2020 NFL Draft Steals

The 2020 NFL Draft was not just strong because of the names everyone remembers. It was strong because the value kept showing up long after the obvious picks were gone. Franchise quarterbacks and star receivers helped define the class at the top, but the real depth showed up later, where several teams found players who dramatically outperformed their draft slot and changed the way the full board looks in hindsight.

This page ranks the top 10 steals from the third through seventh rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft. That cutoff matters. The goal here is not to reward players who were already expected to go early. It is to highlight the names who gave their teams far more than those draft ranges usually return. Some became stars. Some became high-level starters.

Anybody can look back and point to the obvious first-round wins. The harder question is which front offices kept finding real NFL players after most of the league thought the premium value was already gone.

2020 NFL Draft steals graphic ranking the top 10 best value picks from the third through seventh rounds

2020 NFL Draft Steals: Top 10 Best Value Picks

How These 2020 NFL Draft Steals Were Ranked
2020 NFL Draft Steals Rankings
Why the 2020 Class Was So Deep
FAQ: 2020 NFL Draft Steals

How These 2020 NFL Draft Steals Were Ranked

This ranking is based on three things: draft slot, long-term NFL value, and how far a player outperformed what teams usually expect from that range. A good third-round pick is valuable. A sixth- or seventh-rounder who turns into a real starter can swing an entire draft class.

Position matters too. A productive guard, a starting safety, a legit edge rusher, and a high-end defensive tackle all carry different types of value. But the common thread is simple: these are players whose careers made their original draft position look far too low.

2020 NFL Draft Steals Rankings

1. Zack Baun (New Orleans Saints)

Drafted: 3rd round, 74th overall

Baun is the best steal on this list because he did not just beat his slot. He blew past it. Drafted by the Saints, he signed with Philadelphia as a free agent before the 2024 season and immediately became one of the most disruptive linebackers in football. The Eagles paid real money to bring him in, and the return justified every bit of it. At this point, it is hard to argue anyone taken 74th gave more surplus value out of the 2020 class.

2. Nnamdi Madubuike (Baltimore Ravens)

Drafted: 3rd round, 71st overall

Baltimore found a third-round defensive tackle who turned into one of the better interior defenders from the whole class. That is a major win on its own. The neck injury that limited him to two games in 2025 muddies the recent picture, but not the larger one. A player like this makes a front office look sharp because he gives premium-position impact without premium draft cost.

3. Alex Highsmith (Pittsburgh Steelers)

Drafted: 3rd round, 102nd overall

Highsmith is exactly the type of player that makes hindsight boards look completely different. Pittsburgh found a real edge presence at 102, and by 2025 he was still putting up 9.5 sacks. Teams reach for pass rush all the time in the first round and still miss. The Steelers found one in the third and turned it into a normal part of their defense.

4. Michael Onwenu (New England Patriots)

Drafted: 6th round, 182nd overall

This is one of the best pure value picks from the entire draft. Sixth-round offensive linemen are not supposed to become this versatile, this playable, or this trusted. Onwenu has given New England real starting value at multiple spots, which is exactly the kind of late-round hit that changes how a whole class gets remembered.

5. Jonathan Greenard (Houston Texans)

Drafted: 3rd round, 90th overall

Greenard is not the loudest name on this list, but that is part of why he belongs. He turned a third-round edge selection into consistent pass-rush value, and those outcomes age well every time. He is a good example of a player who may not have won draft weekend, but absolutely won the long game.

6. Kamren Curl (Washington Commanders)

Drafted: 7th round, 216th overall

A seventh-round safety becoming a real NFL starter is already a major hit. Curl pushed beyond that. By 2025 he was up to 122 combined tackles and 2 interceptions for the Rams, which tells you the staying power is very real. Picks this late are usually lottery tickets. Curl ended up feeling like found money.

