Every year in the NFL, there are a handful of players who take their games to another level and become Pro Bowl-caliber performers. Whether it’s a sophomore jump, making an immediate impact as a rookie or getting a fresh start on a new team, coaches are constantly developing talent and putting players in positions to succeed.

With training camp about to kick off, our reporters pointed out someone from each team who has breakout potential and could become more of a household name this season.

Arizona CardinalsDT Darius Robinson

Walter Nolen was Arizona’s first-round draft pick in April, but really, the Cardinals are getting two first-round defensive tackles this season. Robinson was a first-round pick last year, drafted 27th, but he suffered a calf injury in training camp and spent the rest of the season trying to catch up. It showed. Overall, Robinson played in only six games and failed to make much of an impact (10 tackles and one sack). It was like a college redshirt season. Entering this season, Robinson is healthy and positioned to make his mark. In addition to Nolen, the Cardinals also signed vets Calais Campbell and Dalvin Tomlinson. The unit should be the most improved on the team, and Robinson will play a big part. — Doug Haller

Atlanta FalconsLB Kaden Elliss

The Falcons spent most of their offseason capital acquiring edge-rush talent, adding outside linebackers Leonard Floyd (free agency), Jalon Walker (No. 15 pick) and James Pearce Jr. (No. 26 pick). But the most impactful pass rusher on the team might end up being an inside linebacker. Elliss has totaled 16 sacks in the last three seasons, and more impressively, he leads the NFL in pressure percentage during that period, harrying the quarterback 26.3 percent of the time he rushes the passer. The seventh-year veteran could top double-digit sacks for the first time in his career this season as new defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has promised to keep deploying him in the pass rush despite the edge additions. — Josh Kendall

Baltimore RavensCB Nate Wiggins

The more the 2024 first-round pick played his rookie season, the better he looked. Quarterbacks had just a 66.7 quarterback rating when targeting Wiggins, who allowed only 31 receptions on 62 targets while playing 68 percent of Baltimore’s defensive snaps. Wiggins’ rookie season would have been even more impressive had he caught a few more of the passes that he got his hands on. He put on about 10 pounds of muscle this offseason, and he has a far better understanding of Baltimore’s defensive plan. The Ravens believe he has star potential. — Jeff Zrebiec

Buffalo BillsS Cole Bishop

While everyone expects it to be Keon Coleman because he plays a position without a proven top target, I’ll go with Bishop. Many believed safety to be a draft consideration this year, but Bishop was the reason they declined to do so. As long as he remains healthy, the 2024 second-round pick looks like a pretty good bet to be the Week 1 starter in 2025. After a slow start as a rookie due to injuries and uneven play, Bishop hit his stride at the end of the season as he made spot starts in both the regular season and playoffs. Bishop looked a lot more comfortable within the scheme this spring and has drawn some glowing reviews from the Bills. — Joe Buscaglia

Carolina PanthersWR Xavier Legette

Maybe we should have seen Legette’s rookie struggles coming. After all, despite looking the part with a big, chiseled frame, Legette wasn’t a full-time starter until his fifth season at South Carolina. So yes, there were growing pains for Legette, whose eight drops — including one on Bryce Young’s potential game-winning touchdown pass at Philadelphia — put him among the leaders in that category. But the arrival of No. 8 pick Tetairoa McMillan should take some pressure off Legette, whom the Panthers traded up to take at No. 32 in 2024. It’s not like Legette was a total bust: The 6-foot-3, 227-pounder caught 49 passes for 497 yards and four touchdowns. But as Young develops and McMillan draws coverage his way, Legette’s production should increase this season. — Joseph Person

Xavier Legette should benefit from the presence of Panthers rookie receiver Tetairoa McMillan this season. (Matt Kelley / Getty Images)Chicago BearsWR Rome Odunze

It’s cliché to choose the second-year, top-10 pick. But Odunze’s rookie season seemed more disappointing than it actually was. He was fifth among rookies in receiving yards (734) and caught only 53.5 percent of passes thrown his way. However, Odunze served as an example of the inconsistency that plagued the 2024 Bears offense. If Odunze didn’t meet outside expectations, it’s not because he was dropping passes or running poor routes. With a better scheme and improved quarterback play, he should take off in Year 2. — Kevin Fishbain

