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NFL Preseason Week 3 rookie report card: Mason Graham, Jayden Higgins among seven A grades

NFL rookies had some time to get acclimated to their new cities and teammates, but now we all get to see how they handle the best competition they've ever faced.

Below, I've graded the performance of one rookie from each game in the final week of preseason action. Some of these players are well-known to football fans, while others are trying to make names for themselves on the professional gridiron.

These evaluations are not predictions of how players will fare in this upcoming season, nor are they long-term career projections. Each mark simply takes stock of how the rookie played in Week 3 of the 2025 preseason.

Grade
B
Jack Sawyer
Ohio State · OLB

Sawyer looked like a solid backup for T.J. Watt in the Steelers' win over the Panthers. He maintained leverage to force run plays inside and beat the right tackle twice for tackles for loss in the third quarter. He hustled to stop receivers downfield and made a tackle on kickoff coverage. However, Sawyer's lack of twitch and bend as a pass rusher were evident. He was slow on twists, although he did deflect a pass on a twist in the first half.

Grade
B+
Darius Alexander
Toledo · DL

Alexander showed he’s deserving of a role in the Giants' defensive line rotation, holding his ground against single blocks and double teams. On the Patriots’ first play, the third-round pick stood up the right tackle to force the running back to change his gap. Later, he pushed the right guard into the backfield and swallowed the running back for a tackle for loss. Alexander didn't win off the snap as a pass rusher, but he created a push and it looked like he was held early in the second quarter when he was ripped to the ground after winning with his hands.

Grade
C+
Ty Robinson
Nebraska · DT

Robinson did not record any stats against the Jets, but he showed he could give strong effort as a backup to starters Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis. Robinson twice got his hand on a running back, though he could not separate from his blocker to make the stop. He kept his shoulders square to beat man-up blocks and double teams at the 3-, 4- and 5-technique spots. The fourth-rounder isn't a quick-twitch pass rusher, but he pushed his man into the quarterback a couple of times and got into the passer's line of sight when lined up against the left tackle.

Grade
A
Elic Ayomanor
Stanford · WR

Ayomanor is in line for a significant role after former first-round pick Treylon Burks was waived with an injury designation by the Titans last month. The rookie made three catches against the Vikings, first presenting a target for QB Cam Ward on a 13-yard gain, then taking a short Ward pass for 6 yards (coming up a yard short of a score) and finally cutting inside a dropping linebacker to secure a low throw for another 6 yards. He ran solid routes and worked to find open space when Ward was scrambling. Ayomanor was a willing downfield blocker and served as a lead attacker coming out of motion on an early second-quarter run.

Grade
C
Jack Nelson
Wisconsin · OT

Nelson lined up exclusively at left tackle against Dallas even though he’s a potential option to step in at right tackle for the injured Kaleb McGary. James Houston gave the rookie fits early, recording a sack when Nelson didn’t slide well off the snap. Nelson eventually settled in, but he missed a fourth-quarter twist, resulting in a big hit on the quarterback. He flashed nastiness, got some push as a run blocker and found angles to wall off his man. He was not quick enough to hit targets at the second level, though, and he was on the ground too often.

Grade
A-
Ozzy Trapilo
Boston College · OT

Trapilo lined up exclusively at right tackle, playing in the second half of the win over the Chiefs. The second-round pick was sturdy in pass protection. His initial foot speed off the ball made him effective on zone runs and when blocking in space, too. However, he showed a lack of recovery quickness when he grabbed Malik Herring on a second-down play to prevent a secondary rush (no flag was thrown).

Grade
B+
Mike Green
Marshall · OLB

Green's lack of elite size put him at a disadvantage against the Commanders' massive offensive linemen, but the rookie played tough through contact and shocked blockers with heavy hands at times. His quickness came in handy, as he beat tackles with a ghost move and bend, even though he did not post a sack. Green was engulfed on some run plays, but he broke free from a tight end block to limit one play for a short gain. The stand-up rusher looked agile dropping into coverage, as well.

Grade
B+
DJ Giddens
Kansas State · RB

Jonathan Taylor is the Colts’ RB1, but Giddens should get his chance to contribute as a backup this season. He started versus the Bengals, powering forward for 6 yards on the first play after avoiding a penetrating defender. Giddens hesitated a bit in the backfield on his second carry but churned his legs after contact for 4 yards. There was no pause on his fourth-and-1 run, as he broke through an arm tackle and spun off a second defender to gain 6 yards. Giddens whiffed on a chip block in pass protection but made solid contact on another.

