2025 NFL Draft BIG BOARD: September Edition
By Hayden Shapiro
It is time! My first big board for the 2025 NFL Draft has arrived. It features some big names from big schools and under the radar players from smaller programs. If you love the NFL Draft hit that follow button, sit back, and enjoy.
1 Mason Graham, DT Michigan
Unreal power, unreal hands, and unreal footwork make Graham the top player in this class. He makes playing on the interior of a BIG10 line look easy and throws interior lineman to the side as soon as the ball is snapped. Another thing that Graham does so well is use leverage to get around/under blockers. He’s up there with the most pro-ready prospects we’ve seen in a while.
2 James Pearce Jr, EDGE Tennessee
Speed off of the EDGE is the new “trend” in the NFL. We see guys like Brian Burns, Haason Reddick, and Bryce Huff make a living using finesse moves to evade opposing tackles; that’s exactly where Pearce Jr excels. Yes, he’s raw, but the sky’s the limit for this Volunteer. His jump off the ball is spectacular and his bendy, long frame helps his swim over and rush around would be blockers.
3 Will Campbell, OT LSU
A starter since his freshman year, Campbell has held down the fort on the blind side for some very notable offenses in Death Valley. He is unbelievably strong, yet it doesn’t take away from his outstanding footwork at the tackle position.
4 Will Johnson, CB Michigan
Johnson is a physical, press corner who loves to play in man. He was the defensive MVP of the National Championship in 2023 and there should be no expectation of a decline in production from him in 2024. He’s one of those corners that you can leave by himself with no safety and feel totally fine about it. Not to mention, if he goes in the top two picks, he would be the first corner ever to do so.
5 Nic Scourton, EDGE Texas A&M
Remember Tyree WIlson? Yea, the guy who everyone thought was the fastest 270lb player in draft history. Well, Scourton is Wilson X2. The Purdue transfer is 280lb but moves like a linebacker. His strong hands serve him well on the edge, but he can slip inside too. He is the most polished run-stopper off the edge in this class.
6 Luther Burden III, WR Mizzou
Burden III is a dynamic playmaker who lines up all over the field. His vision is phenomenal and he’s one of those guys where you do everything you can to get the ball into his hands. He’s only 205lb but plays so much bigger than that. He’s electric underneath but has the burners to torch corners over the top.
7 Kelvin Banks, OT Texas
Where Banks excels is with his footwork, he just moves so unbelievably well for his size. He is a mauler in the run game, consistently paving the way for his running backs to take the carry outside the numbers.
8 Tetairoa McMillan, WR Arizona
McMillan has one of the most intriguing skillsets of anyone in this class. His 6’5 frame helps him with climbing the ladder to go up and get the ball, but his crisp route running is what jumps off of the page. He finds the soft spots in zone better than anyone else here and his play is very reminiscent of a young Mike Evans.
9 Deone Walker, DT Kentucky
Being the most violent, disturbing, and game-wrecking player in the country isn’t an easy thing to do; Deone Walker does it. He’s a mighty 348lb and stands at 6’6, a true freak of nature. In 2023 he led all DTs in pressures and even took some reps on the edge for the Wildcats. Walker could end up even higher on this list as the season progresses.
10 Harold Perkins Jr, LB LSU
This Tiger is undoubtedly the fastest LB in the country. Perkins Jr’s sideline to sideline speed is flat-out ridiculous. He needs to put on some weight, but his ceiling is unfathomable. Playing SEC opponents will help with experience in coverage, and he is already used all over, including rushing the passer where he is extremely productive in limited opportunities.
11 Malaki Starks, S Georgia
Starks has linebacker-like instincts and lines up all over the defense. His play recognition is what really stood out, but he’s also a more than willing tackler who has that nasty safety attitude that’s needed at the next level. We haven’t seen a safety go in the top 10 since Jamal Adams and Starks could very well change that.
12 Travis Hunter, WR/CB Colorado
Yet another five star recruit in this class, Hunter does it all. He’s an extremely smart wideout who understands spacing very, very well. His instincts on offense carry over when he’s marking the opposing team’s number one wideout on defense. His ball skills are impeccable in coverage, largely due to his offensive prowess. He can go up and get it on both sides of the ball, although he needs to work on his tackling. He could be a project, but if his two-way game translates to the next level, watch out because history could be witnessed.
13 Abdul Carter, EDGE Penn St
Carter has drawn comparisons to Micah Parsons and Myles Garrett due to his freakish athleticism, but he falls to 13 on this list because he hasn’t played a full year at EDGE just yet. He made the move this offseason and the Nittany Lions are excited to see what the full-time pass-rusher job will do for the soon to be first round selection.
