2026 NFL Draft Sleepers and Day 2 Steals

Nicholas Singleton — RB, Penn State

5-11, 220 lbs · Junior · Projected: Round 2-3

Singleton was the #1 overall recruit in his high school class. The talent was never in question — at 220 pounds with 4.4 speed, he has the complete physical profile of a three-down NFL back. His production at Penn State was suppressed by a loaded backfield that split carries three ways, but when he touched the ball, the explosiveness was obvious. He averaged 6.2 yards per carry on his career and scored 24 touchdowns despite never being a true bellcow.

The reason he's a sleeper: running back devaluation. Teams don't spend first-round picks on backs anymore. But Singleton's talent is first-round caliber. The team that gets him in Round 2 or 3 gets a player with elite contact balance, legitimate home-run speed, and the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. He's the kind of back who changes an offense. His combine numbers stacked against 26 years of NFL Combine history in Big Board Lab's Combine Explorer show just how rare his athletic profile is for the position.

Elijah Sarratt — WR, Indiana

6-2, 200 lbs · Senior · Projected: Round 3-4

Sarratt was one of the most productive receivers in college football over the past two seasons — first at James Madison where he dominated the Sun Belt, then at Indiana where he proved it against Big Ten corners. He's a polished route runner with outstanding hands and the size to win contested catches on the outside. His transition from a smaller program raised questions, but he answered them emphatically with over 900 yards and 8 touchdowns in his first Big Ten season.

The reason he's a sleeper: the 2026 WR class is 59 deep, which pushes legitimately good receivers into Day 2. Sarratt has the production, the size, and the route-running to be a reliable NFL starter. He just happens to be in the deepest receiver class in recent memory.

Jadarian Price — RB, Notre Dame

5-10, 205 lbs · Senior · Projected: Round 3-4

Price played in Jeremiyah Love's shadow at Notre Dame, which is the only reason he's not a Day 1-2 pick. He's a decisive, one-cut runner with excellent vision who consistently made the right read behind Notre Dame's dominant offensive line. His receiving ability is underrated — he ran clean routes out of the backfield and was a reliable checkdown target. He's the complementary back who becomes a starter because he does nothing wrong.

Emmanuel McNeil-Warren — S, Toledo

6-2, 210 lbs · Senior · Projected: Late Round 1 — Round 2

McNeil-Warren might be the biggest riser in this entire class. He went from a small-school afterthought to a potential first-round pick after dominating Senior Bowl week and testing in the 90th+ percentile at the combine. At 6-2, 210, he has ideal NFL safety size with rare athleticism. The Toledo competition level is the only knock — and he's answered every question about his talent level at every stage against Power 5 competition.

If he slides to Round 2, he'll be the steal of the draft. He has Derwin James' physical profile. Teams that overthink the small-school thing will regret it.

Gabe Jacas — EDGE, Illinois

6-3, 275 lbs · Senior · Projected: Round 3-4

Jacas is a power rusher who wins with brute strength, leverage, and relentless effort. At 275 pounds he's a true three-down end who can set the edge against the run and generate pressure as a pass rusher. He recorded 8.5 sacks and 14 TFL in 2025 despite facing constant double teams. His production against Big Ten offensive lines — including Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State — is legitimate.

The reason he'll slide: he doesn't have elite bend or a flashy first step. He wins ugly. But winning ugly at the NFL level is still winning, and his motor and power profile compare favorably to players like Carl Lawson and Emmanuel Ogbah — productive NFL edge defenders who were never athletic marvels. You can pull up Jacas on Big Board Lab and run a head-to-head comparison against any first-round EDGE — Scout Vision makes it easy to see where he stacks up on every trait.

Christen Miller — IDL, Georgia

6-3, 300 lbs · Junior · Projected: Round 2-3

Miller played on a loaded Georgia defense where snaps were hard to come by. When he was on the field, he was disruptive — quick off the snap, powerful at the point of attack, and surprisingly agile for 300 pounds. His per-snap production rates are elite even if his counting stats don't jump off the page. The team that studies the tape rather than the box score will recognize a starting-caliber 3-technique who was buried on a roster with too many good defensive linemen.

Zakee Wheatley — S, Penn State

6-1, 205 lbs · Senior · Projected: Round 3-4

Wheatley started for three years in the Big Ten and was one of the most reliable safeties in the conference. He reads quarterbacks well, triggers downhill with authority, and rarely misses tackles. His ball skills improved each year — he finished with 7 career interceptions against Big Ten competition. He's not the explosive athlete that Downs or Thieneman are, but he does everything a defensive coordinator needs and he does it consistently against top-level competition.