It is all too easy to get caught up in the hype of first-round picks in the immediate aftermath of every NFL Draft, but history proves that the greatest impact is often made by players selected after Day 1. Case in point: The two best defensive rookies in the NFL last year — Cleveland Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger and Seattle Seahawks defensive back Nick Emmanwori — were both Day 2 steals. The players listed below might not be the biggest names today, but they are clean schematic fits for their respective teams and appear to have a relatively clear path to playing time.
It's why they're primed to make big contributions in 2026. And only a few of them were drafted in the first round. With training camp now underway, here are my AFC rookies to watch.
AFC EAST The Bills’ projected starting inside linebackers — Terrel Bernard and Dorian Williams — have struggled with durability and consistency over their respective careers. Elarms-Orr has played in 47 games over the past four years and possesses elite speed. At minimum, he should prove a quality backup and special teams ace as a rookie, and I think his closing speed in coverage and as a blitzer could generate enough flashy plays that he winds up stealing a starting role sooner than later.
With the Dolphins undergoing a significant rebuild, there should be multiple rookies making an immediate impact this year in Miami. With all due respect to new linebackers Jacob Rodriguez and Kyle Louis, the defender I’m most excited about is Johnson, a polished cover corner who I think will prove to be Miami’s best player in the secondary by the end of his rookie campaign. Full disclosure, I’m much higher on Jacas than many, ranking him as the 32nd overall prospect of the 2026 class.
As such, I think he’ll prove to be a steal at No. 55 overall — especially given the talent New England will have around him. Jacas isn’t as twitchy or bendy as some of the top-ranked edge rushers in this class, but he accelerates smoothly and forcefully.
While not as tall, Jacas’ brawling style might remind some longtime Patriots fans of former franchise standout Chandler Jones. First the bad news: The Jets were awful last season and had plenty of holes to fill. The good news, however, is that GM Darren Mougey filled at least four of those holes with the club's top picks.
Frankly, any of them could justifiably be listed here, but I’m going with Ponds, who I’m predicting to lead the Jets in interceptions as a rookie. AFC NORTH Young was the perfect draft-day response for anyone wondering if the Ravens would lose their rugged identity with Jesse Minter taking over as head coach for John Harbaugh. Young may not be the bendiest rusher of this class, but he plays with the passion and violence that has long personified this franchise.
The Bengals gamble on traits as much as any team in the NFL, and the nearly 6-foot-4, 194-pound Davis offers a unique blend of size, length (33 3/8-inch arms) and speed (4.41 40). He projects as a future starter on the boundary for a Cincinnati squad whose current starters, Dax Hill and DJ Turner, are both scheduled for free agency after this season. I loved how the Browns played this draft and strongly considered wideouts KC Concepcion or Denzel Boston for this article.
Ignoring Fano just to highlight others selected later doesn’t give the Browns enough credit for accurately recognizing the much greater depth at receiver than tackle in this draft, and that it doesn’t matter who will be catching the passes (or throwing the ball) if the blocking up front isn’t up to par. Fano was the best pass protector of this class, and he’ll be forged by fire practicing daily against Jared Verse. He’ll start immediately and soon prove to be a franchise cornerstone.
I was tempted to list either right tackle Max Iheanachor or returner Kaden Wetjen here, but Bernard strikes me as the kind of savvy QB-friendly target that Aaron Rodgers is going to love. In fact, while I expect DK Metcalf and free-agent addition Michael Pittman to generate plenty of big plays on the outside, I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see Bernard wind up leading the Steelers in receptions this season. AFC SOUTH McDonald was a first-round talent that fell to Day 2 because of perceived positional value.
Still, given the Texans' elite edge combination of Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, McDonald is ideally situated to splash. One could make a strong argument for linebacker CJ Allen (or fellow LB Bryce Boettcher) for this spot. But given the cover skills of the Colts’ starting cornerbacks Sauce Gardner and Charvarius Ward, I’m especially intrigued by Haulcy in the deep middle of this secondary.
Like free-agent addition Juanyeh Thomas, Haulcy is bigger than most safeties and his ferocious hits reinforce it. He’s also a proven ballhawk, which is why I think he’ll start as a rookie. With quality blocker Ezra Cleveland and pricey 2025 free-agent addition Patrick Mekari capably manning the guard positions in Jacksonville, Pregnon does not have an easy path to starting for the Jaguars as a rookie.
However, he is talented, tough and experienced at both guard positions. Further, Cleveland is a pending free agent and Mekari struggled with both consistency and durability in his first year in town. While Cody Barton is a proven starting-caliber linebacker and Cedric Gray has flashed the skill set to be even better than that, I’m excited to see how disruptive Hill can be in Robert Saleh’s defense.
Hill was asked to play so many roles at Texas that he never had a chance to blossom. His range and rush skills could lead to big things for the Titans. AFC WEST Quick, agile and long-armed, I think Onyedim is going to develop into a better pass-rusher in the NFL than he ever was in college.
Playing alongside Zach Allen and Nik Bonnito, he certainly was drafted into a defense that has the "horses" to aid in this development. Given the QB talent in the AFC West, adding edge rushers is always a good idea. I’m particularly excited about Thomas’ speed in this division, however, as the opposing quarterbacks aren’t just quality passers, they are talented scramblers, as well.
Thomas has the burst and closing speed to help corral them. Thomas may not start as a rookie, but don’t be surprised if he plays a critical role as a designated pass-rusher right away. Needless to say, all focus on the Raiders’ rookies will start with No.
1 overall selection Fernando Mendoza. But after allowing Geno Smith to get sacked more than any other quarterback in the NFL in 2025, boosting the offensive line is just as important. Though Zuhn lined up at tackle and center with the Aggies, the Raiders announced him as a guard shortly after selecting him, and I think he has a shot at unseating free-agent addition Spencer Burford on the left side.
As his experience at left tackle suggests, Zuhn is quite athletic, despite his hulking 6-foot-6, 319-pound frame, offering the pass protection and run blocking skills to help the investments in Mendoza (and Ashton Jeanty) pay off. Chargers fans are likely hoping that it is Jake Slaughter — the blocker drafted two rounds earlier than Burke — that makes the most immediate impact, and I think Slaughter has the toughness and girth to make the switch from center to guard effectively. But given the Chargers’ struggles with durability at tackle in recent years, Burke could prove to be more important.
He’s surprisingly agile for his size, has experience at both tackle positions and plays with the surliness Jim Harbaugh requires up front.
