Insider Names 2 ‘Late Risers' Who Could Sneak Into Round 1 of 2026 NFL Draft

Every year, there's one or two under-the-radar players projected as early Day 2 picks who unexpectedly creep into the first round of the NFL draft.

There's a handful of players who could fall into that category this year, but Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports believes there's two players who's 2026 draft stock is on the rise who could hear their names earlier than initially thought.

"You can disagree with the terms ‘risers' and ‘fallers' in a draft because teams insist that it is more a media concoction than reality," Jones stated. "But a whole bunch of sources within teams use those words to describe prospects. The top two risers I have heard in recent days are Indiana WR Omar Cooper Jr. and Arizona defensive back Treydan Stukes.

"As noted above, Cooper could go as high as the third receiver off the board Thursday night. The Indiana receiver has impressed in interviews lately. Some teams have Stukes as a nickel corner or a safety. But if coaches have a say in it, Stukes could go in the first round and could be the third safety taken Thursday."

Cooper Jr. is one of six wide receivers along with Ohio State's Carnell Tate, Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson, USC's Makai Lemon, Washington's Denzel Boston, Texas A&M's KC Concepcion who could be selected in Round 1.

A second-team All-Big Ten selection, Cooper Jr. had a breakout season for the national champion Hoosiers, totaling 69 receptions, 937 yards, and 12 touchdowns.

Stukes, a first-team All-Big 12 selection and second-team All-American, is a unique prospect in the fact that he has six seasons of college experience under his belt. He ended his Arizona career with 207 tackles, 29 passes defended, seven interceptions, and 12 tackles for loss.

Most scouts have him on the bubble as a potential late first- or early second-round pick. He's consistently ranked behind LSU's Mansoor Delane, Tennessee's Jermod McCoy, Clemson's Avieon Terrell, and Tennessee's Colton Hood among CBs in the 2026 class.

2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.

This story was originally published April 17, 2026 at 9:36 PM.