Every season, several mid-round NFL rookies drafted outside of the first round take the football world by storm by providing surprising production in relation to their draft positions. With the 2026 NFL draft class primed for training camp action later this month, let’s break down which of these first-year prospects could have the most surprising impact on their teams in 2026!
As the title suggests, this list will only consist of NFL rookies drafted outside of the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Drafted in the second round with the 41st overall pick, Texas A&M product Cashius Howell has the chance to make an immediate and profound impact on a defense that has seen its fair share of struggles over the last few seasons.
Cincinnati attempted to plug its hole at defensive end last offseason by drafting another former Aggie, Shemar Stewart, in the first round. However, after a lengthy and controversial contract dispute interfered with his participation in the Bengals’ offseason program, Stewart only amassed 11 total tackles and one sack in eight games in 2025.
The team also signed former Seahawks defensive end Boye Mafe to a three-year, $60 million contract in free agency. However, there is certainly reason to believe this signing could fall through: Mafe has been statistically regressing in categories like stats and tackles since his sophomore season back in 2023.
The Bengals haven’t ranked in the top half of the league in terms of sack production since the 2021 NFL regular season, so they’re naturally desperate to get some help off of the edge. Howell, who posted 11.5 sacks at Texas A&M in 2025, could provide the team with an instant spark of production from a position of need. His production history, paired with a ridiculous amount of athleticism that blends insane bend and quickness with a wicked spin move, should help him see the field quickly, allowing him to put up impressive numbers right away.
The Miami Dolphins weren’t shy about addressing the linebacker position this offseason, selecting Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez, the draft crush of many analysts, with the 43rd overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Rodriguez is mainly known for one key trait: the ability to cause turnovers on the football field. The numbers speak for themselves: the former Red Raider logged seven forced fumbles and four interceptions last season, leading a strong Texas Tech defense all the way to a College Football Playoff appearance.
Rodiriguez now finds himself in Miami with new head coach Jeff Hafley, who served as Green Bay’s defensive coordinator in 2024 and 2025 and led the unit to a strong season last year. With a defensive-minded coach at the helm of the Dolphins, Rodriguez should be able to earn a role quickly if he continues to rely on his turnover-causing instincts.
He could leave his mark on a Miami team with low expectations sooner rather than later in 2026 and emerge as one of the best mid-round NFL rookies in the league.
After finishing with a losing record for the eighth season in a row, Atlanta decided it was time for yet another change and brought in Kevin Stefanski to be the team’s newest head coach, replacing Raheem Morris after just his second season in charge.
With this monumental change in the coaching staff came a shift in Atlanta’s offensive personnel as well. The team made a popular decision by selecting the former USC and Georgia speedster Zachariah Branch with the 79th overall pick in this year’s draft.
Branch enjoyed a boost in receiving production after transferring to Georgia ahead of the 2025 college football season, putting up 811 receiving yards and six touchdowns on 81 catches for the Bulldogs.
As a prospect, Branch is straight out of a video game, offering unthinkable speed and acceleration along with the ability to start and stop on a dime to make defenders miss. At only 5’10” and 180 lbs, Branch isn’t the most physically imposing receiver in this year’s class, but his play certainly makes up for his lack of size. As if that wasn’t enough, Branch is also a brilliant kick returner, totalling 1,338 return yards in his three years at the college level. He’s one of the more athletic NFL rookies in this class to say the least.
Former Falcons wideout Darnell Mooney left the team in free agency after serving as Atlanta’s second wideout for the past two years, leaving a major offensive vacuum to be potentially filled by Zachariah Branch. With any luck, he could be a major surprise in 2026.
Former Clemson wide receiver Antonio Williams was one of my favorite prospects in this year’s draft class, and he ended up going to a fantastic situation in Washington by way of the 71st overall pick.
Williams put up 904 receiving yards and 11 receiving touchdowns back in 2024 with Cade Klubnik at quarterback, and the pair were frequently mocked in the first round by most draft analysts. However, Clemson fell from grace in 2025, finishing with a disappointing overall record of 7-6.
The offense was inconsistent, to say the least, and a solid amount of that could be blamed on Williams’ absence due to a hamstring injury early in the season. Once Williams returned, he picked up where he left off statistically, averaging almost 70 yards per game over the course of the season.
At 5’11” and 195 lbs, Williams can thrive from a variety of positions on the football field; he’s seen success in the slot and on the outside. He has a knack for making impressive catches and has put together a highlight reel of contested grabs over the course of his career. Jayden Daniels’ newest target is also a superb route-runner, able to shake defenders off and create separation on a variety of routes.
He should have no problem handling the role of Washington’s second wideout behind Terry McLaurin without much competition and could be one of the best NFL rookies to touch the field in 2026. If quarterback Jayden Daniels stays healthy, watch out for a productive rookie year for Antonio Williams.
Selected in the fifth round with the 161st overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, former Nebraska Cornhusker Emmett Johnson has a great chance to lock up the backup running back role in Kansas City this season behind free agency addition Kenneth Walker III.
Johnson was one of college football’s breakout stars in 2025, posting 1,821 yards from scrimmage and 15 total touchdowns last season. His elite production was paired with impressive receiving ability that could earn him a role in Kansas City’s prolific offensive system.
Johnson isn’t the most elite athlete and his vision isn’t always the greatest, but there’s no denying his production and landing spot. He can earn a real role as the change-of-pace back for the Chiefs and become one of the better NFL rookies we’ll see at the running back position in 2026.
Germie Bernard – WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
Gabe Jacas – DE, New England Patriots
Zion Young – DE, Baltimore Ravens
Matthew Hibner – TE, Baltimore Ravens
Josiah Trotter – LB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Keith Abney II – CB, Detroit Lions
In the end, there will be several mid-to-late round NFL rookies who will make the jump to stardom early on in their careers, this list is just a prediction of who those players could be based on ther profiles and landing spots. Time will tell if these predictions come true, but I’d say these five NFL rookies are safe bets to lock down vital roles during the 2026 NFL season.
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