S.I. - Biggest NFL Draft Steal in Each Round

[big dog cowboy]

S.I. - Biggest NFL Draft Steal in Each Round
Justin Melo
5/12/2026

The 2026 NFL Draft presented a bunch of steal picks throughout all seven rounds. Identifying appropriate value with your specific selections is how teams maximize opportunity and efficiently use their draft capital. Some organizations navigated those challenges better than others.

From Rounds 1 to 7, there were standout selections that netted eye-popping reactions in their specific round. We've identified the biggest steal pick in every round of the 2026 NFL Draft. These seven selections especially caught our attention by garnering league-wide praise.

Round 1 - Caleb Downs, S, Dallas Cowboys

Former Ohio State safety Caleb Downs was arguably a top-three prospect in the entire draft. He was No. 2 overall on our final big board. Due to varying reasons, including the positional value conversation, he fell out of the top 10. The Dallas Cowboys wisely traded up one overall to the 11th selection to secure Downs' services. The versatile do-it-all safety should have a profound and immediate impact on what was a lackluster secondary a year ago.

https://www.si.com/nfl/draft/onsi/n...ound-had-a-steal-and-teams-may-regret-it-fast

 

[AmericasTeam81]

Is it too early to call him the God Emperor of football?

 

[gtb1943]

Just shows you how few GMs are really competent when the majority think Safety is a low value position.

 

[tunahelper]

Just shows you how few GMs are really competent when the majority think Safety is a low value position.

Most of the time it is because its a support first position. There are a few guys who play the position as an opportunist. Play makers make plays unless scheme works against their ability. So Parker will need to place Downs in position to make plays and not just be a safety valve.

 

[MarcusRock]

Round 2 - Denzel Boston, WR, Cleveland Browns
Round 3 - Emmanuel Pregnon, IOL, Jacksonville Jaguars
Round 4 - Jermod McCoy, CB, Las Vegas Raiders

Cornerback Jermod McCoy slid to the fourth round largely due to an alleged long-term medical concern with his knee. (I see the Raiders have a type (Crosby), lol)​

Round 5 - Sam Hecht, IOL, Carolina Panthers
Round 6 - Kaytron Allen, RB, Washington Commanders
Round 7 - Landon Robinson, DT, Cincinnati Bengals

 

[DoctorChicken]

Just shows you how few GMs are really competent when the majority think Safety is a low value position.

Especially when you can see clearly the impact guys like Derwin James or Kyle Hamilton have had on their teams - both guys who fell due to “positional value”.

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

I appreciate getting a player everyone agrees is a generational player. But unless he's Ed Reed....do we want the highest paid Safety in NFL history? I know that is not what he makes now...but if he turns out to be the best Safety in the NFL...that's where this is headed.

 

[thunderpimp91]

I appreciate getting a player everyone agrees is a generational player. But unless he's Ed Reed....do we want the highest paid Safety in NFL history? I know that is not what he makes now...but if he turns out to be the best Safety in the NFL...that's where this is headed.

If he turns out to be the best safety in football what’s the issue with paying him? Safeties typically won’t break the bank, even top guys are only taking up 8-9% of the cap by the AAV figure.

I really don’t see it as an issue.

 

[DoctorChicken]

I appreciate getting a player everyone agrees is a generational player. But unless he's Ed Reed....do we want the highest paid Safety in NFL history? I know that is not what he makes now...but if he turns out to be the best Safety in the NFL...that's where this is headed.

Sure? The salary cap keeps going up anyway.

Kyle Hamilton is the current highest paid safety at $25.1 per year. Making him by my count the 70th highest paid player in the league on average per year.

There are definitely not 69 better football players in the NFL than Hamilton, or 69 guys that bring more value to their teams than he does.

 

[MapleLeaf]

If he turns out to be the best safety in football what’s the issue with paying him? Safeties typically won’t break the bank, even top guys are only taking up 8-9% of the cap by the AAV figure.

I really don’t see it as an issue.

I think we all are counting chickens here before they hatch.

If we end up with the best safety in all of professional football I am more than happy to deal with that bridge when we have to cross it.

