Don't Sleep on These Players: Picking the NFL's All-Underrated Team for 2025

The NFL is built on stars. Fans flock to buy the jersey of Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase and tune in to watch the exploits of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

However, don't sleep on the impact that underrated players can have on a team.

Few outside of Philadelphia would have called edge-rusher Josh Sweat or defensive tackle Milton Williams stars heading into last season. One dominant performance in the Super Bowl later, both received massive contracts—and neither are Eagles anymore.

The league is loaded with players who don’t get the credit they should. Some haven’t been around that long. Others are mired on bad teams. Some are late-bloomers or play positions short on sizzle.

Whatever the reason, it begs the question: If you assembled a team of those players, what would it look like?

The rules here are simple. We've assembled a team of players who have never been recognized as either a Pro Bowler or an All-Pro.

The result is a team that could contend for the Super Bowl. And that might get these players noticed.

Quarterback

AP Photo/Derik Hamilton

Packers QB Jordan Love

Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers

Let's get this out of the way: Calling any decent quarterback "underrated" is a stretch. Bad quarterbacks get $40 million per year. Good ones are essentially stars by default.

The 2024 campaign was supposed to be Jordan Love’s coming-out party. The young quarterback had led the Packers to a playoff win in 2023 after throwing for 4,159 yards, 32 interceptions and only 11 interceptions during the regular season. The Packers rewarded Love with a four-year, $220 million contract extension last offseason.

Love got the Packers back to the postseason last year, but his numbers were down. He finished with only 3,389 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and 11 picks in 15 games. Still, Love was quietly fifth in QBR last season at 69.3, and Green Bay quarterbacks coach Sean Mannion told reporters that with a little refinement, he’s confident Love can become one of the NFL’s elite signal-callers.

"He's a great talent, he's a great person to work with every day, and he has great habits. I think when you combine those three things, really, the sky is the limit," Mannion said. "For him, what we're really trying to focus on is just the fundamentals and the footwork."

Love is accurate, having completed over 64 percent of his passes in two of the past three seasons. He has the arm talent to push the ball downfield, as he was 10th in air yards per attempt last year. And while he’s not a scrambler, Love isn’t a statue in the pocket, either.

The 26-year-old is a fine choice to lead the offense for the 2025 All-Underrated Team.

Running Backs

AP Photo/Jason Behnken

Buccaneers RB Bucky Irving

Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Irving didn’t enter the NFL with a ton of fanfare. The 5’10”, 195-pounder was the 125th overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft. But by the end of the season, he had established himself as one of the more promising young runners in the league.

Despite making only three starts as a rookie, Irving racked up 1,122 yards on the ground, which ranked 10th in the NFL. His 5.4 yards per carry ranked fourth among backs with over 200 carries. Irving tied for second in the league in yards after contact per attempt (2.7), and he was a capable receiver out of the backfield, catching 47 of 52 targets for 392 yards.

Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers

Chuba Hubbard wasn’t even supposed to be a lead back in the NFL.

Pressed into lead duties by a combination of injuries and ineffectiveness two years ago, Hubbard was a rare bright spot in a dismal season for the Panthers. Despite playing for a terrible team, Hubbard eclipsed 1,100 total yards and established himself as a bona fide No. 1 back.

Last year, Hubbard upped his game even more. His yards per carry jumped a full yard relative to 2023, Hubbard rushed for 1,195 yards (eighth in the league), scored 11 total touchdowns and caught 43 passes.

Those numbers got Hubbard a four-year, $33.2 million contract extension with $16.5 million in guarantees, along with a spot on this year’s All-Underrated Team.

Wide Receivers

AP Photo/Darryl Webb

Vikings WR Jordan Addison

Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings

If Jordan Addison played somewhere other than Minnesota, he might already have a higher profile than he does. After all, Justin Jefferson casts a long shadow.

However, Addison has been a solid young receiver in his own right. Despite averaging only 103.5 targets in his first two NFL seasons, the 5'11", 175-pounder posted at least 875 receiving yards in both of those campaigns. He has also been an absolute force in the red zone, reeling in 19 touchdowns to date.

Calling a recent first-round pick “underrated” might be stretching that term, but Addison might be the No. 1 wide receiver for a number of NFL teams.

Here, Addison gets his chance.

Jauan Jennings, San Francisco 49ers

The 2024 season was an injury-ravaged mess for the San Francisco 49ers. But that gave fourth-year veteran Jauan Jennings a chance to show what he can do, and he took advantage of it.

