X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Advanced Stats Breakdown: 2025 NFL Draft Prospects Who Dominate the Data

Ashton Jeanty - NFL Draft, Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings, Draft Sleepers

Which players dominate the stat sheets in the 2025 NFL Draft? John breaks down the advanced stats and data of some of the best prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Sometimes, you don't have to look much further than the data to identify the NFL's next breakout stars. And some players dominate specific parts of the stat sheet, throwing up big green flags for their potential at the next level. Chasing elite efficiency and production often leads to good results.

The data can help you identify players who are lower on many draft boards, yet have underappreciated potential. Not all data is good data, so sifting through it all to find the most predictive and insightful statistics is worth your time. Luckily, I have you covered.

Let's discuss the 2025 NFL Draft's biggest stars (on paper) and whether it will translate to the next level.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

QB Jaxson Dart

While he didn't lead the NCAA in passing yards or passing touchdowns, Dart had a significant lead in yards per pass attempt over his peers; aka, everyone who threw for more than 3,000 yards. He averaged 10.8 yards per pass attempt -- the second-highest total featured multiple players tied for 9.5 yards per throw. That's a ridiculous number and an impressive lead.

Yards per pass attempt is arguably more important than total passing yards because more attempts mean more chances to log gains. Dart's efficiency was awe-inspiring. He routinely maximized yardage pickups given the opportunities he had.

There are a few driving forces behind this, but his ability to handle pressure stands out. He was fantastic when defenders were closing in after they had beaten his offensive linemen. Additionally, when blitzed, he routinely took care of the football, avoided bad sacks, and got the ball out of his hands and into the mitts of his receivers. On blitz plays, there are fewer defenders in coverage.

And his ability to push the ball down the field while still managing to be highly accurate was seriously impressive. Speaking of statistics, finding players who separate themselves from the crowds on charts and buck the clear linear trends of those charts can be very insightful.

Dart did what was best for his offense, despite the risks. And it paid off, as he separated himself from the pack in more than one statistical area. He's extremely underrated in dynasty fantasy football right now, as he's likely the best quarterback in this class. He's my No. 1, at least.

 

RB Ashton Jeanty

Well, yes ... obviously. Jeanty finished one of the best running back seasons in the history of college football with 344 carries for 2,601 yards and 29 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 23 passes for 138 yards and one score. He easily led the country in rushing, gaining 890 more yards than Arizona State RB Cam Skattebo, who was in second place. And he averaged 7.0 yards per carry along the way.

Interestingly, his receiving stats took a dip from 2023, though we know from that season that he's capable of being a great receiving back. But he had nearly twice as many receptions that season, so it's just because they threw him the ball less. But he's now had fantastic seasons as a running back in both the ground and air games.

He's oozing with talent, and it should translate to the next level nicely. Statistics that are this outlandish generally aren't flukes. The tape shows an elite back with all the skills he needs to succeed at the next level, and the intelligence to implement them properly.

There is one issue with his game, and that's his vision. That could come to bite him at the next level. Boise State had great run-blocking, though it didn't get much attention because of Jeanty's exploits. Still, at the next level, it will probably hinder his production.

Usually, the bad plays get lost in the sea of good ones, and with good reason. But a step up in competition can magnify a player's flaws. This is an area of Jeanty's game he needs to work on. Not taking the huge gap on the left side doesn't make much sense.

 

RB RJ Harvey

Despite a dominant 2024 season, UCF Knights running back RJ Harvey is inexplicably flying under the radar, though as time goes on and more of the NFL scouting community comes to their senses, his stock should rise. He was also an elite back in college and should be viewed as an elite prospect for the next level.

And his statistical dominance extends to last season, too. He's now averaged over six yards per carry three years in a row, and he rushed 226 times for 1,416 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2023. He followed that up with 232 carries for 1,577 yards and 22 rush scores in 2024. And despite RBs typically recording low yards per catch totals, he averaged 12.5 and 13.4 yards per reception in his final two seasons and scored five touchdowns through the air combined.

Harvey's tape backs up his production. He has a fantastic suite of skills, including great elusiveness, impressive burst, great top speed, improvisational ability, and vision. Harvey is in a stacked class and went to a "smaller" school, so he didn't get as much attention as the statistically elite Jeanty and other backs who went to bigger programs.

