The 2025 NFL scouting combine is officially in the rearview mirror. We spent the week in Indianapolis, learned a lot, and are now taking all that new information and boiling it down into a fresh big board as draft season really kicks into gear.
Here’s Yahoo Sports NFL Draft expert Charles McDonald’s latest big board.
Putting Travis Hunter anywhere but the top spot feels like overthinking, even if he doesn’t ultimately live up to the lofty hype he set for himself after a once-in-a-lifetime college career.
In addition to the Heisman Trophy, Hunter won the Bednarik Award for the best defensive player in college football and won the Biletnikoff Award, which goes to the best wide receiver in the country. He’s a legitimate first-round prospect at both wide receiver and cornerback, thanks to some otherworldly ball skills and overall athleticism that make him an impact player on both sides of the ball. So far, Hunter is adamant on playing both ways in the NFL, which will prove tough, but it’s hard to doubt someone who has already made it this far on his talents.
Hunter might be a bit more pro-ready at cornerback right now, where his instincts and athleticism can make him a nuisance for passing games, but a play at wide receiver is completely defensible (and exciting) as well.
The term “generational” gets thrown around way too much in draft coverage, but for someone like Hunter, it actually applies.
Will Johnson didn’t have the greatest end to his college career as injuries cut his final season at Michigan short, but at his best he can be a true eraser as a cornerback. Johnson was an anchor for the national-title-winning Wolverines defense a couple seasons ago and still should have teams salivating at adding a player who may be able to go toe-to-toe with the toughest wide receivers in the game.
Johnson’s sophomore tape, at times, resembled what Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II has become in the NFL, although Surtain does have a size advantage on him. As long as Johnson can nail the interview portion of the cycle, he should hear his name called early.
It’s unlikely that a running back is selected this high come draft day, but Ashton Jeanty is absolutely one of the best players in this class.
Jeanty is built like a ball of steel and is incredibly tough to bring down when defenders get their hands on him. He bounces off tackles with ease, showed he can carry a heavy workload and had some solid performances against the tougher teams Boise State faced. Jeanty’s ability to break tackles made him a home-run threat and if he can continue to do that in the NFL, he’ll be a sweetener for offenses in the way veteran running backs were last season.
Abdul Carter is oozing with 10-sack potential in the NFL. Carter is an explosive, agile player who spent all last season knifing through opposing offensive lines as he racked up a monster final season for the Nittany Lions. Carter has a slender build (250 pounds at 6-foot-3), but he’s often able to mitigate that with blinding speed — which allowed him to lead FBS with 24 tackles for loss last season.
Carter will be able to make an impact early with his speed while he gets stronger and puts on weight for the NFL. Carter is dealing with a foot injury right now that will sideline him from working out for the rest of the draft season, but that won’t stop him getting selected early.
There aren’t many true Day 1 bonafide starting outside wide receivers in this class, but Tetairoa McMillan from Arizona has the profile of one. McMillan led the Big 12 in receiving yards without the sharpest quarterback play and routinely displayed his skills as a potential No. 1 receiver in the NFL.
McMillan is going to raise some eyebrows by electing not to run a 40-yard dash this season, but the big-bodied wide receiver has shown enough overall talent and ability to be one of the more coveted players in the class.
The only thing that Will Campbell is missing that separates him from the truly elite tackle prospects is arm length (32 5/8 inches). That may give him some trouble at the next level as he gets the challenge of dealing with NFL pass rushers, but his combine workout showed he has the next-level athleticism to still win on the outside.
Campbell has been seen as a top tackle prospect for years now and there hasn’t been too much that has happened to change that. Barring injury, this is a 10-year starter on the offensive line.
Mason Graham spent a good chunk of last season playing through injury, but when he is on he is a true difference-maker on the interior. Speed, power, technique — Graham has it all and when he was healthy in 2023 he looked poised to be potentially the first overall pick this year.
Graham won’t be going that high in this year’s class, but he has everything teams are looking for in a true penetrating game wrecker on the interior of a defense.
Cam Ward took a windy road to get here, but he’s nearly the consensus top quarterback in this year’s class. He went from Incarnate Word to Washington State to Miami and never looked out of place at any spot.
This past season, Ward was the driving force behind Miami’s success and nearly dragged the Hurricanes to the College Football Playoff despite having a porous defense. Ward is a big-time risk-taker on the field, but his arm talent and accuracy down the field allowed him to keep the Hurricanes alive in tough spots. His willingness to hunt big plays gets him in trouble sometimes, but it’s better to have to reign that in than try to get him to play outside of his comfort zone.
