Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, who led all NFL rookies in receiving yards, is the 2025 Rookie of the Year and the Offensive Rookie of the Year, chosen in voting conducted by the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA).
Cleveland Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger, who led all NFL rookies in tackles and tackles for loss, is the 2025 Defensive Rookie of the Year.
McMillan, the eighth overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft out of Arizona, started all 17 games for the Panthers and caught 70 passes on 122 targets for 1,014 yards (14.5 per catch average) and seven touchdowns. The 1,014 receiving yards was the most by a rookie in franchise history, while his seven TD catches are second most in Panthers history and the most by any NFL rookie this season. A total of 27 of his 70 catches were explosive receptions (16+ yards), which are the most explosive receptions and explosive plays by a NFL rookie this season. McMillan also caught seven passes on fourth down, six of which produced first downs for Carolina. Among all NFL players, he finished the season tied for the most catches on fourth down and totaled the most explosive receptions on those six receptions with five. McMillan had a pair of 100-yard receiving games, and he registered a catch in all 17 games. He was the NFL Rookie of the Week when he caught three passes for 29 yards and two TDs in a 30-27 victory over Dallas in Week 6.
McMillan is the first player in Carolina history to be selected as the PFWA’s Rookie of the Year and is the second Panthers player to be the PFWA’s Offensive Rookie of the Year, joining quarterback Cam Newton, who won the award in 2011.
Schwesinger, the 33rd overall selection in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft out of UCLA, played in 16 games (all starts) before he was placed on injured reserve prior the Browns’ final game. He posted 146 tackles (eighth in the NFL), 11 for loss, to go with two interceptions, 2.5 sacks and three passes defensed. He recorded double-digit tackle totals in seven games, including a streak of six consecutive contests at one point – the longest streak in the NFL in the 2025 season. His seven double-digit tackle games were the most among NFL rookies. He was the only linebacker in the league with at least 11 tackles for loss and two interceptions. His 146 tackles were the most by a Browns rookie since the team’s return in 1999. Schwesinger was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month for November.
Schwesinger is the first player in Cleveland franchise history to be selected Defensive Rookie of the Year by the PFWA.
Seven teams (Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland, New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Tennessee Titans) each have two All-Rookie selections. In all, 20 clubs are represented among the 27 players honored.
The 2025 All-Rookie team offense is made up of Tyler Shough (Saints) at quarterback, TreVeyon Henderson (Patriots) and Ashton Jeanty (Las Vegas Raiders) at running back, Emeka Egbuka (Buccaneers) and McMillan (Panthers) at wide receiver, Jonah Monheim (Jacksonville Jaguars) at center, Tyler Booker (Dallas Cowboys) and Greg Zabel (Seattle Seahawks) at guard with Kelvin Banks Jr. (Saints) and Armand Membou (New York Jets) at tackle.
The All-Rookie defensive unit is comprised of Abdul Carter (New York Giants), Mason Graham (Browns), James Pearce Jr. (Falcons) and Deone Walker (Buffalo Bills) on the defensive line, Teddye Buchanan (Baltimore Ravens), Jihaad Campbell (Philadelphia Eagles) and Schwesinger (Browns) at linebacker, Jacob Parrish (Buccaneers) and Will Johnson (Arizona Cardinals) at cornerback with Nick Emmanwori (Seahawks) and Xavier Watts (Falcons; also a PFWA All-NFC selection) at safety.
The All-Rookie special teams squad is placekicker Andy Borregales (Patriots), punter Jeremy Crenshaw (Denver Broncos), kick returner and punt returner Chimere Dike (Titans; also, a PFWA All-NFL selection at punt returner and an All-AFC selection at both kick and punt returner) and special teamer Carson Bruener (Pittsburgh Steelers). Dike is the 13th player in PFWA award history to be an All-Rookie honoree at multiple positions, and the first since 2016 (Tyreek Hill at kick returner, punt returner and special teamer).
The PFWA has honored an All-Rookie team every season since 1974. Only players who are in their first season of pro football are designated as rookies by the NFL and are eligible for PFWA rookie awards. Players designated as NFL first-year players who have been active in another pro football league or who have NFL experience, including preseason training camp in a previous season, are not eligible for All-Rookie awards.
