Tag: nfl

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. 

2025 OT Draft Prospect Top 5

Every year when I’m doing my draft prep there are always some guys who are “my guys” and this is a common thing amongst the draft community. There’s always a few prospects you like more than others. LSU OT Will Campbell is one of my guys this year. He’s not flashy, he’s just good. I would bet on him at LT. This OT is good but all the guys come with some questions. Whether it’s their length (Campbell), strange build (Membou), heavy feet (Cameron Williams), injury issue (Simmons) or whatever someone wants to pick on, none of them are perfect prospects. There are starting LTs available in this draft, don’t overthink it.

Offensive Tackles

1. Will Campbell (LSU):  There are a lot of differing opinions on the top OT in this draft but I’m sticking with Will Campbell.  I don’t care if his arms are not the standard length, he’s just good.  He’s smart, he’s experienced, and he’s just consistently good.  In this class, I just want the guy I can depend on. This guy stepped in as a starter at LSU as s true freshman and started at LT for three years, don’t try to convince me he can’t handle starting in the NFL.  He’s not going to be Jonathan Ogden but there are a lot of good starting LTs in the NFL who will never be Jonathan Ogden.   

2. Kelvin Banks Jr. (Texas):  Banks is a mammoth dude at 6’4 324 lbs. and is probably best suited for the interior but I think he could be a LT and someone is going to give him a shot there.  He’s a talented guy with legitimate size and has been good at LT for the Longhorns.  There are guys with higher ceilings at LT but Banks has been good against good competition.  He may end up an elite OG but I’m still ranking him as an OT until a team takes him and we know they plan to use him at guard.  

3. Josh Simmons (Ohio St.):  Simmons was on his way to being a top 15 draft pick with the way he was playing to start the year before he got hurt.  He could still end up a top 15 pick but others may have passed him since he was out of sight, out of mind during Ohio St.’s run to the title.  Simmons has all the characteristics of a starting LT in the NFL so someone could get a good one at a discount later in round one. 

4. Josh Conerly Jr. (Oregon):  Conerly is an elite athlete at LT who is still getting better as he develops his skills at the position.  He was great for Oregon this year and a team will bet on his skills fairly early in round one.  He could keep climbing the boards as his athleticism shows through in the pre-draft process.  As teams decide if they like Campbell and Banks inside or outside, Conerly can move up. 

5. Armand Membou (Missouri):  Missouri’s RT all season, Membou doesn’t fit the profile of an OT but he plays like one.  He’s 6’3 and nearly 330 lbs. so he looks like a guard but he is powerful blocker at RT with more athleticism than you think.  If teams can look past his height and body style, they will find a damn good RT. 

*Other player to note: Cameron Williams (Texas):  Williams is the opposite of most of these guys, he has the size and length you want at OT.  He’s only been a starter for a year and he’s probably only a RT, but he’s a beast at 6’5 335 lbs.  He is probably going to get drafted higher than he should and maybe start too soon but someone is going to take the chance because they don’t make a lot of guys his size with his athletic profile. 

2025 TE Prospect Top 5

This is a pretty good TE class, there isn’t a Brock Bowers type but Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland are going to be first round picks. The WR class isn’t all that great and I could see a few teams grabbing a playmaking TE like Harold Fannin Jr. instead of a WR they aren’t crazy about. There should be some depth here and that will make this class interesting.

Tight Ends

1. Tyler Warren (Penn St.):  Warren had a breakout season with Penn St.  He became Drew Allar’s go-to receiver as Penn St. wasn’t great at WR.  He’s a big target at almost 6’6 and 260 lbs. He has the size and athleticism to be a great receiving TE and still has the strength and bulk to be a blocker.  He’s tough and versatile.  He was a QB at one time and Penn St. used him in the running game, he’s a jack of all trades. 

2. Colston Loveland (Michigan):  Loveland came into the season as the TE1 but Michigan’s less than stellar offense didn’t help him at all.  He also missed a couple of games with an injury and he was simply less productive than he was last year.  However, at 6’5 245 lbs. with the athleticism he has and the production he showed last year, he’s still an elite TE prospect.  Someone is going to get a very good TE in the latter half of round one.  Loveland is going to be a productive NFL TE. 

