10 Undrafted Rookies From The 2025 NFL Draft That Could Make a Big Impact on Their Team
The draft weekend is where the stars are born… but…every single year, while the big name players are doing their ESPN interviews and soaking in the spotlight, a handful of undrafted guys are quietly strapping on a helmet, ready to prove that somebody—or every damn team—messed up.
Of course, trying to find the right piece in the pool of undrafted free agents is a bit of a crapshoot, but every year, without fail, there are a couple that make a name for themselves and sicken every General Manager that passed on them.
So, without further ado, let’s take a look back at 10 undrafted players from the 2025 NFL class who didn’t hear their names called—but still have a legit shot to make some noise and carve out real roles on their teams.
Can these undrafted players make a mark in the NFL?
Timothy McKay, OL, North Carolina State
Every offseason more than one team makes the mistake of allowing its offensive line room to look like it’s held together by duct tape and paper clips.
Heading into the 2025 season, Washington very much falls into that camp, though, credit where it’s due, they at least started patching things up. Trading for Laremy Tunsil and drafting Josh Conerly Jr. was a strong opening statement.
The interior of the line, however, still feels like an open audition.
Enter Timothy McKay, who flipped from tackle to guard during his final year at NC State and didn’t just hold his own—he thrived.
The Commanders saw enough to make the player out of NC State a priority in undrafted free agency, and it makes sense. Their depth chart behind the starters is basically just contractual placeholders with guys like Nate Herbig, Trent Scott, and Chris Paul—all free agents after this season.
McKay’s appeal isn’t flash. He’s a technician. Consistent base, accurate hands, keeps his hips square on contact.
And in Kliff Kingsbury’s spread-heavy attack that demands mobility and awareness from its guards, McKay could quietly emerge as a plug-and-play depth piece with starter upside.
Zach Horton, TE/FB, Detroit Lions
This guy has Dan Campbell written all over him!
Zach Horton has an opportunity to provide even more optionality to an already dynamic Detroit Lions offense.
Horton might’ve been born in the wrong era, but he’s walking into the perfect locker room with the perfect coach for his throwback skill set.
He could see very similar usage to what Kyle Shanahan has done with Kyle Juszczyk over the years.
In colleges, he showed the ability to do just about everything… He lined up inline, flexed out, played some fullback, even got touches out of the backfield. It wasn’t flashy, but it sure was effective both at James Madison and Indiana.
Detroit already has some serious talent at tight end, but Horton gives them the chess piece to move Sam LaPorta off the line more often, or to run two-tight looks with downhill intent.
He’s not going to be an every down guy, but being featured as a Swiss army knife on this roster, that’s not a bad gig.
Jah Joyner, Edge, Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders were wise to bolster their pass rush through the draft because while Maxx Crosby never leaves the field and Malcolm Koonce found his groove late last year, there isn’t a tone of depth within that group… and in that division they are going to have to find a way to get after the quarterback if they want to be competitive.
The cold, hard truth is that guys like former seventh overall pick Tyree Wilson have left a lot to be desired. Vegas needs to start finding actual rotational answers on the edge. So why not take a stab with an undrafted player this go around?!
Jah Joyner is raw. Let’s get that out of the way. But he’s got traits—length, first-step quickness, and the ability to flatten at the top of the arc.
Minnesota moved him around a bit, but when they just let him pin his ears back, he flashed legitimate bend and closing speed… don’t be shocked if we see him play a nontrivial role in their D at some point this season.
Jalin Conyers, TE, Miami Dolphins
At 6’4″, 265 pounds, Jalin Conyers brings a versatile skill set to Miami’s tight end room. In his lone season at Texas Tech, he recorded 30 receptions for 320 yards and five touchdowns, leading all tight ends on the roster.
With Jonnu Smith turning 30 before the 2025 season and lacking the in-line blocking strength that the Dolphins like for some of their run-heavy sets, Conyers has a clear path to contribute early.
His combination of size, blocking ability, and versatility could make him a key component in Miami’s offense… He’s not a dynamic separator, but Conyers can anchor in the run game, sustain blocks in pass pro, and chip in as a short-to-intermediate target.
For a team that plays a ton of 21 personnel and wants to keep Tua clean while stretching teams horizontally, a guy like Conyers, who can help in the blocking game and leak out into space, has real roster value.
He’s got the frame, the temperament, and enough flashes on tape to project as a glue guy in this room. Don’t be shocked if he’s getting meaningful snaps by midseason.
Willie Lampkin, OL, Los Angeles Rams
The Rams love functional versatility on their O-line, and undrafted player Willie Lampkin fits that bill despite being built like a brick phone booth. At 5’10”, 280, he’s a pure outlier in terms of his build, but the tape is something to behold. It’s a pure leverage clinic.
Not only did he hang, but he also manhandled Power Five defenders in space. Lampkin is explosive out of his stance, wins early with hand placement, and when he gets underneath you, it’s over. Doesn’t matter how long your arms are if you’re on skates.
Los Angeles’s interior line is stabilized by Steve Avila and Beaux Limmer, but depth is razor-thin behind them. That’s where Lampkin could sneak in. He’s not a long-term answer, but in a zone-heavy scheme that values pad level, mobility, and tenacity, there is a serious case to be made that he will not just survive, but thrive!
Who knows?! They might even get cute and line him up as a fullback in some heavy packages. McVay’s done weirder things.
Andrew Armstrong, WR, Miami Dolphins
Every year, there’s a wide receiver who gets penalized for being “old” by draft standards, and every year that same guy ends up making a 53-man roster because he knows how to play the position. Andrew Armstrong fits that mold to a tee.
