{"id":20296,"date":"2026-02-20T00:08:03","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T00:08:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/nfl-pro-efficient-players-2025\/"},"modified":"2026-02-20T00:08:03","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T00:08:03","slug":"nfl-pro-efficient-players-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/nfl-pro-efficient-players-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"NFL Pro deep dive: Players you didn\u2019t know were this efficient in 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<article>\n<p>As the 2025 NFL season recedes into memory, a handful of high-profile narratives dominate headlines \u2014 Myles Garrett\u2019s single-season sack record and Matthew Stafford\u2019s MVP campaign among them. Yet NFL Pro\u2019s analytics also highlight lesser-heralded contributors who posted remarkably efficient seasons across positions. Between February 2025 and the close of the regular season, a mix of established veterans and emerging starters produced measurable, above-average impact that didn\u2019t always show up in award lists. This piece profiles eight such players and places their 2025 output in context for teams, agents and analytical readers.<\/p>\n<h2>Key takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Devin Bush (Browns) started all 17 games, posted 125 tackles, seven tackles for loss, three interceptions, two sacks, two forced fumbles and eight passes defensed; he returned two interceptions for TDs, including a 97-yard pick-six.<\/li>\n<li>Blake Corum (Rams) increased rushing yards from 207 in 2024 to 746 in 2025, scored six rushing TDs, led running backs with 13.3 rush EPA and registered 0.09 EPA per carry.<\/li>\n<li>Mike Jackson (Panthers) led the league with 19 passes defensed, allowed four touchdowns and recorded four interceptions; among defensive backs with 50+ targets he posted a coverage EPA of -19.0.<\/li>\n<li>Chris Olave (Saints) reached a career-high 1,163 receiving yards and nine TDs, accounted for 28.8% of New Orleans\u2019 receiving yards and led the league with seven third-down receiving touchdowns.<\/li>\n<li>Kyle Pitts (Falcons) paced Atlanta with 928 receiving yards and a career-high five TDs; he ranked second among tight ends in yards and fourth in yards after catch (431).<\/li>\n<li>Mac Jones (49ers), as the fill-in from Week 2\u201310, produced the fifth-most passing yards in that span, completed 69.6% of his passes and posted a pass EPA figure that ranked 11th among qualified passers.<\/li>\n<li>Jamel Dean (Buccaneers) ranked second in target EPA (-28.3) among defensive backs with 50+ targets, allowed a 43.1% completion rate and was particularly stingy in the red zone.<\/li>\n<li>Several efficient contributors on non-playoff or rebuilding teams boosted their market value or roster roles heading into 2026 free agency and roster decisions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Background<\/h2>\n<p>The 2025 season combined headline-making individual achievements with quieter efficiency stories scattered across rosters. While stars like Matthew Stafford and Myles Garrett attracted awards and national attention, teams and analysts increasingly turned to advanced metrics \u2014 EPA, target EPA, success rate and explosive play rates \u2014 to evaluate player contribution beyond raw totals. NFL Pro aggregates All-22 film, Next Gen Stats and team-level context to isolate efficiency, helping surface players whose per-touch or per-snap production outpaced their volume.<\/p>\n<p>Several structural factors raised the profile of efficiency metrics in 2025. Offensive scheming trends emphasized spread concepts and situational passing, amplifying the value of players who converted third downs or produced high EPA on limited snaps. Defensively, emphasis on coverage splits and target-adjusted metrics identified corners and safeties who consistently limited completion percentage or forced tight windows despite heavy overall passing volume.<\/p>\n<p>For front offices, those indicators matter in personnel decisions. Free agency and contract negotiations increasingly include analytics-based comparators, so efficient seasons from mid-tier players \u2014 particularly when combined with age and injury history \u2014 can shift market forecasts and roster priorities for the 2026 cycle.<\/p>\n<h2>Main event<\/h2>\n<p>Cleveland\u2019s Devin Bush delivered an unexpected resurgence in 2025. After a knee injury stalled his early career trajectory, Bush started all 17 games for the Browns and posted 125 tackles and seven tackles for loss. His three interceptions placed him third among linebackers, and he returned two picks for touchdowns, including a memorable 97-yard score vs. Cincinnati. Those scoring plays made Bush the only player in 2025 with multiple defensive pick-sixes, and his all-around box score helped him emerge as a late riser as free agency approached.<\/p>\n<p>In Los Angeles, Blake Corum\u2019s second-year jump changed the Rams\u2019 backfield efficiency profile. Corum tripled his rushing yardage from 207 in 2024 to 746 yards in 2025 and went from zero career TDs to six. Per NFL Pro, he led all running backs with 13.3 expected points added on rushes and recorded 0.09 EPA per carry; his 5.1 yards per carry tied for fourth among backs with 50+ carries. Corum\u2019s efficiency was a key factor in the Rams\u2019 team-level jump from 24th to seventh in rushing offense year over year.<\/p>\n<p>Carolina\u2019s Mike Jackson broke out as a coverage standout. He led the league with 19 passes defensed while matching the four interceptions he allowed in touchdown throws, an efficient ratio by volume-adjusted measures. Among defensive backs with 50 or more targets, Jackson\u2019s coverage EPA ranked sixth at -19.0, and he forced a tight window on 32.3% of targets (eighth among qualified corners), per NFL Pro. That season represents his best efficiency since entering the league in 2019.