2025 NFL mock draft: What coaches say about Ward, Sanders, Carter, Hunter and more

This is my fifth annual NFL mock draft based on all the intel I’ve gathered from speaking to dozens of college coaches and NFL sources during the past two months.

My goal with this project is to provide unique insight directly from the eyes of rival coaches who have not only studied and scouted these prospects but game-planned for and then faced each of them — in many cases, more than once. Those sources, granted anonymity to speak freely about the prospects, know exactly what they’re dealing with and what they’ve tried to do against these players in real-game situations.

(Note: An asterisk indicates a proposed trade.)

1. Tennessee Titans: Cam Ward, QB, Miami

I’ve heard since bowl season from folks inside the Miami program that the New York Giants love Ward, but the Titans have a big need too and won’t pass on the 2024 ACC player of the year. The Canes had fallen off the college football map for much of the past two decades before Ward arrived from Washington State and put a much-needed jolt into that program. He holds the NCAA Division I record with 158 career touchdown passes in his time at Miami, Washington State and Incarnate Word.

“I know guys (at Miami), they love that kid — like, really love him,” one ACC defensive coordinator said. “He’s an alpha. Great leader. Competitive. That usually works well in the NFL.”

Ward would’ve carried the Canes into the College Football Playoff if their defense wasn’t so leaky. The 6-foot-2, 219-pounder is the ultimate gunslinger. He does have some issues being reckless with the football that have burned his team. Miami coaches didn’t try to change his play style; they just worked on cleaning things up a little.

“A lot of his throws are backyard football stuff,” the ACC DC said. “We tried to force him to play more in the pocket. He was so frustrating to play against because he can really extend plays.”

A defensive coordinator who faced Ward and four first-round QBs from last year in the Pac-12 — Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix — thought Ward was as competitive as any of those players but didn’t think he was as polished or would be ranked ahead of any of them.

“He really hated to lose — like, just can’t stand to lose — and he’s tough,” the Pac-12 DC said. “I loved that about him.”

In 2024, Ward threw 39 TDs and seven INTs — the same number of picks as he had in 2023. In the Canes’ three losses, he threw eight touchdowns and zero picks.

“His good is really, really good,” one longtime ACC head coach said. “But he is really loose with the ball — as a runner, when he scrambles, that ball is out there, and he takes a lot of chances throwing it. A lot of balls he threw were interceptions that were dropped. But athletically, he’s everything you want. He’s got all the arm talent. He’s elusive, but he freelances so much. He is so high-risk, high-reward. I think it’d be scary passing on him because of what he could be.”

2. Cleveland Browns: Abdul Carter, edge, Penn State

If Cam Ward is available, I believe Cleveland will pounce. Instead, the Browns gobble up the latest in a long line of defensive freaks from the Nittany Lions capable of making an immediate impact. The pairing of Carter and Myles Garrett will cause huge headaches for opponents. At 6-3 and 250 pounds, the 2024 Big Ten defensive player of the year has average size for an edge player but is blazing fast. After spending his first two years as a linebacker, he led the nation with 23.5 tackles for loss to go with 12 sacks in his first season playing on the edge. A foot injury has hindered him from some of the evaluation part of the draft run-up, but last offseason, at 254 pounds, he clocked a 4.48-second 40-yard dash along with a 4.35 shuttle to go with an equally impressive 10-7 broad jump.

That kind of juice feeds into the Micah Parsons comparisons. The Cowboys star clocked a 4.43 at 245 pounds going into his last season at Penn State. An assistant who faced Carter in 2024 and spent time in the NFL has a different pro comp for the Penn State star.

“He reminds me of Von Miller,” the coach said. “He’s really bendy around the edge and such a speed rusher. He’s slippery enough to make your tackle completely whiff, and it’s a TFL. You hoped he slipped on that bad grass at Penn State. He’s a little different from Micah, who I think has more tenacity and physicality in his game and plays stronger. Abdul is much more bendy. Micah destroys people on inside moves. He’ll shimmy, counter and get inside, and that’s how you get sacks really quick. Abdul is really trying to win with speed around the edge.”

“He has elite twitch,” a Big Ten O-line coach said. “He will put his face in there and try to stop the rush. He is so fast. He jumped offside against us, and our guy almost didn’t see him; he went by so fast and so far. He’s still figuring it out. Got a lot better as the year went on.”

“His change of direction is pretty special, and he played with a high motor,” another Big Ten O-line coach said. “I think his physicality is just OK. Not great.”

Said a head coach whose team faced Penn State in the first half of the season: “His get-off is such a problem. Our deal was to run the ball right at him. He didn’t use his hands that well in the run game, but he became more of a complete player as the year went on.”

3. New York Giants: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado

The Giants have a big need at quarterback. Sanders, the son of football legend Deion Sanders, is a polarizing prospect. He and his dad arrived at Colorado two years ago and revived a program that had been left for dead. They, along with fellow Jackson State transfer Travis Hunter, made the Buffaloes nationally relevant immediately. The younger Sanders sparked the Buffs to a season-opening road win at TCU, a team that played in the national title game the previous season. In 2024, the Buffs improved from 4-8 to 9-4 and finished in the Top 25.

In two seasons, despite playing behind a woeful O-line, Sanders amassed a 64-to-13 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

“I think he has good arm talent and really good poise,” a Big 12 defensive coordinator said. “I think he’s almost too cocky, at least at the college level, where he would take some really bad sacks. Decision-making-wise, I think he thinks he’s better than everybody else, and that does help him elevate his game, but it also gets him into some bad situations. And if he doesn’t shake that, he’s gonna take way too many sacks in the NFL.”