Cincinnati BengalsCB Cam Taylor-Britt

Taylor-Britt has been a candidate for this over the previous two seasons, but perhaps nobody benefited more from the fresh start under defensive coordinator Al Golden than the fourth-year cornerback. He’s proven he can play at a high level for stretches of his career, but he’s been unable to find consistency. He was benched multiple times last year, but his energy, athleticism and playmaking showed up in the offseason program. He sounds and looks more like the confident player who emerged on the scene in his first two seasons and less like the embattled and confused corner who scuffled through the ugly 2024 campaign. It could finally be his year to become a true CB1. — Paul Dehner Jr.

Cleveland BrownsWR Cedric Tillman

Tillman’s surge in the back-middle of the 2024 season came out of nowhere. Not only had the Browns’ pass game been largely ineffective, but also Tillman was barely seeing snaps or targets early last season. When Jameis Winston took over and started throwing the ball downfield, Tillman became both a consistent target and a real threat. A concussion forced him to miss the end of last season, but Cleveland did not draft a receiver and has Tillman’s role as an outside wideout almost in ink, regardless of who wins the quarterback job. Tillman’s size is an asset, and he can complement the speedy Jerry Jeudy in the intermediate and vertical passing games. — Zac Jackson

Dallas CowboysDE Sam Williams

Three names immediately come to mind: Tyler Guyton, Marist Liufau and Williams. Guyton because he now has a full season playing left tackle under his belt. Liufau because the linebacker jobs are wide open and he showed notable upside during his rookie season. But Williams holds the top spot here because his size and athletic ability are ideal for being an elite edge rusher. The 2022 second-round pick just hasn’t been able to put it all together. His breakout season was supposed to be last year, but a season-ending knee injury in training camp put everything on hold. He took part in some individual drills during minicamp. If he’s healthy, he could be Dallas’ second-most productive pass rusher behind Micah Parsons. — Jon Machota

Denver BroncosWR Marvin Mims

Mims has already made two Pro Bowl squads as a returner since being selected by the Broncos in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. But his progress as a receiver could unlock another element in Denver’s offense. Mims had 434 receiving yards and six touchdowns over his final seven games last season, showcasing an ability to win contested balls deep downfield — his touchdown grab against the Bengals to force overtime in Week 17 was a catch-of-the-year candidate — and a speed on the edge that can bend the geometry of defenses. Another year of chemistry with quarterback Bo Nix could put Mims on a 1,000-yard track. — Nick Kosmider

Detroit LionsCB Terrion Arnold

The Lions threw Arnold into the fire last year and didn’t apologize for it — largely because they know how he’s wired. It takes a certain mindset to play cornerback for this coaching staff, which is why the team was hesitant to devote meaningful capital on the position until the stars aligned with Arnold. Ranked 10th on Dane Brugler’s big board in 2024 with a Jaylon Johnson player comp, Arnold fell to No. 24, and the Lions traded up for him. He played the most man coverage snaps of any corner in the league as a rookie, and while there were growing pains, Arnold ended better than he started. Coaches believe it’ll set him up for a big jump in Year 2. — Colton Pouncy

Green Bay PackersLB Edgerrin Cooper

Does Cooper count since he won NFC Defensive Player of the Week twice as a rookie last year? The 2024 second-round pick wasn’t a Defensive Rookie of the Year finalist — he finished sixth in voting, perhaps because he missed three games in the second half of the season — so I’m still picking him here. Cooper can rush the passer and cover, and he should hardly come off the field when healthy after battling injuries and learning defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley’s system last season. Cooper is up 20 pounds since he arrived in Green Bay to 240 because he wanted to “feel powerful” while still keeping his explosiveness. He said almost 100 percent of the weight he gained is muscle. — Matt Schneidman

