The 2024 NFL Draft was hardly a bad one in terms of depth, but compared to the 2025 class it was generally viewed as less than by NFL scouts.
And that was before we saw a gaggle of top-rated prospects stay in school.
The 2025 NFL Draft class will be deep — very, very deep, if an uber-talented crop of first-year-eligible players declares. Here’s an opening look at the top junior (or redshirt sophomore) prospects for 2025.
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Hunter played more regular-season snaps from scrimmage (631 defense, 475 offense) than any other Power 5 player last year. That’s more than 1,000 total snaps — essentially a starting NFL defender’s load, as a true sophomore at two exhausting positions. Hunter’s 1,106 total snaps were the most of any P5 player in at least the last six seasons. He did it in his first year on that level, in just nine games.
Regular season snap leaders, 2023 (Power 5)
| Player | Snaps | Snaps/Game |
|---|---|---|
|
1029 |
114.3 |
|
|
973 |
81.1 |
|
|
958 |
79.8 |
|
|
953 |
79.4 |
|
|
953 |
79.4 |
He’s primarily been a long (6-foot-1, 185 pounds), active corner with elite ball skills, but his instincts and speed make it hard to say on which side he’ll drafted. He produced 721 yards receiving at 2.17 yards per route run in 2023. If he were to specialize at one spot, he might be the best player in America. Even as a two-way performer, he’ll have an argument.
At 6-3, 318, Graham plays football like how I imagine an actual bear would. Graham’s combination of grip strength, power and burst has made him a terror on Michigan’s last two defenses. He’s flashed versus every top-tier team he’s faced while winning in different ways.
In 2023, Graham led all FBS underclassmen defensive tackles in win rate (16.4 percent), picking up 29 pressures and three sacks in just 254 reps. For context on Graham’s playing time, 30 DTs played at least 600 snaps last season (Johnny Newton led the FBS with 749).
The first true freshman starting left tackle in LSU history, Campbell also served as a captain during his sophomore season. Campbell (6-6, 320) plays with a serious punch, and though he doesn’t have overwhelming length, his feet and ability to carry power on the move are outstanding. He’s a nasty finisher who will be just 21 years old come draft night.
Campbell’s tall, and he plays tall at times — that’s the biggest concern with his game right now, although it’s not a consistent problem. A great athlete who needs to continue adding power to his frame.
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Michigan’s most complete cornerback prospect since Charles Woodson, Johnson (6-2, 205) is still working on finer points of press coverage — he’ll sometimes bite on double moves or jump a route too early. Same time, his general movement skills, instincts and size have made him one of college football’s top DBs the last two years.
Johnson is a great zone defender who has played in a highly complex defense and flourished, especially in red-letter games. He’s produced two Big Ten title game picks, one in the national title game and one against Ohio State (while defending Marvin Harrison Jr.).
The first player selected in Dane Brugler’s early 2025 mock draft, Williams is all tools at the moment — but his tool chest is very deep. At 6-5, 265 with terrific length and power, Williams can win with his hand on the ground, standing up as a rusher or dropping into coverage.
Like everyone at Georgia, his reps have been limited and the flashes have been a bit inconsistent. Check out his games against South Carolina and Florida State, though. The potential to be the type of versatile three-down edge every NFL team wants is obvious. If he puts it all together, no edge in this class can match everything Williams has physically.
One of the most active corners in the country last season, Morrison finished the year with 13 forced incompletions (tied for seventh nationally) and allowed just 11.2 yards per reception. An All-American as a sophomore, Morrison is a big-time competitor in press who’s hard to beat at any level of a route. He has great hip fluidity, can stop on a dime and isn’t afraid to hit.
Athletically and instinctually, Morrison has everything Hunter and Johnson have — he’s just a bit shorter. He also had offseason shoulder surgery.
Pure lightning off the corner, Pearce’s 21.8 percent win rate led all Power 5 freshmen and sophomores last year. Pearce added 52 pressures and 10 sacks in just 280 pass-rush reps.
Pearce has done a great job adding weight at Tennessee after playing at 220 pounds as a prep senior, but he’s still pretty light. His leg drive and turbo-charged first step are off-the-charts good, though. Whether or not he can add — and keep — power is the big question here.
A massive human who runs and moves like a tight end, Banks (6-4, 324) plays with power throughout his whole body and has enough quickness to battle speed on the edge. He can play stiff and stand up at times, but he’s a brick wall with balance, very hard to knock over and a good puller.
Hand usage and leverage consistency are still areas that need improvement, but Banks is a hulking left tackle who could also probably play on the right side.
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A lot of people spent time trying to comp Penn State’s Chop Robinson to Micah Parsons last season, when, in truth, Carter deserved it more. Like Parsons, he has spent time as a stack linebacker with the Nittany Lions and is a twitched-up ball of explosion. Also like Parsons, he brings a bit of positionless flavor to the front seven.
Carter has been timed in the 4.4-second range in the 40-yard dash and, per The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman, also has notched a time of 4.35 in the short shuttle and a broad jump of 10 feet, 7 inches. Both of those final two numbers are better than Parsons’ combine performances.
Big and bouncy with a great catch radius, McMillan (6-5, 210) plays with great balance and shows the ability to contort his body to grab throws outside his (very large) area. He was an immediate contributor at Arizona, with a combined 129 catches for 2,098 yards and 18 touchdowns in two years.
