2025 NFL Draft: ESPN shakes up Top 25 player rankings ahead of NFL Scouting Combine

Posted by Admin February 23, 2025 NFL

The 2025 NFL Scouting Combine officially begins Monday as 329 NFL hopefuls descend on Indianapolis for several days of poking and prodding before workout drills kick off Thursday inside Lucas Oil Stadium.

Before what he described as “the most important event of the NFL draft process,” ESPN expert Matt Miller overhauled his Top 50 prospect list for late April’s 2025 NFL Draft.

Given what Miller described as a complete “lack of conviction” from most NFL talent evaluators about this year’s draft class, outside of “maybe five or six” elite talents, the ESPN expert based his Top 50 ranking on his personal grades following the East-West Shrine Bowl and Senior Bowl all-star events earlier this month.

Check out Matt Miller’s Top 25 player rankings ahead of this week’s NFL Combine below:

Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images

The ESPN expert doesn’t hesitate at No. 1 as the Penn State pass rusher takes his top overall spot as the most pro-ready prospect in the entire draft class. The 6-foot-3, 260-pound Carter made the transition from linebacker to defensive end last season and he prospered in Happy Valley, racking up a NCAA-best 23.5 tackles for loss and 68 total tackles to go along with 61 pressures and 12 sacks in 2024.

Miller: “He has speed and burst off the snap, but he also has the power to move offensive tackles off their spots. And he’s still learning how to be a full-time pass rusher, so there’s upside. … Teams in the top five would be wise to consider him regardless of need.”

Like Carter, Hunter — the reigning Heisman Trophy winner — is considered a one-in-a-generation talent. But what makes Hunter special is his ability to impact games on both sides of the ball after racking up 96 receptions for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns on offense and four interceptions, 11 passes defended and 36 total tackles on defense last season at Colorado.

Miller: “One exec from an NFL team told me his franchise views Hunter as a cornerback who could play a handful of offensive snaps in the pros, and I think many other teams agree with that thinking. Multiple scouts remarked that finding an elite cornerback is harder than finding an elite receiver, and that’s pushing teams to prefer that the two-way star start on defense.”

Miller favorably compared the 6-foot-2 Johnson to fellow big-bodied CB Patrick Surtain II, who just won the 2024 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Johnson is a natural playmaker at corner after racking up nine interceptions during his Michigan career, including returning both of his two INTs last season for touchdowns before a turf-toe injury ended his year.

Miller: “He has prototypical size and speed, as well as excellent ball skills. He grabbed two interceptions this past season — both of which were returned for touchdowns. Despite battling through injury, Johnson allowed only one completion of more than 20 yards in the six games he played.”

Mason Graham — Junfu Han-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Widely-considered the most pro-ready interior defensive lineman in the entire draft, the 6-foot-3, 320-pound Graham is a plug-and-play prospect after tallying 52 tackles, 26 pressures, 7.5 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks in 2024 as the heart of the Michigan defense throughout his time in Ann Arbor.

Miller: “Graham is my favorite trench player to watch. He’s a game wrecker. Playing primarily as a 3-technique, he had 26 total pressures — good for a pressure rate of 8.2% — and 3.5 sacks. … Graham’s energy post-snap is nonstop, and he combines quickness with angry hands and a frenetic motor.”

Miller praised the reigning Butkus Award winner’s ability to elevate his play in big games, citing Walker’s three sacks in a Week 8 win at Texas as well as a combined 10 tackles for loss against Tennessee and in the SEC championship game vs. the Longhorns again. The 6-foot-2, 245-pound Walker racked up 62 total tackles, a team-high 6.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss for the Bulldogs in 2024.

Miller: “He’s a dual-threat as a linebacker and pass rusher, with the speed and power off the edge to make game-changing plays.”

The Heisman Trophy runner-up put together a historic 2024 season when he came within 30 yards of eclipsing the NCAA single-season rushing record set by Barry Sanders in 1988. The Broncos ‘back was college football’s most dominant rusher last season, leading the nation with 2,601 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns to go along with a NCAA-best 126 missed tackles in 2024.

Miller: “He doesn’t have great size, but he’s a forward-leaning runner with breakaway speed and great agility to make defenders miss. His contact balance, poise and how well he runs through contact are truly special traits. “

Will Campbell — Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

The 6-foot-6, 323-pound Campbell has been the model of consistency in three seasons in Baton Rouge, surrendering just two sacks in his last 25 games while blocking for both Jayden Daniels and Garrett Nussmeier. Miller acknowledged concerns about Campbell’s propensity for penalties, but his physicality and consistency on the edge can’t be denied.

Miller: “Campbell is easy to spot with his upright stance, and he’s a powerful blocker in the run game who generates strength and leverage with his quickness and lower-body power. … Expect an intense debate about his position, but I like him as a player who can start at either tackle or guard if needed.”

While not the tallest of tackles, the 6-foot-4, 320-pound Banks has locked down the left side of the Longhorns’ offensive line since landing in Austin as the No. 2 overall tackle in the 2022 class. Banks’ best attribute is his consistency, surrendering only three sacks over 42 career starts in his three seasons with Texas, including just four pressures and one sack in 898 snaps in 2024.

Miller: “Banks’ game is clean, but it’s his lateral agility and quick feet that scouts love and believe will help make up for a lack of ideal height. ‘I’ve never seen his length be an issue,’ an AFC scouting director said. ‘He moves too well.’”

The reigning John Mackey Award winner as college football’s top tight end last season, Warren is a natural playmaker regardless of how he’s used. The 6-foot-6, 261-pound Warren, a former quarterback, led the Big Ten with 104 receptions for 1,233 yards and 13 total touchdowns, including one passing and four rushing.

Miller: “Warren has the speed to separate downfield and is the ideal ‘move’ tight end, yet he does it with enormous size. He also showcased his all-around versatility, playing Wildcat quarterback and even center on a trick play.”

Jahdae Barron — Brett Patzke-Imagn Images

While not a particular tall corner like Johnson or even Hunter, the 5-foot-11 Barron was lights out in 2024, nabbing five interceptions while allowing just 20 receptions on 51 total targets for Texas last season en route to winning the Jim Thorpe Award as college football’s top defensive back.

Miller: “His value will ultimately vary based on scheme preferences from each NFL team, but he played as well as any corner in the country. After beginning the season as an early-Day 3 guy, Barron is solidly into Round 1 territory.”