2025 1st-Round NFL Draft Picks With Potential to Disappoint as Rookies

The shine has yet to wear off any of this year's NFL draft picks, because they've yet to do anything to warrant disappointment. But it'll happen eventually.

Hope may spring eternal now. Just like the MCU's Eternals—remember that installment? Sure you do—it can be quickly forgotten if the standard dips and doesn't live up to expectations.

Ultimately, a significant number of this year's first-round picks will fail, at least at their first stops.

Stories like Sam Darnold getting a huge free-agent contract after he experienced a career Renaissance with the Minnesota Vikings can't happen if he still played for the team that originally drafted him, the New York Jets.

A first look at this year's selections can be made while understanding they won't all work out, even in June before they've played an official down. Some will struggle due to their skill sets. Others may not be featured to the point where they lived up to their draft status. Certain individuals won't be ready for the professional game.

By identifying potential disappointments this early in the process, it's not meant to serve as an indictment of what they can eventually become. It's simply a look at who may not be positioned as well to succeed at the onset of their careers. Six, in particular, stand out as those who will need time and patience to maximize their potential.

OT Kelvin Banks Jr., New Orleans Saints

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The New Orleans Saints spent this year's ninth overall draft pick on Texas offensive lineman Kelvin Banks Jr. Banks is supposed to be the final piece of a front that's struggled to really find its place. Ultimately, he should end up at left tackle after bouncing between positions during minicamp.

With Banks at left tackle, former first rounders Trevor Penning and Taliese Fuaga should find new homes at left guard and right tackle, respectively. Both should be far more comfortable at those particular spots. Meanwhile, Erik McCoy and Cesar Ruiz remain at their regular positions along the interior.

Banks' ability to protect the blind side is critical for all of this to come together, and he's likely to experience plenty of bumps in the road along the way.

Bleacher Report scout Brandon Thorn projected the reigning Outland Trophy winner as a guard and saw a couple concern areas with his game.

"Sustain and finishing skills are the biggest questions that I have," Thorn tweeted, "but there is a lot to like."

In the lineman's scouting report, Thorn added, "Banks transitions into his anchor against speed to power on time but can get pressed onto his heels and pried open against the long-arm that exposes closer to average length and lower body strength."

Banks moves well, and he's comfortable at left tackle. Though, clearly, he has a couple of areas that can be exposed early in his career against adept edge defenders. He's not the caliber of left tackle prospect often seen among the top 10 picks, and he may require time to improve his functional strength and finishing skills.

TE Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears

AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

A combination of an offseason surgery coupled with limited reps during the process leading up to the 2025 season, as well as a proven veteran already at the position, should force this year's 10th overall pick, tight end Colston Loveland, into a slow start.

Loveland suffered an AC joint separation during the 2024 campaign. He missed two games but did play through the injury for a period. Once the season ended and draft preparation ramped up, the tight end required surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder and reconstruct the AC joint capsule.

After not participating during the on-field portions of rookie camp, organized team activities or mandatory minicamp, the current timeline places Loveland on the field by the start of training camp.

"I would say, I think what I can gather, from the walk-throughs, from the meetings, is he's very professional, he takes everything seriously," Bears head coach Ben Johnson said of Loveland. "I think he's going to fit in really well once we start getting him to go full speed."

His onboarding into the offense will take some time. Tight end is already a notoriously slow-developing position because of how it has to be engaged in the passing game with an understanding of all blocking and protection schemes. Time missed now, while slowly working Loveland into the mix during training camp and possibly the preseason, will have an effect on his ability to contribute as a rookie, particularly during the first half of the regular season.

The Bears can fall back on veteran Cole Kmet, while the coaching staff finds ways to eventually implement Loveland into the gameplan. Once up to speed, Chicago will add this year's top tight end prospect. It's going to take time, though.

Edge Mykel Williams, San Francisco 49ers

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The idea of Mykel Williams is far more intriguing than the actual player.

Entering last season, Williams was a darkhorse candidate to emerge as the No. 1 overall pick, as another former Georgia Bulldog in Travon Walker did three years earlier. Williams never quite reached that level, with the San Francisco 49ers eventually selecting him with this year's 11th overall draft pick.

Williams switch from an interior defender to full-time edge defender was a driving force behind the lofty projection. It happened to a degree, though the defensive lineman still found himself lined up in an 4i (inside shoulder of the offensive tackle) quite often. His sack numbers didn't dramatically increase, either. To be fair, Williams dealt with a high-ankle sprain that he suffered in Georgia's first game of the 2025 campaign.

Still, his development as a pass-rusher remains in its early stages.

"The Georgia product has some work to do as a pass-rusher, though," B/R scout Matt Holder wrote in Williams' scouting report. "Right now, he'll occasionally win with pure strength and athleticism, and he has the quickness and general movement skills to develop. However, his use of hands is sub-par as offensive tackles often make the first significant contact and thwart his moves before they can get started.

