The AFC East should be more competitive in the 2025 NFL season. The Buffalo Bills are still the team to beat, but don’t be surprised if the Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots and New York Jets make them earn their division crown, especially if talent emerges from the mid-round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
All eyes will be on rookies selected in the first two round for each team, but there are some interesting players taken on Day 2 and Day 3 of the draft who could shine bright at key positions and help right away. It is this ability to identify talent later in the draft that sets rosters apart. It could be the difference between a contender and a pretender.
Which mid-round rookies will stand out for Bills, Dolphins, Patriots and Jets?
Not so hidden talents from the 2025 Draft in the AFC East:
Buffalo Bills – Landon Jackson, Edge: The Bills brought in Joey Bosa to help the pass rush in 2025, but the Bills need a young player to step up and step into the rotation to add some fire power off the edge. Could that player be third round pick Landon Jackson?
Everything football related just feels like an NFL success story brewing in Buffalo. As an athletic edge with high football instincts, Jackson was one of the top defensive linemen in the SEC in 2024. The 6-foot-6, 259-pound edge racked up 6.5 sacks to go with 49 total tackles (27 solo) in his final season at Arkansas. Showcasing a high motor and versatility along the defensive line, this third-round pick could shine bright for the AFC East division favorites.
Miami Dolphins – Jason Marshall Jr., CB: The Jalen Ramsay blockbuster trade will open a big opportunity for fifth-round pick Jason Marshall Jr. The Florida product enters the league with experience as a four-year starter with the Gators. If not for a Shoulder injury suffered during his senior year, Marshall Jr. had the accolades in college to be a higher pick. Will he play up to his talents in the NFL?
In need of any talent they can get at the cornerback position, the Dolphins were impressed by Marshall Jr. early in OTA’s
“He’s a big corner. He moves really well, and he’s a super-efficeient and productive mover,” Dolphins cornerback coach Mathiew Araujo said back in May. “So as a big corner being able to get your hands on and still keep your feet under you that allows you to cover a big variety of receivers.’
“What he’s doing a great job of in this offseason is the things that we pinpointed throughout his college career that we want to improve on, and we can make adjustments to get them to be super productive. That’s what we’re working on right now.”
That continued work and growth is even more important now without a top corner like Ramsay. Marshall Jr. As the roster currently sits, Marshall Jr. is slotted as a starter opposite Storm Duck. If he lives up to his talent and capability, this fifth-round pick will be a great and timely find for the Dolphins in the AFC East.
New England Patriots – Kyle Williams, WR: The Patriots may end up with more than one mid-round gem by the time the 2025 NFL season is over, but the one who shines the brightest heading into training camp with third-round pick Kyle Williams.
At 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, Williams enters the NFL as an explosive receiver who should be a quick favorite of Drake Maye in the Patriots’ offense. With Josh McDaniels back as offensive coordinator, a receiver like Williams will have an opportunity to shine given his speed and ability to separate down the field vertically.
Although the Patriots don’t have a big-time playmaker outside of Stefon Diggs, there is a logjam at the wide receiver position. With Kendrick Bourne, Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas, Ja’Lynn Polk, Javon Baker, undrafted rookie Efton Chism III and Diggs all in that receiver’s room, Williams will need to separate himself through training camp. As a big play receiver with confidence, the Patriots may have finally hit at receiver via the draft.
New York Jets – Malachi Moore, S: Don’t be surprised if New York Jets fourth round pick Malachi Moore is the team’s starting safety. As another rookie in the AFC East who has impressed early in camp, the Alabama product brings versatility to the Jets’ secondary as well as experience playing under Nick Saban in a complex defense. His ability to play free safety, strong safety and in the slot gives Moore an opportunity to get on the field in multiple coverages.
With Sauce Gardner anchoring the secondary at cornerback, Moore will have an opportunity to solidify the safety group playing behind Tony Adams and Andre Cisco. If he continues to impress and show that versatility he was known for in Alabama, he should take one of those jobs as a starter sooner rather than later.