NFL rookie report cards 2025: Grading every team’s draft class after seven weeks

Across the NFL, rookies are being asked to step into starring roles faster than ever — and how well they’ve responded often mirrors their teams’ fortunes. 

With seven weeks of the season in the books, Yardbarker NFL writers graded every NFL team’s rookie class based on production, efficiency and long-term promise.

Here's how the league's draft classes stack up so far:

NFC East

DALLAS COWBOYS (3-3-1) | Rookie class grade: D | Rookie right guard Tyler Booker is a good contributor on a potent offense. He's playing at an average level for his first year (Pro Football Focus grade of 60.3 percent, the 48th best of 114 guards). Booker’s fellow rookies on defense have been relegated to depth pieces for one of the NFL's worst units. Second-round defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku has one sack.

NEW YORK GIANTS (2-5) | Rookie class grade: A- | With each passing week, it looks like the Giants have found their franchise QB in Jaxson Dart, and RB Cam Skattebo and outside linebacker Abdul Carter are just as exciting. While Dart is still rough around the edges, through four starts, he has 10 touchdowns overall and provided a desperately needed spark. Third-round defensive tackle Darius Alexander looks a long way from being an asset (no sacks and only one tackle). 

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (5-2) | Rookie class grade: C+ | The reigning Super Bowl champions have yet to see their defensive rookies look as good as corner Cooper DeJean did in 2024, but they’re exciting. First-round linebacker Jihaad Campbell is proving he’s ready to start (Pro Football Focus grade of 82.5 percent, the 13th best among NFL linebackers). Meanwhile, although safety Andrew Mukuba won the starting spot in camp for his ball-hawking skills, he hasn’t proved he can do the job well, recording a below-average Pro Football Focus grade (50.3 percent).

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (3-4) | Rookie class grade: B- | The Commanders are dealing with a slew of injuries, threatening a once-promising outlook. With veteran RB Austin Ekeler out for the season with an injury, rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt, a seventh-rounder, has shown flashes (5.2 yards per rush). Meanwhile, first-round right tackle Josh Conerly Jr. is proving to be the weak link in the O-line with five sacks and 23 total pressures allowed. — Conor Killmurray

NFC West

ARIZONA CARDINALS (2-5) | Rookie class grade: B- | Second-round draft pick Will Johnson (No. 47 overall) has been the most impressive (13 total tackles, five passes defensed and an above-average 71.5 Pro Football Focus grade). Third-rounder Jordan Burch has shown positive signs (10 tackles), and third-day picks Cody Simon, Denzel Burke and Kitan Crawford have played mostly on special teams. First-round pick Walter Nolen III (right calf), a defensive end, and sixth-rounder Hayden Conner (knee), a guard, have been sidelined with injuries.

LOS ANGELES RAMS (5-2) | Rookie class grade: B+ | The Rams were the only team in the league with fewer than 5 percent of their snaps played by rookies on each side of the ball entering Week 7, per CBS Sports. In Week 7, tight end Terrance Ferguson and wide receiver Konata Mumpfield scored their first career TDs against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Third-round pick Josaiah Stewart, a linebacker, has impressed with eight tackles (two for loss), two sacks and two passes defensed, but fellow defender Ty Hamilton, a nose tackle, has been quiet (five tackles). 

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (5-2) | Rookie class grade: C- | With key defenders Fred Warner (right ankle) and Nick Bosa (right ACL) out for the season, the new additions on defense have been forced to step up. Fifth-round pick Marques Sigle, a safety, leads the bunch with 45 tackles, and first-rounder Mykel Williams (DL) and third-round selection Upton Stout (CB) each have a sack.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (5-2) | Rookie class grade: A- | Second-round pick Nick Emmanwori, a safety, was ranked as Pro Football Focus' fourth-best rookie through Week 7. On offense, wide receiver Tory Horton has been solid (nine catches for 113 yards and three TDs), and tight end Elijah Arroyo has 11 receptions for 140 yards (and one fumble). The late-round selections have not made an immediate impact. — Colby Colwell

NFC North

CHICAGO BEARS (4-2) | Rookie class grade: D | The Bears made a bold decision when they selected tight end Colston Loveland ahead of Tyler Warren in the first round, and it hasn’t aged well. Although Loveland has been effective as a run-blocker, the Michigan product has only eight catches for 78 yards, while Warren has 445 total yards and four touchdowns for the Colts. Second-round wide receiver Luther Burden III is still behind Olamide Zaccheaus on the depth chart, and the rest of the class (besides seventh-round RB Kyle Monangai) hasn’t been much of a factor. 

DETROIT LIONS (5-2) | Rookie class grade: B | The Lions don’t have to rely on rookies because of their loaded roster, so it’s unfair to judge this class. First-round defensive tackle Tyleik Williams has been quiet (four total tackles in 204 snaps), and third-round wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa has only three catches (but two touchdowns). Second-round guard Tate Ratledge, who ranks 12th among 82 qualified guards in Pro Football Focus run-block grade, has been the lone bright spot of the rookie class. 

