Walter Nolen was Arizona\u2019s 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. \u2014 Doug Haller<\/p>\n
Atlanta FalconsLB Kaden Elliss<\/strong><\/p>\n 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. \u2014 Josh Kendall<\/p>\n Baltimore RavensCB Nate Wiggins<\/strong><\/p>\n 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\u2019s defensive snaps. Wiggins\u2019 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\u2019s defensive plan. The Ravens believe he has star potential<\/a>. \u2014 Jeff Zrebiec<\/p>\n Buffalo BillsS Cole Bishop<\/strong><\/p>\n While everyone expects it to be Keon Coleman because he plays a position without a proven top target, I\u2019ll 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. \u2014 Joe Buscaglia<\/p>\n Carolina PanthersWR Xavier Legette<\/strong><\/p>\n Maybe we should have seen Legette\u2019s rookie struggles coming. After all, despite looking the part with a big, chiseled frame, Legette wasn\u2019t a full-time starter until his fifth season at South Carolina. So yes, there were growing pains for Legette, whose eight drops \u2014 including one on Bryce Young\u2019s potential game-winning touchdown pass at Philadelphia<\/a> \u2014 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\u2019s 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\u2019s production should increase this season. \u2014 Joseph Person<\/p>\n Xavier Legette should benefit from the presence of Panthers rookie receiver Tetairoa McMillan this season. (Matt Kelley \/ Getty Images)Chicago BearsWR Rome Odunze<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s clich\u00e9 to choose the second-year, top-10 pick. But Odunze\u2019s 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\u2019t meet outside expectations, it\u2019s 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. \u2014 Kevin Fishbain<\/p>\n Cincinnati BengalsCB Cam Taylor-Britt<\/strong><\/p>\n 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\u2019s proven he can play at a high level for stretches of his career, but he\u2019s 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. \u2014 Paul Dehner Jr.<\/p>\n Cleveland BrownsWR Cedric Tillman<\/strong><\/p>\n Tillman\u2019s surge in the back-middle of the 2024 season came out of nowhere. Not only had the Browns\u2019 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\u2019s role as an outside wideout almost in ink<\/a>, regardless of who wins the quarterback job. Tillman\u2019s size is an asset, and he can complement the speedy Jerry Jeudy in the intermediate and vertical passing games. \u2014 Zac Jackson<\/p>\n Dallas CowboysDE Sam Williams<\/strong><\/p>\n 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\u2019t 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\u2019s healthy, he could be Dallas\u2019 second-most productive pass rusher behind Micah Parsons. \u2014 Jon Machota<\/p>\n Denver BroncosWR Marvin Mims<\/strong><\/p>\n 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\u2019s 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 \u2014 his touchdown grab against the Bengals to force overtime in Week 17 was a catch-of-the-year candidate \u2014 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. \u2014 Nick Kosmider<\/p>\n Detroit LionsCB Terrion Arnold<\/strong><\/p>\n The Lions threw Arnold into the fire last year and didn\u2019t apologize for it \u2014 largely because they know how he\u2019s 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\u2019s 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\u2019ll set him up for a big jump in Year 2. \u2014 Colton Pouncy<\/p>\n Green Bay PackersLB Edgerrin Cooper<\/strong><\/p>\n Does Cooper count since he won NFC Defensive Player of the Week twice as a rookie last year? The 2024 second-round pick wasn\u2019t a Defensive Rookie of the Year finalist \u2014 he finished sixth in voting, perhaps because he missed three games in the second half of the season \u2014 so I\u2019m 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\u2019s system last season. Cooper is up 20 pounds since he arrived in Green Bay to 240 because he wanted to \u201cfeel powerful\u201d while still keeping his explosiveness. He said almost 100 percent of the weight he gained is muscle. \u2014 Matt Schneidman<\/p>\n Houston TexansWR Jayden Higgins<\/strong><\/p>\n 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. \u2014 Mike Jones<\/p>\n Indianapolis ColtsDE Laiatu Latu<\/strong><\/p>\n Latu is tied for being the highest-drafted defensive player during Colts general manager Chris Ballard\u2019s 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\u2019s conservative system. \u2014 James Boyd<\/p>\n Jacksonville JaguarsWR Brian Thomas Jr.<\/strong><\/p>\n The 2024 first-round pick had an electric rookie season with 87 catches for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns, so it\u2019s fair to argue he\u2019s 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\u2019s 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\u2019s premier receivers. \u2014 Jeff Howe<\/p>\n Kansas City ChiefsWR Rashee Rice<\/strong><\/p>\n 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\u2019s 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\u2019s not Hill, but Rice might be this team\u2019s best bet. He has future Pro Bowler written all over him. \u2014 Zak Keefer<\/p>\n Las Vegas RaidersC Jackson Powers-Johnson<\/strong><\/p>\n 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\u2019s 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. \u2014 Tashan Reed<\/p>\n Los Angeles ChargersCB Tarheeb Still<\/strong><\/p>\n 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\u2019s scheme. Still is capable of putting up big production and that could shift him into the national spotlight in 2025. \u2014 Daniel Popper<\/p>\n Tarheeb Still was tied for second among rookies with interceptions in 2024 \u2014 4. (Gregory Shamus \/ Getty Images)Los Angeles RamsTE Terrance Ferguson<\/strong><\/p>\n 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\u2019s scheme was still largely run through 11 personnel (82 percent of the Rams\u2019 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\u2019s 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. \u2014 Jourdan Rodrigue<\/p>\n Miami DolphinsLB Chop Robinson<\/strong><\/p>\n 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. \u2014 Jim Ayello<\/p>\n Minnesota VikingsCB Isaiah Rodgers<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s 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\u2019t for a gambling suspension that sidelined him during the 2023 season, who knows where he\u2019d rank among cornerbacks? Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and the personnel department targeted him, specifically. They believed pairing him with Byron Murphy \u2014 in a defense that allows cornerbacks to play make \u2014 will allow Rodgers to thrive. He impressed throughout the spring and is in line for major opportunities. \u2014 Alec Lewis<\/p>\n New England PatriotsDE Keion White<\/strong><\/p>\n It looked like White\u2019s breakout was coming a year ago after the 2023 second-round pick had four sacks in the first two games. But White\u2019s 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\u2019s coaching staff. Now with Mike Vrabel in charge, it\u2019s time for White to look like the player he was early last season. \u2014 Chad Graff<\/p>\n New Orleans SaintsCB Kool-Aid McKinstry<\/strong><\/p>\n There\u2019s 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\u2019 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. \u2014 Larry Holder<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-2182702793-scaled.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-2182722375-scaled.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/USATSI_24942274-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\n