"Williams has flashed a solid long arm and ability to win with power, but he lacks a go-to move that he can win with in the NFL."

The opportunity to play opposite Nick Bosa certainly helps. Williams can be an excellent run defender at the onset of his professional career. But the 20-year-old will need time to hone his craft for a year or two before he becomes the pass-rusher that San Francisco hopes he can be.

DL Kenneth Grant, Miami Dolphins

AP Photo/Marta Lavandier

Kenneth Grant has an uphill battle to climb as this year's 13th overall pick. He's a nose tackle by trade, and most won't appreciate his primary job of taking up space and keeping his teammates clean so they can make plays. At the same time, a nose tackle drafted that high in the process better be the next Dexter Lawrence or Haloti Ngata.

The 6'4", 331-pound rookie doesn't have the same type of athleticism or pass-rush upside as either of those mentioned.

"Grant's biggest issue as a run defender is he is susceptible to getting reached against outside zone when going against quicker and more agile offensive linemen," Holder wrote, "While he has decent linear athleticism, his lateral movement skills are sub-par which can make it difficult to run his feet and stay in his gap versus stretch runs.

"As a pass-rusher, the Michigan product can be an effective bull rusher when he keeps his pads down and has a solid arm-over move that he can win with. However, he's inconsistent game-to-game in this area and struggles with his pad level, impacting how often he can win as a bull-rusher."

It's important for an interior defender to do the dirty work and make sure the easiest path for an opposing offense isn't right up the middle. That can be achieved by someone who wasn't a top-13 selection. Grant must develop into a three-down defender to realize his full potential and draft value.

"... I’ve seen early-down production where he wins based on technique and fundamentals early in the snap," Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters, "and I’ve seen late-down wins where he’s straining and utilizing grit and finish to make plays as well. He's got a lot of work to do."

Edge Shemar Stewart, Cincinnati Bengals

AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster

Shemar Stewart has all the potential in the world to become an elite edge-defender for the Cincinnati Bengals. First, he needs to agree to a contract. Second, he has significant development to do before reaching that point.

Obviously, the initial sticking point is the Bengals agreeing to a contract with this year's 17th overall pick. The two sides remain at an impasse based on certain language the organization insists should be part of the deal.

The NFL hasn't seen an extended rookie holdout in some time. In Stewart's case, some type of appeasement is necessary after the rookie left mandatory minicamp.

"In my case, I'm 100 percent right," Stewart told reporters. "I'm not asking for nothing that's never been done before. But in [the team's] case, y'all just want to win an argument instead of winning more games, in my opinion."

As a result, the first-round rookie missed valuable reps throughout the offseason because he didn't participate in any of the team activities. To make matters worse, the Texas A&M prospect is already viewed as a work-in-progress, who will need time to develop once he's on the field and participating.

"His movement skills are worth working with," Holder wrote, "but his pass-rush arsenal is currently limited due to poor hand use. Also, he has sub-par bend due to some tightness in his lower body, making it difficult for him to corner at the top of the rush and take efficient paths to the quarterback."

Considering the Bengals are also in a contract standoff with veteran defensive end Trey Hendrickson—which could ultimately result in a trade—Stewart's must be thrust into the spotlight far sooner than his level of play is capable of

CB Maxwell Hairston, Buffalo Bills

AP Photo/Matt Rourke

The Buffalo Bills took a chance on a high-upside prospect in cornerback Maxwell Hairston with this year's 30th overall pick. Hairston has speed to burn, which creates the potential to develop into an elite coverage corner. He also has some flaws to his game.

"There's speed, and then there's playing fast," defensive coordinator Bobby Babich told ESPN's Alaina Getzenberg. "And I think what we're starting to see is Max playing faster and utilizing his speed because his processing is starting to slow down a little bit in the event that he's grasping what we are throwing at him. ... Max is blessed with a lot of speed. And we'll see if that can show up consistently on the field."

The last line is vitally important in regards to Hairston's performance. Consistency will be necessary, because his physicality and technique tend to fade at times.

"Though he's more than a willing tackler, Hairston's physicality in tackling is inconsistent, particularly in the open field," B/R scout Cory Giddings wrote. "While he's capable of blitzing and contributing against the run, his tackling leaves much to be desired, and he tends to shy away from contact at times. His lack of physicality when tackling could limit his effectiveness in specific defensive schemes that require corners to play a more aggressive role against the run."

Hairston did deal with a shoulder issue throughout the 2024 campaign. Though this fact doesn't excuse his lack of physicality. Instead, it highlights his slight frame at a mere 183 pounds and how it'll handle an NFL pounding.

The rookie will compete with veteran Tre'Davious White to start opposite Christian Benford. Hairston will get his far share of opportunities. When he does, expect some outstanding play and some head-scratching ones as well.