Top 5 2025 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Candidates

It's no secret that a rookie's situation is one of the biggest factors for them to hit the ground running in the NFL and have immediate success, sometimes even greater than their skill set.

For example, the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award is often given to a first-year pro who walks into an opportunity to lead their position from the jump. 

Whether that's a quarterback who becomes the starter within the first month of the season, such as Jayden Daniels, C.J. Stroud and Justin Herbert, or weapons who are immediate No. 1s like Garrett Wilson, Ja'Marr Chase and Saquon Barkley. 

With the 2025 season just around the corner, we'll identify the top five OROY candidates, highlighting the situation each is walking into. Since the last seven winners have been first-round picks, there will be a lot of chalk here as each player featured was selected on day one last April. 

Also, no offensive lineman has ever won OROY, nor MVP or OPOY for that matter. So, while the big fellas in the trenches are important, they won't get any shine here, unfortunately.

Missed the Cut

AP Photo/John Raoux

Travis Hunter

Below is a look at the non-linemen offensive first-round picks who just missed the cut.

Travis Hunter, Jacksonville Jaguars

Of all the players who were left off the list, Hunter has the best chance to sneak up on the top five and take home the award. At this stage, though, it's unknown how big his role on the offense will actually be, especially since the Jaguars have Brian Thomas Jr. returning and signed Dyami Brown in free agency.

Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears

While new head coach Ben Johnson will likely lean on a lot of 12 personnel with Cole Kmet and Loveland, that will still eat into the rookie's targets and it's hard enough for tight ends to win OROY. Brock Bowers had the best rookie season at the position in NFL history and came in second place last year. 

Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Following the trend, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are still the Nos. 1 and 2 in Tampa. Granted, the latter had a second surgery on his ankle in the offseason and is currently on PUP, which could help Egubka get more targets early on. 

Still, the Bucs have a deep receiving corps as Jalen McMillan finished 2024 strong and tight end Cade Otton is coming off a career year, too. 

Matthew Golden, Green Bay Packers

It feels like the No. 1 wide receiver spot has been open in Green Bay for a few years now, so Golden could take command of that position group and surprise some people. However, the Packers do have a collection of good pass-catchers, including tight end Tucker Kraft, to share the wealth.

For example, they haven't had a player record over 900 receiving yards over the last two seasons, but they have had seven 500-yard or more performances and nine 400-yard or more.

Jaxson Dart, New York Giants

Russell Wilson is expected to be the starter in New York to begin the season at least, and the Giants have Jameis Winston to turn to if something happens to the veteran. That makes it hard to see how Dart sees the field before October.

Cam Ward

AP Photo/George Walker IV

Not that it was ever much of a question, but Will Levis opting to have season-ending shoulder surgery erases the fraction of doubt Cam Ward won't be the Tennessee Titans' starting quarterback from the jump.

While the Titans aren't expected to be playoff contenders this year, the front office did make some offseason additions to give the rookie a chance to be productive.

Their offensive line has been a major work in progress over the last two seasons, and Pro Football Focus ranked last year's group 28th in the league. As a result, the organization signed veterans Kevin Zeitler and Dan Moore Jr. in free agency, the former bringing over several years of quality starting experience.

While the team may have overpaid for Moore, he's still an upgrade over last year's tackle situation as JC Latham can move to his more natural position on the right side. Also, Latham, Peter Skoronski and Lloyd Cushenberry III get another year to learn from offensive line guru Bill Callahan.

Out wide, Ward will have a good weapon to throw to in Calvin Ridley, who has eclipsed 800 yards every year he's played in 13 or more games and has put up three 1,000-yard campaigns in his last four seasons. 

Additionally, the front office invested heavily in its receiving corps for Ward by signing Tyler Lockett and Van Jefferson in free agency and drafting Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike. On top of that, they added the rookie's go-to target at Miami, Xavier Restrepo, after the draft.

All in all, that's not a bad situation for a first-year pro to have a productive season.

Ashton Jeanty

AP Photo/John Locher

The Las Vegas Raiders finished last season with the worst rushing attack in the NFL by a wide margin. 

The team averaged 79.8 rushing yards per game, which was over 10 yards fewer than the New York Jets (91.8), which were second-last. For comparison, the difference between the Jets and the third-bottom Cincinnati Bengals (92.6) was less than a yard.

While the Raiders' offensive line shoulders some of the blame, the reason the organization felt comfortable spending a high draft pick on Jeanty is that last year's team lacked talent in the backfield.

"The Raiders had one of the worst collections of running backs in the league last year,” Alex Blickle of FTN wrote (h/t Silver and Black Pride), "so not only is sixth overall pick Ashton Jeanty potentially one of the few backs in the league who can make a significant impact, but he's also replacing well-below-average players."

He added: "Las Vegas was at the bottom of the league with just 3.0 yards per carry and -70.6% DVOA when running on second-and-long."

