Sportsnaut
A new season for the National Football League is right around the corner and one of the best things is seeing the next wave of players who make a name for themselves. After seeing the likes of Brian Thomas Jr., Jayden Daniels and Bucky Irving shine last year, it’s time to start thinking about NFL breakout candidates in 2025.
Let’s dive into our list of NFL breakout candidates this season.
Caleb Williams certainly had a chance at a breakout year last season, but the reality is that the infrastructure the Chicago Bears put around him made it practically impossible. So, the team went out this offseason and hired play-calling wizard Ben Johnson, then overhauled its interior offensive line. We’re not suggesting that Williams will play at an MVP-caliber level, as Daniels did in his rookie year. Instead, he’ll become the first quarterback in Bears’ history to throw for 4,000 passing yards and 30 touchdowns.
Related: NFL QB rankings 2025
If you’re looking for a young player who could reach All-Pro status in 2025, it’s Green Bay Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper. Taken with the 45th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, he earned All-Rookie Team honors last season. He was limited to 14 games due to injury, but the Packers’ breakout defender still generated 35 stops, 11 pressures, and 3.5 sacks in that span. He finished with the second-highest PFF grade (84.0) among rookies, and he’s one of the most athletic linebackers in the NFL. Green Bay has a star in the middle of its defense, and he might just be scratching the surface of his potential.
Related: Green Bay Packers Schedule Predictions 2025, Game-by-Game Packers Picks
Some of the NFL breakout candidates in 2025 will be rookies and running back Kaleb Johnson is one of the top offensive players to watch. He landed in an ideal situation, as the system run by Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith almost seems tailor-made for the rookie. He’s already been a standout this offseason and he’s emphasized his desire to improve in pass blocking this summer, too. Johnson thrives in a zone run scheme and the Steelers’ offensive line now has a second year running Smith’s system. While Jaylen Warren will still contribute, Johnson could be much better than Najee Harris was for Pittsburgh.
Related: NFL Offseason Moves Teams Will Regret, including the Steelers
Laiatu Latu was certainly overshadowed in his rookie season by Los Angeles Rams edge rusher Jared Verse. With that said, the Indianapolis Colts‘ 2024 first-round pick still showed plenty of remarkable flashes. He finished with the third-highest pass-rush win rate (14 percent) among rookie edge rushers and netted the fourth-most pressures (38). He’s now gained the experience of learning how to beat quality offensive tackles and Indianapolis made his life a lot easier moving forward by significantly upgrading its secondary. A double-digit sack...
