For some reason, this year's draft doesn't seem that exciting. Maybe because Rockets in the playoffs and Astros' not so good start.
Spoiler https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2025/...efter-first-round-picks-teams-shedeur-sanders • Multiple teams have said the player who will be drafted at No. 10 is the same quality as the player drafted at No. 32. It will be about each team's preference, but in the opinion of multiple personnel people, there is not a tremendous amount of difference. • Additionally, there isn't an elite offensive tackle in this draft. No cornerback is, in the eyes of evaluators, a can't-miss prospect. There seem to be more questions in this draft than answers. Multiple teams consider the value to be not in Round 1, but in Rounds 2 and 3 and maybe bleeding into Round 4. • The Steelers (No. 21) are among the teams interested in moving back from their first-round slot. That list also includes the Jaguars (5), Panthers (8), 49ers (11), Falcons (15), Seahawks (18), Buccaneers (19) and Vikings (24), who currently have four picks, the fewest any team. There has been, however, a lack of teams willing to trade up -- at least so far. Denver is one of those: The Bronco have made inquiries about moving up in Round 1, according to sources. But there aren't many others. This always could change when players start falling and teams are on the clock. • Draft weekend is also a busy time for trades of players already on rosters. Here are players on rookie contracts who could be deemed expendable: Will Levis, QB, Titans Treylon Burks, WR, Titans Kayvon Thibodeaux, Edge, Giants Evan Neal, OL, Giants Jalin Hyatt, WR, Giants Sam Howell, QB, Seahawks Tyree Wilson, Edge, Raiders Greg Newsome II, CB, Browns Travis Etienne Jr., RB, Jaguars Odafe Oweh, Edge, Ravens George Pickens, WR, Steelers Rachaad White, RB, Bucs Kayshon Boutte, WR, Patriots And here are veterans who could be available via trade: Jalen Ramsey, CB, Dolphins Jaire Alexander, CB, Packers Kirk Cousins, QB, Falcons Dallas Goedert, TE, Eagles Mark Andrews, TE, Ravens Trey Hendrickson, Edge, Bengals Each year there are players who go higher than prognosticators predict. Here are four who evaluators are expecting to go higher than projected: • Missouri offensive tackle Armand Membou now looks like a top-10 lock, with the Raiders (No. 6) and Jets (No. 7) being possible destinations. • A pair of Texas players -- offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. and cornerback Jahdae Barron, have generated less talk than some of the other prospects at their positions. But both are in position to go higher than some people realize, with Banks being in play for Miami at No. 13 and Barron being linked to the Jets at No. 7. • UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger, projected by many as a Day 2 pick, has a chance to go in the end of Round 1 to a team such as the Commanders (No. 29) or Bills (No. 30) that might be be looking for additional defensive help. • Many mock drafts have pegged the Jaguars to select Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham at No. 5 overall. As the venerable Lee Corso says, however -- not so fast, my friends. New GM James Gladstone -- who has 10 picks to work with, including four in the top 90 -- might not be that predictable. As one league executive said recently: "Jacksonville is a wild card -- watch." Jaguars coach Liam Coen has long had a soft spot for wide receivers in the draft, and the top-rated wideout in this class, Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan, has drawn comparisons to ... the Bucs' Mike Evans. Coen, who coached Evans last year, knows how valuable a player like that can be to an offense. Some have questions McMillan's passion for football, but others suggest he is misunderstood and that, when he's on a football field, "he's an absolute baller." • Ohio State quarterback Will Howard played with a number of NFL prospects on the school's national championship team last season. Asked earlier this month on The Adam Schefter Podcast to point out one teammate who is set to have a special NFL career, Howard didn't hesitate. "One guy I've been saying over and over, and I think he's a special guy, is Emeka Egbuka," Howard said. "He's been special throughout his whole career here, and he's going to be special at the next level. I see something different with him, man. He's got unbelievable route-running ability, he's got great speed, he's got some of the best hands that I've been around. On top of that man, he's one of the best guys I've been around. He's super into his faith, understands the game like a quarterback. You could sit him down in a quarterback meeting and he spit stuff out damn near like I could, and it's pretty impressive. I know