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Top 10 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year candidates in 2025: Can Travis Hunter be denied?

With NFL training camps opening around the league this week, it's almost time for us to stop projecting how rookies will handle the step up in competition and see how things go in real life. But before we get there, I have one more forecast for you. Below are my top 10 candidates to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award in 2025. Eight of the 10 players I included were first-round picks, which is in line with how things shook out for the top 10 vote-getters for the award last season.

Here are a few other trends to note:

  • Eight of the last 10 OROYs were drafted in the top 10, including each of the last seven winners.
  • The No. 1 overall pick has won the award only once in the last 13 years (Kyler Murray, 2019).
  • No offensive lineman has ever won the award.

With that, here are my top contenders to succeed Jayden Daniels as OROY.

NOTE: The odds below, provided by Caesars Sportsbook, are current as of 11:30 a.m. ET on Monday, July 21 unless otherwise noted.

Rank
10
Emeka Egbuka
Ohio State · WR · +4000

Drafted: Round 1, No. 19 overall


I’m a little surprised Egbuka isn’t getting more love from the oddsmakers. I know he could easily find himself as a distant third wheel at receiver with star veterans Mike Evans and Chris Godwin returning as trusted targets for Baker Mayfield. Also, the Bucs have not forgotten about Jalen McMillan, who had seven touchdown grabs in the final five games of the 2024 regular season, when Godwin was sidelined by an ankle injury. The presence of those three wideouts are obstacles to an OROY candidacy, to be sure. But Egbuka was a top-20 pick for a reason, and GM Jason Licht has a strong track record in the draft. With the other weapons commanding attention from defenses, Egbuka could consistently find himself in favorable matchups. He has the football IQ, toughness and ball-tracking ability to make the most of those situations. And we still need to see if Godwin is the same guy in his return from injury; Tampa Bay Times beat writer Rick Stroud reports that the 29-year-old won't participate in team-related activities to begin training camp. As my esteemed colleague Gennaro Filice wrote last month, don’t sleep on this Bucs offense (or Egbuka)!

Rank
9
Colston Loveland
Michigan · TE · +2500

Drafted: Round 1, No. 10 overall


Right off the bat, it’s worth noting that no tight end has won Rookie of the Year since 1961, when the Bears’ Mike Ditka took home the honor in the first year of his Pro Football Hall of Fame career. It would be fitting if a Bears tight end followed in Ditka’s footsteps. First, Loveland must prove he’s healthy after undergoing offseason shoulder surgery, and the good news is he expects to be full go when training camp practices begin this week. He couldn’t ask for a much better situation to walk into, with Ben Johnson calling the plays a couple years after he coached Sam LaPorta to a Pro Bowl season as a rookie tight end for the Lions. Loveland exemplifies the modern-era player at the position, featuring the rare combination of size and athleticism to make highlight-reel grabs and force defenders to miss tackles after the catch. If the offense clicks in Year 2 of the Caleb Williams era, Loveland could be hearing his name attached to multiple accolades. Also, while he didn’t make my top 10, it would not be a major surprise if another tight end -- Tyler Warren, who was drafted four picks after Loveland -- works his way into the OROY conversation, too. I like Loveland’s upside and overall situation better right now, though.

Rank
8
TreVeyon Henderson
Ohio State · RB · +2000

Drafted: Round 2, No. 38 overall


Yes, Henderson will compete against Rhamondre Stevenson and, to a lesser extent, Antonio Gibson for carries, but I expect it to become clear relatively quickly to head coach Mike Vrabel that the rookie is the best back to feature in his offense. The second-round pick's workload will still be managed, of course, and the offensive line, while improved, has a long way to go. If Henderson stays healthy -- a struggle for him at times during his Ohio State career -- he can thrive on all three downs, and he’s an explosive runner (7.1 yards per carry last season). It was a tough call for the final rusher to include in my top 10, with RJ Harvey and Kaleb Johnson also earning consideration, but I like Henderson’s situation and all-around game the most of that trio. The New England offense has a chance to be better than people expect in Drake Maye’s second season, thanks in part to the arrival of the former Buckeye.

Rank
7
Matthew Golden
Texas · WR · +2500

Drafted: Round 1, No. 23 overall


This past spring, NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah ranked Golden as the draft's top pure wide receiver and described him as “a quarterback’s best friend.” No wonder the Packers, after 23 years, decided to snap their WR-less Round 1 streak and selected the former Texas star, who ran a position-best 4.29-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. In the wake of Christian Watson's ACL injury in January, Golden is the piece Green Bay was missing in its receiving corps -- a vertical threat who can take the top off a defense -- which should warm Jordan Love's heart. If the QB takes another step in his development and quickly establishes a rapport with his rookie target, Golden could be the Packers’ first 1,000-yard receiver since Davante Adams’ final year with the team (2021). Keep in mind, the Packers ranked eighth in scoring and fifth in yards in 2024. There are other mouths to feed, of course -- including those of Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs and Tucker Kraft -- but Golden has the chance to become an instant-impact contributor with a clear role right off the bat.

