NFL Draft
11/21/24
12 min read
2025 NFL Draft: Superlatives For This Year's Class
I always enjoy doing a draft superlatives piece to highlight prospects who most cleanly fit a certain archetype or stand out the most in a particular category.
For this article, I've chosen seven superlatives that cover a wide range of players likely entering the 2025 NFL Draft, from the top of the first round to the end of Day 3.
2025 NFL Draft Superlatives
Highest Floor
Mason Graham, IDL, Michigan 
Mason Graham is the 2025 prospect with the highest likelihood of being a quality starter in the NFL. He’s the most technically sound defensive tackle in this class, and I expect his game to translate immediately to the pro level. While his length is below average, his quickness and explosiveness will give him an athletic advantage over NFL blockers.
Block shedding is the most fundamental skill for a defensive tackle, and Graham is automatic. His hand placement, core strength, and upper-body torque allow him to eviscerate single blocks, and he routinely puts clinic-quality stack and shed reps on tape:
— James Foster (@JamesFosterNFL) November 21, 2024
As a pass rusher, Graham wins primarily with a club swim. He has the lateral explosiveness to attack the edge and violent hands to defeat the blocker’s punch:
— James Foster (@JamesFosterNFL) November 21, 2024
He's also a very effective bull rusher, channeling his natural leverage and first-step quickness into immediate power:
— James Foster (@JamesFosterNFL) November 21, 2024
Honorable Mention: HB Ashton Jeanty – Boise State
Highest Ceiling
Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia
There isn’t a 2025 prospect with more physical upside than Georgia edge rusher Mykel Williams. At 6-foot-5, 265 pounds, Williams has a massive wingspan and rare movement skills and would probably be selected in the first round based solely on his athletic traits. Heading into the year, he was completely unproven as a pass rusher and needed to show some technical development to establish himself as a lottery pick.
He missed most of the first half of the season with an ankle injury, but after returning in Week 8, Williams’ tape has been encouraging. While he’s far from a finished product, he’s shown enough growth as a pass rusher to warrant consideration in the top 10.
He’s developed a fairly effective swipe/rip move to win the outside track:
— James Foster (@JamesFosterNFL) November 21, 2024
He’s also won several times with an inside counter:
— James Foster (@JamesFosterNFL) November 21, 2024
Williams still isn’t efficient or versatile and is unlikely to be a high-impact pass rusher as a rookie. His inability to win with power is disappointing for a player of his size. His hand moves are often robotic, imprecise, and easily neutralized by a well-timed punch:
— James Foster (@JamesFosterNFL) November 21, 2024
Despite his lack of polish, NFL teams will likely be willing to bet on Williams’ physical tools early in the first round.
Honorable Mention: CB Darien Porter – Iowa State
Most Underrated
Savion Williams, WR, TCU
TCU WR Savion Williams is the biggest sleeper in the 2025 Draft class. While he currently ranks 307th on the consensus board, it wouldn’t surprise me if NFL teams value his upside in the top 50. As a former high school quarterback, Williams is still refining certain aspects of his game, but the flashes on his tape are jaw-dropping.
Williams is verified 6036/228 with 33.25-inch arms and reportedly posted a 40-inch vertical this offseason. This rare blend of size, speed, and explosiveness fully translates on tape and makes him an imposing vertical threat. He has the burst off the line of scrimmage to quickly erase cushion or stack press coverage. His catch radius and play strength allow him to box defenders out and high-point the ball like a power forward. For his entire college career, he’s been dominant on contested targets and goal line fades:
— James Foster (@JamesFosterNFL) November 21, 2024
He’s one of the most dynamic receivers after the catch in college football, with the speed to burn pursuit angles and elusiveness to shake the first tackle attempt. He also has rare power as a ball carrier, frequently lowering his shoulder and trucking defenders in the open field. TCU has even played him at running back this year, and through Week 12, he leads FBS WRs with 232 rushing yards:
— James Foster (@JamesFosterNFL) November 21, 2024
Williams’ physical profile and linear athleticism would make him worth a Day 3 pick if that was all he brought to the table, but he’s much more than just a size-speed project. While he’s primarily used as a vertical threat in TCU’s offense, his upside as an intermediate route runner is just as enticing. He has loose hips to accelerate out of breaks at sharp angles and rare lateral fluidity for a player of his size.
This horizontal explosiveness makes him a weapon on short posts and slants, where he’s able to spring off of his plant foot and gain substantial leverage as he crosses the defender’s face:
— James Foster (@JamesFosterNFL) November 21, 2024
Williams has the agility to separate on out-breaking routes and body control to secure tight-window targets along the sideline:
— James Foster (@JamesFosterNFL) November 21, 2024
He also has advanced footwork at the top of routes, manipulating the defender’s leverage and weight displacement to set up his breaks:
— James Foster (@JamesFosterNFL) November 21, 2024
Williams’ production is a bit underwhelming, and he’s struggled with drops in 2024, but I think his upside will be highly coveted in an underwhelming receiver class.
Honorable Mention: CB Azareye’h Thomas – Florida State
Most Improved
Zy Alexander, CB, LSU
— James Foster (@JamesFosterNFL) November 21, 2024
LSU CB Zy Alexander entered the season as a likely Day 3 pick, but his 2024 tape has vaulted him into Day 2 consideration. Alexander was an under-recruited high school prospect who played his first three seasons at Southeastern Louisiana before transferring to LSU in 2023. I watched him last fall, but his tape was inconsistent, and he tore his ACL in Week 8.
