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Key Points Bullet point summary by AI - Training camp is underway across the NFL, and several overlooked rookies are turning heads before their first regular season games even begin.
- Key sleepers include Cardinals QB Carson Beck, Cowboys safety Caleb Downs, and Jets TE Kenyon Sadiq, all making strong early impressions.
- These young players could earn major snaps early on and quickly transform from draft night dark horses into household names.
NFL training camp is officially underway, and while veterans have all officially reported, that doesnt take the spotlight away from the rookies.
There are quite a few out there that have an outside chance to not just make noise during training camp but carve out a decent role in the regular season.
Heres one rookie from every NFL team that for one reason or another isnt getting talked about.
By the time the season is over, theyll be on every NFL teams radar moving forward.
Arizona Cardinals QB Carson Beck Carson Beck is quickly becoming a recognizable name in Glendale.
Not because hes turning into an elite quarterback during training camp, but because hes going to get a lot of opportunities to grow this season.
Jacoby Brissett should still be the starter on this team, but its fair to think Beck could contend for the starting job at some point this season.
The Cardinals are veteran-deep with Gardner Minshew as Brissetts backup, but a succession plan is in place.
Atlanta Falcons LB Harold Perkins Jr.
The Atlanta Falcons turned to former LSU linebacker Harold Perkins Jr.
in the sixth round of the NFL Draft to get linebacker depth after letting Kaden Elliss walk this offseason.
Perkins is already getting praise from the Falcons ahead of his rookie season.
One of the most intriguing things about him is his speed and versatility.
In a way, hes kind of like Arvell Reese, where he can play as an interior linebacker or off the edge.
Baltimore Ravens WR JaKobi Lane The one thing Baltimore has missed out on for quite some time is a true perimeter threat.
Thats nothing against Zay Flowers, but hes primarily been productive out of the slot.
Lane gives them a big body with a massive catch radius that can make plays down the field and on the outside.
Having a player that can torch defenses out wide is key, and the Ravens might finally have that with Lane.
Buffalo Bills DT Zane Durant Ed Oliver has been the core of the interior of this defensive line.
The Buffalo Bills drafted T.J.
Parker, though he may be more of an edge-setter rather than an interior defensive lineman in Buffalos 3-4 defense.
That means Zane Durant could be a player to watch that turns into the perfect complement to Oliver.
The Bills ranked 28th in the NFL in rushing defense, 31 in rushing touchdowns allowed and 30th in rushing yards per attempt.
They need as much interior defensive line help as possible.
Carolina Panthers DT Lee Hunter A lot of attention will be on the Carolina Panthers EDGE players thanks to an untimely torn ACL from Nic Scourton.
That said, Lee Hunter is already gaining a lot of attention within the team and quickly proving why the Panthers got a gem with the No.
49 overall pick in April.
The Panthers needed to drastically improve their defensive line and they did that.
If Hunter is already getting a lot of praise this early, thats a great sign.
Chicago Bears CB Malik Muhammad Believe it or not, Tyriq Stephensons job isnt as secure as it once was.
Chicagos coaching staff has been pushing Muhammad in the early part of mandatory camp and training camp and if he answers the call, he could take the No.
2 spot on the depth chart.
Muhammad had a strong career at Texas and he could become one of the biggest additions via the NFL Draft for this Bears defense.
Cincinnati Bengals EDGE Cashius Howell The Cincinnati Bengals have a lot of opportunities for defensive players to turn into cornerstones on that side of the ball.
Theyve revamped this defense in nearly one offseason and one of the most important positions for them could finally have some answers.
Howell should get a lot of chances.
After the Bengals whiffed on Shemar Stewart last year, theyre hoping Howell turns into the ideal edge setter theyve been looking for.
Cleveland Browns DB Emmanuel McNeil-Warren For as chaotic as the Cleveland Browns have been for some time now, they sure have figured out how to draft well the last two years.
The next gem they landed that should have a massive impact is Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.
They have desperately needed safety help for Grant Delpit and with the coaching staff high on him, McNeil-Warren should instantly be a player that keeps this defense at a high level even in the post-Myles Garrett era.
Dallas Cowboys DB Caleb Downs This should go without saying that Caleb Downs, essentially the moment he was drafted to Dallas, was already a favorite for defensive rookie of the year.
Not only is he that good, but hes one of the few rookies drafted by the Cowboys in April that will essentially start from Day 1.
