NFL breakout rookies: Luther Burden, Shedeur Sanders and other candidates
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels and Los Angeles Rams edge rusher Jared Verse were the two breakout rookies last year. Which first-year players will rise from the pack in 2025?
Cam Ward, Travis Hunter, Ashton Jeanty and Abdul Carter are the frontrunners to win this year’s rookie awards. But there were 257 players selected in the 2025 NFL draft who have a chance to breakout in their inaugural season.
Who are the top rookie standout candidates for all 32 teams? Paste BN Sports analyzes worthy rookie breakout players for each NFL club.
Arizona Cardinals
Water Nolen, DT
Arizona had the NFL’s 21st ranked defense and finished 20th against the run in 2024. They ranked 28th in pass rush win rate, per ESPN. Nolan instantly aids as a run stopper and pass rusher. He produced 14.0 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks at Ole Miss last year. Nolen has star potential as an interior defensive lineman. In 2022, 247Sports ranked Travis Hunter and Nolen as the top two high school football players in the country.
Atlanta Falcons
LB Jalon Walker
Atlanta’s struggled to get after the quarterback for the past few seasons. The team made a concerted effort to address the area of weakness this offseason with the free agency addition of Leonard Floyd and drafting Walker and James Pearce Jr. in the first round. Walker can create pressure from multiple areas.
Baltimore Ravens
Edge Mike Green
Character concerns caused Green to fall to the second round, but he was a first-round talent. Many scouts considered him the second best edge rusher in the draft. Green is an explosive pass rusher who is relentless coming off the edge. The Ravens ranked 29th in the NFL in pass rush win rate last year, per ESPN. Kyle Van Noy led Baltimore in sacks a season ago and he is 34 years old.
Buffalo Bills
DT Deone Walker
Walker possesses the traits to be a stout defensive tackle. At 6-foot-7 and 331-pounds, Walker can be a disruptive one-technique defensive tackle that Buffalo found in the fourth round. He tallied 10 sacks and 23 tackles for loss in three seasons at Kentucky.
Carolina Panthers
WR Tetairoa McMillan
McMillan and Bryce Young already have what the wide receiver calls a "Cali connection." McMillan played high school ball at Servite and Young at Mater Dei in Southern California. The two spent time training together before the draft. They got a head start on their chemistry. McMillan told the team’s official website their connection is "gonna be something special." The Panthers had the NFL’s third-worst passing offense last season. They are in need of a playmaker on the outside.
Chicago Bears
WR Luther Burden III
Chicago had a void at slot receiver after they let Keenan Allen walk in free agency. Burden has a chance to replace Allen in the slot. Some scouts considered him a first-round talent despite him slipping into the second round. Burden’s already motivated to make teams “pay” for passing on him.
Cincinnati Bengals
OG Dylan Fairchild
The Bengals have struggled to protect Joe Burrow since he entered the league. Cincinnati ranked last in pass block win rate last year, per ESPN. Burrow was sacked a league-most 51 times in 2021 and the 48 sacks he endured last season was tied for fourth. Could third-round pick Dylan Fairchild make a push to start at guard? He’s already received praise from members of the club.
Cleveland Browns
QB Shedeur Sanders
There were plenty of factors why Sanders slipped to the fifth round. If he’s going to be the Browns starting QB, he’ll have earned it. The Browns have a motivated Sanders at QB. On talent, was the second-best quarterback prospect in this year’s draft by some evaluators. Based on his ability and potential, Sanders should beat out the likes of Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel and Deshaun Watson who’s expected to miss the 2025 season.
Dallas Cowboys
RB Jaydon Blue
The Cowboys have an open competition at running back. Blue ran a 4.38 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, the second fastest time among running backs. He gives the Cowboys a speed element at running back that they haven’t had since Tony Pollard. Dallas added running backs Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders in free agency, but Blue provides Dallas some explosiveness in the backfield. He averaged over five yards a carry in three years at Texas.
Denver Broncos
CB Jahdae Barron
The Broncos didn’t necessarily need Barron but they were glad to select him when he fell to them in the first round. Pro Football Focus gave Barron a 91.3 coverage grade for last year, the best of any cornerback with at least 300 snaps. Pat Surtain II, Riley Moss and Barron give Denver one of the best cornerback rooms in the NFL. Barron can play outside corner or line up at slot CB.
