In the National Football League, being a rookie is not indicative of your ability to make significant contributions in your initial debut year. While it’s true that high-draft picks often have a smoother route to a starter position or at least to substantial field time, those who are not high-ranking should not be instantly dismissed. There are several examples of players drafted in mid or late rounds who have spent surprisingly little time warming the bench before making their mark. Trailblazers of the recent past include Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Bucky Irving or Los Angeles Chargers’ Tarheeb Still.
Identifying the upcoming rookies likely to set a similar precedent can be complex. But, upon examining the 2025 NFL rookies that made it onto the teams in rounds beyond the first two, a few names stand out. These rookies show the promise of making quite a splash in their freshman year, irrespective of their draft positions.
Among the potential standout rookies, Kyle Williams from New England Patriots indisputably takes a significant spot, despite not being taken in the first round. When the Patriots chose the left tackle Will Campbell as their No. 4 overall pick, it aligned with their off-season mandate to reinforce Drake Maye’s confidence and comfortability in his second year.
But the scene took an unexpected turn on the second day. Cast into the light was running back TreVeyon Henderson along with the very promising Williams, who was selected in the third round. Williams, with his impressive average of 17.1 yards per catch in the previous season at Washington State, has demonstrated considerable talent, routinely zooming past his defenders to reel in distant passes.
Likewise, Xavier Watts, who will be joining the Atlanta Falcons as a safety, shows enormous potential. Standing 6-0 and weighing 205 pounds, he racked up 13 interceptions during his last two years at Notre Dame. Even without remarkable speed, he used his intelligence and understanding of coverage patterns to consistently position himself for claiming plays.
Then we have Nick Martin, the linebacker heading to the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers, having fortified their frontline with the first-round defensive end Mykel Williams and second-round defensive tackle Alfred Collins, decided to replace Dre Greenlaw with Martin. His addition to the team ought to bring an interesting dynamic.
The New Orleans Saints found themselves a possible immediate asset in their coverage strategy with the addition of Quincy Riley in the fourth round. Riley, a cornerback, could potentially fill an immediate need in the coverage department, indicating a promising start to his professional journey.
Last but not least, we have Jaydon Blue, a running back headed to the Dallas Cowboys. Blue managed the second-fastest 40-yard dash among any running backs at the NFL Intercollegiate Scouting Combine, clocking in at 4.38 seconds. His ability to quickly change the pace makes him a valuable asset for the Cowboys, who could use him to increase variety, differentiating from Williams, whose one out of 139 carries saw over 20 yards last season.