Let's just wait till the games start to see what the entire roster is all about. Nothing is guaranteed here.

I'm just worried about fielding a competitive and competent team here, and what that looks like at all positions. A great safety is the least of our problems.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

Is it too early to call him the God Emperor of football?

I know.

This poor kid is being propped up so much to be the infallible savior that the second he gives up an easy 7-yard out for a TD he’s going get lambasted by fans.

 

[big dog cowboy]

do we want the highest paid Safety in NFL history? I know that is not what he makes now...but if he turns out to be the best Safety in the NFL...that's where this is headed.

He doesn't have to be the best Safety in the league to be the highest paid Safety in the league.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Especially when you can see clearly the impact guys like Derwin James or Kyle Hamilton have had on their teams - both guys who fell due to “positional value”.

I understand why Downs did. The only one that confused me was Delane. He wasn’t a reach just trading up for him kind of confused me.

 

[blueblood70]

I think we all are counting chickens here before they hatch.

If we end up with the best safety in all of professional football I am more than happy to deal with that bridge when we have to cross it.

Let's just wait till the games start to see what the entire roster is all about. Nothing is guaranteed here.

I'm just worried about fielding a competitive and competent team here, and what that looks like at all positions. A great safety is the least of our problems.

That's not what's happening here this is about draft seals therefore we stay in the draft without a sing damn player in draft has proved they belong in NFL yet but they call it a steal because of how he was ranked going into the draft there are five guys that the Cowboys really wanted at 12 some of them may even want to trade up for and he was there and they did it and they got him And that's great for Cowboys fans doesn't matter how he turns out we're talking about in now during the draft you have targets and he was one of the highly sought after targets in the draft and even though the Cowboys were at 12 they still got him..

Is it too early to call him the God Emperor of football?

YES, But it was still a great pick up in the draft...

 

[blueblood70]

Round 2 - Denzel Boston, WR, Cleveland Browns
Round 3 - Emmanuel Pregnon, IOL, Jacksonville Jaguars
Round 4 - Jermod McCoy, CB, Las Vegas Raiders

Cornerback Jermod McCoy slid to the fourth round largely due to an alleged long-term medical concern with his knee. (I see the Raiders have a type (Crosby), lol)​

Round 5 - Sam Hecht, IOL, Carolina Panthers
Round 6 - Kaytron Allen, RB, Washington Commanders
Round 7 - Landon Robinson, DT, Cincinnati Bengals

Thanks for the rest of the list,

I disagree with Mccoy at first overall the 4th this dude may not even play this year but he might have to have surgery and even if he doesn't have surgery we don't know how this guy's gonna end up looking I wouldn't call it a steel at all.. In my opinion he shouldn't have been overdrafted there he literally hasn't played fall in 18 months this is different than the guy he took and more from Florida who's played like 17 games now yes his career started out slow because of injuries same with Lawrence but they've been playing recently and not injured...

I'm sorry can't call a guy who may not even play this year a steal that might have been overdrafted.. That much question marks on whether he can play now or need surgery or how long his career is gonna be I would not call that a steal..

 

[jrumann59]

Is it too early to call him the God Emperor of football?

yes he has his clothes on....

 

[blueblood70]

He doesn't have to be the best Safety in the league to be the highest paid Safety in the league.

yes, but it does help.. Because two things can be true,

just because you're considered one of the top players the league doesn't mean you're up for one of these highest paid non quarterback new market same deal that's not happening with every run back or every player in a position, I don't care how good a year you had you're not always going to be considered the next man for the highest pay deal at your position..

if you truly are looked at as elite and you are playing the best, that would definitely go a long way in getting you paid, But that is why they have the 5th year option or the franchise tag ,is to help teams with relief, If they have too many of these types of players come due contracts in close proximity..

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I know.

This poor kid is being propped up so much to be the infallible savior that the second he gives up an easy 7-yard out for a TD he’s going get lambasted by fans.

Build you up just to tear you down.

 

[fivetwos]

Pure garbage. Caleb should not be compared with other humans.

 

[Coogiguy03]

Is it too early to call him the God Emperor of football?

Trust me, 90 percent of cowboys fans already have him tattooed on their chest!!