2025 NFL Draft: Top prospects, QBs to know, sleeper picks

With the 2024 NFL Draft now in the rearview mirror, our focus is already starting to shift to the prospects of 2025. Next year’s class looks to have another interesting group at quarterback, and the defensive side of the ball is sure to rebound after being outplayed by the offense last weekend .

Who are the most important prospects to know? How does the Class of 2025 compare to the Class of 2024? We asked NFL Draft analysts Matt Miller and Field Yates, along with college football reporter Adam Rittenberg, to answer seven big questions about the upcoming draft class.

We’re one year away from the 2025 draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin, so there’s still a lot to learn about the class. But for now, let’s do a quick introduction to what could be an outstanding group of potential customers. And for more on what to expect from the 2025 class, check out Jordan Reed’s very early first-round mock draft (ESPN+)

Who are the best quarterbacks in the class of 2025?

Matt Miller, NFL draft analyst: The beginning of the Class of 2025 evaluation is a three-headed monster. Carson Beck (Georgia) is the hot name among NFL scouts, but he will be challenged by Quinn Ewers (Texas) and Shedor Sanders (Colorado) if those two can take the next step in their games in the 2024 season. Beck’s leadership of Georgia’s offense is exciting Impressive, he also displays the soft touch and commanding arm strength that NFL teams love. He threw for 3,941 yards and 24 touchdowns to just six interceptions last season. His lack of mobility may be questionable, but his pocket movement is impressive.

Another player to keep an eye on is Riley Leonard, who is now at Notre Dame after transferring from Duke. Scouts love his raw ability, but he needs a huge jump in production and consistency. However, we have seen it happen before as a quarterback gained experience in college.

Field Yates, NFL draft analyst: The three that caught my interest based on the 2023 film study are Sanders, Peck, and Ewers – in that order for me. I actually think Sanders looks like a early leader to be the No. 1 pick in the draft, as his elite pocket passing is beyond impressive. In his first season at Colorado, Sanders completed 298 passes for 3,230 yards and 27 touchdowns. How could he put together a defense when given time and space a legitimate order.

Adam Rittenberg, national college football reporter: The 2025 QB class doesn’t look like the last, but Beck, Sanders, Ewers and Miami’s Cameron Ward all have first-round potential, especially after the race for quarterbacks we saw in Detroit. Beck and Ewers will enter the season as top Heisman Trophy candidates. Sanders is seeking better protection and more balance on offense but has shown accuracy on the field and plenty of toughness in 2023.

Ward briefly entered the 2024 NFL Draft before opting out and transferring from Washington State to Miami, where he will lead a talented offense that includes running back Damian Martinez, another intriguing prospect. Ward is coming off a strong 2023 season, in which he threw for 3,735 yards and 25 touchdowns.

Which prospects could end up being the best non-QB in the class?

Miller: Let’s take a look at the offensive tackle class for next season because it’s a good one. Texas left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. (6-foot-4, 324 pounds) will compete with LSU’s blind-side guard Will Campbell (6-6, 325 pounds) for the top tackle spot, and both are great movers with length and strength. Elite NFL players. The class is also talented on defense, but offensive tackles would have been at the top of my early board.

Yeats: Colorado WR/DB Travis Hunter and Tennessee’s James Pierce Jr. are the two names that immediately come to mind, as they both appear frequently on film. Hunter brings rare fluidity and talent to two separate positions, displaying effortless speed and instincts. As a receiver, he had 57 catches for 721 yards with five touchdowns last season; On the defensive end of the ball, he had three interceptions and made seven pass breakups.

He plays

Travis Hunter comes with his second intelligence in the game

Colorado’s Travis Hunter comes up big with another interception for UCLA’s Ethan Garbers.

Pierce looks to be part of the elite team coming into the NFL as he had a breakout season in 2023 with 10 sacks during his true sophomore season. His burst on the first step is very good.

Rittenberg: Expect Michigan to have more high-profile picks in 2025 than it did in 2024, when it fell just short of the national title. Defensive back Will Johnson and defensive lineman Mason Graham should both hear their names called early in Green Bay. Johnson, the No. 23 recruit in the 2021 ESPN 300, has great length at 6-2 and playmaking skills with four interceptions last season. Graham wasn’t a decorated player in high school — he initially committed to Boise State before Michigan — but he became a punishing force on the interior of the nation’s best line last fall. He should continue to move up draft boards.

