The Best and Worst 2025 NFL Draft Picks for All 32 Teams

July 17, 2026

The Best and Worst 2025 NFL Draft Picks for All 32 Teams. Read RotoBaller's rankings for The Best and Worst 2025 NFL Draft Picks for All 32 Teams including Travis Hunter, Jaxson Dart, and more.

With the 2026 NFL Draft behind us and training camp just days away, let's take a look back at the 2025 rookie class. In this ranking, we will identify the best and worst rookies from each of the 32 NFL teams in last year's rookie class.

Who were the most impactful rookies? Who were the biggest busts?

Let's dive in!

Arizona Cardinals

Best Rookie: Denzel Burke, DB - While the team's second-round pick (Will Johnson) is worthy of this spot, we will give the slightest of edges to the Day 3 pick, defensive back Denzel Burke. Burke took on a starting role for the majority of the second half, during which he logged 49 tackles and three interceptions.

Worst Rookie: Jordan Burch, LB - Arizona's third-round selection Jordan Burch fell short of expectations in his debut season. The linebacker would total just 23 tackles (over 17 games) with only one sack. He would only tally more than two tackles in just two games in his rookie season.

Atlanta Falcons

Best Rookie: James Pearce Jr., LB - This was one of the toughest choices on this list. The Falcons hit on nearly all of their 2025 picks, selecting two high-end linebackers with an emerging safety in Xavier Watts. However, Pearce will get the nod on our list as he logged an impressive 10.5 sacks in his debut season.

Worst Rookie: Jack Nelson, OT - Given that nearly every other rookie in this team's class surpassed expectations, the nod will go to offensive tackle Jack Nelson. Nelson joined the Falcons in the seventh round and only appeared in 10 games, serving in a rotational role on the offensive line.

Baltimore Ravens

Best Rookie: Malaki Starks, S - Without a doubt, the former Georgia Bulldog will represent the Ravens on this part of the list. Starks joined the Ravens as their first-round selection and surpassed expectations, totaling 84 tackles (49 solo), four pass deflections, and two interceptions.

Worst Rookie: Emery Jones Jr., OT - Baltimore's third-round selection will represent them on this part of our ranking. While second-round selection Mike Green was mostly used in a backup role, he did make an impact when on the field, which will give Jones the edge. Jones was not given a major role on offense in the first round, but did not impress in his limited snaps, posting a low 45.6 Run Blocking Grade (per PFF).

Buffalo Bills

Best Rookie: Deone Walker, DT - Their fourth-round selection, Deone Walker, will get the nod in the spot on our list. Walker, a defensive tackle, logged 39 tackles in his debut season and even led his position in snaps despite being selected on Day 3.

Worst Rookie: T.J. Sanders, DT - The "worst" pick from Buffalo's 2025 rookie class will be from the same position as Walker, defensive tackle T.J. Sanders. Sanders was selected in the second round (41st overall) and failed to make much of an impact in his first campaign. The 22-year-old would log only 16 tackles with one sack.

Carolina Panthers

Best Rookie: Tetairoa McMillan, WR- Without a doubt, the team's top pick, Tetairoa McMillan, will represent the first spot on our list. McMillan lived up to his lofty expectations (eighth overall pick) as he led the way, totaling 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns, serving as Bryce Young's clear No. 1 option.

Worst Rookie: Princley Umanmielen, DE - Carolina's third selection of the 2025 Draft will take the other spot. While Umanmielen was not a massive bust, he did not make a major impact in his debut season. The defensive end would log a mere 1.5 sacks and force just one fumble over 16 contests.

Chicago Bears

Best Rookie: Colston Loveland, TE - One of the easier choices on this list. First-round selection Colston Loveland emerged as one of the game's best tight ends in his debut season. The Michigan product totaled 713 yards with six touchdowns but became a true difference-maker down the stretch.