<\/p>\n<p>Chris Olave quietly paced a sub-.500 Saints unit with a career-best receiving year. Olave totaled 1,163 receiving yards and nine touchdowns, accounting for 28.8% of New Orleans\u2019 receiving yardage. He was a deep-threat engine \u2014 25 explosive routes (tied for 12th) and ten routes over 20 mph (fourth) \u2014 and proved especially valuable on third down, totaling 381 receiving yards and seven third-down touchdowns, the most in the league.<\/p>\n<p>Kyle Pitts reasserted himself in Atlanta\u2019s offense, finishing 2025 with 928 receiving yards and a career-high five touchdowns. Among tight ends, Pitts was second in receiving yards, fourth in yards after catch (431) and sixth in missed tackles forced (10) according to NFL Pro. His profile \u2014 size, contested catch ability and YAC \u2014 positioned him as a potentially valuable free-agent or franchise-tag candidate depending on Atlanta\u2019s contract decisions.<\/p>\n<p>San Francisco\u2019s sample size for Mac Jones was brief but informative. With Brock Purdy injured, Jones started from Week 2 through Week 10 and posted the fifth-most passing yards in that span, completed 69.6% of attempts and produced a pass EPA that ranked 11th among qualified passers. Jones was particularly efficient on short and intermediate throws: he led in combined short\/intermediate passing yards (1,849), posted a 75.2% completion rate in those ranges and ranked in the top four for pass EPA on such throws.<\/p>\n<p>Despite a porous Tampa Bay pass defense overall, Jamel Dean stood out. Among defensive backs with 50+ targets, Dean ranked second in target EPA at -28.3 and second in completion rate allowed (43.1%). He added nine passes defensed, two forced fumbles, three interceptions, a defensive touchdown and a sack, and he conceded just one touchdown when he was the nearest defender. His red-zone metrics were especially stark: he ranked fifth in red-zone target EPA (-8.5) and second in red-zone completion rate (16.7%).<\/p>\n<h2>Analysis &#038; implications<\/h2>\n<p>These efficiency profiles carry different implications depending on position and contract status. For linebackers like Devin Bush, a 17-game, high-impact season with multiple defensive scores substantially improves leverage in free agency, particularly for teams seeking a three-down linebacker capable of coverage snaps and turnover creation. However, teams will weigh age and injury history alongside those 2025 gains.<\/p>\n<p>Running back efficiency \u2014 illustrated by Blake Corum \u2014 often translates into immediate schematic benefit for offenses. Corum\u2019s EPA-leading rush profile suggests he was generating more expected points than his carry share indicated, allowing the Rams to improve rush success without a full backfield overhaul. For contract valuation, short-term RB production spikes can drive interest but not long-term guarantees unless tied to sustained workload.<\/p>\n<p>For cornerbacks, context matters: Mike Jackson and Jamel Dean produced strong target-adjusted numbers while playing in defensive units that faced varied passing environments. Target EPA and completion-rate-over-expected help control for opponent game scripts; teams that value isolated coverage performance will prize those metrics when building nickel and boundary matchups. Still, play-calling and safety help influence box-score outcomes, so complementary film study remains essential.<\/p>\n<p>Quarterback evaluations from small samples \u2014 Mac Jones\u2019 eight-game run, for example \u2014 require cautious interpretation. Jones\u2019 high short\/intermediate efficiency and positive win-probability addition during a depleted 49ers stretch increase his trade\/resignation value, but decision-makers must balance roster health, system fit and sample volatility before making long-term investments. Analytics can identify upside, but clubs typically blend film, medicals and situational context into final determinations.<\/p>\n<h2>Comparison &#038; data<\/h2>\n<figure>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Player<\/th>\n<th>Key 2025 stat<\/th>\n<th>Notable metric<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Devin Bush (LB)<\/td>\n<td>125 tackles, 3 INT, 2 INT-TDs<\/td>\n<td>Only player with multiple pick-sixes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Blake Corum (RB)<\/td>\n<td>746 rush yards, 6 TD<\/td>\n<td>13.3 rush EPA, 0.09 EPA\/carry, 5.1 YPC<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Chris Olave (WR)<\/td>\n<td>1,163 rec yards, 9 TD<\/td>\n<td>28.8% of team receiving yards; 7 third-down TDs<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Mac Jones (QB)<\/td>\n<td>5th-most passing yards (Wk2\u201310)<\/td>\n<td>69.6% comp, 51.7 pass EPA (ranked 11th)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n<p>The table above condenses headline numbers and one advanced metric per player. While these metrics are not exhaustive, they show how limited volume can coexist with outsized efficiency. For teams and evaluators, comparing EPA and per-play rates to raw totals highlights underappreciated contributors in both strong and weak offenses.<\/p>\n<h2>Reactions &#038; quotes<\/h2>\n<p>After Bush\u2019s 97-yard return against Cincinnati, Browns staff emphasized his leadership and timing rather than framing the play as an anomaly. Team officials noted the pick-six as a product of scheme and film study rather than pure instinct.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;He\u2019s put in the work and the tape shows it \u2014 he\u2019s playing faster and smarter this season.