Gavin Riley's top 50 2025 NFL Draft prospects
1. Abdul Carter, ED, Penn State
The No. 1 spot is the former Nittany Lion. Carter explodes off the ball with rare acceleration that stymies blockers. Watch his tape against the elite programs — USC, Ohio State, Notre Dame — he's a constant disruptor. His speed wins early, complemented by a swipe/rip combo. He immediately exploits oversetting tackles, darting inside for quick pressures. When QBs try escaping, Carter shows a natural instinct to redirect underneath. In back-side pursuits, he closes at a blurry speed.
2. Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado
Hunter is the most gifted two-way player since Deion Sanders, with elite instincts and ball skills at both receiver and corner. At CB, he’s sticky in coverage with elite ball skills. He changes direction like he's controlled by a joystick. At WR, he’s a polished route runner that easily creates separation. He can also climb the ladder for contested jump balls. He’s a transcendent talent who simply operates on a different level.
3. Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
Jeanty had one of the most absurd running back seasons in history, falling just 28 yards short of Barry Sanders’ all-time rushing record. He has some of the best contact balance I’ve seen from a running back. He’ll be the focal point of the offense for whichever team selects him.
4. Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
Graham is an immovable force on the interior who combines elite power with surprising quickness for a man his size. He controls gaps with exceptional leverage and hand placement that makes him nearly impossible to move. He’s a dominant presence who consistently resets the line of scrimmage.
5. Will Campbell, OT, LSU
Campbell played left tackle at LSU, but analysts foresee a future at guard. Personally, I think he can stay at left tackle. His hand placement and sheer power make him my favorite offensive lineman in the draft. Watch the tape against the powerful potential top-15 pick, Shemar Stewart.
6. Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
If you’re looking for a complete offensive weapon, Warren is your guy. He burst onto the scene this past season with his incredible receiving skills and ferocious mentality as a blocker. Penn State lined Warren up everywhere. Whichever team drafts him is getting a versatile chess piece.
7. Mike Green, ED, Marshall
Green’s speed-to-power was evident in his 17-sack season for the Thundering Herd this past season. His ability to set up tackles with a deep arsenal of pass-rush moves is impressive. He has elite bend and an extremely high motor.
8. Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
Johnson’s an elite pattern matcher with fluid hips and explosive bursts. His ball skills and route recognition allow him to bait quarterbacks into throws they immediately regret. He has a special blend of confidence and instincts that define shutdown corners, though he lacks the top-end speed many have.
9. Jalon Walker, LB/ED, Georgia
Walker is an explosive second-level defender who processes the game at an elite level. His sideline-to-sideline range and violent hands make him a force against both run and pass. He has the ability to diagnose plays pre-snap and teleport to the ball carrier on run plays.
10. Shemar Stewart, ED, Texas A&M
Stewart’s ability to convert speed to power at his size (6-foot-5, 280 pounds) is different. He’s a freak. He didn’t have much production for the Aggies, but frankly, I don’t think teams will care too much.
11. Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
I sound like a broken record, but it bears repeating: Sanders' accuracy and ball placement are special. The debate between him and Cam Ward for QB1 is ongoing, but I think Sanders is simply the better quarterback. He lacks elite athleticism, and he doesn’t have “zip,” but he can surgically take his team downfield.
12. Malaki Starks, DB, Georgia
Starks wasn’t as effective as a playmaker in 2024, but he moves like a missile in the secondary with elite instincts and an explosive burst. He processes the game at an exceptional level, allowing him to play multiple positions with equal impact. His versatility and closing speed make him a defensive coordinator's dream.
13. Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
McMillan has more to offer than his viral one-handed, between-the-legs catches during training. He dominates the vertical game with extraordinary length, body control, and run-after-the-catch ability. He’s not the most effective at creating separation, but he’s a matchup nightmare who plays like a basketball player in cleats.
14. Cam Ward, QB, Miami
Ward brings electric playmaking ability with high-level arm talent to all areas of the field. He shows special awareness in chaos while keeping his eyes downfield for the big play, albeit too often, which causes too many turnover-worthy throws.
15. Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
Loveland possesses rare movement skills and natural hands for a tight end. He creates consistent separation with refined routes while showing surprising power at the point of attack.
16. Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
While not the most explosive athlete, Baron is an elite ballhawk — the Thorpe Award winner flashes an uncanny football radar. Though he may not check all the boxes as a true boundary corner, he has great anticipation and timing.
17. Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
Cue Nolen’s Senior Bowl tape, and you’ll see complete dominance. The former No.1 overall recruit in 2022 was unstoppable down in Mobile. You saw the same thing many times on tape in his lone season with Ole Miss — shooting the gap and simply being more powerful than his opponent.
18. Armand Membou, OT, Missouri
Membou combines massive power with surprisingly nimble feet in pass protection. He creates movement in the run game while maintaining excellent balance and anchor.
19. Mykel Williams, ED, Georgia
Williams is another trait-based gamble from Georgia, like Nolan Smith and Travon Walker. Williams lacked production, but he brought elite burst and bend off the edge with natural pass-rush instincts. He also has a 34 3/8 wingspan. He has traits for days that make him an enticing prospect.
20. Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
Overshadowed by his counterpart, Graham, Grant consistently reset the line of scrimmage with what’s near preternatural power and startling quickness. He’s dominant in both the run and pass rush.
21. Jihaad Campbell, LB/ED, Alabama
Every year, there is a defensive end or off-ball linebacker whose draft stock skyrockets after the combine. Nolan Smith in 2023. Chop Robinson in 2024. Campbell is my pick for 2025. At 6-foot-3, 243 pounds, he has a freaky burst and can naturally rush the passer.
22. James Pearce Jr., ED, Tennessee
Pearce is tall and slender, yet one of the more gifted pass rushers in this class. He dominated SEC play with a unique blend of bend, twitch, and fluidity.
23. Tyler Booker, OL, Alabama
Bama players referred to Booker as “the Will Anderson of the offense.” Anderson went No. 3 overall just two drafts ago. Booker is one of the safest linemen in this year’s class.
24. Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
Egbuka reminds me of another Ohio State product, Jaxson Smith-Njigba — both being savvy route-runners with exceptional body control and reliable hands in traffic. Like JSN, Egbuka excels from the slot with pristine footwork and spatial awareness. He’s also an exceptional blocker.
25. Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
If not for a torn ACL midway through the season, Simmons would presumably be higher. The NFL draft community awaits his medicals at the combine to see if they need to move him up or down a few spots. If his medicals look good, he could be in consideration to be the first tackle off the board.
26. TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State
"Henderson can make a house call from anywhere," Chris Fowler noted as Henderson caught the slip-screen pass against Texas in the CFB Semifinals...75 yards later, the Buckeyes' back proved him prophetic with a touchdown sprint before halftime. He’s lightning in a bottle with exceptional pass-blocking ability.
27. Donovan Ezeiruaku, ED, Boston College
Ezeiruaku is undersized at 6-foot-2, 247 pounds, but he has a bottomless bag of pass-rush moves that led to a 16-sack season with the Eagles. If he can become more powerful, he’ll be a dominant force. Bigger opponents handle him pretty easily if his initial and counter fail.
28. Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
Burden operates primarily from the slot position, showcasing electric playmaking ability. Despite a statistical regression — partially attributable to quarterback inconsistency — his 2023 performance demonstrated his genuine talent. The dynamic playmaker remains despite his substandard season.
29. Nic Scourton, ED, Texas A&M
After a 10-sack season at Purdue in 2023, Scourton transferred to Texas A&M and was unable to replicate the former success. I believe he can recapture that production — the traits that led to double-digit sacks are still evident in his game.
30. Shavon Revel, CB, East Carolina
An ACL injury sidelined him for most of the 2024 campaign, but Revel is one of the most physically gifted cornerbacks I’ve watched. At 6-foot-3, 185 pounds, he possesses extraordinary recovery speed. He lacks nuance at the position, but he’s just about everything you want at the position in terms of the physical gifts.
31. Omarion Hampton, RB, UNC
Hampton combines a violent running style with great vision and balance, consistently making the first defender miss while showing the speed to take any carry the distance.
32. Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
Regarded as the top left tackle in the draft, Banks dominates the edge with his massive frame and surprising movement skills, showing the consistent ability to mirror speed rushers while creating displacement in the run game.
33. Grey Zabel, IOL, North Dakota State
I don’t think there was a bigger winner during the Senior Bowl than Zabel. He stymied every defender trying to plow through him — and he did it at each position across the line.
34. Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
Harmon is a mountain of a man who controls the line of scrimmage with sheer power and leverage. His ability to eat up double teams and still generate interior pressure makes him a nightmare for opposing offenses. While he’s not the most explosive, his motor and technique allow him to consistently disrupt both the run and pass game.
35. Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
Golden is a smooth operator who wins with elite separation, quickness, and effortless route running. His ability to set up defenders and snap off routes makes him a consistent chain-mover, and he has a knack for finding soft spots in coverage. He’s not the biggest or fastest, but he’s a technician.
