5 ‘My Guys’ for the 2025 NFL Draft
Read why I like these prospects, along with mini scouting reports, pro comparisons, and draft projections.
The 2025 NFL Draft is looming. College football is over, and the NFL season is winding down. The draft’s all-star circuit is a week away. Because of this, I’ve started my deep dive into the Rolodex of prospects.
Frankly, it’s not an overly exciting class. But many players stand out, and I’ve found five I’d like to fondly label as “my guys.”
Mike Green, Edge, Marshall
At 6-foot-4, 248 pounds, Green is an undersized yet disruptive, high-motor edge rusher. When rushing the passer, he sets up his pass-rush moves — arm-over swim move, swipe-rip, and spin, being his most effective — with precision, and he pairs those with elite bend and an explosive first step.
After leading the FBS in sacks this past season with 17, Green’s choice to leave the Thundering Herd after a stellar redshirt sophomore season seems to be the right one. He was a dominant defensive force all season long, leading all players nationally with 23 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, his 17 sacks included. He amassed 84 total tackles while forcing three fumbles, breaking up two passes, and recovering one fumble. His impressive exploits paved the path for Marshall to capture the Sun Belt Conference title.
Unequivocally, there will be questions about his size and relative competition level — save for his impressive performance against Ohio State, in which he logged a sack — but he has the ingredients to continue his disruption in the NFL.
Pro Comp: Haason Reddick
Draft Projection: Middle of the First Round
Cam Skattebo, RB, Arizona State
After a season where he rushed for 1,711 yards and 21 touchdowns on 293 carries, leading ASU to the College Football Playoff, Skattebo became a household name. Yet despite being one of the most impressive players in the nation, doubts remain about his effectiveness in the NFL.
Sure, he won’t run the fastest 40-yard dash. But he doesn’t need to. Skattebo can make a defender miss in a phonebooth with his tackle-breaking mindset, that ‘run through a motherf—er’s face' mentality he displayed countless times this season. He has exceptional contact balance and lower body strength when running between the tackles.
In one of the deepest RB draft classes in recent memory, Skattebo’s draft projection is puzzling. My gut says late day two. I believe many teams will see him as a complementary back because of his lack of top-end speed. Don’t get it twisted, though — he’s more than capable of being a workhouse back due to his build and ferocity while running the football.
Pro Comp: Marshawn Lynch
Draft Projection: Late Third Round
Armand Membou, OT, Missouri
Membou is straight-up nasty in the trenches. He’s been a quick riser throughout the draft process.
The 6-foot-3, 325-pounder works well on an island, effortlessly gliding with fluidity. He’s able to widen the corner with his speed and length to cut off wide-aligned high-side rushers. Despite an unorthodox build, he has a rock-solid anchor, and he has quick, violent hands with adequate strike timing that shut down edge rushers at the point of attack. His grip strength is equally impressive. When locks onto smaller rushers, they seemingly get caught in quicksand, both in the passing game and run game. In 2024, he allowed zero sacks and nine pressures in 410 pass-block snaps.
Membou will be just 21 on draft night, yet he possesses the physical demeanor, pass-protection skills, and agile movement to become a year-one starter.
Pro Comp: Duane Brown
Draft Projection: Middle of the First Round
Xavier Watts, DB, Notre Dame
Notre Dame’s defense was incredibly impressive this past season, ranking first in the country in pass efficiency and completion percentage. Leading that charge was Watts, a one-year captain who was tasked to wear multiple hats for the Fighting Irish defense.
Watts excelled in the man/zone slot and nickel safety role, though when he was asked to play center field, he was great at that, too. Part of the reason why his final season in South Bend was nothing short of spectacular, as he led the FBS in interceptions with seven and spearheaded the Irish defense to the National Championship. In 2023, he was awarded the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, presented annually to the country’s best defensive player.
Watts, 6 foot, 203 pounds, plays with an extremely high motor. His intensity is evident in every snap. He has a quick stop-and-go transition off his pedal and incredible instincts and route recognition. He’s the best ballhawk in the draft while being an absolute eraser in the run game.
Pro Comp: Justin Simmons
Draft Projection: Second Round
Xavier Restrepo, WR, Miami
From a school that produced NFL greats Michael Irvin, Reggie Wayne, Andre Johnson, and Santana Moss, Restrepo is Miami's all-time leading receiver. He'll be remembered among Miami's greatest pass-catchers when discussing the record books, albeit rather differently. All of those players were X receivers, and, despite coining the nickname X — due to his first name and him being a complete X-factor for the Hurricane offense — Restrepo is an undersized slot receiver. That’s where his home will be in the NFL.
Restrepo is as crafty as they come. He consistently finds soft spots in zone coverage with his savvy route-running ability. His reliable hands and competitive toughness in traffic make him a quarterback's best friend, particularly on crucial third downs, where he tends to have a sixth sense for the sticks. While lacking elite top-end speed, he compensates with pristine technique and a warrior mentality that makes him play bigger than his 5'10" frame would suggest.
Pro Comp: Amon-Ra St. Brown
Draft Projection: Late-Second, Early Third Round
These five prospects, I expect, will raise their stock throughout the draft process, starting with the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl, in which all of them will be participating.