NFLPA releases its annual list of rookies, young stars expected to be top retail performers
In terms of ascendant NFL talent, the Jacksonville Jaguars sit atop the league.
Each year the NFL Players Association releases its Rising Stars roster, consisting of 10 rookies and 10 players with at least one year of NFL experience.
Jaguars cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter, the No. 2 pick in the 2025 Draft, tops the Emerging Rookies list, while teammate Brian Thomas Jr., a second-year receiver, leads the Standout Veterans list.
The players on each list are the ones most expected to appear on the NFLPA’s year-end Top 50 Player Sales List, which tracks top retail performers based on sales of officially licensed player products.
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley topped this year’s list, marking the first time a running back has finished first since Ezekiel Elliott in 2017.
Rookies obviously have never appeared on past lists, but in order for a veteran to be eligible, he must have never appeared in any previous editions of the Top 50.
According to the Players Association, the goal of the Rising Star lists is it “gives NFLPA partners — official licensees, retailers and sponsors — valuable insights to guide marketing campaigns, social media activations, player-driven content, brand ambassador selections, and product development.”
Selections, which are done by NFL Players Inc., are based on myriad factors, with on-field performance certainly being the top priority. But others range all the way from trading cards to the individuals’ social media followings, fantasy football relevance and collegiate NFL exposure.
Even team market strength plays an important factor.
“The Rising Stars list is built on a mix of performance indicators, early fan engagement and commercial momentum,” Ben Ruiz, vice president of consumer products and strategy at NFL Players Inc., told cllct. “It’s a forward-looking snapshot of players we believe are poised to break out — on the field and in the marketplace.
“Through NFL Players Inc., this campaign is another way our union helps build brand value and unlock revenue opportunities for our members by spotlighting emerging talent at a pivotal moment in their career. We’re often asked who we believe the next breakout star, great brand ambassador or crossover pop culture figure will be, and the Rising Stars list is our platform to help answer those questions.”
Here are this year’s Rising Stars.
Emerging Rookies:
- Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Jacksonville Jaguars
- Cam Ward, QB, Tennessee Titans
- Ashton Jeanty, RB, Las Vegas Raiders
- Shedeur Sanders, QB, Cleveland Browns
- Jaxson Dart, QB, New York Giants
- Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Carolina Panthers
- Abdul Carter, LB, New York Giants
- Colston Loveland, TE, Chicago Bears
- Matthew Golden, WR, Green Bay Packers
- Tyler Shough, QB, New Orleans Saints
Standout Veterans:
- Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
- Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Arizona Cardinals
- Michael Penix Jr., QB, Atlanta Falcons
- Ladd McConkey, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
- Nico Collins, WR, Houston Texans
- Jared Verse, DE, Los Angeles Rams
- Xavier Worthy, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
- Bucky Irving, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Chuba Hubbard, RB, Carolina Panthers
- Ricky Pearsall, WR, San Francisco 49ers
This year’s list is notable for several reasons.
The first being that this is the first time two players from the same team lead each list. Thomas Jr. had quite a prolific rookie season, earning a Pro Bowl nomination and leading all rookies in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.
Thomas Jr. also earned $1,132,885 in licensing royalties last season, 21st overall in the NFL and second among all rookies, behind Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
Hunter enters the league aiming to become one of its most unique players in history, playing both receiver and defensive back, as he did during his Heisman-winning campaign last year at Colorado.
He becomes the first Jaguars player to top the rookies list since Trevor Lawrence in 2021.
Hunter also marks the first non-QB to lead the Emerging Rookies list since 2018, when Barkley topped all rookies. Though he will certainly have a challenging task in following Barkley’s lead. The 2024 Offensive Player of the Year is the only player since 2015, when the NFLPA began publishing these lists, to be the top rookie among Rising Stars and later lead the league sales.
This does mark the second-consecutive season in which a receiver led the Standout Veterans list.
Rams receiver Puka Nacua topped last year’s rankings after putting together one of the best rookie seasons a receiver has ever had.
It also marks the third time in the last five seasons where at least two defensive rookies have emerged in the Top 10, though Hunter, a two-way player, is one of those 10.
Of note, Atlanta's Michael Penix Jr. is the only quarterback on the Standout Veterans list. One of the reasons for this, again, is players can only appear on this list if they have never appeared in the Top 50 rankings.
The other five first-round quarterbacks drafted a season ago, Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, McCarthy and Bo Nix, all finished among the league’s Top 50 in sales.
Obviously entering the year as the Falcons' starter helps Penix Jr.’s case, but he also ranked 22nd in the league last year in licensing royalties, raking in more than $1 million.
The Jaguars, Panthers and Giants are the league leaders, with two players each among the 20 selected.
Unique to the Panthers is they have the only internationally born player on this list in running back Chuba Hubbard, a native of Canada.
He and Nico Collins are the most experienced of the Veteran Rising Stars, each entering their fifth seasons in the NFL. The remaining eight players joining them are all entering their second seasons.
In terms of team marketability, this year continues a streak dating back to 2018 of at least one team appearing in the Super Bowl making the list, with Xavier Worthy representing the Chiefs among the Standout Veterans.
Matt Liberman is a reporter and video producer for cllct, the premier company for collectible content.
Category: General Sports