he's got a really bright future ahead of him." • Expect the Texans, Eagles to be active No general manager seems to enjoy making draft weekend deals more than the Texans' Nick Caserio. During the four drafts he has run, the Texans have made a remarkable 22 trades either shortly before or during the draft, including one with the Vikings on March 15 last year that netted Houston the 2025 second-round pick Caserio turned into wide receiver Stefon Diggs. The trade with the Vikings was just a warmup for draft weekend, when the Texans went on to make three more deals -- two with the Eagles and one with the Lions that involved nine draft picks in last year's draft. As busy as they were last year, it was nothing compared to how active they've been during other drafts. During the 2023 draft, they made eight trades, including the move up for edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. at No. 3 overall. During the 2022 draft, they made seven. During the 2021 draft, they made three. If history is any guide, the Texans -- who have seven picks this year -- will be moving all around the board again this weekend. Speaking of trades, no team is in a better position to make them this week than the Eagles. They own 20 selections over the next two drafts -- more than the actual number of players who can make their team. Therefore, they have added bargaining power should they try to trade for available veterans -- a certain possibility during the draft -- or if they decide in a less-likely scenario that they want to move up. Moving up is what they've consistently done in the past. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman traded up in 2019 to get offensive tackle Andre Dillard, in 2021 to get wide receiver DeVonta Smith, in 2022 to get defensive lineman Jordan Davis and in 2023 to get Jalen Carter, Davis' college teammate. With the added pick firepower, Philadelphia is armed to make more trades, but deals for veterans instead of moving up in Round 1 are considered more likely. Quick-hit notes • One source predicted this is going to be one of the most talented lists of priority free agent (PFAs) in recent years. The class is filled with players who won't get drafted but have draftable grades on them. It's two COVID classes and underclassmen combined together. Prospects who normally are late-round picks now will go undrafted and become PFAs. The Vikings have only four picks, so they would figure to sign as many of these players as they could. The Falcons, who have five picks, also will be in the mix. • Contrary to internet speculation, the Eagles are not trading A.J. Brown. The star wide receiver signed a three-year extension a year ago this week. • Once he is picked Thursday night, Colorado standout Travis Hunter wants to make sure NFL commissioner Roger Goodell introduces him as a cornerback and a wide receiver. • Once again, North Dakota State has a quarterback prospect in the NFL pipeline in Cam Miller, who threw 33 touchdown passes and had just four interceptions last season. The Steelers, Jets and Broncos all sent their quarterback coaches to North Dakota State last month to meet with Miller, who is expected to be a late-round pick. • At 464 pounds, Florida defensive tackle Desmond Watson could become the heaviest draft pick in NFL history.
Spoiler https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6274940/2025/04/21/nfl-draft-2025-confidential-hunter-sanders/ … Depth but no star power among wide receivers Last year’s draft saw three wideouts go in the top 10: Marvin Harrison, Jr. (No. 4), Malik Nabers (No. 6) and Rome Odunze (No. 9). The fourth first-rounder, No. 23 Brian Thomas Jr., finished higher than any of them in the Rookie of the Year voting. Don’t expect as much star power this year, even if Hunter goes as a receiver or splits positions. “There’s some good midlevel talent but not high-end talent,” said WR coach No. 2. That sentiment was echoed by the three wideout coaches and offensive coordinators I spoke to. “If you base it over the last five years, it’s average,” said WR coach No. 3. After Hunter, who is expected to be picked first among wideout options, the top available receiver was split among coaches between Texas’ Matthew Golden, a 5-11, 191-pounder who ran a 4.29 40 at the combine, and Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan, a 6-4, 219-pounder who didn’t run at the combine but reportedly ran a 4.48 40 at his private workout in front of 24 teams in March. “I like Golden better,” said WR coach No. 3. “He’s just a better receiver with a different type of speed and acceleration. When you see him against Georgia and Arizona State, he’s got a gear that most people don’t have. He’s super strong and makes catches in the end zone that are straight hands