Which NFL rookies will make the biggest impact in 2026

Every year, there are 256 athletes selected in the NFL Draft, plus many more that sign as undrafted free agents. Some of them become stars in due time, while others never end up carving much of a path in the league. But each season, a number of rookies make an out-sized impact in their debut year in the league. Let's take a look at some likely candidates this year.

Carnell Tate, WR, Tennessee Titans

It's fair to say Titans quarterback Cam Ward's shakiest part of his game might be his deep passing abilities. Carnell Tate is a elite downfield target who has had much success hauling in deep routes at the collegiate level. The Titans are looking to add more offensive weapons to help the 2024 No. 1 pick thrive, and Tate is the perfect choice.

Caleb Downs, S, Dallas Cowboys

Downs is an elite-caliber athlete and possesses the skill set to be a playmaker both in pass coverage and the run game. Despite playing in the secondary, he's a serious disrupter at the line of scrimmage, tallying 22 run stops at or behind the line of scrimmage and 16 tackles for loss in three seasons playing college football. He can play both safety in the Cowboys' base defense as well as nickel safety in special packages, and the Dallas defense needs more playmakers.

Mansoor Delane, CB. Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs have a large gap in their secondary with both Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson now gone from the franchise. Kansas City plays a lot of man coverage, and Delane thrived in Cover 0 and Cover 1 schemes in college as a press corner with elite speed. The tools and the scheme are present to make an immediate impact.