7. L’Jarius Sneed (Kansas City Chiefs)

Drafted: 4th round, 138th overall

Kansas City found a defender who fit winning football right away and gave them far more than fourth-round value. Sneed brought toughness, versatility, and a skill set that let the Chiefs trust him in different roles and big moments. Injuries limited him to seven games for the Titans in 2025, but that does not change what the original draft value was. Getting this type of player at 138 is a steal.

8. Jauan Jennings (San Francisco 49ers)

Drafted: 7th round, 217th overall

Jennings is exactly the kind of player a steals list should reward. He was not sold as a future star. He just kept becoming more useful every year. By 2025, the line was 55 catches, 643 yards, and 9 touchdowns, which is massive return for the 217th pick. Seventh-round receivers are supposed to fight for roster spots, not turn into real offensive pieces.

9. Kevin Dotson (Pittsburgh Steelers)

Drafted: 4th round, 135th overall

Dotson is a reminder that late-round value is not only about flashy positions. A fourth-round guard turning into a solid, dependable starter is a real win, even if it does not get the same attention as sacks or touchdowns. These are the picks that make teams sturdier and let good rosters stay good.

10. Darnell Mooney (Chicago Bears)

Drafted: 5th round, 173rd overall

Mooney might not have the ceiling of the names above him, but a fifth-round receiver carving out a real NFL career still matters. He has produced, stuck, and kept finding value even as his role changed. The 2025 numbers were lighter than his best seasons, but the larger point still holds: getting a real receiver at 173 is strong draft business.

Why the 2020 Class Was So Deep

The biggest reason the 2020 draft still stands out is that the talent was not confined to the first round. The stars at the top made headlines, but the class kept paying off deeper into the board. Teams found real value at linebacker, edge, safety, guard, receiver, and defensive tackle well after the obvious names were gone.

That matters because deep classes expose process. Missing on a first-rounder hurts more when a future starter or impact player was still sitting there in the third, fourth, sixth, or seventh round. That is why classes like this stay relevant. They are not just about who went high. They are about who should have gone higher.

The other lesson is that good drafting is not only about identifying stars. It is also about identifying real NFL players before the rest of the league fully sees them. That is where a lot of teams got exposed in 2020, and it is why the best steals from this class still say so much about the front offices that found them.

Conclusion

The 2020 NFL Draft did not earn its reputation only because of the headliners. It earned it because the board stayed alive well into the later rounds. Players like Zack Baun, Nnamdi Madubuike, Alex Highsmith, Michael Onwenu, and Kamren Curl kept making the class look stronger every year that passed.

The real takeaway from the steals list is not just that these players outperformed their slot. It is that the best front offices do not stop finding value once the spotlight fades. Late-round value does not appear by accident. It usually shows up because someone in the building trusted the evaluation when the rest of the league did not.

For a broader look at the class, check out the 2020 NFL Draft hub. You can also read the 2020 NFL redraft, the 2020 NFL Draft grades, the biggest busts, and the full 2020 NFL Draft rankings.

FAQ: 2020 NFL Draft Steals

Who was the biggest steal in the 2020 NFL Draft?

Zack Baun has a strong case because he was taken 74th overall and developed into one of the biggest value wins from the class. Michael Onwenu, Kamren Curl, and Alex Highsmith are right there too.

Why is Michael Onwenu ranked so high among 2020 NFL Draft steals?

Because sixth-round offensive linemen are not supposed to turn into this kind of player. He became a real starter, offered versatility, and gave New England way more than the 182nd pick is supposed to return.

Was the 2020 NFL Draft unusually deep?

Yes. That is one of the biggest reasons it still stands out. The class produced premium talent at the top and real value throughout the middle and late rounds.

Why is Kamren Curl considered one of the best steals from the 2020 NFL Draft?

Because he was a seventh-round pick who became a legitimate NFL starter and kept producing well beyond what teams expect from pick 216.

Do later-round steals matter as much as first-round hits?

They matter differently, but they absolutely matter. A team that consistently turns Day 3 picks into real contributors builds depth, saves money, and gives itself more room to survive misses elsewhere.