Ranking non-Round 1 rookies who could star this NFL season: 10 on offense, 10 on defense

The dust has settled on the 2025 NFL draft, as we've had a few weeks to digest and assess all 257 picks.

The headliners of any draft class will always be the first-round picks; they obviously arrive to the NFL with great expectations. But there are several Day 2 and Day 3 players who will make instant, notable contributions. Look back to 2024, when fourth-round running back Bucky Irving had 1,122 rushing yards and third-round safety Calen Bullock had five interceptions. Both numbers led all rookies last season.

With that in mind, I'm going to rank 10 players on each side of the ball selected in Rounds 2-7 who I expect will make the greatest immediate impact as rookies. I'm factoring in potential role, upside and talent. Let's start with a quarterback who could see a bunch of starts.

Jump to: Offense | Defense

Derek Carr retiring from football means the Saints will go into training camp with a quarterback competition. And I believe Shough will beat out Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener for the starting job.

Now, the Saints' roster might not be set up for the immediate success of a rookie quarterback, but they will likely give Shough every chance to show he can become their long-term fixture under center. Shough's arm talent, ability to read the defense and mobility are the foundation of an impressive skill set. He threw 23 touchdown passes last season and has 32 career starts under his belt.

The Broncos entered the draft needing a running back, and many -- myself included -- thought they might take one with their first-round pick at No. 20. Instead, the Broncos got their guy 40 picks later. Harvey can be the "joker" in Sean Payton's offense, impacting the game as both a runner and receiver. He actually reminds me of Bucky Irving, who was on this list last year and went on to a great rookie season. Harvey is a compact back who plays with a big-back mentality, running through defenders without sacrificing quickness. He's an adept pass catcher, too.

It was clear that Miami valued Savaiinaea during the draft, making an aggressive push up the board to get him. He gives the Dolphins a legitimate starting guard candidate right out of the gate; they had a desperate need to upgrade the position. Savaiinaea showed excellent positional versatility in college, but he should slide inside as a starting guard in Miami's zone-heavy scheme. He allowed only two sacks over three seasons at Arizona.

The Browns snagged a pair of running backs in the first four rounds of the draft, as Judkins and Dylan Sampson (No. 126) give this offense a power and speed duo. Judkins was excellent at both stops in his college career. He showed that he can dominate between the tackles at Ohio State, but he also proved he can be a do-it-all back who even impacts the passing game at Ole Miss. Judkins is a decisive, physical runner who should fit perfectly in the AFC North. Nick Chubb returning seems unlikely, which means Judkins will only have to battle Jerome Ford and Sampson for work.

Henderson is one of the most explosive players in the rookie class, and he will be a big-time factor on third down in New England because of his pass-catching and pass-protecting traits. He provided the lightning to Judkins' thunder for Ohio State last season, and I see a similar profile with the Patriots. Henderson could complement Rhamondre Stevenson well in New England. He provides instant offense as a runner and receiver.

The Steelers saw Najee Harris depart in free agency this offseason, making running back a strong priority for them at some point early in the draft. Johnson had an outstanding 2024 season at Iowa, using his size, physicality and pass-game acumen to become one of FBS's best RBs. He ran for 1,537 yards and scored 23 touchdowns from scrimmage. Jaylen Warren will of course play a useful role for Pittsburgh, but offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has a well-established affinity for bigger, bruising backs like Johnson. It won't surprise me at all if he leads Pittsburgh in carries this season.

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The Jets' hole at tight end was one of the most glaring position needs in the league entering the draft. Their top returning player, Jeremy Ruckert, has zero touchdowns in three seasons. But Taylor is a pro-ready fix. He can hold his own as a blocker and has the ultrareliable hands necessary to work the middle of the field and provide a safety net for quarterback Justin Fields.

Lions GM Brad Holmes has made it a point to target reliable and extremely tough players in the draft. That describes Ratledge well. He allowed only one sack in each of the past two seasons at Georgia and exudes toughness on tape. Kevin Zeitler's departure to Tennessee opens a starting guard job in Detroit, and I like Ratledge's chances to fill that role.

