Week 1 in the NFL was as exciting as it needed to be with unreal finishes and even more exciting matchups. The end of Week 1 led by a J.J. McCarthy comeback, couldn’t have been scripted any better. With all the good things that happened during kickoff weekend, let’s take a look at the rookies. Cam Ward as the No. 1 overall pick had a rough outing, but that’s not completely on him as he faced one of the best defenses in the NFL in his NFL debut.
As for Travis Hunter, well he seems to be fitting in well as a two-way role with Jacksonville. For most of the first round draft picks, they had a solid debut, but not all was great for all 32 picks. Here’s grades for every first round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Grading every first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft
- Cam Ward
- Travis Hunter
- Abdul Carter
- Will Campbell
- Mason Graham
- Ashton Jeanty
- Armand Membou
- Tetairoa McMillan
- Kelvin Banks Jr.
- Colston Loveland
- Mykel Williams
- Tyler Booker
- Kenneth Grant
- Tyler Warren
- Jalon Walker
- Walter Nolen III
- Shemar Stewart
- Grey Zabel
- Emeka Egbuka
- Jahdae Barron
- Derrick Harmon
- Omarion Hampton
- Matthew Golden
- Donovan Jackson
- Jaxson Dart
- James Pearce Jr.
- Malaki Starks
- Tyliek Williams
- Josh Conerly Jr.
- Maxwell Hairston
- Jihaad Campbell
- Josh Simmons
Cam Ward
No. 1 overall pick
Grade: C+
Considering he’s a rookie quarterback on a team that needs a lot of help, the fact that he was actually in a position for an NFL debut win, that’s not bad at all. The Denver Broncos didn’t look great by any means, but they proved their defense is as good as it gets. Ward hasn’t thrown a first career touchdown pass yet and he had just over 100 passing yards. The most alarming thing in his debut was that he was sacked six times too. He has a lot of growth, but the foundation is there.
Travis Hunter
No. 2 overall pick
Grade: C
Hunter did make appearances on both sides of the ball and it went about as you would expect. He wasn’t prolific on both sides, but proved that can appear on both sides and after some time, will carve out his role. He had six catches for 33 yards on offense and just one assisted tackle on defense.
Abdul Carter
No. 3 overall pick
Grade: B-
Abdul Carter, while not overly destructive, he recorded three tackles, including two assisted tackles and half a sack in the Giants otherwise frustrating Week 1 loss to the Washington Commanders. On a team that’s full of solid EDGE rushers in Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns, Carter is already proving why he was worth the top pick.
Will Campbell
No. 4 overall pick
Grade: D+
This grade isn’t an indication about how bad he played, rather than the costly mistakes he made late that top picks shouldn’t make, like false start penalties and giving up a strip sack. He’s a rookie and he’ll probably end up improving from a frustrating Week 1. Not a great debut, but a chance to grow.
Mason Graham
No. 5 overall pick
Grade: B
Mason Graham earned Pro Football Focus rookie team honors after receiving a 66.7 run-defense grade in his NFL debut. He also played a key role in Joe Burrow nearly getting sacked in the end zone for a safety. The Cleveland Browns got an instant return on their trade back to land Graham.
Ashton Jeanty
No. 6 overall pick
Grade: B-
Ashton Jeanty had 19 carries for 38 yards and a touchdown. It wasn’t as dominant a performance as he’s used to from his Boise State days, but it was a solid start. He received a 51 overall PFF grade, which I think is fair.
Armand Membou
No. 7 overall pick
Grade: A-
Armand Membou gets the first A grade of the rookies because he not only played a key role in helping the offense thrive, despite a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He didn’t give up a sack to T.J. Watt, which as a rookie lineman, you can’t be mad at that at all.
Tetairoa McMillan
No. 8 overall pick
Grade: A-
Tetairoa McMillian had a big debut for the Panthers on Sunday despite a loss. He had six catches for 84 yards and is exactly what the Panthers and Bryce Young need. Their offense has been bad and they finally have a receiver that looks like he’ll elevate this offense. Xavier Legette hasn’t quite panned out yet, but McMillan is a breath of fresh air.
