One potential first-time Pro Bowler from each NFC team heading into the 2025 NFL season

Williams flew under the radar as one of the top slot corners in the NFL last season, demonstrating the ability to stick stride for stride with shifty wideouts and generating a -8.6 completion percentage over expected, second among all cornerbacks last season (behind only Kamari Lassiter). As slot corners rise in importance and standing, players like Williams should garner more attention. In 2024, he allowed a completion rate of 55.9% and -5.1 receptions over expected, both tops among all slot corners (minimum of 300 coverage snaps), and his -0.20 EPA per target tied him for sixth. Given the proximity to the run game, Williams needs to improve his tackling and fits, but his coverage skills against agile slot receivers who usually generate easy pitches and catches are already Pro Bowl-worthy.

Another year, another chance for a breakout performance from a Falcons offensive weapon. London went over the 1,000-yard barrier for the first time in his career in 2024, totaling 1,271 yards and nine TDs on 100 catches -- all career highs. It's no coincidence that this was also his first season in which the Falcons stitched together competent QB play for most of the year. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound wideout can take his game to an even higher level, boasting the size and speed to burn any type of coverage. Making London's prospects even more enticing heading into 2025 is the rapport he showed with Michael Penix Jr. when the QB prospect got his turn under center down the stretch last season. London generated 100-plus yards in each of Atlanta's final two games (106 and 187) on 17 combined catches with two touchdowns. Were those numbers inflated by shootouts against lesser defenses, or a sign of what could be on the horizon for London with Penix tossing him the pigskin for an entire campaign?

The Bryce Young Redemption Arc has only just begun. The former No. 1 overall pick overcame last year's benching to shine down the stretch, displaying the kind of improved poise and pocket awareness that provides the Panthers with optimism heading into 2025. It wasn't all a bed of roses -- Young didn't surpass the 300-yard mark in one game and had multiple outings with multiple turnovers after returning to the starting lineup. But the seeds of growth are there. In his second season under Dave Canales, Young has the potential to take another major stride forward. The offensive weapons are better, thanks to the addition of first-round receiver Tetairoa McMillan, and the time that the offensive line has had to jell.  

The offseason has been all about bolstering last year's No. 1 overall pick. The upside is there for Williams to set Bears passing records -- a low bar, but doing so would still mark a noticeable improvement. The hiring of Ben Johnson immediately provides Williams with a proven play-caller who knows how to get the best out of his talent. The offensive line went from a liability to one of the better units in the NFL, as long as the imported veterans stay healthy. The receiving weapons, led by Rome Odunze and DJ Moore, are top-shelf. The additions of rookies Colston Loveland at tight end and Luther Burden III at receiver provide diversity and potential big-play ability in Johnson's offense. The rushing attack is a question entering the season, so while the new coach wants the offense to start with the ground game, it seems likely he'll turn to the passing attack more often than planned. If that prediction comes to fruition, Williams will have plenty of opportunities to stack stats and build a Pro Bowl résumé.

CeeDee Lamb remains the clear WR1, but there is room for another 1,000-yard receiver in Dallas. When he's on, Pickens remains an elite talent with the ability to make jaw-dropping catches and leave corners in his dust. The issue for him in Pittsburgh was never skill, it was consistency -- he had more games with less than 40 receiving yards (18) than he did games with 80-plus (14). Now that he's playing a complementary role to Lamb, we just might see the best out of Pickens. If the boundary weapon makes a few big plays a game, as he did during camp, he'll put up numbers. Dak Prescott will be the best QB he's played alongside, by far, in his career. Someone who totaled 1,140 yards while catching passes from Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph and Mitchell Trubisky should be able to shine with Prescott -- even if he's a WR2.

Let's right a wrong from last season, when Joseph was somehow not a Pro Bowler despite making first-team All-Pro and finishing sixth in Defensive Player of the Year voting. The rangy safety netted a league-high nine INTs, taking one to the house. Joseph is a reliable safety net who rarely misses a tackle -- his 4.7 percent missed tackle rate was the fourth-lowest in 2024, per Next Gen Stats (minimum 80 tackle attempts). His ballhawk metrics were off the charts; Joseph finished No. 1 in target EPA by a wide margin (-53.7, with No. 2 Nate Wiggins coming in well behind him at -28.4). If he stays healthy, he has the talent to double down on his breakout effort. Even if the 24-year-old doesn't repeat those outsized stats, he could still log enough big plays to garner a Pro Bowl nod, allowing voters to make up for their 2024 mistake.

The young linebacker flashed versatility early in his rookie season before becoming a full-fledged starter in December, gobbling up tackles and making plays sideline to sideline. A full offseason in Jeff Hafley's system should bring out an even better Cooper in 2025. The rangy linebacker showed keen hole-plugging against the run and solid timing on blitzes, and he was a plus coverage 'backer. He has to clean up the missed tackles, but the instincts he brings to the table foretell a burgeoning talent that has the chance to be a game-changer on the second level. I'm not saying he's Fred Warner or peak Dre Greenlaw yet, but the upside is there for Cooper in Hafley's scheme.

Seemingly every report out of Rams camp this summer has touched on Fiske standing out in a crowded defensive front. The focus most of the offseason had rightly been on Jared Verse, a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, but Fiske deserves some love. Last season, Fiske generated 44 pressures and 8.5 sacks -- not too shabby for a rookie DT. His 10.9% QB pressure rate ranked ninth among all defensive tackles last season. While big men rarely walk from college to the Pro Bowl, we do generally see sizeable leaps from the truly elite after a full offseason in the NFL. Fiske boasts the power, interior quickness, strength and hands to be a menace alongside Verse, Byron Young, Kobie Turner, Poona Ford and the rest of the Rams' fearsome front.

