- Jackson Hawes is impressing as a blocker: The rookie tight end has helped spur the Bills' running game, earning an 83.1 PFF run-blocking grade through two weeks.
- Jihaad Campbell continues to be a reliable force early in his rookie campaign: The first-rounder was solid, if unspectacular, against the Chiefs, allowing one catch for only four yards.
- Unlock your edge with PFF+: Access Premium Stats, dominate fantasy with in-season tools and projections and make smarter bets with the new PFF Player Prop Tool.
Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes
We're diving into the top rookies by PFF overall grade through Week 2 of the 2025 NFL season. To qualify, players needed to have logged at least 50 snaps.
1. TE Jackson Hawes, Buffalo Bills (92.7)
Hawes followed up a 93.7 PFF overall grade against the Ravens in Week 1 with an 85.3 mark against the Jets in Week 2. He played 35 snaps, primarily as a run blocker, and earned an 84.8 PFF run-blocking grade on zone runs (18 snaps).
The fifth-round pick from Georgia Tech is the NFL's highest-graded tight end after Week 2 and ranks as the second-best run blocker at the position (83.1), behind teammate Dawson Knox (90.6). While Hawes has dealt with challenges in man schemes (58.3), he’s been excellent in zone, earning an 85.6 zone PFF run-blocking grade across 23 snaps through two weeks. As a receiver, Hawes has caught both of his targets for 34 yards, 29 of which came in Week 1.
2. LB Jihaad Campbell, Philadelphia Eagles (83.7)
Campbell did not make any splash plays against the Chiefs, but he was still solid, particularly in coverage, where he earned a 78.5 PFF grade across 28 snaps. Campbell was targeted twice, allowing one catch for only four yards. He also recorded three tackles, including a stop against Patrick Mahomes, forcing him out of bounds on a scramble for a limited gain.
Campbell ranks as the ninth-highest-graded linebacker through the first two weeks. He leads rookie linebackers in PFF run-defense grade (73.0), recording three tackles, an assist, a run stop and a forced fumble across 38 such snaps. He also paces first-year linebackers in PFF coverage grade (83.5) after surrendering just one catch on three targets.
3. TE Tyler Warren, Indianapolis Colts (82.4)
Warren was the Colts’ second-most-targeted player against the Broncos, and he finished with four catches for 79 yards — all first downs. Most of his yardage came from two explosive gains totaling 56 yards. The first was a 41-yard catch midway through the first quarter when he got behind the second level of defenders into wide open space. His second came early in the third quarter when he was able to shed a defender and evade two tacklers on his way to a 15-yard pickup.
Warren owns the sixth-best PFF receiving grade among tight ends (79.4) through Week 2. He has hauled in 11 of 16 targets for 155 yards (first) and eight first downs (tied for first), and he owns top-10 marks in yards after contact (24) and yards after the catch per reception (8.4). The first-rounder is also tied for second in explosive gains (four).
As a blocker, Warren has yet to surrender any pressure in pass protection (three snaps) and has excelled as a zone blocker (86.1 PFF grade) across 23 snaps.
4. T Armand Membou, New York Jets (81.7)
Membou saw a sharp decline from Week 1 (89.1 PFF overall grade), recording a 63.3 PFF overall grade against the Bills in Week 2. He had a particularly rough day in pass protection, allowing three pressures, including a quarterback hit, across 31 snaps. His impact run-block rate finished at 6.3%, down from 24.3% in Week 1.
Membou still ranks as a top-five rookie tackle in pressure rate allowed (5.4%) and PFF run-blocking grade (86.9). His 18.9% impact run-block rate ranks eighth, and his 5.7% defeated rate is the best clip among rookie tackles — and a top-10 figure at the position overall.
5. LB Carson Schwesinger, Cleveland Browns (82.2)
Schwesinger had a quieter day against the Ravens, with a 64.9 PFF overall grade. While he didn’t surrender any chunk gains, he also didn’t record many impact plays. Schwesinger assisted in one tackle on 17 run-defense snaps, recorded no pressure across five rushes and allowed one catch on one target for six yards.
Schwesinger leads all rookie linebackers in PFF pass-rush grade (64.9), powered by an 11.1% win rate and an 11.1% pressure rate. He has one hit through across nine rushes, as well as eight total tackles through two games (second most among rookie linebackers). The second-rounder's 83.0 PFF tackling grade places third at the position, and his 77.0 PFF coverage grade is the second-best mark among rookies.
6. CB Jacob Parrish, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (80.7)
Parrish was targeted once against the Texans late in the first quarter. Justin Watson made the catch, but Parrish was able to wrap him up right away, limiting him to a three-yard gain and earning a coverage stop on the play. Parrish also generated a quarterback hurry late in the second quarter on his lone rush. He finished the night with a 76.6 PFF overall grade.
Parrish enters Week 3 with a 79.9 PFF coverage grade. He has held receivers to five yards across three catches, and while he’s missed two tackles, he’s also recorded two coverage stops. Parrish also leads all rookie cornerbacks in PFF run-defense grade (76.3).
7. S Xavier Watts, Atlanta Falcons (78.8)
Watts earned a 66.5 PFF overall grade Sunday night after logging an 81.5 mark in Week 1. Justin Jefferson did turn him around for a 50-yard gain at the end of the first half, but Watts was also able to dive for his first career interception, covering Jefferson again, late in the fourth quarter.
