Big Board
3/7/25
23 min read
2025 NFL Draft: Tyler Brooke's Top 50 Big Board
With the NFL Combine completed, draft boards around the league are starting to solidify, which is the perfect time to dive into a top-50 big board.
The beauty of the draft process is that everyone has different opinions on players, allowing for discussion about traits, preferences, and philosophies about how to build a team or draft players. This is just one big board and will likely be significantly different than others, including The 33rd Team's Kyle Crabbs' own board with his top 150 rankings.
With that in mind, let's dive into this top 50 big board to take a look at some of the most impressive prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft.
2025 NFL Draft top 50 Big board
1. Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State 
A twitched-up pass rusher, Abdul Carter showed off some impressive bend and play strength and showed off top-tier competitive toughness by playing through a shoulder injury against Notre Dame.
The fact this last season was his first year as a full-time EDGE suggests that he's just scratching the surface of what he could become.
2. Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado 
Regardless of where a team wants to play Travis Hunter, they're getting a prospect with elite instincts and body control, very good play speed, and fluidity to play either (or both) cornerback or receiver.
The bigger question is whether a team is willing to let him continue to be a two-way star.
3. Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
Injuries in 2024 have had a lot of analysts drop Will Johnson down their big boards, but the 2023 tape shows someone who can quickly turn into one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL.
He's sticky in man coverage, has the closing speed to jump routes, and is regularly compared to the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in Patrick Surtain II.
4. Mason Graham, DL, Michigan
The Rose Bowl game against Alabama firmly put Maosn Graham on the map a bit more than a year ago. He's done nothing but continue to solidify his draft stock since then.
Defensive line coaches should use Graham's film as teaching tape for how to handle the point of attack against blockers.
5. Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
Contact balance is the most important trait in an NFL running back, and that's far and away Ashton Jeanty's most impressive skill.
He's a compact runner who bounces off tackle attempts and refuses to go down, and he could be slotted in as an immediate workhorse back for whichever team takes him in the first round.
6. Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona 
Some scouts and analysts are concerned that Tetairoa McMillan won't run the 40-yard dash, but speed hasn't been his game at the college level.
He still has adequate explosiveness and can be difficult to bring down after the catch, but it's his elite body control and catch radius that make him such a highly coveted X-receiver in this year's draft.
7. Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M
NFL teams aren't going to care about Shemar Stewart's lack of production after his combine performance.
His tape at 290 pounds showed ridiculous bend and explosiveness for an EDGE of his size, and now that he's dropped over 20 pounds, he should have some extra juice to be a much more productive pass rusher at the NFL level.
8. Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
Matthew Golden checks almost every box you want in a Z-receiver. He's got vertical speed, sharp route-running ability, deceleration ability to maximize separation, and excellent body control to be an acrobat on the sideline or come away with contested catches.
He's about as complete of a receiver as you can ask for, even if it took a while for him to burst onto the scene this year at Texas.
9. Mykel Williams, EDGe, Georgia
With nearly 34.5-inch arms and elite play strength, Williams should still garner top-10 consideration because of those rare tools for an EDGE. He played through an ankle injury in 2024 but still flashed some rare tape as a future NFL edge setter.
10. Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
A bully and a rare athlete at tight end, Warren was such a focal point of Penn State's offense that he was their wildcat quarterback.
He has great body control and soft hands but also shows legitimate willingness and aggression as an in-line blocker to give him more versatility than he's often getting credit for.
11. Malaki Stars, SAF, Georgia
While he didn't test well, Malaki Starks still moved phenomenally well in on-field drills in Indianapolis.
He's a former 5-star athlete who became a perennial playmaker at Georgia in multiple seasons and has the instincts and movement skills to be a long-term starter in the NFL.
12. Kelvin Banks Jr., OL, Texas
A lot of the offensive line prospects in this class may not be pure tackles, but Kelvin Banks could protect a quarterback's blind spot.
He's got good lateral agility for a player of his size, terrific play strength to move bodies in the run game, and has the instincts and fluidity to pick up twists and stunts with ease.
13. Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
Josh Simmons had to watch the Buckeyes win the national championship from the sideline with a torn ACL, but his early 2024 tape was downright dominant.
He has excellent footwork and movement skills but needs to clean up his hand placement and strike timing to lock defenders up. As long as his knee is fully healed, he'll be a long-term starter somewhere on the offensive line.
14. Mike Green, eDGE, MArshall
Mike Green solidified his status as a first-round prospect by dominating in practice at the Senior Bowl. His tape is outstanding against good programs in Ohio State and Virginia Tech.
It shows speed around the edge, a diverse bag of pass-rushing moves, and a relentless motor to get after quarterbacks.
15. Will Campbell, OL, LSU
One of the smoothest-looking offensive linemen in this class, Will Campbell, has the footwork and movement skills to be an effective pass protector.
The bigger questions are his adequate play strength and concerns about his arm length, making it difficult to peg him as either a guard or tackle.
16. Shavon Revel jr., CB, East Carolina
Another prospect coming off a torn ACL, Shavon Revel's tape at ECU is wildly entertaining.
He's a lengthy 6-foot-2 corner with the aggressiveness and athletic ability to be sticky in man coverage and the physicality and aggressiveness to want to deliver punishment with his pads as a tackler.
17. Aireontae Ersery, OT, Minnesota
Not everyone is high on Aireontae Ersery, but his upside is ridiculous when you consider that he didn't start playing football until his junior year of high school.
He could easily slot into guard as a 331-pound prospect and will immediately be a road grader in the run game. If he can continue improving his technique, he has the size and foot quickness to potentially kick out to tackle.
18. Tyleik Williams, DL, Ohio State
There might not be a better defensive line prospect in this class at extending and disengaging with a "shock and shed" against blockers in this draft.
He has a wide frame with good length and excellent upper-body play strength that allows him to control the point of attack and routinely make big plays in the trenches.
19. armand membou, OL, Missouri
Armand Membou was one of the big winners of the combine with his testing and has a good chance at being the first offensive lineman taken.
The athletic ability will be highlighted, but his tape also showed a very effective run blocker with his 332-pound frame, play strength, pad level, and leg drive.
20. Jalon Walker, LB/EDGE, Georgia
It's a tricky evaluation for Jalon Walker, who may be better suited to play off-ball linebacker than EDGE with his sub-250-pound frame. But he's such an explosive athlete with twitch and bend that it wouldn't surprise anyone to see him succeed as a full-time EDGE at the NFL level.
Still, a team willing to make him a bit more multiple could unlock a special talent.
21. Cam Ward, QB, Miami
The first quarterback on the big board, Cam Ward isn't the perfect prospect. However, he has the upside to be a legitimate franchise quarterback because of his arm talent and pocket presence.
His ability to make a rusher miss in the pocket, then show composure to keep his eyes downfield and deliver an accurate off-script throw deep downfield are the plays that highlight his ceiling.
22. Kenneth Grant, DL, Michigan
There aren't a lot of 6-foot-4, 331-pound defensive tackles in the NFL, especially ones that still have the athletic ability that Kenneth Grant possesses.
He can be nimble at times as a pass rusher, but some of his best reps are when he just straight bull rushes opponents, driving blockers into the lap of opposing quarterbacks.
23. nick Emmanwori, SAF, South Carolina
No player helped their draft stock more than Nick Emmanwori at the combine. His unreal combination of size, speed, and athleticism show up on tape, too.
He needs to work on staying more in control in coverage to help him change direction, and he could clean up a few other things. However, there's no coaching his athletic ability and willingness, making him the ultimate chess piece for a defense.
24. Walter Nolen, DL, Ole Miss
Like Tyleik Williams, Walter Nolen does an excellent job of shocking and shedding blockers at the point of attack.
Some of his explosiveness on tape is head-turning stuff, and he showed significant improvement with his hand usage after transferring from Texas A&M to solidify his value as a first-round prospect.
25. Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
This year's draft class features more top-25 tight end prospects than quarterbacks, at least from a grade standpoint.