At 6-1 1/2, 212 pounds, Sanders does not have his dad’s remarkable athleticism. Rival coaches estimate Sanders is probably a high 4.7, low 4.8 (40) guy.

“Even though he’s not fast, he was pretty elusive,” the Big 12 defensive coordinator said. “What I thought he does very well is when plays broke down, that was a strength. Once the first read wasn’t there and he broke the pocket, he kept his eyes downfield and really had a nice touch and was accurate. Especially when he’s on the run, that’s when he’s most dangerous. I don’t know if he has any elite physical traits, but I do think he has elite processing and feel for the game.”

One former NFL coach who watched a lot of Sanders was reminded of when Mac Jones came out of college, wondering whether he has any elite traits.

“Yeah, he’s smooth, and he operates well,” the coach said, “but if he operates so well, why does he take so many sacks? I know his O-line is awful, and I get that to an extent, but I’m watching him, and like 40 percent of the sacks are on him. Dude, just throw the ball!”

But that coach also believes Sanders is very accurate.

“He throws a very catchable ball,” the coach said, “and knows what kind of ball to throw, and his pocket movement is good, and those things do translate, but his clock is way too slow. It might be because he always thinks he has to make a play, but that’s not gonna go well in the NFL.”

Said a Big 12 secondary coach, “I think he really understands football and is very smart, and their OC did a good job of playing to his strengths. I don’t think he’s gonna be a bust.”

4. New England Patriots: Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado

Hunter is the best pure athlete in this draft. He is a rare talent, an elite cornerback who doubles as a dynamic wideout with a gas tank like college football has never seen. Other special DBs like Charles Woodson and Champ Bailey have dabbled on offense. None have played as many snaps as Hunter or made as many big plays on that side of the ball and excelled deep into games after remarkably high snap counts.

The 6-0, 188-pound Hunter won the Heisman Trophy as the nation’s top player, the Biletnikoff Award as the top receiver and the Bednarik Award as the top defensive player. He can help second-year QB Drake Maye immediately, even if cornerback is his primary position.

“I think he’s a better DB than he is a receiver,” a defensive coordinator said. “But he’s a really good receiver. He understands space. He’s such a smart player, period. People don’t give him enough credit for that. He’s very savvy, very instinctual. He knows where to sit down and how to create space. He has elite change of direction. Elite. His ball skills are also elite. He’s got long levers. But I think he’s a better DB because it is harder to find a shutdown corner like that. There’s only so many possessions in the NFL in a game, and he can turn the ball over, he can get it for you. He will.”

Hunter’s size isn’t eye-popping, especially for a receiver, and scouts don’t think he’d run in the low 4.3s. Still, people rave about his play speed. One Colorado coach guessed that Hunter probably would run a high 4.3 or around 4.4 but added that if you lined up all the fastest guys at the NFL Scouting combine this year and had a race, Hunter would end up winning it.

“Yeah,” a Big 12 defensive coordinator said after hearing that take on Hunter, “I think that nails it.”

He added his team didn’t have any answers for Hunter as a receiver. It tried to play him soft and keep him covered up over the top, but CU adjusted and threw screens to him. Hunter was so dynamic that he didn’t need much of an opening, and he was gone.

“I think he’s damn good,” the Big 12 DC said. “He’s got that ‘it’ factor. He’s going to find a way to make a big play, and he’s got that competitive speed, where he’s gonna run away from whoever is chasing him. And when the ball is up in the air, whether he’s playing offense or defense, he’s gonna out-jump whoever is up against him.”

“His upside is scary,” a Big 12 secondary coach said. “He made this one pick, and I was like, ‘Holy s—!’ It was crazy how he went up to go get it. This guy has crazy ball skills.”

5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan

This is a tricky spot. The coaches I spoke to who have faced Graham talked about him like he was a first-round talent, just not necessarily in the top five. Then again, you could say the same about Shedeur Sanders, and maybe this is more of an indictment of this year’s talent pool.

The Jags need help on the D-line and didn’t remedy it through free agency. Graham, who measured 6-3 1/2 and 296 pounds at the combine, was listed at 320 last season. When I was working on last year’s Freak List, Graham weighed in at 315 pounds and ran an impressive 4.69 shuttle (that would’ve been sixth-best among DTs if he did it in Indy in February). He finished with 45 tackles, 7.5 TFLs and 3.5 sacks, earning first-team All-America honors.

I expect two Wolverines D-linemen to go in the first round. Kenneth Grant is the other. The five coaches I spoke to who faced Michigan last season see Graham as the more polished product. A former high school wrestler, he knows how to play with great leverage.

“He knows who he is, and he plays to his strength,” said a Big Ten O-line coach who faced Michigan late in the season. “I think he’s super impressive with his alignment, how well he uses his hands, takes on double teams — you’ll see him free up the defensive end on a twist. He’s stout, and he’s pretty twitchy. He’s quicker than people think.”

“He’s a really good first- and second-down player, but I didn’t think he had a lot of juice on third downs,” said an O-line coach who faced Michigan early in the season. “The NFL is probably suited more for him than the college game. The way a lot of people in college play isn’t really suited to these big guys, and in the NFL, if you can’t stop the run, you get fired. So you need guys like this. He’s very strong at the point.”

