{"id":322782,"date":"2025-12-03T13:53:09","date_gmt":"2025-12-03T13:53:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/322782\/"},"modified":"2025-12-03T13:53:09","modified_gmt":"2025-12-03T13:53:09","slug":"ranking-top-2025-nfl-rookies-tetairoa-mcmillan-jaxson-dart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/322782\/","title":{"rendered":"Ranking top 2025 NFL rookies: Tetairoa McMillan, Jaxson Dart"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 2025 NFL draft class has made a major impact this season. Three rookie quarterbacks (Jaxson Dart<\/a>, Tyler Shough<\/a> and Cam Ward<\/a>) are starting for their respective teams. Two tight ends (Colston Loveland<\/a> and Tyler Warren<\/a>) are emerging as versatile options for teams that will likely be in the postseason. And the Atlanta Falcons<\/a>\u2019 two first-round picks at edge rusher (Jalon Walker<\/a> and James Pearce Jr.<\/a>) have five sacks apiece. But how do the league\u2019s top rookies stack up against each other?<\/p>\n

We polled five NFL analysts and reporters — Matt Bowen, Kalyn Kahler, Jeff Legwold, Matt Miller and Jordan Reid — to form a consensus ranking of the top-10 rookies. Who cracked the list after missing our ranking following Week 6?<\/p>\n

Our experts also looked closer at a rookie who could be crucial in the playoffs, the team with the best overall class, and a first-year player who could break out next season. Plus, they named one overperforming late-rounder and one underperforming first-rounder. Let\u2019s begin with the top-10 list through 13 weeks.<\/p>\n

1. Carson Schwesinger, LB, Cleveland Browns<\/p>\n

Stats: 106 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 2 INTs<\/p>\n

Drafted: Round 2, No. 33<\/p>\n

Ranking after Week 6: No. 6<\/p>\n

Schwesinger is a former walk-on at UCLA who is now the favorite for Defensive Rookie of the Year. He has the processing speed of a former bioengineering major in the middle of coordinator Jim Schwartz\u2019s defense. And his physicality has helped Schwesinger rank in the NFL\u2019s top 11 for total tackles. Among those players, Schwesinger has the most tackles for loss (10) and the most QB hits (six). — Legwold<\/p>\n

2. Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Carolina Panthers<\/p>\n

Stats: 57 receptions, 826 yards, 6 TDs<\/p>\n

Drafted: Round 1, No. 8<\/p>\n

Ranking after Week 6: No. 4<\/p>\n

The first wide receiver drafted in April, McMillan has quickly become the go-to option for quarterback Bryce Young<\/a>. He is a big-play threat, averaging 14.5 yards per reception (16th highest in the NFL). And he\u2019s the favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year.<\/p>\n

McMillan has shown no hesitance in stepping into the lead role for the Panthers, who have lacked a true WR1 since DJ Moore<\/a> was traded to the Bears in 2023. McMillan\u2019s catch radius and route-running ability at 6-foot-5 and 212 pounds has translated well to the professional level. Those skills could come up big for the Panthers in the playoffs, as they\u2019re in contention to win the NFC South at 7-6. — Reid<\/p>\n

3. Emeka Egbuka, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers<\/p>\n

Stats: 52 receptions, 791 yards, 6 TDs<\/p>\n

Drafted: Round 1, No. 19<\/p>\n

Ranking after Week 6: No. 1<\/p>\n

Egbuka produced big numbers in the early part of the season: He caught five touchdowns over his first five games, topping the 100-yard receiving mark in Weeks 4 and 5. But a Week 6 hamstring injury has dropped his receiving totals over the second half of the season, which is reflected here on his fall from the top spot in our previous rankings. A defined route runner who can get loose at multiple levels of the field, Egbuka has the makeup of a future No. 1 receiver. — Bowen<\/p>\n

4. Tyler Warren, TE, Indianapolis Colts<\/p>\n

Stats: 58 receptions, 684 receiving yards, 4 TDs<\/p>\n

Drafted: Round 1, No. 14<\/p>\n

Ranking after Week 6: No. 3<\/p>\n

Warren has been fantastic as the Colts\u2019 top option in the passing game while also having proved to be a competent blocker for the ground attack. He has the third-most receiving yards among all tight ends, and he\u2019ll be asked to produce even more in the playoffs as defenses home in on him and running back Jonathan Taylor<\/a>. The future is bright for Warren, who already is emerging as one of the best young tight ends in the league. — Miller<\/p>\n

