Projecting 2025 NFL Rookie Leaders for Major Stat Categories
The 2025 NFL draft class is getting its on-field introduction to the pros as teams conduct rookie minicamps. Young talent will shine in every offseason phase, but who will be the top first-year playmakers in the regular season?
While we can almost count on one rookie quarterback to start Week 1, several running backs and wide receivers can claim lead positions.
Multiple ball-carriers could take on significant workloads. The wide receiver class features a two-way unicorn and several big-bodied pass-catchers who can be tough to defend in the red zone.
This year's class had quality depth at edge-rusher and cornerback, which makes it hard to pick a front-runner for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
We'll sort it out by projecting rookie stat leaders and runner-ups for 10 major categories, explaining why these players will stand out with gaudy passing, rushing, receiving, run-stopping and pass-rushing numbers.
Passing Yards: Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans
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This year's rookie quarterback class only has one probable starter: the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.
Tennessee Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi refrained from naming Cam Ward the team's starting QB over Will Levis, though clubs waste little time getting top rookie signal-callers on the field in today's NFL.
Ward has been a collegiate starter for the last five years, dating back to his time at Incarnate Word. His experience will serve him well in a fast track to the pro spotlight.
The Titans have a decent pass-catching group that features eighth-year veteran Calvin Ridley and 11th-year pro Tyler Lockett. The former is coming off back-to-back seasons with 1,000-plus receiving yards, while the latter is a sure-handed wideout with a 70.5 percent career catch rate.
This offseason, the Titans bolstered their offensive line, signing left tackle Dan Moore Jr. and guard Kevin Zeitler. If that unit keeps Ward upright, he'll post decent numbers on a rebuilding team that may have to play catch-up quite a bit this year.
Ward should be the runaway favorite to lead the class in passing yards. However, if New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr undergoes surgery on his shoulder, Tyler Shough can push the Miami product for the most passing yards among rookies.
Ward's projected total: 3,689 yards
Runner-up: Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints (2,358)
Passing Touchdowns: Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans
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The Tennessee Titans can take pressure off Cameron Ward with their ground game. Last offseason, they signed Tony Pollard, who has rushed for 1,005 or more yards in three consecutive campaigns.
Last year, the Titans saw Tyjae Spears as the 1B option in the backfield alongside Pollard. If he stays healthy, the team can employ a ball-control offensive attack.
Head coach Brian Callahan may err on the side of conservative play-calling rather than allow Ward to air out defenses with pass-heavy game plans until the offensive line proves it can protect the quarterback.
The 22-year-old will probably finish outside the top 10 leaguewide in passing touchdowns, but unless Tyler Shough starts over an ailing Derek Carr in New Orleans, the Tennessee quarterback will also lead rookies this category.
Ward's projected total: 22
Runner-up: Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints (14)
Rushing Yards: Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas Raiders
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We're still in chalky territory with projected rookie stat leaders here.
Ashton Jeanty is the early favorite (+200 via DraftKings) to win the 2025 Offensive Rookie of the Year award. These are fair odds considering he's set to be the Las Vegas Raiders' workhorse running back.
Other than drafting Jeanty, the Raiders only added Raheem Mostert to their running back room after they finished with the fewest rushing yards last season. At 33, Mostert is unlikely to take on a heavy workload.
Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly has designed effective ground attacks on the collegiate level over the past several years at UCLA and most recently at Ohio State. He must readjust to the pro level, but he has four years of play-calling experience in the NFL.
Jeanty will hit the ground running for a ton of yards in Kelly's system.
Quinshon Judkins, the runner-up to the Boise State product, could also take on a lead role. After the draft, Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry discussed Judkins' prospective workload:
"With Q (Quinshon Judkins), you know, rugged run style. I'm sure a lot of people in this room have seen him at Ohio State this year. Really a bell cow, versatile runner who can run through you, run by you, run around you. We're really excited to have him available to us at the 36 pick."
Because of the uncertainty at quarterback in Cleveland, Judkins may be a close second to Jeanty in rushing yards.
Jeanty's projected total: 1,247 yards
Runner-up: Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland Browns (1,059)
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Rushing Touchdowns: Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas Raiders
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At 5'8", 211 pounds, Ashton Jeanty doesn't look like the prototypical goal-line ball-carrier on the pro level, though he will have every opportunity to close drives with the aging and unproven depth behind him.
