NFL rookies can have different levels of impact when they enter the professional ranks. It is, of course, not always plain sailing for players new to the league, but the potential is often there to see.
Some first-year players are good enough to shift their teams’ NFL playoff odds if they were the missing piece for a good team looking to make a jump.
Other rookies will join the league and hope to provide the excitement and production that was missing from a prior campaign.
Either way, we have three players in mind who have a real chance to take home the league’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award at the end of the season.
Ashton Jeanty
The rookie who has probably received the most hype heading into the NFL season has been Jeanty. There’s a lot to like about the former Boise State running back, including his tremendous ability to stay balanced when contacted by defenders. There’s something to be said for the hopelessness defenses feel when they have a ballcarrier in their sights and squared up in front of them, but can’t bring him down.
Perhaps most importantly for his Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign, Jeanty landed with a Las Vegas team that needed a jolt in its backfield more than anyone in the league. Additionally, new Raiders head coach Pete Carroll is well known for his desire to run the ball, and he has one of the best new toys to accomplish that in 2025.
Cam Ward
On the other side of the hype train is Ward, who is somehow not receiving that much attention despite being the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. That might be a good thing, as Ward isn’t having to deal with the scrutiny that other number one picks have faced in recent years. The Tennessee Titans are hopeful that he can provide some stability at a position that has been in flux for the past couple of years.
If Ward somehow doesn’t live up to the billing, it won’t be for a lack of effort. The wise-beyond-his-years rookie has talked about his desire to be the best. Ward’s powerful arm could lead to several explosive plays down the field for the Titans, which would enhance his ability to take home to the most prestigious award a rookie can win.
Tetairoa McMillan
There were a lot of questions about McMillan heading into the 2025 NFL Draft, but most of those concerns seem to have dissipated over the course of the spring and summer. There’s no question that he can carve out a massive role with the Carolina Panthers, who didn’t exactly have an elite pass-catching corps before McMillan came onto the scene.
With whispers about Adam Theilen’s long term fit in Carolina, the chance for McMillan to gobble up targets with the Panthers could increase exponentially as the year goes on. It’s going to be interesting to see how the team uses their rookie wideout, as some believe he can be a reliable target in the red zone with his large frame.
