Author: Nathan Hott

2025 CB Prospects Top 5

This class has some questions to it even if it does have a bunch of talented guys. Is Travis Hunter going to reach his absolute apex as a CB? Is Will Johnson the guy he was in 2023 or the guy he was in 2024? Will Benjamin Morrison or Shavon Revel Jr. return to their pre-injury forms? What is Jadhae Barron’s best position in the secondary? Does Azareye’h Thomas become the best CB from this class? Such an interesting group.

Cornerback

1. Travis Hunter (Colorado):  I’m ranking Hunter as a CB, I think it’s his best position eventually.  It would be much simpler for him to be a full-time CB and then play WR some of the time, instead of being a full-time WR and a part-time CB.  His upside as a CB is being an All-Pro.  He’s a one of one athlete and once he concentrates on one position, he’s going to be elite, and I’m not talking about by college standards.  His body control is crazy and his ball skills are fantastic.  He has the size and skills to be the best CB in the league.  Let him moonlight as a WR, don’t waste a CB talent like him. 

2. Will Johnson (Michigan):  Johnson had a down year at Michigan and that only means he should go somewhere between 7-15 in round one instead of the top 5, that’s how good he actually is.  He’s 6’2 202 lbs. so he looks a little slender but he’s tough as nails.  His footwork can get a little messy but he can recover and he just needs to tighten it up.  He wasn’t healthy all year and yet he was still better than most.  He doesn’t have elite speed but he’s excellent overall, don’t over think it. 

3. Benjamin Morrison (Notre Dame): This is a tough one.  From a talent standpoint Morrison should be right here but he’s coming off a hip injury that scares me.  CBs have to be able to flip their hips to run with WRs and Morrison’s transitions weren’t the smoothest before the injury.  What is he now?  If he’s healthy, he’s a stud who can play outside CB or in the slot and he has great CB size.  If his health is compromised, I just don’t know. 

4. Jahdae Barron (Texas):  Barron’s biggest strength might also be his biggest weakness as a draft prospect.  He was a slot corner in 2023 and was really good playing inside.  Then this year he moved outside and showed he was really good there.  He also sometimes plays like a safety, so the question is, where do you play him.  He’s going to help someone’s defense for sure but what’s his best spot.  Two things working against him, he’s already 23, so has he reached his ceiling? Also, he’s maybe 5’11 so he doesn’t have elite height to be an outside CB. 

5. Shavon Revel Jr. (East Carolina): Another guy coming off an injury but his is a little more straight forward.  He tore his ACL back in September so as long as he hasn’t had any set backs in recovery, that shouldn’t be an issue.  He has elite CB potential with his length, speed, and coverage skills.  He’s a legit 6’2 (he might actually be 6’3) and while he’s a little slight at 188 lbs., it hasn’t hindered him at all.  He’s feisty and plays with an attitude. 

*Other player to note: Azareye’h Thomas (Florida St.): Thomas was a forgotten man with Florida St.’s terrible season.  He also had a couple of guys a head of him last season who got drafted.  He showed up at the Senior Bowl and made everyone take notice. He’s 6’2 198 lbs. and plays with physicality you want to see out of a guy that size. He’s got some things to work on but he’s only 20 years old and they don’t make that many guys built like him to play CB. 

2025 LB and S Prospects-Top 3

I couldn’t get to five LB or safety prospects to talk about at this point so I’m dropping both of the positions at the same time. There are some other LBs like Carson Schwesinger (UCLA), Smael Mondon Jr. (Georgia), or Demetrius Knight Jr. (South Carolina) that will be ranked by different people but I haven’t spent enough time on them to get a great feel. LB isn’t a high priority position for most teams so these are mid-round guys. LBs matter but teams just don’t invest high draft capital unless a guy really stands out. Here’s the guys I have.

Linebacker

1. Jalon Walker (Georgia): Walker is a bit of an enigma.  Georgia lined him up as an off-ball LB but his best plays come when he’s a pass rusher.  Unfortunately for him, he 6’2 245 lbs. and is a little small to be a full time pass rusher. He also lacks the top end athleticism that a guy like Abdul Carter has.  In the right defense, he’s a monster, in the wrong defense, he’s a complete bust. Some people have him rated as an edge rusher but I’m just unsure that’s his full-time position, he’s a polarizing prospect for sure.   

