Saints quarterback Tyler Shough joins the top 15: Since taking over in Week 8, the second-round pick from Louisville owns the ninth-best PFF passing grade (76.3) in the NFL.
Luther Burden III is slowly but surely becoming a factor for the Bears: Taking the same methodical path as rookie teammate Colston Loveland, Burden is starting to come on strong and now ranks sixth in PFF overall grade among rookies.
Estimated Reading Time: 10 minutes
We're diving into the top rookies by PFF overall grade through Week 9 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. LB Jihaad Campbell, Philadelphia Eagles (83.2*)
*Stay tuned for updates after Monday Night Football grades are released.
2. RB Cameron Skattebo, New York Giants (80.5)
Skattebo is out for the season with a leg injury.
3. TE Jackson Hawes, Buffalo Bills (80.3)
Hawes got back on track in the Bills' loss to the Dolphins, earning an 83.7 PFF overall grade — the third-best mark among tight ends in Week 10. He secured his second touchdown of the season, a 26-yard catch late in the game. He also recorded a 77.8 PFF run-blocking grade (sixth best), buoyed by three positively graded plays and zero matchup losses on 14 such snaps.
Hawes is one of four tight ends with 70.0-plus PFF grades in both areas of blocking. He ranks second in pass blocking (80.2), as he has now played 18 snaps without allowing pressure. He is also tied for 10th in run blocking (70.7), thanks to his excellent work in zone schemes (79.1 PFF run-blocking grade, fourth).
4. EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku, Dallas Cowboys (79.6)
The Cowboys were on a bye in Week 10.
5. WR Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina Panthers (78.7)
McMillan caught five of eight targets for 60 yards in the Panthers' Week 10 defeat to the Saints. He gained three first downs and recorded two catches of 10-plus yards — with a long of 26 yards, which came midway through the third quarter.
The eighth overall pick from Arizona now has 46 catches for 618 yards (13th most) this season. He is up to 20 catches of 15-plus yards, including 10 grabs of 20-plus yards (tied for seventh most).
Most of McMillan’s production has come against zone coverage, where he has 28 catches for 349 yards. He is tied for fifth in first downs (22) and sports a 73.3 PFF receiving grade against zone. McMillan also owns an 80.8 PFF receiving grade against single coverage (first among rookies), where he has 12 catches for 190 yards, 10 first downs and a touchdown. He is averaging 6.8 yards after the catch per reception against single coverage, along with 2.44 yards per route run.
6. WR Luther Burden III, Chicago Bears (77.0)
Burden returned to action after missing Week 9 with a concussion. He caught all three of his targets for 51 yards, including two gains of 15-plus yards. He found space across the middle of the field for a 15-yard gain on the second play of the game and later fought for a 27-yard pickup with just over two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter to move the Bears into the red zone on their game-winning drive. Burden finished the day with a 77.2 PFF receiving grade and a 118.8 passer rating when targeted.
The Missouri product has now caught 16 of 18 passes for 222 yards this season. He ranks fifth on the team in average depth of target (7.8), yet he is the only Bears receiver averaging more than two yards per route run (2.71). Burden also leads Chicago's receiving group in PFF receiving grade (77.5) and passer rating when targeted (136.6, minimum of 15 targets).
7. TE Mitchell Evans, Carolina Panthers (76.6)
Evans notched a 50.3 PFF overall grade against the Saints in Week 10, a week after recording a 41.8 mark against the Packers. He ceded a hurry to Chase Young on his lone pass-blocking snap. He also struggled to contain Young on a run play, allowing him to make a stop for a limited gain. That led to a 57.3 PFF run-blocking grade across 11 snaps. He has not been targeted as a receiver since Week 7.
The fifth-round pick from Notre Dame will look to get back on track next week against Atlanta, as he owns a 41.7 PFF overall grade over his past two games (fourth worst). Despite the poor stretch, Evans still ranks ninth in PFF run-blocking grade (70.8).
8. T Will Campbell, New England Patriots (76.0)
Campbell's 63.7 PFF overall grade against the Buccaneers was a step back, marking his first game with a sub-65.0 PFF grade since Week 3. He allowed four pressures on 36 snaps, with three to Yaya Diaby alone. One of those pressures was a quarterback hit midway through the fourth quarter on third-and-14, although it turned into a 54-yard catch for Mack Hollins. Campbell also recorded a 61.4 PFF run-blocking grade across 23 snaps.
The LSU product maintains 70.0-plus PFF grades in both blocking facets entering Week 11. He’s allowing a 6.6% pressure rate, with a 2.5% knockdown rate, for a 73.3 PFF pass-blocking grade. Campbell also sports the 10th-best defeated rate as a run blocker (9.8%), along with an 11.4% impact-block rate, resulting in a 70.0 PFF run-blocking grade.
9. CB Will Johnson, Arizona Cardinals (75.5)
Johnson did not play in Week 10 due to a back injury.