Armstrong’s path wasn’t linear—Texas A&M-Commerce to Arkansas, one productive year in the SEC, and now trying to earn his keep in a Miami wide receiver room that’s very top-heavy with two burners in Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and a whole lot of nothing thereafter.
That context matters. The Dolphins have their speed guys. What they don’t have is a reliable third or fourth option who can do the dirty work over the middle, win on timing routes, and keep the chains moving when the defense takes away the explosives. Armstrong can be that guy.
Physically, he’s got the frame: 6’4″, 205 pounds with a wingspan that makes up for average burst. He’s not going to pull away from coverage or run by NFL corners, but his 4.51 speed is plenty serviceable for the kind of game he plays—and a near 38-inch vertical should provide him with enough space to make a bunch of catches.
And savvy is where Armstrong earns his paycheck. He’s deliberate in his releases—never rushed, always calculating. On tape, he regularly wins the hand-fight early, uses subtle shoulder leans to keep DBs guessing, and maintains space down the sideline when working outside.
Miami doesn’t need a future wide receiver here—they need someone who can come in, play a chunk of high-leverage snaps each game, and convert on 3rd-and-6. Armstrong can do that. He’s not flashy, but he’s functional. And in a room where roles beyond the top two are wide open, don’t be shocked if he earns the trust of the coaching staff early.
Andrew Armstrong is more than just a camp body—he’s got the profile of a Sunday contributor.
Keonta Jenkins, LB, Buffalo Bills
It might be tricky to find the right landing place for an undrafted player, but make no mistake about it… There’s always a spot in the league for a tweener who knows how to hit—and Keonta Jenkins is about to be the next measure of proof.
He is listed as a safety but played more like a box nickel or hybrid linebacker at Virginia Tech. Jenkins is now transitioning full-time into the front seven. Based on what Buffalo needs and what he already does well, that move feels inevitable.
The Bills have a fragile depth situation at linebacker. Matt Milano’s durability transcends “concern”, and they did surprisingly little to fortify the position through the draft or free agency.
That leaves the door open for someone like Jenkins to sneak onto the roster as another backer, who can also contribute as a special-teams player.
Physically, he’s built for it—around 6’2”, 220 with a rocked-up frame and downhill mentality. Jenkins racked up 19.5 tackles for loss over his final two seasons, and while he’s not a pure edge guy, he knows how to knife his way through gaps and disrupt the offense at the second level.
Buffalo needs guys who can run, hit, and play with tempo on fourth down. Jenkins does all three—and he may just end up a functional piece in the linebacker rotation by midseason.
Valentin Senn, OT, Arizona Cardinals
Arizona’s right tackle situation is in many ways pending… Jonah Williams is playing on a prove-it deal. Kelvin Beachum is way past his prime at this stage.
So, when the Cardinals ponied up to bring in Valentin Senn post-draft, it was less of a camp body signing and more of an investment.
Senn is one of the more intriguing international prospects in this class.
The hulking lineman hails from Austria and started 38 straight games at UConn. In that process, he’s turned into a legit developmental tackle with movement skills worth betting on.
At 6’7”, 305, he’s got the prototype frame and surprising fluidity for someone still relatively raw in his footwork and hand usage.
Where he wins right now is going to be with length and coordination. He’s not stiff-hipped and plays with very solid posture.
The comp that’s going to be made fair or not is Bernhard Raimann. Same country, similar build, same road map.
But Senn isn’t being asked to start right away. If Arizona is patient—and there’s no reason not to be—he could turn into a long-term answer on the right side.
James Burnip, P, New Orleans Saints
Only one punter, Jeremy Crawshaw, was selected in the 2025 NFL draft, despite Burnip, another Aussie in a growing pipeline of crossover punting talent, arguably having the most consistent 2024 season of any specialist in the class.
He averaged more yards per punt than most of his peers and did it in a compelling way.
He was among the best in the country in hangtime and return yardage—which are the kind of measurables that tend to translate well to the NFL.
Of course, they did try this approach last year, taking Matthew Hayball as an undrafted free agent, who was somewhat underwhelming as a player, and now he’ll have to fight for his job against another undrafted punter.
The signal is clear—New Orleans needs more bang for their buck in the field position game, and Burnip has a stronger leg and arguably more upside. Don’t be shocked if you see him take it from his countryman!
Sebastian Castro, S, Pittsburgh Steelers
Sebastian Castro is a bit of a throwback safety.
He’s by no means an elite tester; he won’t wow you on the stopwatch, but the guy just finds the football and makes tackles, which is more than half the battle!
And for a franchise like Pittsburgh that still values instincts and physicality in its defensive backs, that’s a perfect fit.
Castro played primarily as a nickel/box safety at Iowa, where he made a living diagnosing the run, disrupting throws underneath, and playing with non-urgency.
Say what you will about the measurables, but Castro is a tone-setter with a nose for the ball and a tackling profile that jumps off the screen, even if his straight-line speed doesn’t.
For the Steelers, that’s a useful piece. Minkah Fitzpatrick is the star, and Damontae Kazee brings versatility, but beyond that, the depth chart is wide open.
Castro can immediately contribute on special teams and give them a physical option in certain packages when Tomlin wants to mix it up.
Smart, physical, and always around the ball—Sebastian Castro is the kind of diamond in the rough candidate that Pittsburgh manages to find value in every year.
10 Undrafted Rookies From The 2025 NFL Draft That Could Make a Big Impact on Their Team
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