2025 NFL Rookie of the Year predictions: Ranking candidates - ESPN

The 2025 NFL draft is in the books, which means everyone's favorite bit of content — Way-Too-Early 2026 mock drafts — is flying off the shelves. I have another piece of Way-Too-Early content for you: 2025 Rookie of the Year rankings for both sides of the ball.

«How can you rank the Rookie of the Year candidates before a single snap has been played?» the timid and unimaginative cry in concern.

Easily! Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year voters follow fairly predictable patterns that are heavily influenced by draft capital spent. Production is likewise affected by landing spots, as only some rookies are immediately given high snap counts. Most are instead dropped into depth charts and have to earn their way to playing time.

Let's walk through my logic for each set of Rookie of the Year rankings — starting with the earliest-drafted players, then adding candidates and increasing the length of the lists as I go. I'll start on offense, where I ultimately ranked 18 players.

Read more on 2025 rookies:
Miller's favorite picks | Kiper's grades

Jump to:
OROY | DROY

The current favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year is Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty (+275 at ESPN BET). In some ways, that's unsurprising. Selected with the sixth pick, Jeanty is the earliest-drafted running back since Saquon Barkley went second in 2018, and Barkley was the last running back to win the award. Jeanty was also considered one of the best prospects in the class, certainly better than Cam Ward, the Titans quarterback who went first as a product of the premium placed on his position. Though the Raiders' offensive line doesn't necessarily lend itself to inspiring run-game visions, the combination of offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and a backfield