After two weeks of the NFL regular season, RotoWire.com analyzed the Round 1 picks from the 2025 NFL Draft to determine the "rookie index" to show which of those rookies has brought the most positive impact to their new team. We factored in NFL player rankings from RotoWire.com, total fantasy football points, total box score statistics for the individual, whether they were starting, Google Trends search interest score, and total volume of articles, along with their sentiment.
2025 NFL Round 1 Rookie Impact Rankings
Rank | Player (Team) | Score |
1 | Emeka Egbuka (TB) | 220 |
2 | Tyler Warren (IND) | 188 |
3 | Tetairoa McMillan (CAR) | 137 |
4 | Jihaad Campbell (PHI) | 131 |
5 | Ashton Jeanty (LVR) | 127 |
6 | Travis Hunter (JAX) | 115 |
7 | Omarion Hampton (LAC) | 106 |
8 | Mason Graham (CLE) | 94 |
9 | Matthew Golden (GB) | 93 |
10 | Cam Ward (TEN) | 91 |
This analysis comes from RotoWire.com, where the best sportsbook promo codes are available.
Which 2025 1st Rounders Have Made The Most Impact So Far?
Emeka Egbuka (Tampa Bay Buccaneers wideout)
The 19th pick in April's draft has hit the ground running for the Buccaneers in 2025, with eight receptions for 96 yards and three touchdowns in two games. He had four catches in each of Tampa Bay's two games this season, which the NFC South squad won over the Atlanta Falcons (23-20) and Houston Texans (20-19). Overall, the former Ohio State Buckeyes star leads all first rounders with a total score of 220 points by our metrics, putting him atop our rookie list this week.
Tyler Warren (Indianapolis Colts tight end)
The former Penn State star tight end and 2024 John Mackey Award recipient has picked up where he left off in Happy Valley through two NFL games with the Colts. Warren has 11 catches for 155 yards for the Colts, who are 2-0 after a 33-8 rout of Miami in Week 1, followed by a 29-28 thriller over the Broncos on Sunday. Warren's production in the Colts' passing game has been stellar, with 79 yards in the opener and 76 against Miami. Warren has yet to score a touchdown but his impact in the team's passing game has been instantaneous, netting him 188 points across our scoring system, which is the second highest total of any first round pick in 2025. DraftKings Sportsbook now has the Colts as the favorites to win the AFC South, with +130 odds.
Tetairoa McMillan (Carolina Panthers wideout)
The former Arizona Wildcats star receiver has become Bryce Young's go-to target in Charlotte, with 11 catches in two starts for 168 yards as a Carolina Panthers rookie. McMillan, who had 26 touchdowns in 37 games in Tucson, has yet to score for the Panthers, but his ability to spread the field and serve as a go-to target for Young is undeniable. Our scoring system gives him 137 points through two games.
Jihaad Campbell (Philadelphia Eagles linebacker)
The former Alabama Crimson Tide star defender is back to his old ways with the Eagles, with 10 total tackles, one QB hit and a forced fumble for the defending champs in victories over the Dallas Cowboys (24-20) and Kansas City Chiefs (20-17). All told, Campbell has notched 131 points, fourth among first-round picks in this year's draft class, which is pretty good production for a No. 31 overall pick and sets the bar for what's to come in the City of Brotherly Love for the 2024 first-team All-SEC linebacker. BetMGM Sportsbook, which listed Philly as the +700 co-favorite to repeat in the preseason, now lists the Eagles fourth on the board with the same odds.
Ashton Jeanty (Las Vegas Raiders running back)
The 2024 Heisman Trophy finalist for Boise State has hit the ground running (literally) for first-year Raiders head coach Pete Carroll. Jeanty has 30 carries in two games, with 81 yards and a touchdown for the 1-1 Raiders. Jeanty's stats haven't popped off the way they did in the Treasure State, where he racked up 4,769 yards and 50 touchdowns across 40 games with the Broncos – but he still has shown an ability to take what he did well for Boise State and transition it to the professional level.
Travis Hunter (Jacksonville Jaguars wideout/cornerback)
The reigning Heisman Trophy winner out of Colorado has picked up where he left off in Boulder, with two starts on both sides of the ball for the Jaguars. Hunter has three tackles and a pass deflection at cornerback, on top of having nine catches for 55 yards on offense for the 1-1 squad. He has set the stage for a rookie season that many eagerly awaited since Jacksonville took him second overall in April's NFL Draft.
Omarion Hampton (Los Angeles Chargers running back)
The 22nd pick out of North Carolina has been finding his footing for the Chargers as a rookie. Hampton has 72 yards on 23 carries, or 3.1 yards per attempt, for the 2-0 Bolts under head coach Jim Harbaugh. Hampton, a two-time All-ACC first-team member in Chapel Hill, has the seventh highest impact score of any first round pick, at 106 points, though he has yet to find the end zone. The best sports betting apps will have props for Hampton and the Chargers all season.
Mason Graham (Cleveland Browns defensive tackle)
The fifth pick out of Michigan has teamed with Myles Garrett to terrorize opposing quarterbacks this year, with eight tackles and a tackle for loss in two games. The two-time first-team All-Big Ten DT and unanimous All-American in 2024 has a long way to go to match Garrett's production along the defensive line for Cleveland (0-2), though the 22-year-old out of Orange County, California, has the eighth-highest impact score on our list with 94 points. He has played 80% of defensive snaps and has contributed in special teams for the woeful Browns.
Matthew Golden (Green Bay Packers wideout)
The former Texas Longhorns star wide receiver has chipped in on the ground and through the air for Green Bay in his first two NFL games. He has 15 yards on two carries and 16 more on two catches through two games for a Packers offense that already had some weapons. The 23rd overall pick in April's draft notched his rushing total in Green Bay's Week 1 win over the Detroit Lions, then had his first two catches as a pro in Thursday night's thumping of the Washington Commanders inside Lambeau Field in Week 2. At bet365 Sportsbook, the Packers have +650 odds to win the Super Bowl, third behind the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens (each at +500 odds).
Cam Ward (Tennessee Titans quarterback)
The No. 1 pick in April's draft out of Miami has seen his share of ups and downs. Ward has completed 50.8% of his passes for 287 yards with a touchdown for the 0-2 Titans, including a 19-of-33 day against the Los Angeles Rams with 175 yards and a touchdown in a 33-19 loss. Through two weeks, Ward's impact score of 91 points ranks 10th, putting the final note on this week's list of first-round rookies in 2025.
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Q&A
Q: What is RotoWire's Rookie Index?
A: A data-driven ranking of Round 1 rookies using RotoWire rankings, fantasy points, box scores, starting status, Google Trends, and media volume/sentiment (normalized and weighted).
Q: Who leads the rankings through Week 2?
A: Top 10: Emeka Egbuka (TB) 220; Tyler Warren (IND) 188; Tetairoa McMillian (CAR) 137; Jihaad Campbell (PHI) 131; Ashton Jeanty (LVR) 127; Travis Hunter (JAX) 115; Omarion Hampton (LAC) 106; Mason Graham (CLE) 94; Matthew Golden (GB) 93; and Cam Ward (TEN) 91.
Q: Which players are included in this scoring system?
A: Only picks from the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft were ranked for this story. While there are other rookies making splashes so far this season, RotoWire.com wanted to see how the first-round picks were making an impact on their new teams.