Worst Rookie: Shemar Turner, DT - While it may be a bit unfair to call Shemar Turner a "true" bust given that he only appeared in five games before suffering a season-ending injury, when on the field he was not overly productive. In five games, the second-round pick logged just six tackles with no sacks.

Cincinnati Bengals

Best Rookie: Demetrius Knight Jr., LB - Cincinnati's second selection of the draft will hold the first spot. Knight would finish his debut season in the NFL, logging an impressive 106 tackles, three sacks, two interceptions, and even a forced fumble. Knight projects to have an even larger role in 2026.

Worst Rookie: Shemar Stewart, DE - Stewart, the team's opening selection, will hold the worst rookie spot on our list. Stewart's tenure in Cincinnati was about as shaky as he was unable to agree to terms on a rookie contract through a majority of camp. When on the field, he totaled just 11 tackles (1.0 sack) over eight games.

Cleveland Browns

Best Rookie: Carson Schwesinger, LB - The Browns had one of the most successful rookie classes and struck gold in the second round. The Browns selected linebacker Carson Schwesinger with the 49th overall pick, and he has already proven immense value. Schwesinger would tally 156 tackles with two interceptions in his debut season.

Worst Rookie: Dillon Gabriel, QB - While the Browns made many excellent selections, their worst came in the third round when they selected a quarterback, Dillon Gabriel. Gabriel would eventually see the starting field but would quickly lose his job to fifth-round pick Shedeur Sanders.

Dallas Cowboys

Best Rookie: Tyler Booker, OG - The team's first pick in the 2025 Draft will hold the first spot on the list. With the 123rd overall pick, the Cowboys found a future cornerstone of their offensive line with Tyler Booker. Booker earned an elite 72.8 Run Blocking Grade on PFF, placing him among the top-7 guards.

Worst Rookie: Jaydon Blue, RB - Jaydon Blue was expected to potentially compete for a lead role in the Dallas backfield. However, the fourth-round rookie failed to carve out any role on the offense and was often listed as a healthy scratch. As a rookie, he appeared in just five total games.

Denver Broncos

Best Rookie: RJ Harvey, RB - The Broncos found their potential long-term option at running back with the 60th overall pick. While Harvey opened the season in a depth role behind JK Dobbins, he took over the backfield down the stretch when Hurts was on the injured reserve.

Worst Rookie: Pat Bryant, WR - However, in the next round, the Broncos were unable to find the same success. Denver called on wide receiver Pat Bryan in Round 3, but the Illinois product was unable to emerge out of his depth role. He would end his debut season with just one receiving score and a mere 378 receiving yards.

Detroit Lions

Best Rookie: Tate Ratledge, OG - Even though the second round showed massive growing pains in the passing game, Tate Ratledge was a key factor in the rushing attack as a rookie. In his debut campaign, the guard received the 12th-highest Run Blocking Grade at his position, per PFF.

Worst Rookie: Tyleik Williams, DE - Detroit's first selection of the 2025 Draft will hold the second part of this list. Williams joined the Lions with the 28th overall pick but failed to carve out a major role. Williams would start only 10 games and finish the season with just one sack.

Green Bay Packers

Best Rookie: Anthony Belton, OT - The Packers did not have a successful 2025 NFL Draft, making this selection one of the more difficult on this list. Belton would start seven games on the Green Bay offensive line (second-round pick) but would earn a low 49.7 Grade on PFF.

Worst Rookie: Matthew Golden, WR - In terms of first-round disappointments, Matthew Golden may hold the title. The wideout was expected to emerge immediately in the Green Bay passing attack but caught just 29 passes for a low 361 yards and no touchdowns.

Houston Texans

Best Rookie: Woody Marks, RB - While Marks did not have the most dominant debut season, he was able to take on the lead role in the Houston backfield, following the injury to Joe Mixon. As a rookie, Marks would serve as the RB1 for the majority of the season, totaling 703 yards on the ground with another 208 through the air.

