Rookie tight ends litter the top 10: Mitchell Evans, Jackson Hawes and Oronde Gadsden II are among the class' top-graded players through Week 8.
Jihaad Campbell stays productive despite a lower snap count: The Eagles' first-rounder was again excellent on just 19 snaps against the Giants, recording a 72.8 PFF overall grade.
Estimated Reading Time: 10 minutes
We're diving into the top rookies by PFF overall grade through Week 8 of the 2025 NFL season. To qualify, players needed to have logged at least 100 snaps. Changes may occur once Monday Night Football grades are released.
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1. TE Mitchell Evans, Carolina Panthers (84.1)
Evans was held without a target in the Panthers' loss to the Bills. However, he did feature as a blocker. The rookie allowed zero pressures on two pass-blocking snaps, earning a 70.2 PFF pass-blocking grade. He also finished eighth in PFF run-blocking grade for the week (72.5). His best work came in zone-blocking schemes, where he recorded a third-ranked 81.4 PFF run-blocking grade across five snaps.
Evans now ranks fourth among tight ends in PFF run-blocking grade (77.4) — and third in positively graded play rate (22.3%). He has still not allowed any pressure in pass protection (eight snaps).
2. LB Jihaad Campbell, Philadelphia Eagles (83.1)
Campbell played only 19 snaps in the Eagles' win over the Giants, by far his lowest snap count of the season. He did, however, put together a better game this time in this second meeting of the season, recording a 72.8 PFF overall grade, compared to a 68.7 mark in Week 6.
Campbell recorded a run stop on Philadelphia’s first defensive play of the game, holding running back Cam Skattebo to a four-yard gain. He also got a stop in coverage in the third quarter, limiting Wan'Dale Robinson to an eight-yard pickup on second-and-18. Campbell came close to his first sack of the season after wrapping up quarterback Jaxson Dart on an early fourth-quarter play, but Dart got the pass off just in time. Campbell finished the day with a 65.0-plus PFF grade in every defensive facet.
Campbell earned a 75.9 PFF overall grade in October, a top-15 mark for the month. Over the past four weeks, he placed in the top 20 in the position in run defense (77.9) and coverage (69.9). He recorded six run stops across 79 run-defense snaps without missing a tackle while holding receivers to 66 yards on eight catches, with two additional stops. Campbell has surrendered more than 15 yards in coverage in only two games this year. He has given up just two first downs, too, with the last one coming in Week 5.
3. CB Nick Emmanwori, Seattle Seahawks (81.6)
The Seahawks were on a bye in Week 8.
4. TE Jackson Hawes, Buffalo Bills (81.2)
Hawes caught two passes for 15 yards against the Panthers, including a 12-yard gain on third-and-7 late in the third quarter to move the Bills inside the five-yard line. He allowed zero pressures in pass protection (two snaps) but was charted with seven negative plays as a run blocker, resulting in a 57.0 PFF run-blocking grade.
Hawes has endured a tough run-blocking stretch over his past two games, but he still holds a 69.5 PFF run-blocking grade — a top-15 figure for the position. He ranks last among rookie tight ends in positively graded run-play rate (14.1%), but he’s also tied with Mitchell Evans for the third-lowest negatively graded run-play rate (15.5%). Hawes also continues to perform well as a receiver (80.5, fifth best), as he’s now caught six of seven passes for 69 yards and five first downs.
5. RB Cam Skattebo, New York Giants (80.5)
Skattebo’s season came to an abrupt end after he suffered a devastating ankle injury in the second quarter against the Eagles. He has reportedly already undergone surgery. Skattebo had logged only three rushes for 12 yards at the time of injury, forcing a missed tackle along the way. He added another highlight to his resume late in the first quarter as he brushed off Patrick Johnson on his way to an 18-yard touchdown catch.
Skattebo finishes his season tied as PFF’s third-highest-graded running back (80.5). He carried the ball 101 times for 410 yards, 27 first downs and five touchdowns, and he also produced 22 missed tackles and 10 explosive gains — all top-three marks among rookies. He also continues to lead the position in PFF run-blocking grade (83.1).
6. WR Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina Panthers (78.5)
McMillan graded out well in defeat, earning a season-high 85.9 PFF overall grade. He caught seven of his 10 targets for 99 yards, with four gains of 15-plus yards. Each of his receptions moved the chains, and he finished with six catches that went for 10 or more yards.
McMillan was targeted three times on conversion downs, where he now has 27 targets this season (tied for second most). He has caught 14 late-down passes for 182 yards and 13 first downs (tied for fourth most), earning a 75.0 PFF receiving grade on those plays.
He also continues to shine at the intermediate level (96.1 PFF receiving grade), where he now has 13 catches for 258 yards (fourth most). McMillan is up to 37 catches for 512 yards, with 17 explosive gains and 31 first downs.
7. T Will Campbell, New England Patriots (75.7)
Campbell gave up two first-half sacks to Myles Garrett but still finished Week 8 with a 67.3 PFF pass-blocking grade. He also struggled with zone assignments in run blocking (49.4 zone run-blocking grade, seventh worst), but he tied for fifth in gap schemes (75.4) on his way to a 70.7 overall PFF run-blocking grade across 31 snaps. Campbell finished the day with a 71.3 PFF overall grade, his fifth game above 70.0 this season.
