NFL rookies to watch: Ashton Jeanty headlines most explosive players in 2025

USA Today

21 hours ago

Jayden Daniels and Jared Verse not only won the NFL's Rookie Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year awards last season, but they were also the most explosive rookies.
Daniels passed for 3,568 yards and set an NFL rookie record with 891 rushing yards. Meanwhile, Verse led all rookies with 18 quarterback hits, 77 pressures and 56 hurries.
Which rookies will generate fireworks in 2025?
Fireworks are a tradition across the country on Independence Day. In the spirit of the holiday, USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon provides his take on the four most explosive rookies this upcoming season:
Most explosive 2025 NFL rookies
Teams led by Pete Carroll have traditionally had stout running games. Under Carroll, the Seahawks boasted top-five rushing attacks from 2012-15. Jeanty is slated to be the feature running back in Las Vegas.
'He's doing great. He really is. He's right on point with everything that we're doing. He's studying really hard. He's been really diligent about all aspects. There's nothing that he doesn't find important,' Carroll said of Jeanty this offseason. 'We're not holding anything back on him. He's getting a lot of plays.'
It wouldn't be a surprise if Jeanty eclipsed 1,000 yards as a rookie. He compiled 2,601 rushing yards in his final year at Boise State, the second-most ever in a single season in FBS history.
The two-way player is expected to line up on both sides of the ball in Jacksonville, although most of his snaps are likely to come on offense in Year 1.
Hunter played over 86% of Colorado's offensive snaps and 82% of the team's defensive snaps.
"We know he's going to be able to do both," Jaguars head coach Liam Coen told the media. "We feel that in our bones. We're going to set that up that way from a schedule, from an operations standpoint, the way that we're going to operate for him, to set him up to have the most success that he can, then help the Jacksonville Jaguars become the best version of ourselves."
Hunter has an opportunity to have a significant impact as a rookie. Brian Thomas Jr. was Jacksonville's only player with more than 450 receiving yards and the club had the league's worst pass defense last year.
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Christian Watson is expected to miss a significant portion of the 2025 season as he recovers from a knee injury from Week 18 of last season. Watson was Green Bay's primary deep threat, averaging a team-high 21 yards per reception.
Golden's 4.29 40-yard dash speed makes him a logical option as the Packers' vertical threat, especially while Watson is sidelined.
Golden led Texas with 987 receiving yards last year. He averaged 17 yards per catch.
"I'm ready. I've been waiting for this moment my whole life and to be here," Golden said, per the team's official website. "I'm gonna be present, but I'm gonna let my presence be known and I'm gonna come in here and compete."
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Warren fills a major need in Indy. The Colts had the worst tight end production in the NFL last season.
The 6-foot-5, 256-pound Penn State product was the top tight end prospect in this year's draft. He possesses good ball skills, can run after the catch and doesn't mind blocking. He'll provide a security blanket for whoever starts at quarterback for the Colts.
Warren's 104 receptions last season were tied for second in the FBS and were a Penn State school record.
'Any time you get a dynamic player of what he was able to do in college, to add that competition and add that presence and his athletic ability to our team is big for sure,' Colts coach Shane Steichen said of Warren.
Follow USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.