Houston TexansWR Jayden Higgins

With their wide receiver unit hit hard by injury (Tank Dell) and free agency (Stefon Diggs), the Texans set out this offseason to find young quarterback C.J. Stroud some impactful playmakers. Higgins, a second-round pick this year out of Iowa State, certainly seems capable of fitting the bill. The 6-foot-4, 214-pound receiver out of Iowa State brings size, athleticism and speed. Lining up along with Nico Collins and new veteran addition Christian Kirk, Higgins should receive plenty of opportunities to help the Texans. He can win 50-50 balls, gets good separation and should make a name for himself in Houston this season. — Mike Jones

Indianapolis ColtsDE Laiatu Latu

Latu is tied for being the highest-drafted defensive player during Colts general manager Chris Ballard’s nine-year tenure. Indianapolis selected Latu with the 15th pick last year, and he finished his rookie season with four sacks and three forced fumbles. This year, Latu is primed to take a step forward after the departure of starting defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo, who joined the Bears in free agency, and the addition of new defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. Anarumo is known for his varying schemes that are designed to bring a lot more pressure than former defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s conservative system. — James Boyd

Jacksonville JaguarsWR Brian Thomas Jr.

The 2024 first-round pick had an electric rookie season with 87 catches for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns, so it’s fair to argue he’s already broken out. But considering that production on a bad team with turbulent quarterback play, Thomas could explode if the Trevor Lawrence-Liam Coen pairing works out the way it’s been envisioned. Plus, with Travis Hunter on the other side, defenses will have to decide where to load their coverage. If Hunter comes as advertised as a full-time wideout, Thomas could soon be knocking on the door as one of the league’s premier receivers. — Jeff Howe

Kansas City ChiefsWR Rashee Rice

He saw just four games his sophomore season before tearing up his knee chasing down a defender after a Patrick Mahomes interception. But the good news amid the bad news: Rice did not tear his ACL but his LCL, which meant a shorter recovery time. Thus, the wideout was back on the field this spring for the Chiefs, and coach Andy Reid said he expects him to be full-go for the start of training camp. Rice’s return will be crucial for an offense looking to rediscover its explosiveness. He had 938 receiving yards as a rookie in 2023 and was building off that early in Year 2. Kansas City has been waiting for a WR1 to step into the role vacated by Tyreek Hill in 2022. He’s not Hill, but Rice might be this team’s best bet. He has future Pro Bowler written all over him. — Zak Keefer

Las Vegas RaidersC Jackson Powers-Johnson

Powers-Johnson started 14 games as a rookie and lined up at three positions, left guard, center and right guard. While his level of play was solid, that constant movement made it difficult for him to be comfortable. Additionally, he came into the season too heavy and his technique was sloppy. He’s been able to focus solely on center this offseason, lost 10-15 pounds and has sharpened his fundamentals. He should be a plus-level player for the Raiders in 2025. — Tashan Reed

Los Angeles ChargersCB Tarheeb Still

Still was a fifth-round pick in 2024, and he turned into one of the steals of the draft. A season-ending injury for Asante Samuel Jr. cleared an opportunity for Still, who quickly established himself as an impact starter and finished with four interceptions. He has tremendous instincts in zone coverage and natural ball skills, which make him a perfect fit in defensive coordinator Jesse Minter’s scheme. Still is capable of putting up big production and that could shift him into the national spotlight in 2025. — Daniel Popper

Tarheeb Still was tied for second among rookies with interceptions in 2024 — 4. (Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)Los Angeles RamsTE Terrance Ferguson

To be clear, Rams coach Sean McVay finally has to commit to a significant increase in 12 personnel for Ferguson, a rookie second-round pick, to truly emerge this season. But the offense has trended that way at times, especially last season. While McVay’s scheme was still largely run through 11 personnel (82 percent of the Rams’ offensive plays in 2024), he also deployed 12 personnel on 15.5 percent of offensive plays and hit that average or higher between Weeks 15 and 18. The Rams ran 12 personnel on an average of just 5 percent of offensive plays in 2023. Veteran tight end Tyler Higbee’s return from injury across that period gave McVay two healthy starting-caliber tight ends. He has reiterated his hope for his offense to be more multiple in 2025. — Jourdan Rodrigue