The LSU product maintains 70.0-plus PFF grades in both blocking phases heading into Week 9, and he continues to rank in the top two among rookie tackles in both areas. Campbell is generating an 11.9% impact rate as a run blocker and a 5.9% pressure rate allowed as a pass blocker (second best among rookies).
8. RB Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland Browns (75.3)
Judkins notched a 55.0 PFF overall grade against the Patriots, a bottom-15 mark for the week. He gained only 19 yards on nine rushes and recorded negative yards as a receiver (three catches).
Judkins still sports the 10th-best PFF rushing grade (75.1) heading into Week 9. He has turned 118 carries into 486 yards, along with 12 catches into 60 yards.
9. TE Oronde Gadsden II, Los Angeles Chargers (75.1)
Gadsden's ascent continues. He did all of his damage on Thursday Night in the first half, catching each of his five targets for 77 yards. He hauled in his second touchdown of the season, an eight-yard catch across the middle. He later got through the defense for a 40-yard gain on a third-and-8 play in the second quarter. Gadsden finished the night with an 84.8 PFF receiving grade (third best) and a perfect passer rating when targeted.
Gadsden owns an elite 90.2 PFF receiving grade over the past two weeks. He has caught 12 of 14 passes in that span for 241 yards (most), two touchdowns and eight first downs (second most). Six of his catches have gone for 15-plus yards, and he boasts a 128.6 passer rating when targeted.
10. WR Jaylin Noel, Houston Texans (75.0)
Noel saw six targets against the 49ers, catching five for 63 yards. Most of his yards came early in the second quarter, as he went through zone coverage untouched for a 44-yard gain. Four of his targets came on conversion downs, and he brought in all of them for 19 yards and three first downs.
Noel has caught 14 of 20 passes this season for 162 yards, eight first downs and a touchdown. He has four gains of 15-plus yards and is averaging 4.1 yards after the catch per reception. Most of his targets (15) have come from the slot, where he has tallied 10 grabs for seven first downs, including his score, and sports a 77.0 PFF receiving grade (ninth best).
11. LB Carson Schwesinger, Cleveland Browns (74.9)
Schwesinger graded out as the 13th-ranked linebacker this weekend (75.0). He held Rhamondre Stevenson to a two-yard gain on second-and-7 on the first drive of the game for a run stop. And while he was charged with two missed tackles, he also recorded a 20.8% positively graded run-play rate, leading to a 71.3 PFF run-defense grade.
Schwesinger vacated his zone on a trick pass play, leaving Mack Hollins open for a 19-yard pickup in coverage. He also grabbed his first interception of the season earlier in the game, timing Drake Maye’s pass for the grab on a third-down play. He finished the contest with a 72.7 PFF coverage grade (10th best).
Schwesinger now has 42 tackles on the season with 22 stops. He has surrendered four plays of 15-plus yards in his past three games — but also has nine coverage stops on the season, resulting in a 66.8 PFF coverage grade. He continues to perform best in run defense, where his PFF grade sits at 78.8. Thirteen of Schwesinger's stops have come in run defense, as well as four tackles for loss or no gain. He also owns a 16.0% positively graded run-play rate for the season.
12. T Armand Membou, New York Jets (74.8)
Membou did not allow any pressure across 38 pass-blocking snaps in the Jets' upset win over the Bengals. He recorded a 76.3 PFF run-blocking grade in zone concepts and finished the day with a 71.6 PFF overall grade.
Membou is now up to a 75.2 PFF run-blocking grade (16th best) and continues to lead the rookie class in impact-block rate (13.0%). His pass-blocking efficiency rating has risen to 96.3, and he is up to a 70.0 PFF pass-blocking grade.
13. EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku, Dallas Cowboys (73.6)
Ezeiruaku notched a solid 79.8 PFF overall grade in the Cowboys’ loss to the Broncos. He finished with the fourth-best PFF pass-rushing grade for the week (86.6), fueled by his quarterback hit and two hurries across 18 snaps, as well as a 26.7% pass-rush win rate (sixth best).
Ezeiruaku ranks third among rookie edge rushers in PFF pass-rushing grade (72.2). He has recorded a sack, nine hits and seven hurries across 147 snaps, in addition to a 12.7% win rate. He has been more of a mixed bag as a run defender, with eight stops, five tackles for loss or no gain, three missed tackles and an 11.7% negatively graded run-play rate.
14. WR/CB, Travis Hunter, Jacksonville Jaguars (73.2)
The Jaguars were on a bye in Week 8.
T-15. RB Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers (73.0)
Hampton remains on injured reserve.
T-15. WR Luther Burden III, Chicago Bears (73.0)
Burden was held to one catch for negative yardage in the Bears' Week 8 loss to the Ravens. He has now caught 13 of 15 targets for 171 yards this season.
Seven of Burden’s targets have come from the slot, where he has five catches for 76 yards. He’s been at his best on deep throws, bringing in three of four passes for 131 yards, including a 65-yard bomb against the Cowboys in Week 3. Burdens ranks first among rookies in passer rating when targeted on deep throws (156.3) and third in deep PFF receiving grade (97.8).