In today’s high-stakes NFL world, the patience once granted to young stars is nearly extinct. First-round picks are no longer gifted three or four years to find their rhythm—they're expected to show sparks of greatness almost instantly. If they don’t? Teams move on. It’s a cold, calculated, cutthroat business.
So, what happens to those who’ve struggled to live up to the hype? Some get a lifeline—a fresh system, a new coach, or even a position switch. Others fade into obscurity or become league-wide cautionary tales. But every now and then, a player clings to that final thread and reclaims his narrative.
Welcome to 2025, where these nine former first-rounders are under the microscope. For some, it’s their last real shot at changing how the NFL world sees them. Let’s dive into the storylines, broken dreams, potential redemption arcs, and pressure-cooker seasons ahead.
📌 Trevor Lawrence — Jacksonville Jaguars QB
Drafted: No. 1 overall in 2021 | Season: 5th
At first glance, Lawrence doesn’t belong on this list. The man just landed a jaw-dropping $275 million contract. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll find a quarterback with sky-high expectations—and mixed results.
Despite being viewed as a generational talent coming out of Clemson, Lawrence leads the entire NFL in turnovers (68) since entering the league. He’s also had to deal with three different head coaches and recently missed seven games due to injuries in 2024. New offensive coordinator Liam Coen has his work cut out for him. This is a big year for Lawrence to prove he's not just flashy potential but true franchise material.
📌 Bryce Young — Carolina Panthers QB
Drafted: No. 1 overall in 2023 | Season: 3rd
There’s something almost Shakespearean about Young’s journey so far. Touted as the "sure thing" over C.J. Stroud, he instead found himself benched by Year 2. Head coach Dave Canales may still believe in him, but time is ticking.
The Alabama product ended 2024 with a flicker of progress, but his completion percentage barely hovers above 60%, and questions about his long-term viability remain. Is he more than just a high-IQ game manager? Or has Carolina already begun looking elsewhere behind closed doors?
📌 Anthony Richardson — Indianapolis Colts QB
Drafted: No. 4 overall in 2023 | Season: 3rd
No one questioned Richardson's athletic gifts. The guy's a walking highlight reel—when healthy. But that's a big "if." Between erratic play and constant injuries, he’s already lost his starting spot multiple times.
The Colts made a bold move this offseason by signing Daniel Jones to provide serious QB1 competition. Message received: This is make-or-break time. Can Richardson finally put it all together, or is he destined to be remembered as a “what-could-have-been” player?
📌 Travis Etienne — Jacksonville Jaguars RB
Drafted: No. 25 overall in 2021 | Season: 5th
If Lawrence is on notice, so is his college running mate. Etienne showed flashes of brilliance in 2022 with 1,400+ total yards, but since then? His yards-per-carry has dipped to a concerning 3.75, and fellow back Tank Bigsby has looked more efficient.
Trade rumors have been swirling around Etienne as he heads into a contract year. The clock is ticking, and if he doesn’t turn things around, Jacksonville may opt to move on from yet another piece of their 2021 draft class.
📌 Treylon Burks — Tennessee Titans WR
Drafted: No. 18 overall in 2022 | Season: 4th
Burks was unfairly thrown into the fire when he was drafted with the pick the Titans received for A.J. Brown. That’s a hard legacy to live up to, and Burks simply hasn’t been able to keep up—literally.
Injuries have kept him off the field for 25 games in three years, including a devastating torn ACL. Now pegged as the No. 3 receiver behind DeAndre Hopkins and Tyler Boyd, his best hope lies in developing chemistry with rookie QB Cam Ward.
📌 Evan Neal — New York Giants OL
Drafted: No. 7 overall in 2022 | Season: 4th
Neal came to the Giants with top-tier expectations from Alabama, but those dreams have been dragged down by both injury and performance. With only 27 starts over three seasons, he hasn’t been the anchor New York hoped for.
Then came the controversy—Neal clapped back at frustrated fans in 2023, claiming he was “above criticism.” He later apologized, but the damage lingered. Now moved inside to guard, he’s in a last-ditch effort to prove he can still be part of the Giants’ O-line solution.
📌 Trevor Penning — New Orleans Saints OL
Drafted: No. 19 overall in 2022 | Season: 4th
Penning was drafted as a future blindside protector, but after missing most of his rookie year and losing his starting job in Year 2, that vision never came to life.
To his credit, he stayed on the field in 2024, but he also racked up 11 penalties and looked shaky throughout. The Saints are moving him to left guard, hoping the interior shift will revive his prospects. With new blood like rookie Kelvin Banks Jr. around, Penning must show versatility—or risk being left behind.
📌 Tyree Wilson — Las Vegas Raiders DE
Drafted: No. 7 overall in 2023 | Season: 3rd
It’s déjà vu in Las Vegas. Wilson was supposed to replace the disappointment of Clelin Ferrell, but he's tracking dangerously close to the same path. With only eight sacks in two seasons, the production hasn’t matched the hype.
New head coach Pete Carroll brings a defensive pedigree that could finally unlock Wilson’s potential. The raw tools are still there—size, burst, and an improved number of QB hits in Year 2—but he’s running out of time to put it all together.
📌 Lukas Van Ness — Green Bay Packers DE
Drafted: No. 13 overall in 2023 | Season: 3rd
Nicknamed “Hercules” during his college days at Iowa, Van Ness looked like a perfect culture fit in Green Bay. But two seasons in, he has yet to make a single official start, stuck in the team’s edge rotation.
His total of seven sacks isn’t terrible, but it’s far from first-round impact. Head coach Matt LaFleur has hinted at a new role in 2025: shifting Van Ness inside to spark production. If that doesn’t work, the Packers might start seeing him as more myth than reality.
🔥 Final Thoughts: Time to Ball or Fall
Every player here was once seen as a can’t-miss prospect. But the NFL has no room for sentiment. As we enter the 2025 season, these nine guys are fighting for more than just wins—they're fighting for legacies, for second chances, and for NFL survival.
The spotlight is hot. The expectations are louder than ever. And the question looms:
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