Kelvin Banks Jr.
No. 9 overall pick
Grade: B-
Kelvin Banks Jr. had just two pressures in 53 pass block snaps and received a 69.1 overall grade and 74.4 pass blocking grade in his debut. He’s the lone bright spot on the New Orleans team that looks like it’s going to take all season to recover from Derek Carr’s abrupt retirement.
Colston Loveland
No. 10 overall pick
Grade: C-
Colston Loveland was a no show in his NFL debut in Monday Night Football. He had two catches for 12 yards. Ben Johnson showed in Detroit he knows how to get the tight ends involved in the offense. Loveland will have his shot and will improve from his Week 1 performance.
Mykel Williams
No. 11 overall pick
Grade: C
It was a lowkey game for Mykel Williams. He had just one assisted tackle in his NFL debut. The San Francisco 49ers know how to turn defensive players with a lot of potential into stars so I wouldn’t be surprised to see him improve as the season goes on.
Tyler Booker
No. 12 overall pick
Grade: B+
I criticized the Dallas Cowboys for taking Booker with the No. 12 pick because usually offensive lineman aren’t taken that high unless they’re absolutely elite. I didn’t think Booker was going to be that type of player out of college, but it looks like the Cowboys got their perfect replacement to Zack Martin.
Kenneth Grant
No. 13 overall pick
Grade: C
The Miami Dolphins had a lot go wrong in their Week 1 game against the Indianapolis Colts and Kenneth Grant didn’t help the cause. He received a 39.4 PFF grade and while he did have three solo tackles, he didn’t really help contain the Colts’ offense. He could be a player the Dolphins appreciate drafting, but hopefully for their sake, it’s before the season goes to hell.
Tyler Warren
No. 14 overall pick
Grade: A
Tyler Warren is as good as advertised. He finished with seven receptions, which ties Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr. for the most by a rookie tight end, and 88 receiving yards. He was one of the highest graded players in Week 1 with a 90.4 grade.
Jalon Walker
No. 15 overall pick
Grade: C+
The Atlanta Falcons wanted to make sure they didn’t whiff on their massive need for an EDGE rusher by drafting two of them. The first of their selections didn’t have a great debut. He had two tackles and wasn’t really a big factor in the game. Surely, they’ll need him to improve tremendously throughout the year.
Walter Nolen III
No. 16 overall pick
Grade: N/A
The Arizona Cardinals are still patiently waiting for Walter Nolen III to make his NFL debut. He was sidelined in training camp with a calf injury and has been rehabbing since. This team needs defensive help immediately so I’m sure they’re patiently waiting for him to fully recover.
Shemar Stewart
No. 17 overall pick
Grade: B+
I guess it was worth the wait for the Cincinnati Bengals to finalize Shemar Stewart’s deal. He landed on the PFF’s rookie team for Week 1 with an 88.9 grade in his NFL debut and was the perfect complement to Trey Hendrickson. The Bengals defense still has some holes in the secondary, but shoring up their defensive line seemed to be the smart move.
Grey Zabel
No. 18 overall pick
Grade: B
Grey Zabel entered the NFL with a lot of pressure as an NFL starter as an FCS player. He looked the part landing on PFF’s rookie team and receiving a 61 overall grade for an interior lineman. Sam Darnold might have had a less than appealing Seattle debut, but one thing he can’t fault is his protection.
Emeka Egbuka
No. 19 overall pick
Grade A+
Emeka Egbuka is looking like the steal of the NFL Draft. He finished his first NFL game with four catches and two receiving touchdowns, including a game-winning touchdown. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers needed a receiver badly this year Egbuka not only proved he’s their answer, but he’s the perfect fit for this offense.
Jahdae Barron
No. 20 overall pick
Grade: B-
It wasn’t a bad NFL debut by any means for Jahdae Barron, but there’s still room for improvement. He finished with a tackle and a fumble recovery, helping the Denver Broncos defeat the Tennessee Titans.
