When you're tasked with predicting which rookies will provide the greatest returns in Year 1, the obvious temptation is to spotlight all the first-round picks. After all, they essentially were the most highly coveted prospects less than two months ago.
But where's the fun in that? Nobody lives to project CHALK. So, of the 25 players selected in this exercise, less than half came from Round 1. (Granted, three slots are reserved for special teamers, but cut me some slack here, people -- I'm trying!)
Alright, enough preamble. Which newbies will provide instant impacts at each position? Here is my forecast, with the offensive choices listed below. Click here for defense/special teams.
OFFENSE
DRAFTED: Round 1, No. 1 overall
Ward comfortably separated himself from the rest of the quarterbacks in this draft class, making him the obvious pick for Tennessee at No. 1 overall -- and the no-brainer choice for this slot. Not to say he’s an undeserving selection who’s listed here by default. Rather, Ward is a very intriguing prospect. At the beginning of this decade, he was a zero-star recruit in a Wing-T offense. But during his anomalous voyage from Incarnate Word to Washington State to Miami to the Titans, Ward has exhibited a whippy arm and no hesitation to show it off. Now, this gets him in trouble at times; learning where to draw the line between fearless and reckless will be the most critical aspect of his NFL assimilation. Given his remarkable ascendance from football obscurity, though, Ward sure seems like a self-made man who will continue to put in the work. Asked at the conclusion of last week’s minicamp how he planned to spend his time off, the 23-year-old provided an answer that had to be music to Brian Callahan’s ears: "Just work out, stay in the playbook and throw the f--- out the ball."
DRAFTED: Round 1, No. 6 overall
Travis Hunter won the Heisman Trophy this past December, and the two-way phenom was deserving of the honor, but the man he edged out was transcendent in his own right. Averaging 7.0 yards per carry and 185.8 yards per game, Jeanty fell just 28 yards shy of breaking Barry Sanders' NCAA record of 2,628 rushing yards in a season, carrying Boise State to the College Football Playoff in the process. In many years, that’s more than enough to take home college sports’ most prestigious piece of hardware. Jeanty was must-see TV every Saturday, displaying extraordinary contact balance that should translate swimmingly to Sundays. And he’s just what the doctor ordered for the Raiders, who just ranked dead last in rushing yards per carry (3.6) and per game (79.8).
DRAFTED: Round 2, No. 60 overall
Harvey weighs 205 pounds, but his thighs appear to account for at least 100 of them. This helps explain the 5-foot-8 back’s exceptional lateral agility and burst, traits that have many comparing him to last year’s top rookie rusher, Bucky Irving. Running behind a premium offensive line and for an elite play-caller, Harvey has the opportunity to be a fantasy league winner in Year 1. Denver has a crowded running back room, especially after the free-agent signing of J.K. Dobbins, but that’s nothing new for Sean Payton. The savvy schemer consistently finds ways to get the ball to his best players, and I think Harvey could be one of those on an offense I’m extremely high on.
DRAFTED: Round 1, No. 2 overall
Hunter is preparing to play both ways, but it appears as though receiver will be his primary role. With Pro Football Focus charting just four drops on his 216 targets over three college campaigns, Hunter possesses rare ball skills. And his ability to contort his body at the catch point is a sight to behold. The slighter frame would have been more of a concern in previous NFL eras, but WR size thresholds aren’t what they used to be. I ranked Brian Thomas Jr. as last season’s top rookie wideout, and it won’t be the least bit surprising if his new Jaguars teammate earns that distinction in 2025. This could immediately be one of the league’s most dynamic receiving tandems.
DRAFTED: Round 3, No. 69 overall
At 5-10 5/8 and 190 pounds, Williams’ physical stature doesn’t jump off the page. But what the Los Angeles product lacks in size, he makes up for in explosiveness, playmaking ability and raw DOGness. Sounds like Steve Smith Sr. Just ask the man himself.
“That’s the kid that reminds me of me,” Smith said in a laudatory film breakdown of Williams. “His demeanor -- he’s gonna punch you in the mouth, he’s gonna look at you. So, I really like this kid, I really like him.”
Williams is indeed a fun watch, exhibiting the kind of dynamism and swagger that lead you to believe he can make a smooth transition to the league. The 22-year-old still needs to refine the finer points of his game -- eliminating concentration drops and polishing his route-running -- but there’s a lot of reason to believe he could wind up as a third-round steal who significantly nurtures the growth of Drake Maye.