GREEN BAY PACKERS (4-1-1) | Rookie class grade: B+ | The Packers selected a wide receiver in the first round (Matthew Golden) for the first time since 2002. The Texas product is already paying them off with 294 total yards and 13.8 yards per catch on an offense with a ton of mouths to feed. Third-round wide receiver Savion Williams has shown flashes of explosiveness, and late-round defensive linemen Barryn Sorrell and Warren Brinson have looked good in limited snaps. 

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (3-4) | Rookie class grade: C+ | The Vikings made only five picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, and only one of those rookies has played extended snaps through six games. Third-round wide receiver Tai Felton only plays on special teams, but first-round left guard Donovan Jackson has been a critical piece of a banged-up line. — Jack Dougherty

NFC South

ATLANTA FALCONS (3-3) | Rookie class grade: C | Atlanta’s first-round edge-rushers, Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr., have combined for 1.5 sacks. Neither has played more than half of their available snaps. Third-round safety Xavier Watts is the most valuable rookie, starting all six games and joining Eagles safety Andrew Mukuba as one of two rookies with two interceptions.

CAROLINA PANTHERS (4-3) | Rookie class grade: A- | Wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, selected No. 8 overall, ranks third among all rookie pass-catchers in receiving and leads the Panthers with 30 receptions for 413 yards. Defensive ends Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen are two of five rookie defenders credited with multiple sacks (1.5 each). Fifth-round tight end Mitchell Evans has two touchdowns.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (1-6) | Rookie class grade: B+ | New Orleans has identified potential building blocks, most notably in the defensive backfield with third-round safety Jonas Sanker and fourth-round corner Quincy Riley. Both already have an interception, and they have combined to allow 12 receptions on 24 targets in coverage, per Pro Football Focus. First-rounder Kelvin Banks Jr. has solidified right tackle, but New Orleans still doesn’t know what it has in second-round QB Tyler Shough, who lost a training-camp battle for the starting gig to Spencer Rattler and doesn’t appear close to joining the first team.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (5-2) | Rookie class grade: A | The Buccaneers have one of the top candidates for Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year in wide receiver Emeka Egbuka. He leads rookie wideouts in receptions (31) and receiving yards (527), and he’ll be even more valuable with veteran Mike Evans (broken collarbone) out for the majority of the rest of the regular season. The class also features a pair of intriguing corner prospects in Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish. Fourth-round outside linebacker David Walker (out for the season with a torn ACL) is the only unknown commodity. —  Eric Smithling

AFC East

BUFFALO BILLS (4-2) | Rookie class grade: D | Bills fans didn’t expect first-round corner Maxwell Hairston to miss every game with an LCL sprain, but third-round defensive end Landon Jackson, a healthy scratch for the team’s first four contests, may be a bigger disappointment (no stats after 28 snaps). If not for Day 3 picks — defensive tackle Deone Walker, tight end Jackson Hawes and cornerback Dorian Strong — Buffalo’s draft would be considered a bust.

MIAMI DOLPHINS (1-6) | Rookie class grade: C | After inconsistent play to start the season, first-round defensive tackle Kenneth Grant is coming off the best game of his young career with five tackles (four solo) and two stuffs against the Cleveland Browns. Later picks have yet to show such progress, especially second-rounder Jonah Savaiinaea, Pro Football Focus' lowest-rated guard.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (5-2) | Rookie class grade: B- | First-round pick Will Campbell hasn't missed a snap at left tackle, but fourth-round safety Craig Woodson has impressed even more with a team-high 412 defensive snaps. Jared Wilson, a center at Georgia, has played well after being moved to left guard. But RB TreVeyon Henderson has flopped. The team’s second-round pick hasn't rushed for more than 32 yards in a game (season-low five yards on two carries against the Tennessee Titans in Week 7).

NEW YORK JETS (0-7) | Rookie class grade: A- | The Jets are a mess, but first-round pick Armand Membou has settled in nicely at right tackle, and second-round tight end Mason Taylor appeared ready to break out before his one-catch, two-yard performance against the Panthers in Week 7. But neither can match the recent efforts of fifth-round pick Kiko Mauigoa, who leads the team’s linebackers with 29 tackles. Meanwhile, fourth-round wide receiver Arian Smith has just five catches for nine yards despite his 4.36 speed in the 40-yard dash. — Bruce Ewing

AFC West

DENVER BRONCOS (5-2) |  Rookie class grade: C- | RB RJ Harvey has shown some flashes, rushing for 154 yards on 37 carries in seven games. Defensive back Jahdae Barron hasn’t proved he deserves more playing time, posting a below-average 50.4 Pro Football Focus coverage grade. Linebacker Que Robinson, who has five tackles in two games, may be an intriguing developmental player, but the rest of the class doesn’t stand out. 