2. Jihad Campbell (Alabama):  He’s still a young, developing player, he doesn’t turn 21 until late February.  He’s 6’4 244 lbs. and moves very well for a guy that size.  His combination of speed and size at his age makes his ceiling quite high.  He can work on some technique things like lowing his pad level when he tackles and fighting off blocks but those are coachable skills.  Could play multiple LB positions so that helps too. 

3. Barrett Carter (Clemson):  Carter is undersized but he’s been a solid prospect for a couple of years.  He’s definitely a guy who should be used in a subpackage and not as an every down LB to start.  He can work on his coverage skills but he’s a good athlete and he can play in the NFL.

*Others player to note: Jay Higgins (Iowa): I’m not going to pretend I’ve been finding a lot of hidden gems in the LB class.  It’s not a great group.  I wanted to mention Higgins but it’s not the best report.  Higgins went to the Shrine Bowl and his measurements are not going to help him. He was barely 6’0 225 lbs. and he’s short-armed and runs a little stiff.  He doesn’t have the lateral quickness you would hope from a guy that small.  That also means he’s probably only a middle LB prospect. Those things are not going to help him get drafted.  That’s the bad news.  The good news is he has better LB instincts than half the guy in the NFL.  His ability to diagnose a play is uncanny and it gives him an edge.  Higgins is going to have to make a team as a special team’s demon to start and hope someone gives him a shot at LB.  It’s going to be hard to be a run thumping MLB at his size but there have been small guys who have done it.  If he gets drafted, it won’t be high, but once he gets to a team, I’m not betting against him. 

Top 3 Safety Prospects

A lot like the LB spot, I just don’t have a lot of these guys I’m really high on and I haven’t gotten deep enough to really like guys like Kevin Winston Jr (Penn St) or Andrew Mukuba (Texas). Starks is the only safety prospect I like near the top of the draft. I’m seeing mock drafts with Nick Emmanwori from South Carolina in round one and that seems too rich for my blood. He’s a hell of a physical specimen but I’ve seen too many tweeners suck because teams don’t know what to do with them. In five years is he playing LB on is third team and trying to figure it out? If you think that can’t happen go look at Kyzir White’s career. He may be having a nice career for himself but ti’s not something you want to see if you spent a first round pick on that guy. Someone should just play it smart and take Sebastian Castro later in the draft, you can thank me later.

Safeties

1. Malaki Starks (Georgia):  Starks is the best safety in the class and I don’t think it’s particularly close.  He’s great coming downhill to stop the run and he’s athletic enough to play deep.  He has good awareness and hands to make plays in the passing game.  He doesn’t have the best technique if you want him to run with a smaller, faster player but his pluses far outweigh his minuses.  He’s the only safety I would take in round one.

2. Nick Emmanwori (South Carolina): This is a big safety at 6’3 227 lbs. but he doesn’t always play like it.  At times he looks like a freak who can dominate any game at any time.  Other times, he vanishes a bit.  He might be too much of a tweener where teams aren’t sure if he’s a safety or a LB.  Some guys excel at the position but others never find their way.  A team with a plan on how best to use him will be best. 

3. Xavier Watts (Notre Dame):  Watts isn’t the most fluid athlete and can be beat by speed but he brings it every play.  He won’t be outworked on the field and he’s just a ball player.  There are more athletic safeties, there are faster safeties, there are bigger safeties, but there aren’t many better safeties.  If you’re going to bet on a day two safety, take Watts. 

*Other player to note:  Sebastian Castro (Iowa):  This is a bit of a homer pick but there just aren’t a lot of safeties in this class that I like.  Castro played the Cash position at Iowa which is a hybrid LB/S position and he played in the slot as the nickel corner which is probably where teams will look to use him.  He has the size to play the safety spot and the coverage ability to be a real asset for a defense.  He’s a high character, high IQ guy and those guys tend to stick in the NFL.  Like Jay Higgins, he may have to initially make his living on special teams, but he did that at Iowa before he got the chance to start on defense so it won’t be a problem. Like so many other Iowa DBs before him, Castro will outplay his draft slot, that’s what Phil Parker trained guys do. 

