The 2026 NFL Draft still feels fresh, but several teams surely exited the exercise convinced they've unearthed the latest big bargains. Only a handful, however, will be proven right.
Creating substantial surplus value by hitting it big on Days 2 and 3 of the draft can be the fastest route to refurbishing a roster and vaulting in the league's contender class. Yet a select few picks actually provide the massive returns that all franchises seek with their selections. Still, this year's event featured more than a handful of choices that stood out for their potential payoff:
Here are the 10 biggest steals of the 2026 NFL Draft:
103. New York Jets: DT Darrell Jackson Jr., Florida State
104. Arizona Cardinals: DT Kaleb Proctor, Southeastern Louisiana
105. Los Angeles Chargers: WR Brenen Thompson, Mississippi State
107. San Francisco 49ers: DT Gracen Halton, Oklahoma
116. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: CB Keionte Scott, Miami (FL)
117. Los Angeles Chargers: OT Travis Burke, Memphis
119. Jacksonville Jaguars: Edge Wesley Williams, Duke
1 / 19All the picks from Rounds 4 to 7 on Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft101. Las Vegas Raiders: CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
103. New York Jets: DT Darrell Jackson Jr., Florida State
104. Arizona Cardinals: DT Kaleb Proctor, Southeastern Louisiana
105. Los Angeles Chargers: WR Brenen Thompson, Mississippi State
107. San Francisco 49ers: DT Gracen Halton, Oklahoma
116. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: CB Keionte Scott, Miami (FL)
117. Los Angeles Chargers: OT Travis Burke, Memphis
119. Jacksonville Jaguars: Edge Wesley Williams, Duke
This year offered plenty of depth at center, where at least four players were closely ranked as potential starters early in their careers. Two of them – Logan Jones and Jake Slaughter – were taken in the second round. Lew hung around much longer despite not being markedly behind either player in any phase. A torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered in October likely weighed down his draft stock. The Bengals can ask veteran Ted Karras to mentor Lew before having the Auburn product take over as Joe Burrow's pivot for the long haul.
Rough year for the running back group, with only three taken in the first three rounds. Johnson was one of the backs who was met with skepticism until the Chiefs called on the Nebraska standout midway through Day 3. Big gains might not come easily to a runner who lacks a breakaway gear. But Johnson is built to either maneuver around would-be tacklers in close quarters or barrel through them, and he's comfortable taking on a hefty workload as a pass catcher. The Chiefs would be wise not to overload new feature back Kenneth Walker III, who's accustomed to operating in a timeshare from his years in Seattle. That could mean a decent number of opportunities early on for Johnson.