Hes too good of a coverage safety and box safety to not have on the field.
While players like Devin Moore and Malachi Lawrence will have a good shot at making impacts as rookies, Downs potential is through the roof.
Denver Broncos LB Red Murdock Why would the last pick in the 2026 NFL Draft be a player on an NFL team's radar? Because hes a player that has a lot of potential but was held back by his injury problems.
Yes, thats a big deal, but if theres any team that Red Murdock can find a stable role with, its the Denver Broncos.
Im not saying hes going to be an All-Pro, but if he can show the potential he had going into his final season at Buffalo, it will go a long way to him having a solid rookie season.
Detroit Lions CB Keith Abney II The Detroit Lions need boundary cornerback help so badly they cant ignore their fifth-round pick from Arizona State, Keith Abney II.
After Terrion Arnolds release, the Lions desperately need any cornerback on the roster to step up and while it will be a tall task for the Day 3 pick, he could very well grow into a stable contributor in the secondary for a team that desperately needs it.
Green Bay Packers EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton Micah Parsons could miss half of the season and Lukas van Ness has turned into a bust.
Enter Dani Dennis-Sutton, who has all of the potential to carve out an important role in the pass rush for the Green Bay Packers.
Landing both Dennis-Sutton and Brandon Cisse in this last draft was critical for a team needing to beef up their defense.
Dennis-Sutton could very well turn into the perfect complement to Parsons in the future.
Houston Texans DT Kayden McDonald The Houston Texans added to their already lethal defense, drafting Kayden McDonald, and hes quickly going to be a catalyst on this defensive line.
Sheldon Rankins is in the twilight years of his career and with an edge duo of Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr., McDonald is going to have a lot of chances to make some big plays.
Of course, hell need to earn the starting spot, but the potential is there; all he needs is the opportunity.
Indianapolis Colts LB Bryce Boettcher The Indianapolis Colts know how important it was for them to upgrade their linebacker room, which is how they landed C.J.
Allen and Byrce Boettcher.
With Allen already on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, that opens the door for Boettcher to get some much-needed reps.
Theres no guarantee Boettcher starts right away, but hes gaining a lot of attention within the Colts organization, which is more reason for him to turn into a star on this defense.
Jacksonville Jaguars DB Jalen Huskey Jacksonville had an odd 2026 NFL Draft.
It wasnt graded particularly wellespecially considering they didnt have a first-round pick.
That said, theyre undergoing some changes in their secondary, and Huskey, while being a third-round pick and backup safety, has a lot of potential to turn into a key piece of this defense.
Kansas City Chiefs DB Jadon Canady The Kansas City Chiefs needed to overhaul their secondary this offseason after losing Bryan Cook, Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson.
They turned to the NFL Draft in the form of Mansoor Delane for their cornerback and Jadon Canady to address the safety position.
Canady is already making waves, which is a good sign for a young Chiefs defense that will have a lot of pressure on it this season.
Las Vegas Raiders CB Jermod McCoy Jermod McCoy was a popular name during the NFL Draft.
He has first-round potential, but injuries derailed his draft stock.
The Raiders took a gamble on him, and for now, they seem confident he was worth the risk.
He became infamous for his draft stock plummeting, but he could very much rewrite the narrative around him if he continues to shine through training camp.
Los Angeles Chargers OL Jack Slaughter The Los Angeles Chargers revamped their entire offensive line and turned to Jack Slaughter out of Florida as at least one of their answers at guard.
They havent been bad at drafting offensive linemen, so Slaughter could turn out to have an important role with the Chargers.
Hes not guaranteed to start as a rookie, but the Chargers need depth on the offensive line so his opportunities wont be limited.
Los Angeles Rams WR C.J.
Daniels The Los Angeles Rams are really good at finding receiver talent deep in the draft and they might have found yet another late-round gem in C.J.
Daniels.
They have Davante Adams as well as Puka Nacua, but Adams is at the end of his career.
If Daniels turns into the next top receiver in Los Angeles, thats a win for the Rams.
Theyll find out just how high his potential is during training camp.
Miami Dolphins CB Chris Johnson Miami has needed to address their cornerback room for nearly an entire calendar year and they finally did with the 2026 NFL Draft.
Chris Johnson not only has the potential, but hell have the time to develop into an elite cornerback in South Florida.
