Bleacherreport
Ranking the Most NFL Pro-Ready College Football Athletes
D.Nguyen2 hr ago
- Andrew Wevers/ College football is filled with players who will be trading in their Saturday playmaking schedules for Sundays before long. In many cases, you can look at the crop of collegiate upperclassmen and and know who are the best pro prospects on the horizon. For others, they're showcasing those abilities at a much younger age. While several of these players would be on everybody's list, orders vary. That's why the NFL draft is so exciting to watch every year. But you'd better believe NFL teams around the nation already have plenty of players on their radar. So, who are some of the best? Several who absolutely could have made this list just missed; guys like Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham, Ohio State guard Donovan Jackson, Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa, Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe and receiver Ryan Williams, Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart, Georgia quarterback Carson Beck, Tennessee signal-caller Nico Iamaleava and Texas linebacker Anthony Hill, Jr. Others who did make the cut are on the following pages. Which dudes do you think are the players most ready to suit it up on Sundays? Let's take a look at some candidates.
- Credit: 247Sports Let's start with a "Say what?" moment right out of the gate: Putting a true freshman on the list of NFL-ready prospects. It's a stretch, but it's been a long time since we've seen a more polished edge rusher as a true freshman than South Carolina's Dylan Stewart. He's special, and he's burst out of the gate with a magnificent three-game start to his career in Columbia. The Washington D.C. product is a 6'5", 248-pound phenom who was a 5-star prospect, and he's proving why right off the bat. He is the type of player offenses must game-plan around, and he is a big reason why the Gamecocks are going to be much better than expected this year. Stewart is blazing-fast off the edge, has one of the best spin moves you'll ever see and already boasts all the techniques of a seasoned star. If he was eligible, NFL teams would be salivating. Instead, we get to enjoy him on the college level (or fear him, if you're an opponent) for the next three seasons.
- Tom Hauck/ It's difficult finding NFL-ready running backs for this list because the league values so many other positions much more. Even so, we wanted to include one runner, and Asthon Jeanty edged out Quinshon Judkins. You may not know much about Jeanty because he plays for Group of Five powerhouse Boise State, but you should. He's the best back in college football. After racking up 267 yards to open the season in a narrow escape win over Georgia Southern, Jeanty almost led the Broncos to an upset over Oregon. He carried the ball 25 times for 192 yards and scored three more touchdowns after opening the year with six scores against the Eagles. At 5'9", 215 pounds, the former little-known prospect who was the No. 1,284-ranked player in the 2022 class out of Frisco, Texas, has the size and compact build NFL teams love at the position. He also can break away from defenders in the open field. Most importantly, he's a winner who can run between the tackles or on the perimeter and shows up huge in big moments. Jeanty is a star who will be a first-round pick this April when running backs often aren't.
- Carmen Mandato/ Cameron Ward could have tested the NFL waters a season ago after his junior year at Washington State, and he would have done just fine. Instead, he elected to leave Pullman for South Beach, and he is the catalyst for a resurgent Miami Hurricanes team. If Ward continues to spearhead that turnaround, he's going to go a long way in proving his pro value. The skill set is already there. Ward is big, strong-armed and he can move the pocket and make any throw. His ability to deliver passes from any arm slot is an amazing, Patrick Mahomes-like trait that makes him an exciting prospect. Ward's career began at Football Championship Subdivision program Incarnate Word, and though it took him some time to whittle off the raw skills with the Cougars, he looks like a polished product in his final year. The senior does a better job taking care of the ball, and he is proving he is a guy who should be taken very high in the draft. Don't be surprised if he isn't an early first-round pick, and while he wouldn't have been on this list as an underclassman, he certainly belongs now.
- Steven Branscombe/ It's not easy sometimes to peel away all the glitz, glamour and polarizing brashness of Shedeur Sanders the megastar and simply look at Sanders the football player. Is there some concern about Sanders' maturity, such as when he left the field early a couple of weeks ago after a loss to Nebraska, or when he taunts mid-level teams? Sure. But Sanders the player is pretty special. Not only does he have an elite arm that effortlessly slings the ball around everywhere, he also is also 6'2", 215 pounds and he has a compact motion with a lot of zip on his passes. He's also an immensely tough kid, getting slammed to the ground multiple times over the past couple of years and routinely getting up for the next play. Does Sanders need to act more mature at times? Yes. But it's not like this is a kid who is getting in trouble or one who is back in the shadows. He's put himself firmly in the spotlight, and while his mouth doesn't always pass the pro makeup test, his skills do. He has immense potential, and there's a lot to be said about his ability. He's just now beginning to realize a talent that will continue to blossom.
