Travis Hunter, Shedeur Sanders among rookies with most to prove at mandatory minicamps

Organized team activities are underway ahead of the 2025 NFL season

With the 2025 NFL Draft and free agency in the rearview mirror, attention has returned to to the football field. It is time to learn whether or not all of the work that leadership has put in to reconstruct their respective rosters this offseason will pan out as desired. 

Coaches will begin installing the playbook and introducing rules to the scheme in these weeks of practice before the training wheels are taken off in training camp. For rookies, it is the continuation of a marathon. Once the season ended, prospects began training for the NFL Scouting Combine and pro days, in addition to taking visits. They were whisked away to their new places of employment and began training with their teams. The first opportunity to breath and reflect may not come until next offseason. The chaos may be a welcomed distraction for several players, including those below, who inherently carry the burden of expectation. 

LT Will Campbell, Patriots

Personally, I felt as though Campbell should be given the opportunity to begin his professional career at the position upon which he made a name for himself because of the position's value. There was a small contingency of folks who felt Campbell's lack of ideal arm length necessitated a move inside to guard and perhaps that would allow him to reach a higher ceiling. 

The Patriots have matter of factly declared that he will be their left tackle, tasked with protecting franchise quarterback Drake Maye. Campbell is an outlier in terms of his measurables and will always carry the doubt in his left tackle capabilities with him. 

2025 NFL OTA and minicamp takeaways: Drake Maye has impressive first day at Patriots camp; Ravens WR shines

Jeff Kerr

QB Jaxson Dart, Giants

The Giants traded up into the first round to secure Dart. There had been rumors of the front office and coaching staff's infatuation with the quarterback prior to draft night and leadership has done nothing to hide those feelings post-selection. Dart may be the key to coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen's fate beyond this season, as well. 

In the short-term, New York will almost certainly start veteran Russell Wilson Week 1, but the franchise is expected to ready Dart for action by season's end. 

WR Emeka Egbuka, Buccaneers

The announcement of Egbuka as Tampa Bay's selection in the first round came as a surprise. The presence of Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan did not deter them from taking a long-term approach to the position. By taking Egbuka, it suggests that he was rated more highly than others available to them in that moment. Will he prove to them that was the correct decision from Day 1? 

EDGE Mike Green, Ravens

Green was consistently mocked among the first round leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft, but slipped to Day 2. There were reasons for his Friday availability, but the reality is that the Marshall product expected to be gone much sooner. He should carry that chip on his shoulder for the rest of his career. Baltimore needs immediate production among its pass rushers and Green certainly has the talent to flash that potential in minicamp. 

CB/WR Travis Hunter, Jaguars

Hunter is aiming to be a two-way player at a high level in the NFL; the likes of which has never been accomplished. The Jaguars have made it clear that they intend to use him on both sides of the ball and he will always be held to that standard. Minicamp truthfully has no bearing on the success or failure of his professional career, but he will always carry of modicum of pressure because of the circumstances under which he was drafted. 

CB Will Johnson, Cardinals

Johnson was regarded as a potential top 10 overall pick coming into this past season. He dealt with nagging lower body injuries last season and may lack the desired top end speed, which led to his availability into Day 2. Johnson is eager to be fully healthy once again so that he can prove that 31 other teams mistakenly overlooked him. The opportunity to immediately compete for a starting role is available to him in the desert. 

EDGE James Pearce Jr., Falcons

The Falcons traded back into the first round for the right to select a second edge rusher: Pearce. In doing so, they traded away a future first-round pick. It requires conviction to make such a move and the pressure to validate those lofty assertions are on Pearce's doorstep. Atlanta has failed the field a terrorizing pass rush for several years and Pearce now carries the burden of being part of that solution. 

QB Shedeur Sanders, Browns

From populating first-round mock drafts to fifth-round draft pick, Sanders has a lot to prove. Although he may not have been a first-round-caliber talent, few would argue that he was not worthy of hearing his name called on Day 2. 

All of that is in the past and the former Colorado quarterback now has an opportunity to compete for the starting job in Cleveland. Will he become just another name on the vaunted quarterback jersey that features those who started before him or will he provide the type of staying power that will encourage the franchise to use its two first-round picks on other positions next April?

QB Cam Ward, Titans

Ward's inclusion on the list is pretty straight forward; the No. 1 overall pick, especially a quarterback, is always going to have pressure. Tennessee is saying that it will be an open competition between Ward and Levis, but that is probably an effort to prop up the latter's trade value. It would be a severe upset if the Miami product was not the starter Week 1.