Besides the No. 6 overall pick, the only other running back the Raiders added this offseason is 33-year-old Raheem Mostert, who had just 278 rushing yards in 13 games and recorded a career-low 3.3 yards per carry a year ago. So, the rookie should get the rock plenty in year one.

As noted, Las Vegas was below-average in the trenches last season, yet the only significant addition the front office made this spring was signing guard Alex Cappa in free agency. 

However, the unit performed much better down the stretch of the campaign when 2024 second-round pick Jackson Powers-Johnson took over at center. Also, fellow rookie DJ Glaze started settling in at right tackle. 

If those two can continue to ascend while longtime starter Kolton Miller mans the left tackle spot, Las Vegas could have a sneaky good O-line this year.

Throw in a creative offensive coordinator known for his running game in Chip Kelly, and the Heisman Trophy runner-up's success in college should translate to the NFL.

Tetairoa McMillan

AP Photo/Chris Carlson

Of all the players named in the top five, Tetairoa McMillan might have the toughest time leading his position group. 

Long-tenured veteran Adam Thielen has led the Carolina Panthers in receiving yards each of the last two seasons despite missing seven games last year, and he had a 100-catch, 1,000-yard performance in 2023. Last year's first-round pick, Xavier Legette, is also still in the mix.

However, Thielen turns 35 years old next month and missed time due to a hamstring injury last year, suggesting his production and status as the team's No. 1 receiver is vulnerable.

Meanwhile, Legette struggled with drops and only managed to haul in 49 catches for 497 yards and four touchdowns during his rookie campaign.

In other words, there's still a strong chance the No. 8 overall pick can become Bryce Young's top target early on this fall.

Speaking of Young, his growth after getting benched last year has been well-documented. To sum up his development, according to Pro Football Focus (h/t The 33rd Team's Sam Monson), he had one "big-time throw" before Week 8 but finished with the seventh-most (27) in the league.

This will also be the 24-year-old's second season in Dave Canales' offense to help further his development, which in turn improves McMillan's odds of having a productive rookie campaign.

Also, Canales worked and was successful with Mike Evans in Tampa Bay, with whom the Arizona product has drawn some comparisons.

Tyler Warren

AP Photo/Michael Conroy

The Indianapolis Colts haven't had a tight end finish the regular season with more than 400 receiving yards since Jack Doyle had 448 in 2019. 

Doyle retired three years ago, and the Colts have been starved for production from the position since then, getting just 438 yards between Kylen Granson, Mo Alie-Cox and Andrew Ogletree in 2024. Hence, Tyler Warren became their first-round pick in April.

That also means the Penn State product should have no trouble becoming Indianapolis' top TE this year, helping his case to put up some impressive numbers in the fall. 

Granted, the offense does have a stable of quality receivers to compete for targets. Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce and Josh Downs each had over 800 yards a year ago.

But Daniel Jones being the early favorite to become the Colts' starting quarterback this season helps Warren's case to be productive enough to get OROY consideration. It's not as if the offseason free-agent addition has chemistry with the receivers mentioned above.

With the New York Giants, Jones leaned heavily on tight end Evan Engram, who had 1,529 yards, eight touchdowns and a Pro Bowl appearance in 39 games during the three campaigns they played together. 

So, it's not out of the question for Jones and Warren to form an immediate connection and the rookie, who had over 1,200 receiving yards for the Nittany Lions a year ago, to become the Colts' leading receiver in year one.

Omarion Hampton

AP Photo/Gregory Bull

While the Los Angeles Chargers seem to be downplaying the eye injury Najee Harris suffered during a Fourth of July fireworks accident, he's still on the NFI list over a week after reporting to training camp.

That should raise some concern, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

"Everything about the situation has seemed odd, possibly for multiple reasons," he wrote on July 25. "Liability concerns, we've heard, are lurking with this one, as it relates to one or more other injuries that happened at the time Harris suffered his.

"Regardless, at some point, a 'superficial eye injury' [which the running back's agent describes it as] becomes something more than that. Three weeks later, we may already be there."

Meanwhile, Harris and Hampton were supposed to be competing for the starting job in the Chargers' backfield during training camp. Both were added in the offseason, meaning they are trying to get comfortable in a new system this summer.

However, the rookie now has an advantage by getting the early reps in camp.

If the North Carolina product does win the job, he shouldn't have much of a problem being productive in his first year. Jim Harbaugh is known for his affinity for running the football, and Los Angeles' offensive line got a facelift in the offseason.

According to Pro Football Focus, the unit went from ranking 21st in the NFL at the end of last season to 10th heading into the upcoming campaign.

That's due to the ascension of young tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, combined with adding Mekhi Becton, who is coming off a career year with the Philadelphia Eagles, in free agency.

Additionally, the Chargers still have one of the league's better quarterbacks in Justin Herbert, as well as an intriguing young receiver duo in Ladd McConkey and Tre Harris to give the offense a respectable passing game. 

That should prevent opposing defenses from stacking the box, which Hampton can exploit to put up some good numbers and enter the OROY conversation.