A Big Ten running backs coach said Graham’s play style is a little like Aaron Donald.

“This guy is so good at using his hands and diagnosing how he’s being blocked so fast,” the running backs coach said. “Like Donald, I think he’s got this ability where he processes so fast and counters so fast before the guy can even put his hands on him. They have like an extra step and can win so fast. His get-off is really good, and his hand-fighting and the counters in his game are elite.”

6. Las Vegas Raiders: Jalon Walker, edge, Georgia

I know there’s a lot of speculation that Vegas will take Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, but Walker, the 2024 Butkus Award winner as the nation’s top linebacker, is too tempting to miss out on. His production, explosiveness and character have UGA and opposing coaches gushing. If the Raiders aspire to be like the Philadelphia Eagles, getting a game-wrecking defender from Georgia is a good place to start.

At 6-1, 243 with 32-inch arms, Walker doesn’t have great length, but he was a dominant player who shined in big games for the Dawgs. In two meetings last fall against Texas, which had legit offensive line prospects, Walker had four sacks and six TFLs. In the SEC title game in 2023, he had two sacks against Alabama. He can be a playmaker as an off-the-ball linebacker or harass QBs on third downs as an edge rusher.

“He is a problem on first and second down and a major problem on third downs,” said an SEC O-line coach who has faced a lot of first-round defensive players the past two years. “He was the best defensive player we saw all year. He’s got stuff in him like Will Anderson. Very similar. He’s so explosive. I think this guy is a complete stud.”

“He has a lot of position flex — they dropped him (into coverage), rushed him, blitzed him,” another SEC offensive coach said. “He’s super twitchy and has an array of pass rush moves. He killed our (starting offensive tackle), and that kid is a really talented player who’s also gonna play in the NFL.”

7. New York Jets: Armand Membou, OL, Missouri

The Jets could use a right tackle, and Membou is really intriguing. He had a fantastic combine in meetings and on the field. He clocked a 4.91 40-yard dash with a 1.74 10-yard split, and he vertical jumped 34 inches and broad jumped 9-7.

Membou came to football late but has displayed all sorts of promise. He’s really twitchy and sudden with unreal quickness for his size. South Carolina edge rusher Dylan Stewart was a freshman All-American, but Membou dominated him in their matchup.

“I think he’s pretty special,” an SEC defensive coordinator said. “He’s just so athletic, and you really saw it because they run so much of that stretch play there.”

“I can see why some people might think he’s a guard because he’s so strong and explosive, but he can also really bend,” an SEC D-line coach said. “His football IQ is high.”

8. Carolina Panthers: Mykel Williams, edge, Georgia

The second Georgia player to go in the top 10, Williams was injured in the 2024 opener against Clemson and didn’t get to play much in the first half of last season. But he was back for a big game at Texas in October and gave UT fits, notching two sacks. He had two more sacks against the Longhorns in the SEC title game. The 6-5, 260-pounder has 34 1/2-inch arms with potential that makes D-line coaches giddy.

“He was banged up a lot this year, but when he was close to 100 percent, he’s super twitchy,” an SEC tight ends coach said. “He’s a freak.”

He’ll boost a Carolina team that had the worst pass rush in the league.

“He’s more of the traditional defensive end guy than Walker,” said an SEC O-line coach who was really impressed by both Georgia players. “He can either be that 3-4 outside linebacker or 4-3 end. He has real pass rush ability. I think he’s an elite edge rusher. He’s great chasing from behind, and he can play the run well enough.”

9. New Orleans Saints: Will Campbell, OT, LSU

Drafting a cornerback would make sense for the Saints, but Hunter will be long gone, and this seems too early for Michigan’s Will Johnson or Texas’ Jahdae Barron. Helping new coach Kellen Moore by bolstering the O-line is a good alternative.

“He’s pretty nasty,” an SEC D-line coach said. “He’s got heavy hands and will get after people in the run game. Sometimes he will get off-balance in pass pro, but he’s impressive. I could see him starting for the NFL at tackle for a decade and making a team very happy.”

Campbell, who’s from Monroe, La., ran a 4.98 40 with a 1.76 10-yard split to go with a 32-inch vertical and 9-5 broad jump. Some may take issue with his arm length — measured at 32 5/8 inches at the combine and 33 inches at LSU’s pro day — but he won’t look overmatched on the edge in the NFL, according to the coaches I’ve spoken to.

“He’s a special talent,” an SEC defensive coordinator said. “I wouldn’t worry that his arms might be a half-inch or inch shorter than some people would like. He’s athletic enough, quick enough and nasty enough to control the pass rush. I think he’s a complete player.”

10. Chicago Bears: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State

Chicago strengthened its interior O-line this offseason, and a juiced-up running game should be a big help for last year’s top pick, Caleb Williams. With both Jeanty and UNC’s Omarion Hampton available, the Bears have their pick of who they want to team with D’Andre Swift to give new coach Ben Johnson a 1-2 punch similar to what he had in Detroit.

Jeanty is coming off a dazzling 2024 in which he rushed for 2,601 yards and 29 TDs to lead the Broncos to the Playoff and finish No. 2 in the Heisman race. He had 10 rushes of 60-plus yards and five of 70-plus. You have to go back to 2018 to find anyone who even had six of 60-plus.

Scouts have compared the 5-8, 211-pounder to LaDainian Tomlinson (for his all-around skill set), to Maurice Jones-Drew (Boise State OC Dirk Koetter coached both and saw the parallels) and to Alvin Kamara (because of his freakish ability to stay balanced).