- Michael Hickey/ It's easy to get lost among all that 5-star talent on Georgia's football team, but Malaki Starks has stood out from the beginning. Sometimes, he quietly fails to put up numbers because teams stay away from his side of the field. But the 6'1", 205-pound junior from Jefferson, Georgia, still finds a way to make plays over and over again. He was one of those 5-star athletes who could have played on either side of the field, but he slotted in immediately on the back-end of Georgia's defense and has fortified the safety spot since Day 1 on campus. After a 69-tackle campaign that saw him intercept two passes as a true freshman in 2022, Starks followed it up with 52 tackles and a trio of picks last year. "A safety hasn't been drafted in the top 12 since Jamal Adams at No. 6 in 2017," 's Dane Brugler wrote. "But on Starks' trajectory, it will be extremely difficult to rank the top 12 prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft without naming him. He is the clear top safety in the class—and would have been the first safety drafted in each of the last two years, had he been part of those classes."
- Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Much like running back, it's difficult to include a lot of safeties on the list because the NFL doesn't value them as much as other positions. But this is the second consecutive player at the position, and Caleb Downs is the best in all of college football. While he's off to a bit of a slow start in his sophomore season after transferring from Alabama, it's impossible to look at his body of work in his first season from a year ago. He amassed 107 tackles, picked off two passes, forced a fumble and recovered one for a College Football Playoff team. He was a true freshman. At 6'0", 205 pounds, Downs packs a punch. He is athletic enough to pick off passes, but he also can step up in the box and be an enforcer. He's an elite athlete who was a can't-miss 5-star prospect, and once he gets things going for the Buckeyes, he's going to anchor that defense. Ohio State coach Ryan Day is even flirting with the idea of playing him at running back and punt returner, according to On3's Kaiden Smith . Downs could come out right now and be a top-10 pick, but he's got this year and another one left in college football. He's the complete package on the back end of the defense.
- Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Everybody wants to talk about all the playmaking offensive skill-position talent as a key reason why Texas is back. But there's a guy paving the way for all those plays who has stepped into a major role. Kelvin Banks, Jr. is an elite offensive tackle who is going to be a premiere NFL cornerstone on the offensive front for years to come. Those guys don't grow on trees, and they get paid handsomely on the next level because of just how valuable they are. Banks is well on his way to that status, a can't-miss first-round pick in the upcoming draft. At 6'4", 320 pounds, Banks is an anchor on an offensive front that has led the way for strong rushing attacks and the emergence of quarterback Quinn Ewers over the past two seasons. He holds down the left tackle position, protecting Ewers' all-important blind side. There may be another player at Banks' position (more on him later) that could keep him from being the top lineman taken, but he probably has at least as high of an upside as any lineman in the past couple of classes. Banks is going to be a long-time All-Pro on the next level.
- Tim Warner/ The top-ranked quarterback on this list still has a little work to do in order to be NFL-ready, but Quinn Ewers still the best player at his position in college football. Does he have the highest upside of any college quarterback? No, and it's not close. But Ewers is still working on his game. Every year so far with the Texas Longhorns, he's improved his decision-making and playmaking. There may be buzz and hype and whatever else surrounding Arch Manning, and that's terrific. The kid can play some football. But make no mistake: Ewers is the starter when he's healthy, and there's good reason for that. He is big, athletic and he's a winner. He eschewed the NFL this past year to come back to Austin to play another year, and the Longhorns are a playoff contender and the top-ranked team in the nation because of that. He gets the nod over Shedeur Sanders because of maturity, over Cameron Ward because of his polish (but just barely) and over Jaxson Dart because of his athleticism. Ewers should be the top quarterback picked in this year's NFL draft. Why? He's the guy most ready to step onto the field on Sundays and lead a team at this moment.
