- Will Johnson dominates for the Cardinals: The team's second-round pick was the league's highest-graded rookie in Week 1.
- Shemar Stewart propels the Bengals to victory: The Texas A&M product recorded three pressures, producing a 28% pass-rush win rate.
- 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: 7 minutes
Week 1 saw the much-anticipated debuts of many top rookies, several of whom shone in their first NFL action. These are the newcomers who performed the best at each position in their first taste of regular-season football. A player must have played at least 10 snaps to qualify for this list.
Quarterback: Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans – 57.4
Ward gets the nod at quarterback by default, as he was the only rookie quarterback to take a snap in Week 1. Ward’s debut left a lot to be desired, as he completed just 12 of his 29 passes for 112 yards. That said, he was safe with the football, as he never turned the ball over, nor did he have any turnover-worthy plays. However, Ward did take six sacks against a tough Broncos defense, so that’s an area he’ll look to improve upon going forward.
Running Back: Bill Croskey-Merritt, Washington Commanders – 79.3
The darling of the 2025 NFL preseason, the seventh-round rookie out of Arizona showed Commanders fans why the team was so comfortable trading Brian Robinson Jr just before the season. Croskey-Merritt carried the ball 10 times for 82 yards, including picking up his first NFL touchdown, while also forcing three missed tackles and registering three explosive runs (carries of at least 10 yards).
Wide Receiver: Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina Panthers – 78.9
After being the first true receiver taken in the 2025 Draft (not counting Travis Hunter), Tetairoa McMillan paid immediate dividends for a Carolina team that otherwise struggled in Week 1. McMillan caught six passes, three of which were on contested targets, for 84 yards and a 77.6 PFF receiving grade.
Wide Receiver: Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 69.8
The Buccaneers raised some eyebrows when they took Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka in the first round despite already having a surplus of receiving talent on hand. Egbuka factored in immediately, catching four passes for 67 yards and two touchdowns in Tampa Bay’s Week 1 win over the division-rival Falcons.
Wide Receiver: Dont’e Thornton Jr., Las Vegas Raiders – 62.1
Thornton turned a lot of heads at the NFL Combine after running a 4.3-second 40-yard dash at 6-foot-5 and over 200 pounds. While he only caught two passes in his debut, he made them count, as both were converted into first downs.
Tight End: Tyler Warren, Indianapolis Colts – 90.4
The Colts were one of the most impressive teams in Week 1, and a big reason why was rookie tight end Tyler Warren. Warren caught eight of his 10 targets for 88 yards while also impressing as a blocker, as he registered a 78.3 PFF pass-blocking grade and 88.6 PFF run-blocking grade.
Tackle: Armand Membou, New York Jets – 89.0
The 2025 NFL Draft had no shortage of talent at offensive tackle, and perhaps nobody got off to a better start than the second tackle off the board, Armand Membou. Membou didn’t allow a single pressure on 26 pass-blocking snaps while recording a 90.3 PFF run-blocking grade.
Tackle: Kelvin Banks Jr, New Orleans Saints – 69.1
Banks also had a strong showing in his debut manning Spencer Rattler’s blind side. The third tackle taken in the 2025 draft allowed just two pressures on 53 pass-blocking snaps to the tune of a 74.4 PFF grade in that field.
Interior Offensive Line: Grey Zabel, Seattle Seahawks – 61.0
A rare FCS first-rounder, Grey Zabel rewarded Seattle’s confidence in him immediately, playing 52 snaps at left guard while putting up a 68.9 PFF pass-blocking grade.
Interior Offensive Line: Tate Ratledge, Detroit Lions – 57.5
Tate Ratledge was quickly thrust into the starting role after the surprising retirement of Frank Ragnow. While there were some growing pains, he did show flashes at times. Ratledge allowed three pressures, including a sack, but his 64.1 PFF run-blocking grade was the best amongst rookie guards in Week 1.