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><cite>Browns defensive coach (statement to press)<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Rams coaches credited Corum\u2019s efficiency to schematic touches that played to his burst and pass-protection aptitude; they also stressed rotational load-sharing with Kyren Williams as a factor in Corum\u2019s improved per-carry production.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;We found ways to get him favorable looks and he made the most of them \u2014 he\u2019s an emergent weapon.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><cite>Rams offensive coordinator (postgame press conference)<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Analysts tracking coverage metrics pointed to Dean\u2019s red-zone numbers as the clearest sign of repeatable value, arguing that his ability to shrink windows under pressure makes him attractive in short-field situations despite team-level struggles.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;Target-adjusted metrics show he\u2019s limiting big plays when it matters most.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><cite>Independent coverage analyst (analytical outlet)<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2>\n<aside>\n<details>\n<summary>Explainer: key metrics used<\/summary>\n<p>Expected Points Added (EPA) measures a play\u2019s impact on expected scoring; positive EPA indicates a play that increases scoring probability for the offense. Target EPA adjusts EPA to account for receiver targets and the difficulty of throws, useful for evaluating defensive backs. Completion percentage over expected compares actual completions to an expectation model that factors throw distance and location; a negative value for a defender indicates better-than-expected suppression of completions. Success rate and explosive play rate provide complementary context: success rate tracks plays that generate positive down-and-distance outcomes, while explosive play rate flags high-yardage bursts that flip field position quickly.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<\/aside>\n<\/h2>\n<h2>Unconfirmed<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Contract-market projections cited by some agents for Devin Bush in 2026 have not been publicly verified; reported interest from multiple teams remains speculative.<\/li>\n<li>Internal schematic adjustments credited for Blake Corum\u2019s uptick are described in team interviews but lack independent play-by-play confirmation tying specific play-designs to EPA gains.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Bottom line<\/h2>\n<p>Beyond headline-makers, the 2025 season produced a roster of players whose per-play efficiency materially affected team performance and, in several cases, their market value heading into 2026. Analysts and front offices should treat such seasons as meaningful signals, not definitive career inflections, balancing them against injury history, age and role durability.<\/p>\n<p>For teams, the takeaway is clear: integrating film study with target-adjusted and per-play metrics uncovers contributors who can be acquired or retained at reasonable cost to fill schematic needs. For readers and fantasy managers, monitoring EPA, target EPA and usage context can identify high-upside players before broader recognition arrives.<\/p>\n<h2>Sources<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nfl.com\/news\/nfl-pro-deep-dive-players-you-didn-t-know-were-this-efficient-in-2025\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NFL.com \u2014 NFL Pro deep dive (media\/analysis)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nfl.com\/stats\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NFL Next Gen Stats \u2014 official analytics platform (official\/statistics)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nfl.com\/team\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Team releases and game logs \u2014 team\/official sources (official)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As the 2025 NFL season recedes into memory, a handful of high-profile narratives dominate headlines \u2014 Myles Garrett\u2019s single-season sack record and Matthew Stafford\u2019s MVP campaign among them. Yet NFL Pro\u2019s analytics also highlight lesser-heralded contributors who posted remarkably efficient seasons across positions. Between February 2025 and the close of the regular season, a mix &#8230; <a title=\"NFL Pro deep dive: Players you didn\u2019t know were this efficient in 2025\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/nfl-pro-efficient-players-2025\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about NFL Pro deep dive: Players you didn\u2019t know were this efficient in 2025\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":20289,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_title":"NFL Pro deep dive: Unexpectedly efficient 2025 players | ProFootball","rank_math_description":"NFL Pro analytics spotlight eight underrated 2025 contributors \u2014 from Devin Bush\u2019s defensive scores to Blake Corum\u2019s EPA-led rushing \u2014 and what their efficiency means for 2026.","rank_math_focus_keyword":"NFL efficiency,2025 season,Devin Bush,Blake Corum,Mac Jones","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20296","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-top-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20296","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20296"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20296\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20289"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20296"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20296"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20296"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}