Colston Loveland would be TE1 in almost any other draft with good length and speed as a smooth pass catcher, and he has the willingness and solid technique as a blocker to project well as a slot/wing kind of tight end at the NFL level.
26. Jihaad Campbell, lb, Alabama
If you're looking for a linebacker built like an action figure, then Jihaad Campbell is the prospect for you. While he's not the most refined between-the-tackles kind of traditional linebacker prospect, his unreal combination of explosiveness and length gives him legitimate sideline-to-sideline range.
He can pursue, cover, and even get after the quarterback as a pass rusher. As long as he can get more comfortable doing some of the dirty work, he could be a legit star at the position.
27. jahdae barron, cb, Texas
Football IQ just oozes off of Jahdae Barron, whether it's on or off the field.
He's an instinctive defensive back prospect who has played outside corner, slot, and safety and has the movement skills and physicality to handle whatever role a team wants to put him in once he goes pro.
28. Luther burden iii, wr, Missouri
Luther Burden is the ultimate power slot in this year's draft. He's elusive and tough after the catch but also can make some routes look effortless with his fluidity and movement skills.
There are some questions about what kind of role he can play without a heavy dose of manufactured touches, but his 2023 tape showed a dynamic receiver capable of winning in multiple ways.
29. emeka egbuka, wr, ohio state
What Emeka Egbuka lacks in top-tier athletic traits, he makes up for with smooth route running, size, and versatility.
Teams that prioritize receivers willing to block in the run game will also love his ability and willingness to lock up defenders to spring explosive plays.
30. josh conerly jr., ol, Oregon
One of the more compact offensive line prospects at under 6-foot-5 and 314 pounds, Josh Conerly, is also one of the most athletic. He has great explosiveness out of his stance, very good foot quickness, and the ability to mirror pass rushers capable of playing inside-out.
31. Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State
There aren't many height-weight-speed receivers in this class, but Jayden Higgins is close to the top of that group. He's good in many areas, but where he's great is as a technician.
He utilizes his technique as a route runner while attacking leverage and understanding coverages to maximize his separation and consistently produce as a top weapon.
32. Xavier watts, SAF, notre dame
Xavier Watts' ball skills are evident in his 13 interceptions in the last two seasons at Notre Dame.
He's a ball-hawking safety who can read and react with twitch and fluidity, but he also significantly improved in run support this season, showing a willingness to use that twitch to trigger downhill and make plays on ball carriers.
33. Donovan Ezeiruaku, edge, Boston college
Donovan Ezeiruaku has a unique frame for an edge rusher but is also one of the most polished pass rushers in this class. He can long arm, dip and bend, break inside, and win in a variety of other ways to get after the quarterback, which is why he had 16.5 sacks this past year.
He's a bit undersized but gives great effort with good technique to hold his own against the run.
34. grey Zabel, ol, north Dakota state
One of the Senior Bowl's biggest risers was Grey Zabel, who dominated the competition against prospects from bigger programs. Due to his ability to consistently play with good pad level and quick feet, he'll likely be kicked inside to guard or center in the NFL.
35. Azareye'h Thomas, cb, Florida State
For as bad of a year as Florida State had, Azareye'h Thomas has some of the cleanest tape among this year's cornerback class.
He has the length and hip fluidity to turn and run with just about everyone, but it's his unreal body control to contort his body in mid-air to break up passes that really stands out for a player with his frame.
36. elijah arroyo, te, miami
Cam Ward had some exciting weapons to work with at Miami, including an electric pass-catching tight end in Elijah Arroyo. He has great play speed and athleticism to make sharp cuts without slowing down, giving him a more nuanced route tree than most TE prospects.
He has extremely reliable hands with just one career drop and is continuing to develop as a blocker to make him a more complete player.
37. Tyler Booker, ol, Alabama
Tyler Booker is an absolute road grader of an interior offensive line prospect, bullying defenders with excellent play strength and mass to be a running back's best friend.
Despite his size, he's still consistently in control when climbing to the second level, allowing him to trace and latch onto linebackers instead of whiffing or losing the angle.