2025 ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: WR Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina Panthers
2025 OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: WR Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina Panthers
2025 DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: LB Carson Schwesinger, Cleveland Browns
2025 PFWA ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
Offense
QB – Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints
RB – TreVeyon Henderson, New England Patriots; Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas Raiders
WR – Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina Panthers
TE – Tyler Warren, Indianapolis Colts
C – Jonah Monheim, Jacksonville Jaguars
G – Tyler Booker, Dallas Cowboys; Grey Zabel, Seattle Seahawks
T – Kelvin Banks Jr., New Orleans Saints; Armand Membou, New York Jets
Defense
DL – Abdul Carter, New York Giants; Mason Graham, Cleveland Browns; James Pearce Jr., Atlanta Falcons; Deone Walker, Buffalo Bills
LB – Teddye Buchanan, Baltimore Ravens; Jihaad Campbell, Philadelphia Eagles; Carson Schwesinger, Cleveland Browns
CB – Will Johnson, Arizona Cardinals; Jacob Parrish, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
S – Nick Emmanwori, Seattle Seahawks; Xavier Watts, Atlanta Falcons
Special Teams
PK – Andy Borregales, New England Patriots
P – Jeremy Crawshaw, Denver Broncos
KR – Chimere Dike, Tennessee Titans
PR – Chimere Dike, Tennessee Titans
ST – Carson Bruener, Pittsburgh Steelers
PFWA NFL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: 1966 – MLB Tommy Nobis, Atlanta Falcons; 1967-74 – no selections; 1975 – RB Mike Thomas, Washington Redskins; 1976 – WR Sammy White, Minnesota Vikings; 1977 – RB Tony Dorsett, Dallas Cowboys; 1978 – RB Earl Campbell, Houston Oilers; 1979 – RB Ottis Anderson, St. Louis Cardinals; 1980 – RB Billy Sims, Detroit Lions; 1981 – RB George Rogers, New Orleans Saints; 1982 – RB Marcus Allen, Los Angeles Raiders; 1983 – RB Eric Dickerson, Los Angeles Rams; 1984 – WR/KR Louis Lipps, Pittsburgh Steelers; 1985 – WR Eddie Brown, Cincinnati Bengals; 1986 – RB Rueben Mayes, New Orleans Saints; 1987 – ILB Shane Conlan, Buffalo Bills; 1988 – RB John Stephens, New England Patriots; 1990 – S Mark Carrier, Chicago Bears; 1991 – OLB Mike Croel, Denver Broncos; 1992-2012 – no selections; 2013 – RB Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers; 2014 – WR Odell Beckham, Jr., New York Giants; 2015 – RB Todd Gurley, St. Louis Rams; 2016 – RB Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys; 2017 – RB Kareem Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs; 2018 – QB Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns; 2019 – DE Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers; 2020 – QB Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers; 2021 – LB Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys; 2022 – CB Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, New York Jets; 2023 – QB C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans; 2024 – QB Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders; 2025 – WR Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina Panthers.
PFWA NFL OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: 1992 — PK Jason Hanson, Detroit Lions; 1993 — RB Jerome Bettis, Los Angeles Rams; 1994 — RB Marshall Faulk, Indianapolis Colts; 1995 — RB Curtis Martin, New England Patriots; 1996 — RB Eddie George, Houston Oilers; 1997 — RB Warrick Dunn, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; 1998 — WR Randy Moss, Minnesota Vikings; 1999 — RB Edgerrin James, Indianapolis Colts; 2000 — RB Mike Anderson, Denver Broncos; 2001 — RB Anthony Thomas, Chicago Bears; 2002 — RB Clinton Portis, Denver Broncos; 2003 — WR Anquan Boldin, Arizona Cardinals; 2004 — QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers; 2005 — RB Cadillac Williams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; 2006 — QB Vince Young, Tennessee Titans; 2007 — RB Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings; 2008 — QB Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons; 2009 — WR Percy Harvin, Minnesota Vikings; 2010 — QB Sam Bradford, St. Louis Rams; 2011 — QB Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers; 2012 — QB Robert Griffin III, Washington Redskins; 2013 — WR Keenan Allen, San Diego Chargers; 2014 — WR Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants; 2015 — RB Todd Gurley, St. Louis Rams; 2016 — RB Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys; 2017 — RB Kareem Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs & RB Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints; 2018 — RB Saquon Barkley, New York Giants; 2019 — RB Josh Jacobs, Oakland Raiders; 2020 – QB Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers; 2021 – WR Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals; 2022 – WR Garrett Wilson, New York Jets; 2023 – QB C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans; 2024 – QB Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders; 2025 – WR Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina Panthers.
PFWA NFL DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: 1992 — CB/PR Dale Carter, Kansas City Chiefs; 1993 — DT Dana Stubblefield, San Francisco 49ers; 1994 — DT Tim Bowens, Miami Dolphins; 1995 — DE Hugh Douglas, New York Jets; 1996 — DE Simeon Rice, Arizona Cardinals; 1997 — LB Peter Boulware, Baltimore Ravens; 1998 — CB Charles Woodson, Oakland Raiders; 1999 — DE Jevon Kearse, Tennessee Titans; 2000 — LB Brian Urlacher, Chicago Bears; 2001 — LB Kendrell Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers; 2002 — DE Julius Peppers, Carolina Panthers; 2003 — LB Terrell Suggs, Baltimore Ravens; 2004 — CB Dunta Robinson, Houston Texans; 2005 — LB Shawne Merriman, San Diego Chargers; 2006 — LB DeMeco Ryans, Houston Texans; 2007 — LB Patrick Willis, San Francisco 49ers; 2008 — LB Jerod Mayo, New England Patriots; 2009 — LB Brian Cushing, Houston Texans; 2010 — DT Ndamukong Suh, Detroit Lions; 2011 — OLB Aldon Smith, San Francisco 49ers; 2012 — LB Luke Kuechly, Carolina Panthers; 2013 — LB Kiko Alonso, Buffalo Bills; 2014 — DT Aaron Donald, St. Louis Rams; 2015 — CB Marcus Peters, Kansas City Chiefs; 2016 — DE Joey Bosa, San Diego Chargers; 2017 — CB Marshon Lattimore, New Orleans Saints; 2018 — LB Darius Leonard, Indianapolis Colts; 2019 — DE Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers; 2020 — DE Chase Young, Washington Football Team; 2021 – LB Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys; 2022 – CB Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, New York Jets; 2023 – DE Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans; 2024 – LB Jared Verse, Los Angeles Rams; 2025 – LB Carson Schwesinger, Cleveland Browns.
