The most valuable thing any NFL GM can do in their career is hit on their draft picks. This season, we have seen several players from the 2025 draft class shine early, and the future of the NFL looks brighter than ever. This got me thinking about which rookies have looked the best so far and what the all-rookie first team would look like today.
I have included my pre-draft ranking and the draft pick for each player listed to show how their play this year has stacked up compared to expectations.
QB – Jaxson Dart – Pick 26 (My QB 4)
One of my biggest misses in the draft was having Dart outside of my top 100 prospects. Coming out of the draft, he appeared to be an increidbly raw player that needed a lot of development. But Brian Daboll and his staff have done great work and Dart looks like the future in New York. Cam Ward makes a strong case, but on a game to game basis, Dart has looked better.
RB – Quinshon Judkins – Pick 36 (My RB 3)
Judkins was my guy in last years RB class, and having him graded above Hampton and Henderson was not a popular pick in the draft community. Some off the field issues came up before the draft which caused me to drop Judkins just before the draft, but the talent was never in doubt. When he took the field for Cleveland, he looked like the player I had been expecting. Hes a future star.
WR 1 – Tet McMillan – Pick 8 (My WR 1) Emeka Egbuka – Pick 19 (My WR 3) Elic Ayomanor – Pick 136 (My WR 5)
McMillan has been as advertised, dominating opponents and would likely be the favorite for OROY if he played anywhere but Carolina. Emeka Egbuka is the current favorite for OROY and has flashed a skillset that will last him a long time in the NFL. Ayomanor was my guy in the draft and those skills have shown up on tape with the Titans, and he may very well be the best reciever on their roster.
TE – Tyler Warren – Pick 14 (My TE 1)
Tyler Warren is a superstar in the making, and has proven himself as one of the best young tight ends in football in just eight games. Warren was my TE 1 in the draft and has exceeded even my high expectations for him. Gadsden and Fannin have also been great, but Warren is on another level. Along with Brock Bowers, the future of the tight end position in the NFL is in good hands.
OL – Aireonte Ersery – Pick 48 (My OT 5) Armand Membou- Pick 48 (My OT 4) Joshua Simmons – Pick 32 (My OT 2) Kelvin Banks – Pick 9 (My OT 3) Grey Zabel – Pick 18 (My OL 2)
I chose to do five offenisve lineman as a whole for this part rather than by doing all five positions. There is no rookie in this years class that has played enough snaps at center for me to even qualify them hense why I have graded offensive lineman this way.
Four of my top 5 tackles crack this list, with Membou, Ersery, Simmons and Banks all looking great early in their career. Picking the fifth spot was tough, as Donovan Jackson, Will Campbell, Tate Ratledge, Dylan Fairchold and Grey Zabel have all looked great. I chose to go with Zabel because I simply think he has been more consistent on tape. Regardless, this OL class is one of the best we have seen in a long time.
EDGE – Abdul Carter – Pick 3 (My EDGE 1), Nic Scourton – Pick 51 (My EDGE 3)
Despite a lack of total sacks, both Carter and Scourton have made their impacts felt defensively. Despite just having .5 sacks, Carter has consistently been in the backfield and wrecking havoc on opposing offenses. Scourton only has two sacks, but has been a very consistent member of the Panthers defense, and has made an impact both as a pass rusher and a run defender.
IDL – Jamaree Caldwell – Pick 86 (My NT 2), Deone Walker – Pick 109 (My DT 15)
The 2025 IDL class is a great mix of hits and misses for me. Caldwell was my guy, and I was one of the few people who loved when the chargers picked him early in the third round. That was the hit, the miss comes from Deone Walker, who I was not a fan of in the draft. I had a lot of concerns about his pad level in the NFL, but he has been dominant for the Bills and has proven me wrong nearly every game this year.
LB – Carson Schwesinger – Pick 33 (My LB 3), Jihad Campbell – Pick 31 (My LB 2)
There is not a ton of shock here, as Schwesinger and Campbell were almost unanamously considered top 50 prospects. Jalon Walker was my top LB in the draft, and he has struggled some early, but I have confidence he will figure it out with time. Campbell has been incredible for the Eagles and I have loved what Schwesinger has shown as well. Both guys should have very successful careers.
CB – Will Johnson – Pick 47 (My CB 1), Trey Amos – Pick 61 (My CB 8), Nohl Williams – Pick 85 (My CB 9)
The way that corners fall in the NFL draft will never make sense to me. First Christian Gonzolez, now Will Johnson. Johnson was clearly the top corner in the class, but he fell about 40 picks further than he should have and he has proven it so far. Trey Amos has been great for Washington so far this year and has covered up struggles by other members of the secondary. Nohl Williams has been incredible for the Chiefs but has had some limited snaps, after the deadline, I expect him to break out.
S – Nick Emmanwori – Pick 35 (My S 1), Jonas Sanker – Pick 93 (My S 4)
Emmanwori was the best athlete in the class and he found the perfect landing spit with the Seahawks. They have moved him around the field and have made him one of the most versitile defensive weapons in football already. Sanker was one of my guys and mentioned him as one of my favorite prospects several times during the offseason. When Tyraan Mathieu retired this offseason, he stepped into a big role and has looked great this year.
HM – Travis Hunter
I am not letting this go. Travis Hunter was clearly my number one prospect in the class last season, and while he has flashed, the Jaguars simply need to use him more. I strongly believe he can play significant snaps as a reciever and a corner and he deserves to play both significantly more. Hunter has the potential to be the “Othani of the NFL” but the Jaguars need to be willing to use him as such.
