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Last offseason, Ravens GM Eric DeCosta looked to fortify the cornerback position with veteran experience. The pickup of two-time Pro Bowler Jaire Alexander attracted ample attention, but Awuzie鈥檚 signing flew under the radar. Ultimately, though, Alexander appeared in just two games for Baltimore -- he was traded to Philadelphia at the outset of November and then stepped away from football to get right physically and mentally -- while Awuzie was a bright spot on a disappointing Ravens defense. Yes, Awuzie鈥檚 debut campaign in Baltimore ended on a low note. Everyone remembers Tyler Loop鈥檚 missed field goal handing the rival Steelers the AFC North title in the final game of the regular season, but it was that gave Pittsburgh a late lead in the first place. Still, Awuzie proved reliable for most of the season -- SEE: the textbook PBU that helped sew up a divisional win in Cleveland -- and inherently received a decent pay bump on a new one-year deal this past March.

The tight end position is so hot right now that it started a series of fires on Day 2 of April鈥檚 draft. Jacksonville鈥檚 second-round selection of Nate Boerkircher, in particular, sent shockwaves across Draft Twitter. How does a blocking TE come off the board in such a lofty slot (No. 56 overall)? Well, it feels like Boerkircher and Co. owe a debt of gratitude to Mr. Hawes. Despite catching just 16 balls as a rookie last season, Hawes played a significant role in Buffalo鈥檚 offense as a blocking specialist. Just ask the Bills鈥� offensive linemen, who wax poetic about the tight end鈥檚 road-grading efforts.

"It just brings a smile to all of us, our faces," Bills center last October. "You see him just manhandling people out there, and you're like, 'Oh, s---, that's just Hawes?!鈥� "

With the 6-foot-4, 253-pounder enhancing Buffalo鈥檚 blocking, James Cook III just won his first rushing title while the Bills led the league with an average of 159.6 ground yards per game.

A second-round pick of the Bengals after posting the fastest 40-yard dash at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine (4.26 seconds), Turner flashed promise in his first two seasons, but inconsistency and injury held him back. That changed in Year 3, when he became one of the most efficient cover men in the league, recording a whopping 18 passes defensed on just 65 targets, per Next Gen Stats. (For comparison鈥檚 sake, Mike Jackson and Riley Moss -- the co-leaders with 19 passes defensed -- were targeted 90 and 116 times, respectively.) With that kind of production, what is Turner doing on a list of underappreciated players? He鈥檚 not a household name, as evidenced by one particular slight.

鈥淚 thought DJ should have made the Pro Bowl,鈥� . 鈥淏ut, you know, I told him the other day, 鈥楿sually, the first year that you should make it, you鈥檙e typically an alternate. And then if you stack that year, they usually give it to you in the next year.鈥� 鈥�

Perhaps 2026 is the year Turner gets his shine.

Myles Garrett set the NFL record with 23 sacks, earning his second Defensive Player of the Year award in the past three seasons. But for the first three months of the 2025 campaign, the most feared edge monster in football had quite a pass-rushing partner on the defensive interior. Prior to suffering a season-ending quad injury in Week 13, Collins enjoyed the most productive stretch of his 10-year career, racking up 6.5 sacks in the first 11 games. Garrett certainly appreciates his teammate鈥檚 game.

鈥淗e鈥檚 one of the most unique rushers I鈥檝e had the privilege to be with, you know, with the combination of finesse and power,鈥� following Collins鈥� 2.5-sack performance in the Week 12 win at Las Vegas.

If Collins returns to full health this fall and Mason Graham continues to develop in Year 2, Cleveland has the firepower on its defensive front to completely wreck games. That鈥檚 key, as the Browns continue their never-ending quest for a quarterback.

When Denver spent its 2025 first-round pick on Jahdae Barron, it felt like McMillian鈥檚 spot in the lineup was under threat. Then McMillian responded with his best professional season yet, inspiring notable praise from Broncos GM George Paton in February: 鈥� We love having him here.鈥� A former undrafted free-agent signee, McMillian a second-round RFA tender in March, exhibiting how much his value has increased over four seasons in Denver. As the nickelback in Vance Joseph鈥檚 aggressive defense, McMillian is a feisty run defender who also offers ball production (two interceptions in each of the past three seasons) and blitz savvy (four sacks in 2025). Not to mention, the guy boasts an undeniable clutch gene. His OT pick of Josh Allen in January鈥檚 Divisional Round might have been controversial, but it set up the Broncos for the win.

