Who Will Win NFL Rookie of the Year in 2025?

Now that the NFL Draft is officially behind us, we can start looking at the futures odds board for the 2025-2026 season. Although we still have more than four months until the NFL season starts, there is no time like the present to begin predicting NFL award futures. Let’s start our offseason NFL Awards outlook with what is fresh on everyone’s mind: the NFL Rookie of the Year Award.

Is it too early to make real predictions? Probably. But it’s fun to do so anyway. With the NFL Draft Class of 2025 ready to take the field next season, let’s take a look at who has a legitimate shot at winning this year’s NFL Rookie of the Year Award.

The NFL Rookie of the Year Award: OROTY vs DROTY

For those who don’t know, the NFL awards the Rookie of the Year to both an offensive and defensive player. This means there are two NFL Rookies of the Year every season. Both awards function similarly to the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year Awards: generally, impactful positions like Quarterbacks, running backs, and linebackers are prioritized by voters.

Of the 57 awards that have been handed out, there have been 12 quarterbacks, 35 running backs, and 11 wide receivers. On the defensive side, the award has been given to 9 cornerbacks, 13 defensive ends, 7 defensive tackles, 27 linebackers, and 2 safeties.

Who Won the NFL MVP Awards in 2024?

Last season, we had an exceptional NFL Rookie class. There were plenty of players worthy of being considered for both the NFL’s Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year Awards. Many of these players would go on to make significant contributions to their teams in both the regular season and playoffs.

The NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year Award in 2024 went to Quarterback Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders. Daniels led the Commanders to a playoff berth and finished the season with a 12-5 record. He put up 3,568 passing yards and connected for 25 touchdowns. Daniels also rushed for 891 yards and six touchdowns on the ground. The Commanders upset both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Detroit Lions before losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship game.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Los Angeles Rams’ Outside Linebacker Jared Verse took home the honours. He is the first Outside Linebacker ever to win the award and the first Ram since Aaron Donald did in 2014 when the team was still in St. Louis. In 17 games for the Rams, Verse recorded 18 quarterback hits and 4.5 sacks, while totalling 36 solo tackles, 30 tackle assists, and 11 tackles for loss. Verse helped the Rams beat the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Wildcard game before barely losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Divisional matchup.

Top Offensive Rookie of the Year Candidates

So, which players are the top offensive rookie of the year candidates in the NFL this year? History tells us it is likely to be a quarterback, running back, or wide receiver. Sorry, tight ends and offensive linemen. It was a top-heavy draft class, but there are some clear favourites for the award right now. Let’s take a look.

Cam Ward – QB, Tennessee Titans

This year’s first overall pick will immediately get the ball handed to him as the starter for the Tennessee Titans. Quarterbacks have won the award in 11 of the last 20 years, so Ward should at least be one of the frontrunners ahead of the start of the season.

The Titans have historically been a run-first team, although they have surrounded Ward with some veteran, sure-handed receivers. Ward will have Calvin Ridley, Tyler Lockett, and Van Jefferson to start the year, but will also be joined by 2025 draft picks Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor. Dike, in particular, is an electric speedster with the ball in his hands and could be a nice weapon for Ward by the end of the year.

Pros for Cam Ward:

• Guaranteed Starting Job: Tennessee has committed to handing him the ball from day one. Opportunity is everything in the NFL.
• Dual-Threat Ability: Like so many modern quarterbacks, Ward is a threat to pick up yards with his legs.
• AFC South Weakness: The AFC South is not the strongest division in the league, so he could pad his stats and earn some victories within the division.

Cons for Cam Ward:

• Steep Learning Curve: It’s never easy for a first-year quarterback to take the reins of an NFL franchise. Ward will need to learn the game fast if he wants to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.
• Titans Are Awful: The Titans had the first overall pick for a reason, and they won’t be much better this year. This could lose Ward some votes, especially after how good Daniels was last year.
• Low Odds: Ward should be the frontrunner for the award, so his odds will be the lowest to begin the season.

Ashton Jeanty – RB, Las Vegas Raiders

Jeanty was the clear top running back and top non-quarterback entering this year’s draft. He is coming off a massive third season at Boise State University, where he rushed for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns. He is also capable of catching the ball out of the backfield, and in 2023, he caught 43 passes for 569 yards and five touchdowns through the air.

He joins a Las Vegas team looking for a new identity. They brought in Pete Carroll as the new coach, who subsequently brought former Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith to be their starter. The offence will revolve around Jeanty and superstar tight end Brock Bowers, so Jeanty has the potential to put up some gaudy offensive numbers this year.

Pros for Jeanty:

• High Volume Touches: Jeanty will enter training camp as the workhorse back and get all of the touches he can handle in a run-first offence.
• All-Pro Talent: Jeanty can run between the tackles, catch passes, and take it to the house on any given play.
• Run-First System: Pete Carroll loves to run the ball, and given the lack of wide receiver talent, that shouldn’t change in Las Vegas.

Cons for Jeanty:

• Difficult Division: Jeanty enters the NFL in the AFC West against talented defences like Kansas City, the Los Angeles Chargers, and the Denver Broncos.
• No Passing Game: If the Raiders’ passing game is weak, it will be easy to key in and focus on stopping Jeanty.

