NFL breakout candidates: One player from each NFC team primed to make a leap in 2025

We know the star players who will shape the 2025 NFL season. But every team that makes a playoff run this fall will get contributions from a new name or two. The next Super Bowl champion could be sparked by a guy no one was talking about before the season — just ask the Philadelphia Eagles about Zack Baun.

With that, let’s find a potential breakout player for all 32 teams. In the interest of creativity, I looked past the quarterback position and try to find someone that’s truly off the radar. Here are my NFC picks.

RELATED: One player from each AFC team primed to make a leap in 2025

NFC East

Connect the dots. Matt Eberflus has returned to Dallas to be Brian Schottenheimer’s defensive coordinator. One of the hallmarks of his system is quality linebacker play, and he’s brought an intriguing name with him from Chicago. Sanborn’s three NFL seasons came with the Bears, where he served as a part-time starter under Eberflus. He’s tough, smart and instinctive, and he’s going to have an opportunity to earn major playing time. With no slam-dunk starters in the linebacker corps, I’m thinking Sanborn has a major leg up due to his familiarity in Eberflus’ system.

Fun as he might be, you can’t build the entire plane out of Malik Nabers. He’s a bona fide star and he’s going to catch 100 balls this year, but Russell Wilson will need to find at least one or two other reliable targets. Johnson just might fit the bill after a promising rookie season. This is a dude with far better speed and athleticism than his 264-pound frame might suggest, and he’s shown the ability to stretch the field down the seam. Pat Freiermuth led the Steelers in receptions last season, so I don’t think Wilson will struggle to get him the ball if he lives up to his rookie potential. 

Last year my pick for the Birds was Nolan Smith, and I’ve got no problem going back to that well. Josh Sweat left for Arizona during free agency, so Philly needs another young pass-rusher to step up. Hunt managed to play 25% of the Eagles’ snaps last year after being selected in the third round, a particularly impressive achievement considering how loaded their defense was. With Jalen Carter anchoring the middle of the line, he should see plenty of favorable looks and a chance to showcase his athleticism.

The Commanders’ brain trust has to be hoping this is a big year for Newton. They released Jonathan Allen in March, and Da’Ron Payne is entering his eighth NFL season. Even with Javon Kinlaw under contract, it’d be nice to know the position has a young cornerstone player to build around. 

NFC North

Booker looked how you might expect a fifth-round rookie defensive end to look in 2024. He played just 27% of the Bears’ snaps and didn’t make a consistent impact with just 10 pressures on the season — though it’s worth noting he did convert two of those 10 pressures into sacks. I like his chances in Year 2 because I like the situation he’s in. The Bears signed Dayo Odeyingbo to pair with Montez Sweat, so Booker can settle comfortably into a rotational role. The overall talent of the defensive line is also better, with Grady Jarrett and second-round pick Shemar Turner in the mix to hopefully make life easier on the edge rushers. The Bears paid a big price to trade up for Booker two drafts ago, so they clearly think a lot of his talent. Will they begin to unlock it now?

Another choice of necessity. Center was one of the strongest positions on Detroit’s roster a week ago, with All-Pro Frank Ragnow holding things down. Now, Ratledge is the favorite to win the starting job as a rookie. It’s not an overreaction to say it could sink the Lions’ offense if he’s not up to the task.

I haven’t forgotten about you, MarShawn Lloyd. I was hyped for his rookie season, and we simply didn’t get to see it. Lloyd played one game last year and missed the rest of the season due to hip, hamstring and ankle injuries — and even appendicitis. But if he’s fully healthy, he’s got exciting ability and a head coach who knows how to scheme up the run. The Packers’ offense is still going to run through Josh Jacobs, but there’s plenty of room for Lloyd to turn some heads.

He made only three starts in his lone season with Philadelphia, but Rodgers was an unsung piece of the Eagles’ secondary. Across 421 snaps, he gave up just 18 catches for 200 yards, and half of that production came in the playoff win against the Rams. Now, he goes to a loaded Minnesota defense with a madman of a defensive coordinator in Brian Flores. With all that working in his favor, I don’t think Rodgers will be unsung much longer.

NFC South

The biggest piece of the Falcons’ season is undoubtedly Michael Penix Jr. Other than that very obvious caveat, Atlanta needs one of its young pass-rushers to break out if it’s going to reach its potential. It could be Walker or it could be James Pearce Jr., or preferably it’d be both of them. But the bottom line is that the Falcons need some Rookie of the Year-type play if they’re going to kick-start their pass rush.

The obvious answer in Charlotte is Tetairoa McMillan, but I doubt you need my help identifying the No. 8 overall pick in the draft. If I’m looking elsewhere for a breakout candidate, I’m equally intrigued by Carolina’s third-round pick. Umanmielen has the type of speed and bend that has been lacking on the Panthers’ roster since Brian Burns left town. He’s probably not an immediate starter, but he could make a quick impact as a designated pass-rusher.

Maybe the third time’s the charm? People have been excited about Miller since the Saints made him a top-100 pick back in 2023, but it just hasn’t materialized. A lot of that is due to injury, some of it might be due to the previous coaching staff not being sold on him. If we can assume he stays healthy, I trust Kellen Moore to unlock that potential.

There are few things in football that I love more than a versatile DB, and that’s what the Bucs appear to have in Smith. He showed a ton of promise as a nickel defender during his rookie season, and it sounds like the Tampa Bay coaching staff will be moving him to safety for Year 2. Smith played free safety in college, so he’s got the experience. Playing next to Antoine Winfield Jr. should help, too. Taking a jump at a new position could go a long way toward improving the Bucs’ pass defense in 2025.

NFC West

Williams would already be a star if he played on a better defense or in a bigger market. He was one of the best nickel corners in football last year, but it got lost in the noise when the Cardinals faded down the stretch. This year, he’s got more help. Arizona spent the offseason investing in defense, which should give Williams a better opportunity to shine. His time is coming; I’m confident.

The Rams were willing to trade Ernest Jones last August, but they haven’t quite replaced him yet. In a wide open linebacker situation, I’m buying the talk that a Day 3 rookie could make a big impression. Paul fell in the draft because he’s undersized, but there’s no denying his tenacity or his instincts. With no slam-dunk starters in front of him, it’s totally plausible he surprises some people and emerges as a rookie role player.

In a Niners season that was mostly a bummer, Green was one of their few bright spots. The second-round pick graded out in the top 25% of all corners as a rookie, according to Pro Football Focus. Granted, there’s a difference between being a pleasant surprise as a rookie and being asked to fill the shoes of a Pro Bowler like Charvarius Ward. He’ll have every opportunity to be the next young star on Robert Saleh’s defense.

I trust Mike Macdonald’s opinion about defense implicitly. So, when a rookie linebacker sees his snap count jump roughly 60% over the course of his first season, I pay attention. That’s exactly what happened with Knight, who played 82% of the Seahawks’ snaps and averaged eight tackles per game in the last eight weeks of the 2024 season. With a talented cast of defenders around him, I expect Knight to make a big Year 2 jump.

David Helman covers the NFL for FOX Sports and hosts the NFL on FOX podcast. He previously spent nine seasons covering the Cowboys for the team’s official website. In 2018, he won a regional Emmy for his role in producing “Dak Prescott: A Family Reunion” about the quarterback’s time at Mississippi State. Follow him on Twitter at @davidhelman_.

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