The NFL will conduct its next rookie draft on April 23, 24 and 25 in Pittsburgh. A total of 257 players will be taken, and it’s likely that many players chosen will have a significant impact for their teams. Let’s take a closer look at how decisions made during the draft can influence the outcome of the upcoming season.

Several Teams May Find Their Franchise Quarterbacks

There is a premium placed on the quarterback position in the NFL. This is because it’s rare for a team to make the playoffs or win a Super Bowl without an elite talent at that position. Ultimately, you’re likely to see multiple teams take quarterbacks even if they may not be ready to play right away or may not turn into superstars at their positions.

Fernando Mendoza is the consensus top quarterback in the draft, and he is likely to go to Las Vegas as the first overall pick. Ty Simpson is rumored to be taken by the New York Jets in the first round while other names such as Carson Beck and Garett Nussmeier also considered to be top prospects.

Often, quarterbacks who are taken in the first round are expected to start immediately or at some point in their rookie seasons. This is partially because NFL offenses are designed with the young leaders in mind in an effort to help speed up their development. Also, a rookie quarterback costs significantly less than even a quality backup.

For example, the Raiders just signed Kirk Cousins to a five-year deal worth up to $172 million. Of course, it’s worth noting that the deal is structured so that he gets $20 million guaranteed over the course of the next 12 months. Even then, Cousins is 37 and still feeling the effects of a serious injury suffered two years ago. At best, he’s a bridge starter who will be making twice what Mendoza will make in his rookie year.

Teams May Use Draft Picks to Acquire Established Players

This year, the Buffalo Bills traded the 60th pick in the upcoming draft to the Chicago Bears for DJ Moore. Although Moore is a lower end top receiver, he’s probably better today than whoever the Bills would have drafted with that pick.

The Los Angeles Rams used their first round pick this year to acquire corner Trent McDuffie from the Kansas City Chiefs. Essentially, teams that have star quarterbacks and who want to win championships will try to speed up the roster building process even if it means paying more for the players they acquire today.

Read more: How the Draft Influences Roster Building

Teams May Try to Replenish Through the Draft

Kansas City sent McDuffie to the Rams because they didn’t have the cap space to sign him to a long-term extension. Los Angeles gave him a contract extension covering four years and worth up to $124 million, which the Chiefs would struggle to match considering that they have only $7 million in cap space before signing their rookie class.

Therefore, the Chiefs will hope to use their multiple picks in the top 60 to take elite players who will cost significantly less than they would on the open market. In addition to the Chiefs, the Browns, Jets and Cowboys have additional picks in the first round. The Miami Dolphins recently joined the multiple picks club when they traded Jaylen Waddle to the Broncos.

Don’t Overlook Players Taken in Later Rounds

A lot of focus is placed on who teams will take in the first or second rounds. However, history shows that a lot of great players have been taken much later in the draft, and there have also been a significant number of players who turn into quality reserves.

The prime example of a diamond in the rough is Tom Brady who was taken in the sixth round of the 2000 draft and is now considered to be the best player to have ever played. Shedeur Sanders was taken in the fifth round by the Cleveland Browns last year and looks to be a potential starter at quarterback.

Sanders is also a classic case of a player who plummets on draft day. He was projected to go as high as the first overall pick before media reports about his attitude impacted his draft stock. It’s likely that a team will get at least one player a round or two below their projected slot because of similar reports or because of concerns with injuries or other issues.

Other notable players taken in the fifth round or later include Tyreek Hill, George Kittle and Stefon Diggs. Notable former players drafted on day two or later include Jason Kelce, Brad Johnson and Micah Hyde.

Therefore, fans shouldn’t overlook players taken on Friday or Saturday as just filler players. Instead, they could be the key to a team winning a championship. They could also be the catalyst that results in a current starter getting cut or traded, which could have a number of unforeseen ripples throughout the league.

The upcoming draft is going to be another consequential one for players, teams and fans. Although it will take some time for the effects of most draft decisions to make themselves known, it’s clear that decisions made today will influence how teams do this year and beyond.