Every NFL Team's Biggest Rookie Bust from 2025: NFL Rookie Report Card

February 14, 2026

Every NFL team's biggest rookie bust. Who were the most disappointing rookies during the 2025 NFL season. Andy's top rookie busts include Matthew Golden, Kaleb Johnson, more

With the 2025 regular season in the books, it's time to take a look at every team's worst rookie from the 2025 season.

However, when looking at each team's bust, we will only consider rookies selected in the first three rounds, since they had higher expectations in their debut campaigns compared to the Day 3 selections.

Who was every NFL team's most disappointing rookie relative to draft day cost? Let's dive in!

Arizona Cardinals

Jordan Burch, LB

Arizona's third-round pick Jordan Burch will represent them on this list. Burch appeared in all 17 games but made a small impact on defense, logging only one sack with a mere 23 tackles. Per PFF, the Oregon product totaled a low 49.0 Overall Grade and logged just 16 total pressures, placing him 108th and 101st among all defensive linemen.

Atlanta Falcons

Jalon Walker, LB

While Walker is not the typical "bust" among the team's other Day 1 and Day 2 picks, James Pearce Jr. and Xavier Watts, Walker will hold the spot on our list. Walker was the team's opening round selection and logged only 36 tackles with 5.5 sacks. In fact, much of his production came down the stretch as he logged 4.5 sacks and 22 of his tackles over his last 10 games. Both Pearce Jr. and Watts flashed significantly more upside.

Baltimore Ravens

Mike Green, DE

Baltimore's second-round selection will hold the next spot on our list. Green was selected with the 59th overall pick out of Marshall. Green would finish his debut season, logging only 3.5 sacks with 41 total tackles. He did not log any pass deflections but did earn one fumble recovery. Per PFF, Green earned a low 46.3 Overall Grade, placing him 109th among the 115th graded edge rushers.

Buffalo Bills

T.J. Sanders, DT

Buffalo's second-round selection will take the next spot. Sanders appeared in 12 games but began to take on a full-time role down the stretch. However, the South Carolina product did not make much of an impact, logging only 16 total tackles with 1.0 sacks. Per PFF, the defensive tackle earned a low 39.9 Overall Grade.

Carolina Panthers

Princely Umanmielen, DE

Umanmielen played in 16 games in his debut campaign but never made an impact. The third round selection logged 24 tackles across this 16-game stint. He added 1.5 sacks with one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He would only log more than three tackles in one contest (Week 6) and finished his season with a low 46.0 Overall Grade (on PFF).

Chicago Bears

Ozzy Trapilo, OT

While Shemar Turner was under consideration to hold the position in this list, he appeared in only five games before suffering a season-ending injury, which will exempt him from the bust list. Instead, offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo will hold the spot. Trapilo took on a full-time role in the second half due to injuries and would finish his debut campaign with a modest 70.0 Overall Grade. He struggled in the run-blocking game, posting a low 63.6 Grade, well below the average mark.

Cincinnati Bengals

Shemart Stewart, DE

Shemar Stewart had a delayed start to his debut campaign due to a contract dispute. However, when he did step on the field, the first round selection was not overly impressive. The Texas A&M product logged a mere 11 total tackles with one sack across an 11-game stint. His underlying 41.2 Overall Grade on PFF placed him last among all defensive linemen.

Cleveland Browns

Dillon Gabriel, QB

The Browns rounded out their Day 2 selections with QB Dillon Gabriel out of Oregon. However, with Shedeur Sanders looking far more competent down the stretch, it appears Gabriel will not be the team's long-term answer under center. Through his six starts, Gabriel averaged all of 153.0 yards per game with a 6:2 TD:INT. Given that Gabriel was benched in favor of Sanders, he will be viewed as a bust for the time being.

Dillon Gabriel floats one to Harold Fannin Jr. for a rookie to rookie TD!

CLEvsNE on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/Xs7u7OSXA8

— NFL (@NFL) October 26, 2025

Dallas Cowboys

Shavon Revel, DB

Dallas' third-round selection will hold the next spot on our list. Revel missed the first nine games of the season due to injuries but stumbled upon its first taste of action and the stretch. From Weeks 11 through 17, Revel logged 35 tackles with three deflections. According to PFF, Revel struggled in coverage, earning a 35.2 Overall Grade and posting a high 119.7 Passer Rating Allowed.

Denver Broncos

Pat Bryant, WR

The team's third-round selection did not make much of an impact in his debut season. Despite having the WR2 role wide open for most of the season, Bryant was unable to draw consistent targets from Bo Nix. Bryant would finish his season with only 31 catches for 378 yards and a score across 15 games. He caught only five or more passes in two games.