catches.” McMillan had a better season in 2023 than 2024; the Wildcats went from 10-3 to 4-8. He was still extremely productive, catching 84 passes for 1,319 yards and eight TDs. Golden, who transferred from Houston to Texas, blossomed in Austin in 2024, catching 58 passes for 987 yards and nine TDs. His receiving yards were more than double what he did in 2023, while his yards per catch went from 10.7 to 17.0. Sources at Texas said he became one of their best practice players by the end of the season, a noticeable difference from when he first arrived there. “He might be the best route runner in this class,” said WR coach No. 1. “He’s pretty nasty. His pro day was where you saw that explosion, where he did look like a 4.29 guy. He didn’t look like a 4.3 guy on a lot of his tape.” WR coach No. 2 described him as “super fast,” but added that Golden’s hands “are good, not great. He’s still got a lot of raw ability that needs to be molded. I think he’d be a great complement to a team that has a good No. 1 receiver.” McMillan seems more polarizing. Some of that is due to questions about his speed. I’m told he also didn’t interview great with teams, though one of the coaches who said that thought the 22-year-old probably didn’t represent himself as well as he could’ve when he talked about football and his film study habits. “All he needs to say is, ‘I love football.'” “Turn the tape on, the kid’s a baller,” said OC No. 1. “He does play really hard. I like T-Mac.” WR coach No. 2 said, “He really reminds me of Michael Pittman, and Drake London. If you combined those two guys, that’s him.” “T-Mac’s biggest attribute is he’s got a huge strike zone,” said WR coach No. 3. “He can post up guys and win in one-on-ones. Can he really separate? He doesn’t always separate on some of the intermediate routes and create the space that Hunter and Golden do.” Of all the receivers in the draft, the one where there seems to be the least certainty is Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka. Some of that is due to the sterling track record of top wideouts the Buckeyes have cranked out in the past decade. The other piece of that is the player he’s most compared to is former teammate Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who Seattle took 20th two years ago. He made the Pro Bowl last season after catching 100 passes for 1,130 yards and six TDs. Egbuka is slightly bigger at 6-1, 202, and slightly faster. “It’s amazing how similar he is to Smith-Njigba down to how they talk and their mannerisms,” said WR coach No. 3. “They have really similar games. Jaxon might be slightly ahead. Emeka has really strong hands and is so smart, and interviewed so well. It’s hard to find a flaw with him.” WR coach No. 2 called Egbuka the most complete receiver in the draft. “He may never be a No. 1 guy, but he’s gonna make plays.” The feeling on the next batch of receivers comes down to what flavor you like, whether it’s more of a slot or a pure outside receiver. Missouri’s Luther Burden, who saw his production drop significantly from 2023 to 2024 (1,212 yards to 676), has been compared a lot to Deebo Samuel, but the coaches I spoke to are reluctant to go that far in their evaluations of the 6-0, 206-pounder who clocked a 4.41 40 at the combine. “He’s not as powerful or quite as good,” WR coach No. 3 said. “Burden did most of his work in the slot. When he’s on the outside, can he win on the outside? I’m not sure he’s quite as fast as people thought.” WR coach No. 2 said Burden is “definitely the best with the ball in his hands” of this year’s class. “He’s not that polished, but I do think he’s shown enough. He’s so dynamic, special. I think he needs to work on his practice habits and things like that.” The other wildcard prospect who NFL receiver coaches think is more similar to Samuel is TCU’s Savion Williams, a 6-4, 222-pound former quarterback who ran a 4.48 40 in Indianapolis and rushed for 322 yards, averaging over six yards a carry, and ran for six touchdowns to go with 60 catches for 611 yards and six receiving TDs. Williams was 3-for-3 as a passer in 2024 for 22 yards and another touchdown. “To me, he’s more like Deebo. You question whether he can run routes well enough to win consistently, but he’s got enough hands. He’s a bit of a body catch, but he is so rugged with the ball in his hands and hard to tackle. If he goes to the right place, he might be one of those who takes off.” More on why it’s a deep group • Everyone really likes both Iowa State receivers, Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. Said WR coach No. 3: “I had Higgins higher. He’s got the size. He’s a hard cover. But Noel is really good. He can really work the middle of the field.” Added WR coach No. 1: “What do you need, a slot or