Under The Radar Rookies: Day 2 & 3 Potential Starters

The jersey’s are currently being printed for your team's first round pick, but who could break the mold as a day 2 or 3 rookie to cement themselves as a big time player at the next level? Who could be a household name by December? We saw Kamari Lassiter and Bucky Irving lead the hype train last season, and something tells me we’ll get similar production from mid-late round players in 2025. 

Will Johnson / CB / Arizona Cardinals

I’ll be honest, not the hottest take to start things off here. Will Johnson was widely regarded as a top corner in the class and had an unexpected fall down the board on draft night. The slide was mainly due to injury concerns (Knee, Turf Toe, Shoulder) and potential speed issues. He’s a high IQ outside corner that does all the little things right, featuring excellent footwork, fluid body control and disruptive press coverage. The Cardinals are thin at corner as of August due to an early season ending ACL injury to potential starter Starling Thomas. Johnson might’ve won the starting job regardless but he’s since cemented himself in 1st team reps alongside Max Melton. The NFC West is going to be a difficult assignment from the jump but if he can stay healthy he’ll have a major impact for a young Cardinal defense that added multiple big time pieces this offseason. 

Dylan Fairchild / OG / Cincinnati Bengals 

Fairchild was part of the 3 headed monster of interior offensive lineman coming out of Georgia this year, with all three being selected before the end of the 3rd round. The Bengals have consistently used solid capital for the trenches over the past few years, signing Orlando Brown Jr. to a big time deal and drafting Amarius Mims in the 1st round of last year's draft. He was a true anchor at Georgia, allowing just one sack through 840 pass blocking reps in his college career. He’s powerful at the point of attack, disrupting pass rushers with a knack for finishing 1v1 assignments. His impact in the run game will take time but the Bengals are built to play through Joe Burrow and their passing game, something tells me we’ll see Fairchild in the starting lineup sooner rather than later. 

Alfred Collins + CJ West  / IDL / San Francisco 49ers 

The 49ers defensive unit is going to look a lot different in 2025, with major starters at every level  departing in free agency. No position group looks thinner than their interior defensive line. With Maliek Collins, Javon Hargrave, and Leonard Floyd out of San Francisco, the 49ers invested 3 out of their first 5 picks in the trenches. Collins might’ve been an early 2nd round pick but if you ask any 49ers insider who’s impressed the most in camp thus far, every media member will immediately say 4th rounder CJ West. One thing is certain, we’ll see a good chunk of both picks on 1st and 2nd down. 

Collins was a prolific run stopper at Texas. His 6’6 330 pound frame combined with quick feet was a problem for the SEC in 2024. Turning on the film you consistently see him displace offensive lineman with brute strength and take away running lanes with his 35 inch arms. His IQ is also raved about among scouts with incredible instincts at the line of scrimmage, dissecting pulling blockers and controlling gaps. His pass rush repertoire won’t wow you, but his role will be stopping the run and getting their young defense to 3rd down situations. 

CJ West on the other hand has been described as “Violent at the point of attack with an NFL ready bull rush” by Athletic writer Matt Barrows. West has been tormenting interior lineman in training camp, winning countless 1v1 reps and exhibiting a booming personality to go with his explosive play. Expect both rookies to be used frequently early on, with Collins working to stop the run game and West slotting in on passing downs.  

Tre Harris / WR / Los Angeles Chargers 

I did my best to stay away from the “well who else is going to start” argument, and I don’t want this to take away from Tre Harris’s talent level, but humor me and take a look at the Chargers current offensive depth chart. Ladd McConkey and Queinton Johnston are the clear 1,2 punch for this receiving core, but outside of those two the next man up race is wide open. Tre Harris isn't the most explosive and doesn’t have a profound route tree at this stage, but man is he consistently making plays downfield. His body control and ability to come away with 50/50 balls make for a perfect immediate fit on 3rd and distance situations. In his two seasons at Ole Miss he featured 18.1 Yards per catch and 17.2 yards per catch with 15 receiving TD’s and decent yards after catch numbers. He’s a vertical threat for Justin Herbert and unless Jalon Reagor figures it out in year 6 I’d expect to see Harris on the field a good amount for the Chargers. 

Darien Porter / CB / Las Vegas Raiders

Porter is a tall athletic corner, sporting a 6’3 / 197 pound frame with legit 4.3 speed. He’s been running with the 1st team defense in training camp so far alongside free agent pick up Eric Stokes. The Raiders are very selective with what footage gets out, but with what we can gather from his days at Iowa State is great physicality at the line in press coverage with NFL ready recovery speed on the boundary. He’s still relatively new to the position with just under 400 total cover snaps as he switched from WR to CB at Iowa State. Despite the big frame and physical play style we’ll see growing pains in the run game, but Porter's build is tailor made for a Pete Carroll defense. The 2nd starting corner spot is still a wide open race, regardless of who takes it Porter will be in the mix for meaningful snaps from the jump.

Honorable Mentions:

- Marcus Mbow / OL / New York Giants

- Dont'e Thornton Jr. / WR / Las Vegas Raiders

- Upton Stout / CB / San Francisco 49ers

- Teddye Buchanan / LB / Baltimore Ravens

- Cam Skattebo / RB / New York Giants

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