The Texans had to remake their wide receiver room this offseason, with Tank Dell's timeline to return from his knee injury still uncertain and Stefon Diggs departing for the Patriots. Higgins will join Christian Kirk and fellow draft pick Jaylin Noel in trying to fill that void. Higgins brings an excellent combination of size and speed to the position, similar to teammate Nico Collins. He showed very good discipline and body control on passes thrown his way on the sideline in college, and that should help him build chemistry with C.J. Stroud in a hurry.

The Bengals came into the draft with an obvious need at guard, using a pair of picks on Fairchild and Jalen Rivers in the fifth round. I view Fairchild as the superior prospect, and he should have the inside track to start right away for Cincinnati. He brings reliable pass protection -- he allowed pressure on 0.4% of his pass-block reps during the 2024 season -- and toughness. Fairchild rarely found himself out of position in college and has an excellent temperament. He plays every snap with a level of consistency that offensive line coaches love.

Gunnar Helm, TE, Tennessee Titans (No. 120): Helm will have the opportunity to be Cam Ward's best friend as a safety valve at tight end. Helm isn't going to provide explosive plays, but he showed great hands and middle-of-the-field instincts at Texas. He finds soft spots in zone coverage and is effective staying alive in unscripted situations. He'll pair well with Ward in this offense.

Jaylin Lane, WR/PR, Washington Commanders (No. 128): While Lane will have a chance to earn receiver snaps for Washington, what most excites me about his early impact is in the kicking game. Lane is arguably the best punt returner in the draft class. Back in 2021, he averaged 15.5 yards per return, second best in FBS. He's shifty and instinctive, and he can flat-out fly. Olamide Zaccheaus handled the highest number of punt returns for the Commanders in 2024 but signed with the Bears this offseason. Lane should help pile up hidden yards.

Robbie Ouzts, FB, Seattle Seahawks (No. 175): Ouzts did not see the football much at Alabama (16 career catches), but he is a rugged and versatile blocker. The Seahawks hired Klint Kubiak this offseason and will rely much more on two-RB sets. Ouzts will make the move to fullback and compete for that starting role. His combination of power at the point of attack and understanding of angles as a run blocker should allow him to make the position switch relatively seamlessly.

Brashard Smith, RB, Kansas City Chiefs (No. 228): There were several late-round running backs I could have chosen here, as the exceptional depth of the class pushed many of them down the board. Smith switched from wide receiver at Miami to running back at SMU, which speaks to his unique versatility that should lead to schemed touches for him in Kansas City. Smith is great after the catch and shows fantastic lateral agility and straight-line speed.

There is uncertainty surrounding Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah's health after his neck injury last season, and that likely played a role in the Browns opening the second round with Schwesinger, whose movement skills have some shades of JOK. Schwesinger broke out in 2024, piling up 115 tackles and playing excellent coverage. His ability to carry pass catchers up the middle of the field and find space in zone drops make him an every-down player for Cleveland.

Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald maximizes the talent of safeties, and few safeties have entered the NFL with Emmanwori's physical traits. The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder has 4.38 speed and explosiveness. The Seahawks moving up the board for him signals they believe Emmanwori can fit in somewhere from the jump. He certainly has the speed and range to play center field, but I also see the size and physicality to play in the box as a "big nickel" safety/linebacker hybrid.

Man, what value at No. 47, even with the knee injury concerns. I actually liked Johnson as a fit at No. 16 for Arizona, given his skill set and the team's need at corner. Getting him in Round 2 is even better. Johnson has excellent ball skills and size, along with the instincts to thrive in Arizona's zone-heavy scheme. The Cardinals played 61.0% of their coverage snaps in zone in 2024.

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Cincinnati has worked to overhaul its defense this offseason and found a plug-and-play starter in Knight, whose hard-hitting, physical nature should bring an attitude adjustment to the Bengals' D. Knight finished his college career at South Carolina and was around the ball often. He had three forced fumbles, a pair of sacks and an interception last season. Remember, Germaine Pratt requested a trade, too, so there could be plenty of snaps on the table for Knight.