A skinny player in high school, McMillan could still use more power, especially in the lower half, but he’s done a nice job bulking up. His 17 contested catches last year ranked behind only Rome Odunze nationally.
A rare offensive lineman who felt close to being ready for pro contact as a true freshman, Booker is a massive 6-5, 352-pound guard with extreme tools. A house at the point of attack, Booker’s powerful enough to erase incoming rushers and quick enough to finish in the second level and the screen game.
Booker got on the field as a freshman at Alabama and had dominant stretches as a sophomore. Working on hand consistency, as well as maintaining leverage, will be key this season.
Georgia’s best defensive back last year as a sophomore, Starks is a solidly built, 6-1 safety who is very sticky in coverage (seven forced incompletions) and rangy enough to play just about anywhere in the secondary. Despite all the annual talent in the Bulldogs secondary, Starks has already snagged seven interceptions and made his name lining up all over the place.
Follow the “Brian Branch Rule” here: If you get on the field or start as a freshman safety for Kirby Smart or Nick Saban, you’re going places. Starks is about to be a three-year star for Georgia.
Many wondered where Perkins was last season as a sophomore, with some questioning LSU’s decision to move him off the edge and into the stack. Perkins had 10 sacks outside as a freshman, but that number dipped to 5.5 last year.
Same time, Perkins did get a ton of experience as a coverage player who had to chase and fit the run from a different angle. LSU fans may be frustrated, but if this clicks for Perkins he, too, could become the type of positionless dynamo everyone covets up front.
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We’ve seen Jordan Davis and Amarius Mims and Travon Walker. Here’s another Georgia prospect from another planet. Greene isn’t quite as big a name as those previous prospects, but at 6-4, 320 with 35-inch arms and great burst, he qualifies as a freakish Bulldogs lineman.
A left tackle last year, Greene also has the power and burst to be a factor on the right side, if needed. His general technique (punch accuracy, using hands and feet together) needs improvement, as 2023 was his first year as a starter.
Burden’s undersized, but he’s as dynamic as it gets in space. One of the top yards-after-catch players in the country last year, Burden produced 724 of his 1,209 yards after the catch. He ranked slightly in front of Ladd McConkey last year in yards per route, at 3.26.
The size (5-11, 208) is a concern here. And though Burden did lead the SEC in YAC last season, he was noticeably quieter against top-end defenses, like Ohio State, Tennessee and Georgia.
Arguably the freakiest big man in the class at 6-6, 350, Walker had an outstanding 14.5 percent win rate (with 51 pressures) as mostly a B-gap rusher who took on some heavy edge responsibility.
Incredibly twitchy at his size, Walker’s explosion gives him an array of options to win inside — and one might argue he could’ve been even more dominant last year. An oddity here, and why his motor has to stay hot: Despite his huge frame, he’s not super long.
Loveland felt like a first-round pick last year as a sophomore. An outstanding mover with wiggle and body control, Loveland lined up all over the field and was Michigan’s toughest cover during its national title run.
He still needs to get stronger, and though he improved in this aspect last season, his run blocking can still take another step. Loveland has the potential to be a true three-down tight end with flex and downfield ability.
There are things Scourton can do in space and on the edge most 280-pounders never dream of. Not only is he a tank, he’s explosive, quick and plays with great bend. His spin move leaves a vapor trail.
Scourton racked up 52 pressures with an outstanding 21.2 percent win rate last year at Purdue (both top 10 nationally), before transferring to play for Mike Elko and Texas A&M.
Win rate leaders, 2023 (Power 5)
The nation’s top-ranked prospect in 2022, Nolen moved to Ole Miss for 2024 after two years at Texas A&M. He had good stretches in College Station, to be sure, including a seven-sack year in 2023.
He was not a dominant presence, however. Most of it came in big flashes, like a three-sack game at Arkansas a week after a two-sack game versus Auburn. Over the next five games, though, he followed up with just six pressures and one sack. Nolen needs more to be more consistent with everything he does.
LSU’s offensive line room is dripping with talent right now. Jones has been a starting right tackle opposite Campbell, his classmate, for the last two seasons. His pass protection hasn’t been as clean as the LSU captain’s, but Jones’ combination of power and intelligence at 6-6, 322 is outstanding.
He’s not as quick as Campbell either, so he will have to show a bit better technique against ultra-speedy SEC edges this season to be considered a left/right tackle as opposed to a RT-only prospect.
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Conerly came to Oregon with a reported 82-inch wingspan — and a lot of growing to do. Still more is needed, but it’s impossible not to see the potential here, as Conerly’s massive frame and big hands give him a chance on either side of the line. He’s a good mover who’s improved his punch over time.
Being consistent, continuing to add strength (he was around 280 pounds in high school) and maintaining leverage will be the keys to whether or not Conerly’s ready for the next step come spring.
With a frame reminiscent of Seahawks CB Tariq Woolen, the 6-4, 195-pound Davis led all Power 5 sophomores last season with 15 forced incompletions. He added 12 pass breakups and, despite being challenged deep plenty, allowed only 12.6 yards per catch while showing great long speed.
As good as Davis was against the ball, though, he came down with just one pick and was credited with three that were dropped. More patience would unlock a lot.
Others to watch: Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State; Dani Dennis-Sutton, Edge, Penn State; Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan; Isaiah Bond, WR, Texas
(Top photos of Mason Graham and Travis Hunter: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images; Jamie Schwaberow / Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
