NFL rookie salaries 2025: List of contracts for first-round picks, Shedeur Sanders
A blank sheet of paper has endless possibilities.
Whether you want to doodle, write down those precious passwords, journal or map out the next five years, everyone treats that paper differently. For some, it's the chance to build the perfect paper football or airplane. For others, it's the roadmap to success.
As graduations come and go this time of year, it's a reminder that many are turning to a new page.
What kind of story will those students author beyond school?
There will be hardship. There will be triumph. The only thing guaranteed is that success is far from linear. Many college athletes learned that during their playing days.
Thousands of players enter the college football landscape, hoping that they can one day make the leap to the NFL. Many saw those dreams come to an end this spring. Others will fight to keep that dream alive this summer.
For over 250 prospects, they heard their name called during the 2025 NFL Draft. The first 32 figure to have the best chance for success and the contracts indicate that. These are the salaries the first-round rookies will be making at their first job out of college.
NFL rookie salaries 2025
Here is the average annual value (AAV), or salaries, for the first-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, according to Spotrac:
- Cam Ward, QB, Tennessee Titans: $12,209,905
- Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Jacksonville Jaguars: $11,642,769
- Abdul Carter, EDGE, New York Giants: $11,313,795
- Will Campbell, OT, New England Patriots: $10,897,401
- Mason Graham, DT, Cleveland Browns: $10,201,718
- Ashton Jeanty, RB, Las Vegas Raiders: $8,973,953
- Armand Membou, OT, New York Jets: $7,978,276
- Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Carolina Panthers: $6,982,598
- Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, New Orleans Saints: $6,932,812
- Colston Loveland, TE, Chicago Bears: $6,659,002
- Mykel Williams, EDGE, San Francisco 49ers: $6,235,839
- Tyler Booker, OG, Dallas Cowboys: $5,638,430
- Kenneth Grant, DT, Miami Dolphins: $5,489,078
- Tyler Warren, TE, Indianapolis Colts: $5,240,163
- Jalon Walker, LB, Atlanta Falcons: $5,140,593
- Walter Nolen, DT, Arizona Cardinals: $4,835,043
- Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Cincinnati Bengals: $4,735,659
- Grey Zabel, OG, Seattle Seahawks: $4,617,865
- Emeka Egbuka, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $4,543,183
- Jahdae Barron, CB, Denver Broncos: $4,512,050
- Derrick Harmon, DT, Pittsburgh Steelers: $4,487,202
- Omarion Hampton, RB, Los Angeles Chargers: $4,443,615
- Matthew Golden, WR, Green Bay Packers: $4,393,835
- Donovan Jackson, OG, Minnesota Vikings: $4,294,264
- Jaxson Dart, QB, New York Giants: $4,238,746
- James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Atlanta Falcons: $4,194,696
- Malaki Starks, S, Baltimore Ravens: $4,139,362
- Tyleik Williams, EDGE, Detroit Lions: $4,114,516
- Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Washington Commanders: $3,920,277
- Maxwell Hairston, CB, Buffalo Bills: $3,809,560
- Jihaad Campbell, LB, Philadelphia Eagles: $3,721,118
- Josh Simmons, OT, Kansas City Chiefs: $3,668,839
Shedeur Sanders' rookie salary
Sanders will make an average of $1,161,845 per year for the next four on his rookie deal.
The former Colorado quarterback inked a four-year deal worth over $4.6 million after being drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round with the 144th overall pick.
As evidenced by the first-round salaries, Sanders' unprecedented draft slide turned what would've been his average salary into his total contract value for the next four seasons.