the tall, linear outside guy who can get 50-50 balls? They’re both really good.” • Ole Miss’ Tre Harris, a former high school QB, is “a favorite of mine,” said WR coach No. 2. “He makes a lot of the 50-50 catches. He played quarterback in high school, and when you talk to him, you hear that. He’s a great leader.” • Jack Bech began his career at LSU but transferred to TCU, where he led the team in receptions (62) and had 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns. “I really like him,” said WR coach No. 3. “He plays through contact. He’s a little bit stiffer than what I hoped when we worked him out.” Said WR coach No. 2: “This is a relentless player.” • WR coach No. 2 on Washington State’s Kyle Williams: “He’s super quick. He can play inside and outside. Watched his junior year when he was playing against real Pac-12 guys, and he did well. He’ll go somewhere second or third round.” • WR coach No. 3 on Stanford’s Elic Ayomanor, a sleeper: “He put it on Travis (Hunter in 2023 when he had 13 catches for 294 yards and three TDs in a double-OT win) and was really giving it to him. I do see some of the same issues that I see with T-Mac, where he doesn’t quite separate on those intermediate routes as much as you want. He timed faster than T-Mac, but I don’t think he has as much game speed. I think he fits in that second-tier below Egbuka.” Added WR coach No. 2, “He’s intriguing. They say he’s the hardest worker on the team. He probably dropped too many balls, but the QB play there was so sporadic. It was hard watching it sometimes.” • Oregon’s Tez Johnson, a 5-10, 154-pounder, led the Ducks with 83 catches for 898 yards and 10 TDs after posting a school-record 86 catches for 1,183 yards and 10 TDs in 2023: “It’s hard to say he can be more than a situational guy,” said WR coach No. 3. “He’s really fluid and can change direction. Watch him at the Senior Bowl. He is a hard cover. But the track record is how many other 155-pound guys make it? Not many, but he has the ability to do it.” • Arkansas’ Isaac TeSlaa, a 6-4, 214-pounder who had a 39 1/2-inch vertical jump and ran a 4.43 40, began his career at Division II Hillsdale College. He had 62 catches for 896 yards and eight TDs in two seasons with the Hogs. “He’s got good size and runs real good,” said WR coach No. 1. “I thought he looked good at the combine. You saw flashes of it in his film at Arkansas. I’d bet on him.”
Spoiler Tight ends: Low or high impact? It’s a stretch to think any of the tight end prospects will have the impact Brock Bowers did for the Raiders, catching an NFL rookie record 112 passes for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns last season, but coaches I spoke to say there is more top-level talent at the position than last year or in the past few years. “The top-end of this group is really good,” said TE Coach 1. “I think it compares well to the 2018 class.” Coaches stopped short of saying Penn State’s Tyler Warren, 6-5 1/2, 256 pounds, is a better prospect than Bowers. Warren caught a school-record 104 passes for 1,233 yards and eight touchdowns while running for 218 yards and four more TDs. “He’s the most versatile,” said TE Coach 1. “He’s probably the best in-line blocker.” “It was really interesting the way (Penn State OC Andy) Kotelnicki used him last year,” said OC No. 1. “His biggest plays in a lot of games were him running the ball, just snapping it to him in wildcat.” “It’s hard to be more productive as a tight end than he was last year,” said passing game coordinator No. 2. “The defenses knew he was the focal point, and they still couldn’t take him away.” The Big Ten tight end who some scouts viewed as the top prospect coming into 2024 was Michigan’s Colston Loveland. And as much as Warren elevated his game last season, there’s still a lot of love for the 21-year-old Loveland, a 6-6, 248-pounder who still caught a school tight end-record 56 passes for 582 yards and five TDs. “As good as Warren is, I think Loveland is probably the best of the receiving tight ends,” said the scouting director. “He’s not as good as Bowers but has very impressive receiving skills,” said WR Coach 3. “I think he’s the best of the receivers of this group.” Other tight ends who figure to make an impact as rookies • Miami’s Elijah Arroyo: “I really like him,” said WR Coach 3. “Watch him at the Senior Bowl. He can run routes like a receiver. He’s hard to match up against. I think he creates issues for defenses. His game really translates.” • Oregon’s Terrance Ferguson: “He really helped himself at the Senior Bowl,” said the scouting director. “He’s a smooth player.” • LSU’s Mason Taylor, the 6-5, 251-pound, 20-year-old son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Jason Taylor: “He has elite ball skills,” said TE