5. Armand Membou, OT, New York Jets<\/p>\n

Stats: 12 starts, 91.1% pass block win rate, 78.8% run block win rate<\/p>\n

Drafted: Round 1, No. 7<\/p>\n

Ranking after Week 6: Just missed the top 10<\/p>\n

For Jets fans searching for something good to hold onto this season, look no further than the 21-year-old right tackle. The first draft pick of the Aaron Glenn-Darren Mougey regime has been a bright spot on this team and instills optimism that the new leadership might have elite scouting sense. For a team that traded away two cornerstone players this season, Membou looks to be a foundation for the next Jets era. That\u2019s important since a new quarterback is on the horizon. — Kahler<\/p>\n

6. Jaxson Dart, QB, New York Giants<\/p>\n

Stats: 1,417 passing yards, 10 TDs, 3 interceptions; 317 rushing yards, 7 TDs<\/p>\n

Drafted: Round 1, No. 25<\/p>\n

Ranking after Week 6: No. 10<\/p>\n

Dart missed two games with a concussion, but we\u2019ve seen positive signs of development despite a nightmare season for the Giants, who fired their coach and have missed multiple offensive stars due to injuries. Dart can play in rhythm as a thrower, and he can deliver the ball quickly to the third level. Plus, his dual-threat traits create conflict for defenses; New York can use him on designed carries and second-reaction scrambles. The arrow is certainly pointing up here for future seasons. — Bowen<\/p>\n

7. Grey Zabel, G, Seattle Seahawks<\/p>\n

Stats: 12 starts, 91.0% pass block win rate, 84.6% run block win rate<\/p>\n

Drafted: Round 1, No. 18<\/p>\n

Ranking after Week 6: No. 8<\/p>\n

The success of Seattle\u2019s offense this season is in large part due to the consistency of its interior offensive line. Zabel has the highest run block win rate among all qualified guards, using his exceptional agility and strength to clear rushing lanes. His poise in pass protection also stands out every week, as the Seahawks can go toe to toe with any team when quarterback Sam Darnold<\/a> is comfortable. — Miller<\/p>\n

8. Quinshon Judkins, RB, Cleveland Browns<\/p>\n

Stats: 196 carries, 758 rushing yards, 7 TDs; 17 receptions, 88 receiving yards<\/p>\n

Drafted: Round 2, No. 36<\/p>\n

Ranking after Week 6: No. 9<\/p>\n

Despite missing Cleveland\u2019s Week 1 contest, Judkins made an appearance on our initial rookie rankings three weeks later. He has returned to the list after stepping into the lead back role that was vacated by Nick Chubb<\/a> (now with the Texans). Judkins has had 20 or more touches in five games and is the only reliable component on the league\u2019s fourth-worst scoring offense (16.2 points per game). — Kahler<\/p>\n

9. Colston Loveland, TE, Chicago Bears<\/p>\n

Stats: 31 receptions, 406 yards, 3 TDs<\/p>\n

Drafted: Round 1, No. 10<\/p>\n

Ranking after Week 6: Not ranked<\/p>\n

After a slow start to his rookie campaign, Loveland has quickly become one of the best young tight ends in the league. In coach Ben Johnson\u2019s offense — one prone to use multiple-tight-end sets — Loveland has been a security blanket for quarterback Caleb Williams<\/a>. Loveland\u2019s most impressive trait has been his ability to gain yards after the catch, as he averages 2.5 yards after contact per reception (second among all tight ends). — Reid<\/p>\n

10. Will Campbell, OT, New England Patriots<\/p>\n

Stats: 12 starts, 87.9% pass block win rate, 70.4% run block win rate<\/p>\n

Drafted: Round 1, No. 4<\/p>\n

Ranking after Week 6: Just missed top 10<\/p>\n

Campbell is expected to be on injured reserve until at least Week 18 with a knee sprain. But at least some of quarterback Drake Maye<\/a>\u2019s MVP push can be attributed to how well the rookie left tackle has performed. Campbell and the Texans\u2019 Aireontae Ersery<\/a> are the only rookies to have played at least 690 snaps at left tackle this season. — Legwold<\/p>\n

Just missed<\/p>\n

Jihaad Campbell<\/a>, LB, Philadelphia Eagles<\/a>: 53 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 INT<\/p>\n

Abdul Carter<\/a>, Edge, New York Giants<\/a>: 31 tackles, 1.5 sacks<\/p>\n

Walter Nolen III<\/a>, DT, Arizona Cardinals<\/a>: 8 tackles, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery<\/p>\n

Jalon Walker<\/a>, Edge, Atlanta Falcons<\/a>: 31 tackles, 5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery<\/p>\n

