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For all the glam and anticipation surrounding the first two days of the NFL draft, perhaps no day is more important to team building than Day 3.
There are four rounds of draft picks—in 2025, this meant 155 selections—plus an extensive pool of undrafted free agents that has grown larger in recent years due to the NCAA providing additional eligibility.
Naturally, the odds of reaching stardom are greater for players taken in the first three rounds. But rosters are built in Rounds 4-7.
The 2025 draft set a record with an average of 4.3 million viewers on Day 3, aided by Shedeur Sanders’s slide. But Sanders aside, several teams drafted players with the chance to make an immediate impact.
Here are Sports Illustrated’s 10 picks from Day 3 with the best opportunity to help their teams right away.
ROUND 4
105. Cam Skattebo, RB, New York Giants
The Giants have running backs Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Devin Singletary on their roster, but Skattebo’s power, toughness and contact balance add a different element. He should be a factor in New York’s rotation down the stretch of his rookie season, and it’s easy to see Skattebo becoming a short-yardage back or late-game finisher for the Giants.
118. Billy Bowman Jr., DB, Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta plans on using Bowman at nickel corner, where he’ll compete with last year’s starter, Dee Alford, and former fourth-round pick Clark Phillips III for first-team reps. Bowman, who had 11 interceptions in four seasons at Oklahoma, has the quickness and instincts to win the job, and his ball production inspires confidence he can make a difference in the Falcons’ secondary.
122. Lathan Ransom, S, Carolina Panthers
Ransom has a path to the starting job next to free agent signing Trevon Moehrig. Ransom, who played in 57 games across five years at Ohio State, is an average athlete, but he’s physical and instinctive, making him an asset in the box and in run support. Ransom should see the field early.
ROUND 5
149. Jaydon Blue, RB, Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys waited until the fifth round to add a running back and opted for Blue, who grew up in Houston and played collegiately at Texas. Blue is an explosive runner with the speed to break angles and hit big plays each time he touches the ball. He’s also a potent pass catcher who can do more than catch checkdowns. Blue’s vision and blocking need to improve, but his speed adds a dynamic element to Dallas’s offense.
165. Oronde Gadsden II, TE, Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers traded up 16 spots to select Gadsden, who has NFL bloodlines and projects favorably as an oversized slot receiver. The 6' 5", 243-pounder has 33⅜-inch arms, and his catch radius and ball skills make him a friendly target for quarterback Justin Herbert. Los Angeles was commonly linked to early-round tight ends, but it waited until the fifth round—and Gadsden has the pass-catching skills to produce early.
166. Tory Horton, WR, Seattle Seahawks
Like the Chargers with tight ends, the Seahawks were thought to be in the market for receivers in the first and second rounds. They bypassed the position and found quality value in Horton, who has the speed, route nuance and ball skills to complement receivers Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp. Horton also logged a punt return touchdown each of the past three seasons, and had his final season at Colorado State not been cut short due to a knee injury, he could’ve heard his name called on Day 2.
172. Chris Paul Jr., LB, Los Angeles Rams
The Rams dealt Nos. 201 and 202 to move up and select Paul, an athletic, instinctive, competitive player with quality coverage skills. Los Angeles needed a weakside linebacker, and Paul, No. 138 on my big board, fills that role. The 6' 1", 222-pounder is undersized, but he’s tremendous in space, and the Rams offer an opportunity to do exactly that.
ROUND 6
182. Andres Borregales, K, New England Patriots
Drafting kickers isn’t unanimously supported, but the Patriots needed one, and they landed the draft’s best option. Borregales made 18 of 19 field goals last season, connected at an 86% clip across four seasons at Miami, and missed just one career extra point. Winter weather may prove challenging for Borregales, but his leg strength and accuracy give him the tools to be a quality professional kicker for a long time.
208. Jimmy Horn Jr., WR, Carolina Panthers
Horn is fast, fluid, competitive and a playmaker after the catch. The 5' 8", 174-pounder is also woefully undersized. But Horn is athletically talented and gifted in space, and has the goods to be a productive slot receiver or gadget player. If nothing else, he’s a seasoned kick and punt returner who can find the field on special teams.
ROUND 7
228. Brashard Smith, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
I mentioned Smith as one of my favorite picks in the draft, citing his receiver background—he didn’t transition to running back until last season—and ceiling as a runner. The Chiefs found seventh-round success with running back Isiah Pacheco in 2022, and Smith has a pathway to snaps and the skill set to capitalize. He should be an early weapon on third downs.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as 2025 NFL Draft: Rounds 4-7 Impact Rookies Led by Cam Skattebo and Brashard Smith.