Detroit Lions
OG Tate Ratledge
Ratledge fits right into Detroit’s tough and physical O-line identity. Ratledge allowed one sack and two pressures in 365 snaps during his final season at Georgia. The Lions lost veteran right guard Kevin Zeitler in free agency. Ratledge is slated to replace him.
Green Bay Packers
WR Matthew Golden
The Packers haven’t had a wide receiver top 1,000 yards since Davante Adams’ final season in Green Bay. Jordan Love spreads the football around on offense, but Jayden Reed’s emerged as a solid threat on the outside. Golden gives the Packers even more speed on the outside. Golden posted a WR-best 4.29 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine. Reed, Golden and Christian Watson all have the ability to take the top off of the defense.
Houston Texans
OT Aireontae Ersery
Ersery is Houston’s potential long-term answer at left tackle. The Texans only signed veteran left tackle Cam Robinson to a one-year deal. Ersery started 12 games at left tackle at Minnesota last year. He allowed just one sack and 12 pressures.
Indianapolis Colts
TE Tyler Warren
The Colts only had 39 receptions from their tight ends last year, the fewest in the NFL. In steps Warren. Warren, the John Mackey Award winner as college football’s top TE, is an immediate starter at tight end for Indy.
Jacksonville Jaguars
CB/WR Travis Hunter
The Jaguars gave up a lot to get the versatile star. Hunter is already turning heads in Jacksonville. Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence told reporters Hunter has “a lot of juice” and said the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner can “run all day.” The Jaguars plan to deploy Hunter on both sides of the football like he wants. He played over 86% of Colorado’s offensive snaps and 82% of the team’s defensive snaps.
Kansas City Chiefs
OT Josh Simmons
Patrick Mahomes was sacked a career-most 36 times in 2024, and he was sacked a career single-game high six times in a blowout Super Bowl 59 loss. In response, the Chiefs signed left tackle Jaylon Moore in free agency, franchise tagged guard Trey Smith, traded guard Joe Thuney, moved Kingsley Suamataia to guard and drafted Simmons. Simmons could be Kansas City’s potential long-term solution at left tackle. He allowed no sacks and just one pressure before a knee injury cut his final season short with the Buckeyes.
Las Vegas Raiders
RB Ashton Jeanty
The Raiders averaged an NFL-low 79.8 rushing yards per game in 2024. It was the lowest rushing average by a team in a single season since 2022. They desperately needed to upgrade the running back position this offseason. Jeanty was the consensus best running back in this year’s draft. His combination of size, speed and vision will transition well in the NFL. He’s got the ability to be a 1,000-yard rusher in Year 1.
Los Angeles Chargers
WR Tre Harris
Justin Herbert averaged a career-low 227 passing yards per game last year. The Chargers lacked reliable wide receiver options outside of slot WR Ladd McConkey. The Chargers aggressively attacked their wide receiving room by adding Mike Williams in free agency and they drafted Harris and speedster KeAndre Lambert-Smith. Harris has the size and speed of a prototypical X-receiver, but he can also line up at Z. He could start sooner rather than later for a receiver-needy Chargers club.
Los Angeles Rams
Edge Josaiah Stewart
Stewart pass rush grade of 92.3 ranked second among all college football edge rushers last season, via Pro Football Focus. He received the highest overall pass rush grade of all Michigan defenders last year after leading the team with 8.5 sacks. The Rams drafted well on defense a year ago, getting eventually Defensive Rookie of the Year Jared Verse and DL Braden Fiske. Stewart could prove to be a Day 2 steal for the Rams. He’ll likely be used as a situational pass rusher in Year 1.
Miami Dolphins
OG Jonah Savaiinaea
The Dolphins desperately needed to bolster their roster in the trenches this offseason. Miami ranked 28th in the NFL in pass block win rate and 26th in run block win rate last year, per ESPN. Plus, the ranked in the bottom half of the league in both pass rush and run stop win rate. DT Kenneth Grant was a big addition in the first round, but Savaiinaea could have just as big of an impact along Miami’s O-line.
Minnesota Vikings
OG Donovan Jackson
Minnesota signed center Ryan Kelly and guard Will Fries in free agency. Then drafted Jackson in the first round of this year’s draft. Jackson is penciled in as a starter as a rookie. He allowed just five sacks in 1,293 pass blocking snaps played in his career, per Pro Football Focus.