The 49ers entered the draft with a need at one starting linebacker spot after Dre Greenlaw left in free agency, and Martin can fill it. He lacks ideal size at 6-foot and 221 pounds, but he makes up for it with electric speed and a fearless nature on every snap. Martin showed legitimate pass-rush instincts in 2023, too, with six sacks. And while he was injured for most of 2024, his 140 tackles in 2023 were the most by any Oklahoma State player since 1984.

Regardless of where Tuimoloau ended up, I was always going to feel really good about his prospects of playing early. JTT was a three-year starter and four-year contributor at Ohio State, and he displays terrific instincts, power, hand usage and explosion off the edge. In Indy, I think he can make a real impact as a pass rusher and run defender. Tuimoloau had 12.5 sacks in 2024, often looking his best during the biggest moments.

Adding another defensive tackle was a priority for the Chiefs early in this draft, considering they lost Tershawn Wharton in free agency. Having another big body on the defensive line can make life easier for Chris Jones. Norman-Lott is a standout pass rusher from inside, showing disruptive up-field rush skills that helped him to 9.5 sacks over the past two seasons. Playing next to Jones should create plenty of one-on-one rush reps for him.

I don't think any other edge rusher in this year's class takes his run stuffing/edge setting responsibilities as pridefully as Scourton. He's a heavy-handed, powerful and intense player on every single down. Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero will trust Scourton in any situation given that dependability as a run defender and his pass-rush prowess. While his sack production dipped in 2024 (five), he led the Big Ten in sacks at Purdue in 2023 (10). Scourton arrives in Carolina with an advanced arsenal of rush tactics and can contribute right away -- especially since the team cut Jadeveon Clowney.

The Eagles' remodel of their secondary continued into the draft, as they used the final pick of the second round on the instinctive, pro-ready Mukuba. I love his football IQ, and while Mukuba has a smaller frame for a safety (he was only 186 pounds at the combine), he packs a lot of power as a physical tackler. His versatility to play in the slot a little bit should only increase early playing time.

Tampa Bay doubled-dipped at cornerback on Day 2, selecting Parrish in Round 3 after taking Benjamin Morrison in Round 2. Parrish finished 64th on my final board, and I believe he can translate his versatile game to the pro level. He played 395 snaps as an outside corner and 201 snaps as a slot corner in 2024. Parrish has premier speed and capable ball skills, and he is a very skilled blitzer. That should shine on a Todd Bowles-coached team.

Barryn Sorrell, Edge, Green Bay Packers (No. 124): The Packers were tied for the highest percentage of snaps in zone coverage last season at 70.2%, but I think defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley wants more man coverage. He just didn't have the right personnel. The best way to help corners in man coverage is having an impactful pass rush. Sorrel brings value because of his versatility, as Texas did a very good job of letting him rush from multiple alignments, including as an interior rusher. That's a blueprint Green Bay can follow.

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, DL, Minnesota Vikings (No. 139): Minnesota overhauled its defensive line this offseason with a pair of big-ticket veteran additions in Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, so Ingram-Dawkins does not have a clear path to a large role. But his versatility is key. Georgia played him in multiple spots along the defensive front, and while his sack production was not robust, he was a havoc wreaker with his length, burst and strength. Coordinator Brian Flores is among the most innovative defensive minds in the league and will throw out some wonky fronts that can confuse quarterbacks. Ingram-Dawkins has the traits to be a movable chess piece along the D-line as depth in Minnesota.

Jordan Phillips, DT, Miami Dolphins (No. 143): Phillips was a wrestler and weightlifter in high school, and that shows up on his tape. He is one of the most physical run defenders in the rookie class and plays with excellent leverage. Miami landed Kenneth Grant with its first-round pick, but Phillips will also help the Dolphins become much more physical and tougher on the defensive front.