Miami DolphinsLB Chop Robinson

This one feels like cheating since Robinson finished fifth in the Defensive Rookie of the Year voting after tallying six sacks last season. However, that only felt like a glimmer of what Robinson is capable of as a pass rusher. Among players with at least 200 pass-rush snaps last season, Robinson ranked fourth in pressure rate (17.2 percent), according to Pro Football Focus. The three names ahead of him? Myles Garrett (18.4 percent), Parsons (17.7 percent) and Alex Highsmith (17.4 percent). Nick Bosa (17.2 percent) and Trey Hendrickson (17.1 percent) ranked just behind him. Expecting Robinson to produce in Year 2 like one of these elite names is expecting too much, but a double-digit sack season is absolutely within his reach in 2025. — Jim Ayello

Minnesota VikingsCB Isaiah Rodgers

It’s not that Rodgers is a complete unknown. He snatched three interceptions for the Colts in 2021, then started nine games the following season. If it weren’t for a gambling suspension that sidelined him during the 2023 season, who knows where he’d rank among cornerbacks? Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and the personnel department targeted him, specifically. They believed pairing him with Byron Murphy — in a defense that allows cornerbacks to play make — will allow Rodgers to thrive. He impressed throughout the spring and is in line for major opportunities. — Alec Lewis

New England PatriotsDE Keion White

It looked like White’s breakout was coming a year ago after the 2023 second-round pick had four sacks in the first two games. But White’s performance dipped, and his playing time decreased. He made some pointed comments late last season about change needing to come to New England, which seemed like a shot at last year’s coaching staff. Now with Mike Vrabel in charge, it’s time for White to look like the player he was early last season. — Chad Graff

New Orleans SaintsCB Kool-Aid McKinstry

There’s no doubt the Saints selected McKinstry in Round 2 of the 2024 draft with the intention of starting him at some point. That moment came midway through last season thanks to the Marshon Lattimore trade and the Paulson Adebo injury. Both of those players are gone, and McKinstry is in line to start for New Orleans in 2025. Even as the Saints’ record plummeted in the back half of last year, McKinstry seemed to hold his own with opposing passer ratings of below 78.0 in five of his final seven games (via Pro Football Reference). That included a final three-game stretch where quarterbacks only combined for a 30 percent completion rate (6-for-20) on him. — Larry Holder

New York GiantsOLB Abdul Carter

The caveat is that it’s hard to get a sense of just how dominant a trenches player can be without pads in the spring, but Carter showed the flashes of why he was the No. 3 pick this year. He has the potential to be a game-wrecker, and the Giants’ outside linebacker room should be its strongest position group thanks to veterans Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux. The question now is how the snaps will be divided between the three and how much moving around Carter will be doing as a versatile player. — Charlotte Carroll

New York JetsRB Braelon Allen

The Jets ran the ball less than any team last season. The biggest reason for that (Aaron Rodgers) is gone. It would not shock me if the Jets went from last to first in terms of rushing attempts — the product of a run-first scheme led by offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand, and the dynamic, dual-threat quarterbacking of Justin Fields in the fray. The Jets are modeling their offense after the one Engstrand and Aaron Glenn came from in Detroit, where, in theory at least, Breece Hall would play the Jahmyr Gibbs role while Allen would step in as the David Montgomery, power-running type. Allen was a training camp breakout last year who never got a chance to get going in a bad offense, but he’ll have plenty of opportunities in 2025 to make his mark and prove he can be the long-term starter with Hall in the last year of his contract. — Zack Rosenblatt

Braelon Allen totaled 334 rushing yards and two TDs last season as a rookie. (Sam Navarro / Imagn Images)Philadelphia EaglesCB Kelee Ringo