Detroit Lions

Tyleik Williams, DT

The Lions bolstered their defensive line with Tyleik Williams in the first round (28th overall). However, the Ohio State product did not make much of an impact in this debut campaign, despite appearing in all 17 games. Williams would tally just one sack with a mere 18 total tackles. Per PFF, the former Buckeye earned a low 62.6 Overall Grade with just 19 total pressures.

Green Bay Packers

Matthew Golden, WR

Matthew Golden entered the league with high expectations as he was slated to take over a wide-open GB WR room that was dealing with numerous injuries to begin the season. With Jayden Reed and Christian Watson on the shelf for most of the first half, Golden was still unable to emerge as a full-time player. Through 14 games, he caught only 29 passes with no scores and often took the backseat to veteran wideout Romeo Doubs.

However, in their Wild Card loss, Golden showed flashes of his upside, tallying 84 yards and his first career touchdown on four receptions.

Perfect timing for Matthew Golden

📺: Prime Video pic.twitter.com/BdAmZiUSZX

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) January 11, 2026

Houston Texans

Jaylin Noel, WR

Jaylin Noel showed flashes at times but did not string together a consistent debut campaign. The team's Round 3 selection (79th overall) caught only 26 passes for 292 yards and two touchdowns. Noel was never able to emerge as a full-time option in this offense, even with Christian Kirk and Nico Collins missing time throughout the season.

He totaled a season-high 77 yards in Week 7 against the Seahawks.

Indianapolis Colts

JT Tuimoloau, DE

While the Colts struck gold with their first selection in tight end Tyler Warren, their second-round pick, DE JT Tuimoloau, was very underwhelming in his first season as a professional. Through 13 games, the Ohio State product logged only 17 tackles with no sacks. The 22-year-old only logged more than three tackles in one contest and earned a low 60.6 Overall Grade on PFF.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Travis Hunter, WR/DB

While Travis Hunter did show immense potential at times, he did not live up to his No. 2 overall draft capital. Additionally, the Jaguars traded up to acquire Hunter, but he did not provide enough value in his first season, even before suffering a season-ending injury. Through his first seven games, the Colorado standout caught only 28 passes for one touchdown. With Jakobi Meyers now signed long-term and the emergence of Parker Washington, Hunter will face even more competition for snaps on the offensive side of the ball in 2026.

Kansas City Chiefs

Ashton Gillotte, DE

The Louisville product joined the Chiefs in the third round but struggled to adjust in his debut season. Gillotte earned a low 58.5 Overall Grade on PFF, placing him 87th among the 115th edge rushers that were graded. He tallied just 1.5 sacks with 38 tackles across a full 17-game season. He did add one interception and log one pass deflection.

Las Vegas Raiders

Jack Bech, WR

While running back Ashton Jeanty made a case to be on this list, the team's second-round selection, WR Jack Bech, was far more disappointing in his first look at the NFL. Bech was selected with the 58th overall pick out of TCU and was expected to take on a larger role in a weak pass-catching room in Las Vegas. However, Bech would finish his rookie campaign with only 20 catches for 224 yards and no touchdowns and was often deployed as the team's No. 3/No. 4 option.

Los Angeles Chargers

Tre' Harris, WR

Another disappointing second-round WR was Tre' Harris out of Ole Miss. Like Bech, Harris was expected to play a lead role early in his debut campaign, but was unable to carve out consistent targets. Harris would finish his first season in Los Angeles, catching just 30 passes for 324 yards and a touchdown. He would only eclipse the 50-yard mark in one single contest and would take the backseat to Quentin Johnston, Ladd McConkey, and Keenan Allen.

Los Angeles Rams

Terrance Ferguson, TE

The Rams did not have a first-round selection this season and took TE Terrance Ferguson with their first selection in the second round. While Ferguson showed flashes at times, he was unable to emerge as a consistent option in the offense. Ferguson would catch only 11 total passes but would show solid YAC ability, totaling at least 20 yards on seven of them. While he did not live up to his draft capital as a rookie, he could be a breakout in 2026 if given the lead role.

Miami Dolphins

Kenneth Grant, DT

The Dolphins selected Kenneth Grant out of Michigan with the 13th selection in the opening round. While Grant showed some potential in the back half of the season, his overall productivity was very underwhelming given his draft capital. According to PFF, Grant would earn a disappointing 48.4 Overall Grade, placing him 107th out of the 134 DTs. He also logged just 2.0 sacks with 33 total tackles.

Minnesota Vikings

Tai Felton, WR

The Vikings selected WR Tai Felton in the third round (102nd overall). Felton spent the majority of the season on the bench and would only catch three passes for a mere 25 yards during his entire debut season. Felton logged double-digit offensive snaps in only two games and was typically kept in a special teams role. Felton was unable to even emerge as the consistent No. 3 WR in the offense.

