- The Seahawks’ rookies are playing their best football at the right time: Grey Zabel owns an 87.7 PFF overall grade and has allowed just four pressures in his past four games, and Nick Emmanwori’s 89.5 PFF overall grade against the Rams led all defensive players in the conference championship round.
- Craig Woodson has been an unsung hero in New England’s secondary: No Patriots defender has played more snaps than Woodson this season, and he boasts strong PFF grades in coverage and run defense.
- 2026 NFL Draft season is here: Try the best-in-class PFF Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2026’s top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL team.
Estimated Reading Time: 4minutes
Super Bowl 60 features two teams that have significantly exceeded expectations coming into the year. The New England Patriots were coming off back-to-back four-win seasons and are now led by Mike Vrabel in his first year as the team’s head coach, while the Seattle Seahawks came out of arguably the league’s toughest division with questions about whether they made the right call at quarterback this offseason.
When looking at their paths to the Super Bowl, the importance of each team’s rookie classes this season stands out. A combined 12 rookies between the teams played at least 200 snaps this season (in addition to Patriots kicker Andy Borregales), with most seeing meaningful snaps in the postseason.
Here are the standout rookies from the 2025 Super Bowl rosters.
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G Grey Zabel, Seattle Seahawks (Round 1, 18th overall)
The 18th overall pick in this year’s draft has started all 19 games (including the playoffs) at left guard for the NFC champion Seahawks. He helped stabilize an offensive line that, after ranking dead last in PFF pass-blocking grade in 2024, climbed all the way up to 14th in 2025.
Zabel endured some growing pains in his first NFL season but improved over time, playing his best ball of the year heading into the Super Bowl. Over the past four games (since Week 17), he owns an 87.7 PFF overall grade and has allowed just four pressures (zero sacks) across 124 pass-blocking snaps.
S Nick Emmanwori, Seattle Seahawks (Round 2, 35th overall)
Like Zabel, safety Nick Emmanwori is peaking at the right time for the Seahawks. Emmanwori’s 89.5 PFF overall grade against the Rams led all defensive players in the conference championship round. He allowed just two receptions (five targets) for eight yards and broke up three passes in coverage in the contest.
Emmanwori’s versatility has been on full display all season, as he has handled 420 snaps in the slot, 329 in the box, 103 on the defensive line, 15 at wide cornerback and seven at free safety. His ability to impact the game in several ways will be a key factor in the Super Bowl against the Patriots.
T Will Campbell, New England Patriots (Round 1, 4th overall)
Campbell was having an excellent season before suffering a Grade 3 MCL sprain in his right knee against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 12. He had allowed 25 pressures across 452 pass-blocking snaps and earned above-average PFF grades in the run game up to that point.
Since returning to the lineup, he hasn’t been the same player, particularly in playoff victories against the Chargers, Texans and Broncos. He has allowed 11 pressures (including three sacks) and owns a 39.8 PFF pass-blocking grade over the three contests. Campbell’s ability to hold up against another stout defense will go a long way in determining the Super Bowl outcome.
RB TreVeyon Henderson, New England Patriots (Round 2, 38th overall)
Henderson is coming off a season-low four snaps in the AFC Championship game against the Broncos, a workload that appeared more game script-motivated than anything. Before that, he was averaging 29 snaps per game across 19 appearances. He figures to be more involved in the Super Bowl against the Seahawks’ defense.
During the regular season, Henderson ranked fourth in yards per carry (5.1) and seventh in yards after contact per attempt (3.45) among running backs with at least 150 attempts. He was also a reliable option in the passing game, ranking in the top 20 at his position with 35 receptions.
S Craig Woodson, New England Patriots (Round 4, 106th overall)
Woodson is on my short list for the most underrated players in the NFL this season. The fourth-round pick out of California has played more snaps than anyone on the Patriots’ defense (1,137) and has graded out strongly across the board, with an 86.1 PFF run-defense grade and a 67.5 PFF coverage grade.
Most impressive about Woodson’s year is how he has stepped up in the postseason, earning an elite 90.6 PFF overall grade across three playoff victories. Woodson’s toughest test awaits in the Super Bowl in All-Pro wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and running back Kenneth Walker III, two players who ranked near the top at their respective positions in PFF overall grade this season.