Yet for two years, he was unstoppable, both on the ground and through the air. Whatever NFL team gets its hands on him will likely realize quickly that it is in good hands if it gets him the ball as much as possible. It will depend on who he has to share a backfield with, obviously, but he should be very efficient if he gets drafted by a team with a good offense.

 

TE Harold Fannin Jr.

It's not often that you see a tight end leading all pass-catchers in receiving yards in college football, yet that's exactly what Bowling Green State University TE Harold Fannin Jr. did in 2024. In 13 contests, he racked up 117 receptions for 1,555 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging 13.3 yards per catch.

But ... yes, he is an awkward mover, lumbering in his running, and had a huge amount of "wouldn't happen in the NFL plays." The idea of that is easy to criticize as nonsense, but it's a fact that defenses are much better at absolutely everything in the NFL, and the gap between offense and defensive skill is significantly narrower. In fact, in recent years, defenses have the advantage.

Many of Fannin's big plays were the result of horrible defensive tackling efforts and positioning and size mismatches that just won't be present at the next level.

For example, the above play is a bit absurd. Tight ends simply don't carry multiple tacklers with them at the next level. The lone exception in the last decade was Rob Gronkowski. Playing for Bowling Green will do that to a guy. It's not going to happen at the next level. The boring reality is that separation skills still reign supreme, as they do for receivers, in the NFL.

One-on-one reps at the Senior Bowl aside, Fannin isn't a great separator, though many of his plays against defenders who will never sniff an NFL field may convince you otherwise. And his quarterback didn't have many other options in the passing game, so feeding the TE made the most sense.

To think that an individual player's stats are so good in college that they can't possibly struggle at the next level is absurd because we've seen it happen far too many times. College production doesn't necessitate usage at the next level, and busted coverages are much, much less common.

 

WR Tre Harris

None of this year's receivers stood out particularly well statistically in season-long numbers, at least. But Ole Miss Rebels wide receiver Tre Harris annihilated receiving efficiency statistics so hard that it's difficult to comprehend. His dominance against man coverage was stunning, and while it's obvious from the tape, it's just fun to look at some of the charts he blew up.

Typically, receivers who go to smaller schools have a significant advantage over those facing tougher competition in the SEC and Big Ten conferences. Yet, Harris' per-route yardage stats led the country against both man and zone coverages. He was the only player to average over four yards per route run against zone and averaged over twice what any other receiver could against zone.

For reference, anything over 3.5 yards per route run against either type of coverage is considered excellent in college football. Over nine YPRR against man is incomprehensibly good. Remember -- these statistics include routes on which the receiver wasn't targeted and didn't log a catch. The absurdity of this number isn't lost on me.

Harris simply crushed the man across from him when they lined up together. He was the toughest player to guard one-on-one in CFB this year.

It makes sense when you watch the tape. He's developed a beautiful suite of smooth route-running skills that force defenders into impossible conundrums. On the above route, he forces the defender to bite on the slant before quickly slamming on the brakes and turning it into an out route, causing the defender to fall.

Harris is easily the best route runner in this year's class, and the statistics have laid it out for us. It's incredibly obvious, yet consensus still thinks he's not worth taking early in the first round. He'll see immediate success in the league. Route runners who are this good generally do, no matter what reasons most analysts invent to dislike them.

He's also a big-bodied, tall wideout with a great catch radius, and has excellent contested-catch abilities. That's a secondary skill as a "nice to have," but not what he bases his game on. And despite not being a great speedster, he finds ways to win downfield, which is important.

His skills should translate immediately, and you should target him in the first round of dynasty rookie drafts because he's the best WR in this class. The statistics prove it.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Evander Kane

Drops to Fourth Line Saturday
Kasperi Kapanen

Won't Play on Saturday
Calvin Pickard

Starts Game 5 for Oilers
Jaxson Dart

Working as No. 2 QB During Offseason Workouts
Xavier Gipson

Roster Spot Could be in Jeopardy
Josh Reynolds

the Front-Runner for WR2 Duties
Garrett Wilson

Stock Up This Offseason
Breece Hall

Motivated Going into 2025 Season
Brandon Aiyuk

Making Good Progress From Knee Injury
Keon Coleman

Inconsistent at Minicamp
Mitchell Trubisky

Not a Lock for Backup Job
Dalton Kincaid

Adds Strength and Bulk
James Cook

a Full Participant in Mandatory Minicamp
Tyrese Haliburton

Struggles in Friday's Loss to OKC
Jacob Misiorowski

Expected to Make Next Start
Chet Holmgren

Dominates the Glass in Game 4
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Leads the Way in Game 4
Jalen Williams