Ward will have a learning curve early on as he adapts his style of play to the increased pace of NFL play, but he has all the tools to be a franchise quarterback in the NFL.
Penn State used Tyler Warren everywhere in its offense. At nearly 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds, the Nittany Lions felt comfortable with Warren handling the ball in all sorts of different ways. While he spent most of his time with traditional tight end duties, he also allowed Penn State to execute a jumbo Wildcat package where he was lined up at quarterback!
In addition to 1,200 yards and over 100 catches, Warren carried the ball 26 times for 218 yards (8.4 yards per carry!!) and four touchdowns. He’s a solid blocker as well, making him one of the most well-rounded and talented players in the class.
Go back to 2023 to see the truest form of Colston Loveland. Michigan’s quarterback play was so bad last season that it hampered the entire offense, but Loveland should still be viewed as a premier player in the class.
Loveland is not the roughest or toughest blocker, but he’s a smooth athlete in the open field and can really get moving with the ball in his hands. He might be closer to a big slot player than a true in-line tight end, but those players have plenty of use in today’s NFL.
Jalon Walker isn’t the most prototypical pass rusher out there, but he can really do some damage in an aggressive role on defense. Walker rushed and blitzed from all over the Georgia defense, but he didn’t necessarily play a traditional role that has a clean translation to the NFL.
When he played off-ball, he was primarily used as a spy or a blitzer to hawk down quarterbacks. He had plenty of reps off the edge, where he still has some work to do in terms of developing moves, but his speed, physicality and effort will play well in aggressive defensive schemes.
Mykel Williams doesn’t have the sexiest style of play, but he got the job done for the Bulldogs when he was healthy. Williams is a bruising, powerful defensive end who did a lot of dirty work in between the tackles for Georgia. He’ll most likely be kicking out to the edge full-time in the NFL
Raw talent and athleticism is enough to get most teams to draft a pass-rush prospect highly — and Marshall’s Mike Green fits the bill there. One quick survey of his 2024 season shows a player who’s still figuring out some of the intricacies of playing defensive line, which makes sense considering he didn’t become a full-time player on the edge until college.
Green may mess up how he plays the mesh point on an option play every now and then, but the burst and speed he has coming off of the edge will have defensive line coaches pounding the table for him. Even though he doesn’t have the most refined skill set yet, he was able to lead the nation with 17 sacks and put up a good fight in the run game against heavier offensive tackles.
Membou checks off so many boxes for a franchise tackle prospect. Athletic, strong, plays with good leverage and technique — there really aren’t many holes in his game, and he still has more upside to tap into.
For someone who weighs over 330 pounds, Membou carries his weight well, and his ability to be an enforcer on the second level of the defense is rare. He may end up being one of the best players in the class when all is said and done.
This is a Day 1 starting offensive tackle with the room to grow into an All-Pro.
Malaki Starks had an up and down season, but at his best he was one of the most dominant defensive backs in the country over the past few years. The do-it-all safety has been a major player in Georgia’s secondary since he was a freshman and looks to take his vast array of abilities to the NFL.
Starks is a Swiss Army Knife who would be a real weapon with a creative defensive coordinator.
Big, strong-bodied player who is a guard only. Booker is best as a downhill mauler and would be a great fit in an offense that runs a lot of gap scheme plays. High-floor player that is a plug-and-play asset. Simple is as simple does.
Luther Burden was a victim of poor quarterback play this season, but that shouldn’t change much about how people feel about him when it comes to his NFL projection. He’s a quality wide receiver prospect who has some nice speed and the ability to be a nuisance in the open field.
Burden might not profile as a stereotypical No. 1 wide receiver, but he’s the perfect player to have starting for a team as they collect wide receiver talent.
Egbuka is a prototype slot prospect. He’s willing to do all the dirty work in the middle and lower areas of the field and has no qualms about playing with toughness when necessary. Egbuka might not have been as flashy as his teammate Jeremiah Smith last season, but he’s a Day 1 starter in the slot, which has a lot of value in today’s game.
Josh Simmons is dealing with rehab coming off of a torn patellar tendon, but according to reports, he’s on track to be ready for the start of training camp. If can get healthy in a hurry, Simmons has the tools to grow into a steady offensive tackle in the NFL. He’s a smooth mover who should be a lockdown pass protector from Day 1. He may end up being a stash pick for a team, but he is dripping with talent and a frame to add more weight and strength.