14 Shadeur Sanders, QB Colorado
The accuracy, the flashiness, and the confidence are all things that’ll serve Shadeur well at the next level. He is able to fit passes into the tightest windows and it seems like every game his completion percentage is over 70%. Sanders has all the tools to be a superstar at the next level, and if the pocket awareness gets just a little better, this guy could end up going at number one.
15 Ben Morrison, CB Notre Dame
Morrison is a true ball hawk. He’s an animal in zone, one with extremely good instincts and a quick break on the ball. The one negative about his game is that he takes risks that are not always well calculated. He did end up with 6 INTs his freshman year, but he was beaten over the top against star wideouts. A move to safety could be in the future for Morrison.
16 Emery Jones, OT LSU
Anchor number two of the best OT duo in the country, Jones is more of a vertical run blocker. His power and strength serve him well against EDGEs, but he has struggled in pass-protection against bigger rushers. His grit and mauler mindset land him at 16 on this list, but a strong season with the Tigers could have him jump quite a few sports before draft season rolls around.
17 Conner Weigman, QB Texas A&M
Weigman has a cannon for a right arm. His deep ball and passes inside the numbers are very, very impressive. The one knock on him is the fact that he just doesn’t have the experience that the other QBs on this list have. He’s also a very underrated athlete and can accurately throw on the run.
18 Shavon Revel Jr, CB East Carolina
A lanky, bendy frame helps Revel Jr immensely in man coverage. His ball skills are great and he’s a willing tackler, although he may exclusively be a boundary corner in the NFL. Fluid hips and great ball tracking are his two standout traits, but this dude can really do it all in coverage.
19 Princley Umanmielen, EDGE Ole Miss
A little throwback kind of player is Umanmielen. He isn’t all that fast, but his ability to set the edge and stop the outside run is among the best in the class. He’s got a great frame and great football IQ. One thing that stood out on film was his ability to read the play before the snap, even though he doesn’t get off the line all that fast.
20 Carson Beck, QB Georgia
Look, Beck is an amazing leader and a proven winner, but his arm talent just doesn’t jump off of the page like Weigman and Sanders. Beck is very accurate and places the ball in places where only his wideout can grab it and that’s the reason he’ll be a good fit for pretty much any NFL offense, but limited athleticism and a lack of big plays land him at number 20 on this list.
21 Tyleik WIlliams, DT Ohio St
Quickly becoming a known name in college football, Williams has a very interesting skillset. He uses finesse and speed to get around interior blockers, something that is extremely impressive at his size and position. If he can add some power moves to his toolbox, he could end up much higher on this list.
22 Tacario Davis, CB Arizona
Yet another long-armed defensive back, Davis makes a living in zone coverage. His instincts and break on the football are two things that jump off the page, but his knock is a big one: the guy takes way too many risks on double move routes. He’s easily baited, but when he’s in a deep zone or flat, he looks like a top corner in the country.
23 Mykel Williams, EDGE Georgia
An absolute game-wrecker, Williams makes a living blowing up runs in the backfield. He isn't the fastest and doesn't have the bendiness you want from a true EDGE, but his ability to move inside and stuff the run is very intriguing.
24 Jack Sawyer, EDGE Ohio St
Sawyer is a do it all defensive end who can certainly be effective at the EDGE position as well. He’s got a wide range of pass rush moves in his repertoire and has one of the highest motors in this class.
25 Colston Loveland, TE Michigan
This Wolverine is a must-include on offense type of guy. Yes, the blocking needs a lot of work, but his prowess over the middle is really perfect for a lot of NFL systems.
26 Jonah Savaiinaea, IOL Arizona
Versatility is the name of the game now when drafting interior lineman; and that’s what Savaiinaea brings. He can play either guard spot as well as center, something a lot of teams are going to love about this Wildcat.
27 Ashton Gillotte, EDGE Louisville
Another guy who makes the backfield his home, it seems like Gillotte is involved in every play. He’s got extremely strong arms and hands, allowing him to move opposing tackles to the side and stuff the run. His pass rush moves need some fine-tuning, but overall, Gillotte is a great guy to have on a line.
28 Ashton Jeanty, RB Boise St
Jeanty’s lower body is remarkably strong, and his ball carrier vision is special. He sees the field better than any other back in CFB and can be used in the pass game too. Along with his dominance on the ground, he is a phenomenal blocker and executes play action perfectly.
29 Emeka Egbuka, WR Ohio St
A superstar level route runner and a dynamic return man, Egbuka can change a game with his speed alone. The hands need work, but with the amount of separation that this guy creates it’s more than do-able.
30 Tre Harris, WR Ole Miss
The Rebels pass the ball a lot and it’s usually in the direction of Harris. The fact that he’s not higher on boards right now is really surprising, the dude is always open. He’s more of a possession WR, but his breakaway speed is being very undervalued.
