NFL Draft
1/13/25
9 min read
2025 NFL Draft Stock Report: Big-Name Quarterbacks Struggle in College Football Playoff
There's only one game remaining in the college football season, and it's the National Championship Game. Ohio State and Notre Dame will meet in a historic matchup, but Penn State and Texas did their best in two close, entertaining games. This last week's slew of 2025 NFL Draft declarations paled compared to the College Football Playoff.
One game won't completely alter anyone's NFL outlook, but these are the finishing touches on careers on the biggest stage in the college football world. As seen in both games, these nerve-wracking moments brought out the best and worst in some. These impressions will make a difference come late April when teams are on the clock.
Let's examine the three stars who pushed their 2025 NFL Draft stock up and those who fell.
College Football Playoff Stock Up Players
JACK SAWYER
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 11, 2025
GIMME THAT
HE SCOOPS AND HE SCORES#PMSCFPESPN2 #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/a45SPHYSlG
📈Jack Sawyer, EDGE, Ohio State
Stats: 3 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble and recovery, 1 TD
There wasn't a more dominant, consistent presence in the Cotton Bowl than Jack Sawyer. An elite athlete and run defender, Sawyer has elevated his game to new heights throughout this season. He was a good player who had Day 2 grades entering this year, but he's quickly becoming a late first-round option as his pass-rush blossoms.
In addition to a whopping 60 pressures and nine sacks on the year, Sawyer has consistently come up with clutch plays. There's not a more iconic moment from this season than his stunning strip-sack of Quinn Ewers that he scooped for an 83-yard touchdown on the game's deciding fourth down.
Sawyer blew by top-45 prospect Cameron Williams to find Ewers and showed off incredible speed and coordination in finishing the play.
Not long ago, it was Sawyer who gave the Buckeyes hope against Michigan with a goal line interception that had Ohio State in a position to go for a game-winning drive against their rival. They fell short in that moment, but Sawyer left no room for another heartbreak for his hometown Buckeyes with this showing against Texas.
Totaling six pressures and a run stop against Texas, Sawyer has solidified his standing as a viable Day 1 NFL starter and quality first-round pick.
📈Carson Beck, QB, Miami (FL)
Stats: N/A
Carson Beck didn't have an easy decision about his future after suffering a nightmare situation throughout the 2024 season. Suffering a blown elbow after dragging a bad Georgia offense to the College Football Playoff meant he'd either start his NFL career behind the 8-ball, go back to a Bulldogs team lacking high-end weapons in 2025, or start a new chapter elsewhere. He decided to join his girlfriend, Hanna Cavinder, in Miami, following in the footsteps of Cameron Ward as a one-year transfer looking to help his stock.
Beck made the right decision. A pocket passer with a good but not great arm, Beck struggled to follow up his breakout 2023 season with consistent performances. Instead, Beck's decision-making was shaky, and his reaction to a barrage of pressure was worse.
Factoring in the injury and the potential timeline for recovery, Beck may have dropped to Day 3 of the 2025 class. He'll still face some challenges as he gets back throwing the ball and learns a new offense, but the Hurricanes paid him handsomely to recover in terrific weather and a friendlier ACC schedule.
The TreVeyon Henderson screen TD was more than just speed and poor defensive design.
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) January 11, 2025
Texas FS Andrew Mukuba has the pursuit angle, but Henderson is so dang good in the open-field. He anticipates the block of Hinzman #75 and then cuts behind it (all while at full speed). pic.twitter.com/s1EYp3qe6W
📈TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State
Stats: 6 carries, 42 yards; 1 reception, 75 yards, TD
The Buckeyes were rocked near the end of the first half despite the overwhelming feeling they had dominated Texas. Penalties and sloppy play allowed the Longhorns to tie the matchup with less than a minute remaining in the half. A perfectly timed and executed screen call kept the Buckeyes from imploding as they've often done in big postseason games.
TreVeyon Henderson has been a massive winner throughout this season. He was thought to be the second-best running back on his own team, but no one believes that anymore. Henderson has become tougher and more consistent throughout his career, pairing those great traits with the most explosive open-field speed in the class.
His 75-yard touchdown reception highlighted his elusiveness, vision, and straight-line speed.
Springing Henderson into space creates devastation for defenses. Well-built at 5-foot-10 and 210 pounds, Henderson can win the leverage battle when he drops his shoulder. His acceleration thereafter creates chunk plays with ease.