38. Omarion Hampton, rb, North Carolina
In a loaded running back class, Omarion Hampton still has a chance to be a first-round pick. He's a well-built RB at 221 pounds with very good athleticism and contact balance to consistently break tackles and generate explosive plays.
He's not particularly elusive and can get hesitant at times at the line of scrimmage, but he has the physical tools to be a legitimate workhorse back.
39. benjamin morrison, cb, notre dame
Benjamin Morrison's entire draft stock hinges on reports about his season-ending hip injury.
As long as he's fully healthy, he has an outside shot of being a first-round pick after putting up such strong film in 2023. He's a wiry corner with explosiveness and tenacity to attack downhill.
40. shedeur sanders, qb, colorado
Shedeur Sanders deserves a lot of credit for being one of the smartest prospects in this class, making pre-snap adjustments to consistently put his team into winning situations.
He has solid arm talent, but the lack of mobility combined with his consistent desire to try and make off-script plays results in far too many sacks.
41. James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee
There might not be a better speed rusher in this class, but James Pearce has yet to build out the rest of his pass-rushing portfolio to win in multiple ways.
There are some flashes of a speed-to-power bull rush that could be effective, but it doesn't happen often enough. Still, that kind of first step to beat offensive tackles around the edge is a trait that NFL teams covet.
42. nic scourton, edge, Texas A&M
Turn on the Purdue tape to see what the ceiling for Nic Scourton as a pass rusher can be because he was a menace for the Boilermakers in 2023.
He bulked up significantly at Texas A&M, which hurt his movement skills, but he was a legitimate power rusher with the feel for when to break back inside when tackles start oversetting.
43. bradyn swinson, edge, Lsu
One of the more underrated prospects in this class, Bradyn Swinson, is a versatile pass rusher who can win with speed, power, and hand usage.
He has good bend for a 250-pound rusher but also excellent upper-body play strength to get extended and hold the point of attack in the run game.
44. donovan jackson, ol, Ohio state
Donovan Jackson was forced to left tackle after Simmons' injury and became a brick wall in time for a national title run.
He's a thick offensive line prospect with excellent hand strength to engage and lock up defenders, but he needs to improve his hand placement and overall balance to avoid lunging and whiffing.
45. Jaylin Noel, wr, Iowa State
Jaylin Noel was another big winner at the combine, dominating every drill he participated in.
He's an explosive vertical threat out of the slot with nuanced route running, along with the experience as a return specialist to bring special teams value as well.
46. kaleb johnson, rb, iowa
Vision and contact balance consistently stand out when watching Kaleb Johnson.
He has a long, thick frame that can withstand significant punishment, but is also patient and quick to react to open space to generate chunk plays without having to take big hits on every play.
47. Jalen milroe, qb, Alabama
It's hard to quit on Jalen Milroe's physical traits because they're head and shoulders above every other quarterback prospect in this class. On top of excellent mobility and play strength, Milroe has what might be the strongest arm in this class, and his tape shows a consistent ability to hit receivers in stride deep downfield.
The issue is that his mechanics need serious refinement, and his ball placement on short and intermediate routes suffers because of it.
48. Andrew Mukuba, SAF, Texas
Andrew Mukuba might be undersized, but his tape is as impressive as any other safety in this year's class. He has very good explosiveness and instincts to react and quickly get into position, whether it's to make a tackle or make a play on the ball.
He's on the smaller end of safeties, but he's absolutely fearless, and that kind of mentality will translate to an NFL locker room.
49. Jack Sawyer, edge, Ohio State
Jack Sawyer projects best as a 4-3 defensive end. He's not the top-tier athlete that other prospects are in this draft, but he's still fluid and explosive enough with a 260-pound frame to be a dominant power rusher who can also consistently hold down the edge and make plays against the run.
50. Mason Taylor, te, lsu
The son of Jason Taylor, Mason Taylor, put up some very strong tape for LSU this past season. He's a smooth mover with easy play speed that allows him to separate against linebackers as a passer.
He also has good play strength and solid leg drive as a blocker when coming across the formation on kick-out blocks and split zone concepts.
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