In 15 games (10 starts), Jennings had career-highs in targets (113), catches (77), receiving yards (975) and touchdowns (6). He had at least 90 receiving yards four times, including an 11-grab, 175-yard, three-score explosion against the Los Angeles Rams.

Jennings is also entering a contract year, which should give him that much more motivation this season.

Jakobi Meyers, Las Vegas Raiders

Not much went right for the Las Vegas Raiders last year, but the play of veteran wide receiver Jakobi Meyers was an exception.

Playing with a shaky array of quarterbacks on an offense lacking viable outside targets, Meyers had the best season of his six-year career. He had career-bests in targets (129), catches (87) and receiving yards (1,027) while adding four touchdown receptions.

Meyers isn’t an especially explosive player. He's averaging only 11.7 yards per catch across his career. But he’s an excellent route-runner, and his 6’2”, 200-pound frame gives him an advantage against smaller cornerbacks in the slot.

Tight End

AP Photo/Terrance Williams

Packers TE Tucker Kraft

Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers

If nothing else, the All-Underrated team comes with a built-in rapport between its quarterback and tight end.

There are three groups of tight ends in the NFL. There are the long-time stalwarts like Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs and Mark Andrews of the Baltimore Ravens. There are young stars like Brock Bowers of the Las Vegas Raiders and Trey McBride of the Arizona Cardinals. And then there are a whole lot of “maybes” who are hoping to work their way over to the cool kids’ table.

Of that group, Green Bay’s Tucker Kraft may have the best odds of making that leap. He had the seventh-most receiving yards (707) and tied for the fourth-most touchdowns among tight ends (7) in 2024.

Kraft told reporters that he’s proud of his ability to chew up yards after the catch—a skill that has drawn comparisons to former Giants tight end Mark Bavaro.

"Just being physical, being tough," Kraft told reporters in December. "YAC, that's really all that guy was worried about. So just trying to channel my inner Bavaro."

Kraft's 9.1 yards after the catch per reception was tops among all tight ends by a massive margin this past season. That gets the third-year pro a spot on the All-Underrated Team.

Offensive Tackle

AP Photo/Gary McCullough

Packers RT Zach Tom

Left Tackle: Bernhard Raimann, Indianapolis Colts

Offensive linemen often toil in relative obscurity. Left tackle is the highest-profile position up front, but you generally won’t hear Raimann’s name discussed among the best in the game at his position.

However, Jonathon Macri of Pro Football Focus called the 27-year-old the most underrated player on Indy’s roster.

“Raimann led the team in PFF pass-blocking grade (82.0) in 2024, ranking 14th among offensive tackles in that regard,” he said. “He was one of just six offensive tackles to rank in the top 12 at his position in both PFF pass-blocking grade and run-defense grade in 2024, leading to a top-10 PFF overall grade (85.1) at the position.”

Raimann is the best blindside protector in the league whom most casual fans haven’t heard of.

Right Tackle: Zach Tom, Green Bay Packers

Zach Tom hasn't received a Pro Bowl nod or been named an All-Pro yet. But in a radio appearance in February, Houston Texans edge-rusher Will Anderson Jr. called the 6’4”, 304-pounder the best offensive lineman he has faced in the pros.

"Probably, what's the dude No. 50 Tom from Green Bay," Anderson said. "Zach Tom, he's legit. ... He's like a quick setter, he punches really quick. He has a really good step off the ball, a kick off the ball. He's good. More on the leaner side. Quick feet. Explosive hands. He can get back really well. I would say he is up there. Besides LT [Laremy Tunsil], going up against LT every day [in practice], he's one of the guys."

Tom allowed only three sacks in 1,068 snaps last season, according to Pro Football Focus. He was PFF's No. 4 offensive tackle overall.

More cheese for the All-Underrated Team.

Interior Offensive Line

AP Photo/Terrance Williams

Steelers C Zach Frazier

Left Guard: Matthew Bergeron, Atlanta Falcons

Bergeron allowed six sacks as a rookie in 2023, according to Pro Football Focus. But in just over 1,100 snaps last year, the Syracuse product cut that number in half. He was also a top-25 guard in run-blocking grade.

Atlanta tackle Kaleb McGary told reporters that he has seen continued improvement and maturity from Bergeron.