Coach 1. “He makes a ton of contested catches and has great instincts. He makes so many off-schedule plays.” Who is the sleeper of the class? Said TE Coach 1: “Gavin Bartholomew of Pitt (a 6-5, 247-pounder who ran a 4.7 40 at the combine) is a good player. He’s very tough and gritty and can fit in a couple of roles. He’s probably not getting talked about enough.” A step back for offensive linemen? Last year, six offensive linemen were gone after the first 20 picks. There doesn’t appear to be the same level of top-tier talent in 2025. “I don’t think this is an elite O-line draft,” said a national scout. “A lot of people think LSU’s Will Campbell is, but I don’t think he’s a top 10 guy.” At 6-6, 319, Campbell is very impressive, but with his arms measuring 32 5/8 inches at the combine (and then 33 inches at his pro day), there is a little more debate about whether he’s better suited to play inside at guard. The 6-4, 332-pound Armand Membou of Missouri has 33 1/2-inch arms and looks at first glance more like a guard than a tackle to some evaluators. “I think Membou can be an excellent guard and a solid left tackle, and you can trust him there,” said the scouting director. “He’s a little longer and more of a tackle (than Campbell), even though he’s a little shorter. He’s naturally heavy and more explosive, but he doesn’t have the same instincts as Campbell.” “I think he’s more of a guard,” said OL coach No. 1. “He’s strong, very explosive. His football IQ is high too. They did a great job with him at Mizzou.” OC No. 1 said he loved Campbell on his visit. “You wish his arms were a little longer. But if you look up (LA Chargers two-time Pro Bowler Rashawn) Slater, he’s the same, and no one said anything. Put the tape on. He’s a tough SOB and everybody at LSU raves about the kid.” The most gifted prospect from a size and measurables standpoint might be Ohio State’s Josh Simmons. The 6-5, 317-pound Simmons doesn’t have exceptionally long arms, measuring at 33 inches at the combine. He also has a lot less film than the two SEC studs. He began his career at San Diego State and started 12 games at right tackle before transferring to OSU, where he started 12 games in 2023 at left tackle. He showed a lot of improvement in 2024, starting the first six games before tearing the patellar tendon in his left knee, missing the title run. “If he wasn’t hurt, I think he might’ve been a top-10 pick,” said OC No. 1. Said OL coach No. 1, “He’s a freaky athlete. He’s still pretty raw and didn’t have much football knowledge. He’s probably a late first-rounder, but if he wasn’t hurt, I think he could’ve been picked in the top 10.” “I worry a little about his focus,” said scouting director No. 1. Alabama guard Tyler Booker is seen as one of the surest picks among the top O-linemen. The 6-5, 321-pounder actually has longer arms (34 1/2 inches) than any of the top tackle prospects, but he does not have the same type of agility. He also has massive 11-inch hands. He ran a 5.38 40 at the combine with a 1.96 10-yard split (Membou’s was 1.74 and Campbell’s was 1.76). For offensive linemen, the latter is a more important number than the former. Booker’s jump numbers — a 27-inch vertical and a 7-10 broad jump — also were far below the top tackle prospects. “He’s strictly a guard, but he’s a really good player,” said OC No. 1. “He’s still really young. Just turned 21. Really good kid and he’s a leader.” “He’s more of a gap-scheme, downhill guy,” said the national scout. “He’s not a great fit for outside zone or other stuff.” Texas’ Kelvin Banks is another SEC lineman who likely will go in the first round. The 6-5, 315-pound Banks has 33 1/2-inch arms. He impressed Texas coaches early in his career with how well he performed against elite edge rushers Will Anderson and Dallas Turner. He played through an ankle injury in 2024 and still made first-team All-American and All-SEC. “He’s very polished,” said OL coach No. 2. “I’m not as high on him as I think everybody else is,” said OL coach No. 1. “He is skilled, but I didn’t think he was great in space.” Other potential first-rounders • North Dakota State’s Gray Zabel, a versatile 6-6, 312-pounder, performed well at the Senior Bowl. Said scouting director No. 1, “He showed really good technique at the Senior Bowl. I want him to be a center. Is he gonna displace people in gap schemes? But, I think he can be a solid starter.” • Ohio State’s Donovan Jackson displayed a lot of versatility in his career. The 6-4, 315-pounder with 33 1/2-inch arms started 2 1/2 seasons as left guard before jumping in and starting the last nine games of the national title run, when Simmons got injured. “With him playing left tackle, they won a national championship. That says a lot,” said that scouting director.
