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NFL Power Rankings: Every Team's 2025 Rookie Class. Ranking every NFL team's 2025 rookie class. The top breakout rookie classes include the Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons and Cleveland Browns.
With the 2025 season in the books, it's time to power rank the 32 rookie classes from the 2025 NFL Draft.
While some teams may have had only a handful of impactful sections, many had several high-impact rookies in their debut seasons and even played a leading role in their postseason success.
Let's dive in!
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No. 32 - Los Angeles Rams
Most Impactful rookie - Terrance Ferguson, TE
While the Rams reached the NFC Championship Game, their rookies did not make much of an impact. They did not have a selection in the first round and took tight end Terrance Ferguson with their second-round pick to lead their class. The young tight end caught only 11 passes but did show some upside, totaling 231 yards and three scores.
Their Day 3 picks spent most of the season in the rotational role and were often healthy scratches, like running back Jarquez Hunter.
No. 31 - Minnesota Vikings
Most Impactful rookie - Donovan Jackson, OG
The lone bright spot if this class was first-round pick Donovan Jackson. The Ohio State Buckeye earned an above-average 65.7 Pass Blocking Grade. However, the rest of the class had little impact. The remainder of their picks (Day 2, Tai Felton) rarely saw the field, which keeps the Vikings near the bottom of the list.
No. 30 - Pittsburgh Steelers
Most Impactful rookie - Jack Sawyer, LB
Pittsburgh's top pick, Derrick Harmon, missed nearly half of this season due to injury, which will keep them lower on this list. Additionally, their second selection (third-round Kaleb Johnson) was a healthy scratch for most of the season and did not see the field.
Their most impactful rookie came in Round 4, with linebacker Jack Sawyer out of Ohio State. The former National Champion logged 34 tackles, two interceptions, and four deflections and was the lone bright spot in their 2025 class.
No. 29 - Green Bay Packers
Most Impactful rookie - Anthony Belton, OT
The Packers had high hopes for top wideout Matthew Golden when they selected him with the 23rd overall pick. However, the former Longhorn would not score a single touchdown during the regular season, but would make an impact in their Wild Card loss to the Chicago Bears, punching in his first career touchdown.
Their best selection came in Round 2, when they added offensive tackle Anthony Belton. Belton took on a full-time role down the stretch and earned a modest 50.0 Overall Grade on PFF.
No. 28 - Jacksonville Jaguars
Most Impactful rookie - Travis Hunter, DB/WR
While the Jaguars did not have a successful class, their first-round selection, Travis Hunter, began to show some upside before his season-ending injury, which keeps them just above the Vikings and Packers. In the last game of his debut season, the Colorado standout caught eight of his 14 targets for 101 yards and a score.
In addition to Hunter, rookie RB Bhayshul Tuten punched in seven touchdowns despite operating as the clear RB2 in the offense, while the Day 3 defenders operated in a rotational role.
No. 27 - San Francisco 49ers
Most Impactful rookie - Upton Stout, S
Similar to Pittsburgh, San Francisco's top selection, Mykel Williams, was unable to see the field after suffering a season-ending injury in just nine games. However, the 49ers found an impact defender in Round 3 with Upton Stout. Stout placed 16th among safeties in Pass Rush Grade and 31st in Rushing Defense Grade, both well above average.
Additionally, fifth-round rookie Marques Sigle also began to carve out a role, logging 52 tackles.
No. 26 - Washington Commanders
Most Impactful rookie - Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB
The Commanders made a handful of impactful selections that keep them above the bottom group on our rankings. Their first round pick, Josh Conerly Jr., started all 17 games and showed solid upside, especially in the second half. Per PFF, he earned a 63.4 Run Blocking Grade but struggled in the passing game.
They may have also found their potential starting running back for 2026 in seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt. While Croskey-Merritt was inconsistent at times, he found his footing over the final month and enters the offseason with some momentum.
72 YARDS 🫨
📺 #DALvsWAS Netflix pic.twitter.com/HASpAgWaXD
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) December 25, 2025
No. 25 - Las Vegas Raiders
Most Impactful rookie - Ashton Jeanty, RB
The Raiders have one of the first picks in the 2025 NFL Draft and added standout running back Ashton Jeanty. While Jeanty's base statistics were not overly impressive, he forced the fifth-most tackles in the sport, suggesting an improved offensive situation could set him up for a breakout in 2026.
The other selections did not make much of an impact, as both rookie WRs rarely saw the field (Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr.), and their defensive selections did not claim starting roles.
No. 24 - Cincinnati Bengals
Most Impactful rookie - Demetrius Knight Jr., LB
While their first-round selection, Shemar Stewart, did not find much success as a rookie, their second-round pick, linebacker Demetrius Knight, keeps them higher on this ranking. Knight was very productive in leading the team on the defensive side, as he tallied 70 solo tackles with four sacks and 29 total stops.
