Ranking the least impactful NFL Draft classes for 2025 season: NFC foes share real estate on the list

It is generally bad practice to expect significant early contributions from a rookie class. Franchises make selections on different timelines, which means that some draft picks are expected to contribute immediately whereas others are of the developmental variety. It is natural for fans to be curious about the new faces on the roster. 

Today, I take a look at which classes I believe will be the least impactful in 2025 rather than taking a long-term view. Interestingly, Chris Trapasso broke down his list of what he considers the ten most impactful draft classes and there were some overlapping teams; a reminder that two people can take in the exact same information and come away with different opinions. 

Without further ado, a personal list of the draft classes expected to make the least impact on the upcoming season:

• Round 1, pick 6: RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
• Round 2, pick 58: WR Jack Bech, TCU
• Round 3, pick 68: CB Darien Porter, Iowa State
• Round 3, pick 98: OG Caleb Rogers, Texas Tech
• Round 3, pick 99: OT Charles Grant, William & Mary
• Round 4, pick 108: WR Dont’e Thornton Jr., Tennessee
• Round 4, pick 135: DT Tonka Hemingway, South Carolina
• Round 6, pick 180: DT J.J. Pegues, Ole Miss
• Round 6, pick 213: WR Tommy Mellott, Montana State
• Round 6, pick 215: QB Cam Miller, North Dakota State
• Round 7, pick 222: LB Cody Lindenberg, Minnesota

Jeanty and Bech should be contributors immediately. The questions arise beyond that point. Porter is relatively new to the cornerback position despite possessing all of the desirable traits. 

Las Vegas announced Rogers as an offensive guard despite starting all but two games of his collegiate career at offensive tackle. He is a powerful player that should fit Pete Carroll’s desired play style well but, will it happen in Year 1? Grant moves well for his size and is a quality prospect to bring into the organization and develop, but play strength is a work in progress. Thornton had modest collegiate production over four years. Hemingway could step in as an early contributor, but that is not a given for a Day 3 prospect. 

• Round 1, pick. 12: OG Tyler Booker, Alabama
• Round 2, pick 44: EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College
• Round 3, pick 76: CB Shavon Revel Jr., East Carolina
• Round 5, pick 149: RB Jaydon Blue, Texas
• Round 5, pick 152: LB Shemar James, Florida
• Round 6, pick 204: OL Ajani Cornelius, Oregon
• Round 7, pick 217: DT Jay Toia, UCLA
• Round 7, pick 239: RB Phil Mafah, Clemson
• Round 7, pick 247: DT Tommy Akingbesote, Maryland

Booker will start from Day 1. There are concerns about Ezeiruaku’s play strength and Dallas already has Micah Parsons, Marshawn Kneeland, Sam Williams and Dante Fowler Jr.; it would be a bit surprising if the Cowboys carried all of them into the season. 

Revel is recovering from a torn ACL, so even if he is able to go Week 1, it will take some time for him to return to form. When all is said and done, Dallas will probably find a contributor or two from that large group of Day 3 prospects, but it may not be expeditious. 

• Round 1, pick 10: TE Colston Loveland, Michigan
• Round 2, pick 39: WR Luther Burden III, Missouri
• Round 2, pick 56: OT Ozzy Trapilo, Boston College
• Round 2, pick 62: DT Shemar Turner, Texas A&M
• Round 4, pick 132: LB Ruben Hyppolite II, Maryland
• Round 5, pick 169: CB Zah Frazier, Texas-San Antonio
• Round 6, pick 195: OG Luke Newman, Michigan State
• Round 7, pick 233: RB Kyle Monangai, Rutgers

Loveland was TE1 in this draft class in my opinion. He will have an impact as the Bears use more 12 personnel (1 running back, 2 tight ends) with Cole Kmet, but the short-term vision is cloudy beyond that point. 

If they use more 12 personnel, then Burden is on the sidelines next to head coach Ben Johnson rather than on the field with Rome Odunze and DJ Moore. It is more likely that he allows them to eventually move on from Moore if the franchise sees growth from him in practice. Trapilo is more of a right tackle and that spot is occupied by Darnell Wright. 

Turner could be an immediate contributor, but Hyppolite was a reach. 

• Round 1, pick 17: EDGE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M
• Round 2, pick 49: LB Demetrius Knight Jr., South Carolina
• Round 3, pick 81: OG Dylan Fairchild, Georgia
• Round 4, pick 119: LB Barrett Carter, Clemson
• Round 5, pick 153: OG Jalen Rivers, Miami
• Round 6, pick 193: RB Tahj Brooks, Texas Tech

Cincinnati had six picks and the first two are a little rough around the edges. Carter may be better suited to step in and play early than Knight. Fairchild may step into a starting role, but he was lower for me relative to the consensus. Rivers and Brooks were two personal favorites on Day 3, but it would generally be misguided to expect late round picks to be early contributors. 

• Round 1, pick 3: EDGE Abdul Carter, Penn State
• Round 1, pick 25: QB Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss
• Round 3, pick 65: DT Darius Alexander, Toledo
• Round 4, pick 105: RB Cam Skattebo, Arizona State
• Round 5, pick 154: OT Marcus Mbow, Purdue
• Round 7, pick 219: TE Thomas Fidone II, Nebraska
• Round 7, pick 246: CB Korie Black, Oklahoma State

Carter will be an impact performer but New York also has pass rushers Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns to shoulder the load. Dart will likely spend a portion — and potentially of the large variety — of the season in the shadows of Russell Wilson. 

Alexander spent some time playing on the edge in 2023 and the 2024 tape showed a lot of room for technical improvement. He will be afforded a lot of one-on-one opportunities with so many other viable options along that defensive line, including Dexter Lawrence. Tyrone Tracy is the feature back in my eyes with Skattebo capable of stepping in on short-yardage situations. 

Mbow was a good value pick, but that is more of a long-term play. Fidone is a good developmental prospect. 

• Round 1, pick 19: WR Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
• Round 2, pick 53: CB Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame
• Round 3, pick 84: CB Jacob Parrish, Kansas State
• Round 4, pick 121: EDGE David Walker, Central Arkansas
• Round 5, pick 157: EDGE Elijah Roberts, SMU
• Round 7, pick 235: WR Tez Johnson, Oregon

The Egbuka selection was a bit of a surprise because few had logged wide receiver as a position of need for the Buccaneers. They return Chris Godwin, Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan. Egbuka may be a great player, but that may not blossom in his first season. Morrison is an incredible talent that would have been taken in the first round had it not been for his injuries but, it is those injuries that may inhibit his ability to contribute in Year 1. 

Tampa Bay has said that they envision Parrish playing multiple roles. Tykee Smith had spent a lot of time in the slot last year, so perhaps the plan is to play him more at safety long-term opposite Antoine Winfield Jr. Walker is making a big transition going from Central Arkansas to the NFL. Johnson is an anomaly at 154 pounds. 

• Round 1, pick 24: OG Donovan Jackson, Ohio State
• Round 3, pick 102: WR Tai Felton, Maryland
• Round 5, pick 139: DT Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, Georgia
• Round 6, pick 201: LB Kobe King, Penn State
• Round 6, pick 202: TE Gavin Bartholomew, Pittsburgh

Minnesota only had five selections and Jackson may be the only starter to come out of the class. At best, Felton would be the third wide receiver. Ingram-Dawkins was not ranked highly on my personal board, but that could be a general struggle to separate individual production from the collective at Georgia. King is a great athlete, but how quickly will the processing catch up?