The NFL Draft 2025 featured some incredible talent, with Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter making big headlines as ones to watch for the upcoming season. Fortunately, there are a few other rookies who could make headlines with their respective teams. Of course, we’re not expecting these players to make MVP voting – but we are looking at the next generation of talent, and the start of some incredible careers.
Here’s our Top 10 rookies to watch in 2025…
10. Tory Horton – WR, Seattle Seahawks
Tory Horton has been noted for his play-making ability, specifically his skill in gaining yards after catch (YAC). At the 166th pick, the Seahawks have managed to grab some serious talent late in the draft. As a WR, he will be competing against some big talent for a place on the pitch. Unfortunately, Tory doesn’t come without his issues.
In college, Horton has struggled against some starting cornerbacks. Whether this is a result of a lack of confidence or simply a lack of talent, we will have to wait and see. Hopefully, the Seahawks can make the most of pre-season training and get Horton up to speed to be a weapon at the start of the season.
9. Shedeur Sanders – QB, Cleveland Browns
Shedeur Sanders hit the headlines during the NFL Draft for all the wrong reasons. Sanders was drafted far lower than expected in the 5th round. This led to him getting drafted to the Browns and is now 4th on their QB depth chart behind Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel. This means it’s unlikely we’ll get to see any action from the rookie, particularly in the starting weeks of the season.
Sanders has been noted as a strong decision-maker, a trait that is great for rookie QBs; however, he is lacking when it comes to a strong arm and the ability to make accurate deep throws. This is a particularly serious issue for Shedeur given the talent he is up against. As long as he can put his strengths to use in the Cleveland camp and use preseason to move himself up in the QB roster, we could see him start to shine in a couple of months. He could be a good one to catch early with your bets, if Sanders hits the ground running, you can expect the betting hype to follow him closely.
8. Ashton Jeanty – RB, Las Vegas Raiders
Ashton Jeanty is a typical 1st-round draft Running Back. Speed, power, great pass protection. His biggest threat at the LV Raiders isn’t another player, it’s injury. We usually see big talent like this hindered by a massive workload and a lack of care around recovery and injury prevention. If the Raiders can keep Jeanty healthy for his first season, we could see the next Derrick Henry or Marshawn Lynch.
We would love to see Ashton reach 1000+ yards in his first season to kick off his career. As he is the starting RB for the Raiders, this is possible.
7. Jihaad Campbell – LB, Philadelphia Eagles
Jihaad Campbell enters the 2025 NFL season as a late first-round pick for the Philadelphia Eagles, bringing elite instincts and impressive coverage skills to a linebacker unit that’s looking for fresh impact. Known for his athleticism and sideline-to-sideline range, Campbell excelled in college as a hybrid linebacker with the ability to track tight ends and running backs in coverage — a trait the Eagles have been lacking in recent seasons.
Campbell comes into training camp recovering from a pre-draft injury, meaning his early workload could be limited as he builds back to full speed. If he can stay healthy, the goal for his rookie season is to carve out a role on early downs and earn snaps in the Eagles’ rotation.
6. Will Campbell – OT, New England Patriots
Will Campbell was drafted #4 in the first round of the Draft. As a standout pass blocker in the SEC, the Patriots made sure to grab his talents from LSU before it was too late. With great run and pass block potential, we hope to see Campbell have a big impact in New England.
If he can get up to speed with the level of play in the NFL, he may become a starter for the Patriots in the years to come. Should we get a chance to see him shine this upcoming season, we are confident he will pop up in the futures betting markets. Campbell is currently listed as the starter in the Left Tackle position with Demontrey Jacobs taking the #2 spot.
5. Colston Loveland – TE, Chicago Bears
Colston Loveland was picked up by the Chicago Bears at the #10 pick in the draft. Unfortunately, he will be competing for the Tend End role in Chicago against Cole Kmet.
With reliable hands, strong route management, and great YAC ability, he will be a strong contender to be the starting TE once he is up to speed with the NFL level of play. He has lacked on the defensive end of the TE role, with his lack of blocking consistency being noted as one of his weaknesses.
Loveland’s goal for his rookie season should be to reach 500+ yards and be a strong red zone contributor.
4. Mykel Williams – DE, San Francisco 49ers
Mykel Williams was taken 11th overall by the San Francisco 49ers, stepping into a defensive line room with sky-high expectations. At 6’5” with a long frame and relentless motor, Williams was a standout at Georgia, where his strength and experience helped him consistently disrupt opposing quarterbacks.
That said, Williams is still refining the technical side of his game, particularly his hand placement and counters at the line of scrimmage. His rookie goals are clear: earn a starting role and become a reliable presence in key pass-rush situations.
3. Cam Ward – QB, Tennessee Titans
Cam Ward was drafted in the first round and has been placed at the helm of a rebuild for the Titans. With a strong arm, quick reactions, and great leadership skills, we hope to see Ward jump straight into the action at the start of the NFL season. Unfortunately, joining a team at the start of a rebuild does come with some weaknesses.
With limited offensive line talent and few receiving weapons, we could see the rookie struggle in his first season. If he can display some mental fortitude and work with the front office to develop the squad, we could see Cam Ward as a great QB for years to come. In the short term, he needs to impress coaches, managers and evaluators to ensure he stays as the starter in Tennessee. We will keep an eye on Ward as an underdog with great potential.
2. Abdul Carter – DE, New York Giants
As the 3rd overall pick this year, Abdul Carter has a lot to prove in New York. With an exceptional pass-rush win rate in college, he has the skill and ability to dominate in the NFL. However, this may not happen in his first season as the NFL is a real step up from collegiate-level Football.
If he can achieve some key metrics in the opening weeks, he will solidify himself as one of the safest defensive picks of the draft.
1. Travis Hunter WR / CB, Jacksonville Jaguars
Travis Hunter is another player who found himself in the headlines during the Draft. As the Heisman winner, the league and fans have high expectations for the rookie. Hunter also won the Biletnikoff and Bednarik Awards in the same season, making him stand out from the rest of the draft class.
As for the rest of the rookies, the NFL workload is uncharted territory, and there are currently concerns over his stamina, durability and learning playbooks on both ends of the field. The Jaguars have stated Travis Hunter will be put to work as both a Wide Receiver and a cornerback, meaning he has double the pressure heading into the season.
He is also the highest-rated rookie in Madden this year at 84 Overall.
Betting on NFL Rookie Prospects
The hype of the 2025/26 NFL season is already palpable at the top US sportsbooks, and it is not too early to start planning your bets on these highlighted rookies. At DraftKings, there is already a Rookie Watch special market where you can bet on the passing yards, touchdowns, rushing yards, and defensive stats. Among the featured players, Cameron Ward, Travis Hunter, Colston Loveland and Ashton Jeanty are already top of the list for these rookie specials.
FanDuel also has a series of rookie specials on offer, expanding on those markets and providing the diehard NFL fans a piece of the action while its early, hot and sizzling. Of course, at this stage, betting on rookies is high risk and the betting tipsters will be throwing all kinds of theories and betting hype on these prospects. But, on the other hand, the betting odds for these rookies are long, and there are lots of high value futures to be had right now. Who knows, they could pay off by December if Hunter, Carter, Ward or Williams come in strong, and don’t forget you have cashout offers on these futures wagers.
We will keep a close eye on these betting odds in the offseason, and to stay up to date, you can follow us on X @BettingToolsus, where we also keep you in the loop of any new sportsbook bonuses or wild boost offers that can give you a neat preseason boost to start the next season on a high.