That the Eagles didn’t make any major external moves to land a replacement for Darius Slay reveals the confidence they have in Ringo. The 2023 fourth-round pick struggled as a rookie but has the physical tools to become an everyday starter. He’s going to get his chance. At 23, he’s younger than five of the rookies the Eagles just drafted. The organization believes it can unlock Ringo’s potential after two years of developing as a pro. Training camp will begin with veteran Adoree’ Jackson as Ringo’s chief competition. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio appears content with keeping Cooper DeJean as the defense’s starting nickel, although DeJean kicked out to cornerback in base and could eventually prove he’s a better full-time option than Ringo. But that would mean someone else needs to play the nickel role. The circumstances of 2025 have given Ringo his best chance yet to prove himself. Perhaps he’ll seize the moment. — Brooks Kubena

Pittsburgh SteelersRB Kaleb Johnson

In his first year as the Steelers’ offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith tried to bring Pittsburgh back to its roots as a ground-and-pound football team. While only three teams ran the football more, the problem was that only six teams were less efficient than the Steelers’ 4.1 yards per carry. Enter rookie Kaleb Johnson. The former Iowa ball carrier excelled on wide-zone runs in college, which makes him an ideal scheme fit for Smith’s offense. The Steelers’ third-round draft pick will have to earn his carries in a well-rounded backfield that also features Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell. But with a patient running style and a bruising body type, Johnson has an excellent chance as the season plays out to take his first step toward becoming the Steelers’ feature back of the future. — Mike DeFabo

San Francisco 49ersWR Jacob Cowing

Ricky Pearsall is the (too) obvious answer, and he’s coming off an offseason hamstring tweak after missing six games his rookie season. So give us Cowing, the 5-foot-8, second-year player with 4.3 speed who could take a lot of the departed Deebo Samuel’s gadget plays. The 49ers like his toughness, speed and nose for yards after the catch. Cowing added more weight in the offseason to his once 168-pound frame to handle sweeps and other running plays, and he joined Pearsall to train with quarterback Brock Purdy in Jacksonville and Arizona. He looked sharp at offseason workouts and, with Brandon Aiyuk still sidelined, could carve out an important role at training camp. — Vic Tafur

Seattle SeahawksOLB Derick Hall

The 37th pick in the 2023 draft, Hall had eight sacks and 21 quarterback hits last season. He primarily wins with power, bull-rushing tackles until he’s within reach of the quarterback. Assuming he adds a few moves — DeMarcus Lawrence has already taught him a new one — Hall may have an even more productive year in 2025. Between Lawrence, Hall, Uchenna Nwosu and Boye Mafe, Seattle has a strong foursome on the edge. But Hall’s combination of strength and elite athleticism gives him a high ceiling. — Michael-Shawn Dugar

Tampa Bay BuccaneersCB Tykee Smith

Smith was too productive as a rookie nickel corner in 2024 not to have a more substantial role in 2025. He had two interceptions, seven pass breakups, four tackles for loss and three forced fumbles, which led coach Todd Bowles to think about getting him on the field more. Smith, who played safety at Georgia, will have an opportunity to be on the field for all four downs, perhaps as a safety-nickel combination player. In addition to production, he also has a pedigree. He was a four-star recruit by Rivals, an All-American (and two-time national champion) at Georgia and a third-round draft pick. Playing next to a healthy Antoine Winfield Jr. could bring out Smith’s best. — Dan Pompei

Tennessee TitansOT JC Latham

Consistent with the recent history of this franchise, the Titans took Latham No. 7 in the 2024 draft, insisted he was a left tackle even though he played right tackle at Alabama, then switched him back to the right side after an uninspiring rookie season. The Titans look bad on this, as with many other things. But Latham looks good, having lost 30 pounds after admittedly letting his weight get out of control. His talent and infectious personality have been there. If he’s ready for the rigors of a full season and more comfortable back on the right side, he could be one of the team’s most improved players. — Joe Rexrode

Washington CommandersWR Luke McCaffrey

A product of great football pedigree, the second-year slot receiver understood what he needed to work on following his rookie season, and he did just that. During offseason practices, McCaffrey put those results on display as he demonstrated an improved understanding of the playbook and improved confidence. As a result, he played faster and more effectively. Having also improved his connection with quarterback Jayden Daniels, McCaffrey should make strides and carve out a meaningful role in 2025. — Mike Jones

(Top photos of Ringo, left, and Odunze: Mitchell Leff and Alex Slitz / Getty Images)