"He's matured a bunch," McGary said. "He's a great player—he was a good player last year, but I think he's really, really improving. He's growing personally and as a player and teammate."

If Bergeron continues to ascend in 2025, he could be one of the league’s better young guards.

Center: Zach Frazier, Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh’s offense was nothing special last year, and the team has endured offensive line issues for some time. But the play of Frazier wasn’t one of them. PFF’s Dalton Wasserman went so far as to say that Frazier has a chance to become the NFL’s best center in 2025.

“His 77.9 overall grade ranked sixth among centers, and he allowed just one sack across 16 games,” he said. “Kansas City’s Creed Humphrey still holds a firm grip on the top spot at the position, but Frazier has a chance to close the gap. His 60.2 true pass-blocking grade ranked 13th among centers, and that’s likely where he’ll need to improve most.”

Diehard Steelers fans might be the only ones who appreciate what Frazier brings to the table. But he would be making calls and directing traffic for a formidable offensive line on the All-Underrated Team.

Right Guard: Alijah Vera-Tucker, New York Jets

The Jets selected Vera-Tucker with a first-round pick in 2021, but injuries derailed his career after a promising rookie season. He bounced back in 2024 with his best season to date, allowing only four sacks in 900-plus snaps and earning top-20 grades across the board from PFF.

There was some talk that Vera-Tucker, who played all over the offensive line before settling in last year at right guard, could potentially kick outside for the Jets in 2025. But Jets general manager Darren Mougey told reporters that Vera-Tucker’s position won’t be changing.

“He [AVT] is a guard, but we know his flexibility in the past and what he has been able to do for us,” said Mougey.

It won’t be changing here, either, although having a lineman who's capable of playing numerous spots isn’t a bad thing.

Edge-Rushers

AP Photo/Adrian Kraus

Broncos edge-rusher Jonathon Cooper

Jonathon Cooper, Denver Broncos

Cooper isn’t exactly an unknown commodity. After he logged 8.5 sacks in 2023, the Broncos signed him to a four-year, $60 million extension.

At the time, Cooper told reporters that he intended to show that he’s worth that cheddar—and then some.

"I know I can be better and play better," Cooper said. "I just feel like that's where my mindset is. How can I even exceed this? How can I show my appreciation out there on that field? The fact that they believe in me and my teammates, I don't ever want to let them down. I know that moving forward, I definitely [am] going to keep working, and [I'm] just happy that they believe in me."

Cooper lived up to that pledge, pacing the NFL’s top pass rush (in terms of sacks) with 10.5 sacks while adding 58 total tackles and a career-high 20 quarterback hits.

Cooper isn’t mentioned among the NFL’s elite edge-rushers. But if he can build on last year’s success, he will be soon.

Byron Young, Los Angeles Rams

Young hasn’t received the accolades of batterymate and 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year Jared Verse, but the third-year pro has been consistently productive. He topped 60 total tackles with at least 7.5 sacks in both of his NFL seasons.

The 27-year-old took up Pilates in the offseason to help improve his conditioning and technique, and he told the team’s website that he’s already seeing benefits.

"Just growth that has me being the best player I could be," Young said. "I'm just seeing this part of my life that I definitely needed for years, and I just didn't notice it. I'm glad I found it. But I'm looking at being a lot stronger, faster, fit, being able to do plays longer, last longer than O-linemen (or) whoever I'm going against. So, I see that kind of improving everything all around. That's what I'm hoping for."

Young benefits from playing on the Rams, whose front seven is loaded with young talent. But he’s a talented player who's capable both of setting the edge and getting after the quarterback, as evidenced by his strong tackle numbers and 12 tackles for loss last year.

Interior Defensive Linemen

AP Photo/Maria Lysaker

Dolphins IDL Zach Sieler

Zach Sieler, Miami Dolphins

In 2018, Sieler was a seventh-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens. Now, he's arguably the NFL's best defensive tackle who has never been named to the Pro Bowl.

After accruing 10 combined sacks over the first five seasons of his career, Sieler has blossomed over the past two years. He's had 10 sacks and at least 55 tackles both years while adding 24 tackles for loss and 41 quarterback hits in total.

Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver told reporters last year that Sieler is one of the foundational pieces of Miami’s defense.

“It’s a testament to just how hard he works at everything—on his body, on his craft, on his knowledge of the game. He is the ultimate professional,” Weaver said. “I love him to death. He is a coach’s dream and all of the rewards he’s reaped so far, he’s worked for.”

