Life in the NFL is fast. Careers can be short, and success one year doesn’t guarantee success the next year.
Each season, a new set of stars emerges. Last year was no exception. From established players such as Nik Bonitto, Derek Stingley Jr., and Kerby Joseph to rookies Jayden Daniels, Brock Bowers, and Bucky Irving, several players burst onto the scene and contributed to winning.
Who’s among the next wave of stars set to emerge as football gets underway again?
Here’s a look at the NFL All-Breakout team for the 2025 season.
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NFL All-Breakout team for 2025
QB Drake Maye, Patriots
There is no shortage of breakout candidates at the quarterback position with a promising 2024 draft class heading into year two, but Drake Maye looked like a budding star in a brutal situation as a rookie and should be poised for a leap in 2025.
The situation in New England isn’t massively improved — Maye’s receiving corps still leaves plenty to be desired, even if Stefon Diggs is healthy — but he could have as many as four new starters on the offensive line, headlined by Will Campbell, and he should have a better defense that can get the ball back in his hands.
The tools are clearly there. While Maye did make some mistakes in 2024, he flashed the ability to be a franchise quarterback on a weekly basis. A year of experience and a more stable group around him should allow Maye to emerge as an above-average starter in 2025.
MORE: Who is the best fantasy quarterback in 2025?
RB Kenneth Walker III, Seahawks
Is it too late for a Kenneth Walker III breakout season? The fourth-year running back is still just 24, and the combination of injury and a broken-down offensive line limited him to a disappointing season in 2024.
The outlook is more positive entering 2025. Walker should be motivated in a contract year, and he has a new offensive coordinator who managed to get a career-high in rushing yards out of veteran Alvin Kamara in 2024. The Seahawks also added to their interior offensive line by drafting Grey Zabel in the first round, though he won’t be able to fix every issue.
Walker is a high-risk, high-reward player. If a foot injury he’s dealt with during training camp lingers, it’s not out of the question that he could lose his job to Zach Charbonnet. To this point, though, Walker looks like the most talented running back on the Seahawks’ roster, and he should have an opportunity to show what he can do as long as he is healthy.
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WR Marvin Harrison Jr. Cardinals
Marvin Harrison Jr. is an obvious breakout candidate after a solid but unspectacular rookie season. The physical tools are all there for the former No. 4 pick, and no one is blocking him from being Arizona’s No. 1 receiver on what should be an improved team this season — albeit with the Kyler Murray0favorite Trey McBride over at tight end.
Even in a bit of an underwhelming year, Harrison scored eight times and posted a pair of 100-yard games. He closed strong with 159 yards on 11 catches over his final two contests. With a year under his belt, Harrison should be in line for his first 1,000-yard season on a Cardinals team that appears ready to compete for a playoff berth.
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WR Troy Franklin, Broncos
Troy Franklin slipped to the fourth round in 2024 and played a fairly limited role as a rookie with only 28 catches, but he has Broncos fans excited after a strong training camp and a two-touchdown performance in Denver’s second preseason game.
The Broncos don’t have a clear No. 2 receiver behind Courtland Sutton, with Marvin Mims in that role by default at the moment, but Franklin has a longstanding connection with Nix from their time at Oregon. Sean Payton has already signaled his infatuation with Franklin, telling reporters, “It’s happening, and I’m excited,” when asked whether the receiver is breaking out, so the former Ducks standout should have a path to a major role alongside Sutton.
TE Brenton Strange, Jaguars
With Evan Engram out of the picture, former second-round pick Brenton Strange is set to become the Jaguars’ primary tight end. Strange started to see some action as a pass-catcher past season when Engram missed time, recording 411 yards and two touchdowns on 40 catches in an unstable offense, and his blocking skills have always been strong.
Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter will be the focus of the Jaguars’ offense, but if Strange can continue to progress as a receiver, he can become one of the AFC’s better all-around tight ends in year three.
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OL Peter Skoronski, Titans
The Titans have a pair of breakout candidates on their offensive line in former first-round picks Peter Skoronski and JC Latham. Skoronski came on strong late last season, improving as the year went on and the Titans got settled into their new offensive scheme. While Skoronski has work to do as a run-blocker, he solidified himself as a strong pass-blocker in 2024 and could put it all together this season now that he is settled into the guard position with Latham and Dan Moore at the tackle spots.
