With Super Bowl LIX in the rearview and the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on the horizon, it's time to look toward the next group of talent to hit the pro ranks.
Below is my first snapshot of the top five prospects at each major position in the 2025 NFL Draft class.
Tune in for live coverage of the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine beginning Feb. 27 on NFL Network and NFL+.
QUARTERBACKS
The 2025 quarterback class lacks the pizzazz of last year's group, but a few prospects could pop as stars at the next level. Shedeur Sanders displayed blockbuster potential as a pocket passer in college, transforming Jackson State and Colorado into winners. Though his tendency to hold on to the ball leads to sacks, few quarterbacks can match his superb timing, touch and anticipation as a rhythm thrower. Cam Ward is a talented signal-caller with the tools to develop into a Pro Bowl-caliber playmaker in the NFL. As a gunslinger with supreme confidence and limitless range, the former Miami/Washington State/Incarnate Word standout expands the offensive playbook with his skills. Jalen Milroe is an explosive dual-threat playmaker with electric running skills and natural arm talent. Though his inconsistent accuracy and ball placement are concerns, he displays tantalizing big-play potential as a boom-or-bust prospect.
RUNNING BACKS
The NFL's running back renaissance should continue with the 2025 class featuring several blue-chip players offering workhorse potential. Ashton Jeanty is an A-1 playmaker with the instincts, contact balance, strength and speed to ignite an offense as a feature back. A big-play machine with impact potential as a runner and receiver, the Boise State standout is the go-to guy every offensive coordinator covets in the backfield. Omarion Hampton has flown under the radar for most of the season, but the NFL scouting community is excited about his potential as a bell-cow back. A power runner with the balance, body control and vision to slither between cracks on downhill runs, the North Carolina product is built to play in an old-school scheme that features dirty runs between the tackles. TreVeyon Henderson is a home run hitter with the potential to score from anywhere on the field. The Ohio State star is a rare find as a dynamic rusher who can excel on the edges or between the tackles. With Henderson also displaying soft hands as a pass catcher, he could thrive as a triple threat in the NFL.
WIDE RECEIVERS
The 2025 wide receiver class does not feature a can't-miss prospect at the top of the board, but teams will be able to find key contributors in the early rounds. Tetairoa McMillan
is a jump-ball specialist with exceptional hand-eye coordination and athleticism. The big-bodied wideout routinely wins 50-50 balls down the field while displaying open-field savvy on catch-and-run routes between the numbers. As a natural WR1 with playmaking ability, the Arizona product should excel as a primary target from Day 1. Luther Burden III is a dynamic playmaker with explosive skills as a catch-and-run specialist. The Missouri standout can create explosive gains from the outside or slot on various quick-rhythm plays (and sweeps) that enable him to showcase his outstanding balance, body control and burst as a runner in the open field. Isaiah Bond is a chain mover with a polished game that fits any scheme. The Texas/Alabama product can win with speed or skill as a dynamic route runner with soft hands and explosive short-area burst.
TIGHT ENDS
The 2025 tight end crop is loaded with hybrid talents: some block like offensive tackles, others run routes like wide receivers and a select few do both. The versatile athletes within this class will make it easy for some teams to transition to multi-TE sets next season. Tyler Warren is the headliner of the class as a big-bodied playmaker with positional flexibility. A former high school quarterback with outstanding running skills and versatility, the Penn State star is a non-traditional "Y" tight end with big-play potential. Colston Loveland is a natural flex tight end with outstanding skills in the passing game. As a jumbo wide receiver in a tight end body, the Michigan product is a potential 100-catch target in an offense that features the TE as a mismatch option. Harold Fannin Jr. is a pass-catching specialist with a unique game that tests the coverage skills of linebackers and safeties in space. Despite his Group of Five pedigree, the Bowling Green product's proven success against big-school competition could translate to solid production early in his pro career.
OFFENSIVE TACKLES
This OT group features several intriguing prospects with Day 1 starting potential. Will Campbell is the crown jewel of the class, with a game that suits any scheme. The LSU standout is an unfinished product, but he should quickly smooth out the rough edges to become a quality starter. Kelvin Banks Jr. is a dancing bear on the edge with outstanding balance, body control and agility. He can win with force or finesse on the perimeter, displaying the physicality and toughness coaches covet in offensive tackles. Josh Conerly Jr. has surged up the charts as evaluators are increasingly smitten with his size and athleticism. The Oregon standout is a work in progress, but his upside and potential could make him a Pro Bowl-caliber player at the next level.
INTERIOR OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
Teams looking for bullies at the point of attack will be intrigued by this IOL group. Tyler Booker is a menacing presence at the line of scrimmage with a rugged game built for a power running squad. The Alabama standout possesses the size and tools evaluators crave in an interior blocker. Donovan Jackson mauls defenders with a violent style that meshes with a power-based offensive attack. As an extra-large blocker with nimble feet, the Ohio State product is a Day 1 starter with Pro Bowl-caliber tools. Grey Zabel could be the next small-school standout to successfully transition from outside to inside as a pro. Though the North Dakota product dominated FCS competition on the edges, he displays the strength, power and agility to thrive as a swing player in the lineup.
