Drafting players who make an immediate impact is common practice for teams picking in the first and second rounds of the NFL draft. But adding a Day 3 prospect or undrafted free agent who plays well as a rookie qualifies as getting a draft steal.
We picked a team of rookie steals using our Pro Football Focus grades -- our play-by-play grading of every player on every play of every game.
To qualify for the team, a player must have played meaningful snaps during the 2018 season while also exhibiting the same sort of skill set that saw him grade high during his time in college or during his now-brief time in the NFL. All grades and statistics mentioned are from the regular season only. Because the offensive line pool was small -- there are few qualifiers who played in Year 1 -- we have three tackles, one guard and one center.
OFFENSE
Nick Mullens, QB, San Francisco 49ers
Pick: Undrafted
Mullens -- the only quarterback who qualifies here -- earned 65.0-plus single-game grades in four of his eight starts in 2018 and finished the year ranked 26th in overall grade (64.6) among quarterbacks with 200-plus dropbacks. Rounding out why he may warrant looks elsewhere once Jimmy Garoppolo returns is the fact that he also ranked 11th among qualifiers in passer rating from a clean pocket (109.8), a metric that has proved stable year over year in recent PFF studies.
Phillip Lindsay, RB, Denver Broncos
Pick: Undrafted
Lindsay is the epitome of a steal. The 5-foot-8, 190-pound rookie from Colorado shot out of the gate in 2018 and finished with the seventh-best run grade (84.3) out of 61 qualifying running backs. Over the course of the year, his 30 runs of 10-plus yards tied for the seventh most among all players at the position. If Lindsay has anything to improve on before next season, it's his ability to gain yards after contact -- he averaged just 2.35 yards after contact, 53rd among running backs.
Robert Foster, WR, Buffalo Bills
Pick: Undrafted
The former Alabama wideout did not have a proven track record of success in college, notching a career-high 14 receptions in his senior season with an overall grade of just 48.6. Foster outperformed expectations as an undrafted rookie wide receiver, however. He expanded his role in the Bills' offense as the season progressed, eventually solidifying as one of the top two receiving options for quarterback Josh Allen. Allen looked Foster's way often deep downfield. In Weeks 10-17 -- when Foster began to see consistent snaps -- he recorded 304 receiving yards on passes 20 or more yards downfield, which ranked fourth in the NFL over those eight weeks, trailing only T.Y. Hilton, Tyreek Hill and Antonio Brown. His 72.1 overall grade led all Bills receivers.
Deontay Burnett, WR, New York Jets
Pick: Undrafted
Burnett had 86 receptions for 1,106 yards and nine touchdowns at USC in 2017, finishing with an overall grade of 83.3. Though that wasn't enough to get him drafted, he landed an opportunity with the Tennessee Titans and later the Jets. Burnett made the most of his limited time on the field -- on just 85 receiving routes run, he picked up 143 yards on 10 receptions, a respectable average of 1.68 yards per route run. Among the 26 rookie wide receivers with at least 100 offensive snaps this season, his overall grade of 74.0 ranked first. With that performance, it appears that Burnett has earned himself more opportunities heading into 2019.
Mark Andrews, TE, Baltimore Ravens
Pick: No. 86 (Round 3)
Andrews was the highest-graded rookie tight end this season (75.7), and he was tied for ninth among tight ends overall. He didn't assume an every-down role for the Ravens due to the depth they had at the position and their run-heavy scheme, but he did turn the looks he got in the passing game into big plays. Among all tight ends with at least 40 targets, Andrews ranked second in yards per reception (16.2), and his passer rating when targeted (129.9) ranked first. The Oklahoma product will look to maintain that big-play ability on a larger workload in Year 2 with Lamar Jackson.
Gus Edwards, RB, Baltimore Ravens (flex pick)
Pick: Undrafted
When Lamar Jackson took over in Week 9, so did Edwards -- he posted a season-high 90.4 grade in that game against the Cincinnati Bengals and didn't look back. From Weeks 9 to 17, Edwards' 80.1 overall grade ranked seventh among running backs with at least 50 attempts. In that same span, he accumulated the fifth-most avoided tackles (23), seventh-most yards after contact (405) and sixth-most first-down runs (33), and that was all behind a Ravens run-blocking unit that finished with a 71.7 grade (22nd). Edwards clearly fed off Jackson's dual-threat style, and with the Louisville product being named the starter going forward, Edwards is set up well to build off a stellar rookie season.
Tyrell Crosby, OL, Detroit Lions
Pick: No. 153 (Round 5)
Crosby played only 130 total snaps in his rookie season and earned a solid 70.0 overall grade. Although he saw limited action -- he logged 30-plus snaps in only two games -- his 95.1 pass-blocking grade in his final college season at Oregon in 2017 ranked second out of 326 qualifying offensive tackles. Crosby was eased into action in his first year as a pro, but with a great collegiate career as a foundation, he should be able to make a big jump in his second NFL season.
