One of the best things about this sport is watching a player have a standout year. Whether its a receiver having a thousand yard season or a lineman topping the sack leaderboards. Today we’re gonna take a look at 5 players who are ready to prove themselves in 2025.
1. JJ McCarthy Minnesota Vikings
Topping off our list is Minnesota Vikings Quarterback JJ MCcarthy. Drafted in the first round of the 2024 draft McCarthy showed a lot of promise in training camp and played in one preseason game last year. Tragically he tore his Meniscus shortly after that game and it ended his season. The question always lingers if he can get back to full strength, but the bigger question is what does full strength look like from him? We have yet to see JJ take the field in the regular season but the Vikings have put all their chips into the young quarterback. They allowed Sam Darnold to find another team and signed players like Ryan Kelly and Will Fries. Adding top talent like that in the offensive lineman department is a bold move, hopefully one that pays off for them. McCarthy is set up for success and should thrive under the current roster. I believe JJ McCarthy is a starting caliber quarterback but it’s up to him to go out there and prove it.
2. Xavier Legette Carolina Panthers
Next up is Xavier Legette. Carolina Panthers receiver drafted last year in the 2024 draft. After a not so great start to the year from Bryce Young most notably, Legette had a rather quiet year from a first round pick. Legette showed a lot of promise in getting open deep or showing some shifty speed for his size, however the Carolina Panthers receiving room is getting to be very crowded. Not to mention the fact they just drafted Tetairoa McMillian. Unfortunately Legette had a case of the drops, he dropped more than his fair share of passes some of them being in crucial moments. It is worth noting that he had a wrist injury for a majority of the season but that doesn’t make the receiver room less crowded. If Legette wants to be around to stay he needs to prove it this year and standout out in a big way
3. Byron Murphy II Seattle Seahawks
Taken in the 2024 draft with the 16th pick, Byron Murphy was a very strong interior lineman candidate. Although last year he only recorded a half sack on his stats, he is a force to be reckoned with. His ability to penetrate the line needs some work but he’s stout and doesn’t lose ground. If he can learn how to pressure on pass rushes and sprinkle some sacks in, he’s going to be a great long term presence on Seattle’s D line. 2025 could be the year he breaks out in a big way.
4. Dalton Kincaid Buffalo Bills
Heading into his 3rd year as an NFL tight end, Kincaid is primed for an explosive season. His rookie season was very average with lots of room to improve. Sadly he was injured last year and that stunted his production on the year. He ended the year barely crossing 500 receiving yards on 50 receptions. This year he could be ready to emerge in a really big way. Things in Buffalo are looking better than ever and Kincaid could be a key contributor to this being a successful year for them.
5. Ricky Pearsall San Francisco 49ers
Rounding out our list here is Ricky Pearsall. Drafted last year in the 2024 season by the San Francisco 49ers. Putting football aside for a second, Pearsall was tragically shot in the chest last year in an attempted robbery. Thankfully Ricky made a full recovery and returned to full strength last year. Although he only played 11 games he still cracked 400 yards on only 31 receptions. With the departure of Deebo Samuel, that opens things up for Pearsall to prove what he’s got on the field. Given how shaky things are in San Francisco I expect Pearsall to have an insane year.
If you enjoyed this article feel free to check out other articles on my page or follow me on twitter. https://footballanalysis1.com / https://x.com/N0MAD98
