Every year, most of the draft coverage surrounds the first round, maybe extending into Day 2 a little bit. That makes sense, as most of the best players and immediate difference-makers are selected highly. NFL teams know what they’re doing and are usually better at evaluating talent than they sometimes get credit for.

But every year, major contributors and stars also emerge from the draft’s third day. Rounds 4-7 provide key depth on affordable contracts for teams, but at least a few breakout players are drafted late as well. Today, I’m taking a look at my top 10 candidates from this class — Day 3 picks who could turn into real contributors early in their NFL careers.

It’s worth mentioning that I didn’t include Raiders CB Jermod McCoy in this article. While he technically qualifies given he was the first pick of the fourth round, I don’t think we can really call him a “sleeper.” He’s an undeniable top-10 talent who fell due to injury concerns, but if he’s healthy, everyone’s expecting him to start and make an impact.

Buccaneers CB Keionte Scott

Round 4, Pick 116

How much do the Buccaneers trust Benjamin Morrison? That’s the question that will determine Scott’s path to the field as a rookie. Call him a cornerback, call him a safety, but Scott is a nickel defender through and through. Jacob Parrish had a very good rookie season in the slot, but he played on the outside in college and could move back there. Indirectly, Scott and Morrison are probably competing for the starting spot in base defenses.

Scott isn’t the most dynamic athlete, but he’s quick to the ball and has a knack for making big plays. He’s one of the rare “change the math” guys in run defense from the nickel position, and his skill set makes him a valuable commodity in that respect.

Bears CB Malik Muhammad

Round 4, Pick 124

Of everyone on this list, I’d guess Muhammad probably has the clearest path to starting as a rookie. He’s in a direct competition with Tyrique Stevenson for the second outside cornerback spot opposite Jaylon Johnson. Needless to say, Stevenson hasn’t exactly inspired much confidence in Chicago so far, and there’s an opening for Muhammad to seize his role.

I was much higher than consensus on Muhammad, whom I had ranked as a top-20 player in this class. He’s a very fluid athlete with great ball skills. One-on-one, he blankets receivers, and he has good instincts from off coverage, too. If he can continue to get stronger in the NFL, I think his ceiling is about as high as any other cornerback in the class.

Bills WR Skyler Bell

Round 4, Pick 125

Is Bell already a projected starter in Buffalo? It’s possible, depending on who you ask. It’s a crowded wide receiver room for the Bills, but not an overly talented one. Khalil Shakir is as reliable as they come from the slot, and D.J. Moore was acquired from the Bears this offseason to provide some more big-play punch. The third starting spot is up for grabs, and Bell is competing with Josh Palmer and Keon Coleman for the role.

For his part, Bell complements Moore and Shakir really well. He can line up on the outside or in the slot, has the speed to take the top off a defense, and is one of the better route runners in the class. He’s similar to Shakir in a lot of ways, actually, but is more athletic and a little bigger. And we know the chemistry Josh Allen already has with Shakir.

Bengals C Connor Lew

Round 4, Pick 128

Lew fell in the draft due to a torn ACL he suffered back in the fall, but I think that’s a mistake. He’s the best center in this class — athletic, mobile, and a powerful people-mover on the interior at his best. A good hand-fighter with great quickness on the move, he’s best deployed in zone blocking schemes that put his talents to use in space.

There’s a good chance Lew can unseat Ted Karras for Cincinnati’s starting center job as a rookie. Even if he doesn’t, Karras is entering the final year of his deal. Lew is the future starting center for the Bengals, probably by design.

49ers CB Ephesians Prysock

Round 4, Pick 139

I liked Prysock a lot as a prospect and I kinda wish I ended up ranking him higher than I did. He’s a coordinated athlete who stays sticky in coverage and has some plus ball skills to go along with it. Not only that, but he’s never afraid to throw his shoulder into a tackle around the line of scrimmage.