Remember that Jeanty registered 29 rushing touchdowns at Boise State last year. He's not a big running back relative to other featured ball-carriers, but his touch volume will allow him plenty of looks in the red zone.
Unlike Jeanty, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson has the size (6'1", 224 lbs) to push the pile near the goal line and consistently take on short-yardage situations.
Over the last three years, Jaylen Warren took a backseat to Najee Harris in carries and has served as the Steelers' primary pass-catcher out of the backfield.
While Warren can take on a bigger role after the Steelers lost Harris in free agency, he's a 5'8", 215-pound ball-carrier who may not handle as many short-yardage and goal-line touches as Johnson.
If Johnson is a direct replacement for Harris, expect him to be on the field when the Steelers are deep in opponent territory.
Jeanty's projected total: 11
Runner-up: Kaleb Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers (8)
Receiving Yards: Travis Hunter, Jacksonville Jaguars
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Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone said two-way collegiate standout Travis Hunter will get a "heavy dose on offense."
This offseason, the Jaguars traded Christian Kirk to the Houston Texans and cut Gabe Davis. So, Hunter should be their No. 2 wide receiver.
Offensively, Jacksonville may have a bounce-back year under head coach Liam Coen, who called plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' third-ranked passing attack last season.
In 2022 and 2023, quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw for 4,016-plus yards. He can do it again in Coen's system, which raises the ceiling of the No. 2 receiver in the Jaguars offense. Hunter can be a 1,000-yard receiver if he plays most of his snaps at wideout.
Tetairoa McMillan is the runner-up because of his quarterback situation. Though Bryce Young played well at the end of the previous campaign, he still has much to prove going into his third year.
Young has yet to throw for more than 2,877 yards in a season. The Carolina Panthers have two ball-carriers, Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle, who eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards last season.
Don't be surprised if Carolina employs a run-heavy offense, capping the passing game's production.
McMillan should be the Panthers' No. 1 wide receiver, though he may be less productive than Hunter, who's playing with a two-time 4,000-plus yard passer.
Hunter's projected total: 1,014
Runner-up: Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina Panthers (821)
Receiving Touchdowns: Jayden Higgins, Houston Texans
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Here's a surprise rookie stat leader. Jayden Higgins will top Travis Hunter and Tetairoa McMillan for most touchdown receptions.
According to the Houston Chronicle's Jonathan M. Alexander, wide receiver Tank Dell will likely miss the 2025 season recovering from multiple knee surgeries. Houston acquired Christian Kirk, but he's coming off an injury-riddled season and has scored four touchdowns over the last two seasons.
At 6'4", 210 pounds, Higgins can be an immediate threat in the red zone over Kirk and fellow rookie wideout Jaylin Noel. The Iowa State product has a clear path to becoming the complementary playmaker to Nico Collins in the Texans' aerial attack.
If Higgins carves out a role as the No. 2 wide receiver or the secondary option to Collins in the red zone, he could rack up touchdowns. Though Collins has emerged as a premier receiver over the last two years, he hasn't registered more than eight touchdown receptions in a single season.
Higgins should see more red-zone opportunities than McMillan will get with the Carolina Panthers. Hunter's slender frame (6'1", 185 lbs) may limit his ability to pull down contested catches in the red zone.
Higgins' projected total: 8
Runner-up: Travis Hunter, Jacksonville Jaguars (6)
Yards from Scrimmage: TreVeyon Henderson, New England Patriots
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Finally, the New England Patriots have a home-run offensive playmaker. They selected TreVeyon Henderson in the second round of the draft, and he will split backfield touches with Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson.
The Patriots' previous regime benched Stevenson because of his ball-security issues. He fumbled seven times and lost three of them. If he continues to give the ball away, Henderson could finish the 2025 season as New England's featured tailback.
Moreover, if the Patriots feature the Ohio State product in the passing game, he can rack up well over 1,300 yards. In three of his four terms with the Buckeyes, he averaged at least 10.5 yards per catch.
In his second return to New England, play-caller Josh McDaniels can uplift the offense, and Henderson could benefit the most because of his versatile skill set.
