Every pick has the chance to change a franchise. No matter the spot-first overall or Mr. Irrelevant-a player could flourish into a superstar.
This article highlights the biggest steal from each draft class in the NFC West (and the overall biggest steal of the division). Of course, there will be some honorable mentions at the end since it is not always definitive.
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San Francisco 49ers: Kurtis Rourke, QB, Indiana (Round Seven)
Rourke fell due to a recent knee injury combined with limited athleticism.
That being said, he showed time and time again that he could lead a team to victory. Indiana gave nearly every team they faced a run for their money. Even analyzing his game versus Ohio State showed that he was not the main issue.
The 49ers need a long-term option at backup quarterback. Rourke is perfect for that role. He is a high-character player with similar assets and liabilities to Brock Purdy.
San Francisco sniped another quarterback in the seventh round.
Los Angeles Rams: Chris Paul Jr., LB, Ole Miss (Round Five)
‘Pooh’ Paul had no business falling to the fifth round.
His flexibility, mobility, and experience outclassed most linebackers in this class. Paul’s personality also shined through in interviews. His frame is subpar, but the talent is too much to ignore.
The Rams easily could have gotten their best linebacker in the fifth round.
Arizona Cardinals: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan (Round Two)
Johnson fell due to a concern over his knee.
Even with a concern of whether he can play for ten years, the talent was too good to slip out of round one. A healthy Johnson would be a top-three overall pick. Even with a career spanning the four years he has on a rookie contract, this pick is more than worth it. Arizona has been dying for a bigger, physical, high-IQ cornerback.
Johnson immediately slots in as the best corner on the team. His skillset fits Gannon perfectly as well as his teammates, Max Melton and Garrett Williams.
Seattle Seahawks: Tory Horton, WR, Colorado State (Round Five)
Horton missed time in 2025 with a knee injury.
If he were healthy, most would consider the Colorado State star a second-round pick. Horton’s after-the-catch ability is unmatched. Combine that with a 4.41-second 40-yard dash, and Seattle gets a contributor with the potential to flourish into a full-time starter.
Not many fifth-round picks have a high chance to pull that feat off the way Horton does.
Biggest Steal: Tory Horton, WR, Seattle Seahawks
Will Johnson was tough to ignore, but a fifth-round pick being the future WR2 is hard to ignore, too.
Horton will be an immediate splash in a limited capacity with the vision for much, much more. Get excited, Seahawks fans.
Honorable Mentions
There were lots of picks across most drafts that one would call ‘steals.’ Below are a few of the biggest for the NFC West that missed the top spot.
Seattle Seahawks: Ricky White III, WR, UNLV (Round Seven)
White had some preseason hype, and he performed quite well. A poor pre-draft process in Dallas at the Shrine Bowl and the Combine must have soured any hype he had. With a lot of experience as a number-one wide receiver and an elite special teamer, one has to wonder if it was more than just a bad 40-yard dash. Time will tell.
Arizona Cardinals: Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio State (Round Five)
Burke was a projected first-round pick coming into 2025. Some slip-ups knocked his stock tremendously—the first Oregon game exposed some key weaknesses in his on-field ability. Watching him completely shift the narrative the second time he played the Ducks did not help as much as it should have, and the Cardinals were the ones to profit. He could carve out a fringe-starting role soon.