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (4-3) | Rookie class grade: B- | Cornerback Nohl Williams looks like a steal, as Pro Football Focus has given him the second-best coverage grade (86.6) at his position through seven weeks, and offensive tackle Josh Simmons has posted an above-average 73 pass-blocking grade in five games. However, WR Jalen Royals has zero receptions.

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (2-5) | Rookie class grade: D+ | RB Ashton Jeanty — who ranks 14th in the league in rushing yards — has played inconsistently, but the sixth overall pick of the 2025 draft is the team's best selection. Vegas hoped WR Dont’e Thornton Jr. — who ran a 4.3 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine — would become a vertical threat, but the 108th pick of the draft has just five receptions for 94 yards. The other rookies are playing little, suggesting the coaching staff doesn’t trust them.   

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (5-3) | Rookie class grade: B | TE Oronde Gadsden II — who ranks fourth on the team in receiving yards (385 in six games) — is emerging as a safety valve for QB Justin Herbert. LB Kyle Kennard (no sacks) looks like one of the few duds for the Chargers. The class would have a higher grade if RB Omarion Hampton — who had 314 rushing yards before injuring his ankle in a Week 5 loss to the Washington Commanders — weren’t on injured reserve. — Clark Dalton

AFC North

BALTIMORE RAVENS (1-5) | Rookie class grade: B- | The Ravens are getting a lot of snaps from first-round CB Malaki Starks, second-round edge-rusher Mike Green and fourth-round LB Teddye Buchanan. The bad news is that the defense is one of the NFL's worst, so it’s hard to assess how good the rookies are. The standout from this rookie class is kicker Tyler Loop, Justin Tucker’s replacement. He has missed two kicks (one extra point and one field goal).

CINCINNATI BENGALS (3-4) | Rookie class grade: C | Linebackers Demetrius Knight Jr. (second round) and Barrett Carter (fourth round), as well as offensive linemen Dylan Fairchild (third round) and Jalen Rivers (fifth round), were thrust into starting roles with mixed results. Knight and Carter are becoming big contributors on a struggling defense, but Fairchild and Rivers have had rocky moments for an offensive line that has struggled in run- and pass-blocking. First-round pick Shemar Stewart, a D-lineman, has been limited to just three games and hasn't made an impact. 

CLEVELAND BROWNS (2-5) | Rookie class grade: A | The rookie class is the bright spot on another bad Browns team. Every rookie besides fifth-round QB Shedeur Sanders has contributed. First- and second-round picks Mason Graham (DL) and Carson Schwesinger (LB), respectively, look like they will be cornerstones, and RB Quinshon Judkins is an emerging star (467 rushing yards and five touchdowns). Tight end Harold Fannin Jr. is emerging as a big passing game target with 32 catches.
 
PITTSBURGH STEELERS (4-2) | Rookie class grade: C | First-round pick Derrick Harmon missed two games with an injury to open the season, but he has proved to be a disruptive player (two sacks). LB Jack Sawyer and DE Yahya Black are depth players and have flashed skills. Third-round RB Kaleb Johnson (36 rushing yards) was supposed to be an immediate impact player, but he has struggled and made one of the biggest blunders of the season when he did not field a kickoff and allowed it to be recovered for a Seattle Seahawks touchdown in Week 2.  — Adam Gretz

AFC South

HOUSTON TEXANS (2-4) | Rookie class grade: B | The Texans have struggled offensively, but their rookie class should give them hope. OT Aireontae Ersery has helped fill the void left by the offseason trade of Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil. RB Woody Marks has 268 total yards from scrimmage, while WRs Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel could be leaned on more heavily with Nico Collins and Christian Kirk banged up.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (6-1) | Rookie class grade: C | First-round TE Tyler Warren has made an immediate impact and been the focal point of the passing offense (439 receiving yards and three TDs). Aside from the former Penn State star, the Colts have not gotten much from their rookie class. Second-round pass-rusher JT Tuimoloau has only two assisted tackles.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (4-3) | Rookie class grade: C- | WR/CB Travis Hunter (No. 2 overall) finally had a breakout performance in Week 7 (eight catches for 101 yards and a touchdown), and he has shown the ability to cover elite receivers. Besides Hunter, rookies have played sparingly. CB Caleb Ransaw had a chance to start but suffered a season-ending foot injury before Week 1; OL Wyatt Milum hasn't played yet. 

TENNESSEE TITANS (1-6) | Rookie class grade: B- | QB Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick, has had issues with turnovers (five interceptions, five lost fumbles), but he should benefit from the Titans firing former HC Brian Callahan. WR Elic Ayomanor has been a reliable option for Ward (with 225 receiving yards). TE Gunnar Helm has played well (17 catches), and LB Oluwafemi Oladejo struggled (five solo tackles in six games) before landing on IR with a calf injury. — Steve DelVecchio