Rank
6
Tyler Shough
Louisville · QB · +1000

Drafted: Round 2, No. 40 overall


When you pair the position Shough plays -- a quarterback has won OROY in four of the past six seasons -- with the opportunity awaiting him (only Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener stand between Shough and the QB1 job) there is clearly a path for the 25-year-old to contend for the award, even if the college journeyman seems an unlikely choice. Once a backup to Justin Herbert at Oregon, Shough spent three seasons with the Ducks and three injury-plagued campaigns with Texas Tech before landing at Louisville, where he finally was able to stay healthy and start for a full season in 2024. He has prototypical size and arm talent for a pocket passer, so if Kellen Moore gets the most out of him in his first year as head coach and the Saints surprise in the NFC South, the narrative could be quite alluring to award voters. It will take a strong effort from the offensive line, which now includes four former first-round picks, since Shough isn’t the same guy when facing pressure. A healthy season from Chris Olave, who had his 2024 campaign cut short by concussions, could also be pivotal for the rookie signal-caller.

Rank
5
Tetairoa McMillan
Arizona · WR · +1200

Drafted: Round 1, No. 8 overall


It was a mild surprise to see McMillan picked eighth overall, but such an early draft slotting should basically ensure he’ll see plenty of opportunities, even with 2024 first-rounder Xavier Legette and the reliable Adam Thielen competing for targets. With excellent size and a proven ability to reel in contested catches, McMillan fits the mold of a WR1, even if he’s missing elite burst. Dave Canales coached DK Metcalf and Mike Evans to some of the best seasons of their respective careers when he was the Seahawks’ passing game coordinator and Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator. McMillan’s candidacy likely boils down to whether Bryce Young has truly turned a corner or not. If Young builds on his strong finish to 2024, we could see him take full advantage of McMillan’s monster catch radius, which should provide fireworks in the red zone.

Rank
4
Omarion Hampton
North Carolina · RB · +1000

Drafted: Round 1, No. 22 overall


Justin Herbert’s eyewear won’t be the only thing that has opposing defenses seeing red when they play the Chargers in 2025. Jim Harbaugh added legitimate thunder to his backfield in April with the selection of Hampton. At 6-foot, 221 pounds, he “runs like a downhill truck whose brake lines have been cut,” per my colleague, draft expert Lance Zierlein. Hampton might not be the shiftiest runner, but his bruising style should play quite well, as long as the O-line woes that cooked the Bolts last postseason don’t carry over to this season. Los Angeles is counting on the addition of 6-7, 363-pound right guard Mekhi Becton to help in that regard. The uncertainty around Najee Harris’ status after his fireworks incident only further clears the lane for Hampton to handle a heavy workload and inject himself into the center of the OROY conversation. 

Rank
3
Cam Ward
Miami · QB · +300

Drafted: Round 1, No. 1 overall


No rookie quarterback has a clearer path to a starting job, and for the past decade and a half, OROY has been awarded to a QB most of the time (8 of 15; 53.3%). That alone makes him a viable candidate, but there’s so much more to the case for Ward. He was successful at all three of his stops in college, going from a zero-star recruit to the top QB prospect in the draft, showcasing a powerful arm while playing a fearless brand of football. Now, the latter could get him into trouble if he veers toward recklessness when faced with the tightest passing windows he’s ever faced. There’s also the matter of his supporting cast. If his offensive line can perform to an average level, that would be an improvement and at least give Ward a chance for a strong start, but it’s not a given he’ll be so fortunate. In addition, his pass catchers outside of Calvin Ridley leave a lot to be desired, although veteran Tyler Lockett could function as a safety valve. I’m not expecting the Titans to fire on all cylinders right away, which is why Ward isn’t higher on this list.

Rank
2
Ashton Jeanty
Boise State · RB · +290

Drafted: Round 1, No. 6 overall


Jeanty is the OROY favorite of the oddsmakers heading into training camp. It makes plenty of sense. First off, the guy trucked defenses for 2,601 rushing yards in 2024, second-most in a single season all time. We know Pete Carroll is going to want to pound the rock, and Jeanty, who carried the ball a whopping 374 times in his final college season, is no stranger to a heavy workload. He was drafted to set the tone for the offense, and he figures to have an O-line that rates in the middle of the pack. Not great, but not a hindrance for a player as talented as Jeanty. Now, it’s become much harder for running backs to win OROY in the past decade. No running back has taken home the honor since Saquon Barkley in 2018. Also, for as great as Jeanty is, he’s still human. At what point do all the carries take their toll and catch up to him? Even with those concerns, it’s not hard to envision a scenario where he’s the clear leader from start to finish, but the preseason favorite doesn’t usually end up on top.

Rank
1
Travis Hunter
Colorado · WR/CB · +1000

Drafted: Round 1, No. 2 overall


Like James Gladstone in his first draft as a general manager, I’m going all in on Hunter. Call it vibes. Call it intuition. Or maybe call it FOMO. The ceiling is too high for me to play it safe here. Hunter is about to embark on a journey we have not seen any other player in the modern era successfully navigate, and if he comes anywhere close to pulling it off, I have a hard time imagining award voters won’t reward him, even if he doesn’t dominate one position the same way someone like Jeanty does in 2025. The difference is Hunter is setting out to play two spots -- wide receiver and cornerback -- although it seems he’s a WR first and foremost, which is why I think OROY is ultimately going to be the prize for him. (That is, if he doesn’t win OROY and DROY.) I know WR Brian Thomas Jr. is coming off his own highly impressive rookie year, and Trevor Lawrence has experienced some wild ups and downs so far in his career. I’m trusting Liam Coen to help Lawrence be the best version of himself, like Coen did for Baker Mayfield last year. If that happens, there will be plenty of production to go around, allowing both Thomas and Hunter to thrive. As Gladstone once said, “Travis Hunter embodies belief. ... He’s also a reminder that the boundaries of the game of football were built to be challenged.” Yeah, I’m on board for this flight.

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