OL Zach Frazier, Steelers
The Steelers are set to have one of their youngest offensive lines in franchise history, as four of the five starters are still on their rookie contracts, but Zach Frazier is someone who should play above his experience level. The 2024 second-round pick was thrust into a key role as Pittsburgh’s starting center as a rookie and did well for himself, starting 15 games and emerging as a terrific run-blocker. The Steelers know how to develop interior offensive linemen, and Frazier has the tools to become one of the NFL’s better centers with another season under his belt.
DT Moro Ojomo, Eagles
The Eagles are embracing the former Patriot Way of letting players walk and putting full faith in the guys their scouting department identified as potential gems. After letting Milton Williams leave in free agency, former seventh-round pick Moro Ojomo is set to take on a front-facing role on the Eagles’ defensive line.
Ojomo has reportedly been one of the most impressive players in Eagles camp, to the point that Lane Johnson poured heavy praise onto him. “Take it from me, man, he’s the real deal,” Johnson told reporters. “Works his tail off, probably one of the hardest workers we have.”
Ojomo only played 37 percent of snaps in 2024 after playing sparingly as a rookie, so he’s not going to be a finished product this season, but he got some run in the Super Bowl and played well. If he can handle that spotlight, he’s ready to make a leap as a starter.
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EDGE Chop Robinson, Dolphins
The Dolphins have a crowded group of pass-rushers between Bradley Chubb, Jaelan Phillips, and now Matt Judon, but all come with questions about either injury history or, in Judon’s case, recent lack of production. 2024 first-round pick Chop Robinson might be the safest bet of the bunch.
Robinson only started one game as a rookie, but he finished strong with six sacks and 13 quarterback hits over his final 10 games. He recorded 20 quarterback pressures despite only playing about 53 percent of snaps — more pressures than Harold Landry III, Josh Sweat, and Tuli Tuipulotu, to name a few. If the Dolphins want to get to the quarterback in 2025, Robinson figures to see the field often.
LB Edgerrin Cooper, Packers
Second-round pick Edgerrin Cooper only started four games and played 55 percent of defensive snaps for the Packers as a rookie, but he looked like a stud when given the opportunity. Cooper was Pro Football Focus’ second-highest graded pass-rusher among off-ball linebackers, recording 3.5 sacks and seven quarterback hits, and he amassed 13 tackles for loss in a part-time role, a mark that trailed only Quincy Williams among off-ball linebackers. Unlocking Cooper should be a no-brainer for Packers DC Jeff Hafley, and a Pro Bowl season will be in store if he can build on his promising rookie campaign.
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CB Tarheeb Still, Chargers
The Chargers’ resurgence in 2024 had plenty to do with Jim Harbaugh, but the work DC Jesse Minter did with some young pieces in the secondary can’t be overlooked. Both Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart went from overlooked fifth-round picks to major factors at the cornerback position, giving L.A. more depth than expected against the weapons of the AFC.
Still could emerge as a Pro-Bowler in 2025. He recorded four interceptions and 10 pass deflections as a rookie despite not even seeing the field until Week 4, playing above his experience level. The Maryland product should be more equipped to handle the full load of an NFL season after hitting a bit of a wall over the final few weeks.
S Kamren Kinchens, Rams
The Rams have made a habit of getting extreme value out of Day 2 and 3 picks, and safety Kamren Kinchens could be next in line. A former first-round prospect who slipped to the back end of the third round in 2024, Kinchens played less than half of all defensive snaps for L.A. but looked like a ballhawk with four interceptions in limited action. Kinchens didn’t necessarily excel in coverage or as a run defender, but he beat expectations by playing soundly in both areas. With the Rams’ development system and Kinchens’ natural physicality, an explosive sophomore season could be on tap.
K Tyler Loop, Ravens
It feels like cheating to include a rookie as a breakout candidate (how can you break out if you haven’t broken in?), but there is no obvious Brandon Aubrey or Jake Bates heading into the season. Loop, drafted to replace an embattled Justin Tucker in Baltimore, has looked the part in the preseason, connecting on 3-of-4 attempts from at least 50 yards and drilling all five extra point attempts despite the increased distance compared to the college level. There is no doubt Loop has the leg, and he could quickly settle in as one of the NFL’s more reliable kickers.