Now, he’s the bedrock in the middle of the All-Underrated Team’s defensive line.

John Franklin-Myers, Denver Broncos

At 289 pounds, Franklin-Myers might be considered a little undersized to play inside. But the All-Underrated Team’s defensive philosophy is all about aggression and attacking opposing quarterbacks.

And as Sterling Xie wrote for PFSN, that’s a specialty for the 28-year-old.

“Franklin-Myers had a career-high 7.0 sacks during his first year with the Broncos in 2024,” he said. “However, he’s been an underrated pass rusher for a while, dating back to his time with the Jets. Since 2020, Franklin-Myers has recorded a 14.4% pressure rate. That ranks 13th out of 159 players with 1,000+ pass rush snaps in that span. He’s been above 14% each of the last three seasons as well, delivering consistently above-average production.”

Franklin-Myers has been mentioned as a trade candidate for a Broncos team staring at some big contract extensions. Well, he’s got a home here.

Linebackers

AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper

Chargers LB Daiyan Henley

Kaden Elliss, Atlanta Falcons

For most of the first four seasons of his NFL career, Kaden Elliss was a part-time player. But after tallying 78 tackles and seven sacks with the New Orleans Saints in 2022, Elliss joined the Atlanta Falcons in free agency, and he blossomed.

In 2023, Elliss amassed 122 tackles and four sacks in his first year as a full-time starter. He blew those numbers away last year, racking up a career-high 151 total tackles (tied for sixth in the NFL), five sacks, 22 pressures and eight tackles for loss.

Elliss will turn 30 in July, making him one of the older players on the All-Underrated Team. But that experience has its positives, as does Elliss’ experience wearing the “green dot” helmet communicator and making the defensive play calls.

Daiyan Henley, Los Angeles Chargers

A year ago at this time, Henley was an afterthought. The third-rounder out of Washington State barely played as a rookie, and he didn’t appear to have a path to a lot of playing time in Year 2.

However, new defensive coordinator Jesse Minter saw something he liked in Henley, and injuries opened a window of opportunity. Henley crashed through that window to the tune of 147 total tackles. He also had a respectable passer rating against of 87.8.

Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters that Henley has become a key piece of the Los Angeles defense.

"The growth, the leadership, the tackling ability, that's been great," Harbaugh said. "Elite pass defense, driving into the zone and just finding the receivers and plugging the holes and then reacting to the ball in the air that was elite."

That ability to play the pass is invaluable in today’s NFL.

Jack Campbell, Detroit Lions

Campbell was a bit of a disappointment as a rookie in 2023, but the proverbial lightbulb started to come on for him last year. Campbell started all 17 games for the Lions, logging 131 total tackles and finishing as one of the league's highest-graded linebackers, per PFF’s Jim Wyman.

“Every facet of Campbell’s game improved in 2024: His PFF overall grade jumped from 52.1 to 78.7, his PFF run-defense grade moved from 75.8 to 82.5 and his PFF tackling grade went from 66.4 to 83.1”, he said. “But perhaps nowhere was he more impressive than in coverage, where his grade skyrocketed from 35.3 to 74.2 after he didn't allow a touchdown and broke up three passes.”

If Campbell continues to improve entering his third season, he won’t be underrated for long. And Elliss would find himself on the bench in obvious passing situations on the All-Underrated Team.

Cornerbacks

AP Photo/Terrance Williams

Ravens CB Nate Wiggins

Zyon McCollum, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

On paper, Jamel Dean is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' No. 1 cornerback. But Dean has struggled to stay on the field over his career, and Zyon McCollum made the most of the additional opportunities he was afforded last year.

Opposing teams didn’t take it easy on the fourth-year pro, as he was targeted 108 times. Not only did McCollum surpass 80 total tackles and log a whopping 17 pass breakups, but his passer rating against (86.9) and completion percentage against (57.4) were both career-bests.

McCollum told reporters he sees bigger and better things ahead in 2025.

“There has to be an understanding of next man up in terms of everybody who is on the field needs to play like an All-Pro, needs to play like a starter, at least adopt that mindset and really go after the ball,” McCollum said. “When we’re playing together, when everybody trusts each other, then that just frees up the mind to be able to make some big plays like that.”

McCollum’s best football is ahead of him, and he has the potential for a breakout 2025 campaign.