Interior Offensive Line: Tyler Booker, Dallas Cowboys – 55.7
Tyler Booker was the first interior lineman off the board and proved why in pass protection, as he surrendered just two pressures on 40 pass-blocking snaps. Booker looks to replace longtime stalwart Zack Martin as the Cowboys’ right guard.
EDGE: Shemar Stewart, Cincinnati Bengals – 88.9
After a lengthy holdout that had some fearing he may re-enter next year’s draft, Shemar Stewart proved to be well worth the wait for a Bengals team desperately looking for another dominant edge defender opposite Trey Hendrickson. Stewart recorded three pressures and a 28% pass-rush win rate in his debut, as he helped lead the Bengals to a Week 1 victory over the Browns.
EDGE: Abdul Carter, New York Giants – 81.5
Considered to be one of the top edge defender prospects in years, Abdul Carter displayed he was more than worthy of being the third overall pick in the draft. The Penn State product recorded three pressures in his debut, including his first NFL sack.
Interior Defender: Mason Graham, Cleveland Browns – 66.7
The Browns made a controversial decision in the 2025 Draft by passing up on Travis Hunter to trade down and select Michigan’s Mason Graham with the fifth overall pick. Graham paid immediate benefits, earning a starting job right out of the gate while putting up a solid 67.3 PFF run-defense grade.
Interior Defender: Aeneas Peebles, Baltimore Ravens – 62.2
As a sixth-round rookie, Aeneas Peebles didn’t play a large volume of snaps (just 12 of a possible 85). But, he made the most of his limited opportunities, recording a pressure on 22.2% of his pass rushes for a 68.9 PFF grade in that regard.
Linebacker: Carson Schwesinger, Cleveland Browns – 90.0
As the first pick of the second round, Carson Schwesinger immediately established himself in the heart of the Browns’ defense, playing nearly every defensive snap while generating a grade of at least 70.0 in run defense (70.9), as a pass rusher (76.0) and in coverage (83.8).
Linebacker: Jihaad Campbell, Philadelphia Eagles – 88.3
After losing Jalen Carter before the first snap of the game, somebody needed to step up for the Eagles’ defense. The 31st overall pick, Jihaad Campbell, was more than up to the task, particularly in coverage. Campbell didn’t allow a single completion into his coverage on 34 such snaps to the tune of an 85.9 PFF coverage grade.
Cornerback: Will Johnson, Arizona Cardinals – 90.2
After falling to the second round due to concerns over his knee, Will Johnson proved those worries to be unfounded based on his debut game. No rookie to play at least 10 snaps graded higher, regardless of position. Johnson permitted just four catches into his coverage and had an interception called back due to a penalty, culminating in a 90.3 PFF coverage grade.
Cornerback: Jacob Parrish, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 76.5
A third-round pick out of Kansas State, Jacob Parrish lined up primarily in the slot for the Buccaneers. Parrish played admirably, allowing just two catches on three targets for a grand total of two yards allowed.
Cornerback: Billy Bowman Jr, Atlanta Falcons – 60.4
After playing safety for much of his college career, Billy Bowman played 40 snaps as a slot corner for the Falcons in his debut, giving up just one reception into his coverage for 10 yards.
Safety: Craig Woodson, New England Patriots – 76.5
The 106th pick in the draft, Craig Woodson saw significant playing time in his NFL debut, suiting up on all 63 defensive snaps for the Patriots. He only yielded two catches for six yards into his coverage while also putting up a strong showing against the run, leading the team with an 82.3 PFF run-defense grade against the Raiders.
Safety: Dante Trader Jr, Miami Dolphins – 74.8
With a depleted secondary, the Dolphins needed someone to step up in a big way. In Week 1, that was rookie fifth-rounder Dante Trader Jr. Trader was excellent against the run, posting a 75.4 PFF run-defense grade with zero negatively-graded plays. He was also solid in coverage, never being targeted on five coverage snaps.
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