“You take him off that team, and they’re not close to a Playoff team,” said a secondary coach who faced Boise State last year. “He’s got very good vision, good patience. He bounces off people, runs through contact. It was rare for one guy to bring him down. And I liked that he gets better as the game goes on.

“He reminded me of Ezekiel Elliott in how he ran. I do think guys didn’t go in with confidence to take him down, like some guys were intimidated by him. That ain’t gonna be the case in the NFL.”

11. San Francisco 49ers: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas

Charvarius Ward was one of the many big losses the 49ers had this offseason. The feeling here is that general manager John Lynch will opt for Barron over Michigan’s Will Johnson. The 5-11, 194-pound Barron is the smaller DB, but he’s faster. He won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top DB, making five interceptions and 67 tackles.

Lynch played with one of the NFL’s great nickel backs, Ronde Barber, in Tampa. It’s a stretch to say Barron is going to reach those heights, but he’s instinctive, savvy and versatile. Texas coaches felt strongly that he could excel as a nickel, corner or safety because he’s so smart and has such great agility and quickness. They think if he came out last year, he probably would’ve been a mid-round pick. Instead, he’s going in the middle of the first round.

“He’s got terrific ball skills and feel. I think his football IQ is really high,” an SEC offensive coordinator said. “His ability to adjust and trigger is elite. His footwork is really clean. Excellent open-field tackler. I thought this guy was the best player on that team.”

12. Dallas Cowboys: Omarion Hampton, UNC, RB

There’s a lot of speculation that Dallas will end up with Jeanty, but if he’s gone, the Cowboys still have an excellent option in the versatile Tar Heels star. The 6-0, 221-pound Hampton is a bigger back than Jeanty and has a knack for big plays. He ran a 4.46 40 at the combine with a 1.54 10-yard split to go with some elite jumping numbers of 10-10 in the broad jump and 38 inches in the vertical.

“He’s the complete package,” said a defensive coordinator who faced him last season. “He’s so strong and physical. He looks like a linebacker, but he can break away and take it the distance.”

In 2024, Hampton ran for 1,660 yards and 15 TDs. He also has good hands. One longtime ACC coach said he joins Dalvin Cook and Travis Etienne as the top three backs he saw in the past decade.

“We put a tape together before we played them about the amount of tackles he broke,” the coach said. “Nobody could tackle him. Backs like that usually can’t outrun you to the perimeter, but he could, and his hands are really good. I think he can be a 25-carry-a-game back, and there’s a lot of different offenses I think he’ll fit into.”

13. Miami Dolphins: Will Johnson, Michigan, CB

The defensive MVP of the 2023 national title game, the 6-2, 194-pound Johnson missed the second half of last season with a turf toe injury. He still had three impressive years in Ann Arbor that included a program-record three pick sixes, a direct reflection of Johnson’s play style in how quickly he sees things and how willing he is to take chances.

There are some concerns about just how fast he is. His coaches at Michigan think he can run somewhere from 4.45 to 4.48 in the 40 and is explosive enough to broad jump 10-5 and vertical in the 36- or 37-inch range. They also say he’ll play at a solid 205 pounds. His best film was in his games against Ohio State and last year against Texas. In addition to his size, his best attributes are his intangibles. Coaches say he prepares like a quarterback and has the mind of one with excellent instincts, which enable him to play so fast.

That has them drawing comparisons to Patrick Surtain II, although the Broncos star is probably a more dynamic athlete.

“He is built like Surtain, like he is a beautiful athlete,” said one Big Ten assistant who has coached in the NFL. “I think he moves well, has really good ball skills, and you know he is very smart, but this year we thought he looked a little checked out on film. He wasn’t as physical. We knew we could get double moves on him, and it was open.”

14. Indianapolis Colts: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State

Indy needs to help get its QB going, whether it’s Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones. The 6-5 1/2, 256-pound Warren figures to be a big help. He did everything for the Penn State offense last year. He won the Mackey Award as the country’s top tight end, played wildcat QB and became the go-to target for a team that didn’t have any difference-makers at wide receiver. He had 104 catches for 1,233 yards and eight TDs and rushed for 218 yards and four TDs.

“He went from being a pretty good player to being a great college player,” a Big Ten defensive coordinator said. “I just think he’s a great athlete. I’m not saying he’s as smooth as Travis Kelce, but he has some of that just natural playmaking ability that not a lot of legit tight ends have.”

“His ability after the catch is special; he breaks a lot of tackles, and I think he has upper-level ball skills,” said one head coach whose team faced Penn State early in the 2024 season. “I think this is a really good athlete who was just learning the position.”

“They were force-feeding him the ball last year,” another Big Ten coach said. “He is a very good player. He’s closer to (Rob Gronkowski) than Brock Bowers. He is a true tight end. Good blocker, not like dynamite, but good.”

15. Atlanta Falcons: Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama

I think there will be some back and forth about whether the Falcons should take Campbell or Marshall edge Mike Green. Here, the choice is Campbell, who arrived in Tuscaloosa as an edge rusher but played mostly as an off-ball linebacker. In 2024, he played both and was a terror, making 117 tackles with 11.5 TFLs, five sacks and two forced fumbles.

The 6-3, 235-pounder ran a 4.52 40 at the combine with a 1.53 10-yard split and had a 10-7 broad jump.

