In the months following the NFL Draft, questions surrounding the rookie players are discussed endlessly. Which one will be the best, who is going to start, who was drafted too low, etc. The months following the 2025 draft have been no different. However, not all players are talked about equally. Some players are unfairly ignored, until games start up and those watching have no choice but to pay attention. Here are five names currently being overlooked in the spring time I believe everybody will be talking about in the fall:
5. Andrew Mukuba -Safety, Philadelphia Eagles
It may sound odd that the second round pick of the team that just won the Super Bowl is “under the radar,” but people are not paying enough attention to the absolute steal of a player Philadelphia landed. Mukuba was an absolute ball hawk in college, and could bring much needed interceptions to Philadelphia’s defense. He will slot naturally into the role once occupied by the now departed Chauncey Gardner-Johnson. Although many outside of Philadelphia may not be noticing him right now, I think his ability to generate turn overs will have him on the national radar before the 2025 season ends.
4. Phil Mafah – Running Back, Dallas Cowboys
A lot of people probably do not know the name of the Cowboys seventh round pick out of Clemson. Pushed down farther than he deserved by an insanely deep running back class, Mafah is a big, powerful man who will absolutely bully anyone standing in his way. In a barren Cowboys running back room, Mafah will have the chance to be the Cowboys short yardage and goal line back right from the start. Behind the reinvigorated offensive line in Dallas, Mafah will be more productive than people think. Especially if he gets a lot of handoffs on the goal line. Do not be surprised if he leads the Cowboys in rushing touchdowns this season for that reason.
3. Dont’e Thornton Jr. – Wide Receiver, Las Vegas Raiders
Standing at 6’5 with a 4.30 second 40 yard dash, Thornton has the height and speed most wide receivers in the NFL can only dream of. His play style is not the most refined or technically sound, leading him to fall all the way to the fourth round of the draft despite his impressive physical profile. Between his low draft status and unrefined game, Thornton has not received national attention of any sort. I cannot believe a player with this combination of height and speed will not find success on the field in the NFL, even if he has areas he needs to improve. Due to the Raiders lack of talent at the wide receiver spot, there is a real chance Thornton could be the Raiders primary deep threat weapon this season. With a competent quarterback throwing him in the ball in Geno Smith and a likely elite run game drawing stacked boxes with Ashton Jeanty, Thornton could have many opportunities this season to run right by single coverage, something a man of his size and speed should be able to do no matter how unrefined he is. Everything is in place for Thornton to have a season that will get people talking.
2. Kaleb Johnson – Running Back, Pittsburgh Steelers
Johnson is a running back who was not talked about enough in college or during the draft, and is certainly not being talked about enough after the draft. Johnson’s draft stock fell in the build up to draft week as concerns arose about his speed and athleticism. But when you actually watch Johnson, his functional burst and speed during games are more than enough to get the job done, especially when combined with his size and power. Slated to fill the void left behind by the departed Najee Harris, and running behind a Steelers offensive line that feels like it is all finally coming together, I expect Johnson to have one of the best seasons of any offensive rookie this year, especially as Pittsburgh looks to alleviate pressure on whoever their quarterback is by running the ball. Even while splitting carries with Jaylen Warren, I fully believe Johnson will outperform where he was drafted and show the world it was a mistake to let him fall out of the first round.
1. Dylan Sampson – Running Back, Cleveland Browns
Sampson has largely flown under the radar for a lot of reasons that are not really his fault. He was selected by a team that had already taken a running back much higher in the draft, with Cleveland selecting Ohio State stud Quinshon Judkins in the second round. Moreover, he goes to a team in Cleveland where all the national attention is on the quarterback room, not the running back room. But make no mistake, Dylan Sampson is one of the most naturally gifted runners in this class. With a combination of elite speed, change of direction, and burst, Sampson is a home run threat any time he touches the ball. He also has an underrated ability to maintain balance through contact, a rare trait in speed backs. All this together makes Sampson an exciting offensive weapon who should get a healthy amount of touches in Cleveland. While I do not think he will be as successful as Kaleb Johnson this season, I think the success he will have paired with everything else overshadowing his presence in Cleveland make him the single most under-the-radar rookie in the entire NFL.
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