Donovan Ezeiruaku<\/a>, Edge, Dallas Cowboys<\/a>: 30 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble<\/p>\n

Also received top-15 votes from our panelists: Kelvin Banks Jr.<\/a>, OT, New Orleans Saints<\/a>; Tyler Booker<\/a>, G, Dallas Cowboys<\/a>; Nick Emmanwori<\/a>, S, Seattle Seahawks<\/a>; TreVeyon Henderson<\/a>, RB, New England Patriots<\/a>; Ashton Jeanty<\/a>, RB, Las Vegas Raiders<\/a>; Kyle Monangai<\/a>, RB, Chicago Bears<\/a>; James Pearce Jr.<\/a>, Edge, Atlanta Falcons<\/a>; Josh Simmons<\/a>, OT, Kansas City Chiefs<\/a><\/p>\n

Which rookie could make the biggest impact in the playoffs?<\/p>\n

Colston Loveland<\/a>, TE, Chicago Bears<\/a>. As Jordan mentioned, Loveland has emerged as a matchup target for Caleb Williams<\/a> in Ben Johnson\u2019s offensive system. Over his past five games, Loveland has caught 20 of 26 targets for 290 yards and three scores.<\/p>\n

The rookie tight end can work the middle of the field on seams and in-breakers, plus Johnson will isolate Loveland in the red zone. This allows Loveland to use his foot quickness and frame to beat man coverage, which will be extremely important in the postseason. — Bowen<\/p>\n

Who is best set up to break out in his sophomore season?<\/p>\n

Walter Nolen III<\/a>, DT, Arizona Cardinals<\/a>. The No. 16 pick has offered tantalizing glimpses of his potential impact even in a season that has been derailed by injuries. He did not play until Nov. 3 due to a calf injury from offseason training. Then he suffered a knee injury in Week 11 that he still hasn\u2019t come back from.<\/p>\n

But in 101 snaps this campaign, Nolen\u2019s explosiveness is clear. He has produced eight tackles, a sack, a batted pass, two QB knockdowns, four tackles for loss and a fumble recovery in those limited number of plays. — Legwold<\/p>\n

Which team has had the best rookie class this season?<\/p>\n

Carolina Panthers<\/a>. While the Browns and the Giants have good cases, my vote goes to Carolina. The aforementioned Tetairoa McMillan<\/a> has thrived as the team\u2019s top pass catcher. Edge rushers Nic Scourton<\/a> and Princely Umanmielen<\/a> have stepped in and contributed to the defensive front. And the Panthers are even getting contributions from many of their Day 3 picks, including safety Lathan Ransom<\/a>, tight end Mitchell Evans<\/a> and wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr.<\/a><\/p>\n

Ransom\u2019s physicality has become infectious throughout the defense; he had 11 tackles and a sack in the Panthers\u2019 Week 13 win over the Rams. Evans is used frequently in 12 personnel sets and has scored two touchdowns. And Horn flashed early in the season despite initially being considered as a depth player. — Reid<\/p>\n

Which first-rounder is underperforming?<\/p>\n

Matthew Golden<\/a>, WR, Green Bay Packers<\/a>. The No. 23 pick missed the past two games with a wrist injury, and he has just 26 catches for 286 yards. He has flashed potential at times, including an 86-yard performance against the Bengals, but he has missed several opportunities for explosive plays.<\/p>\n

On Thanksgiving against Detroit, wideouts Dontayvion Wicks<\/a> and Christian Watson<\/a> stepped up big for Green Bay. But the Packers could have benefitted from their speedy rookie, especially since tight end Tucker Kraft<\/a> is out for the season with a right ACL tear. Golden could return from injury as soon as this week. — Kahler<\/p>\n

Which late-rounder is overperforming?<\/p>\n

Oronde Gadsden II<\/a>, TE, Los Angeles Chargers<\/a>. We can\u2019t close without mentioning this fifth-rounder and what he has meant to quarterback Justin Herbert<\/a>. With 38 receptions, 534 receiving yards and two touchdowns, Gadsden has provided the exact seam-busting option that the Chargers were missing in the middle of the field. The AFC West is loaded with great tight ends, and Gadsden is playing up to that standard. — Miller<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The 2025 NFL draft class has made a major impact this season. Three rookie quarterbacks (Jaxson Dart, Tyler…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":322783,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[436],"tags":[4583,49,48,514,18687,82],"class_list":{"0":"post-322782","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nfl","8":"tag-2025-nfl-draft","9":"tag-ca","10":"tag-canada","11":"tag-nfl","12":"tag-rookies","13":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/322782","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=322782"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/322782\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/322783"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=322782"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=322782"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=322782"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}