2025 DT Prospects Top 5

There are some dudes in this group. Guys who are the size of these men should not be able to move like these guys do. Mason Graham is the cream of the crop but you don’t have to mortgage your future to move up to get him to get a good DT. There are different types too. Need a disruptive force who can get into the backfield? No problem, Walter Nolan and Derrick Harmon got you covered. How about a space eater in the middle? Kenneth Grant, Tyliek Williams and Deone Walker are waiting for you.

Defensive Tackle

1. Mason Graham (Michigan):  Graham is 6’3 313 lbs. of sheer terror on the interior.  He’s quick and immovable at the same time.  He’s barrel-chested and it makes him hard to handle.  He’s equally adept at stopping the run and getting penetration and he’s been known to slide outside a bit and rush the passer just in case you thought he was a one-trick pony.  He’s relentless too. He’s a top five talent in the draft. 

2. Walter Nolan (Ole Miss):  Nolan is a 6’3 300 lbs. twitched up athlete with an quick first step.  He has some holes in his game but there aren’t a lot of guys who are his size who move like he does.  He gets on the offensive linemen fast and wins quickly.  He’s disruptive and he’ll be a starter early.  He’s one of the most disruptive defensive players in this draft.   

3. Kenneth Grant (Michigan):  Surprisingly Graham isn’t the “big” DT from Michigan, that would be Grant.  He’s 6’3 339 lbs. and seems as tall as he is wide.  He’s the anchor in the middle of any defense and while he’s not flashy, he’s an important piece to a defense.  Graham was an awesome player at Michigan but his job was a lot easier because he played next to Grant.  If a team needs a space eater in the middle, Grant is your guy. 

4. Derrick Harmon (Oregon):  Harmon is 6’5 310 lbs. and moves really well on the interior.  He’s on the taller side for a DT so he has to remember to keep his pad level low, otherwise, he’s an easy target.  He’s a major disruptive force when he stays low and uses his athleticism.  He can be a problem.

5. Tyliek Williams (Ohio St.):  He’s the next giant anchor in the middle of the defensive line.  At 6’3 327 lbs. he’s hard to move and allows others around him to flourish.  He’s not flashy, he’s just solid as a rock.  He made it much easier for his linemates JT Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer to be playmakers on the edge.  He will do that for his NFL linemates too. 

*Other player to note: Deone Walker (Kentucky):  Walker is the biggest of the big men.  He’s 6’6 345 lbs. and he will ruin your day.  When he’s on, he’s awesome.  He needs more consistency but someone is going to bet on a guy that size. 

2025 Edge Prospects Top 5

Abdul Carter is the guy everyone is talking about in this group and he stands above the rest. However, after him, there’s a plethora of edge rushers to love and you can have you pick because there’s all kinds of different one. Do you like quick, agile guys off the edge? Here’s James Pearce Jr., Mike Green, or you can wait for Princely Umanmielen or Donovan Ezeiruaku a little later. Do you want a big, powerful edge player? How about Shamar Stewart or Mykel Williams, no just wait for JT Tuimoloau or Jordan Burch. This group is insanely deep, everyone gets a new edge player in this draft.

Edge Rusher/Defensive Ends

1. Abdul Carter (Penn St.):  Carter is the dark horse to be the first pick in this draft.  He’s an elite pass rusher with his speed and athleticism off the edge setting him apart.  He has as high of a ceiling as any prospect this year.  He could be a cross between Micah Parsons and TJ Watt.  While his size at 6’3 252 lbs. doesn’t make him the biggest edge rusher, he has great strength.  His speed and explosive first step make him one of one this year and he could be a great pass rusher. 

2. James Pearce Jr. (Tennessee):  Pearce is long and lean at 6’5 243 lbs. and has great edge rushing ability.  He can bend the edge and get around OTs with a nice set of moves.  He isn’t going to be a stout run defender because of his size but no one is drafting him to be a base end, it’s to get to the QB.  Teams that need an elite pass rusher are going to be after this guy, he has high upside off the edge.

3. Mike Green (Marshall):  Green has been a steady climber all season as he was dominant at Marshall.  That culminated at the Senior Bowl when he went up against some really good offensive linemen and was awesome.  He seems smaller being 6’4 248 lbs. and looking lean, but he can convert speed to power and knock a big man off his feet.  He has great pass rush skill to get around the edge too and he’s going to go much higher than anyone thought he would. 

