Five NFL Rookies Who Will Make the Leap in 2026

A handful of first-year pros showed flashes of brilliance, potentially foreshadowing stellar second-year campaigns.

Colston Loveland logged six touchdowns in his rookie season with the Bears. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Perhaps I’m wasting my time attempting to explain my line of thinking for this story because once this list finds its way to social media, the comments will likely be flooded with the handful of notable 2025 rookies who weren’t mentioned. 

But I at least need to put it on the record that Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan and Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger are already stars. They earned that status by winning Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year, respectively. 

Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori emerged as a star during his team’s run to the Super Bowl. And Emmanwori’s teammate, Grey Zabel, was instrumental in the vast improvements the offensive line made, allowing Sam Darnold plenty of time to operate in the pocket, including in Seattle’s Super Bowl LX victory over the Patriots. 

I also believe that Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka and Colts tight end Tyler Warren showcased themselves as stars throughout their rookie seasons. Egbuka had a dominant first quarter of the season, but a hamstring injury caused him to have a slow second half. As for Warren, his versatility as a blocker and pass catcher played a role in Indianapolis’s 8–2 start last season. 

With that said, don’t expect to see the six aforementioned names on the list below. This is about the 2025 rookies who will make the jump to star status. This story will highlight the players who showed flashes as rookies, but still have plenty to prove in Year 2.  

However, the six players mentioned above made the cut for my future top 100 NFL players list, so please go easy on me in the comments. But if you read the introduction to this story and still hate the list, then feel free to bash away. 

Let’s get to the five 2025 rookies who will make the jump to star status this upcoming season. 

5. Armand Membou, OT, Jets

It must have been rough for Jets fans to watch their former quarterback, Darnold, advance to the Super Bowl to face their AFC East rivals, the Patriots. 

But in a rare occurrence, Jets fans had the last laugh. Darnold, the one who got away, didn’t allow a hated rival to win the Super Bowl. Additionally, Patriots rookie left tackle Will Campbell struggled against the Seahawks’ vaunted defense, perhaps showing that the Jets got the better tackle in the 2025 draft.

Membou was selected at No. 7, three picks after New England drafted Campbell. It was impressive how Membou held his own every week against the game’s best edge rushers. New York can’t get much right, especially at quarterback, but it has two stud tackles with Membou and Olu Fashanu.

4. Ashton Jeanty, RB, Raiders

Jeanty was a big winner this offseason after the Raiders hired Klint Kubiak.

​As the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator, Kubiak utilized the fullback position, improved the offensive line, and received dominant performances from Super Bowl LX MVP Kenneth Walker III down the stretch.  

Jeanty, the sixth pick in the draft, got lost at times in the Raiders’ awful offense last season. He’s also been unfairly overlooked because of his 5 '8", 208-pound size. But don’t be fooled because Jeanty, who rushed for 975 yards as a rookie, has excellent power and can consistently produce long gains because of how difficult he is to tackle. Watch what Jeanty did to the Texans’ elite defense in Week 16.  

​Jeanty making the best of a bad situation bodes well for what he could do under Kubiak's guidance in 2026.

Ashton Jeanty was a bright spot in a disappointing Raiders’ season. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

3. Omarion Hampton, RB, Chargers

If Hampton can stay healthy after missing eight games as a rookie, he might be headed for a dominant second season with the arrival of new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, who helped De’Von Achane produce a career season in Miami in 2025. 

Hampton, the No. 22 pick, doesn’t have Achane’s speed, but he has size and versatility, standing at 6' 0", 220 pounds. McDaniel doesn’t need elite speed to run his offense efficiently after spending several years working under Kyle Shanahan and running the zone blocking scheme.  

Also, let’s not overlook the possibility of Hampton seeing several sizable running lanes if stud tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater stay healthy this season. Hampton recorded 124 carries for 545 yards and four touchdowns, often showing his high potential as a rookie.  

2. Colston Loveland, TE, Bears

Loveland emerged as one of Caleb Williams’s most trusted pass catchers down the stretch, showing that he’s on track to meet the high expectations that were placed on him after Chicago selected him 10th in the draft, four spots ahead of Warren.

The 6' 6", 241-pound Loveland has Jimmy Graham-like size and athleticism, with reliable hands that resemble Travis Kelce. However, Loveland had quiet stretches during his rookie season, recording 58 catches for 713 yards and six touchdowns. For comparison, Warren finished with 76 receptions for 817 yards and four touchdowns.

But, again, it said plenty that Williams often turned to Loveland in clutch moments, especially in the playoffs. The Bears were right to roll the dice on his upside based on what Loveland showed in his dominant Week 9 performance against the Bengals, when he recorded six catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning 58-yard score with 17 seconds left in regulation. 

1. Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Jaguars

Hunter was my biggest gamble of the top 100 list for 2026, and I’m sticking with him here for these rankings.

Hunter failed to make an impact as a wide receiver (28 catches, 298 yards, 1 TD) and had his rookie season cut short due to a right knee injury he sustained in October. But I’m focusing on what I saw from Hunter in his final game of 2025, recording eight catches for 101 yards and one touchdown against the Rams in Week 7.

The injury was unfortunate, as he was finding his footing as an offensive playmaker. But with the injury occurring in October, Hunter has plenty of time to make a full recovery before the season opener.

​It will also help that coach Liam Coen and quarterback Trevor Lawrence now have a year of experience together and can expand the playbook to better highlight Hunter’s skill set. And let’s not forget that Hunter was ahead in his development as a cornerback. There’s also a strong chance that Hunter plays full-time as a cornerback, while seeing a handful of plays on offense this upcoming season.

He’s still on track to be the Shohei Ohtani of football despite a disappointing rookie season.

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