3. Harold Fannin Jr. (Bowling Green):  Fannin is one of the most unique prospects in the draft.  He’s a 6’4 230 lbs. TE who is basically just a big WR.  He was ridiculously productive at Bowling Green with 117 catches this year but he just won’t fit the typical TE spot.  If you have a plan to use Fannin than feel free to draft him, if you think he’s going to fit into a typical TE role, stay away and draft someone else. 

4. Mason Taylor (LSU):  Taylor is the son of former Dolphins Hall of Famer Jason Taylor and while he’s not the superstar athlete his father was, he’s a pretty good TE.  Taylor was productive for the most part and at 6’5 255 lbs. he has the size to be a good NFL TE.  He’s not going to be an All-Pro but he can be a starting NFL TE for a long time.

5. Elijah Arroyo (Miami):  Arroyo had a breakout season becoming one of Cam Ward’s most dangerous targets.  He’s not the biggest player and he’s not a major blocker at 6’4 245 lbs. but he’s a really terrific athlete and catches the ball well.  He won’t fit every team’s needs but someone will find a way to use him. 

*Other player to mention: Luke Lachey (Iowa):  Lachey has fallen down the draft boards after a tough year.  Coming off a season ending injury the year before, Lachey didn’t look like the player he was before the injury.  It didn’t help that Iowa’s passing game was, once again, terrible.  I would still bet on his talent and his size and the training he had at Iowa and he will outplay his draft slot. 

2025 WR Prospect Top 5

First of all, I’m ranking Travis Hunter as a CB not a WR. He can and will play WR in the NFL but I think his primary position should be CB. Just for argument’s sake, he would maybe be #2 in these rankings, I have a hard time slotting him in. McMillan is the only guy who would have competed for a spot amongst last year’s top 4 guys (Marvin Harrison Jr, Malik Nabers, Rome Odunze, and Brian Thomas Jr.). This group is nowhere near as good at the top as last year’s but there are some good mid-round picks here.

Wide Receivers

1. Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona):  McMillan is a physical freak in terms of his elite size, he’s 6’5 210 lbs. and uses all of it to dominate at the catch point.  He has enough speed to be a deep threat down the field in the mold of Tee Higgins or Mike Evans.  The only worry I have about McMillan is sometimes these big WRs don’t translate to the NFL.  I’m not sure McMillan will ever be Higgins or Evans, those are lofty expectations.  However, he’s not going to be a bust like N’Keal Harry or Laquan Treadwell, he’s a better receiver than those guys. 

2. Luther Burden III (Missouri):  It is absolutely true that Burden had a down year at Missouri as their offense simply wasn’t as good as it had been.  QB Brady Cook had a nagging injury all season and that had an effect.  Burden is still an elite playmaker.  He’s short but well built and his run after the catch ability is elite.  There’s some DJ Moore to his game and maybe some Deebo Samuel after the catch ability. 

3. Emeka Egbuka (Ohio St.): Yep, another Ohio St. guy.  Egbuka has been a prospect for a few years.  Two years ago, he was really good when OSU had Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson, he came back to be the #2 guy to Marvin Harrison Jr. and was banged up that year.  Then he returned and ended up being the #2 guy to Jeremiah Smith and he had a really good year.  Egbuka is a #2 WR in the NFL and that shouldn’t be a problem for him, he’s used to that role.  He’s efficient, effective, and just excellent at everything. 

4. Matthew Golden (Texas):  It was supposed to be Isaiah Bond who had the breakout season at Texas as a WR after he transferred in from Alabama but Golden stole his spotlight.  It’s not a great WR group and Golden isn’t a superstar receiver at this point.  He’s steady and reliable but he’s not going to wow you athletically or with his size.  He’s just a dependable guy who runs his routes well and plays with some passion and fire and will get things done. 

5. Jayden Higgins (Iowa St):  As much as I loathe giving Iowa St. any credit, Higgins is a really talented WR with great size and can line up anywhere.  He has the size and speed you want outside but he’s also good as a big slot receiver if you line him up there.  He will be an affective WR for some team and should go in round two of this draft. 

*Other player to mention: Tez Johnson (Oregon):  Johnson is an extremely small WR who measured in at on 156 lbs. at the Senior Bowl.  That’s tough as he’s even smaller than Tank Dell was coming into the league and Dell was a major outlier.  That would be a huge problem if Johnson did show the elite separation skills, his ridiculous speed, and his natural ability to catch the football.  It’s hard to imagine a guy this small succeeding in the NFL but it’s harder to imagine Tez Johnson not being an awesome slot receiver in the NFL.