New England Patriots

Kyle Williams, WR

New England's third-round pick, Kyle Williams, flashed some big-play upside but was unable to string together much consistency over the course of the 2025 campaign. Despite playing in a WR room that lacked a bona fide No.2 and No. 3 option, Williams was unable to earn stable targets. He would catch only 10 of his 21 total targets for 209 yards and three touchdowns. He will look to take the next step in Year 2.

Kyle Williams turned the JETS ON 🏎️

📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/s1Krwc6jG3

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) November 9, 2025

New Orleans Saints

Vernon Broughton, DT

Given that the Saints made two strong selections in the opening rounds (Kelvin Banks Jr. and Tyler Shough), third-round selection Vernon Broughton will represent them on this list. Broughton was only able to appear in one contest during his debut campaign as he dealt with a hip injury for the majority of the season. In his lone contest, Broughton would log three assisted tackles without a sack.

New York Giants

Darius Alexander, DT

The Giants selected DT Darius Alexander in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Playing in a rotational role, Alexander was unable to make much of an impact. The 65th overall pick would log a mere 3.5 sacks with just 20 total tackles. The Toledo product would log one total pass deflection and earn an undehrwlming 42.9 Overall Grade on PFF.

New York Jets

Azareye'h Thomas, DB

While second-round selection Mason Taylor was inconsistent, the young TE did show enough in his debut campaign not to be viewed as a complete bust. Instead, third-rounder Azareye'h Thomas will get the nod on our list. Thomas played in 12 games and was unable to emerge against a weak New York secondary. PFF gave the Florida State product a 55.1 Overall Grade, placing him 87th among the 114th graded cornerbacks in the game.

Philadelphia Eagles

Andrew Mukuba, S

The Eagles did not have a third round, leaving only Jihaad Campbell and Andrew Mukuba eligible for this list. Given that Campbell was one of the top value picks in the class, Mukuba faces little competition for this spot. The safety joined the reigning champions with the 64th overall pick out of Texas. As a rookie, Mukuba would log 46 tackles with two interceptions. He placed 73rd among the 98 safeties per PFF Overall Grade.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Kaleb Johnson, RB

One of the most disappointing offensive players in this class was running back Kaleb Johnson. The Iowa standout entered the draft as one of the top rookie prospects in the class but was unable to make any impact in the Steel City. As a rookie, Johnson was kept in the No. 3 role, behind Kenneth Gainwell and Jaylen Warren. He would finish his season taking only 28 carries for 69 yards with no touchdowns.

San Francisco 49ers

Mykel Williams, DE

Even though the reigning 11th overall pick only appeared in nine games, he made a minimal impact, which earned him a spot on our list. The 49ers selected Mykel Williams out of Georgia and expected him to take on a lead role on the defensive line. However, over his nine NFL contests, the former Bulldog would log just one sack with 20 total tackles. PFF would grade Williams as one of the worst edge rushers in the game, sitting 101st out of the 115 graded linemen.

Seattle Seahawks

Elijah Arroyo, TE

The Seahawks made two excellent decisions with their first two picks, adding offensive lineman Grey Zabel and safety Nick Emmanwori in the opening rounds, leaving TE Elijah Arroyo as the clear choice for this list. Arroyo entered a weak TE room and had a path to take over starting duties. However, Arroyo would finish his debut campaign, catching only 15 passes for 179 yards and one touchdown and often played behind AJ Barner on the depth chart.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Benjamin Morrison, DB

The Buccaneers added Notre Dame product Benjamin Morrison in the second round (53rd overall). Morrison would appear in 10 games but showed major growing pains at the NFL level. The 21-year-old would log only 26 tackles (19 solo) with four deflections and one fumble recovery. Per PFF, Morrison earned a 49.0 Overall Grade and allowed a 110.0 Passer Rating, the 18th-worst at the position.

Tennessee Titans

Oluwafemi Oladejo, LB

While Cam Ward did not have the most dominant campaign, he showed enough raw talent to avoid the "bust" label. Instead, second-round selection Oluwafemi Oladejo will represent the Titans on our list. The linebacker appeared in six games as a rookie and did not have much of an impact on the defensive side of the ball. He logged only 13 total tackles. He ended his debut season with a low 48.2 Overall Grade on PFF.

Washington Commanders

Trey Amos, DB

The Commanders only made two selections over the first three rounds, offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. and defensive back Trey Amos. Given that Conerly started all 17 games and showed solid progress over the season, Amos will round out our rookie bust list. The defensive back joined the Commanders with th6st selection out of Ole Miss. Through 10 games, Amos would tally 32 tackles with six deflections and earn a modest 55.8 Overall Grade (82nd out of 114 DBs).

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