Bucky Brooks’ top five 2025 NFL Draft prospects by position 2.0: Matthew Golden flies up WR rankings
With the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine in the rearview and pro days in full swing, here’s my updated ranking of the top five prospects at each major position in the 2025 NFL Draft class.
One thing you’ll notice in this edition of these rankings is that I’ve added a new position group: nickelback. In today’s NFL, this is essentially a starting job on defense, so it’s well worth assessing the top prospects for the role.
NOTE: Up/down arrows below reflect movement from my pre-combine rankings.
QUARTERBACKS
The 2025 quarterback class lacks the pizzazz of last year’s group, but a few prospects could pop as stars at the next level. Shedeur Sanders displayed blockbuster potential as a pocket passer in college, transforming Jackson State and Colorado into winners. Though his tendency to hold on to the ball leads to sacks, few quarterbacks can match his superb timing, touch and anticipation as a rhythm thrower. Cam Ward is a talented signal-caller with the tools to develop into a Pro Bowl-caliber playmaker in the NFL. As a gunslinger with supreme confidence and limitless range, the former Miami/Washington State/Incarnate Word standout expands the offensive playbook with his skills. Jaxson Dart is a dart-throwing wizard built for a vertical passing game. The Ole Miss product possesses the arm talent and athleticism to play in an offense that features traditional dropback passes, as well as movement-based concepts that enable him to work inside and outside of the pocket. Jalen Milroe is an explosive dual-threat playmaker with electric running skills and natural arm talent. Though his inconsistent accuracy and ball placement are concerns, he displays tantalizing big-play potential as a boom-or-bust prospect. Kyle McCord is an underrated rhythm passer with a “catch, rock and throw” game that meshes with the ball-control offenses featured in the pros. After rewriting the record book at Syracuse as a one-and-done transfer from Ohio State, the former ballyhooed recruit should garner some attention as a developmental prospect with starting potential.
RUNNING BACKS
The NFL’s running back renaissance should continue with a 2025 draft class that features several blue-chip players at the position who offer workhorse potential. Ashton Jeanty is an A-1 playmaker with the instincts, contact balance, strength and speed to ignite an offense as a feature back. A big-play machine with impact potential as a runner and receiver, the Boise State standout is the go-to guy every offensive coordinator covets in the backfield. Omarion Hampton flew under the radar for most of last season, but the NFL scouting community is excited about his potential as a bell-cow back. A power runner with the balance, body control and vision to slither between cracks on downhill runs, the North Carolina product is built to play in an old-school scheme that features dirty runs between the tackles. TreVeyon Henderson is a home run hitter with the potential to score from anywhere on the field. The Ohio State star is a rare find as a dynamic rusher who can excel on the edges or between the tackles. With Henderson also displaying soft hands as a pass catcher, he could thrive as a triple threat in the NFL. Quinshon Judkins is a big-bodied runner with speed to burn as a big-play specialist. Despite sharing the load at Ohio State with Henderson, Judkins exhibits the traits (power, toughness and burst) offensive play-callers covet in an RB1. Dylan Sampson is the prototypical scatback that NFL teams love to have in the running back rotation. The Tennessee product is dangerous out of the backfield as a runner and receiver, exhibiting outstanding balance, body control and stop-start quickness.