Spoiler The best of the draft: the defensive linemen This is the best part of this year’s draft by far. “Easily a dozen go in the first round,” said DL coach No. 1. “There might be three times as many good linemen in this draft as last year.” In 2024, a defensive lineman wasn’t selected until the 15th pick, when the Colts took Laiatu Latu. Only six were picked in the first round: five edges and one interior DL. “This kills last year’s group,” said DL coach No. 2. “Somebody’s gonna get some really good players in the second or even third round.” … Kenneth Grant first turned heads when he arrived at Michigan four years ago as a 350-plus pounder who ran a sub-5.0 40, according to Jim Harbaugh. The 6-4, 331-pound Grant had a penchant for wowing coaches and teammates with his freakish athleticism. Over the past two seasons, he had a combined 11.5 TFLs, 6.5 sacks and 11 passes broken up. “I think he has top-10 talent,” said DL coach No. 2. “He can be like Dexter Lawrence at nose, where he gives guys so many problems. I also see some Chris Jones in him.” Said DL coach No. 1, “I think he’ll be better than Mason (Graham), but maybe that’s a hot take.” Another interior tackle whose talent coaches are wowed by, but his intangibles are more of a question mark, is Ole Miss’ Walter Nolen. A former No. 1 overall recruit, the 6-4, 296-pounder was part of a ferocious D-line in 2024, posting 14 TFLs, 6.5 sacks and 48 tackles after transferring from Texas A&M. “He’s really twitched up and his change of direction is off the charts,” said DL coach No. 1. “He’s just gotta make sure he studies the game; just can’t go out there and put his hand in the ground and think he’s gonna beat everybody in the NFL.” “I think he’s a f—ing dude,” said DL coach No. 2. “I comp him to Byron Murphy. I worry a little about his attitude, but everybody was worried about Jalen Carter, and then you put him on the Eagles and everybody forgets about that.” The national scout called Nolen a top-15 talent, but said there are some concerns about his maturity and focus. “You have to have a plan for him,” he said. “I think he has to be in the right place and in a D-line room with some strong vets.” NFL defensive line coaches love Texas A&M’s Shemar Turner, another twitchy interior lineman. A 6-3, 290-pounder with 33 5/8-inch arms, Turner had 16 TFLs and eight sacks in the last two years. “He might’ve been a first-rounder if he was in last year’s class,” said DL coach No. 2. “He plays with such an edge. He’s a f—ing *******. I like his position flex. He can bounce out there and play edge, can kick him to the 3 (technique), kick him to the nose. Watch the tape, he’s the best one from A&M. Holy s—, this fool is coming off the ball. Walter Nolen’s the most explosive, hands down. But he’s not far from him.” “I love Shemar Turner,” said DL coach No. 1. “I think he’ll come off the board so quick.” They’re also high on Oregon’s Derrick Harmon, 6-4 1/2 and 313 pounds. Harmon was a force in his first season in Eugene, making 10.5 TFLs with five sacks and two forced fumbles. “He has the most upside of them all inside, I think,” said DL coach No. 2. Harmon’s teammate Jamaree Caldwell is seen as a notch below, at 6-2, 332, but he moved quite well for his size, clocking a 5.16 40. “He played at 340 and has a bad body, and people aren’t really talking about him, but pop the tape on,” said DL coach No. 2. South Carolina’s TJ Sanders, at 6-4, 297 (seven TFLs with four sacks in 2024) is another SEC guy who is getting high marks. “He’s one of the best interior pass rushers in this draft,” said DL coach 2. “He’s gonna win off finesse. He’s gonna win on a power rush. He has the whole bag.” “He rose on my list,” said DL coach 1. “He plays hard and looks like the leader of a talented front at South Carolina.” Ohio State’s 6-3, 334-pound Tyleik Williams is seen by DL coach No. 1 as one of the most NFL-ready players, but adds, “I think he’ll be a boom or bust player. Some games he’ll look like the best player out there. You wonder, does he love football?” Coaches really like Toledo’s Darius Alexander, who at 6-4, 305 pounds with 34-inch arms, tested well at the combine. He ran a 4.95 40 with a 31 1/2-inch vertical jump. “I have him as a high second-rounder, but once that run (of D-linemen) happens, I think he could go in the first,” said DL Coach 2.