New England Patriots
OT Will Campbell
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel called Campbell a “foundation piece.” Campbell is charged with protecting Drake Maye’s blindside. The left tackle is slated to start on Day 1 for the Patriots. Campbell gave up two sacks and allowed 18 pressures during his final year at LSU.
New Orleans Saints
QB Tyler Shough
Derek Carr’s retirement thrusts Shough to the QB spotlight in New Orleans. The Saints also have Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener in their QB room, but Shough is the favorite to start. Shough was a seven-year college player, dealing with injuries throughout. He turns 26 in September. His experience should help him with his NFL transition.
New York Giants
Edge Abdul Carter
Carter was the consensus top edge rusher in the draft. He’s projected to start as a rookie opposite Brian Burns. Pro Football Focus gave Carter the highest pass rush grade (92.4) of any edge rusher with at least 250 snaps last season. Giants coach Brian Daboll called Carter “an exceptional player.” The toughest thing Carter had to do thus far in the NFL is choose a jersey number.
New York Jets
TE Mason Taylor
Tyler Conklin, the Jets starting tight end last year, left in free agency. The Jets drafted Taylor to replace him. Taylor set an LSU single-season record for a tight end with 55 catches. Jets head coach Aaron Glenn told the team’s official website that Taylor has “dynamic movements” and “can really catch the ball.” Taylor could potentially be Justin Fields’ security blanket over the middle of the field.
Philadelphia Eagles
S Andrew Mukuba
The Eagles traded safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson in March and drafted his possible replacement in Mukuba the following month. Mukuba is a solid cover safety with good ball skills. He produced five interceptions last year, which was tied for fourth in the FBS. Mukuba has an opportunity to start for the defending champs in Year 1.
Pittsburgh Steelers
DT Derrick Harmon
The Steelers needed more youth and explosiveness along their defensive line. Veteran DT Cameron Heyward, 36, isn’t getting any younger. Pittsburgh drafted Heyward’s heir apparent in Harmon in the first round. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said that Harmon has the potential to be a “significant contributor” for years to come.
San Francisco 49ers
DT Alfred Collins
The 49ers are projected to have three new starters along their defensive line. San Francisco’s first five draft picks were all used on defensive players, including first and second round picks on defensive linemen. Defensive end Mykel Williams is projected to start. Collins could find his way into the starting lineup as well. The interior of San Francisco’s d-line suffered when Javon Hargrave sustained a season-ending injury. Only one Niner interior defensive lineman scored above a 60 grade as a run defender, per Pro Football Focus.
Seattle Seahawks
S Nick Emmanwori
Kam Chancellor was an enforcer during the Seahawks’ legion of boom days. Emmanwori can have that type of impact. Emmanwori is a physical safety with good size and speed. Emmanwori is set to become the Seahawks’ first player to wear No. 3 since Russell Wilson departed.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
WR Emeka Egbuka
Bucs coach Todd Bowles called Egbuka the “total package” and noted he could play on the outside or in the slot, per ESPN. Egbuka played 434 snaps in the slot and 132 snaps out wide during his final year at Ohio State. He should be a good complement to Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.
Tennessee Titans
QB Cam Ward
Not breaking any news here, Ward is the only answer. There’s a reason why Hall of Famer and franchise legend Warren Moon (formerly of the Houston Oilers), graciously unretired his jersey number for Ward. Moon is the only QB in franchise history to pass for 4,000 yards in a season. Ward has the potential to be the second. He was the consensus top quarterback in this year’s draft. He’s made a good early impression in Tennessee. Titans rookie tight end Gunnar Helm already called Ward a “great leader.”
Washington Commanders
CB Trey Amos
Marshon Lattimore struggled when he was traded to the Commanders. He allowed a career-worst 105.4 passer rating when targeted. Amos provides a contingency plan in case Lattimore’s struggles continue into this year. Amos allowed a 53% reception percentage when targeted and led Ole Miss with 13 pass breakups. The 6-foot-1 corner primarily lined up on the outside in college and he’ll be asked to do the same in DC. Amos and Mike Sainristil give the Commanders two promising young cornerbacks.
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