- Emmanuel McNeil-Warren leads all rookies: The Cleveland Browns safety ranks No. 1 with an 89.8 PFF overall grade, followed closely by Carolina Panthers safety Zakee Wheatley at 89.3.
- Browns place three players in the top 15: McNeil-Warren, offensive tackle Spencer Fano (76.9) and wide receiver KC Concepcion (71.9) all make the list, with Fano earning a league-leading 92.4 PFF run-blocking grade in Week 7.
- Gabe Jacas leads the rookie pass-rushing group: The New England Patriots edge defender ranks third overall with an 81.1 PFF grade and second among rookies with 21 pressures.
Now seven weeks into the NFL season, we're starting to get a clearer picture of how this year's rookies are performing, with several first-round picks beginning to rise to the top of the class.
As we highlight the 15 highest-graded rookies in the NFL, the key caveat is that players must average at least 20 snaps per game to qualify. That means a player must have logged at least 140 snaps through the first seven weeks to make this list.
Here are our highest-graded NFL rookies through Week 7.
1. S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Cleveland Browns (89.8)
The highest-graded rookie in the NFL this season, McNeil-Warren moved back into a reserve role with fellow safety Grant Delpit returning from injury in Week 7. He has earned PFF grades of 82.3 against the run and 82.2 in coverage while missing just 8.0% of his tackle attempts.
2. S Zakee Wheatley, Carolina Panthers (89.3)
Wheatley has become a key part of the Panthers‘ defense as a rookie, logging 211 snaps through five games. Six of his 19 tackles this season have resulted in defensive stops, and he has recorded a pair of pass breakups. However, he has also missed a tackle in each of the past three games.
3. EDGE Gabe Jacas, New England Patriots (81.1)
A second-round draft pick in April, Jacas continues to go from strength to strength as a rookie in New England. He recorded a career-high five pressures in Thursday Night Football's loss to the Chicago Bears and now ranks second among rookies with 21 pressures this season.
4. CB Mansoor Delane, Kansas City Chiefs (79.7)
Delane leads all rookie cornerbacks with a 77.4 PFF coverage grade, though he is coming off the lowest-graded game of his career. In a tough matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, he allowed a career-high 90 receiving yards in coverage and surrendered his first touchdown of the season.
5. LB Kendal Daniels, Atlanta Falcons (77.7)
Daniels was phenomenal for the Atlanta Falcons in Sunday's win over the San Francisco 49ers, earning a 90.5 PFF grade. He recorded 10 solo tackles, three of which resulted in defensive stops, and came away with his first career interception.
6. LB Arvell Reese, New York Giants (77.0)
Reese continues to be a fantastic all-around player for the Giants in his rookie season. He has earned PFF grades above 72.0 both as a run defender and in coverage, while his 23 defensive stops rank second among all rookies.
7. S Robert Spears-Jennings, Pittsburgh Steelers (77.0)
Spears-Jennings delivered another solid performance for the Steelers in Sunday's win over the Saints in Paris, earning a 76.5 PFF grade. He has yet to earn a PFF grade below 60.0 in a game during his young career and has missed just one of his 15 tackle attempts as a rookie.
8. OT Spencer Fano, Cleveland Browns (76.9)
Fano has already impressed in pass protection, allowing just five pressures over the Browns‘ past four games, but he was at his best as a run blocker against the Tennessee Titans. He earned a 92.4 PFF run-blocking grade, a mark that led all offensive linemen in the NFL in Week 7.
9. EDGE Akheem Mesidor, Los Angeles Chargers (75.8)
The Chargers were on their bye in Week 7, but Mesidor has established himself as a well-rounded player in his rookie season, earning a 75.8 PFF grade. He has registered 10 pressures, including seven combined sacks and quarterback hits, while adding nine tackles resulting in defensive stops, excluding sacks.
10. OT Caleb Lomu, New England Patriots (75.1)
Lomu didn't play in Week 7, but he has impressed in limited action as a rookie. Across 81 pass-blocking snaps, he has allowed just three pressures, earning an 80.2 PFF pass-blocking grade. Given his performance so far, it may be difficult to keep him out of the lineup as the season progresses.
11. LB Harold Perkins, Atlanta Falcons (74.3)
Perkins is the second Falcons rookie linebacker to crack the top 15, and his role has expanded into more of a three-down role in recent weeks. After logging just 15 snaps against the run over his first five games, he has played 34 run-defense snaps over the past two weeks. However, PFF run-defense grades of 56.0 and 44.4 in those games have pulled his overall grade down.
12. WR Antonio Williams, Washington Commanders (74.0)
Williams and the Commanders were on their bye in Week 7, but he impressed in Week 6, catching all three of his targets for the second straight game and turning them into 50 yards in a Monday Night Football loss to the San Francisco 49ers. He has averaged 1.51 yards per route run as a rookie and could take on a bigger role in the offense following Terry McLaurin‘s injury.
13. TE Eli Raridon, New England Patriots (72.5)
Raridon was once again a bigger factor in the passing game in the Patriots‘ Thursday Night Football loss to the Chicago Bears, catching three of four targets for 56 yards and a touchdown. After seeing just three targets over his first three NFL games, he has drawn 12 over the past three, with his role continuing to grow as he approaches the halfway point of his rookie season.
14. WR Caleb Douglas, Miami Dolphins (72.1)
Douglas returned to the field for the first time since Week 2 in the Dolphins‘ win over the New York Jets, turning three targets into two receptions for 70 yards, with both catches going for touchdowns. His sample size is smaller than that of several other rookies, but he has posted an impressive 2.41 yards per route run across his first three NFL games.
15. WR KC Concepcion, Cleveland Browns (71.9)
Concepcion finally delivered the breakout performance he had been threatening since the start of his rookie season, drawing 10 targets in the Browns‘ win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. He turned those opportunities into eight receptions for 129 yards, earning a career-high 87.6 PFF grade in the process.
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