Spoiler Gifted guys on the edge In addition to Abdul Carter and the two Georgia Bulldogs, there are more gifted edge guys. Perhaps the biggest boom or bust guy is Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart. He was the freakiest D-lineman in Indianapolis, measuring in at 6-5, 267 pounds and running a 4.59 40 with a 40-inch vertical jump and a 10-11 broad jump. Those are remarkable numbers for a guy his size. They’re also remarkable when you consider that in three seasons at A&M he never produced more than 1.5 sacks in a season, and he only had a total of 11 TFLs combined in his career. “He’s an avatar,” said DL coach No. 2. “If he hits, he hits. I don’t know why he didn’t have more sacks. I just think he plays lost. Everybody thinks they can fix it. This is like taking a receiver who only had 15 catches. He was happy-go-lucky, a little aloof in the meetings, but you see him walk in and it’s like holy hell! You can say Rashan Gary only had 3.5 sacks in his last year at Michigan, but Rashan is an alpha. This kid is very nice. You want to go to Starbucks with him.” “I’d be wary,” said the scouting director. “He’s a freak athlete, no question. I just don’t know if he’s a good football player.” One of Stewart’s teammates at A&M, Nic Scourton, was much more productive. In 2023, while at Purdue, he led the Big Ten in sacks, and was a team captain as a 19-year-old sophomore. He played last season around 285 pounds and still produced 14 TFLs and five sacks. At the combine, he trimmed down to 257 pounds on his 6-3 frame. “He’s a more physical presence than Stewart,” said DL coach No. 2. “I think he needs to get back up to the 280s. He’s got to go to a 3-4 team. He’s not a 4-3 end.” “I think he’s everything you want in a football player,” said linebackers coach No. 1. “He works his ass off and is a dog in between the lines.” Marshall’s Mike Green led the nation with 17 sacks and had 22.5 TFLs in 2024. He began his career at Virginia but was there for less than two seasons before he was dismissed. Green told reporters at the combine that there were two allegations of sexual assault against him, both of which he denied. One coach I spoke with said he would not consider Green. Another called him “top-tier talent.” Another talented edge rusher is Tennessee’s James Pearce Jr. At 6-5, 245, he clocked a blistering 4.47 40 at the combine with a 1.56 10-yard split. Pearce could break into the first round, but coaches I spoke with were concerned about his maturity and attitude. “That kid is a first-round talent,” said DL coach No. 2, “but the stuff you hear (about his maturity) scares me.” “We don’t even talk about him,” said DL coach No. 1. “How coachable is he?” “He was good in the interview,” said LB coach No. 1. “He knows football and is plenty smart. And he’s got all the talent.” Boston College’s Donovan Ezeiruaku went from two sacks in 2023 to 16.5 in 2024 with 20.5 TFLs. He’s undersized at 6-2 1/2, 248, but has 34-inch arms. Some experts see him as one of the safer picks among the edge group. “You know you’re getting a smart player,” said DL coach No. 2. “He’s one of about four or five kids I wouldn’t worry about. He’s polished, and he can really bend. Guys who can bend and can do it consistently are the ones who are getting sacks in this league.” Said DL coach No. 1, “He’s solid. I don’t think he’s in the category with Mykel Williams or Mike Green. He’ll play with his hair on fire but talent-wise, I think those guys are better.” Going into the season, Oregon’s Jordan Burch had the most hype of the talented Ducks D-line. The 6-4, 279-pounder with 4.67 speed is an impressive athlete and makes plays— he had 11 TFLs and 8.5 sacks last year despite missing four games due to injury. But he’s a bit of a riddle for NFL coaches. “You just want to see more out of him,” said DL coach No. 2. SMU’s Elijah Roberts is a big edge at 6-4, 285; he began his career at Miami and flourished at SMU. It seems like more draft people should be talking about him based on what I’ve been told. “He’s a gem,” said DL coach No. 2. “He had 18.5 sacks in two years. First play of the Clemson game he gets a sack. One of the first plays of the Penn State game he got a sack too. He’s very productive. Almost 290. Runs 4.8. He gives you rush ability. He’s fine against the run. He’s probably a 3-4 end.” “He reminds me of (three-time Pro Bowler) Za’Darius Smith,” said LB coach No. 1. Arkansas’ Landon Jackson, 6-6, 264, ran 4.64, vertical jumped 40 1/2 inches and