The first two rounds of the NFL draft were mostly as expected. Then things got weird. Teams made trades to acquire more draft capital, and several players who were projected to hear their name called did not get picked. Shedeur Sanders, for example, was passed up at No. 102 by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Throughout the rest of Round 3, teams made their final additions to their rosters and camp started to wind down. That gave us a chance to evaluate the rookies in action and determine who might be poised to have a breakout season in 2025.
Round 1 (No. 32): Josh Simmons, OT. The Chiefs’ top selection has performed as well as expected in a left tackle role, making the team’s offense one of the most productive units in the league.
Round 2 (No. 35): Nick Emmanwori, CB. The Seahawks expect him to play regularly in their nickel package and operate near the line of scrimmage. He’s a good fit for Seattle and could emerge as an impact rookie.