Nate Wiggins, Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens had one of the worst pass defenses in the league last year. But that was hardly the fault of Wiggins, who played a larger and larger role for Baltimore as the season wore on.

It’s not unusual for first-year cornerbacks to struggle in the pros, even ones taken at the very end of Round 1. But Wiggins looked like a seasoned vet out there more often than not, allowing a passer rating against of just 66.7 and surrendering a completion percentage against of just 50 percent.

Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr has lofty expectations for the 21-year-old.

“He was really lockdown for us,” Orr told reporters. “He’s a big piece of our defense, and we expect him to be one of the best corners in the National Football League.”

The tools are all there for a star turn. All Wiggins has to do is continue to grow as a player and he’ll be a superstar.

Garrett Williams, Arizona Cardinals

In the 21st-century NFL, the nickel is the true base defense. Having a solid slot defensive back is absolutely critical. While Williams took some time to become a full-time starter, he has shown the potential to be just that sort of asset.

Williams’ raw stats last year aren’t eye-popping. He logged 58 tackles, a pair of interceptions and nine passes defensed. But his passer rating against last year was south of 75, he allowed less than 57 percent of the passes thrown in his direction to be completed, and only five cornerbacks had a higher grade than the third-year pro, per PFF.

For his part, Williams told reporters he plans to be one of the best cornerbacks in the league.

“I can really be one of the better players at the position in the league,” Williams said. “I just gotta keep working at it.”

If he keeps playing at the level he did a year ago, it won’t be long until he’s regarded as just that.

Safeties

AP Photo/Jack Dempsey

Broncos S Brandon Jones

Brandon Jones, Denver Broncos

There isn’t much that Brandon Jones hasn’t done in the NFL over five years, at least where his role at the back of a defense is concerned.

In his second season with the Miami Dolphins, Jones logged five sacks—the most by any defensive back in the NFL that year. But he really came into his own during his first season with the Denver Broncos in 2024.

Transitioning to more of a deep safety role, Jones set career-highs in tackles (115) and interceptions (3). He also posted a passer rating against of less than 80 for the third consecutive season.

Just as the NFL has moved to five-defensive-back sets as the norm today, teams also covet safeties who are capable of playing both the “free” (deep) and “strong” (box) roles. They want safeties who can both stuff the run and hold their own in coverage.

Jones has shown he can do both at a high level, and it’s not a stretch to say he should be mentioned among the NFL’s best at the position.

Deshon Elliott, Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh safety Deshon Elliott is the first to admit he’s had his ups and downs as a player. But as he told Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, he’s learned over six seasons with four teams that you have to take the bad with the good.

“Nothing’s ever perfect. No one’s life is perfect,” he said. “Get through it. OK, you have a bad game. Ah, everyone has a bad game. Everyone has a bad day. But you can't let that define who you are and how the rest of your life is gonna go.”

On the field, things were as good for Elliott in 2024 as they have ever been. In 15 games, he surpassed 100 total tackles for the first time, while his passer rating against of 88.8 was his best since his rookie season.

Is Elliott an elite talent? Maybe not. But he has experience both with multiple defensive schemes and with playing both safety positions.

That experience and versatility would fit well beside Jones in this hypothetical secondary.

Special Teams

AP Photo/Jason Behnken

Buccaneers K Chase McLaughlin

Kicker: Chase McLaughlin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

McLaughlin has been on more NFL rosters (seven) than he has years in the league (six). But last year in Tampa, everything clicked. He missed only two of his 32 field-goal attempts, and both of those were outside 50 yards. He also hit 96.4 percent of his extra-point tries.

Punter: Ryan Rehkow, Cincinnati Bengals

Many fans probably couldn’t name the punter on their own teams, and most of the long-time veterans at the position have at least one Pro Bowl on their professional resumes. But Rehkow got his professional career off to a strong start in 2024. The undrafted free agent was sixth in the NFL with a net average per punt of 43.3 yards, and Rehkow ranked 10th in the percentage of his punts that were downed inside the 20-yard line.

Returner: Xavier Gipson, New York Jets

Gipson had only six catches for 39 yards last year, although one of them went for a touchdown. However, he was also quietly one of the better return men in the NFL. No one returned more punts than Gipson’s 33, and he almost averaged almost 29 yards per kick return on 17 tries.

He’s not the most explosive return man in the league, but he’s arguably the most dependable. That matters.