Grade
A
Mason Graham
Michigan · DT

Graham played just nine snaps against the Rams, making one tackle, but it’s clear he's going to be a problem for NFL offensive lines. He consistently fought through double teams as a run defender, finding the ball and bouncing through traffic to grab the running back in the opposite A-gap. Graham was very quick off the snap, getting into the blocker's chest in a hurry from the 3-technique position. His leverage -- capable of pushing man-up blocks deep into the backfield -- was on full display when he finished off an Alex Wright sack that nearly resulted in a safety.  

Grade
A
Jayden Higgins
Iowa State · WR

Higgins was effective in his 11 snaps against the Lions, playing both inside and outside. On his first catch he smothered a throw against his body for 13 yards and then grabbed a 5-yard out with his hands by his helmet. Higgins showed some sudden, subtle movements in his routes to gain separation. His combination of long strides and foot quickness kept cornerbacks guessing. The rookie used his size to box out defenders on short routes from the slot and he walled off defensive backs on run plays.

Grade
B
Que Robinson
Alabama · OLB

An elbow injury cut Robinson’s 2024 season short at Alabama, but the fourth-round pick showed his potential against the Saints, turning the corner to force a third-down fumble by Tyler Shough in the third quarter. Later in the game he flushed the quarterback out of the pocket with a bull rush on a third down but couldn't secure the sack. Robinson moved well enough in space to keep up with running backs and tight ends (making one tackle after the catch), though he slipped on one open-field tackle attempt in the flat.

Grade
A-
Matthew Golden
Texas · WR

Golden has played just 28 snaps this preseason, but he provided a glimpse of his talent in the win over the Seahawks. His only catch was a 39-yard beauty. He found the ball in the air and cut inside CB Nehemiah Pritchett to get his hands on the Malik Willis pass. The rookie missed out on a second reception, only getting one hand on a high throw from Willis while looking into the sun. Golden sustained his man-up run blocks well and sealed the edge to create a cut-back lane on a goal-line run, but he gave up the inside lane on another play.

Grade
B
Jack Kiser
Notre Dame · LB

Kiser tried to lock down a top-four linebacker spot against Miami. He hustled to the ball in the first half, keeping blockers at bay with his hands and corralling backs whether they tried to bounce outside or cut inside. Kiser was a step too late on a fourth-down pass blitz but got home on a third down at the end of first half. He also stayed with his zone-coverage targets in short areas. Kiser was less impactful in the second half, getting blocked out of run plays, whiffing on an unblocked blitz and failing to get enough depth in coverage to stop a fourth-and-long.

Grade
A-
Deone Walker
Kentucky · DT

The 6-foot-7, 331-pound Walker stood out in Buffalo's win in Tampa. He was knocked to the ground by the Bucs' Luke Haggard on the game's second play but used his initial quickness and pure bulk to get into the backfield on the following two snaps. On the next drive, Walker tossed aside a guard to swallow the running back for no gain and then bull rushed a blocker to share a sack. He got free of the center with a push-pull move in the second quarter, creating a 4-yard loss. Double teams turned Walker's shoulders at times, making him less effective maintaining the line of scrimmage.

Grade
A-
Oronde Gadsden II
Syracuse · TE

The son of the former NFL receiver of the same name is a dynamic tight end in the making. He forced his way 12 yards downfield after a short catch early in the second quarter, and on the next drive, Gadsden avoided one safety and outran the other on a deep over route, reaching high to snare a 25-yard touchdown. Gadsden again proved his large catch radius on his final reception, a 9-yard grab on which he extended high and behind him while crossing the field. Gadsden missed a high throw on his final play. The fifth-round pick regularly bent around defenders at the line and stayed in front of defensive ends in-line. He negated a defensive back as a lead blocker on one run play.

Grade
C+
Will Johnson
Michigan · CB

Johnson started in Arizona's win, lining up both on the line and off. He stuck with his man, showing loose hips in short areas and good speed down the sideline. The Raiders only challenged Johnson's side twice, on consecutive plays in the first quarter. He stayed deep in his zone on the first snap (the underneath defender nearly picked off the throw) and then got caught between zone levels on the second, making a solid open-field tackle after a short throw for a first down. Johnson also was caught flat-footed on a second-down pass play, but the Raiders quarterback never looked toward the streaking receiver.

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