Top 5 NFL Rookies Most Likely to Make an Impact in The 2025/26 NFL Season

The 2025/26 NFL season officially kicks off this Thursday, and fans can hardly wait to see their favorite stars back in action. Big names like Tyreek Hill, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Christian McCaffrey, who lit up the field and turned heads last season, are again ready to put on a show.

However, beyond these established veterans who are sure to dominate the spotlight, there’s also plenty of excitement surrounding the new wave of talent coming into the league. These young talents showed great potential in high school and college, and now everyone’s waiting to see if they can carry that over to the NFL.

So, with the season about to get rolling, let’s talk about the top 5 NFL rookies who could make their mark in the 2025/26 NFL season. Let’s dive right in. 

Ashton Jeanty (Las Vegas Raiders)

The Las Vegas Raiders made a bold move in the 2025 NFL Draft when they selected Ashton Jeanty with the No. 6 overall pick. Taking a running back that high is always a statement, but Jeanty’s résumé made it hard to pass him up. 

The Boise State star had a legendary college career, racking up awards like the Doak Walker and Maxwell, while also finishing as the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy in 2024. He led the nation in rushing yards and touchdowns, broke long-standing records, and showed off a complete skill set of speed, power, soft hands as a receiver, and the ability to block. Simply put, he was one of the most unstoppable players in college football.

Now, all eyes are on how he’ll fit with the Raiders. This is a team desperate to turn things around after a rough 4-13 campaign in 2024. They haven’t been to the playoffs in three years and haven’t won a postseason game or an AFC West title in more than two decades. Jeanty could be the spark they’ve been missing. His presence immediately gives Geno Smith a reliable partner in the backfield, and if the Raiders can establish a strong ground game, they might just have the balance to compete in a stacked division.

Raiders fans won’t have to wait long to see him in action either. The team opens its season on Sunday against the New England Patriots, and Jeanty is expected to play a key role right out of the gate. If his college dominance is any indication, the Jacksonville native could quickly become the heartbeat of the Raiders’ offense and one of the most exciting rookies in the league.

Will Campbell (New England Patriots)

When the Patriots drafted Will Campbell with the No. 4 overall pick, they weren’t just betting on potential; they were betting on a proven star. Campbell’s college résumé speaks for itself. 

A five-star recruit out of Louisiana, he lived up to the hype at LSU from the moment he stepped on the field. He became a starter as a true freshman, earned freshman All-American honors, and by 2024, he was a consensus All-American and winner of the Jacobs Blocking Trophy as the SEC’s top lineman. His combination of size, footwork, and toughness made him one of the most dominant offensive tackles in the country, and that dominance is exactly what New England hopes he’ll bring to the pros.

As the No. 4 overall pick, Will Campbell is now the second-highest selection the Patriots have made in years, only behind Drake Maye. As expected, he will be teaming up with the 6-foot-4 quarterback, tasked with guarding his blind side and giving him the time and confidence to lead this offense.

The Patriots are coming off back-to-back 4–13 seasons and are desperate to get back into playoff contention for the first time since 2021. If Maye is going to take the next step toward being a franchise quarterback, it starts with protection up front, and Campbell is the anchor meant to provide it. The rookie has already impressed in preseason with both his run-blocking and pass protection. If that carries over into the regular season, he has a legit shot at becoming a Pro Bowler as early as year one.

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Cam Ward (Tennessee Titans)

Cameron Anthony Ward was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and it’s easy to see why. His journey is one of the most remarkable in recent memory, going from an overlooked zero-star recruit in high school to one of the most dynamic quarterbacks college football has seen in years. 

Ward first drew attention at Incarnate Word, where he won the Jerry Rice Award as the top freshman in the FCS. From there, he transferred to Washington State and then to Miami, where everything clicked. In 2024, he led the nation with 39 touchdown passes, took home the Davey O’Brien and Manning awards, earned ACC Player of the Year, and finished fourth in the Heisman voting.

Now, Ward carries the hopes of the Tennessee Titans, a franchise in desperate need of a reset. The Titans hit rock bottom last season, finishing 3–14, their worst campaign in over a decade. With longtime star Derrick Henry gone and no stability at quarterback, the offense often sputtered. Drafting Ward signaled a fresh start, and the team is banking its entire future on his arm, his leadership, and his ability to create plays out of nothing.

Ward’s situation in Tennessee won’t be easy. The receiving corps is thin, and the offensive line has work to do, which means he’ll have to lean heavily on his individual talent early on. Still, his knack for extending plays, combined with his deep-ball accuracy, gives the Titans a chance to be exciting again. If he can adjust quickly to the NFL level, Ward could bring life back to a team that hasn’t looked like a contender in years.

Travis Hunter (Jacksonville Jaguars)

As the second overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, expectations are definitely sky-high for Travis Hunter when he eventually takes the field for the Jaguars, potentially as soon as Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. And why not? Hunter already proved beyond a reasonable doubt that he’s a generational talent during his college years, where he built a résumé that most players can only dream of.

He became the second defensive player ever to win the Heisman Trophy. He was also the first in college football history to take home both the Chuck Bednarik Award (nation’s top defensive player) and the Fred Biletnikoff Award (nation’s best receiver). Simply put, he redefined what it meant to be a two-way player.

Now, Jacksonville gets to plug that kind of rare versatility into its roster. Head coach Liam Coen has already hinted that Hunter will play around 80% of the team’s offensive snaps while also contributing on defense, making him one of the most unique rookies in the entire league. 

For a franchise that has made the playoffs just once in the last seven seasons and is coming off a disappointing 4–13 campaign, Hunter represents a spark that could change everything. If Hunter can bring even a slice of the magic he showed in college, Jacksonville suddenly has a weapon that can tilt games in multiple ways. He has the tools to become the face of the franchise and perhaps the key to pulling the Jaguars back into playoff contention.

Abdul Carter (New York Giants)

The New York Giants brought in Abdul Carter with the third overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The former Penn State linebacker was widely viewed as the top defensive prospect in the entire draft, and now he gets to bring that energy to a Giants defense, which is already loaded with stars like Kayvon Thibodeaux, Dexter Lawrence II, and Brian Burns.

Carter’s rise at Penn State was nothing short of electric. As a freshman, he made an immediate splash with 56 tackles and 6.5 sacks, showing off his freakish speed and instincts. By 2024, he had developed into a dominant force, earning unanimous All-American honors and being named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. His explosiveness off the edge, combined with his ability to drop into coverage, made him one of the most feared defenders in college football.

Now he’s suiting up in the NFL, and the timing couldn’t be better for the Giants. After a brutal 4–14 campaign last season, capped by their first 10-game losing streak in franchise history, New York is desperate to flip the script. Carter might just be the kind of difference-maker that changes the tone of a defense overnight. Slot him in alongside the Giants’ other pass-rushers, and suddenly you’re looking at a front seven that could be the envy of the league.

The Giants open their season Sunday against the Washington Commanders, and Carter is expected to see the field right away. If he can bring the same disruptive energy he showed at Penn State, he could not only boost a struggling team but also fast-track himself into the conversation for Defensive Rookie of the Year. Giants fans have been waiting for a spark; Carter might be the one to light the fire.

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Conclusion

The new NFL season is already loaded with excitement, and rookies like Ashton Jeanty and Abdul Carter are about to add even more fire to the mix. Interestingly, fans do not have to wait too long for the action to kick off, and these top 5 NFL rookie picks will be right in the spotlight. All eyes will definitely be on how these young playmakers handle the big stage.