“That dude can fly,” one SEC O-line coach said. “(Alabama) did not have really any of those special guys they normally had on defense under (Nick) Saban. But he was that one dude who popped on the film. He’s so active and so fluid. He made a ton of big plays for them. Sometimes, it’ll look like he gets lost out there, but he has such burst that he’ll end up making plays you figure he’s out of. Also thought he got pretty good in coverage last year.”

16. Arizona Cardinals: Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon

Arizona figures to go in the trenches here with some good options on either side of the ball. The Cardinals added edge Josh Sweat in free agency, so I don’t believe they will take Mike Green here, and Harmon is too talented to let go by. The Ducks stepped up big on the name, image and likeness front to land the Michigan State transfer, and he made a big impact, notching 45 tackles, 10.5 TFLs, five sacks and two forced fumbles. He more than looked the part at the combine, measuring 6-4 1/2, 313 pounds and clocking a 4.95 40 with a 1.74 10-yard split.

“He was the best interior pass rusher we faced this year,” a Big Ten O-line coach said. “He has great length and athleticism. We schemed a lot of things to make sure he didn’t get one-on-ones against us. He wasn’t as stout in the run game as (Mason) Graham.”

“I thought he was unbelievable,” a Big Ten running backs coach said. “He’s just as disruptive as Mason Graham when we played them, and he’s even bigger. Very impressed by him.”

“Liked him a lot,” a Big Ten O-line coach said, “but I do think he picks and chooses when he wants to play hard or not. He is really good, though. He’s very explosive and quick and plays with power and strength and can shed and get skinny.”

17. Cincinnati Bengals: Mike Green, edge, Marshall

New defensive coordinator Al Golden could use a bookend partner for Trey Hendrickson. Green, the nation’s sack leader in 2024, makes a lot of sense. He was a disruptive force for the Thundering Herd and then went to the Senior Bowl and turned a lot of heads with his performance.

The 6-3, 251-pounder posted 17 sacks and 22.5 TFLs in 2024. His old coach at Marshall, Charles Huff, said Green reminds him a lot of former Alabama star Will Anderson, who Huff was around when he was a Tide assistant. He said Green’s not as powerful but is more athletic with “unbelievable get-off” and explosiveness. He finished last season around 242 pounds but has worked hard to get his weight up. Some off-the-field questions about him surfaced during the combine from his time before Marshall, but unless more comes to light, we think he’ll be the Bengals’ guy.

“When you watched the tape, we’d bring him up a lot,” a Power 5 O-line coach said. “What is this guy doing at Marshall? I thought he was a real guy. He had some shake to him and some edge. Really good with his hands, is twitchy, and he knows what he is. He used his speed, and then he’d go speed-counter, and then he could go speed to power. He is a natural edge guy and natural pass rusher.”

18. Seattle Seahawks: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona

As much as Seattle needs O-line help, I don’t see it drafting Bama’s Tyler Booker or North Dakota State’s Grey Zabel here. The 6-4, 219-pound McMillan, with his freakish ball skills, is too gifted not to take and package with Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp.

“He’s a dude,” one Big 12 head coach said. “They weren’t any good around him, but he’s such a difference-maker. He has elite ball skills. He knows how to use his body. I was super impressed with him. His game translates because most NFL catches are contested catches.”

In 2024, McMillan had 84 catches for 1,319 yards and eight touchdowns despite defenses knowing he was Arizona’s first, second and third option on every pass play. Scouts and coaches aren’t sure how fast he is — he’s probably 4.6-ish in the 40, and his vertical is in the 34- or 35-inch range — but he has uncanny timing from his volleyball background. His old coach at Arizona, Jedd Fisch, spent a long time as an NFL assistant and told me McMillan is “the best athlete I’ve ever seen,” in part because of his remarkable hand-eye coordination.

“Baller,” a Big 12 secondary coach said. “On film, I saw some laziness when he wasn’t getting the ball. But he has the best skills I’ve seen in years. He’s unbelievable. I don’t worry about his speed. He’ll be able to make those catches on third-and-6 when you really need it with a corner right on him.”

“I think he has competitive speed and competitive vertical ability,” a Big 12 DC said. “Those ’50-50 balls’ aren’t 50-50 balls with him. They’re more 90-10 with him.”

“The thing with him is he did not come off the field,” a Big 12 defensive coordinator said. “You watch the film, and you think, ‘This kid is lazy.’ I think he was just trying to get a breather. He has as good of hands as you will ever see — he catches everything, away from the body, up in the air. He has such good body control. Not a blazer. But I think he does a good job of finding a way to separate. I can’t compare him hands-wise to anyone.”

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Donovan Ezeiruaku, edge, Boston College

Tampa already added Haason Reddick to boost the pass rush, but Ezeiruaku is a high-floor, low-risk option to join him. The 6-2 1/2, 248-pounder is undersized but does have good length with 34-inch arms. He has good athleticism, with a 35-inch vertical jump. More impressively, his 4.19 shuttle time was by far the fastest of the edge players at the combine, as was his 6.94 3-cone time.

He won the Hendricks Award, honoring the nation’s top defensive end, after leading the ACC with 16.5 sacks and 20.5 TFLs.

“I thought he was a monster,” a Power 4 conference O-line coach said. “He’s got a lot of moves and counters to beat you with. I don’t think people talked enough about this kid considering how good he actually was.”

