NFL season is 50 days away: 50 under-the-radar players who could shape the 2025 season
CBSN
Every team gets at least one player on this list
Stars make the world go 'round in the NFL. They're on the covers of video games, they're the talk of TV shows, they're the ones who win awards. The Eagles don't end the Chiefs' reign without Saquon Barkley, and the Chiefs never have that reign without Patrick Mahomes.
But NFL rosters are 53 players deep for a reason. Throughout a taxing season against opponents with varying strengths and weaknesses, teams need non-stars to step up. If they become stars, that's even better. That's why, with 50 days until the Cowboys visit the Eagles to open the 2025 schedule, we're counting down 50 players who could shape the coming season.
This is the third year I've done this exercise (2023 here, 2024 here), and I'll always hold myself accountable. We've had some hits: Baker Mayfield was expected to be a bridge quarterback for the Buccaneers in 2023, only to become much more than that and sign a long-term deal. Sam Darnold played better than anyone could have expected last season ... until he didn't. Now, he's the starter in Seattle. Both were on this list for their respective bounce-back seasons.