This is what the 49ers do. They’re very good at hitting on mid-round cornerbacks and giving them a year or two to develop before relying on them as starters. Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green are the incumbents at the outside cornerback positions, so there isn’t a clear path for Prysock to start as a rookie. But by the time Green’s contract is up, Prysock will be entering his third season. It’s the natural succession plan that San Francisco has gotten so good at.

Commanders ED Joshua Josephs

Round 5, Pick 147

You know I had to get Josephs in here. The No. 8 overall player on my board (ahead of David Bailey and Arvell Reese, among others), I was always a big fan of his. He’s got a ton of length and speed for the position, with high pressure rates and a bevy of moves to win the edge quickly and get after the quarterback.

I also love this landing spot for him. Odafe Oweh is being paid like a star by the Commanders, but Josephs will be competing with K’Lavon Chaisson and Dorance Armstrong for the other starting spot. Washington is a great scheme fit for him, too, as he’ll line up as a stand-up rusher and get to pin his ears back and cause havoc.

Panthers S Zakee Wheatley

Round 5, Pick 151

Wheatley is more of a floor than a ceiling pick. He has a pretty safe, projectable skillset and there’s a world in which he becomes a solid starter for Carolina down the line. I don’t know if I see star upside here, but he’s always in the right position, can play in multiple schemes, and makes plays in run defense. The league always has room for guys like that.

Tre’von Moehrig has one of the Panthers’ safety spots locked down, but the other one isn’t as set in stone. Nick Scott began last season as the starter before Lathan Ransom took over down the stretch. They figure to battle it out in camp once again, this time with Wheatley factoring in. Ransom and Wheatley are probably the players Carolina wants to emerge, though they have very different skillsets.

Lions CB Keith Abney II

Round 5, Pick 157

I’m stunned that Abney fell this far. I had him graded as a second-round pick, as did the consensus board. The Lions got him almost 100 spots past his consensus rank, which is pretty crazy for a guy whose tape is as good as Abney’s was. He was a shutdown guy in college and the main knock on his game is his lack of ideal size.

The Lions were hurting in the secondary last year — literally and figuratively. The Terrion Arnold pick has not worked out as of yet, and Detroit has been scrambling for answers at cornerback as a result. Abney figures to be in the mix, and though he’ll probably start the season as the backup, it wouldn’t surprise me to see him enter the starting lineup at some point as a rookie, either from performance or injury.

Chiefs WR Cyrus Allen

Round 5, Pick 176

We know Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy are the top two receivers in Kansas City. But who’s next? Tyquan Thornton? Jalen Royals? Andrew Armstrong? None of those guys are surefire bets to produce, and even Rice and Worthy have dealt with injuries over the last two seasons.

Point is, there’s an opening for Allen to make an impact. I still believe in Royals, but we know what Thornton is at this point, and his skillset is pretty redundant to Worthy’s. Allen is a plus route runner from the slot who can get vertical and make tough catches in traffic. I like his fit in this Chiefs offense quite a bit and Patrick Mahomes may find himself turning to Allen early and often throughout the season.

Colts WR Deion Burks

Round 7, Pick 254

After trading Michael Pittman Jr. to clear room on the cap to extend Alec Pierce, the Colts’ wide receiver room has a new opening. Pierce and Josh Downs are the unquestioned leaders in the clubhouse, and most of Indy’s passing offense will be funneled through them and TE Tyler Warren. But someone needs to be out there in three receiver sets, and though the Colts did sign Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, there’s room for someone to emerge.

Burks was ranked about 150 spots higher than this on the consensus board. He’s small, but he’s a ridiculous athlete, a true burner with a ton of strength and short-area quickness to his game. Given he’ll be limited to the slot — a role currently occupied by Downs — it’s possible he won’t have a clear path to a starting role. But I think he can beat out Anthony Gould for backup slot and return specialist duties, and there’s a chance he’s just too electric to keep off the field for long.