Our 2025 Rookie Class season thread

[MadCardDisease]

2025 NFL defensive rookies: Best and worst case for 17 players

Dan Parr from NFL.com is projecting the following for the Cardinals top two rookies:


Walter Nolen:
Projected stats: 26 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks.

Walter Nolen
Mississippi
Arizona Cardinals

Drafted: Round 1, No. 16 overall

Best-case scenario: The calf injury that has sidelined Nolen for all of camp heals in time for him to play in Week 1. He makes up for lost time, earning a starter’s share of snaps and realizing some previously untapped potential.

Worst-case scenario: For the second year in a row, a defensive lineman drafted in the first round by the Cardinals can’t get his rookie year off the ground because of a calf injury, with Nolen joining Darius Robinson in that club. Even after he returns, Nolen doesn’t have the twitch or explosiveness Arizona expected to see from him, and the team remains mired in mediocrity.

Projected stats: 26 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks.

Will Johnson:
Projected stats: 38 tackles, 2 INTs, 9 pass breakups.

Will Johnson
Michigan · CB
Arizona Cardinals

Drafted: Round 2, No. 47 overall

Best-case scenario: Biggest steal of the draft? Johnson makes his case for that label, holding down a starting job all year and thriving as a playmaker for a blossoming Arizona defense. He answers all the questions about his aggressiveness against the run and doesn’t show any signs of the health concerns that contributed to his draft slide.

Worst-case scenario: Johnson misses time due to injury for the third year in a row. When he plays, he shows a lack of deep speed and is not physical enough against the ground game, leading to questions about his ability to start in the league.

Projected stats: 38 tackles, 2 INTs, 9 pass breakups.

 

[CardNots]

Walter Nolen:
Projected stats: 26 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks.

I wonder if he was using half of a season as the baseline for games played?

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

rookie preseason

nolen - pup - tbd - not on monti

wj - should see a lot of playing time - good pick

burch - murderer - 100% - 3rd round dynamite

cody simon - no where near ready - made the 53 due to potential we didn't see in preseason

burke - he was always in the mix - not several yards out of position but always slightly out of position

conner - tbd - i didn't get eyes on the kid before the injury

crawford - forced the cardinals to take 5 safeties - might even see the field - 7th round score

 

[DVontel]

How bout that Will Johnson fella?

 

[Shane]

How bout that Will Johnson fella?

Definitely liking what I see so far would’ve been nice if he could’ve nabbed that first INT

 

[DVontel]

Definitely liking what I see so far would’ve been nice if he could’ve nabbed that first INT

He did lol bogus penalty on Melton tho

 

[Chopper0080]

NIce game from Will.

Sucks Simon left.

I am guessing Kitan replaced Blount.

Burch did not mke an impact that I saw.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Will played a terrific game all around. Not much else from anyone else.

 

[DVontel]

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[Shane]

Burch did not mke an impact that I saw.

3 pressures

 

[Chopper0080]

3 pressures

I stand corrected

 

[PDXChris]

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[Totally_Red]

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Just need Nolen to get a couple sacks in his debut for the trifecta.

 

[Garthshort]

Or to at least make a debut.

 

[BACH]

Will Johnson rated as the #2 best CB in the league and Burch as the #33 Edge rusher per pff

 

[CardNots]

Or to at least make a debut.

and let it be THIS year.