past the majority of the group after the upcoming campaign.

DL Chris McClellan, Green Bay Packers

AP Photo/Matt Ludtke

Thanks to the Micah Parsons trade, the Green Bay Packers didn't necessarily field the right parts to fill out the rest of last year's defensive front. A third-round rookie now brings a multipurpose skill set to complete this group.

With Kenny Clark gone, Colby Wooden took over at nose tackle. He played relatively well, but the Packers viewed him as expendable this offseason and included him as part of the Zaire Franklin trade. Green Bay signed Javon Hargrave after the Minnesota Vikings released the veteran. However, Hargrave isn't a traditional space-eater. His game is built on being disruptive and resetting the line of scrimmage.

Due to these varied pieces and expected rotation, Chris McClellan, whom the Packers selected with this year's 77th overall pick, should quickly become a featured part of Green Bay's revamped front.

At 313 pounds with 34-inch arms, McClellan brings good size and length to the group. Plus, he's athletic enough to align at multiple positions.

"McClellan has played both the nose tackle and defensive tackle spots in [Jonathan] Gannon's scheme, an impressive range for a rookie third-rounder," Wendall Ferreira of A to Z Sports reported. "Green Bay made its feelings clear when it traded up to select him [in the third round], and the early returns validate that aggressiveness."

The rookie already showed rapid improvement by listening and applying what he's being coached, which will only help McClelland earn more reps and playing time throughout the process

"What we were able to do in two days from a technique, a scheme standpoint, he was picking it up, picking it up," defensive line coach Vince Oghobaase told reporters, "picking it up faster than I thought he would."

Green Bay surrendered an extra fifth-round draft pick to move up seven slots and ensure it landed McClellan during the third frame. Clearly, the organization understands his value and how he's going to fit into the defense from the onset of his professional career.

LB Bryce Boettcher, Indianapolis Colts

AP Photo/Michael Conroy

The Indianapolis Colts entered this offseason with the league's worst set of linebackers. The organization eventually added veteran Akeem Davis-Gaither and drafted CJ Allen during this year's second round to vastly improve the position group. What if the Colts end up starting a pair of rookies along the second line of their defense?

The possibility is very real thanks to Bryce Boettcher, who heard his name called during this year's fourth round.

"Finally, in a surprise addition to the list, fourth-round choice Bryce Boettcher took a significant number of snaps with the starting defense during last week's minicamp," ESPN's Stephen Holder reported. "He could make a legitimate push to start in a linebacking unit that lacks depth and is ripe for newcomers to emerge."

In truth, the Colts could get significant/starting contributions from multiple second- or third-day draft picks, including safety AJ Haulcy and wide receiver Deion Burks. Though Boettcher may be the more unexpected option just because of the previously mentioned additions to the same position.

Even so, the idea of Boettcher impressing early shouldn't be surprising whatsoever. He's an outstanding athlete, also being selecting in the 2024 MLB draft by the Houston Astros. His 136 total tackles led the Big Ten Conference last season on his way to being named a first-team All-American.

A smaller frame and questionable play-strength held Boettcher back throughout this year's draft process. However, his intelligence, on-field communication, quick trigger and tackling make him the exact type of linebacker who can break into the lineup and create an early impact.

The Colts emphasized getting faster and more athletic on defense this offseason—which became a clear priority during the draft. At some point, Indianapolis will likely have both of their rookie linebackers starting during the upcoming season, with Davis and Boettcher forming what could be a talented duo for years to come.

TE Tanner Koziol, Jacksonville Jaguars

AP Photo/Kelly Jordan

So much emphasis fell upon the Jacksonville Jaguars' head-scratching decision to select tight end Nate Boerkircher in this year's second round that Tanner Koziol's addition three rounds later went largely unnoticed. It shouldn't have.

Koziol was the top receiving tight end in this year's class. His 237 career receptions between stops at Ball State and Houston, as well as 74 catches this past season, led everyone among this year's position class.

Spoiler alert: The rookie tight end looked really good catching the ball during his initial professional practices.

"As for the second biggest riser, I will have to go with rookie tight end Tanner Koziol," John Shipley of Sports Illustrated wrote. "I questioned entering the offseason if Koziol could be anything more than the No. 4 tight end as a rookie due to his lack of skill-set as a blocker, but he looks closer to TE2 right now than he does to TE4. He made big play after big play this offseason.

Brenton Strange is already an athletic target as a move option within the Jaguars' offense, while Boerkircher can contribute as a traditional Y-tight end. Even so, a role for Koziol should exist as the Jaguars transition to heavier tight end sets.

At nearly 6'7" and 233 pounds, the first-team All-Big 12 performer is a massive target with soft hands. He's the type of option quarterbacks love, because his frame and wing span allow for a greater margin of error. Furthermore, he understands how to get open and make himself available.

"Koziol is an offensive weapon with mismatch potential wherever he's lined up," Parson wrote. "He's a smooth mover who uses route intention and manipulation tactics to move defenders."

Despite not being much of an in-line contributor, a creative offensive play-caller, like Liam Coen, could and should find ways for Koziol to get onto the field and be utilized in the passing game.

WR Cyrus Allen, Kansas City Chiefs

AP Photo/Ed Zurga

The Kansas City Chiefs didn't do much to improve their wide receiver room this offseason despite the position group being viewed as an obvious area of need. Instead, Kansas City's front office waited until the fifth round to draft Cincinnati's Cyrus Allen, who wasn't even invited to this year's NFL Scouting Combine. The patience should pay off since Allen has the ideal skill set to fit neatly into the Chiefs' passing game.

The Chiefs were searching for a primary slot receiver, which is where Allen excels. He's not a slot-only option, but he did most of his work as an inside threat through the majority of his collegiate career.

More importantly, Allen's skill set slides nicely into a complementary and potentially featured role, because this year's 176th overall pick is simultaneously an outstanding route-runner and fearless working underneath and middle-of-the-field routes despite being under 6'0" and weighing only 183 pounds.

"Cyrus, he's an electric route runner," teammate Xavier Worthy told reporters. "I mean, obviously you guys could see it, he has an explosion, obviously good ball skills, and he's a smart player. (He) just does a lot of the same things that Coach (Andy) Reid was getting on me about when I was younger."

For too long, the Chiefs have relied almost solely on tight end Travis Kelce to work the middle of the field with the type of routes that are necessary to move the chains. Allen should quickly grow into another option as quarterback Patrick Mahomes gains confidence in the rookie's ability.

"He's getting a share of the very-limited repetitions where Patrick Mahomes is on the field for 7-on-7," Chris Goldman of A to Z Sports reported. "That tells me the Chiefs would like for him to be involved during his first year, even if it hasn't been the norm for Kansas City rookie receivers in the past."

With Rashee Rice's unreliability, Worthy's continued development and Tyquan Thornton not showing much during his first season with the team, Allen will have every chance to exceed expectations typically placed upon Day 3 draft picks.