An ox is the perfect way to describe Derrick Harmon’s approach to the game. Harmon is here to beat the hell out of offensive linemen and stuff the run, while also being a quality pass rusher from the interior.
Harmon showed off his athleticism at the combine, running a 4.95 40-yard dash at 313 pounds. He’s a load on the interior and checks a lot of boxes for a team looking for a plugger who can start right away.
Banks is a solid offensive line prospect who projects well to either tackle or guard in the NFL, depending on where teams see him fit. He could stand to get stronger as he struggled at times against Texas’ tougher opponents, but the framework for a quality starter is there with a little bit of seasoning.
Banks came into the season as a top-10 prospect, but isn’t likely to go there come draft time. Still, not the worst dice roll for teams looking for offensive line help early.
A cornerback from East Carolina who barely played last season might be a first-round pick — that’s how good Shavon Revel Jr. is. Revel is a long, athletic corner (32 5/8-inch arms) with serious ball skills to match some A+ athleticism on the field. His final season at ECU was robbed due to an ACL injury, but he showed all the requisite skills prior to that in 2023.
For the “older” football fans, think Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.
Athleticism has never been a question for Shemar Stewart, but the production hasn’t matched the skill set just yet. That’s a bit more excusable at defensive line where teams are trying to find the most athletic guys they can to get after the passer — and it may get Stewart drafted as high as the top five when this is all over.
Stewart really does have some rare traits, it’s just going to be up to his next defensive line coach to help him finish the plays he begins to create. Through-the-roof potential here.
Comfortably the best true linebacker in this class, Jihaad Campbell helped himself a ton with a strong combine workout to solidify his first-round status for the upcoming draft. Quality three-down linebackers are increasingly harder to find, which might make Campbell a priority target early in the draft. He did rush the passer some at Alabama, but his NFL future will be off the ball.
Kenneth Grant was the perfect running mate for Mason Graham. Where Graham was more of a penetrator, Grant is just a big old wall on the line of scrimmage. He’s very tough to move and has surprising burst for a player his size, which allows him to contribute as a pass rusher occasionally.
For teams looking to improve their run defense in one move, Grant’s your guy. He’s got big-time ability and a high floor.
Another big, athletic offensive lineman who can contribute right off the bat. Conerly might be a right tackle in the NFL, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. This position group is about the sum of its parts, and Conerly is a quality prospect with room to grow. He’s a good mover who can still get stronger, but the movement ability at his size is what makes him a coveted prospect.
Matthew Golden hit the national spotlight with a big-time run through the College Football Playoff, but he played well enough all season where he merited first-round consideration before it. Golden has speed for days and can be a big-play threat from Day 1 in the right offense.
Another Ohio State offensive lineman who should start immediately in the NFL. Donovan Jackson was a big reason why the Buckeyes were able to steamroll opposing defenses on the ground, and his experience kicking out to tackle — and playing well — after Simmons and other Ohio State tackles suffered injuries can only help him right now.
He’ll be a guard in the NFL, but positional versatility is always a plus.
Nick Emmanwori had a monster combine that matched the tape on the field. He’s just a freak of nature who can get to where he needs in a hurry, but could still use some work with his physicality at the point of attack.
Big running backs with balance and speed are a tried-and-true formula in the NFL and that describes Omarion Hampton (221 pounds, 4.46 40-yard dash) to a tee. He didn’t have the flashy season Ashton Jeanty did, but he may wind up in the first round regardless with his blend of size and athleticism that teams covet in running backs.
Tyleik Williams is a big, athletic defensive tackle whose primary job in the NFL will be plugging the run and freeing up plays for his linebackers. Williams won’t be a true pass-rush threat in the NFL, but he can at least help his team get to pass-rush downs.
Morrison’s season was cut short due to injury, but before that he was the instinctive, playmaking cornerback everyone would love to have. He’s still rehabbing a hip injury, but he might be a nice stash pick for a team that already has some depth depending on where he is in recovery.
Barron was a big winner in Indianapolis, running a 4.3 40-yard dash after teams had concerns about his deep speed. He still projects to be primarily a slot corner in the NFL, but he’s a damn good one already and that’s a position that’s becoming increasingly important in the league.
Shedeur Sanders will likely go much, much higher than this by the time the draft comes. That’s just the nature of quarterback drafting in the NFL right now. However, it is fair to wonder exactly what his ceiling is.