Worst Rookie: Jayden Higgins, WR - Higgins was the team's first selection in the 2025 NFL Draft as the Texans did not hold a pick in the opening round. While the second-round wideout out of Iowa State would end his season with a low 525 yards and failed to carve out a role in a weak WR room outside of Nico Collins.

Indianapolis Colts

Best Rookie: Tyler Warren, TE - The former Penn State standout, Tyler Warren, immediately carved out a lead role in this passing offense. As a rookie, Warren would bring in 76 passes, total 817 yards, and find the back of the end zone five times, with four of them coming through the air.

Worst Rookie: JT Tuimoloau, DE - While the Colts made a great pick in the opening round, they were unable to carry that momentum into Round 2. With the 45th overall pick, the Colts chose edge rusher JT Tuimoloau. Tuimoloau could total a low of 17 combined tackles with just one sack.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Best Rookie: Travis Hunter, WR/DB - Even though a season-ending knee injury cut his campaign short, Travis Hunter showed flashes of immense upside when on the field. The two-year player began his time as a primary defensive back but showed similar potential on the offensive side of the ball. In his final game, Hunter totaled 101 yards and a score.

Worst Rookie: Bhayshul Tuten, RB - Entering his rookie season, the Jacksonville backfield was his for the taking, as incumbent Travis Etienne was coming off the worst season of his career. However, Tuten was unable to make much of an impact as Etienne reclaimed the three-down role. He is, however, a name to watch in 2026, as he could have another opportunity to be the bell-cow with Etienne now in New Orleans.

@NFLPerformances pic.twitter.com/jBQabTlQuY

— Performances (@NotPerformances) February 22, 2026

Kansas City Chiefs

Best Rookie: Josh Simmons, OT - Even though Simmons would be unable to play down the stretch due to a season-ending injury, when on the field,d their first-round selection was quite productive. His best play came in the passing game as the 32nd overall selection earned an elite 75.5 Pass Blocking Grade on PFF.

Worst Rookie: Ashton Gillotte, DE - While the third-round selection was a complete bust, he was unable to make a major impact, which will put him on this list. The edge rusher out of Louisville would end his debut season with just 1.5 sacks and a modest 38 total tackles.

Las Vegas Raiders

Best Rookie: Ashton Jeanty, RB - Even though Jeanty was unable to fulfill his lofty expectations, the blue-chip prospect out of Boise State showed enough talent to make him worthy of a spot on this list. As a rookie, Jeanty ran behind one of the league's worst offensive lines but still managed to total 975 yards and add 346 through the air.

Worst Rookie: Jack Bech, WR - The Raiders targeted the offense with their second selection but took a big swing and miss. They called on wideout Jack Bech with the 58th overall pick, who could emerge as a long-term option in a weak WR room. However, the 23-year-old would total a low 254 yards on just 20 passes.

Los Angeles Chargers

Best Rookie: Omarion Hampton, RB - Like Jeanty, even though Hampton did not have the most dominant debut season, he proved he was well worth the selection at No. 22 in the opening round. Despite missing time with an injury, the former UNC standout posted a strong 4.4 YPC and punched in five scores.

Worst Rookie: Tre' Harris, WR - The team's No. 2 selection in the 2025 Draft was wideout Tre' Harris. While Harris faced an uphill battle for playing time in a relatively deep WR room, the second-round pick was unable to make much of an impact. Harris would end his debut season totaling just 324 yards with one touchdown.

Los Angeles Rams

Best Rookie: Terrance Ferguson, TE - The Rams had a very weak 2025 class, making this a tough choice. However, tight end Terrance Ferguson, who went off the board in Round 2, has enough upside to make him worth the selection. In his first season as a professional, Ferguson would play in a crowded TE room, but showed elite YAC ability (21.0 YPR.

Worst Rookie: Jarquez Hunter, RB - The fourth-round selection out of Auburn did draw some hype in training camp but was unable to even see the field during the regular season. Hunter ended his first season in the NFL without a single rushing attempt.

