Late-Round NFL Draft QB, RB, WR, TE To Watch

The 2026 NFL Draft features a strong class of underrated prospects. That's especially true on offense, where late-round quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends could manage to make a quick impact. There are sleepers at each position who represent value opportunities.

Drafting rookie contributors in the third round or later will improve the depth of NFL offenses in 2026. There are sleepers worth knowing at every position on offense in the NFL Draft. We've identified more than two handfuls of underrated quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and tight end prospects.

2026 NFL Draft: Sleeper Prospects At QB, RB, WR, TE

Quarterbacks

Cole Payton, QB, North Dakota State

North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton is in contention to be the third quarterback drafted after Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson. If that possibility comes to fruition, then he probably shouldn't be on this list. It depends on his ultimate landing spot. An inexperienced one-year starter, scouts are intrigued by Payton's toughness and dual-threat playmaking ability. A former running back, he accounted for 29 touchdowns (16 passing, 13 rushing) in 2025. He's supremely athletic, leaping a 40-inch vertical and 10-foot-10 broad jump. He's an accurate passer with a sturdy frame.

Luke Altmyer, QB, Illinois

Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer is an experienced three-year starter who produced his best season in 2025, with a career-high 67.4 percent completion percentage and 22 touchdown passes. He ran a pro-style offense at Illinois with significant responsibilities at the line of scrimmage. Altmyer is a patient quarterback with good pocket presence, showing a willingness to let routes develop and go through his progressions. He possesses just average size and arm strength for the position, possibly limiting his developmental upside.

Taylen Green, QB, Arkansas

Taylen Green, Arkansas — Nov 29, 2025; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Taylen Green (10) drops back to pass during the fourth quarter against the Missouri Tigers at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Missouri won 31-17. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Arkansas' Taylen Green will require significant reps as a No. 3 quarterback to strive towards reaching his potential. He's one of the most athletic quarterbacks in NFL Combine history. The former Razorbacks standout ran a 4.36, and leaped a 43.5-inch vertical and 11-foot-2 broad jump. Green is a raw passer with accuracy and mechanical issues. He's essentially an athletic ball of clay that requires molding behind the scenes. Rare size and athleticism at the position always carries upside if the warts can be worked out.

Running Backs

Adam Randall, RB, Clemson

Clemson's Adam Randall is a big-bodied running back with an intriguing combination of size and athleticism. The 6-foot-3, 232-pound bruiser ran a 4.50 at the NFL Combine and leaped a 37-inch vertical and 10-foot-4 broad jump. Randall rushed for 814 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging nearly 5.0 yards per carry on an underperforming offense. The Myrtle Beach native previously played wide receiver, so he's still improving the technical aspects of his skill set at running back. His feet and decision making need to improve, but it's difficult to ignore his blend of size and top-tier speed.

Jonah Coleman, RB, Washington

Washington's Jonah Coleman projects as a potential three-down running back at the next level. Despite that, he may be the fourth or fifth player drafted at the position. That adds an intriguing layer of potential value to his evaluation. Coleman projects as a decisive runner with a sturdy frame. Scouts have questions about his top-end speed and overall athleticism, and his decision to skip testing at the NFL Combine only strengthened those concerns. He rushed for 1,053 yards in 2024, and managed another 758 ground yards throughout 2025 on a lackluster Huskies offense.

Emmett Johnson, RB, Nebraska

Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson is arguably the most competitive prospect at the position in the NFL Draft. He was the only ball-carrier in attendance at the NFL Combine who participated in every drill. That led to tired testing results in some categories, but teams appreciate his compete level. Johnson is a hard-nosed, physical runner who wears defenses down through his motor and sheer will to out-run and out-muscle opponents. The Minneapolis native can handle a high-volume workload if necessary at the next level.

Wide Receivers

Bryce Lance, WR, North Dakota State

North Dakota State wide receiver Bryce Lance deserves more national attention than he's getting. The 6-foot-3, 204-pound playmaker ran a 4.34 at the NFL Combine. Lance also leaped a 41.5-inch vertical and 11-foot-1 broad jump, placing a bow on an elite athletic profile. He registered 51 receptions for 1,079 yards and eight touchdowns in 2025, and scored an unfathomable 18 touchdowns during the 2024 campaign. He tested better than Christian Watson, who attended the same program and went 34th overall. Why isn't he receiving similar buzz?

Skyler Bell, WR, UConn

Skyler Bell was an excellent high-volume weapon for the UConn Huskies this past season. The focal point of the offense, he recorded 101 receptions for 1,278 yards and 13 touchdowns. Not bad for a receiver who previously struggled to get on the field at Wisconsin. Bell continued checking pre-draft boxes at the NFL Combine and his Pro Day where he ran a 4.40 and sub-7-second three-cone. The well-balanced receiver has multi-positional flexibility with good initial acceleration and deep speed.

Jeff Caldwell, WR, Cincinnati

Whoever drafts Jeff Caldwell must exercise patience. The Cincinnati Bearcats wide receiver played three seasons at small-school Lindenwood before transferring in 2025. Naturally, Caldwell was more productive at Lindenwood, averaging 17.6 yards per catch or greater in three straight seasons. He's a towering athlete at 6-foot-5 and 216 pounds who runs a 4.31 and jumps a 42-inch vertical and 11-foot-2 broad. He's the definition of a developmental prospect who needs to smooth out the rougher edges of his skill set.

Tight Ends

Sam Roush, TE, Stanford

Stanford's Sam Roush is among the most pro-ready tight ends in the entire class. A plus-level blocker with a 6-6, 267-pound frame (and 10-inch hands), he's already a competitive in-line asset. Roush is also supremely athletic at his size, having completed a 4.70 at the NFL Combine with a 38.5-inch vertical and 10-foot-6 broad. There's room to explore his pass-catching ability in the NFL, given he posted a career-high 545 receiving yards on a lackluster Stanford passing attack that capped his potential.

John Michael Gyllenborg, TE, Wyoming

John Michael Gyllenborg, Wyoming — Sep 2, 2023; Laramie, Wyoming, USA; Wyoming Cowboys tight end John Michael Gyllenborg (84) scores a touchdown in double overtime against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Jonah Field at War Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Babbitt-Imagn Images | Troy Babbitt-Imagn Images

Wyoming's John Michael Gyllenborg may be the best-kept secret at tight end. Throughout four campaigns with the Cowboys, the Leawood, Kansas native registered 80 catches for 1,023 yards and seven touchdowns. The production doesn't jump off the screen, but scouts are enamored with his frame and athletic profile. The near 6-foot-6 Gyllenborg ran a 4.6 and leaped a 96th-percentile 10-foot-8 broad jump. An athletic pass catcher in space, he's currently not suited for an in-line blocking role, but he's explosive with the route-running traits required to defeat coverage.

Dae'Quan Wright, TE, Ole Miss

Ole Miss tight end Dae'Quan Wright is well-liked in scouting circles. He's an athletic pass catcher who was Second-Team All-SEC this past season after registering 39 receptions for 635 yards (16.3 yards per catch) and five touchdowns. Wright challenges man coverage as a tempo route runner with size and agility. The former Virginia Tech transfer will stretch the seam vertically as an instinctive and intentional route runner. He's garnered significant interest from NFL teams throughout the pre-draft process.