With the Dolphins resetting the clock and rebuilding, he wont need to be an immediate franchise cornerstone.
That said, if he does stand out on a team with very few of them right now, that goes a long way to becoming a major name in the NFL.
Minnesota Vikings DT Domonique Orange Caleb Banks was a massive risk with his injury history, which could give Domonique Orange, the interior defensive lineman out of Iowa State, a really good chance to make an early impact.
The Vikings offloaded Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen.
They need as many of their young defensive linemen to step up as possible.
Orange is a name that may not surface as a defensive rookie of the year candidate but as a future star in Minnesota.
New England Patriots TE Eli Raridon Hunter Henry has been a consistent contributor to this offense.
That said, New Englands offense always has room for more weapons and Eli Raridon could be one of those players.
Hes been getting a lot of attention during camp and could be a player that, with a big camp, gets a bigger role during the season.
New York Giants CB Colton Hood Colton Hood got a lot of attention from Tennessee after McCoys 2025 campaign was cut short to injury.
Hes a great option to have if youre the New York Giants.
And while a lot of the attention will be on the defensive line and the offense, you cant overlook what the addition of Hood might bring to this defense.
Hes not quite a camp star yet, but he will be a player that, with the right chances, could blossom into a key part of the secondary.
New York Jets TE Kenyon Sadiq The tight end has long been considered the quarterbacks best friend, and in New York that wont be any different for Geno Smithor whoever is under center, for that matter.
Sadiq flexed his athleticism at the NFL Scouting Combine, which ultimately helped him get drafted in the first round.
I expect him to have the same impact as David Njoku with the Jets and truly be a key piece of an offense, even if hes not the centerpiece.
Philadelphia Eagles TE Eli Stowers Eli Stowers had a great two years with Diego Pavia at Vanderbilt.
His success in college should translate really well into the NFL, especially with the Philadelphia Eagles.
While the Eagles still have Dallas Goedert, Stowers can carve out a solid role in Philly and in the worst-case scenario, the Eagles have a situation similar to the Buffalo Bills with Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox.
Pittsburgh Steelers CB Daylen Everette The Pittsburgh Steelers could absolutely benefit from a cornerback having a breakout training camp and Daylen Everette is the favorite to be that player.
He was a third-round pick out of Georgia and truthfully, a big pickup from the Steelers.
Jalen Ramsey, for as good as he can be at his age, has some durability issues, so if Everette can have a big camp, that just might translate to a bigger role on the field.
San Francisco 49ers WR DeZhaun Stribling San Francisco cant have enough young weapons to choose from.
After things went awry with Brandon Aiyuk and they traded Deebo Samuel last offseason, the Niners felt the lack of offensive weapons.
They added Mike Evans this offseason and Ricky Pearsall is back as well.
DeZhaun Stribling has all the chances to turn into the future of this receiving core, and that starts with a big impression at training camp.
Seattle Seahawks DB Bud Clark We saw how Seattle used Nick Emmanwori last year in his rookie season.
I wouldnt be shocked if Bud Clark kind of rotated around the Seahawks defense similarly to that.
Emmanwori is on the PUP list, so depending on his recovery, Clark may have a chance at more first-team reps.
That also means Clark will have a lot of time during camp to impress the coaching staff.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers DT DeMonte Capehart Vita Vea requested a trade from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday, signifying what could be the end for him in Tampa Bay.
That opens the door for DeMonte Capehart to impress the coaching staff enough for a bigger role.
Im not saying hes going to turn into the perfect replacement for Vea if they trade him, but theyll have options.
Tennessee Titans EDGE Keldrick Faulk Robert Saleh got a massive piece to the defense in the form of Keldrick Faulk in the 2026 NFL Draft.
What he turns into will be entirely up to Saleh and his defensive coaching staff.
The Titans improved this defense tremendously and if Faulk has a good camp, could be a precursor to what he can bring the Titans, putting the rest of the NFL on notice.
Washington Commanders RB Kaytron Allen Kaytron Allen may have fallen in the NFL Draft, but dont let his 1,300-plus rushing yards and 15 touchdown 2025 campaign go unnoticed.
Hes still a big play running back and while Washington opted to turn to Bill Crosky-Merritt last year, Allen should find a way to become an impact running back in the NFL.
He may not be a top 10 running back, but hell be a name people will remember from his days at Penn State.