Orlando Brown Jr., OL, Baltimore Ravens
Pick: No. 83 (Round 3)
Brown finished his rookie season with an overall grade of 65.1, ranking third out of nine qualifying rookie offensive tackles. The third-round draft pick out of Oklahoma didn't allow a single sack on 369 pass-blocking snaps, and his pass-blocking grade of 73.9 ranked first among rookie players at the position. With only 16 total pressures allowed (15 hurries, one hit), Brown finished the regular season with the 12th-best pass-blocking efficiency rating (97.6) out of 83 qualifying offensive tackles. On top of his great pass-blocking, Brown also showed discipline well beyond his years as he committed only three penalties on 760 total snaps.
Joseph Noteboom, OL, Los Angeles Rams
Pick: No. 89 (Round 3)
Noteboom logged only 79 total snaps with the Rams, which isn't surprising because he plays behind arguably the best offensive line in the NFL. He was a pass-blocking specialist in his final college season at TCU in 2017, when he earned a pass-blocking grade of 90.6, ranking seventh out of 326 qualifying offensive tackles. Noteboom saw significant playing time only in Week 17, when he finished with the second-best pass-blocking grade (87.2) among offensive tackles for the week. Noteboom might not be able to find playing time behind the Rams' offensive line right now, but his performance in Week 17 shows he's ready to shine when given a chance, which may depend on the Rams' aging star at left tackle, Andrew Whitworth.
Colby Gossett, OL, Minnesota Vikings
Pick: No. 213 (Round 6)
Gossett didn't log a professional snap until Week 13, but he took over as the starting left guard for the Vikings in Week 14. On 282 total snaps, Gossett earned an overall grade of 46.0. Although he struggled in his first year as a pro, Gossett had a promising final year at Appalachian State in 2017, finishing with an overall grade of 76.2, ranking 25th out of 362 offensive guards. With a few weeks of NFL starting experience under his belt, look for Gossett to fulfill the potential he showed in college soon.
Mason Cole, OL, Arizona Cardinals
Pick: No. 76 (Round 3)
The Cardinals' offensive line play as a whole in 2018 was underwhelming at best and downright atrocious at worst, so the Michigan product likely will want to forget his rookie campaign in a hurry and instead focus on a sophomore campaign that will be commanded by a completely new coaching staff. If there are any positives that can be spun from a season that earned the team the first overall pick of the 2019 NFL draft, it's that Cole was the only offensive lineman to play 100 percent of his team's offensive snaps. It's also worth noting that Cole spent the vast majority of his collegiate snaps at left tackle, so some struggles at center in his first year as a pro should have been expected.
DEFENSE
Sharif Finch, EDGE, Tennessee Titans
Pick: Undrafted
Finch played only 206 total snaps in his rookie season, but he was great in limited time. He finished the season with an overall grade of 85.6, ranking first among rookie edge defenders and 15th among all qualifying edge defenders in the NFL. The best aspect of Finch's game was his run defense, as he recorded seven run stops on 92 run-defense snaps, good for the 23rd-best run-stop percentage (7.6) out of 108 edge defenders with at least 80 run-defense snaps. Finch was solid as a pass-rusher as well, finishing with eight total pressures (five hurries, one hit, two sacks) on 97 pass-rush snaps. With more playing time in 2019, Finch could have a breakout season.
Sam Hubbard, EDGE, Cincinnati Bengals
Pick: No. 77 (Round 3)
Hubbard logged 508 total snaps in 2018, and he finished the season with an overall grade of 67.4, which ranked sixth out of 17 qualifying rookie edge defenders. Hubbard had 29 total pressures (18 hurries, eight hits, three sacks) on 326 pass-rushing snaps, including three games with four pressures each. As far as run defense goes, Hubbard had seven run stops on 157 run-defense snaps.
Poona Ford, DT, Seattle Seahawks
Pick: Undrafted
The 5-foot-11 Ford was overlooked because of his size. Although he is shorter than the average defensive lineman, he makes up for it with power. The Seahawks took a chance on the former Texas star, and it has paid off. He finished the season with the best overall grade (90.3) among defensive rookies with at least 200 snaps. With 13 run stops on 103 run-defense snaps, Ford had the fifth-best run-stop percentage (12.6) among interior defenders in 2018. Despite his dominance on the field, Ford played only 265 snaps. The Seahawks would be wise to give Ford a starting role in 2019.
