Shough, Sanders, and more: The 10 best NFL rookie values outside Round 1

It's "Rookie Reflection" day at theScore.

We started off by assessing how every 2025 first-round pick fared in their debut season in the NFL. Now, we're examining the later rounds.

👉 Grading every 1st-rounder's debut season

Here are the 10 newcomers selected outside Round 1 who provided the best value to their respective teams.

10. Nic Scourton, DE, Panthers

2nd round, 51st overall

Scourton racked up five sacks, the most among 2025 rookies drafted outside the first round. At age 21, he led the Panthers in both sacks and pressures (tied with Derrick Brown) despite being the eighth edge rusher selected in April.

9. Oronde Gadsden II, TE, Chargers

5th round, 165th overall

The Chargers had preseason questions at tight end but seemingly solved them with ... a fifth-rounder who was TE9 in the 2025 NFL Draft? Gadsden caught 49 passes for 664 yards and three touchdowns, ranking in the top four among first-year tight ends in every major receiving category.

8. Nick Emmanwori, DB, Seahawks

2nd round, 35th overall

Slot corner (378 snaps), in the box (285), at free safety (six), near the defensive line (88), or outside (eight) - Emmanwori delivered at every position in Seattle's excellent defense, collecting 81 tackles, 11 pass breakups, 2.5 sacks, and one interception. He was a relatively high draft pick, but NFL teams would've selected him much higher if they could go back in time.

7. Shedeur Sanders, QB, Browns

5th round, 144th overall

The jury is still out on Sanders, but we saw him make throws that most fifth-round quarterbacks can't make. Granted, he had more interceptions (10) than total touchdowns (eight) in seven starts. But Cleveland received solid value by acquiring a 23-year-old QB with upside on Day 3 in one of the most controversial falls in NFL draft history.

6. Xavier Watts, S, Falcons

3rd round, 96th overall

Not even the most optimistic Falcons fan would've predicted that Watts - who almost dropped out of the draft's top 100 - would become this good, this quickly. He registered 96 tackles, 11 pass breakups, and five interceptions, the most among rookies. That's also the most picks by a first-year Atlanta player since Deion Sanders in 1989.

5. Harold Fannin Jr., TE, Browns

3rd round, 67th overall

Although his name wasn't called until Round 3, Fannin led all first-year tight ends with six touchdown grabs (tied with first-rounder Colston Loveland) while ranking second in receptions (72) and yards (731). He's another member of a standout 2025 Browns draft class.

4. Chimere Dike, WR, Titans

4th round, 103rd overall

Dike was a steal for Tennessee in many ways. As a receiver, he caught a respectable 48 passes for 423 yards and four touchdowns. But he shone brightest as a returner, scoring two more TDs on punt returns. Dike finished Year 1 with an NFL-high 2,427 all-purpose yards, breaking Tim Brown's rookie single-season record from 1988. Not bad for someone drafted outside the top 100.

3. Carson Schwesinger, LB, Browns

2nd round, 33rd overall

Schwesinger was almost a first-round selection, but the Browns waited to take him with the first pick of the second round. He's since become one of the NFL's best off-ball linebackers and the favorite to win Defensive Rookie of the Year after posting 156 tackles (11 for loss), three pass breakups, 2.5 sacks, and two picks. A non-first-rounder hasn't claimed the DROY award since Shaquille Leonard in 2018.

2. Kyle Monangai, RB, Bears

7th round, 233rd overall

What should teams expect from a Round 7 rookie running back? Certainly not the 947 yards and five touchdowns from scrimmage Monangai produced in his 2025 campaign. He averaged 4.6 yards per rushing attempt, playing an important role in Chicago's return to the playoffs.

1. Tyler Shough, QB, Saints

2nd round, 40th overall

Finding a quality starting quarterback outside Round 1 is rare, but the Saints may have one in Shough. As a rookie, the Louisville product made great strides after taking over as QB1 in Week 9, closing the campaign with a 67.6% completion rate, 2,384 yards, and 10 touchdowns against six interceptions. He added three rushing scores, helping New Orleans post its first four-game winning streak since Drew Brees retired after the 2020 season.