Miami Dolphins

Best Rookie: Kenneth Grant, DT - The 6-foot-3 defensive tackle did not have the most impressive debut season but showed enough raw talent to hold this spot on our ranking. Grant joined the Dolphins with the No. 13 pick in the first round and ended his rookie season with two sacks and 33 total tackles.

Worst Rookie: Jonah Savaiinaea, OG - Even though second-round selection Jonah Savaiinaea would appear in all 17 regular season games, his production on the field was very underwhelming. The guard would would earn a low 28.4 Overall Grade on PFF, placing him 81st among the 81 graded guards.

Minnesota Vikings

Best Rookie: Donovan Jackson, OG - The Vikings began the 2025 NFL Draft by improving their offensive line by selecting Donovan Jackson with the No. 24 pick in the opening round. Jackson would turn in a solid debut season, earning a solid 65.7 Grade in the pass-blocking game.

Worst Rookie: Tai Felton, WR - The Vikings concluded their Day 2 selections by adding wide receiver Tai Felton to play alongside Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. However, the Maryland product fell way short of expectations, as he caught only three passes for a low 25 yards.

New England Patriots

Best Rookie: TreVeyon Henderson, RB - The Patriots began their Day 2 selections by finding their long-term running back in TreVeyon Henderson. Henderson split time with Rhamondre Stevenson but flashed elite upside at times, posting an elite 5.1 YPC and totaling 40+ yards on four carries.

Worst Rookie: Kyle Williams, WR - Their first Round 3 selection came at the WR position in Kyle Williams. Even though Williams had a path to prominent targets, the Washington State product was unable to earn much. Williams would end his debut season catching just 10 passes for a low 209 yards.

New Orleans Saints

Best Rookie: Tyler Shough, QB - The Saints had one of the best drafts last spring, making this a very competitive spot. However, when looking at the long-term future of their franchise, their potential QB1 deserves the nod. Shough opened the season as the backup but flashed high-end talent down the stretch and is slated to operate as the lead QB in 2026.

Worst Rookie: Devin Neal, RB - As noted above, given that the Saints had a very successful draft, their "worst" came on Day 3 in the running back position. Devin Neal was expected to potentially carve out a role behind Alvin Kamara but failed to produce much, posting a low 3.6 YPC with 206 yards on 57 carries.

New York Giants

Best Rookie: Jaxson Dart, QB - Finding the potential franchise quarterback is well worthy of this position on the list. At the end of the first round (25th overall), the Giants elected Jaxson Dart. While Dart began the season on the bench, he quickly took over the starting job and never looked back. Dart is well set up for a massive sophomore breakout.

Worst Rookie: Darius Alexander, DT - While Darius Alexander was not a complete whiff of a pick, he failed to live up to his Round 3 expectations. Alexander spent his debut campaign operating in a depth role on the Giants' defensive line, logging just 20 total tackles with 3.5 sacks.

New York Jets

Best Rookie: Malachi Moore, S - The Jets made a great selection in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. With the 130th overall pick, the Jets found a future foundational piece of their secondary. As a rookie, Moore would eclipse the 100-tackle mark and log three deflections with a forced fumble.

Worst Rookie: Mason Taylor, TE - Taylor joined the Jets in the second round of the draft. As a rookie, Taylor had a modest campaign despite being the lead option, catching just 44 passes for 369 yards and a touchdown. The Jets quickly turned their attention to Kenyon Sadiq in the 2026 draft, suggesting Taylor is now viewed as a depth piece.

Philadelphia Eagles

Best Rookie: Jihaad Campbell, LB - While Campbell did not have the "standout" rookie season, he was very productive and is well-positioned for an even better Year 2. As a rookie, Campbell would log 80 total tackles, one interception, and three pass deflections.

