Which rookie from each NFL team will make the biggest impact in 2025?

Fox News

07-05-2025

More than ever, players are expected to play important roles immediately upon entering the league. That will be the case for first-round and even later-round picks across all 32 teams. There will be some players needed more than others due to team needs and roster makeup, though.
So, in an effort to identify those players, we've examined each team's full draft class and the respective rosters they're joining to spotlight the rookie we believe will make the biggest impact on each club in 2025.
*Each player's drafted slot (round, overall selection) is in parentheses. AFC East Buffalo Bills: CB Maxwell Hairston (first, No. 30)
Hairston was a guy the league was much higher on than the media was throughout the pre-draft process, and it showed with the Bills taking him in the first round. He instantly makes the Bills defense better and should slot right in opposite Christian Benford. Miami Dolphins: OG Jonah Savaiinaea (second, No. 37)
I've been begging the Dolphins to bolster their offensive line for what feels like years (because it has been) and they finally acquiesced in the second round. They'll need Savaiinaea to slot in at right guard immediately. The good news is, he'll be playing next to former first-round pick Austin Jackson. (second, No. 30) New England Patriots: OT Will Campbell (first, No. 4)
If there was any doubt Campbell was a Mike Vrabel kind of guy, he put it to rest when he said he would fight and die to protect his new quarterback, Drake Maye, as he fought back tears in his post-draft interview. That's exactly the kind of tone-setting attitude you want for this Patriots offensive line, and Maye should breathe a little easier with Campbell now in front of him. New York Jets: OT Armand Membou (first, No. 7)
Membou was my favorite offensive lineman in the draft and his addition to this Jets unit instantly makes them one of the best in the conference. That's good news for quarterback Justin Fields, who hasn't ever really had any peace of mind about his guys up front. That changes now. AFC North Baltimore Ravens: RT Emery Jones Jr. (three, No. 91)
Obviously, first-round pick Malaki Starks is going to grab the headlines — and he will be a tremendously impactful player next to Kyle Hamilton. However. Ronnie Stanley played a full season for the first time in his career last year. It's a likelihood that he misses at least some time, and the Ravens' backup plan isn't great. That's where Jones comes in as the swing tackle. Ensuring the drop-off between your starting left tackle and backup isn't steep is going to make a huge difference for Lamar Jackson and this Ravens run game. Cincinnati Bengals: Edge Shemar Stewart (one, No. 17)
There's still a chance the Bengals lose Trey Hendrickson. Even if they don't, the tandem of him and Stewart should mean a significant upgrade for Cincinnati's defense, which is so desperately needed. Cleveland Browns: RB Quinshon Judkins (two, No. 36)
With all the quarterback chaos going on in Cleveland, the Browns are going to need a solid run game. The expectation is that they're not going to re-sign Nick Chubb, so that puts the onus on Jerome Ford and Judkins to produce for this offense. Pittsburgh Steelers: DT Derrick Harmon (one, No. 21)
Derrick Harmon was one of my favorite players in this draft class. He was going to be an instant upgrade to whichever team he ended up with, but Pittsburgh getting him almost seems unfair. You don't keep a strength a strength unless you constantly feed it, and that's what the Steelers did with their defensive interior rotation. AFC South Houston Texans: OT Aireontae Ersery (two, No. 48 overall)
Clearly, C.J. Stroud needed more from his offensive line last year. Waiting until the second round to do it was a risk by the Texans, but they got a raw player who could develop into a long-term starter in Ersery. Indianapolis Colts: Edge JT Tuimoloau (two, No. 45 overall)
The Colts lost Dayo Odeyingbo to free agency, so they needed to bolster their pass rush. They're going to need Tuimoloau to step up immediately. Jacksonville Jaguars: CB/WR Travis Hunter (one, No. 2 overall)
Another "duh." The only question is which side of the ball Hunter is going to have the biggest impact on. Tennessee Titans: QB Cam Ward (one, No. 1 overall)
In a scarce quarterback class, the Titans got the one guy with the fewest question marks. Ward has answered most of his concerns with his play, getting better every season and every week. It's not often you go from Incarnate Word to the first overall pick in the NFL Draft, but the fact that Ward managed it should make Tennessee really excited that it got its guy of the future. AFC West Denver Broncos: RB RJ Harvey (two, No. 60 overall)
Not only will Bo Nix be able to benefit from a bolstered run game, but the hope is that Harvey gives him a quick option to get the ball out underneath in the receiving game. I have to imagine Sean Payton will figure out how to use Harvey in multiple ways and for him to become a significant part of this offense in Denver. Kansas City Chiefs: OT Josh Simmons (one, No. 32 overall)
Whenever Simmons returns from injury, he should immediately be in that left tackle spot. Had he not suffered the patellar injury, he would have been a top-15 pick. Now, that's a hard injury to come back from, but the Chiefs are going to give him every opportunity to do so and if he can return to form, somehow Kansas City could have secured the steal of the draft. Las Vegas Raiders: RB Ashton Jeanty (one, No. 6 overall)
