Year 2 Breakout Candidates: One Player From Each NFC Team Primed To Take A Leap

One need only be reminded of the fact that quarterback Sam Darnold just won the Super Bowl to understand that when it comes to the NFL, patience truly can be a virtue. 

Darnold was in his eighth NFL season and the Seattle Seahawks are the fifth team of his professional career, but the point is the same with second-year breakout candidates. It is so easy to get caught up in the excitement of the latest draft class and overlook other young players set to pop. 

With that, here are my picks for which 2025 draft picks I believe will take the biggest leaps in their sophomore season.

Dallas Cowboys

Coming off a torn ACL, Revel didn’t see the field until Week 11 of his rookie season. Now that he’s fully healthy, I’m expecting big things from the long-armed 6-foot-2 corner. Revel is big, physical and aggressive. With he and 2026 rookie Caleb Downs leading the way, I believe the Cowboys will show massive improvement in their secondary this season, positioning the team for a postseason run. 

New York Giants

Given the downhill running game John Harbaugh prioritized in Baltimore, there probably wasn’t a player on the Giants’ roster more excited about the arrival of the longtime Ravens head coach. Skattebo flashed last year prior to sustaining a horrific lower leg injury that abruptly ended his rookie campaign after just eight games. He scored seven times, showing not only bruising running ability but also soft hands out of the backfield. He’ll be Harbaugh’s bell cow with a chance to at least double his production in 2026 — if he can stay healthy. 

Cam Skattebo could prove to be a perfect match with John Harbaugh's offensive ethos. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images)

Philadelphia Eagles

Admittedly, listing Campbell here is pretty