36. T.J. Sanders, DT, South Carolina
Sanders blends size and explosiveness to create chaos in the trenches. He has a quick first step that allows him to shoot gaps and wreck blocking schemes, but he also plays with enough power to hold his own against double teams. His pass-rush ability is the best part of his game.
37. Josh Conerly, OT, Oregon
A former five-star recruit, Conerly had continuous success at Oregon. He has a rare combination of a high floor and a high ceiling. His skill set blends surprising quickness with redirection ability. Conerly's talent was validated by his peers, who named him the top offensive lineman at the Senior Bowl.
38. Elijah Arroyo, TE, Miami
Arroyo has been skyrocketing up draft boards, and I anticipate he’ll be even higher on my final ranking. At 6-foot-4, 245 pounds, Arroyo is a natural separator with elite speed. He clocked a top speed of 21.8 mph during a 75-yard catch-and-run touchdown against Georgia Tech.
39. Darius Alexander, DT, Toledo
Alexander will turn 25 when the season kicks off — an age that admittedly makes front offices nervous. He’ll be 29 when it’s time for his second contract. But for contenders looking to maximize their championship window? He's exactly who you want. Turn on his tape, and you'll see why — it's littered with defenders getting manhandled snap after snap. And the way he moves at 6-foot-4, 310 pounds…It’s a lot like Chris Jones.
40. Azareye’h Thomas, CB, Florida State
Thomas, at 6-1 and 191 pounds, is regarded as a top perimeter cornerback. He’s a constant agitator, routinely neutralizing receivers with his length and confrontational approach at the line. Though not a prolific ball hawk, any team seeking an intimidating coverage presence will like the former Seminole.
41. Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa
He is one of the larger backs in the draft, and the burst that comes with his size is tantalizing. His one-cut ability, where he quickly identifies a gap, makes one decisive cut, and explodes up the field, is evident on tape.
42. Jack Sawyer, ED, Ohio State
Sawyer became king of the campus after his infamous scoop and score in the College Football Semi-Finals against Texas. While he won't dazzle you with any single elite trait, he’s technical and fundamentally sound. Don't expect him to lead the league in sacks, but he profiles perfectly as a dependable ED2.
43. JT Tuimoloau, ED, Ohio State
I view Tuimoloau similarly to his counterpart, Sawyer — nearly the same, in fact. He is not a flashy player, but he'll be a very important rotational piece that provides reliable production and versatility when called upon.
44. Donovan Jackson, OL, Ohio State
Many may have Jackson higher. I mean, he did seamlessly step in for an injured Josh Simmons, sliding from left guard to left tackle. The transition, to paraphrase what NFL lineman Justin Pugh once told me, is like moving a fight in a phone booth to an open field. It’s totally different. But Jackson excelled, and now it’s to be determined whether he’ll be on the interior or protecting a QB’s blindside.
45. Xavier Watts, S, Notre Dame
Watts brings an exceptional track record of ball production, securing 13 interceptions across two seasons. The Irish's first two-time consensus All-American since '93 makes up for man coverage shortcomings with an uncanny nose for the ball. His playmaking instincts should carry over nicely to Sundays, even if he isn't the most versatile DB in the class.
46. Carson Schwesinger, LB, UCLA
It’s hard not to admire Schwesinger’s story. A former walk-on turned All-American, the UCLA Bruin has had a meteoric rise throughout the draft process. He has outstanding instincts in all phases and is a fast, rangy LB who does well in coverage and defending the run.
47. Jack Bech, WR, TCU
Bech may have the best hands in the draft. Along with that, he’s a muscled-up receiver who creates good separation at the top of his routes and is exceptional after the catch.
48. Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
A long, rangy safety with a nose for the football, Emmanwori has been the backbone of South Carolina’s secondary. His physicality and tackling ability make him an enforcer in the run game, but his versatility in coverage — whether as a deep safety or in the slot — keeps him on the field in all situations. The tools are there for him to be an impact defender at the next level.
49. Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky
Despite his lighter frame at 179 pounds, Hairston does well in press coverage where most corners his size struggle. He's a scrappy, play-making cornerback with excellent technique that compensates for his size disadvantage.
50. Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State
A big-bodied receiver with a knack for high-pointing the football, Higgins emerged as Iowa State’s go-to target in 2025. Standing at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, he’s got the size and strong hands to win contested catches, but his underrated route-running and body control make him more than just a jump-ball specialist.