DRAFTED: Round 1, No. 10 overall
Standing 6-6, 241 pounds, Loveland is a tight end who runs routes with the fluidity of a wideout. That’s what makes him special. And that’s what made Sam LaPorta a rookie Pro Bowler under Ben Johnson in Detroit, so it stands to reason that Johnson will get the most out of Loveland in Chicago. With Cole Kmet in place to handle traditional in-line work, Johnson can let his beautiful football mind run wild when it comes to scheming up touches for his new toy. The Bears have a lot of mouths to feed in the passing game, but I anticipate this supersized separator will get a fair share of attention from young quarterback Caleb Williams.
DRAFTED: Round 1, No. 7 overall
Entering this past April’s draft, the Jets’ offensive line boasted a capable starter at four of the five slots. So, one year after the old regime used its last first-round pick on an athletic left tackle (Olu Fashanu), the new regime used its first first-rounder on a mauler to man the right edge. At a touch over 6-4 and 332 pounds, Membou put on an impressive athletic display at the NFL Scouting Combine. But the 21-year-old’s no simple “workout warrior,” as he spent the last three years making a name for himself in the SEC. Taking over as Missouri’s right tackle midway through his true freshman season back in 2022, Membou ultimately played 36 games (with 30 starts) for the Tigers, giving up a grand total of thee sacks, including zero this past season. And in the ground game, he was a violent road-grader who routinely climbed to the second level to bury overmatched defenders -- this undoubtedly caught the eyes of new head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey, who are looking to build a stout rushing attack around quarterback Justin Fields. Membou could be the final piece to an extremely promising offensive line.
DRAFTED: Round 1, No. 32 overall
Throughout the pre-draft process, myriad analysts espoused the same take: If Josh Simmons had not torn his patellar tendon last October, he’d be the first offensive tackle selected. He has the look of a classic blind-side protector, as a smooth athlete with the requisite size and length, but the aforementioned knee injury isn’t one to be overlooked. This kind of rupture carries long-term concerns, with recovery rates varying on a case-by-case basis. That said, Simmons appears to be checking every box in his rehab, including participating in team drills this month. And his work ethic consistently draws praise from Andy Reid: “He’s one of those guys that you gotta kinda kick out of the building.” Roller-coaster RT Jawaan Taylor has one year of guaranteed money left on his deal, and Kansas City gave free-agent LT Jaylon Moore decent loot in March, but if Simmons is healthy, the rookie has the raw talent to boost the Chiefs’ bookend blocking in Year 1.
DRAFTED: Round 1, No. 12 overall
A lot of people think Dallas overdrafted Booker at No. 12 overall. I disagree with that sentiment. And I could take this opportunity to remind everyone of this Cowboys regime’s sparkling track record when it comes to selecting offensive linemen in Round 1, or I could just point you to the hardest quote of the draft cycle.
“Football is a child’s game,” Booker said on Bleacher Report's draft reaction show. “So, people wake up being like, ‘Man, I can’t wait to play this football game today.’ They listen to their hype music, they take all the pre-workout, they get so excited to play football ... until they come across Tyler Booker. And then when I’m going after you -- quarter after quarter, play after play, series after series -- and I start to see that love leave their eyes, that’s what makes me love the game.”
Micah Parsons was on the Bleacher Report set that night, and he let out a scream just listening to his new teammate go FULL METAL.
DRAFTED: Round 3, No. 89 overall
Who will be this year’s Dominick Puni?
Puni earned first-team All-Big 12 honors during his final season at Kansas, with the left tackle allowing zero sacks, per PFF’s charting. A third-round pick after the 49ers traded up to select him at No. 86 overall, Puni was drafted to play guard, but at this point last year, no one projected him to start in Year 1. Then the injury bug devoured San Francisco’s veteran guards over the summer, pressing Puni into immediate action. Ultimately, he started all 17 games and led the entire roster with 1,078 snaps, displaying a mature game that had a chorus of teammates and coaches singing his praises.
Milum earned first-team All-Big 12 honors during his final season at West Virginia, with the left tackle allowing zero sacks, per PFF’s charting. A third-round pick after the Jaguars traded up to select him at No. 89 overall, Milum was drafted to play guard, but at this point, no one projects him to start in Year 1. So, will Milum follow in Puni’s footsteps to rookie renown? That remains to be seen, of course, but Liam Coen’s already saying nice things about him.
DRAFTED: Round 2, No. 57 overall
OK, I’m kind of cheating here, but I think it’s allowable. In the wake of Frank Ragnow’s retirement earlier this month, Detroit’s offensive line is in flux on the interior. Veteran lineman Graham Glasgow could be the initial replacement at the pivot, but the Lions were already cross-training Ratledge at guard and center before Ragnow officially decided to hang it up, so the rookie might present a longer-term replacement at this key spot. We’ll have to wait until training camp for more clarity, but Ratledge appears destined to start somewhere on the interior -- and the hyper-athletic big man enters the NFL with an impressive résumé, having started at Georgia for the last three seasons, earning first-team All-SEC honors in the past two.