Da'Shawn Hand, DT, Detroit Lions
Pick: No. 114 (Round 4)
Ten interior defenders had been taken off the board by the time Hand's name was called, but by the end of the regular season, few had performed better than the big man out of Alabama. Before being shut down for the season after 13 games, Hand had produced 25 pressures from his 263 pass-rushing snaps, and his resulting pressure percentage of 10.3 ranked 21st among the 86 interior defenders with at least 200 pass-rushing snaps. As if that wasn't enough, he also was one of just nine interior defenders to record at least 15 run stops without missing a tackle in run defense. He ended the year with an overall grade of 87.3, which is the second-best grade ever recorded by a rookie interior defender, trailing only Aaron Donald in 2014.
Ja'Whaun Bentley, LB, New England Patriots
Pick: No. 143 (Round 5)
After a promising preseason that ended with the eighth-highest grade among linebackers, hopes were high for Bentley in the regular season. Unfortunately, he was able to log only 138 snaps before a torn biceps ended his season, but he was productive in his limited action nonetheless. Before the injury, Bentley earned an 81.7 overall grade, an 84.5 coverage grade, and he allowed a passer rating of just 28.3 on passes thrown into his primary coverage -- all early signs that Bentley has a bright future ahead in New England.
Jerome Baker, LB, Miami Dolphins
Pick: No. 73 (Round 3)
The former Ohio State linebacker was one of only six rookie linebackers to play at least 600 snaps, and he ended the season with a 70.3 overall grade that trailed just Leighton Vander Esch (84.9) and Darius Leonard (82.0) among his classmates. In a promising campaign, Baker's best work came against the run, as he accumulated 18 defensive stops, six tackles for loss or no gain and a run-defense grade of 76.4 that was good for second among first-year players at the position.
Levi Wallace, CB, Buffalo Bills
Pick: Undrafted
Wallace didn't see the field until Week 10, but he made an instant impact. Among cornerbacks who logged 200 or more coverage snaps, Wallace ranked in the top five and first among rookie corners in overall grade (83.5) and coverage grade (85.3) in 2018. He allowed only 10 receptions on 19 targets in coverage for just 94 yards, with only 8 total yards allowed coming after the catch. Wallace's 0.45 yards allowed per coverage snap ranked first among all cornerbacks, and over the course of the Bills' final seven games, he committed no penalties.
J.C. Jackson, CB, New England Patriots
Pick: Undrafted
The former Maryland corner has emerged as a talent for the Patriots. He lined up for 395 regular-season snaps, including 284 in coverage, and earned a starting role during the final stretch of the season, beginning in Week 13. Jackson produced a 73.7 overall grade and 78.3 coverage grade, 16th among cornerbacks, and he allowed only 22 receptions on 42 targets in coverage, showcasing playmaking ability with three interceptions and three pass breakups. His 42.0 passer rating allowed ranked first among cornerbacks with at least 200 snaps in coverage during the regular season. More impressive, however, is his ability to track the deep ball. On 14 targets of 20 or more yards, he allowed just one completion to go with three interceptions -- a 0.0 passer rating allowed.
Tracy Walker, S, Detroit Lions
Pick: No. 82 (Round 3)
Walker didn't play more than 20 snaps in a game until Week 4, but once he was able to get on the field, he didn't disappoint. He had the second-highest overall grade (89.8) among safeties with 250 or more snaps this season. The rookie offered balance at the position, ranking in the top 10 in both coverage (83.9) and run-defense grades (85.2). In coverage, Walker saw only six targets, allowing two receptions for 18 yards on 211 coverage snaps. He also showcased a reliable tackling ability with the best tackling grade among safeties (90.6) and zero missed tackles on 16 attempts to bring down the ball carrier.
Justin Reid, S, Houston Texans
Pick: No. 68 (Round 3)
Reid earned meaningful snaps from the start of his rookie campaign and started 12 games for the NFL's second-highest-graded defense. He showcased his versatility in coverage by intercepting three passes and breaking up an additional five balls. He also was the league's surest rookie tackler at safety. On 76 total tackle attempts, he missed just five tackles -- finishing as the only safety to spend at least 400 snaps on defense and miss fewer than eight attempts. The Texans hit a home run with the selection of Reid.
Greg Stroman, CB, Washington Redskins (flex pick)
Pick: No. 241 (Round 7)
It has not all been smooth sailing for the former Virginia Tech corner, as evidenced by the fact that he ended six of his 13 games with an overall grade of 60.0 or less and allowed a passer rating of 120.3 on throws into his primary coverage. However, he showed flashes of potential, which should make the Redskins feel good as they look toward 2019. His best game of the year came in Week 10 against the Buccaneers, when he snagged an interception and allowed a passer rating of just 63.0 on throws into his primary coverage. He ended the game with an overall grade of 87.0 -- the sixth-best single-game mark by a rookie cornerback.