2026's Costco-value late-round NFL draft picks, plus examining the 49ers' confidence

I want to start by acknowledging the obvious: It’s too early to judge this draft class. At least for me.In 2022, Dane’s top classes turned out elite. In 2023, the Lions should’ve been higher and Colts lower, but otherwise: spot on. Similar successes in 2024 and 2025.So I’m doing something a bit different here. I don’t have the expertise of Dane, so I’m classifying later-round picks based on where experts like him thought they should’ve been drafted, according to the pre-draft consensus top 300. If a player was picked before experts thought, that’s a reach, because the team dipped deeper than expected to pick them. If a player was drafted after their consensus ranking, that’s a value, because the team got a prospect below anticipated cost. Think of it like buying a hot dog and soda. At Costco, it’s $1.50 (with a free refill!). Steal. That same combo at an MLB game could be $15 (try asking for a free refill!). Fair value is probably about $5.Advertisement