With official Madden NFL rankings not arriving until August, we’ve decided to jump the gun and predict the top 5 offensive rookies (and the likely Madden ratings) from the 2025 NFL draft class. Just how good will Cam Ward be as a rookie? Is it time to mortgage the farm for Ashton Jeanty in fantasy football drafts? Is Travis Hunter as good as advertised?
Check out the list below, with highlights.
5) Cam Ward (QB, Tennessee Titans, 74)
Ward’s meteoric rise from a zero-star prospect and Jerry Rice Award winner at the University of Incarnate Word to his breakout development at Washington State and positioning as a top overall pick after a dominant 2024 season at Miami (Davey O’Brien Award winner) will be studied for years to come.
The West Columbia, Texas native combines elite arm strength with underrated mobility. His quick release and excellent pocket awareness helped him excel under pressure—ranking 2nd in the FBS in passer rating (182.1) on third downs. He led all Power 5 QBs with a 94.3 PFF grade on deep throws (20+ yards).
Tennessee will rebuild its offense around Ward’s dual-threat capabilities. With veteran WR Calvin Ridley and RB Tony Pollard, Tennessee is expected to lean on play-action and RPOs. Offensive coordinator Nick Holz likely plans to use bootlegs and movement-based schemes to amplify Ward’s mobility to get into space and utilize his elite arm talent. We’re all in.
4) Tetairoa McMillan (WR, Carolina Panthers, 75)
The 22-year-old Hawaiian was a consensus All-American as a junior at Arizona, catching 84 passes for 1,319 yards and 8 TD, losing out on the Biletnikoff to Travis Hunter.
McMillan uses his 6’5″ frame to win 78% of contested catches. He averaged 3.11 yards per route run (3rd in FBS) and dropped only 2.1% of catchable passes. While he’s not a burner (4.52 40-yard dash), his polish and route nuance make him a red-zone nightmare.
Consider him Diet Mike Evans.
Carolina has needed a true WR1 for Bryce Young, and McMillan fills that role. OC Brad Idzik’s vertical-heavy playbook will utilize McMillan on deep crossers, corner fades, and play-action posts. But he could also dominate out of the slot on coverage mismatches until he can prove he can separate as a permanent outside receiver. With Adam Thielen and Xavier Leggette drawing coverage, McMillan could be a 1,000-yard rookie.
3) Colston Loveland (TE, Chicago Bears, 76)
There is a reason he went No. 10 ahead of Tyler Warren, the Colts’ pick who seemed like a Brock Bowers facsimile at Penn State.
Loveland is a rare blend of size (6’6″) and speed (4.61), which makes him a matchup nightmare. He posted a 145.3 passer rating when targeted (1st among TEs) and dropped just one pass all season. What the Bears organization did was find the best copy of Sam LaPorta they could find, and they found who could be an even bigger and better version. Like LaPorta or future Hall of Famer Travis Kelce, his game will be about dominant matchups and finding spaces for Caleb Williams to offload the ball and get upfield.
OC Declan Doyle will likely feature Loveland in 12 personnel packages, and be extended into the slot. With D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze on the perimeter, Loveland will thrive on seam routes, quick outs, fades, and just mirroring whatever Williams is doing to move the chains.
2) Ashton Jeanty (RB, Las Vegas Raiders, 78)
The Raiders pick at No. 6 overall, Jeanty is a bowling ball of a player with an interesting story, which includes him dominating military base school football in Naples, Italy, as the son of a Naval chief petty officer.
Let’s check out the raw numbers of the Doak Walker and Maxwell Award winner in his historic 2024 season at Boise State: 2,601 rushing yards, 7.1 YPC, 29 rushing TD, 195.6 yards per game. He even ran for 163 yards per game in the Broncos’ two losses. Jeanty’s vision, contact, and balance make him a nightmare in open space. He forced 89 missed tackles in 2024 (first among RBs) and averaged 4.8 yards after contact per attempt. While limited—66 receptions for 707 yards—his 83.7 receiving grade over the last two seasons, per PFF, showcases his versatility.
Head coach Pete Carroll’s zone-blocking scheme is a dream for Jeanty’s patient, explosive style. Jeanty is positioned for immediate impact with a strong offensive line featuring Kolton Miller, Dylan Parham, and Andre James, plus a checkdown-friendly QB in Geno Smith.
1) Travis Hunter (WR, Jacksonville Jaguars, 79)
Let’s be clear: Hunter, the Biletnikoff and Paul Hornung award winner, is the best overall prospect by a country mile and one of the most significant and most intriguing prospects to arrive in the NFL in years. His selection at No. 2 to the Jaguars is strictly about the positional import of drafting franchise quarterbacks whenever they can be found.
Hunter’s 4.29 speed and 42-inch vertical make him an instant deep-threat weapon. He led the FBS with 12 receptions of 40-plus yards and posted a 93.4% contested catch rate. His route running sharpened considerably in 2024 at Colorado, earning a 91.2 grade on intermediate routes.
Jacksonville will pair Hunter with another elite receiver in Brian Thomas Jr., to create one of the NFL’s most explosive receiver tandems. Trevor Lawrence’s deep-ball aggression (12.3 air yards per attempt, No. 1 in 2024) aligns perfectly with Hunter’s strengths on post routes and back-shoulder throws.
The trick, though, is how aggressively the Jags will be in utilizing Hunter, who would be the best pure everyday cornerback if that was his choice. It is almost certain he will see some time at the position.