- Ed Zurga/ When Missouri won the Luther Burden III sweepstakes and got the St. Louis product to stay home and play for the Tigers, it was a massive deal. The talented target helped put Mizzou back on the SEC map, and he has been a major building block in coach Eli Drinkwitz's success. After struggling to get him the ball during the early part of his freshman season, Drinkwitz has made him a focal point of the offense. He hasn't been disappointed. Burden has the breakaway ability to take a short pass, break tackles and take it to the house. He also can stretch the field, and when big plays are needed, the Tigers and quarterback Brady Cook look to him. At 5'11", 208 pounds, Burden isn't the tallest receiver, but he is big enough to get the job done. He is an electrifying talent that everybody in the NFL wants. He's the type of player who is going to step right into a pro offense and be a focal point. This almost certainly is Burden's final year in CoMo, and you can understand why. He flashes on film and is a game-breaking talent.
- Ric Tapia/ When Harold Perkins, Jr., burst onto the scene as a phenom true freshman, everybody thought he was going to be the next transcendent defensive star at LSU. Much like Derek Stingley, Jr., though, his career on the Bayou hasn't exactly lived up to those early, lofty expectations. But that doesn't keep Perkins from still being a dynamic NFL prospect who is having a spectacular career. A season ago, Perkins didn't cause as much disruption as Bayou Bengals defensive coaches moved him around, making him more of an inside linebacker rather than the havoc-wreaking edge rusher he was in his first year. Perkins didn't have as many game-changing stats, but he was still an all-conference player. Coach Brian Kelly is moving him from the weak side to strong-side linebacker position during this season, too, as the Tigers try to find the best defensive mix under a new regime. Oh by the way, Perkins played the Star position against South Carolina, and while he was more of an in-box defensive back, he's got an exceptional coverage rate guarding receivers. Simply put, Perkins can do it all. On the next level, NFL coaches will put him in the best position to shine, but the junior's versatility and athleticism makes him an attractive option, no matter where he plays.
- Jason Mowry/ Marvin Harrison, Jr. is taking the NFL world by storm this year after leaving Ohio State a season early and landing with the Arizona Cardinals. His replacement in Columbus is doing the same to college football. True freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith is already a household name around the nation, and he's already a go-to weapon for quarterback Will Howard and the Buckeyes. Even with Emeka Egbuka in town, Smith just keeps getting open. And he keeps making plays. The 6'3", 215-pound receiver from Miami Gardens, Florida, has 11 catches for 211 yards and three touchdowns and is averaging 19.2 yards per reception right now. He is big enough to catch the passes over the middle, and he's athletic enough to stretch the field. There's a reason why Smith was the No. 1-ranked prospect in the nation in the 2024 class, and he is not only that, but one of the sport's elite athletes already. You'd better believe he'd be a very early pick if he could come out this year. But, just like Dylan Stewart, he has three seasons remaining to wow us all on this level.
- Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Rueben Bain, Jr. didn't exactly come out of nowhere a season ago as a freshman, due to the fact that he was a high 4-star prospect. But his level of dominance certainly did. The first-year edge-rusher was unblockable at times for coach Mario Cristobal's Miami Hurricanes, and Bain displayed power and strength beyond his years. He is the type of defender who can get around the edge in a hurry, and he looks strong against the run, too. Bain is an all-around athlete on the defensive line, and that versatility will play on the next level in a big way. Last year as a true freshman, Bain finished with 44 tackles, including 7.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. The 6'3", 275-pound defender hasn't been able to get untracked yet this year due to injury. He left following the first series of the season opener against Florida and hasn't been back. That doesn't stop him from being an elite force, and it's big news for the Hurricanes, which haven't needed him yet and have looked great so far. Once Bain returns and is in full force, he's an impact playmaker who is, at times, unstoppable. His size and speed combination is a deadly force that makes him somebody all NFL teams will covet.
- Steven King/Icon Sportswire via There aren't many shutdown corners in college football, and when they come around, it doesn't take long for them to get plucked up by an NFL team. That's why it's an almost-certainty that Michigan star cornerback Will Johnson leaves Ann Arbor following his junior season and goes to get paid in the pros. Why wouldn't he? He already has a national championship with the Wolverines, and he is as polished as you get. The thing that makes Johnson special is his footwork and technique, and those traits are hard to teach. When you factor in his speed and ability to break on the football, he's a top-of-the-first-round selection waiting to happen. All Johnson has done when the ball is thrown his way is produce, and that doesn't happen much. The 6'2", 202-pound Detroit native is big, physical and quick. In two years plus three games, Johnson has eight interceptions and is a threat to grab the ball any time it's thrown his way. He locks down his side of the field and is far and away the sport's top player at his position.