Houston鈥檚 defense is loaded on all three levels, with LB Azeez Al-Shaair becoming the latest standout to sign a top-of-the-market extension, joining edge rushers Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, as well as cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. Amid such a sea of stars, Togiai rarely garners outside attention, but everyone in the building sure appreciates his rugged contributions on the defensive interior. That鈥檚 why the whole team showed such glee when Togiai finally got his moment in the sun with a scoop-and-score touchdown that put the cherry on top of Houston鈥檚 win over Indianapolis in the regular-season finale.

"To close it out the way he did, getting in the end zone, that's why you saw our entire sideline running down, celebrating with Tommy," Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans . "Fitting for a guy who just does everything the right way. Everything you ask the guy to do 鈥� He's a coach's dream, he's always in the right place, always doing what you ask him to do. And very cool way for him to have that clutch moment and end the game with a touchdown."

Ryan Kelly earned four Pro Bowl nods in his nine years as the Colts鈥� starting center, putting substantial pressure on his heir apparent. A fourth-round pick in 2024, Bortolini started five games as a rookie replacement while Kelly was injured, but he fully took the reins at the pivot in 2025. And the 23-year-old did not disappoint, especially as a run blocker, where he helped Jonathan Taylor rush for 1,585 yards and a league-best 18 touchdowns. That鈥檚 not to say his pass protection was lacking; according to Pro Football Focus, he 诲颈诲苍鈥檛 give up a single sack on 566 pass-blocking snaps. All in all, 鈥淏ort鈥� established himself as an anchor in the middle of Indianapolis鈥� stout offensive line. And with 2024 third-rounder Matt Goncalves capably filling in for the departed Will Fries at right guard last season, the Colts successfully swapped out a pair of pricey veterans for emerging talents who are cost-controlled for two more seasons. That鈥檚 good business.

This was the most difficult selection on the AFC side of this exercise, given the wealth of viable options. Perhaps it鈥檚 a natural byproduct of Jacksonville flip-flopping its win-loss record -- from 4-13 in 2024 to 13-4 this past season -- but the roster is full of players who deserve more attention. There were multiple candidates on the offensive line alone, including Cole Van Lanen -- though the versatile blocker got plenty of love from the team in January, when he signed . Defensively, tackling machine Foye Oluokun rarely gets his due, while cover men Montaric "Buster" Brown and Jarrian Jones are true assets in Anthony Campanile鈥檚 secondary. 

Ultimately, though, I narrowed the decision down to a choice between a pair of Day 3 steals from the 2023 NFL Draft: S Antonio Johnson and WR Parker Washington. Both broke out in Year 3, but in a fantasy football world, Washington鈥檚 contributions drew far more notice. Thus, Johnson is the pick. The versatile defensive back tied for second in the NFL with five interceptions -- a striking total, considering he 诲颈诲苍鈥檛 start a game until November.

This man received too much hate in Year 1 and too little love in Year 2. The 63rd overall pick in 2024, Suamataia was immediately tasked with guarding Patrick Mahomes鈥� blind side as 21-year-old rookie. He was in over his head, lasting just two games as Kansas City鈥檚 starting left tackle before hitting the bench and becoming a whipping boy for all of the team鈥檚 protection problems. But after the Chiefs addressed OT last offseason in free agency and the draft, Suamataia permanently moved over a spot and won the starting job at left guard. He looked much better inside, starting all 17 games to provide some positive vibrations in the franchise鈥檚 worst year of the Andy Reid era. Shoot, the guy even finished last season with a bodacious hurdle attempt, putting a fitting cap on a sophomore campaign that saw him take a major leap forward.

A second-round pick out of FCS Southern Illinois, Chinn burst onto the NFL scene as a safety/linebacker hybrid for the Panthers, finishing as the runner-up to Chase Young for 2020 Defensive Rookie of the Year and racking up 100-plus tackles in each of his first two seasons. Then injuries and coaching/scheme changes in Carolina caused his production -- and reputation -- to wane. But after revitalizing his career on a one-year prove-it deal with Washington in 2024, Chinn signed a two-year pact with the Raiders and stuffed the stat sheet once again this past season. Now, the question is where he fits into the plan for Rob Leonard, who was promoted to defensive coordinator by new head coach Klint Kubiak. Las Vegas added a bunch of back-seven talent in free agency and the draft, so it鈥檒l be interesting to see how everything shakes out, but Chinn still offers plenty as an enforcer in the box.

A seasoned veteran who鈥檚 made 106 starts in eight NFL campaigns, Jackson might have just enjoyed his best season yet, logging four interceptions and 12 pass breakups (both team highs) while Pro Football Focus credited him with a sparkling 58.5 passer rating against. That鈥檚 prime production at a premium position, making last offseason鈥檚 two-year, $13 million deal look like highway robbery for the Chargers. The 30-year-old鈥檚 vast experience could prove even more crucial in the wake of Jesse Minter鈥檚 departure to become head coach of the Ravens, with 34-year-old Chris O'Leary coordinating an NFL defense for the first time. Jackson gives Los Angeles a steady presence in coverage, while former fifth-round finds Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart continue to develop their respective games in Year 3.