Worst Rookie: Ty Robinson, DT - In the fourth round, the Eagles opted to strengthen their defensive line by adding Ty Robinson in the fourth round. Robinson had a very underwhelming season, logging just five total tackles and adding just one pass deflection.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Best Rookie: Jack Sawyer, LB - The Steelers did not have the standout rookie production, which gives Jack Sawyer the slight edge on our list. Sawyer, a fourth-round selection, appeared in all 17 games but operated in a rotational role at linebacker, logging 34 tackles and two interceptions.

Worst Rookie: Kaleb Johnson, RB - Without a doubt, one of the most prominent disappointments of the 2025 NFL Draft was running back Kaleb Johnson. The Iowa product (third-round pick) would take just 28 carries for a mediocre 68 rushing yards and no rushing touchdowns.

San Francisco 49ers

Best Rookie: Upton Stout, S - One of the easier choices on this list. Stout was the clear choice from the 49ers' 2025 class. The third-round pick out of Western Kentucky would log an impressive 82 tackles, adding a forced fumble and an interception. He also allowed a low 74.9 QB rating against.

Worst Rookie: Mykel Williams, DE - The team's first selection of the draft will hold this spot on the list. Williams joined the 49ers with the 11th overall pick and failed to meet expectations. Williams appeared in just nine games due to injury but did not make much of an impact, logging just 20 tackles with one sack.

Seattle Seahawks

Best Rookie: Nick Emmanwori, S - The Seahawks have two worthy candidates for this list: second-round safety Nick Emmanwori and first-round offensive guard Grey Zabel. We will opt to give the second-round pick out of South Carolina the slightest edge. Emmanuel would log an impressive 81 tackles with 11 deflections and two sacks.

Worst Rookie: Elijah Arroyo, TE - Later in the second round, the Seahawks turned to the offensive side of the ball and added tight end Elijah Arroyo. However, unlike the safety, Arroyo was unable to make an impact. The 23-year-old operated in a depth role his entire debut season and caught just 15 passes.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Best Rookie: Emeka Egbuka, WR - Egbuka emerged as a legit candidate for Offensive Rookie of the Year in the first half. From Weeks 1 through 10, Egbuka totaled 75.2 yards per game and scored six touchdowns. However, even though his production declined sharply down the stretch, he is the future WR1 for this offense.

Worst Rookie: Benjamin Morrison, DB - Morrison did not have a "bad" rookie season but failed to live up to his second-round draft capital. Through 10 games in his debut season, Morrison, a Notre Dame product, logged just 26 tackles, four deflections, and no interceptions.

EMEKA EGBUKA. THE ROOKIE. AGAIN.

TBvsATL on FOXhttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/pLyQEvaSG4

— NFL (@NFL) September 7, 2025

Tennessee Titans

Best Rookie: Chimere Dike, WR - While Dike was not the most dominant player on the offensive side of the ball, he was an elite playmaker on special teams. The team's fourth-round pick totaled just 423 yards through the air but nearly 2,000 yards as a returner.

Worst Rookie: Oluwafemi Oladejo, DE - The Titans turned to the defensive line in the second round of the draft. With the 52nd overall pick, Oladejo joined the Titans but had a mediocre rookie season. While he appeared in only six games due to injury, he was not particularly effective on the field, logging 13 tackles and no sacks.

Washington Commanders

Best Rookie: Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB - In the seventh round of the draft, the Commanders turned to Jacory Croskey-Merritt to add depth to their running back room. However, after a stellar showing in the preseason, Croskey-Merritt would take over RB1 duties and finish his debut season with 8-5 yards and eight rushing scores.

Worst Rookie: Josh Conerly Jr., OT - While first-round offensive tackle Josh Conerly was not a complete "bust," he was unable to live up to his price tag as a rookie. In his first season in D.C., Conerly would earn a low 57.8 Pass Blocking Grade and a modest 63.4 Pass Blocking Grade, both well above the average marks for all graded tackles.

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