20. Denver Broncos: Matthew Golden, WR, Texas

One of the running backs would make a lot of sense, but with both Ashton Jeanty and Omarion Hampton gone, Sean Payton will get the fastest receiver in the draft. Golden’s stock is soaring after his 4.29 40 with a 1.49 10-yard split gave scouts who already liked his film at Texas even more reason to tout him. He blossomed last year with the Longhorns after transferring from Houston, leading Texas with 987 receiving yards on 58 catches with nine TDs.

“He’s got crazy burst and sudden movements to get past a DB,” one SEC defensive coach said. “And he’s smart.”

Word is Golden went from being a decent practice player to a great practice player in around seven months, as he matured and got dialed in at Texas.

“I didn’t think he was as fast as he was in Indy, but if that’s what he ran, that’s what he is,” a Power 4 conference DB coach said. “He is a very good route runner. They did a good job with him to get one-on-ones.”

21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss

There are legit first-round caliber D-linemen available here, but I believe the Steelers are intrigued enough by Dart’s makeup and his physical talent to take him. The 6-2, 223-pounder has played a lot of football and faced some really good defenses in his college career.

The biggest compliment rival coaches will give him is that he’s probably as tough as any QB they’ve faced in recent years and that they think he’s a good leader because they could see teammates wanting to play for him. He put up big numbers in Lane Kiffin’s offense, throwing for 4,279 yards and leading the nation with an average of 10.8 yards per attempt. He cleaned up some of his turnover issues, throwing just 11 interceptions in the past two seasons combined — as many as he threw in 2022. He hasn’t thrown a pick in the red zone in the past two seasons.

“I do think he’s talented,” said an SEC defensive coordinator who has faced him multiple times. “He’s got a live arm and is athletic, but he’s very streaky. My biggest question on him is he was just OK when they faced good opponents. They had a lot of talent on that team (in 2024), and they looked tight whenever the pressure got hot.”

22. Los Angeles Chargers: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan

The Chargers recently added Tyler Conklin, who is a reliable tight end with almost 1,100 receiving yards during the past two seasons with only one drop. But Jim Harbaugh knows Loveland, his former tight end at Michigan, is a more dynamic weapon and will give Justin Herbert more firepower. The 20-year-old Loveland is 6-6, 248 pounds and led the anemic 2024 Wolverines offense with 56 catches for 582 yards and five touchdowns despite being the primary focus of every opposing secondary. Loveland didn’t get high marks as a blocker from the opposing coaches I spoke to, but I’ve heard from UM sources that he had a shoulder injury he played through for much of the season.

“He is in that Evan Engram mold,” one Big Ten secondary coach said. “He probably doesn’t have that kind of top-end speed and is more of a 4.65 40 guy, but he can stretch the field, and he’s probably a little more physical. He’s a smooth route runner, smoother than (Tyler) Warren, and tough enough.”

“It was also a little hard to tell how good he was because Michigan’s QB play this year was so bad, and they didn’t have good wide receivers,” a rival Big Ten coach said. “He was the guy everyone paid attention to. He’s rangy, and he moves real well. He’s a good receiver, but he feasted on really bad college safeties, and I think that’s one of the positions with the biggest difference between college and the NFL. Safety play in college is so bad. In the NFL, it’s very good, and these tweener guys can get locked up a lot.”

23. Green Bay Packers: Grey Zabel, OL, North Dakota State

Zabel is the latest in a long line of gifted O-linemen who blossomed in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Zabel shined in Senior Bowl practices and turned heads at the combine, where at 6-6 and 312 pounds, he vertical jumped an astounding 36 1/2 inches — the best of all the O-linemen. He has excellent position flexibility, having played left tackle, right tackle and guard. His arm length of just 32 inches is why some personnel people think he’s best suited as an interior lineman.

“He’s a talented, physical kid,” one Missouri Valley head coach said. “I don’t think he’s quite as good as (Bucs guard) Cody Mauch or (Bills OT) Spencer Brown, but I think he’s better than (Saints first-round OT) Trevor Penning. Gray is a really good athlete, but I think Mauch bent better and was more of a mauler.”

If there was any knock on his game, it was that he wasn’t great at handling stunts, but rival coaches couldn’t stop raving about Zabel.

“He is so good,” said an FCS defensive coordinator who has coached at the major college football level. “He’s extremely athletic and really good in pass stuff. He changes direction so well, is strong, poised and doesn’t get rattled. I think if you have him at center or guard, he’ll be pretty damn salty.”

24. Minnesota Vikings: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina

Minnesota has some terrific options here to bring in a young star safety to learn from Harrison Smith. I think the Vikings will go for the freak athlete Emmanwori from South Carolina over Georgia standout Malaki Starks. The 6-3, 220-pound Emmanwori put on an awesome display at the combine, vertical jumping 43 inches, broad jumping 11-6 and running a 4.38 40 with a 1.49 10-yard split to back up a staggering amount of production in the SEC. He made 88 tackles with four INTs and two pick sixes in 2024.

Emmanwori gets compared to former Seahawks enforcer Kam Chancellor because of his size, but former Cardinals star Adrian Wilson, a five-time Pro Bowler, is a better comp, according to South Carolina DC Clayton White. White played at NC State with Wilson, who had similar size and was a more dynamic athlete than Chancellor.

Inside the Gamecocks program, Emmanwori was known as “Nick the Eraser.” As freakish as Emmanwori is, his coaches say the things that impress them most are his football IQ and ability to retain information.

