NFL rookie report card: Grading every 1st-rounder's debut season

It's "Rookie Reflection" day at theScore.

We're starting off by assessing how every 2025 first-round pick fared in their debut season in the NFL. We've also highlighted the 10 newcomers selected outside Round 1 who provided the best value.

👉 Best rookie values outside Round 1

1. Cam Ward, QB, Titans

Stats: 59.8% completion, 3,169 yards, 15 TDs, 7 INTs; 2 TD runs

It wasn't a great season for Ward overall; he was the NFL's most sacked quarterback and suffered a league-worst 11 fumbles. But the 23-year-old had some encouraging moments in the campaign's final stretch (he ranked in the top 10 for touchdown passes and big-time throws from Weeks 14-17), setting up a promising offseason for Tennessee to build around him.

Grade: C

2. Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Jaguars

Stats: 28 catches, 298 yards, 1 TD; 15 tackles, 3 pass breakups

Hunter's campaign felt incomplete with just seven games, but he played 324 snaps on offense and 162 on defense before a season-ending injury. He stood out as a pass-catcher in his final appearance (101 yards and one touchdown), but it remains to be seen if he'll have a bigger role defensively.

Grade: C

3. Abdul Carter, EDGE, Giants

Stats: 43 tackles (7 for loss), 4 sacks

Carter led all rookies with 66 pressures, according to PFF, and he had two forced fumbles. However, his freshman campaign was also marked by a lack of sacks, several penalties, and disciplinary issues.

Grade: B-

4. Will Campbell, OT, Patriots

Stats: 13 starts, 26 pressures allowed, 7 penalties

Campbell gave up only five sacks (two of them against Myles Garrett), and his performance suggested he'll be a cornerstone of the Patriots' offensive line in the Drake Maye era. He missed four games due to injury but is back for the playoffs.

Grade: B+

5. Mason Graham, DL, Browns

Stats: 49 tackles (7 for loss), 0.5 sacks

Graham may have lacked splashy plays, but he put together a strong season as an interior lineman who should be a key Cleveland starter for the foreseeable future.

Grade: B

6. Ashton Jeanty, RB, Raiders

Stats: 266 carries, 975 yards, 5 TDs; 55 catches, 346 yards, 5 TDs

Jeanty's season wasn't nearly as good as we expected. However, the Raiders are more to blame than Jeanty himself. He ranked fifth in missed tackles forced among running backs, but Las Vegas placed 30th in run-blocking, according to PFF.

Grade: C+

7. Armand Membou, RT, Jets

Stats: 17 starts, 33 pressures allowed, 11 penalties

Membou was one of the few positives for the Jets' offense. He showed signs of being a solid run- and pass-blocker to form a reliable duo with 2024 first-round left tackle Olu Fashanu.

Grade: A

8. Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Panthers

Stats: 70 catches, 1,014 yards, 7 TDs

Few rookies stood out as much as McMillan, who led this class in receiving yards and set a single-season record for Panthers rookies. No other Carolina pass-catcher had more than 400 yards. We may be nitpicking, but not scoring a touchdown until his sixth NFL game is one of the few knocks on McMillan's campaign.

Grade: A

9. Kelvin Banks Jr., LT, Saints

Stats: 17 starts, 46 pressures allowed, 11 penalties

Banks had a slow start but closed the season as one of the league's best young blockers. Only five of his pressures allowed were sacks, and he ranked 22nd in run-blocking among all offensive tackles.

Grade: B+

10. Colston Loveland, TE, Bears

Stats: 58 catches, 713 yards, 6 TDs

Injuries prevented Loveland from making an immediate impact, but the Michigan stud ultimately became a key part of the Bears' offense. He ranked fourth among all tight ends with 591 yards from Weeks 9-18.

Grade: A-

11. Mykel Williams, DE, 49ers

Stats: 20 tackles (4 for loss), 1 sack

Williams showed promise as a run defender but had minimal impact as a pass-rusher before a torn ACL ended his season Nov. 2.

Grade: C-

12. Tyler Booker, G, Cowboys

Stats: 14 starts, 25 pressures allowed, 7 penalties

Cowboys fans are used to having reliable interior linemen, and that trend will likely continue with Booker, who gave up only three sacks and also looked dependable in run-blocking.

Grade: A

13. Kenneth Grant, DL, Dolphins

Stats: 33 tackles (2 for loss), 2 sacks, 1 pass defended

Miami hopes Grant's late-season progress is just the beginning, but from start to finish, his 2025 performance wasn't up to the standard of a top-15 pick.

Grade: D+

14. Tyler Warren, TE, Colts

Stats: 76 catches, 817 yards; 5 TDs (1 rushing)

Warren proved he belongs in the NFL from Day 1. His production dropped in the final stretch amid the Colts' unstable QB situation, but Indianapolis should be excited about what he can do as a pass-catcher and run-blocker.

Grade: A

15. Jalon Walker, LB, Falcons

Stats: 36 tackles (5 for loss), 5.5 sacks

Walker looked great for basically one month, registering four of his sacks with two forced fumbles in November. He was much quieter for the rest of the season (0.5 sacks in his final six games) and missed two weeks due to injury.

Grade: C+

16. Walter Nolen III, DL, Cardinals

Stats: 11 tackles (5 for loss), 2 sacks

Nolen looked solid, but it's unfair to grade his season because of the injuries. He didn't debut until November and missed the campaign's final two games, logging only 169 defensive snaps in six appearances.