Who are some early sleeper picks who could step up this season?

Miller: Kentucky defensive tackle Deone Walker is one of my favorite early hours heading into the 2024 college football season. Watching his 2023 tape, I get the vibes of the 6-6, 348-pound Derrick Brown. Walker recorded 7.5 sacks last season, so he’s not just a nose tackle but someone who really impacts the game in three downs. He has a chance to shoot for the boards if he builds on a breakout 2023 season.

I also have to give credit to the Texans’ new addition from the transfer portal, defensive end Trey Moore. He posted 14 sacks last season at UTSA. The 6-3, 235-pounder has elite speed on the first step and could be a problem for SEC offenses.

Yeats: Alabama receiver Jeremy Bernard is ready to take off after transferring from Washington, where he was the No. 4 wide receiver in the nation’s best receiving room. He was a star in Alabama’s spring game — he had three catches for 122 yards — and should be featured in a big way.

Meanwhile, Georgia will once again have a tight end to work with, as Ben Yurusek will make his debut this fall with the Bulldogs after three seasons at Stanford. Yurosek had 42 catches in 2021 and averaged over 15 yards per catch. A shoulder injury cut short his 2023 season, but he showed his star power in Stanford’s season opener against Hawaii with nine catches for 138 yards.

Rittenberg: Three pass-rushers — Texas A&M’s Nick Skorton, Louisville’s Ashton Guillot and LSU’s Harold Perkins Jr. — should join the glut of defensive prospects. Skorton led the Big Ten with 10 sacks last fall and should pair well with Cashius Howell and others to put pressure on quarterbacks. The 6-3, 270-pound Guillot has 22 sacks in his first three seasons in Louisville and can play on the edge and interior line. Perkins has 13 sacks and 26 tackles for loss in his first two seasons and should thrive under new coordinator Blake Baker.

What is the early strength of the category?

Miller: defense! Although the 2024 draft class has been on offense, with a record 23 first-round picks coming from that side of the ball, the 2025 class will be on top of the defense. Cornerbacks Will Johnson, Travis Hunter and Benjamin Morrison (Notre Dame) all appear to be future top-10 picks. The defensive line is evenly loaded with Pierce, Graham, Perkins and Mykel Williams (Georgia) all showing the potential to be superstars at the next level.

How does the Class of 2025 compare to the Class of 2024?

Yeats: The part that I think is most interesting when comparing classes is the projected overall depth in 2025 compared to 2024. There were a lot of players who ended up going back to school in this past draft, which is related to both the lack of prospects and the fact that they were Granted all NCAA athletes who were in school at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic an additional year of eligibility. True freshmen who entered the school in 2020 or those who entered the school in 2021 and played immediately are heading into their senior year this season, which should lead to a much deeper class.

What sneaky college team to watch for 2025 prospects?

Rittenberg: Arizona produced three draft picks after an impressive 10-win season, and its 2025 production could be even more significant, especially at the top of the draft. Wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan had 1,402 yards and 10 touchdowns on 90 catches last season and will link up again with quarterback Noah Fifita in the fall. Cornerback Tacario Davis tied the Pac-12 lead with 14 pass breakups in 2023 and boasts great size at 6-4.

Offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea has started his first two seasons and should help lead a group that replaces first-round pick Jordan Morgan. The 6-5, 330-pound Savaiinaea can play guard and tackle and will likely play right tackle in 2024.

What prospect tape are you excited to watch as you start preparing your preseason board?

Miller: Luther Bearden III, WR, Missouri. The electric wide receiver could start the year as the No. 1 overall prospect after an 86-catch 2023 season with 1,212 receiving yards and nine scores. Burden has elite speed and open moves and established himself as a complete receiver last season. I want to study his running route and dig deeper into the nuances of his position, but my first look at him came at a point where he’s a top-five prospect.

He plays

Luther Burden III makes a great catch on a 42-yard Missouri TD

Brady Cook throws a 42-yard touchdown pass to Luther Borden.

Yeats: Dion Burks, WR, Oklahoma. He was a huge hit for the Sooners in the transfer portal after three years at Purdue, and I’ll be studying his tape with the Boilermakers this summer. My initial tape study on him last season (he was draft-eligible last year) showed the quickness and acceleration of a route runner. While Burks is listed at just 5-11 and 195 pounds, he falls into the category of prospects that you simply have to find ways to make touches for. He caught 47 passes for 629 yards with seven touchdowns in 2023.