broad jumped 10-9. He made 13 sacks and 23 TFLs in the past two seasons. “I’m like 50-50 on him,” said DL coach No. 1. “He improved drastically in college. I still see some of the lower body stiffness and an inability to bend, especially if he’s on the edge. I think he might end up as a first- and second-down outside linebacker, and then get him off the field on third downs.” Louisville’s Ashton Gillotte made a lot of plays for the Cardinals, piling up 24.5 TFLs and 15.5 sacks over the past two seasons. The 6-3, 264-pounder doesn’t have ideal arm length at 31 7/8 inches, but he displayed some athleticism with his 36 1/2-inch vertical. Said LB coach No. 1, “He has really short arms, but he finds a way to overcome it. I think he can be a third or fourth big end that slides down to be a third-down defensive tackle pass rusher and will be great on the NFL kickoff and on special teams.” Michigan’s Josaiah Stewart made many big plays for the Wolverines last year, with 13 TFLs, 8.5 sacks and two forced fumbles, but he lacks ideal size and length at 6-1, 249 with under 32-inch arms. “I love that kid, but he’s a fit problem for us,” said LB coach No. 1. “You watch him in their Texas game, and he stones (Kelvin) Banks, their giant, in the run game. He does a lot of impressive s— out there. He’s a good pass rusher, but the lack of length really worries me.” Ohio State’s bookend edge guys, Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau, had excellent careers capped off by playing key roles in the national title season. The 6-4, 265-pound Tuimoloau is seen as having more upside than Sawyer. “JTT is longer and seems like a more fluid athlete,” said LB coach No. 1. “I think he’s more talented, but Sawyer does have good awareness and he has this uncanny knack for knowing when he wasn’t winning in the rush to get his hands up just at the right time to knock the ball down.”
https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2025/...rounds-257-picks-predictions-jordan-reid-fits 25. Houston Texans: Tyler Booker, G, Alabama The Texans remodeled their offensive line this offseason after struggling to protect quarterback C.J. Stroud in 2024. Laremy Tunsil, Kenyon Green and Shaq Mason are all gone, while the team added Cam Robinson, Laken Tomlinson and Ed Ingram. But guard is still a major weakness. Booker is a tone-setting interior blocker who allowed only one sack across 970 pass-blocking snaps in college. His physical play and quickness help him win in short areas. Booker has the potential to be a plug-and-play starter at either guard spot. 58. Houston Texans: Tre Harris, WR, Ole Miss With Tank Dell injured and Stefon Diggs gone, the Texans need receiving help. Harris is a downfield option who had 60 receptions for 1,030 yards and seven touchdowns last season despite missing five games due to hip and groin injuries. 79. Houston Texans: Anthony Belton, OT, NC State Belton is a punishing blocker with the positional flexibility to play guard and tackle. He would give the Texans' revamped offensive line depth at multiple spots. 89. Houston Texans: Devin Neal, RB, Kansas Neal's receiving prowess and reliability on multiple run concepts would make him an ideal RB2 behind Joe Mixon. 166. Houston Texans: Luke Lachey, TE, Iowa 236. Houston Texans (via WSH/DEN/PHI): Ricky White III, WR, UNLV 241. Houston Texans: Collin Oliver, LB, Oklahoma State
Listening to Mina kimes podcast and she’s doing a mock draft with Daniel Jeremiah. They got to the Texans at 25 and his choices were Kelvin Banks jr or Emeka Egbuka and he took banks. He mentioned that he heard if banks is there for us at 25 they’re not passing him up.
Breer: Another draft consensus is that Houston will go offensive line here, with the team in the process of rebuilding that room. Former first-rounder Tytus Howard’s versatility gives Houston some flexibility here, in that they could look at Conerly at tackle, or at Jackson or Savaiinaea at guard. One thing that seems certain is that they’re going to want a culture builder after what they dealt with in that room last year, and either of the aforementioned guards would fit that bill (Conerly less so, though he’s not a bad guy). https://www.si.com/nfl/2025-nfl-draft-needs-all-32-teams
I followed last years draft super close and watched a ton of tape - last year had a ton of elite and depth WR, CB, QB and to a lesser extent OL. This year has depth but not top quality up top from what I’ve seen but haven’t had a huge chance to review.
