Cam Ward was the best QB in college football last fall, he’s gotten better each year — and as the competition has improved from FCS to FBS — and he interviewed well at the combine. Tennessee needs a QB and Ward is the clear-cut No. 1 in this class.

Whatever future awaits Myles Garrett — whether in Cleveland or elsewhere — Abdul Carter might be the safest pick in this class. He’s only played edge rusher for one season, but his explosiveness, power and overall athleticism make him special. A stress reaction in his foot was discovered at the combine, but that shouldn’t affect his draft stock.

Travis Hunter is the best athlete in this draft class. We’ve had otherworldly cornerbacks and wide receivers in previous classes but he’s a two-fer, able to dominate on both sides of the ball and take over games. The big question is where will the team that drafts him want him to play? And if it’s, say, at cornerback, how big is the package of offensive plays? Because lining up for 120 snaps a game, like he did for the Buffs, isn’t sustainable in the NFL.

Kelvin Banks Jr. has been my OT1 since the summer, and he’s coming off a really good 2024 campaign for the Longhorns. I graded Joe Alt, Olu Fashanu and JC Latham higher a year ago, but he’s every bit a top-10 pick for me. He fills a huge, gaping void at left tackle in New England.

Mason Graham may not necessarily be a “get off the bus” specimen, and yes, his arms are considered short by NFL defensive tackle standards, but let’s try not to fall for the same, tired trick we fall for every year. Forget the measurables and look at the tape. Braden Fiske was a second-round pick, in part because he had “short arms.” Do a re-draft today and he’s a first-rounder every single time. Graham is one of the most disruptive players in the entire class.

Good luck finding someone tougher than Shedeur Sanders. He’ll stand in the pocket and take a hit (after hit after hit) to make a play downfield. He’s not the athlete and doesn’t have the arm strength of Cam Ward, but he does a lot of things really well. I would like to see him play on time more consistently, but part of that had to do with Colorado’s inconsistent offensive line.

Tetairoa McMillan is 6-foot-4 but moves like a shifty slot receiver with the benefit of an enormous catch radius and the ability to make contested catches look easy. Think Drake London but a better athlete.

The former UVA transfer played at Lafayette High School in Williamsburg, Virginia, the same school that produced Lawrence Taylor. Green, who weighed 251 pounds at the Senior Bowl, is incredibly explosive off the snap, plays with surprising power and consistently uses his hands well to get off blocks. He had the 1-on-1 rep of the week down in Mobile, and his tape backs it up.

At times, Jahdae Barron flashes in a way that reminds me of Brian Branch, the biggest difference being that Barron ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at the combine (which matches his play speed). He’s one of the smartest players on the field, he’s always around the ball, and if you need a play, he consistently shows up. He can line up in the box, in the slot or outside, is an effective blitzer off the edge, and is an asset in the run game. Good luck finding holes in his game.

Will Campbell has been my OT2 throughout, and while he’s not as athletic as Kelvin Banks Jr., he’s been incredibly consistent throughout his LSU career. He’ll get questions about his sub-33-inch arm length, but just as he told reporters at the combine, I’d also encourage skeptics to go watch the tape.

Let’s start with the measurables: 6-foot-3, 231 pounds, 32.5-inch arms, a 43-inch vertical jump and a 4.38-second 40-yard dash time. This is basically what it looks like when you build the perfect safety in the lab. But here’s the thing: Nick Emmanwori’s game tape matches the measuring tape; he has some of the best ball skills in the class, and he’s just as good against the run. He can come downhill and thump the ball-carrier or carry the tight end or slot receiver in coverage, and he’s an even better person.

Armand Membou is just 6-foot-3 … and I do not care. In fact, I asked Texas A&M pass rusher Nic Scourton about one of his toughest matchups and he brought up Membou. When I asked him if he could tell he was 6-foot-3 … he couldn’t, and that’s the point. Membou was one of the most reliable right tackles in college football in 2024, and while he doesn’t have ideal size, based on his tape alone, he’s a guy who you put at right tackle until he proves he can’t handle it at the next level. Worst case: you have a perennial Pro Bowl guard for the next decade.

It’s hard to think Tyler Booker has flown under the radar given his physical presence and his dominating style of play, but expect the Booker Train to pick up steam. He’s played mostly left guard at Alabama, and his athleticism and anchor in pass protection, coupled with his earth-moving ability in the run game, at times defies the laws of physics. He’s a plug-and-play starter on Day 1.

Tyler Warren accounted for 49% of Penn State’s offense as a receiver, passer and runner. No player has done more for his draft stock than Warren, who was a late Day 2/Day 3 pick over the summer and could end up going higher than the middle of the first round.

For an edge rusher, Shemar Stewart is enormous but also freakishly athletic. He’ll play too high at times but can collapse the pocket with his size, power and strength. A quick first step, even for his size, with the power to shoot gaps. And when the bull rush doesn’t get home, his huge frame allows him to knock down passes. He has a hair-on-fire motor and consistently plays with power and athleticism.

Jalon Walker is listed as an off-ball linebacker but can line up anywhere … and wreak havoc from anywhere.

Colston Loveland is listed at 6-foot-5 and 248 pounds, and while he runs like he’s 185, he plays like he’s 265. He’ll run through open-field arm tackles all day long, has an enormous catch radius and is a precise route runner, looking like a receiver at times in his movement skills. He’s a willing blocker, but like most pass-catching tight ends coming into the league, he’ll need to improve in this area.