Metellus is a Swiss Army knife for Brian Flores' defense. In 2024, per Pro Football Focus, he spent 512 snaps in the box, 330 covering the slot, 90 at free safety, 63 at defensive line and 33 at outside corner. Moving all over the formation allows the 27-year-old to stuff the stat sheet; last year alone, he generated two INTs, five passes defended, a forced fumble, 103 tackles, six QB hits and 21 QB pressures. Add a few more turnovers and sacks on a defense that, on paper, looks even better in 2025, and the self-described "good football player" might finally garner a level of attention befitting his performance.  

I’m not giving up on Olave’s march to a Pro Bowl. Last year was a wash after he played just eight games due to injuries. There were six games in which he played more than eight snaps, and in four of those, he registered more than 80 yards. In his last full game of the season, Olave put up 107 yards. Staying on the field is a concern, but when he's healthy, the wideout is a crisp route runner who can find green grass at any level. He should fit swimmingly into Kellen Moore’s scheme as a No. 1 wideout. If he and speedster Rashid Shaheed can finally stay on the field together, the Saints have a good base for their passing attack. The QB situation is a question, with Spencer Rattler, Tyler Shough and Jake Haener battling for the gig. Inconsistency under center could bring down Olave’s production this season, but he’ll remain an elite talent even if the numbers don’t keep pace with other wideouts around the league. Then again, young QBs can force-feed No. 1 targets, leaning on the most reliable pass catchers as security blankets, so Olave should be in for a hefty target share on the rebuilding Saints.

Let’s take a dart throw at one of the Giants' young secondary players who could make strides in 2025. Head coach Brian Daboll has already said he sees Phillips making a “big jump” in Year 2, and teammates have praised the slot corner’s upside. In 2024, Phillips showed potential as a run defender and generated a -7.2 target EPA -- the best mark on the team, according to Next Gen Stats (min. 200 coverage snaps). Phillips’ aggressive, physical style plays well near the line of scrimmage. Stepping into a bigger role with a better understanding of the defense, the 23-year-old has the chance to grow into one of the better slot defenders in the NFC.

I could have gone with second-year cornerback Cooper DeJean, but Mailata deserves his turn for love on the best offensive line in football. The blind-side protector finished as Pro Football Focus’ No. 1 overall tackle last season and the No. 2 pass-blocking OT, so it’s not as if it’s a stretch to suggest the Australian should earn postseason honors. He allowed just 14 QB pressures in 2024. A grinder in the ground game -- who can bully edges and get to the second level -- and a wide body in pass pro, Mailata bookends future Hall of Famer Lane Johnson perfectly. Since being selected in the seventh round in the 2018 NFL Draft, Mailata has grown every season. The 2024 campaign was his best yet. Topping that would warrant an obvious Pro Bowl invite.

From the time the pads slipped on in last year’s training camp, Puni seemed like a natural in Kyle Shanahan’s system. As a rookie, the 6-foot-5 guard was already a top-10 run blocker, able to get to the second level working off of double teams. Shanahan's run-blocking schemes give Puni Pro Bowl potential. And his size allows him to hold his own in pass protection, even in one-on-ones. He still has to clean up parts of his game in that area, but the 25-year-old boasts the body and skill to be a top-five guard in 2025.

Jones’ presence in Mike Macdonald’s defense can’t be understated. After joining the Seahawks midway through last season, he solidified a weak interior, becoming the green dot and gobbling up the ball-carriers that had previously danced free through the middle of the unit. In 10 games in Seattle, Jones logged 94 tackles. Extrapolate that over a 17-game season, and it would have been a career-high 160. With Jones in the fold, the Seahawks' defense jumped from 30th to 16th versus the run over the final 10 weeks. If Jones, who signed a three-year extension in March, keeps his pace in Seattle for the entire duration of 2025, the D will be much improved from a year ago, and he’ll put himself in a spot to earn a Pro Bowl in Year 5.

The big-play running back didn’t see a large role in the early goings of 2024 -- and then midway through the season, he shot out of a cannon to become the focal point of the Bucs' backfield. In Tampa’s final five games, including the postseason, Irving's carries went as follows: 15, 16, 20, 19 and 17. Meanwhile, Rachaad White’s nosedived: 15, three, six, zero and one. It’s clear that Irving, coming off a 1,122-yard season on 207 carries (5.4 YPC), should see a higher-volume role. The 22-year-old is a steady runner who can churn out yards and also brings explosive playmaking. He’s the type of back you don’t want saddled behind a less-efficient runner. White could still play a role as a pass catcher, but this should be Irving’s backfield in 2025.

Initially, I’d dismissed Luvu, assuming he’d already made a Pro Bowl at some point. I was wrong. Spending your years with the struggling Jets and Panthers -- never playing on a team with a winning record -- will keep you off of most people's radars. The pest of a linebacker remains an underrated playmaker, even after he helped turn the Commanders around in Dan Quinn’s first season in D.C. Luvu is more than just the guy who kept jumping offsides against the tush push in the NFC Championship Game. He is a pigskin bloodhound, constantly around the ball, racking up sacks, tackles and pressures, annoying offensive linemen and ball-carriers alike with his tenacity and spirited play. He’s the type of player who, when he’s on your squad, you love to death. If he’s an opponent, you loathe him. From the standpoint of a neutral onlooker, he’s a joy to watch. I’d also love to see him play dodgeball in the Pro Bowl Games.