“He’s as big as some defensive ends in college and faster than anyone on the field,” an SEC offensive coordinator said. “He’s got so much range, it gives you a lot to worry about. There’s some inconsistency there with him on the film, but you just don’t see guys this size or are this athletic.”

25. Houston Texans: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas

With Laremy Tunsil off to Washington, Houston needs help at tackle. There are a couple of intriguing options here. Ohio State’s Josh Simmons is exceptionally athletic but still a bit raw, whereas Banks is more seasoned. The 6-5, 315-pound Banks won the Lombardi Award and Outland Trophy in 2024 after starting 15 games at left tackle.

Despite winning some individual hardware, Banks had his share of struggles in 2024. Sources at Texas said he was dealing with an ankle injury that he was playing through. UT folks speak highly of Banks’ competitive maturity, which impressed them early in his career when he was matched against Alabama’s Will Anderson and Dallas Turner and more than held his own. They love his ability to recapture his balance when he gets knocked off his center and can stay connected to the defender, displaying uncanny body control and core strength.

“I think he’s more of a right tackle, but he has good feet and can anchor,” an SEC D-line coach said. “He’s a better run blocker than pass protector.”

“I’m not as high on him as I think everybody else is,” a Power 4 defensive line coach said. “He is skilled, but I didn’t think he was great in space.”

26. Cleveland Browns (via Rams*): Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State

In this scenario, the Browns trade up with the Rams, sending their Nos. 33 and 94 picks to Los Angeles.

Cleveland has Dawand Jones and Jack Conklin lined up to be its starting tackles. Jones is young and talented but has had season-ending injuries in each of his first two years, and Conklin will be a free agent in 2026. Simmons is a legit left tackle prospect with top-20 tools. He was having an outstanding season in 2024 before going down with a knee injury at midseason.

Buckeyes coaches say the 6-5, 317-pounder can run in the high 4.8s/low 4.9s and is a “freaky athlete” who vertical jumps in the high 30s. He’s still raw and spent just two years in Columbus after transferring from San Diego State. Coaches believe he’d be a top-10 pick if he had remained healthy.

“He’s an elite athlete with rare ability to recover from being out of position,” a Big Ten D-line coach said. “He’s also got some real grown-man strength to him.”

27. Baltimore Ravens: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia

Texas A&M defensive ends Shemar Stewart and Nic Scourton are in play here, but Starks’ playmaking ability fits with the Ravens’ DNA. The 6-1, 197-pound Starks started all three years at Georgia — no small feat given the talent pool and intricacy of the defensive system. He led Georgia with 77 tackles and ran a stellar 4.5 40-yard dash. His 1.51 10-yard split is even better.

“He’s super smooth,” an SEC offensive coordinator said. “He covers a lot of ground. He is a very savvy player. Really good open-field tackler. Georgia wasn’t that good in the back end (in 2024). I think their issues would’ve been a lot more glaring if he wasn’t back there.“

28. Detroit Lions: Nic Scourton, edge, Texas A&M

Detroit goes to Dan Campbell’s alma mater to build back its D-line after injuries ravaged the unit in 2024. Shemar Stewart is an even freakier Aggie than Scourton, but the 6-3, 257-pound Scourton is the more polished and productive player. In 2023, while at Purdue — as a 19-year-old team captain — he led the Big Ten in sacks. He transferred close to home and earned first-team All-SEC honors with 14 TFLs and five sacks. He played last season at 285 pounds but has shed almost 30 pounds to offer more position flexibility.

“He’s very well-rounded and really disruptive,” an SEC O-line coach said. “He’s a really big defensive end. I think he might be more of a four-tech or maybe even a three-tech, instead of being an edge guy.”

“He’s a better player than Stewart,” another SEC offensive line coach said. “He plays the run really well. Got really good pass rush skills with a lot of change-ups and good body control for a big guy. He’ll get a lot of effort and motor sacks.”

29. Washington Commanders: James Pearce Jr., edge, Tennessee

With sack leader Dante Fowler Jr. gone to Dallas, Washington needs a jolt on the D-line, and the choice here is Pearce over Shemar Stewart, another combine freak. Pearce, at 6-5, 245, is smaller but more productive. His athleticism is elite, as he ran a 4.47 40 with a 1.56 10-yard split. He also broad-jumped 10-3.

During the past two seasons, Pearce has 27.5 TFLs and 17.5 sacks. Abdul Carter has similar size and burst, but line coaches who have studied both think the Penn State edge player is scarier.

“We felt like we could neutralize him with some chips and take him out,” one Power 4 offensive line coach said. “He wants no part of setting the edge and stopping the run. He reminds me a lot of (former Falcons first-rounder) Vic Beasley.”

“He’s got great get-off, but I think he’s very one-dimensional,” an SEC O-line coach said.

30. Buffalo Bills: Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan

The one-time three-star recruit from Indiana wasted little time making jaws drop when he arrived in Ann Arbor. He was 360 pounds, and he clocked a sub-5.0 40, according to Jim Harbaugh. Those incredible wheels showed up a lot on the field, particularly when he ran down Penn State star running back Kaytron Allen in a game.

The 6-4, 331-pound Grant has 33 1/2-inch arms and made 32 tackles with 6.5 TFLs and three sacks alongside Mason Graham in 2024.

“He was just as impactful in our game as Graham,” a Big Ten running backs coach said. “He’s a monster. He’s big and nasty and has some pass rush to him.”