Grade: Incomplete

17. Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Bengals

Stats: 11 tackles (2 for loss), 1 sack

Stewart's year was marked by injuries; 280 defensive snaps aren't a big enough sample size. That said, he had only one sack in eight games, and production has been an issue for him since his Texas A&M days.

Grade: Incomplete

18. Grey Zabel, G, Seahawks

Stats: 17 starts, 24 pressures allowed, 5 penalties

Forget rookies: Zabel led all interior offensive linemen in run-block wins, according to ESPN. His mobility and consistency are key for Seattle's offense. He was also more than capable of holding his own in pass protection.

Grade: A

19. Emeka Egbuka, WR, Buccaneers

Stats: 63 catches, 938 yards, 6 TDs

Egbuka played like the Offensive Rookie of the Year in his first five games, catching five touchdowns. However, he fell off a cliff as the season progressed. He struggled with drops, didn't score in his final eight appearances, and posted an 80 passer rating when targeted.

Grade: B-

20. Jahdae Barron, CB, Broncos

Stats: 35 tackles, 5 pass breakups, 1 INT

We expected Barron's standout physicality and versatility to make an immediate impact in Denver, but that wasn't the case. He played 30% of the Broncos' defensive snaps while serving in a rotational role.

Grade: C-

21. Derrick Harmon, DL, Steelers

Stats: 27 tackles (1 for loss), 3 sacks, 1 pass defended

Harmon missed five games but provided stability to Pittsburgh's defensive line and strong support to its run defense. He had one sack and one QB hit against Baltimore to help the Steelers clinch the AFC North.

Grade: C+

22. Omarion Hampton, RB, Chargers

Stats: 124 carries, 545 yards, 4 TDs; 32 catches, 192 yards, 1 TD

Hampton missed eight games with an injury and didn't create many big plays. But he looked capable of being the Chargers' leading back and averaged 82 scrimmage yards per game despite the team's O-line injuries. Here's how little help Hampton - and fellow first-round tailback Jeanty - had from their respective run-blocking units:

Grade: C

23. Matthew Golden, WR, Packers

Stats: 29 catches, 361 yards

Golden didn't come close to making the impact that fans expected after he became the first receiver drafted by the Packers in Round 1 since 2002. He had more tackles made (one) than touchdown receptions.

Grade: D

24. Donovan Jackson, OL, Vikings

Stats: 14 starts, 26 pressures allowed, 4 penalties

Left guard isn't a concern for Minnesota anymore. Despite undergoing in-season surgery, Jackson returned and showed he's a promising piece. He allowed only two sacks and was also decent in run-blocking.

Grade: B+

25. Jaxson Dart, QB, Giants

Stats: 63.7% completion, 2,272 yards, 15 TDs, 5 INTs; 487 yards, 9 TDs rushing

Let's start with the positives: Dart sparked the offense in 12 starts, displaying playmaking ability and standing out as a rusher. At the same time, his playing style raises availability concerns, as he missed two games due to a concussion. Deep-ball accuracy also remains a question. He passed his rookie test, but it'll be interesting to see if a new coach and Malik Nabers' return from injury will help Dart make the necessary improvements.

Grade: B

26. James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Falcons

Stats: 26 tackles (10 for loss), 10.5 sacks, 5 passes defended

It took Pearce nine games to register his first full sack, but then he took off. Although the 22-year-old's run defense is a work in progress, his sack total this year topped all rookies, marked the most by a first-year player since Micah Parsons (2021), and set a Falcons rookie single-season record.

Grade: A-

27. Malaki Starks, S, Ravens

Stats: 84 tackles (1 for loss), 4 pass breakups, 2 INTs

Starks was one of many Baltimore defenders who didn't live up to the hype early, but the Georgia product settled in and became one of five first-year players with at least 80 tackles and two interceptions.

Grade: B-

28. Tyleik Williams, DL, Lions

Stats: 18 tackles (2 for loss), 4 passes defended, 1 sack

Detroit's defensive line is in good hands. Serving as a strong option to veteran linemen DJ Reader and Alim McNeill, Williams showed encouraging signs as an interior run stopper while playing 40% of the Lions' defensive snaps.

Grade: B-

29. Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Commanders

Stats: 17 starts, 43 pressures allowed, 13 penalties

Washington should be excited about Conerly's development. The Oregon product had a rough start to his career against some of the NFL's best pass-rushers, but he ended the season on a higher note in run and pass protection, not allowing more than two pressures in eight of Washington's final nine games.

Grade: B

30. Maxwell Hairston, CB, Bills

Stats: 18 tackles, 5 pass breakups, 2 INTs

Hairston didn't debut until late October due to injury. He registered interceptions in two of his first three games and allowed a 79.2 passer rating in coverage. But the speedy corner's workload decreased in the season's final month as he mostly served in a rotational role.

Grade: C+

31. Jihaad Campbell, LB, Eagles

Stats: 80 tackles (2 for loss), 1 forced fumble, 1 INT, 3 pass breakups

It was a tale of two halves for Campbell, who stood out in his first seven appearances but didn't play much after Nakobe Dean returned from injury. Campbell saw 20 or fewer snaps in every game from Weeks 11-15 before his defensive workload rose with Dean sidelined again.

Grade: B

32. Josh Simmons, OT, Chiefs

Stats: 8 starts, 18 pressures allowed, 8 penalties

Simmons' limited number of appearances affected his grade. He missed four games for personal reasons and was then sidelined for the campaign's final five games with an injury. When he was on the field, the Ohio State stud demonstrated that he can be Kansas City's starting left tackle for years.

Grade: B