10. T Armand Membou, New York Jets (75.3)
Membou logged a 69.3 PFF overall grade in the Jets’ Week 10 win over the Browns. He played 23 zone run-blocking snaps, earning a 67.0 PFF grade on those plays. He also handled 16 snaps in pass protection, allowing a hurry to fellow 2025 top-10 pick Mason Graham. Membou finished the game with a 75.3 PFF pass-blocking grade.
Membou is in the midst of his best stretch of the season. His 72.9 PFF overall grade since Week 7 ranks second among rookie tackles, and he owns a 70.7 PFF pass-blocking grade and a 74.2 PFF run-blocking grade in that span. He has also produced the seventh-best defeated rate (7.7%) and a solid 4.0% pressure rate allowed during the run.
11. TE Terrance Ferguson, Los Angeles Rams (75.2)
Ferguson joins the top 15 after an 85.2 PFF overall grade against the Saints in Week 9 and a 61.9 mark against the 49ers in Week 10. He was targeted four times against New Orleans, and although he brought in only one pass, it went for a 32-yard gain early in the fourth quarter to move the Rams into the red zone. Ferguson also finished with a 61.2 PFF run-blocking grade across nine snaps.
The second-round pick from Oregon ranks fifth among qualifying rookie tight ends in PFF receiving grade (74.6). He has caught five of 11 targets for 138 yards and a touchdown this season, with each grab going for a first down. Ferguson spends most of his time in protection as a run blocker (47 snaps), where he has garnered a 65.1 PFF run-blocking grade entering Week 11. He is now the sixth tight end to make an appearance in the top 15 rankings this season.
12. S R.J. Mickens, Los Angeles Chargers (75.1)
Mickens also makes his debut in the top 15 after grading out as the fourth-ranked safety this week (84.4). The Steelers targeted him once in coverage — a pass that went for only two yards on third-and-10 early in the second quarter. He also picked off a throw intended for D.K. Metcalf with two minutes remaining in the half. Mickens finished the night with a 76.0 PFF coverage grade and added an assist in run defense across six snaps.
The sixth-round pick from Clemson is the 11th-highest-graded safety entering Week 11, and he ranks ninth in PFF coverage grade (74.5). He has allowed just two catches for eight yards on five targets, while picking off two passes and recording seven tackles. Since cracking the lineup in Week 6, Mickens is holding quarterbacks to an 8.3 passer rating — the top mark among all defensive players in that span.
13. TE Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears (74.8)
Loveland caught each of his four targets for 55 yards and three first downs in Week 10. He recorded two gains of 20-plus yards in the second half and finished the Bears' win over the Giants with a 118.8 passer rating when targeted. Loveland also earned a 59.8 PFF run-blocking grade en route to a 71.0 PFF overall grade.
The 10th overall pick has now caught 21 of 29 passes for 289 yards and 13 first downs. He ranks in the top 10 among tight ends in catches of 20-plus yards (five) and sports a strong 75.3 PFF receiving grade. Loveland does have the sixth-worst PFF pass-blocking grade at the position (42.2), but he ranks in the top 15 as a run blocker (68.8).
14. WR Jaylin Noel, Houston Texans (74.4)
After seeing zero targets in the Texans' Week 9 matchup against the Broncos, Noel landed four against the Jaguars, bringing in each one for 35 yards. He converted two late downs on a second-half drive as Houston mounted its comeback. He also recorded a 27-yard catch against busted coverage early in the second quarter.
Noel now has 18 catches for 197 yards on the season. He has gained 11 first downs, caught a touchdown pass and accounted for five plays of 20-plus yards. He has been targeted 10 times on conversion downs, bringing in nine catches for 61 yards and six first downs. The Iowa State product owns a 77.4 PFF receiving grade on those plays, ranking second among rookies with at least 10 targets.
The third-round pick has also secured five of seven deep targets for 143 yards and a 98.1 PFF receiving grade (eighth best). Noel is also used extensively as a punt returner, having returned 18 punts for 206 yards. He has forced 12 missed tackles en route to a 72.1 PFF punt-return grade.
15. QB Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints (74.4)
Shough is the first quarterback to crack the rookie top 15 list this season. He posted a 76.8 PFF overall grade against the Panthers in his second NFL start, completing 19 of 27 passes for 282 yards and two touchdowns. On the first score, he hit Chris Olave in stride for 62 yards in the second quarter. His second came early in the fourth, this time a 30-yard pass to a wide-open Juwan Johnson. Both touchdowns were on third downs, each time against Jaycee Horn in coverage. Shough accounted for nine first downs and finished the game with a 128.9 passer rating.
Since taking over in Week 8, the second-round pick from Louisville owns the ninth-best PFF passing grade (76.3) in the NFL. He has completed 51 of 83 passes for 586 yards and three touchdowns and thrown for 25 first downs, with just two interceptions. Shough has recorded four big-time throws and one turnover-worthy play, giving him the sixth-best turnover-worthy play rate (1.1%). He has been sacked five times, but he also ranks in the top 10 in average time to throw (2.65 seconds).