With the Denver Broncos, RJ Harvey is in a backfield situation that's similar to Henderson's in New England, possibly splitting touches with two other running backs, Audric Estime and Jaleel McLaughlin.
However, like Henderson, the No. 60 overall pick is an exceptional pass-catcher. At UCF, he averaged 11.8 yards per reception.
Denver general manager George Paton believes Harvey has upside in that area:
"His ability to get in and out [of his breaks], his ability to catch [stood out]. You can see he has instincts in the pass game. Man, he had a lot of big plays in the pass game. You just don't see all the routes, and you can see those at the pro day. And we think he can keep going [upward]."
By the end of the year, Harvey could be the Broncos' lead running back and one of their top pass-catchers.
Henderson's projected total: 1,489
Runner-up: RJ Harvey, Denver Broncos (1,441)
Sacks: James Pearce Jr., Atlanta Falcons
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In the first round of the draft, the Atlanta Falcons selected Jalon Walker, who's a hybrid defender with experience on the edge and at off-ball linebacker, and a pure pass-rusher in James Pearce Jr.
Pearce can win with power and speed off the edge. He also has 32¾" arms to prevent offensive linemen from establishing leverage against him in one-on-one situations.
If the Tennessee product refines his technique, he can be a strong candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year with double-digit sacks. The Falcons needed a lead pass-rusher, and he fits the bill.
Pearce beats out Abdul Carter, who joins Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux in the New York Giants' edge-rusher rotation.
The Penn State product has the physical tools to be the most impressive defensive player in this class, though his early snap count could be limited by established starters ahead of him on the depth chart.
If New York trades Thibodeaux, flip Carter and Pearce in this category.
Pearce's projected total: 11
Runner-up: Abdul Carter, New York Giants (9)
Interceptions: Will Johnson, Arizona Cardinals
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To the surprise of some, Will Johnson slipped to the second round after three productive collegiate terms at Michigan, recording 10 pass breakups, nine interceptions and three pick-sixes.
However, it's worth noting that the 22-year-old hasn't played since mid-October because of turf toe and then battled a hamstring injury that sidelined him for the Wolverines' pro day.
Also, according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, teams were worried about a knee issue that could shorten Johnson's career.
As a result, the Arizona Cardinals may have the biggest steal of the draft, a first-round talent who fell to Day 2 because of injury concerns. Johnson is motivated to show teams what they passed on in the first round.
Johnson could have been a top-10 pick if not for those health concerns. Aside from Travis Hunter, many draft analysts believed he's the best cornerback in this year's class. With some extra incentive, Johnson will put his ball-tracking skills on full display.
Johnson tops Jahdae Barron, who will likely see several targets every week as quarterbacks opt to test a rookie over two-time All-Pro Patrick Surtain II.
Because Barron can line up in the slot or on the boundary, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph could move him around, allowing the rookie cornerback to make plays in different spots.
Johnson's projected total: 5
Runner-up: Jahdae Barron, Denver Broncos (4)
Tackles For Loss: Mykel Williams, San Francisco 49ers
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The San Francisco 49ers made significant changes along their defensive line, releasing Maliek Collins, Javon Hargrave and Leonard Floyd. They also brought back Robert Saleh after firing defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen.
The 49ers selected Mykel Williams with the 11th overall pick as part of their defensive rebuild along the front line. He'll have an opportunity to start opposite All-Pro edge-rusher Nick Bosa, who commands a lot of attention.
With the focus on Bosa, Williams can find his way into the backfield as a pass-rusher and run-defender. He recorded 8.5 tackles for loss in his final collegiate term at Georgia.
Williams narrowly beats out Pittsburgh Steelers' first-rounder Derrick Harmon.
Typically, only elite defensive tackles rack up tackles for loss. Yet the Oregon product has shown he can turn plays into losses for opposing offenses. He registered 10.5 tackles for loss in his last collegiate term.
Most teams use a rotation of defensive linemen, which is why Harmon may fall short of double-digit tackles for loss this year , but he's going to get favorable one-on-one opportunities lining up alongside Cameron Heyward and in front of star edge-rusher T.J. Watt.
Williams' projected total: 12
Runner-up: Derrick Harmon, Pittsburgh Steelers (9)
College statistics are provided by cfbstats.com.
Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.
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