We know all about the players that will get drafted early in the 2026 NFL Draft in a few weeks. But what about the ones we forgot about? There's quite a few draft sleepers out there and some are right around the top 100. The others are the hidden gems that will have several teams wishing they were higher up on the draft board.
Here are the players you need to know that if your team drafts them, they're getting a steal.
EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State
This is a deep pass rusher draft class, meaning some gems are bound to pop up on days two and three of the NFL Draft. That’s what could happen to Dani Dennis-Sutton. He’s not quite first-round value, but he is showing a lot of potential to be one of the gems in this draft. I think if he makes it to the third round, it will be a steal. He’s getting quite a few third-round grades, but truthfully, he could go in the late second round.
If he does fall to Saturday, it would be a steal for whoever can get their hands on him. He was the No. 1 EDGE rusher at the NFL Scouting Combine, with a 91 combine grade. Penn State might have had a down season, but Dennis-Sutton will prove to be worth it. He had 42 tackles and a second straight, 8.5-sack season. He’s disruptive and if teams don’t know it now, they will when he breaks out.
TE Oscar Delp, Georgia
This feels like it’s just destined to happen. Georgia didn’t quite use Delp the way it did Brock Bowers. Delp, who will probably be a day 3 pick, could take off in the right system. He wasn’t a big piece of the offense this past year, but he did finish with 854 receiving yards in his career. There could still be some development NFL scouts are seeing because he didn’t have a lot of usage.
Delp didn’t have a single season with at least 300 receiving yards and didn’t have a season with at least 25 receptions. I think with time, Delp will become a decent tight end and for a team like the Philadelphia Eagles that doesn't need a high-end tight end but could develop one around A.J. Brown (for now), DeVonta Smith and Saquon Barkley.
CB Devin Moore, Florida
This cornerback class is deeper than you might think. Florida’s Devin Moore has been one of my favorite draft prospects in this draft class. He had two interceptions, three passes defended and a forced fumble. Yes, Florida was bad this season, but its defense was one of the best in the SEC, even if the numbers or wins didn’t prove it. Moore is getting both third- and fourth-round grades.
While I think the third round is fair value, if he does fall into the fourth round, the team that drafts him shouldn’t be surprised with what he turns into. This is a front-loaded cornerback class in this draft so players like Moore will certainly be players to watch on Friday and Saturday of draft week. If you need a cornerback and have a pick to use earlier, I don’t think it’s a reach to take him toward the end of the second or early third round.
LB Harold Perkins, LSU
The hype around Harold Perkins died down, but don’t forget why he was considered one of the top players in his draft class at one point. He’s ranked the No. 15 linebacker, per Draft Buzz. He could ultimately turn into a solid defender, even if it takes him a while to get a starting role. At LSU, he had seven career interceptions with 113 solo tackles and 11 passes defended. Quite a few linebacker-needy teams are going to regret passing on him.
LSU might not have been good last season, but Perkins was a massive piece on that defense. He has the talent of a top 100 player but could fall to Day 3. Teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or the Los Angeles Rams could find a gem in Perkins if they want to later into the draft to fill their gaping linebacker needs.
WR Elijah Sarratt, Indiana
Elijah Surratt made some big plays this past year, helping Indiana win a national championship. While his only 1,000-yard receiving season came at James Madison his second season of college football, he was always reliable for Fernando Mendoza. Sarratt was the big play receiver that kept Indiana’s offense in tact. He’s ranked as a top 100 player, but hasn’t been talked about as one of the top receivers in this class.
You could argue he’s better than Omar Cooper Jr. Cooper was good and came up clutch against Penn State, but Sarratt was the go-to receiver of this offense. He can be that same weapon for a team like the Cleveland Browns, who may wait to draft a receiver until the third or fourth round.
DL Kaleb Proctor, SE Louisiana
Kaleb Proctor is the product of an FCS school, which always makes for an interesting conversation around players that could break out. FCS players don’t get a good reputation making the transition from lower-tier football to the best athletes in the world. If there is one that could be that player in this draft class, though, Proctor has to be one.
This past season, he finished with more than 40 total tackles and eight sacks. While those seem a bit inflated from playing FCS ball, you have to respect the fact that he’s a solid prospect. By no means do I think he should be drafted in the first two rounds. But if he falls to the late third or fourth round, he’d be a great depth piece in the interim.
QB Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt
If there’s any player that could be a steal, it’s got to be Diego Pavia, right? All jokes aside, he probably is the most talented quarterback in this NFL Draft class. His passing numbers were comparable to Mendoza’s while playing against SEC defenses and he’s a mobile threat that could hurt teams as a runner too. He was a Heisman Trophy finalist, but didn’t quite do enough to get into the College Football Playoff.
For now, Pavia is going to make a good backup quarterback. But he’ll probably get taken in the fifth round. Teams like the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers or even the Green Bay Packers could use a backup like Pavia. In all three of those systems, he won’t have to do a whole lot and for a team like the Rams, he could sit behind Matthew Stafford for a year before taking over.
RB Kaytron Allen, Penn State
We all seem to have forgotten about Kaytron Allen. A three-game losing streak and 7-6 finish to the 2025 season kind of dampened things in State College, but one constant was Allen. He rushed for more than 1,300 yards and 15 touchdowns this past season. Don’t let Penn State’s miserable season distract you from how good Allen was and has been in his college football career.
Allen might not be the producer in the NFL that Quinshon Judkins or Tre’Veyon Henderson was in their rookie seasons, but he should be an immediate producer for a team when he’s taken. He’ll probably be a special teams player and backup to start. But if he’s called upon, he should have an instant impact whenever he’s on the field.
More NFL Draft news and analysis
- Ranking Steelers QB options from Aaron Rodgers to Will Howard to Ty Simpson
- Interactive NFL Draft Big Board for all 32 teams, powered by local experts
- Cowboys-Cardinals and 4 perfect 2026 NFL Draft trade matches to help both teams
- Biggest 2026 NFL Draft need for NFC North teams: Can Lions, Packers, Vikings catch the Bears?