Additionally, their third-round pick, offensive guard Dylan Fairchild, served as a starter for most of the season but earned a lower 59.1 Overall Grade on PFF.
No. 23 - Detroit Lions
Most Impactful rookie - Tate Ratledge, OG
Like the Bengals, the Lions did not find much production from their first-round pick but did hit on both of their Day 2 selections. Second-rounder Tate Ratledge took on a starting role on the offensive line and earned a strong 70.3 Overall Grade on PFF, which placed him 24th among all guards.
Additionally, their third-round pick, Isaac TeSlaa, flashed solid upside near the red zone as he brought in six touchdowns on just 16 total receptions.
No. 22 - Indianapolis Colts
Most Impactful rookie - Tyler Warren, TE
While Indianapolis' 2025 class was not deep, they found a potential star at tight end, Tyler Warren, with the 14th overall pick. The former Penn State standout brought in 76 passes (on 112 targets ) for 817 yards and four touchdowns, and even added a fifth with his legs. However, their other selections did not contribute much this season.
A name to watch in training camp will be QB Riley Leonard. While the team opted to turn to veteran Philip Rivers following the injury to Daniel Jones, Leonard looked quite comfortable in his NFL debut, totaling 270 yards with three total TDs.
No. 21 - Houston Texans
Most Impactful rookie - Woody Marks, RB
The Texans did not have an opening-round selection but did find a potential long-term starter on the defensive line with second-round pick Aireontae Ersery out of Minnesota. While he did not post the best metrics as a run-blocker, he held his own in the passing game.
Also in the second round, they added wideout Jayden Higgins, who figures to be a full-time starter in his sophomore campaign. Additionally, the Texans found running back Woody Marks (in Round 4), who served as the RB1 for most of the season, tallying 703 rushing yards with 208 through the air.
No. 20 - Denver Broncos
Most Impactful rookie - RJ Harvey, RB
The Denver rookies did not make much of an impact in their march to claiming the AFC's top seed, but did show enough upside to warrant a spot just outside the top half of our ranking. Their first round pick, Jahdae Barron, played in a deep secondary and was unable to earn consistent snaps.
He finished his season with just 35 tackles and one interception. Their most impactful asset came in Round 2, with running back RJ Harvey. Even after splitting carries with JK Dobbins for most of the season, Harvey would total over 850 scrimmage yards and score 12 total TDs.
No. 19 - Buffalo Bills
Most Impactful rookie - Maxwell Hairston, DB
Buffalo's first-round pick, Maxwell Hairston, missed the entire first half of the season due to injury, but quickly found his footing down the stretch. Over his 11 games played, the Kentucky product still made an impact, logging 18 tackles with five deflections and two interceptions, despite only earning a full-time role in half of them.
However, their most productive rookie was Round 4 selection defensive tackle Deone Walker, who appeared in all 17 games, logging 39 tackles (17 solo), four interceptions, and one sack.
No. 18 - Miami Dolphins
Most Impactful rookie - Kenneth Grant, DT
The Dolphins saw several of their rookies play in a starring role, but not many of them emerged as potential franchise cornerstones. Their first-round selection, Kenneth Grant, was the most productive, logging 33 tackles, two sacks, and one interception. Also on defense, the fifth-round pick Dante Trader Jr. tallied 55 tackles with a forced fumble.
On offense, second-round pick, guard Jonah Savaiinaea appeared in 17 games but earned a low 29.8 Overall Grade on PFF, placing him 81st among the 81 graded guards.
No. 17 - Kansas City Chiefs
Most Impactful rookie -Nohl Williams, DB
The Chiefs had the final selection in the opening round and bolstered their offensive line by selecting Josh Simmons from Ohio State. Even though he only played in eight games before suffering a season-ending injury, he earned an impressive 75.5 Pass-Blocking Grade on PFF, which placed him within the top-25 tackles in the entire sport.
While their second-round pick Omarr Norman-Lott appeared in only five games, their third-round selection Nohl Williams made the largest impact, earning an elite 74.5 Overall Grade on PFF, the 15th-highest mark among all defensive backs.
No. 16 - Philadelphia Eagles
Most Impactful rookie - Jihaad Campbell, LB
The Eagles began their draft with two strong selections, linebacker Jihaad Campbell (Round 1) and safety Andrew Mukuba (Round 2), who led their class from an impact standpoint. Campbell immediately emerged as a starting-caliber linebacker, earning the 13th-highest Overall Grade on PFF among linebackers.
Second round safety Mukuba was elite in stopping the run, posting a dominant 81.0 Run-Defense Grade on PFF, the 12th-highest in the position. However, outside of these two selections, the Eagles were unable to find much success out of their 2025 class.