Travis Hunter – WR/CB, Jacksonville Jaguars

The wildcard in this year’s NFL Draft, Travis Hunter, is one of a handful of players in NFL history to play both an offensive and defensive position. The Jaguars traded up to draft Hunter at second overall, and he joins Brian Thomas Jr. in the Jacksonville offence, catching passes from Trevor Lawrence.

Jacksonville has already said that Hunter will primarily play as a wide receiver but could begin to see some snaps on defence later in the season. It will be interesting to see how the Jaguars split Hunter’s time, although he certainly has the potential to excel at both positions. For now, it appears that the Jags drafted him to be an offensive weapon this season.

Pros for Hunter:

• Explosive Two-Way Talent: There is no doubt about Hunter’s ability on the field, as his athleticism is elite on both sides of the ball.
• Bad Team, Good Game Script: The Jaguars are a bad team and could find themselves down in a lot of games. This means a good game script for the passing game.
• Media Buzz: Hunter comes with a lot of media buzz and will be a major focus this year for the NFL and award voters.

Cons for Hunter:

• Usage Questions: Brian Thomas Jr. is the clear alpha in the wide receiver group, so can Hunter do enough to take some targets away? Or will he just play second fiddle to Thomas in his rookie season?
• His Role: With BTJ already established as the top wide receiver, could the Jaguars pivot and play Hunter more on defence?

Top Defensive Rookie of the Year Candidates

Offensive players get a lot of headlines because of betting and fantasy football, but it’s arguably more difficult for rookies to make an impact on the defensive side of the ball. Here are the top picks for the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2025.

Abdul Carter – EDGE, New York Giants

The third overall pick in the draft and some analysts’ top player overall, Carter could be a monster on the defensive line alongside Kayvon Thibodeaux. Carter put up video game numbers as a member of Penn State, posting 172 combined tackles and 23 sacks in 39 games played.

Carter will have a tough introduction to the league, playing against top offensive lines like the Philadelphia Eagles in his division. Still, he has the athleticism and motor to be one of the best edge rushers in the league very soon, and it shouldn’t be surprising that he is the frontrunner for the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award.

Pros for Carter:

• Sack Potential: He is a sack monster and could put up gaudy numbers on that defensive line.
• Immediate Starter: Carter will get all of the snaps he can handle on this rebuilding Giants team.

Cons for Carter:

• Team Struggles: It’s a tough division for the Giants, and they will likely be underdogs against all three other teams in the NFC East.
• Still Raw: Carter isn’t a finished product yet, and he has a lot to learn at the NFL level. He may struggle in his first pro season.

Jalon Walker – EDGE, Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta got a demon in Walker, who was the first linebacker taken off the board. Walker played multiple positions for the Georgia Bulldogs but settled in as an off-ball linebacker. In 2024, Walker won the Butkus Award which is handed out to the top linebackers in College Football.

Walker has the linebacker history for this award on his side, as the position has won the most Defensive Rookie of the Year Awards. He’ll have some competition from a strong class of Edge rushers, but a lack of star power in Atlanta’s defence could help him stand out if the team is able to take another step forward this year.

Pros for Walker:

• Opportunity: Atlanta spent a relatively high first-round pick on him and lacks serious pass rushers. Walker will be their stud on the defensive line.
• Natural Athleticism: Walker’s flexibility to play multiple positions could help him be a Micah Parsons-type player in the eyes of voters.

Cons for Walker:

• Too Much Flexibility: Is Walker a Jack of All Trades but Master of None? Time will tell if he has mastered being a linebacker or pass rusher.
• No Media Buzz: Walker lacks the media buzz that Abdul Carter is getting, especially since he plays in New York.

Mykel Williams – EDGE, San Francisco 49ers

It was an off-year for San Francisco, and they took the opportunity to load up on defensive players this draft. Highlighting that group is edge rusher Mykel Williams out of Georgia. Like his Bulldog teammate Jalon Walker, Williams possesses elite athleticism and gets to join Nick Bosa on what should be a strong defensive line.

San Francisco is still a talented team, and if they can return to form, Williams will be a big part of that on a newly revamped defence. Returning defensive coordinator Robert Saleh should be able to mould this young group into a unit like the one that went to two Super Bowls in four years.

Pros for Williams:

• Less Attention: With Nick Bosa on the other side, Williams should get single coverage and avoid double teams from offensive lines.
• Winning Team: Award voters love team success, and the 49ers will likely be better than both New York and Atlanta this year.

Cons for Williams:

Snap Share: San Francisco rotates its defensive players heavily, which means he might not get as many snaps as other defensive rookies.

Final Predictions for NFL Rookie of the Year Awards 2025

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Ashton Jeanty (Raiders)

• Why? There’s a good chance Ward will struggle in his first season on a bad team. Jeanty will get all of the touches he can handle with a strong offensive line and a run-first system that will reward his skillset.

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Mykel Williams (49ers)

• Why? This is going out on a limb, but Williams has the physique and athleticism to dominate teams in his first season in the NFL. The 49ers are a team that has the roster to rebound strongly this year, and a successful season could highlight Williams’ contributions to a winning team.

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