The third-rounder leads all rookie safeties in PFF coverage grade through the first two weeks of the season (73.2), and ranks ninth overall. He’s been targeted four times in 67 snaps, allowing two catches for 52 yards. Watts' stat sheet thus far includes a coverage stop and two pass breakups to go along with his interception, and he’s holding quarterbacks to a 56.3 passer rating when targeted (tied for eighth best).
8. WR Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina Panthers (75.8)
McMillan caught six of nine targets against the Cardinals for 100 yards and five first downs. He had three catches of 20-plus yards on the day, including a 40-yard gain with Max Melton and Budda Baker in coverage. McMillan averaged 8.0 yards after the catch per reception and finished with a 72.6 PFF receiving grade.
The top-10 pick has been the league’s most-targeted rookie receiver through Week 2 and leads the Panthers with 11 catches for 168 yards and nine first downs.
9. CB Will Johnson, Arizona Cardinals (75.0)
Johnson had a tougher day in coverage, finishing with a 61.4 PFF coverage grade. He was targeted eight times, allowing five catches for 47 yards and four first downs. Most of his surrendered yards came from two explosive gains in the first half: a 15-yard catch to Brycen Tremayne early in the first quarter, and a 22-yard catch to Tetairoa McMillan early in the second. It wasn’t all bad for Johnson, as he also broke up two passes, including an endzone throw late in the fourth quarter.
Johnson maintains the best PFF coverage grade among rookies heading into Week 3 (74.6). He’s been targeted 15 times, allowing nine catches for 79 yards and seven first downs. He leads the position with five forced incompletions.
10. T Will Campbell, New England Patriots (74.4)
Campbell played 31 pass-blocking snaps against the Dolphins and did not give up a single pressure, earning an 81.3 PFF pass-blocking grade for his efforts. He was less effective in run blocking, however, recording a 4.2% impact rate across 24 snaps (down from 26.7% in Week 1).
Campbell now owns a 65.7 PFF run-blocking grade through two games. Most of his snaps have come in gap schemes (23), where he has recorded a 69.6 PFF run-blocking grade. Campbell holds the 10th-best PFF pass-blocking grade (77.7, first among rookies), and his 4.8% allowed pressure rate ranks fourth among rookie tackles.
11. RB Dylan Sampson, Cleveland Browns (72.4)
Sampson caught his first career touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter against the Ravens, splitting two defenders and finding a spot in the endzone near the sideline. He was targeted three times across 10 routes run, catching each one for 13 yards and two first downs. Sampson moved the chains twice more on the ground, rushing four times for six yards.
The fourth-rounder leads the Browns with 27 total touches entering Week 3 and ranks fourth among all running backs in touch rate (54.0%). He continues to pace the position with a 92.4 PFF receiving grade, having secured all of his 11 targets through two games. Sampson ranks first in threat rate (44.0%), eighth in passer rating when targeted (126.1) and in the top five in yards per route run (3.08) and yards after contact (44).
An astounding 97.1% of Sampson's rushing yards have come after contact, and his 72.4 PFF overall grade is best among rookie running backs with at least 50 snaps played.
12. S Jonas Sanker, New Orleans Saints (70.1)
Sanker racked up 68 defensive snaps against San Francisco after playing only special teams in Week 1 against the Cardinals. He earned a 70.2 PFF overall grade, recording three tackles and two assists in run defense. He was also targeted once in coverage near halftime, quickly closing in on Christian McCaffrey to make a coverage stop and limit him to a five-yard gain.
13. EDGE Shemar Stewart, Cincinnati Bengals (69.6)
After a standout day against Cleveland in week 1 (88.9 PFF overall grade), Stewart was held in check against the Jaguars, missing a tackle in run defense and failing to generate any pressure across 18 pass-rush snaps.
He maintains a 22.7% positively graded play rate in run defense and a 14.6% pass-rush win rate, both top-five clips among rookie edge defenders. Stewart suffered an ankle injury late against the Jaguars and is doubtful to play in Week 3.
14. EDGE Jordan Burch, Arizona Cardinals (69.5)
Burch recorded two run stops on 11 run-defense snaps against the Panthers, limiting Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard both to two-yard gains on the plays. His pass-rush workload doubled from Week 1 (from 12 to 27), but his win rate (7.4%) and pressure rate (7.4%) were considerably lower. Burch recorded two hurries across 27 snaps and finished the game with a 66.2 PFF overall grade.
Burch enters Week 3 with a 73.8 PFF tackling grade and has generated four pressures (tied for third most among rookies). Despite his challenges against Carolina, he still ranks in the top five among rookie edge rushers in win rate (15.2%) and pressure rate (12.1%).
15. T Josh Simmons, Kansas City Chiefs (67.3)
Simmons earned an 87.8 PFF pass-blocking grade against the Eagles in Week 2, ranking third among tackles. He played 39 pass-blocking snaps and didn’t allow a single pressure — quite the contrast from Week 1, when he allowed four pressures on 49 snaps against the Chargers.
Simmons owns a 75.3 PFF pass-blocking grade through two games (second best among rookie tackles). He also ranks second among rookie tackles in zone PFF run-blocking grade (74.3.
© 2026 PFF - all rights reserved.