This year, Alexander has been one of the best cornerbacks in college football and is having a nearly flawless statistical season. He’s a long, physical press corner with remarkable composure at the catch point. Through Week 12, he hasn’t missed a tackle, committed a penalty, or allowed a first down.
A good time in the 40-yard dash could solidify Alexander as a second-round pick. There have been several examples on tape where he struggled to keep pace with vertical routes, and he got lucky with a dropped touchdown in Week 11:
— James Foster (@JamesFosterNFL) November 21, 2024
Honorable Mention: EDGE Kyle Kennard – South Carolina
Most Difficult Evaluation
Luther Burden, WR, Missouri
Luther Burden was one of the best receivers in college football last year, but in 2024, his usage and production have steeply declined. Through Week 12, Burden’s 574 receiving yards and five touchdowns are less than half of his totals from 2023, and his evaluation is suddenly much more complicated.
Last year, he excelled as the primary focus of Missouri’s offense, displaying a well-rounded skillset with very few glaring weaknesses. I viewed him as somewhat of a “jack of all trades, master of none” type of receiver and wanted to see him tighten up his footwork to become a more crisp, precise route runner.
But his athleticism, ball skills, and YAC ability made him an easy first-round projection this summer. Considering the lack of talent at the top of this class, Burden likely is still a top 32 player, but he hasn’t been given the opportunity to show development as a route runner and build on his sophomore season.
Relative to last season, Burden has been an afterthought in Missouri’s passing game in 2024. He’s used more often as a decoy than as the primary read, and most of his routes are vertical clearouts or motion away from the play. Missouri has the same wide receiver room as last season, but Burden is frequently off the field in two-receiver sets. Brady Cook has regressed in 2024 and is much less accurate and decisive on downfield throws.
Missouri also faces zone coverage on 75.4 percent of offensive plays this year, the fourth-highest rate in the Power 4. When Burden does get the opportunity to run routes past the line of scrimmage, they’re usually into zone voids, and there isn’t much to learn about his ability to separate from single coverage.
Approximately once per week, however, Kirby Moore remembers that Luther Burden is on the roster and calls a play designed to get him the ball. The results are almost always positive:
— James Foster (@JamesFosterNFL) November 21, 2024
For as disappointing as Burden’s production has been this year, he’s repeatedly delivered in clutch situations. He scored the game-tying touchdown in overtime against Vanderbilt and a go-ahead touchdown against South Carolina with 1:17 left in the fourth quarter.
On game-winning drives against Oklahoma and Auburn, he converted a third and 16 and fourth and 5 with less than two minutes on the clock:
Watching Burden run cardio for 50 snaps and then bail his team out at the end of the game is frustrating, but it also reminds me that he’s still a top-tier receiver.
Missouri’s disinterest in featuring its best playmaker has made Burden’s evaluation a lot more difficult. While he doesn’t seem to have taken a major step forward from last season, he doesn’t seem to have regressed either. His drop-off in production is mostly due to his role in the offense, and he’s been about as effective on a per-opportunity basis.
He’s still a top 15 player on my board, which partially speaks to how thin this class is, but returning to school (and possibly transferring) might be something he considers this offseason.
Honorable Mention: QB Carson Beck – Georgia
Most Fun to Watch
Chris Paul Jr., LB, Ole Miss
Chris Paul Jr. wasn’t on my radar heading into the season, but he’s currently my second-ranked linebacker and one of the most entertaining players to study in this class. He’s a highly instinctive player with excellent pursuit range, laser-sharp processing, and unmatched physicality.
His quick play recognition allows him to stay ahead of blocks & work downhill. He’s a tenacious wrap-up tackler with stopping power to prevent yards after contact:
— James Foster (@JamesFosterNFL) November 21, 2024
Chris Paul Jr.'s main weakness as a prospect is size, but he punches above his weight class in the run game and has absolutely no fear of taking on blocks. He has the quickness to evade linemen at the second level but also has a jarring punch to strike blockers and keep his frame clean:
— James Foster (@JamesFosterNFL) November 21, 2024
He’s also one of the smartest cover linebackers in this class, capable of diagnosing complex route combinations as a zone dropper. Despite his downhill aggression, he isn’t fooled by play action and has the speed to recover depth and defend shot plays:
— James Foster (@JamesFosterNFL) November 21, 2024
Ole Miss could easily have five defensive players selected in the first three rounds, and Chris Paul Jr. is the heart and soul of that unit.
Honorable Mention: G Tyler Booker – Alabama
Most Likely Day 3 Pick to Play 10 Years
Aeneas Peebles, IDL Virginia Tech 
— James Foster (@JamesFosterNFL) November 21, 2024
At 6-foot-1, 290 pounds, Aeneas Peebles might lack the size and length profile to go in the first three rounds, but his athleticism and pass-rushing skill set could make him a valuable piece in a defensive line rotation.
Peebles has been one of the most efficient pass rushers in college football in the last two seasons, overwhelming blockers with his short-area burst and diverse moveset.
He has a highly advanced pass-rushing repertoire, which prevents blockers from keying in on one move. Peebles strings together a cross-chop, club-swim, and euro-step spin and lives in the opponent’s backfield.
Honorable Mention: TE Jackson Hawes – Georgia Tech