Derrick Harmon
No. 21 overall pick
Grade: N/A
Derrick Harmon hasn’t made his NFL debut yet and will have to wait until at least Week 3 at the earliest. Harmon suffered a sprained MCL in the Pittsburgh Steelers final preseason game. He’ll be a welcomed addition when he’s available, but until then, Pittsburgh is playing the waiting game.
Omarion Hampton
No. 22 overall pick
Grade: C+
Omarion Hampton wasn’t great but he wasn’t horrible either in his NFL debut. The Los Angeles Chargers turned to him and Najee Harris over J.K. Dobbins. So far, it doesn’t look like a horrible decision, but there’s still time to grow into a feature back role. This is an offense that thrives on the run game so he’ll have enough chances to find his role.
Matthew Golden
No. 23 overall pick
Grade: C
Matthew Golden is a victim of a deep wide receiver room. There was a lot of hype around his arrival in Green Bay and they didn’t unleash him in Week 1. The Packers have had bad luck with injuries to their receivers which could play to his favor, but for now, we’re still waiting to see why Green Bay was hyped up about drafting him.
Donovan Jackson
No. 24 overall pick
Grade: A
Donovan Jackson couldn’t have asked for a better NFL debut after being graded in the top 10 of tackles. PFF graded Jackson a 74.3 overall with the highest pass block grade of any tackle with a 88.1. The Vikings needed reinforcements on the offensive line and they got just that in Jackson.
Jaxson Dart
No. 25 overall pick
Grade: N/A
Something tells me it won’t be long before Jaxson Dart sees the field in New York. While it’s not wise to throw him out there now with their miserable offensive line, if Russell Wilson doesn’t look better than he did against the Washington Commanders, the Giants might have any choice other than to turn to their rookie Dart.
James Pearce Jr.
No. 26 overall pick
Grade: C
James Pearce Jr. didn’t look horrible, but considering the Atlanta Falcons traded back into the first round to take him, he could have looked better. He received a 59.4 grade in his NFL debut. The Falcons put a lot of faith into their young EDGE rushers and they’re going to have to wait to see what the return on that investment is.
Malaki Starks
No. 27 overall pick
Grade: C+
Malaki Starks didn’t look bad by any means and considering he starts alongside Kyle Hamilton, he’ll have a lot of time to grow. Starks was such a good selection because he can contribute in the run game while also being able to cover in the secondary. He has a chance to be a perfect asset to this Baltimore Ravens defense with some time.
Tyliek Williams
No. 28 overall pick
Grade: C-
It was not a good debut by Tyliek Williams, which isn’t a good thing for the Detroit Lions, considering they need a lot of help on their defensive line. This will be a different season than the last few years for the Lions defense. Williams has time, but he needs to play better than he did to avoid the bust allegations.
Josh Conerly Jr.
No. 29 overall pick
Grade: B-
Josh Conerly Jr. did a lot of things well in his Washington Commanders debut against the New York Giants. Consistency will be key here, but in terms of game 1, the Commanders couldn’t have asked for a better debut.
Maxwell Hairston
No. 30 overall pick
Grade: N/A
Maxwell Hairston is teetering on being a bust for the Buffalo Bills. He missed all of the preseason and will miss the next three games after missing the season opener with his knee injury. The Bills will have to wait to see if their future star cornerback is going to be the player they need or the player they wish they passed on.
Jihaad Campbell
No. 31 overall pick
Grade: B+
The Philadelphia Eagles needed a big game from one of their young defensive stars after Jalen Carter was kicked out of the game before the Dallas Cowboys first official snap. Jihaad Campbell proved why he was a steal for Philly after he was graded with a 88.3 by PFF in his debut. He had three tackles and a forced fumble in his debut.
Josh Simmons
No. 32 overall pick
Grade: B
It wasn’t a flawless NFL debut, but it was one that proved the Kansas City Chiefs got a gem with the final pick in the first round of the NFL Draft. The Chiefs had way too many offensive line problems last year and Simmons looks to be the start of fixing those this year.