Don’t be fooled by the fact that Kenneth Grant weighs 331 pounds. He’s a freakish athlete for any size and has a knack for getting his hands up in passing lane and knocking the ball down. He has a surprisingly quick first step and uses his hands well to shoot gaps and be a disruptive presence in the backfield. For me, he’s more explosive and consistent than Kris Jenkins, his former teammate and Bengals second-rounder in 2024.

Jihaad Campbell is, in a word, explosive. He can rush the passer from the edge or play off-ball linebacker, and he’ll look like the best player on the field from either position. He’s one of the best athletes in this class, and the scary part is he’s just scratching the surface; he’s going to get bigger, stronger and faster — and he just turned 21 years old in February.

Is Ashton Jeanty a luxury pick? That depends; is Bijan Robinson or Jahmyr Gibbs luxury picks? Because Jeanty is that type of impact back. He hasn’t been used nearly as much in the pass game, but that doesn’t mean he can’t do it (just look at his 2023 tape). And, truth be told, he could end up going 10 picks higher.

The numbers don’t blow you away (66 catches, 771 yards), but don’t be fooled — Luther Burden III is a first-round talent and game-changer with the ball in his hands. The quarterback play at Mizzou was inconsistent in 2024 because Brady Cook was injured for much of the season, but there’s a reason he had 86 receptions for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns in 2023.

Trey Amos is a long, fast, physical corner in coverage who excels in both man and zone schemes. He doesn’t panic on downfield throws because of his length and speed, and he flashes good ball skills. He will need to improve in run support, but don’t be surprised if he’s a riser through the pre-draft process. He tested through the roof at the combine and more importantly, his teammate, quarterback Jaxson Dart, said he was the toughest corner he faced all last season.

Georgia has a history of producing insane athletes, and Mykel Williams might end up being the best of the group. He’s a first-round talent all day long, and he’s just scratching the surface on what he can do.

Put aside for the moment that Starks is an elite athlete who can line up anywhere in the secondary — he’s also one of the smartest players on the field who was a team leader from the moment he stepped on campus in Athens.

This defensive line class is incredibly deep, and in previous years Walter Nolen probably goes off the board a little higher. Either way, he explodes off the ball while also being strong as an ox. At 6-foot-4 and 296 pounds, he won’t be mistaken for, say, Dexter Lawrence, but don’t be fooled; he plays stout against double teams and is quick to get off blocks and get to the ball.

Will Johnson was my No. 1 player over the summer and remains a top-10 talent. He battled a toe injury that sidelined him for much of the second half of the 2024 season, but when he’s healthy, he’s one of the best defenders in college football; there’s a reason the easy comp for him is Patrick Surtain II. He didn’t run at the combine, and his 40 time could ultimately decide how high he ends up going.

A San Diego State transfer where he played right tackle, Josh Simmons was a pleasant surprise in Columbus, where he was not only installed at left tackle, but was playing at a high level before an October knee injury vs. Oregon ended his season. I thought he might come back to school — he could probably use the experience — but instead he declared for the 2025 draft. And in a draft light along the offensive line, fully expect Simmons to draw serious first-round consideration, even as he recovers from injury.

No one helped themselves more at the Senior Bowl than Zabel, who played primarily left tackle in 2024 for NDSU, but had experience at guard and center, too. He was used solely on the interior in Mobile and looked like a 10-year veteran no matter where he lined up. Zabel stood out in the Week 1 opener against Colorado, and his stock has been on the rise ever since. Talking to teams at the Senior Bowl, he may be a better leader than football player and that’s saying something.

Derrick Harmon is what I’d describe as “country strong” because when you see him bull rush an interior OL into the QB’s lap and then throw him out of the club, it gets your attention. He’s consistently a load on the inside, in part because of power, low pad level and the aforementioned bull rush. He doesn’t have a variety of pass-rush moves but doesn’t need them. Versus the run he can struggle if he plays too high, but when he’s locked in he’s a game-wrecker. After all, Harmon had 40 pressures on the season, including eight(!) against Boise State.

Explosive is the best one-word description for Matthew Golden, who reminded me a lot of Jordan Addison coming out of USC. He doesn’t have the biggest frame but consistently creates separation at the top of his route, he has legit track speed (10.93 seconds in the 100-meter dash in high school and 4.29 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the combine) and also has return ability. His best football is ahead of him.

Darius Alexander had great tape for Toledo last fall, then balled out at the Senior Bowl against some of the best players in the country and followed that up with a solid week at the combine. He’s a high-motor player who has both juice and power, consistently uses his hands well and is not only disruptive as a pass rusher but is hard to move against the run. He’s improved his draft stock after the season, after the college all-star games and now after the combine. Don’t expect that trend to change in the lead up to the draft.

Donovan Jackson formed one of the best LG/LT duos in college football alongside Josh Simmons … until Simmons was lost for the season with a knee injury in October. And all Jackson did was kick out to left tackle and play at a high level for the rest of the season, which ended with a national title for the Buckeyes. He’ll be a guard at the next level, but he plays with power, leverage and athleticism in space in the run game and consistently anchors well in pass protection — and he’s done it against some of the best players in the country, all while playing out of position.