After transferring from Florida, Umanmielen had a nice run with Ole Miss. He’s a pure pass rusher off the edge, but doesn’t quite have the athleticism to be considered a leadoff guy. Still, he’s proven he’s probably worth taking on the second day of the draft.
Walter Nolen had a quality year for Ole Miss as a transfer defensive lineman, notching 6.5 sacks and looking like a credible interior penetrator for good chunks of the season. He has some work to do with consistency defending the run, but he’ll be able to get up the field in a hurry for his new team.
Three-hundred-thirty-one pounds and held down the left tackle spot for Minnesota. Ersery is a player where if he can get his hands on you in pass protection, it’s over. He held his own against the tough pass rushers in the Big Ten, including Abdul Carter. Ersery ran a 5.01 40-yard dash at 331 pounds, which is a fantastic time for someone his size.
JT Tuimoloau is best known for his dominant performance against Penn State a few years ago, but he did develop into a quality player overall. He’s a thick, bruising defensive end who might be able to play some on the interior for obvious passing downs.
Landon Jackson is another massive defensive end who has some pass-rush juice in this class. Jackson showed out with a handful of sacks at the Senior Bowl and looks like he’s built to handle the workload of playing on run downs in the NFL. He might not be the most explosive guy, but with his strength he doesn’t need to be.
Zabel is an explosive, experienced lineman who played all over North Dakota State’s offensive line. He can really knock guys back out of his stance and has the flexibility to be a people mover.
Zabel had an absurd 36.5-inch vertical jump at the combine, despite weighing 312 pounds. He’s a phenomenal athlete and has a real chance to go Round 1.
James Pearce came into the season as a potential top-five pick, but didn’t quite have the season necessary to make that happen. Still, the 4.47-second 40 he ran at the combine was a good sign for him, even if he isn’t always a physical threat against the run.
A classic weakside edge rusher who teams will try to hide against the run.
Big backs with balance. Kaleb Johnson (6-1, 224 pounds) fits that mold, being a back who thrived on outside zone looks for big plays. Despite running a 4.57 at the combine, Johnson was an explosive run machine on the field thanks to his patience and ability to set up blocks. He’s the perfect back to find outside of the first round that has real starter ability. He glides down the field and through holes just like Arian Foster did.
Mukuba might be the fiercest defensive back in this draft class, showing no fear when it comes to decimating opponents in the open field. (See: SEC championship game.) Filling the alley is where he’ll make his big splash plays in the NFL, but he’s a great robber in the middle of the field and has some man coverage chops as well.
Just like his father Jason, Mason Taylor looks like he was built in a lab to be an NFL player. Taylor might not be as flashy or explosive as Warren and Loveland, but he should be a quality starting tight end in the NFL sooner rather than later.
Steady, if somewhat unspectacular. Jack Sawyer is the type of player who can add some serious depth to a pass rusher unit. A well-rounded player who would fit in well in a rotation with some established pass rushers.
If Deone Walker consistently played to what his physical skill set suggests he can do, he would be much higher on this list. At 340 pounds, he is a behemoth on the line of scrimmage with some real athleticism to play all over the line.
However, he runs hot and cold and the consistency makes it tough to slot him much higher than this. He’s the perfect boom-bust dart throw for teams that have some stability up front and on their coaching staff.
Lane Kiffin’s offense isn’t really close to anything that gets seen on Sundays, but Tre Harris has the skills to be a starting outside wide receiver in the NFL — which can still be a tough player to consistently find.
Harris will need some coaching and seasoning to get used to a full NFL playbook, but at least there’s a base to build from.
Mbow isn’t the biggest offensive lineman out there, but he’s a fluid mover and has the frame to gain more weight and strength — which he will need to do at the NFL level. He’ll probably be a guard in the NFL and projects well to a zone-blocking scheme that gets their guys on the move.
Speed, speed, speed. That’s the name of the game with Maxwell Hairston. Hairston had a solid final year for the Wildcats and may have vaulted himself into the top 50 of the draft after running in the 4.2s at the NFL combine.
If you’re looking for a traits-based dice roll beyond the first round at cornerback, this might be the guy to target.
Stop me if you’ve heard this before — big, versatile, athletic offensive lineman prospect. Savaiinaea hit 20 miles per hour during his 40-yard dash run and might be able to start at multiple spots along the offensive line. Another talented player in a deep offensive line class.
