While first-round picks in the NFL draft like David Bailey and Caleb Downs garner most of the attention, it’s the selections made on Days 2 and 3 that can sometimes become the most valuable for teams.
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Think of a player like the Cowboys’ DaRon Bland, who recorded five interceptions in his rookie season (2022) and then set the NFL record for pick-sixes in a season the next (2023). He was a fifth-round pick for Dallas and was an immediate contributor, and he now enters 2026 as the team’s top corner (in the second year of a four-year, $92 million deal he signed last year).
ESPN’s Filed Yates put together a list of players selected in the later rounds of the 2026 NFL draft that could make an instant impact for their teams, and it includes multiple draftees from area colleges. Here’s a list of potential sleepers from Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Texas Tech and TCU.
Chase Bisontis
Bisontis earned a Third Team All-SEC selection as part of an offensive line that protected Marcel Reed last season, helping the Aggies reach the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history. He was graded highly by NFL.com. analyst Lance Zierlein, who wrote: “projects as a future starter with plenty of upside.”
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Nate Boerkircher
Boerkircher, a sixth-year senior and former walk on, played his final season of college football with Texas A&M after five seasons at Nebraska. He had 19 catches for 198 yards and three touchdowns, including a score as time expired to beat Notre Dame on the road in September. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler wrote that he has the skillset to “earn a role in an NFL offense.”
Caleb Douglas
Douglas was the top target on Texas Tech’s first CFP team, recording 846 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns. Brugler wrote in his draft guide: “His game is reminiscent of a diet version of Dontayvion Wicks.”
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Trey Zuhn III
Zuhn III was a four-year starter at tackle for Texas A&M, but the Raiders plan to move him to the interior offensive line. Brugler liked the prospect of that in his draft evaluation, writing: “He offers interior flex and will have starter-caliber upside in the right situation.”
Thomas spent four years with the Sooners and broke out as a junior in 2024, totaling 23 tackles and nine sacks. He followed that up with 26 tackles, 6.5 sacks and two forced fumbles last season. Zierlein wrote that Thomas is a “Twitched-up rush linebacker…with the potential to earn a starting job within his first two [NFL] seasons.”
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Jacob Rodriguez
Rodriguez did a little bit of everything on defense for Tech in his senior season, racking up 128 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, seven forced fumbles, and four interceptions en route to the Bednarik and Butkus awards. The Dallas Morning News’ Joseph Hoyt said Rodriguez would be a nice fit at linebacker for the Cowboys, writing: “There aren’t many left [at pick No. 92] who could step in immediately and start. Rodriguez is one of them.”
Anthony Hill Jr.
Another do-it-all linebacker, Hill was twice named a second-team All-American in his three seasons with the Longhorns. The former Denton Ryan star was also The Dallas Morning News’ top-ranked Dallas-area recruit from the Class of 2023. Hoyt compared Hill to another impact player from Texas: the Cowboys’ DeMarvion Overshown.
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Kaleb Elarms-Orr
Elarms-Orr had an breakout season for the Horned Frogs in 2025, posting a Big 12-leading 130 tackles and four sacks, earning a First Team All-Big 12 selection. Zierlein likes his physical traits but said his instincts could use some refinement, writing: “He will need improved processing but should dial in as a backup with a full-time role on special teams.”
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