An offense that includes Brock Bowers and now Ashton Jeanty is going to be so fun. The Raiders also have a veteran at quarterback who is fully capable of distributing the ball and extending plays. I'm so excited to see how Jeanty is used. Los Angeles Chargers: RB Omarion Hampton (one, No. 22 overall)
A running back? Selected by Jim Harbaugh? Huh. Weird. Except not at all. The Chargers let both J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards walk in free agency in an effort to completely remake their offensive backfield. I'm excited to see Hampton thrive in this offense under Harbaugh. NFC East Dallas Cowboys: Edge Donovan Ezeiruaku (two, No. 44 overall)
I love this pickup for the Cowboys, getting an edge rusher to line opposite Micah Parsons. The tandem is going to elevate this defense. That being said, I would have put a wide receiver in this slot no matter what round he was taken in, except the Cowboys unfathomably didn't draft one. New York Giants: Edge Abdul Carter (one, No. 3 overall)
Carter was arguably the best player in the draft. Duh. Philadelphia Eagles: Edge Jihaad Campbell (one, No. 31 overall)
How does general manager Howie Roseman keep getting away with this? Somehow, someway, the Eagles always manage to get a guy that makes you go, "Seriously!?" That's the impact Campbell's going to have right away. Washington Commanders: T Josh Conerly Jr. (one, No. 29 overall)
Fortifying this offensive line in front of Jayden Daniels is going to pay dividends this year. Conerly lasting that long in the first round was a steal. NFC North Chicago Bears: TE Colston Loveland (one, No. 10 overall)
The Lions ran 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends) at the third-highest clip in the league last year. With Ben Johnson in Chicago now, you can bet that Loveland will see the field a lot as the new head coach remakes this offense in his way. Detroit Lions: DT Tyleik Williams (one, No. 28 overall)
I know fans in Detroit were clamoring for a true threat pass rusher opposite Aidan Hutchinson, especially with him coming off an injury, but beefing up the interior rotation will help Hutchinson, too. Minnesota Vikings: OL Donovan Jackson (one, No. 24 overall)
No single unit is going to be as underrated as Minnesota's new offensive line. Between free agency and the drafting of Jackson, though, this is a solid unit to help usher in J.J. McCarthy as the Vikings' quarterback of the future. Green Bay Packers: T Anthony Belton (two, No. 54 overall)
I hardly think it's a coincidence that every single team in the NFC North addressed their offensive lines in some way, shape or form this offseason. This division is going to be a bloodbath. NFC South Atlanta Falcons: S Xavier Watts (third, No. 96 overall)
I think this could end up being a steal for the Falcons, which is why I put Watts ahead of both the pass rushers the Falcons took. They sure love doubling up on needs, but Watts can be such a great addition to help direct traffic in the defensive backfield. Carolina Panthers: WR Tetairoa McMillan (first, No. 8 overall)
I have to imagine quarterback Bryce Young is excited about this one. He needed more weapons and the Panthers invested in one in a big way. Expect McMillian to be heavily involved, obviously. New Orleans Saints: QB Tyler Shough (two, No. 40 overall)
If Derek Carr isn't healthy and Spencer Rattler struggles, guess whose turn it is? There is a world where Shough starts games for New Orleans, so it's hard to think anyone would have a bigger impact than their potential starting quarterback. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: CB Benjamin Morrison (two, No. 53 overall)
The Bucs have had needs in the secondary for years now, so addressing the cornerback position has to mean a sigh of relief for Todd Bowles and this defense. NFC West Arizona Cardinals: CB Will Johnson (two, No. 47 overall)
Provided he's healthy, Johnson will immediately upgrade this defensive backfield in Arizona. They had a lot of work to do defensively and they did it. This all of a sudden looks like a pretty complete team to compete in the NFC West. Los Angeles Rams: Edge Josaiah Stewart (three, No. 90 overall)
Speaking of complete teams in the NFC West, the Rams look poised to take it yet again. I love upgrading the pass rush here. Between that and what Los Angeles did in free agency, it looks like they're the team to beat in this division and maybe even the NFC? San Francisco 49ers: Edge Mykel Williams (one, No. 11 overall)
The Niners had a mass exodus in their front seven this offseason so they've now worked on getting younger and cheaper. Williams lets them do that and his position flexibility allows San Fran to do some fun things up front. Seattle Seahawks: OL Grey Zabel (one, No. 18 overall)
The Seahawks' offensive line needed upgrades badly, which is where Zabel comes in. Yes, he comes from FCS but North Dakota State has produced some excellent players. Zabel should be one of them leading the way to help protect Sam Darnold in Seattle.
Carmen Vitali is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports. Carmen had previous stops with The Draft Network and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. She spent six seasons with the Bucs, including 2020, which added the title of Super Bowl Champion (and boat-parade participant) to her résumé. You can follow Carmen on Twitter at @CarmieV .
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