Though he had only six carries, we saw a few examples of his impact on a stretch play where he darted upfield for 22 yards. It's easy to envision Henderson starring in Dallas, Cincinnati, or Cleveland because of his fit in those offenses. He could be RB2 in this class, especially because he's an elite pass-blocker.
College Football Playoff Stock Down Players
📉Drew Allar, QB, Penn State
Stats: 12/23 passing, 135 yards, INT
The dichotomy of Drew Allar is a tough one to navigate.
On one hand, he's not ready for the NFL. He's not an aggressive passer, and his consistency and reaction to pressure fails to pass both the eye test and analytical baselines. But his size (6-foot-5, 235 pounds), strong arm, experience in a pro-style offense, ability to compensate for a bad receiving corps, and age (20 years old) bode well for his outlook.
His performance against Notre Dame did him no favors, though. Allar has previously said he'll be back at Penn State for 2025, but he could end up as QB3 in a class with six teams needing a quarterback in the top seven picks. It's hard to imagine passing on the opportunity of a lifetime when the Nittany Lions will lose its top two playmakers to the NFL.
"I'm aggressive... For the most part, all season long, his whole career, Drew Allar has made good decisions. He's got 50+ touchdowns, only 9 career interceptions. It's not likely a guy that's gonna put the ball in harm's way. I trust him... I would empower him..." - Greg McElroy pic.twitter.com/s9Uet8wnJW
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 10, 2025
His hometown Cleveland Browns could be a fit, offering a quarterback-friendly coach in Kevin Stefanski. He'll require patience and mechanical tuning, but going back to Penn State could lead to a Carson Beck-type fall if he loses his allure after more reps.
If Notre Dame's performance was a sign of what could happen next season, Allar might as well look to transfer for a better situation or enter the NFL. Allar's lack of answers for a physical and aggressive defense did him zero favors and could push him to stay in college.
We all saw the embarrassing Isaiah Bond drop. He saw targets on one drive the entire game, for a reason.
— Travis May (@FF_TravisM) January 11, 2025
This was another crucial 3rd down. Wide open. Worst drop ever. Texas forced to punt. #CFBPlayoff pic.twitter.com/l3IO4vTMFl
📉Isaiah Bond, WR, Texas
Stats: 1 reception, 8 yards
The transfer addition of Isaiah Bond was supposed to give Texas its next version of Xavier Worthy. A threatening speedster who should clock in with a 4.2 time, Bond has simply not delivered as an impactful threat. He finished the season with only 34 receptions for 540 yards and five touchdowns, and his final game of the year caught more attention for a horrible third-down drop than for anything positive.
The 5-foot-11, 180-pound junior had only five receptions for 57 yards over his last five games. If he enters the 2025 NFL Draft, it's because he's hoping his speed will force teams to overlook his lack of run-blocking effort and inconsistent production. A player thought to be in the first-round mix before the year, Bond is one of the biggest fallers of the 2024-25 calendar.
The 2025 receiving class is incredibly thin, so Bond could still be a top-100 pick, but the momentum is dead right now. Failing to thrive in a Steve Sarkisian offense won't do him any favors moving forward.
📉Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas
Stats: 23/39, 283 yards, 2 TDs, INT, 1 fumble lost
Quinn Ewers is expected to enter the 2025 NFL Draft, but his final outing didn't go as planned. Though he's one of the most naturally gifted throwers of the ball you'll find, everything else about Ewers' game is maddening. He still fails to step into half his throws, has little pocket presence and ability to maneuver within the pocket when pressure nears, and struggles to transcend one of the friendliest schemes in football.
The junior still had his moments against Ohio State, including two perfectly identified running back wheel routes against pressure and a few well-placed intermediate throws that his receivers dropped. Bond and Ryan Wingo let Ewers down several times between them, and Matthew Golden's early injury made the quarterback's job more difficult.
Projecting Ewers to the next level is difficult because he likely won't benefit from having a high-end scheme, offensive line, and playmakers compared to the field as he has at Texas. Maybe a better staff can get more out of his physical tools and compensate for his weaknesses, leading to a Geno Smith-esque role in a potent passing offense. That's a lot to ask, though, and difficult to put a value on a quarterback who needs to much structure.
