Every NFL team is looking for young players to step up and accelerate their timeline for contention in 2025, but which players are actually going to do the stepping up? Which players are set to break out across the league in the 2025 season?
Every year, there are breakout players both of the expected and unexpected variety around the NFL. Guys take advantage of opportunities, whether they win a competition or get a shot because the guy ahead of them got hurt, and change the way rosters are being built everywhere.
As teams continue on with training camp all over the NFL, which players are the most likely breakout candidates on every AFC roster in 2025? Some teams may have multiple good candidates, but we tried to pick players who have a chance to be starters and become cornerstone pieces for their respective teams.
NFL Predictions: 2025 breakout candidates for every AFC team
Kansas City Chiefs: Kingsley Suamataia, OL
After trading Joe Thuney, the Chiefs really have no choice but to hope for the best with someone like Kingsley Suamataia, a second-round pick out of BYU last year. They tried him at left tackle last year, but the results led to them adding Jaylon Moore in free agency and spending a first-round pick on Ohio State left tackle Josh Simmons. If he can slide in at left guard, this pick will look like a steal.
Los Angeles Chargers: Junior Colson, LB
It was a bit surprising, given his connections to both Jim Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, that Junior Colson wasn't immediately one of the most impactful rookies in the NFL last year. As a second-year player, the Chargers are going to be looking for him to break through in a big way and become a tackling machine at the NFL level.
Denver Broncos: Devaughn Vele, WR
You could almost pick and choose any number of young receivers on Denver's roster right now to be breakout players, but Devaughn Vele led the group in snaps behind Courtland Sutton last season and made a lot of plays. He's earned the trust of head coach Sean Payton and quarterback Bo Nix, and could be the team's WR2 in 2025.
Las Vegas Raiders: Decamerion Richardson, CB
The Raiders desperately need someone to step up at the cornerback position. They took a calculated risk by signing former Packers first-round pick Eric Stokes, but a young corner like Decamerion Richardson stepping up would be huge. He's got great size at 6-foot-2, and had three passes broken up last season. If he can break out, it will be huge for a Raiders team that desperately needs pieces to emerge defensively in-house.