- Travis Hunter’s presence ought to enhance Brian Thomas Jr.’s effectivity: Hunter will permit the group to make use of Thomas extra within the slot and create a extra complicated offense.
- Mason Graham ought to lastly be the defensive position presence to assist Myles Garrett: Since 2018, the Browns have by no means had a participant aside from Garrett report double-digit sacks.
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Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes
Now that the 2025 NFL Draft’s rookies are of their NFL properties, we will dive into their environment. It’s not nearly standing out by yourself; soccer is a group sport. So, which teammates of those rookies are we enthusiastic about with regards to rookie-veteran partnerships? Here are eight that catch our eye.
WRs Travis Hunter and Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars
Thomas amassed 1,284 receiving yards with 10 receiving touchdowns and an 82.4 PFF receiving grade in his rookie season. As he improved, the Jaguars weren’t hesitant to feed him extra targets. But the group additionally didn’t have many different official choices to focus on.
With Travis Hunter within the fold, the Jaguars’ offense has new life. The group seems set to make use of Thomas within the slot extra (288 slot snaps in 2024 in comparison with 611 out extensive), and Hunter’s presence offers them that flexibility.
DI Mason Graham and EDGE Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns
Garrett has lengthy been one of many NFL’s most dominant and impactful gamers. He has recorded a PFF pass-rush grade above 90.0 in every of the previous six seasons and totaled 3.41 Wins Above Replacement, essentially the most of any edge participant by virtually a full win.
Yet, since 2018, the Browns have by no means had one other participant report double-digit sacks. Graham may not be a top-tier move rusher but, however he’s a presence on the defensive position that not less than ought to draw some consideration away from Garrett. He earned an 86.8 PFF pass-rush grade towards true move units in 2024 at Michigan.
DIs Walter Nolen and Calais Campbell, Arizona Cardinals
The ageless one, Campbell, will likely be 39 years previous for the upcoming 2025 season. Even extra spectacular than his sturdiness is his potential, as he has not completed a season with a PFF total grade beneath 75.0 since 2011, together with two straight seasons within the 80.0s over the previous two years with 1,329 complete snaps between them.
Nolen is a younger, proficient defensive lineman who broke out this previous season at Ole Miss, incomes a 91.6 PFF run-defense grade and an 80.6 PFF pass-rush grade towards true move units.
Beyond the numbers, Campbell is a professional’s professional. Nolen can use this season to be taught as a lot as doable from a participant who is aware of what it takes to be constantly impactful on the defensive position.
WRs Emeka Egbuka, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan and QB Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers surprisingly drafted Egbuka at No. 19 within the first spherical, even with all of their offensive weapons in place.
Mike Evans, who will likely be 32 this season, simply accomplished his eleventh straight 1,000-yard season and earned the second-highest PFF receiving grade of his profession (90.2) whereas doing so. Chris Godwin is coming off an damage, however the Buccaneers simply introduced him again on a three-year cope with ensures that basically lock him in for 2 seasons.
Rookie receiver Jalen McMillan earned a 63.0 PFF receiving grade this previous season however confirmed promise. Egbuka, who boasted an 82.4 PFF receiving grade in 2024, solely makes that group even higher. Tampa Bay’s offense, which completed final season ranked within the prime 5 in PFF grade (82.6), might be even higher in 2025.
CBs Jahdae Barron and Pat Surtain II, Denver Broncos
Barron was one of many top-graded cornerbacks in faculty soccer final season (91.1 PFF total protection grade and 91.5 zone PFF protection grade). And that was in his first season as a full-time exterior cornerback.
He’ll now be paired with Surtain, who was PFF’s Coverage Defender of the Year in 2024 after incomes an 87.4 PFF protection grade whereas permitting simply 0.53 yards per cowl snap. Barron additionally offers the Broncos the flexibleness to play him within the slot, the place he earned a 72.7 PFF protection grade over the previous two seasons.
WR Matthew Golden and QB Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
Golden’s title being introduced in Green Bay with a sea of Packers followers watching on was one of many highlights of draft weekend.
Quarterback Jordan Love has a very good NFL arm however, via a mixture of damage and inconsistencies within the receiver room, wasn’t in a position to join on deep passes as a lot as Green Bay’s offense wished to in 2024. Golden is the suitable piece to enhance Jayden Reed, the tight ends, the run sport and what Love needs to do.
The Texas product notched 438 receiving yards on deep throws this previous season, which was a top-30 mark within the FBS. He earned an elite 92.8 PFF receiving grade on passes of greater than 20 yards.
DBs Malaki Starks and Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore Ravens
Mock drafts usually pegged the Ravens to select a trench participant or possibly a cornerback. But they strayed from their greatest must take probably the most proficient gamers within the class in security Malaki Starks.
Starks now pairs with Hamilton, an especially versatile participant who earned PFF grades above 88.0 in all three defensive classes in 2024: run protection (89.2), move rush (88.1) and protection (88.4).
Starks’ 2024 grades weren’t profession highs, however he showcased good versatility, enjoying greater than 900 defensive snaps — 218 within the field, 280 within the slot and 408 as a free security. Starks and Hamilton collectively give the Ravens loads of flexibility on the again finish.
EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku and Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys
The solely move rusher with a better Wins Above Replacement quantity than Micah Parsons since 2021 is Myles Garrett. This previous season, Parsons earned an elite 91.6 PFF pass-rush grade — by some means the worst mark of his four-year profession.
That mentioned, the Cowboys’ defensive position has been disappointing round him. In every of his seasons, Parsons has led Dallas in sacks by a large margin. That may not be the case with Ezeiruaku within the combine. The three-year starter at Boston College racked up 43 tackles for loss with 27 sacks over the previous three seasons, all whereas incomes PFF run-defense grades above 80.0.