4. Mykel Williams (Georgia): If you could build a DE in a lab he would look like Mykel Williams.  He’s 6’5 265 lbs. with long arms and he’s a physical freak.  Unfortunately, he’s never been as productive as his physical profile would lead you to believe.  He’s a good overall defender but he’s never had great pass rush skill or instincts that shine through.  He could develop his skills but it’s betting on potential not production.  Someone is going to take the chance on his physical profile and probably pretty early. 

5. Shemar Stewart (Texas A&M):  Stewart was a man amongst boys early at the Senior Bowl practices.  He’s a really big man for a defensive end, he’s 6’6 290 lbs. and plays to his size.  He can slide inside and rush from a DT spot or just overwhelm guys on the edge.  His size is his calling card and he made a move up the board at the Senior Bowl. 

*Others to know (this is just a list, this class is ridiculously deep):  Nic Scourton (Texas A&M), Jack Sawyer (Ohio St.), Landon Jackson (Arkansas), Princely Umanmielen (Ole Miss), JT Tuimoloau (Ohio St.), Donovan Ezeiruaku (Boston College), Jordan Burch (Oregon), Jared Ivey (Ole Miss)  That’s 13 edge rushers who should go in the first two rounds of this draft.

2025 OG/C Prospects Top 5

After rereading this top 5 before publishing it, it feels like I’m really ragging Tyler Booker, I don’t mean to come off like I don’t like him. He can be a good starting OG in the league for a decade plus. However, I don’t think he’s going to make a major difference over other guards in this class. He gets and A+ rating as a person and a leader from everyone at Alabama but a guard can only help so much. The difference in how much better your offensive line would be between taking Booker in round one or a guy like Emory Jones late in round two is negligible. For every Quentin Nelson in round one there is Chance Warmack, never overdraft a guard.

Interior Offensive Linemen

1. Tyler Booker (Alabama):  Booker is a very large human at 6’5 325 lbs. and he plays with elite power.  He is what is known as a people mover.  His main weakness is that he’s probably limited to playing guard, he isn’t athletic enough to move to center or tackle.  He’s also a little heavy footed and while he will be a really good guard, that’s his ceiling.  The mock drafts that have him going in the upper half of round one seem crazy to me.  For a guard to go that high, you have to have Quentin Nelson like ability, Booker isn’t that.    

2. Grey Zabel (North Dakota St.):  Zabel is upholding the new tradition of North Dakota St. putting offensive linemen into the NFL.  He could be this year’s version of Graham Barton from last year too.  Zabel played LT at North Dakota St. but most teams think he moves inside and smart teams see him as a center.  He went to the Senior Bowl and played both guard and center.  The center class this year is bad so he should be the first one off the board if a team wants him to play there.  I think he goes late round one and starts at center next season ala Graham Barton last year for Tampa Bay. 

3. Donovan Jackson (Ohio St.):  Jackson has been a good prospect for a number of years now and this year he got even better.  He’s always been a guard prospect and a really good one but this year he was forced to play LT when the Buckeyes lost their top two LTs.  He stepped in and played quite well while OSU made a run to the National Championship.  He’s not a LT prospect for the NFL but his value went up after his excellent play this year. Donovan Jackson is exactly why you don’t draft Tyler Booker in round one, you can get Jackson somewhere on day two and he can be just as good at guard as Booker.   

4. Emory Jones (LSU):  Jones has started at RT for several years and he’s been good.  He could potentially play RT in the NFL but most teams see him as an OG.  He went to the Senior Bowl and struggled early playing RT, then was awesome at OG.  He could be an All-Pro guard. He’s another guy who proves you shouldn’t reach for a guard in round one and just get a guy who can be just as good on day two.

5. Wyatt Milum (West Virginia):  Milum is another guy who played OT in college but will move inside in the NFL, it’s a major theme of the offensive line guys in this draft.  Milum went to the Senior Bowl too and played some OT but mostly OG.  He was better at OG but didn’t have a standout week.  He’s a day two pick for sure but it’s going to be as an OG. 

*Other player of note: Jonah Savaiinaea (Arizona):  There are some massive players at OG and Savaiinaea is one of the biggest.  He’s 6’6 330 lbs. and has played both LT and RT but most teams will love him at guard.  He’s a behemoth and will dominate on the inside.  He could play RT and someone might give him a shot there so he may go higher than some anticipate.