- Bryan Lynn/Icon Sportswire via A lot has been made over the fact James Pearce, Jr. has yet to get to the quarterback for the Tennessee Vols in three games so far this season. Really? The junior edge-rusher hasn't even played the final 20 minutes of any of Tennessee's three blowout wins, and with the way defensive line coach Rodney Garner rotates players, Pearce hasn't even played half the time. He's going to be fresh come SEC season, and watch out. Pearce has impacted play after play this season, and the sack artist is at the top of the list for NFL teams this year when it comes to coveted edge-rushers. There's a very good chance the North Carolina native goes in the top five picks of the draft. The first team that needs an edge will get him. The junior was a bit of a later-than-normal bloomer for the Vols, who was evaluated late and elevated to a 5-star prospect just before National Signing Day. He barely played as a freshman, but he began to make his presence felt last year. The 6'5", 243-pound junior is long and lean and blazing fast off the corner. He routinely gets past the best offensive tackles, and when it comes time for the Vols to get after quarterbacks (like this week against Oklahoma), Pearce will be front-and-center.
- Andrew Wevers/ You really can't say enough good things about Travis Hunter. If you run out of words to describe him, it's probably because you can't catch your breath considering he never comes off the field for the Colorado Buffaloes. A guy like that has boundless energy and worlds of talent. Hunter was the No. 1-ranked overall prospect three years ago and stunned everybody when he flipped from Florida State and signed with Deion Sanders at Jackson State. After one season, he transferred with Coach Prime to Colorado, and now everybody knows him. The special thing about Hunter is he would be an early first-round pick at either wide receiver or defensive back. Truthfully, he could be a generational star on defense, but he maybe is a tick or two below Will Johnson on that side of the ball because the Buffs need his offensive ability. His speed and ability make him incredibly tough to stop with the ball in his hands, and he teams with Jimmy Horn to be great weapons for Shedeur Sanders. Over his career, the 6'1", 185-pound Georgia native has 105 catches for 1,253 yards and 14 touchdowns as a receiver. On the defensive side of the ball, he has 61 tackles and six interceptions in three season. No matter where he plays, some NFL team is going to get a ready-made star.
- Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via If you've read these s for the past three seasons, you know there's a little bit of a man-crush on Tetairoa McMillan. And why wouldn't there be? He's simply a special talent who looks like a force of nature out there catching passes. Men who are 6'5", 212 pounds should not be able to gallop away from defenders like that. But his long strides and ability to high-point the football make him one of those players who is must-see TV every time he's out there. There are times (like in Week 1's win over New Mexico where he had 10 catches for 304 yards and four touchdowns) where he just simply takes over games. Even with quarterback Noah Fifita and Co. scuffling a little bit to learn Dino Babers' new system at Arizona, "T-Mac" is still getting his in the stat column. This is a playmaker who can go across the middle, get yards after the catch and move away from defenders once he separates. There are a lot of pass-catchers discussed in college football, but McMillan has produced ever since he arrived in Tucson. He looks like a Larry Fitzgerald type who is going to catch everything thrown his way and be an All-Pro year after year. I love his size, his makeup and his pro potential. It's off the charts.
- Ric Tapia/ If I'm picking first in next year's NFL draft and there's any inkling of a need for an offensive lineman, I'm taking Will Campbell. The former 5-star prospect has started since Day 1 on the Bayou, and he's going to become a legend in Baton Rouge. This is a player who never gives up a sack, and he protected Jayden Daniels' blind side a season ago. This year, he's charged with taking care of Garrett Nussmeier, and he's doing an outstanding job of it. How good is the 6'6", 323-pound Monroe, Louisiana native? He's played nearly 1,800 snaps in his college career and has allowed just three sacks. That's pretty amazing. Campbell teams with Emery Jones to give the Tigers an outstanding duo. What you may not know about Campbell is he is extremely agile and athletic to go along with his immense size and strength. He stepped onto campus with the Tigers ready to play, and he's done nothing but excel and improve every year he's been there. Everybody wants to talk quarterbacks when it comes to the top pick in the draft, but if you want an anchor who will protect the money-makers for the next decade, Campbell is your guy, as long as he stays healthy.
Read the full article:https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10135790-ranking-the-most-nfl-pro-ready-college-football-athletes
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