The 2024 NFL Draft saw eight offensive tackles fly off the board in Round 1, but Paul was not among them. Despite extraordinary size (6-7 1/2, 331 pounds) and length (36 1/4-inch arms), the athletic bookend lasted until Pick No. 55 due to a lack of polish. Unsurprisingly, he only started three games in a rookie season that was more about development than distinction. In Year 2, following the retirement of Terron Armstead, Paul took an enormous step forward, starting all 17 games and posting the third-lowest pressure rate among starting left tackles (6.3%, per Next Gen Stats). And now, with Miami switching from a left-handed quarterback (Tua Tagovailoa) to a righty (Malik Willis), Paul will be tasked with protecting the blind side. The 24-year-old remains better in pass pro than run blocking, but he鈥檚 a clear building block for a Dolphins team that鈥檚 resetting under Jeff Hafley and Jon-Eric Sullivan.

New England鈥檚 rush defense took a hit this offseason when nose tackle Khyiris Tonga signed with Kansas City, but the Patriots still employ one of the league鈥檚 best run-stuffers from the second level. With Spillane manning the middle of the defense, New England gave up the second-fewest rushing yards per game (87.7) through the first 12 weeks of the season. But after the downhill thumper injured his ankle in Week 13, the Pats promptly yielded more than 160 rushing yards in three straight games with the linebacker sidelined. Per NGS, New England allowed 3.7 yards per called run with Spillane on the field during the regular season, compared to 4.6 when he was not in the formation. Spillane returned for the playoffs, and even though his ankle wasn鈥檛 completely healed, the Pats held three of four postseason opponents below 90 yards rushing. (Kenneth Walker III got the best of them en route to Super Bowl LX MVP honors.) With the AFC East featuring reigning rushing champ James Cook, as well as freshly paid backs De鈥橵on Achane and Breece Hall, Spillane鈥檚 presence is paramount to New England staying atop the division.

I still don鈥檛 understand why the Vikings traded this guy to the Jets last August. Phillips anchored Minnesota鈥檚 defensive front during Brian Flores鈥� first two years with the franchise, and the Vikes ranked eighth and second in run defense. This past season, after parting ways with Phillips, they plummeted to 21st. In related news, Minnesota just spent two of its first three picks on defensive tackles. Although the Jets鈥� ground D struggled last season, it sure wasn鈥檛 Phillips鈥� fault, as NGS charted him with 51 run stops -- tops among all NFL defensive linemen. That underscores the fact that this 307-pounder is much more than a simple space-eater. Over the past five seasons, he has averaged 64 tackles -- a massive figure for an interior defensive lineman.

Often overshadowed on Pittsburgh鈥檚 offensive line by 2024 draftmates Zach Frazier and Troy Fautanu, McCormick has quietly established himself as a rock at guard. A pleasant debut campaign in '24 finished on a sour note, with McCormick breaking his hand in the regular-season finale and missing the Steelers鈥� loss to the Ravens on Wild Card Weekend. But this past season, the right guard 诲颈诲苍鈥檛 miss a single offensive snap, reliably neutralizing foes while committing only one penalty (a false start). With the free-agent departure of Isaac Seumalo, the first-round selection of Max Iheanachor and the uncertain health status of Broderick Jones, McCormick could ultimately flip over to the left side in a line reshuffling. Bottom line: The former fourth-round pick out of FCS South Dakota State has clearly cemented a place among the front five in Pittsburgh.

A starting left tackle in each of his three seasons at Northwestern, Skoronski immediately moved inside upon entry into the NFL, leading some to question whether Tennessee overdrafted the blocker at No. 11 overall in 2023. His rookie campaign was a roller coaster, with an emergency appendectomy sidelining him early and some leaky pass protection plaguing him late. He showed improvement in Year 2, playing every offensive snap in the process. Skoronski repeated that iron-man feat last season, and he significantly improved his all-around game to become the best offensive lineman -- if not best offensive player -- in Tennessee. Consequently, the franchise just exercised Skoronski鈥檚 fifth-year option. That鈥檚 no small development in Nashville, considering the laundry list of recent Titans first-rounders who 诲颈诲苍鈥檛 receive that extension (SEE: Treylon Burks, Caleb Farley, Isaiah Wilson, Rashaan Evans, Corey Davis and Jack Conklin).