No. 15 - Arizona Cardinals
Most Impactful rookie - Denzel Burke, DB
Despite finishing near the bottom of the standings, the Cardinals had a very productive rookie class. Their first round pick, Walter Nolen, logged two sacks and two deflections in just six games before being shut down for the season. Additionally, they found two highly productive defensive backs, Will Johnson (Round 2) and Denzel Burke (Round 5), who will likely take on a lead role in 2026.
Burke was an impact player in the secondary, logging three interceptions and five pass deflections while posting a solid 81.6 Passer Rating Allowed.
No. 14 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Most Impactful rookie - Emeka Egbuka, WR
The Buccaneers were on pace to finish much higher on this list but took a step back in the second half. Over his first nine games, wideout Emeka Egbuka brought in 60 of his 76 targets for 677 yards and six touchdowns. However, over his last eight contests, Egbuka caught only 23 passes for a mere 291 yards.
On the defensive side of the game, Day 2 selections Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish both contributed at times during the season. Parrish logged an impressive 76 tackles with two interceptions, while Morrison logged 26 tackles with four pass deflections over his 10 games played
No. 13 - Seattle Seahawks
Most Impactful rookie - Nick Emmanwori, S
Like the Eagles, the Seahawks hit on both of their first two selections, who did much of the heavy lifting for this class. In the opening round, Seattle bolstered their offensive line with guard Grey Zabel out of North Dakota State. Zabel was a full-time starter in their Super Bowl run but placed just below average in blocking, per PFF.
In Round 2, Seattle selected one of the top breakout defensive backs, Nick Emmanwori, from South Carolina. The young safety earned the 22nd-highest grade at his position and tallied three sacks with 63 total solo tackles.
No. 12 - Dallas Cowboys
Most Impactful rookie - Tyler Booker, OG
The Cowboys had one true impact player, offensive guard Tyler Booker. The 12th overall pick out of Alabama immediately found a home as the team's primary right guard. Per PFF, Booker earned the 16th-highest Overall Grade at the guard position and was elite in the rushing game, earning the seventh-highest grade at his position.
However, their other selections were not as impactful as the breakout guard. On defense, fifth-round pick linebacker Shemar James led the way, totaling an impressive 91 total tackles with 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
No. 11 - Tennessee Titans
Most Impactful rookie - Chimere Dike, WR
Despite struggling for most of the season, the Titans began to build a strong foundation of young players. Their top pick, Cam Ward, showed flashes of upside, but saw his ceiling capped due to the lack of playmakers on the offensive side of the ball. Rookie pass catchers, Gunnar Helm and Elic Ayomanor (both Round 4 picks), outperformed their draft capital and should earn a full-time starting role next year.
However, their best selection came earlier in Round 4 with wide receiver/kick returner Chimere Dike. Dike brought in 48 passes for 423 yards and four scores through the air but was even more impressive on special teams, tallying 1,588 kick return yards and 398 yards and two scores on punt returns.
Chimere Dike with a HUGE return to get the @Titans in FG range before the half.
TENvsDEN on FOXhttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/rWAp8Pf1GK
— NFL (@NFL) September 7, 2025
No. 10 - New York Jets
Most Impactful rookie - Armand Membou, OT
Like the Titans, the Jets did not find much success in the win column but added several foundational pieces to their roster. On offense, the main addition was tackle Armand Membou, whom they drafted with the seventh overall pick. The tackle placed above the average marks in both pass and run blocking situations, while earning an overall 72.7 Overall Grade per PFF.
On defense, the key breakout player was safety Malachi Moore. Moore eclipsed the 100-tackle plateau in his debut season while serving as the team's starting strong safety. Moore forced three deflections but did not tally an interception. Additionally, young tight end Mason Taylor and cornerback Azareye'h Thomas both produced when on the field and should be in the mix for starting roles in training camp.
No. 9 - Los Angeles Chargers
Most Impactful rookie - Omarion Hampton, RB
The Chargers would have made a strong case to enter the top-5 if Omarion Hampton stayed on the field for the entire 17-game season. Despite missing nearly half the seasons due to injury, their first-round selection out of North Carolina flashed elite upside, totaling 545 yards on the ground at a strong 4.4 YPC clip.
Joining him on offense was fifth-round rookie Oronde Gadsden II, who tallied 664 yards through the air with three touchdowns and was one of the few truly Day 3 breakout offensive players. While they did not have as much success on defense, the Chargers found two long-term answers on offense which keeps them in the top-10.
No. 8 - Baltimore Ravens
Most Impactful rookie - Malaki Starks, S
The Ravens made an excellent selection in the opening round by adding Georgia safety Malaki Starks to their secondary. Starks would earn an elite 79.9 Run Defense Grade, which placed him 16th among all safeties. Additionally, he would log three interceptions.
