The excitement around the rookies drafted in April’s NFL Draft is what carries NFL fans through the dullness of the summer, mini camp and the lead up to training camp. They can’t wait to see what the youngsters can do after officially finding out which teams they landed at. With it comes a lot of expectations.

Even some of the top players drafted deserve more than a year to determine if they’re franchise game-changers or busts. Let’s take a look at the players that will need more than a year to develop into franchise players.

5. Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers drafted Tetairoa McMillan with the eighth overall pick in April. He’s going to be an important piece of this offense, but it will take time. Just like the Panthers had to be patient with Bryce Young, they have to be patient with McMillan, too. This offense needs a lot of work, and McMillan isn’t going to change that in a season.

Carolina is going to be in a rebuild for a few more years, probably. Which is why Xavier Legette and McMillan can eventually become go-to players for Young. McMillan was taken with the No. 8 overall pick, more so because the Panthers knew they needed weapons. The problem is, this wasn’t a deep class, so they had to go with who they thought was the best option.

McMillan should eventually be a good player for this offense as long as Young continues making positive strides. McMillan was solid at Arizona and that should translate well to the NFL. With another team, maybe you’d have to ramp up the expectations on McMillan. But he’s with a team that needs a lot of help. What he’s going to contribute this season won’t change how good this team is. And it doesn’t mean he’s a bust.

4. Josh Simmons, Kansas City Chiefs

A lot of the talk about Josh Simmons is his injury history and if he’ll be healthy enough to start this season or even have the impact the Kansas City Chiefs need him to have. He’s a player that will need at least one season to get his feet under him. Even if he is healthy to start the year, he missed most of the 2024 season at Ohio State to a knee injury.

The problem with this is the Chiefs drafted him as the answer to their offensive line problems and vacancy at left tackle. I think he could realistically have a good season if he’s healthy, but that’s also why he needs more than just this season to determine if he can protect Patrick Mahomes’ blind side like they need him to.

3. Will Johnson, Arizona Cardinals

Will Johnson, at one point, was considered a top five pick in the NFL Draft. Then he essentially missed his entire final season at Michigan due to various injuries and that plummeted his draft stock. He ended up falling to the second round and became an afterthought. That said, I think he could very well be a solid corner if he stays healthy.

Take Sauce Gardner for example. He had a solid rookie season and fell off quickly. Now with his rookie extension on the horizon, he has to prove he’s worth getting paid like Derek Stingley Jr. just did by the Houston Texans. Johnson will need patience to carve out his role in the NFL.

The Cardinals lost Sean Murphy-Bunting for the season to injury, which means Johnson will have a chance to prove why he should have been taken in the first round. But if he doesn’t have an exceptional rookie season, I think he’s afforded a chance to grow in the NFL. For one, he’s probably going to be a bit rusty and NFL speed doesn’t compare to college speed.

Don’t write him off, though, or say he should have fallen in the draft if he’s not one of the top rookie defensive backs in 2025. He may need a few years to get comfortable.

2. Trey Amos, Washington Commanders

Trey Amos is in an interesting position with the Washington Commanders. They need help in the secondary, which is why they drafted him, but like with Johnson and many other corners, they’re going to take time to adjust to new defensive schemes and match up against the best skill players in the world.

Amos I think has a chance to be a solid addition to a team that’s starving for a lockdown cornerback. Just like the Commanders are being patient with Marcus Lattimore and deciding what to do with him, they need to give Amos that same treatment. He’s not going to come in and immediately be the No. 1 corner.

But there’s a reality where Amos and Mikey Sainristil become one of the most lethal cornerback duos in the NFL.

1. Jaxson Dart, New York Giants

The New York Giants drafted Jaxson Dart as the future for this team. I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t play at all this season. They signed both Jameis Winston and Russell Wilson, who will more than handle the offense in 2025. But when it is Dart’s time, New York has to be just as patient with him as they were with Daniel Jones, even if this coaching staff isn’t here when its his turn.

The quarterback position is so volatile and if Sam Darnold and Geno Smith showed us anything, patience is key in development. Dart has a chance to save the Giants from their quarterback conundrum that has haunted them since Eli Manning retired. But it won’t happen in a season or two.

The Panthers are realizing they almost made an egregious mistake in giving up on Young too soon. The Giants can’t do that with Dart. That’s the most important position and they need to treat it as such. Otherwise, trading up in the draft was all for nothing.