“I thought he was just OK,” a Power 4 conference line coach said. “I didn’t love him. I thought he took plays off. He’d jump around blocks. He didn’t always play through the blocks. He is very athletic and you do see flashes of really good stuff.”

“He’s got great size, length, and is super explosive,” said a Big Ten offensive line coach. “He just needs to be more polished. You can see times where it looks like he wore down.”

31. Kansas Chiefs: Shemar Stewart, edge, Texas A&M

The 6-5, 267-pound Miami native with 34 1/8-inch arms lit up the combine, running a 4.59 40 with a 1.58 10-yard split. His jump numbers were even more eye-popping, as he hit 40 inches in the vertical and 10-11 on the broad jump. His on-field production isn’t as jaw-dropping, with just 4.5 sacks and 11 TFLs in his three seasons at A&M.

Stewart has elite traits and has been quite disruptive at times, but whether that eventually translates into big plays is one of the biggest questions in this draft.

“I thought he was really good on film but wasn’t great against us,” an SEC offensive line coach who faced A&M late in the season said. “I think he’s similar to Mykel Williams. He’s a little bigger but not quite the pass rusher. He’s this great looking kid, and then you hear how he tests. I didn’t think he had that kind of twitch. I didn’t see a first-round guy.”

“He’s not as good as the Georgia guys, but he has so much upside,” an SEC tight ends coach said. “He’s so long, and he can run. He will definitely flash. I think he’s more talented than (Tyree Wilson), who went top 10 to the Raiders (in 2023).”

“He’s not elite or a game-wrecker where you have to slide to him and chip him,” another SEC line coach said. “I think he’s pretty explosive, but I don’t think he did a good job of setting his moves up.”

32. Las Vegas Raiders (via Eagles*): Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State, WR

The Eagles trade the No. 32 pick to the Raiders for the No. 37 pick and a fourth-rounder (No. 108), as Las Vegas scrambles to jump back into the first round to make sure it gets the best slot receiver in the draft.

The 6-1, 202-pound Egbuka had a breakthrough season in 2022, when he caught 74 passes for 1,151 yards and 10 TDs. After dealing with injuries in 2023, he put up similar numbers in 2024 in helping the Buckeyes win the national title. Ohio State coach Ryan Day told people during Egbuka’s freshman season that he was so football savvy that Day thought the young wideout was the player on the roster whom he could most see as a coach down the road. The former baseball player is excellent at tracking the ball and is extremely competitive.

He ran a little faster than people thought, going 4.45 in the 40 at OSU’s pro day, where he jumped 38 inches. New Raiders OC Chip Kelly spent the 2024 season running the Buckeyes offense and knows just how good this guy is. Egbuka had more catches (14) in third-and-medium situations than anyone in the country last season. Expect him to have multiple seasons in the NFL with 100-plus receptions. Buckeyes wideouts don’t bust, and I’d be shocked if this guy did.

“He’s as polished as they come,” a Big Ten DBs coach said. “Terrific route runner who sets guys up really well. I think he’s better in the slot than outside, but he can do both. He has a great feel for space. He’s also bigger and stronger than you think.”

“He’s good at everything,” a Big Ten secondary coach said. “Our players were really high on him. He’s big enough to play big. I could see why the Ohio State coaches would say that Egbuka’s so football smart. Jeremiah (Smith) was so special, the other guys got overshadowed, but he’s good. Look how long he has done it there — that matters.”

Teams projected to be without a first-round pick:

33. Los Angeles Rams (via Browns): Azareye’h Thomas, CB, Florida State

A lineman like Ohio State’s Donovan Jackson or Alabama’s Tyler Booker would make sense, as would a cornerback like Notre Dame’s Benjamin Morrison or Kentucky’s Maxwell Hairston. But the Rams hit the jackpot last year on two former Seminoles, Jared Verse and Braden Fiske. The 6-1 1/2, 197-pound Thomas, who has 32 3/8-inch arms, is a long, lanky, fluid coverman whose former defensive coordinator at FSU thought he was a real ballhawk and a very savvy player. That DC, Adam Fuller, is now the Rams’ safeties coach.

“He’s so, so long, he gives guys a lot of problems, and he can stay on you pretty well,” an ACC offensive coordinator said. “I don’t think he’s that fast or has great burst, though. He’s more of a glider.”

37. Philadelphia Eagles (via Raiders*): Jordan Burch, DL, Oregon

Philly needs to re-stock its D-line. Ole Miss’ Walter Nolan would be a good fit, but I expect him to be gone by this point. Burch slimmed down for the combine to get to 279 pounds at 6-4 with 33-inch arms (he played the season almost 20 pounds heavier). As expected, he ran exceptionally well — 4.67 in the 40. He was banged up for four games in 2024, missing three due to a knee injury. He still managed 11 TFLs and 8.5 sacks. No one doubts his talent and upside, but his consistency has been a concern.

“When he wants to go, he’s a first-round talent,” a Big Ten offensive line coach said. “His deficiency is that he’s really like a 3-4 defensive end, but I don’t think he sees himself like that. It’s like he just wants to be a speed rusher. He doesn’t play that hard. He has a self-governor on. He is a really good player, but I don’t think he’s elite from what we saw and what I saw on tape.

“You’d see him out there at defensive end, and he’s gigantic. He’s freaky. He can bend around the corner, but if he was really a dude, you’d think he would’ve come out by now.”

(Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; photos: Joe Robbins / Icon Sportswire, Dustin Bradford, Todd Kirkland / Getty Images)