DEFENSIVE TACKLES
With the talent and depth on offer in the defensive tackle class, teams seeking disruptive interior defenders should be able to address their needs. Mason Graham is the top dog heading into draft season, due to his rugged skills as a point-of-attack weapon. A relentless pursuer with heavy hands and exceptional lower-body strength, the Michigan product is the kind of disruptor every defense seeks on the interior. Kenneth Grant is a monstrous interior defender with the athleticism and aggressive mentality to dominate opponents at the line of scrimmage. Though he is built like a jumbo run-stuffer, his crafty pass-rushing skills make him more than a pocket pusher in a traditional defense. Derrick Harmon flashes havoc-wreaking skills as an interior defender who can make an impact against the run and pass. As an athletic big man with a versatile game, the Oregon standout could develop into a difference-maker early in his pro career.
DEFENSIVE ENDS
This group is loaded with potential difference-makers. Nic Scourton is a disruptive force off the edge as an energetic pass rusher. The Texas A&M standout plays like a bull in a china shop, exhibiting a combination of strength and power that overwhelms blockers at the line. Jack Sawyer is a no-nonsense defender with a polished game that could make him an annual double-digit sack producer. The Ohio State product outworks and outlasts blockers on the edges, utilizing superb hand skills and a nonstop motor to stack wins in one-on-one matchups. Shemar Stewart is a boom-or-bust prospect with tantalizing tools as an edge defender. Though his superior traits did not produce big numbers at Texas A&M, the super-sized defender could develop into a game wrecker as a pro.
OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS
This year's crop of outside linebackers/designated pass rushers features several explosive sack artists with sky-high potential. Abdul Carter is the gold standard as an agile athlete with exceptional first-step quickness and closing burst. A speed-rushing phenom with outstanding balance and body control, the Penn State star has the potential to single-handedly transform a defense as a disruptive force. James Pearce Jr. is a freakish pass rusher with explosive quickness and active hands. The Tennessee standout overwhelms offensive tackles with his cat-like quickness and shake-and-bake pass-rush maneuvers. Donovan Ezeiruaku is an underrated pass-rushing force with outstanding quickness and burst, as well as elite production this past season. As a relentless pursuer, the Boston College star is a quarterback's biggest nightmare.
LINEBACKERS
The evolution of the off-ball linebacker has prompted defensive coordinators to covet versatile defenders with pass-rush potential. Jalon Walker is a potential game-changer as a natural edge defender with "MIKE" linebacker skills. The Georgia standout flourishes as a designated playmaker with a versatile game that forces opponents to play "Where's Waldo?" when facing the 6-foot-2, 245-pounder. Jihaad Campbell is an active defender with effective pass-rushing skills from the line or depth. The Alabama product has a knack for creating splash plays as a "see ball, get ball" monster in an aggressive defense. Carson Schwesinger might scare some evaluators away as a potential one-year wonder, but astute scouts will rave about his production and disruption as a tackling machine. After earning a scholarship as a special teams standout, the former walk-on opened eyes in 2024 as an instinctive playmaker on the second level.
CORNERBACKS
The 2025 cornerback class is loaded with ballhawks and playmakers on the perimeter. Travis Hunter was a dynamic two-way player at wide receiver and cornerback in college, though I recently explained why I thought he should start his pro career as a CB with a small package of plays as an offensive specialist. The Heisman Trophy winner is effective in man coverage, boasting natural instincts as a cover corner on the island, but I believe he is a ballhawk who could truly thrive in a "see ball, get ball" scheme that enables him to play with vision on the quarterback. Will Johnson is a polished cover corner with a loaded toolbox that enables him to shine in any system. As an experienced man-to-man corner with effective bump-and-run and shadow skills, the Michigan standout is a Day 1 starter with the potential to develop into an elite pro. Jahdae Barron won the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the top defensive back in college football, after exhibiting stellar cover skills on the island. As an instinctive ballhawk with outstanding vision and ball skills, he has a knack for making plays in crucial moments.
SAFETIES
The 2025 safety class features several high-IQ defenders with superb instincts, ball skills and tackling ability. Malaki Starks is a throwback safety with an enforcer's mentality and cornerback skills. The Georgia standout displays exceptional range and awareness roaming the middle of the field as a designated playmaker with box and deep-middle responsibilities. Xavier Watts is a smart defender with superb instincts and awareness. He can thump with the best in the business, but also displays the range and anticipation to excel in coverage. Sebastian Castro is a talented technician with flawless fundamentals. As an instinctive defender with a nose for the ball, the Iowa product could swiftly become a quality NFL starter.