Alongside Starks, the Ravens added linebacker Teddye Buchanan, who was a full-time player before suffering an ending injury. While their lone offensive selection, wideout LaJohntay Wester, did not see the field much, their kicker, sixth-round pick Tyler Loop, went 30-for-34 on field goal attempts.
No. 7 - Carolina Panthers
Most Impactful rookie -Tetairoa McMillan, WR
The Panthers smashed expectations in 2025 and claimed the NFC South Title. While their season ended with a Wild Card loss, they have begun making major strides and are emerging from their lengthy rebuild. Their top selection, wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, immediately established himself as one of the best deep threats in the game, catching 70 passes for 1,014 yards and seven scores.
On defense, the Panthers added edge rusher Nic Scourton in Round 2, who tallied 5.0 sacks with 47 tackles, and found another impact player, fellow edge rusher Princely Imanmielen in Round 3, who added 24 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and one forced fumble.
No. 6 - Chicago Bears
Most Impactful rookie - Colston Loveland, TE
While it took some time, Chicago's top pick, tight end Colston Loveland, emerged as one of the game's top breakout tight ends over the second half of the season. From Weeks 9 through 18, Loveland averaged 59.7 yards per game and punched in six touchdowns. The team's second-round pick, Luther Burden III, also had a slow start but totaled 60.1 yards per game from Weeks 10 through 18.
Outside of their two budding stars on the playmaking side, the Bears may have also struck gold in Round 7 with running back Kyle Monangai, who nearly took the starting job from D'Andre Swift.
COLSTON LOVELAND 58 YARDS! WOW! pic.twitter.com/JRZOV8ih3J
— NFL (@NFL) November 2, 2025
No. 5 - New England Patriots
Most Impactful rookie - Will Campbell, OT
The Patriots used the fourth overall pick on LSU's Will Campbell to provide a franchise QB, Drake Maye, with a reliable left tackle. While Campbell missed five games in the regular season, he would earn a strong 76.1 Pass-Blocking Grade. Later in the draft (Round 3), the Patriots also selected a starting guard in Jared Wilson, who struggled as a run-blocker but held his own in pass protection, earning a 62.2 Grade.
In addition to their offense, the Patriots found an impactful playmaker at running back in TreVeyon Henderson, who posted four rushes for greater than 40 yards while averaging an elite 5.1 YPC. On defense, their top pick came in Round 4 (106th overall) in Craig Woodson, who tallied 76 tackles with three deflections.
No. 4 - New York Giants
Most Impactful rookie - Jaxson Dart, QB
When looking at which class was the most impactful, the Giants may take the crown. The Giants not only found their franchise QB in Jaxson Dart but also selected edge rusher Abdul Carter as the third overall pick and running back Cam Skattebo with a Day 3 pick, who quickly emerged as one of the game's top breakout running backs.
Skattebo tallied 410 yards with five scores on 110 carries before suffering a season-ending injury. Dart would score 24 total TDs with 2,272 passing yards and 487 rushing yards while only throwing five interceptions. Carter would be a minor disappointment but would still finish his season with 4.0 sacks and 43 tackles.
No. 3 - New Orleans Saints
Most Impactful rookie - Tyler Shough, QB
The highlight of New Orleans' draft class was quarterback Tyler Shough, who looks like a potential franchise option. The second-round pick began the season on the bench but looked quite comfortable once he took over the starting job. Over 10 games, Shough threw for 2,384 yards and added 186 yards with his legs while scoring 13 total TDs.
Joining Shough was offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., who earned an overall 73.3 Grade on PFF. On defense, the Saints found many quality starters in Quincy Riley (DB, Round 4) and safety Jonas Sanker (Round 4).
No. 2 - Atlanta Falcons
Most Impactful rookie - Xavier Watts, S
While the Falcons only made one offensive selection (Round 7, Jack Nelson), they struck gold with their defensive picks, which pushes them into the top-2 of our ranking. In the opening round, they added two linebackers, Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr., who logged 5.5 and 10.5 sacks, respectively.
However, their best pick came in Round 3 in safety Xavier Watts. Watts tallied an impressive 72.4 Overall grade on PFF, placing him within the top-20 among all safeties, and added five interceptions.
No. 1 - Cleveland Browns
Most Impactful rookie - Carson Schwesinger, LB
Sitting at the top of our list will be the Cleveland Browns. The Browns began the draft by trading down to the No. 5 slot and adding and selecting defensive tackle Mason Graham. Graham was elite at stopping the run, earning a 62.4 Run Defense Grade per PFF.
However, their best picks came on Day 2 and Day 3. In the second round, the Browns found two breakout stars in linebacker Caron Schwesinger and running back Quinshon Judkins. On Day 3, the Browns found their long-term tight end in Harold Fannin Jr. and potentially their franchise QB in Shedeur Sanders in Round 5.
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