Has a Quality Showing on Friday Night
Charlie Morton

Continues Good Work With 10 Strikeouts
James Wood

Homers, Drives in Four
Agustín Ramírez

Agustin Ramirez Homers Twice to Snap Skid
Isaac Paredes

Astros Hopeful Isaac Paredes Can Avoid the Injured List
Royce Lewis

Dealing With Hamstring Strain
Kodai Senga

Diagnosed With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain
Gleyber Torres

Goes Deep Twice on Friday
Jonathan India

Leaves With Apparent Shoulder Injury
Evan Carter

Leaves Early With Wrist Soreness
Anthony Richardson

Should be Fine for Training Camp
Russell Westbrook

to Decline Player Option
Kevin Durant

Trade Could Happen in the "Next Few Days"
A.J. Puk

Pauses Throwing Program
Matt Chapman

Can Begin Rehabbing in a Week
Logan Gilbert

Next Start Could Come in the Big Leagues
Cam Akers

Joining Saints
Yordan Alvarez

Still Not Hitting
Michael Mayer

to Get More Involved
Aaron Rodgers

DK Metcalf Building Chemistry with Aaron Rodgers
Colston Loveland

Likely to be Primary Tight End
Jacob Wilson

Returns on Friday
Justin Martinez

Out 12-13 Months With UCL Sprain
Will Johnson

Returns to Practice
Harold Fannin Jr.

Could Have Big Role in Rookie Season
Matt Chapman

Could Miss the Rest of June
Quentin Johnston

Still Running With Starters
Rashawn Slater

Takes Part in Minicamp
Jack Bech

Mostly Working With Second-Team Offense
Dont'e Thornton Jr.

Makes Strides This Offseason
Joaquin Buckley

Set For Main Event
Kamaru Usman

An Underdog At UFC Atlanta
Miranda Maverick

Set For Co-Main Event
Rose Namajunas

Looks To Bounce Back
Andre Petroski

Looks To Extend His Win Streak To Four
Edmen Shahbazyan

A Favorite At UFC Atlanta
Raoni Barcelos

Set To Take On Former Champion
Cody Garbrandt

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Mansur Abdul-Malik

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Cody Brundage

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Alonzo Menifield

Opens Up UFC Atlanta Main Card
Oumar Sy

Looks To Remain Undefeated
Aaron Civale

Traded to the White Sox
Connor Hellebuyck

Wins Vezina And Hart Trophies
Aleksander Barkov

Records Two Power-Play Assists Thursday
Sam Reinhart

Collects Three Points in Thursday's Loss
Matthew Tkachuk

Notches Three Points in Losing Effort
Calvin Pickard

Joins Exclusive List with Thursday's Win
Mattias Ekholm

Logs Two Assists in Comeback Victory
Leon Draisaitl

Delivers Victory in Overtime Thursday
Myles Turner

Playing Through Illness
Reed Sheppard

Will Play in the NBA Summer League
Kevin Durant

Deal Could Come Sooner Rather Than Later
Jacob Misiorowski

Pulled With Cramps
Framber Valdez

Punches Out 12 in Win
Isaac Paredes

Homers, Exits Early With Hamstring Injury
Dorian Finney-Smith

Undergoes Ankle Surgery
Anze Kopitar

Wins Third Lady Byng Trophy
Sergei Bobrovsky

Heading Out for Win No. 15
John Klingberg

Won't Play in Game 4 Against Panthers
Viktor Arvidsson

Sits Out Game 4 Against Panthers
Stuart Skinner

Remains in Oilers Crease Thursday
Chris Kreider

Ducks Acquire Chris Kreider From Rangers
Jalen Williams

Leads Thunder in Scoring Wednesday
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Settles for 24 Points in Game 3 Loss
Pascal Siakam

Does Everything for Pacers Wednesday Night
Tyrese Haliburton

Gets Close to Triple-Double in Game 3 Win
Bennedict Mathurin

Leads All Scorers with 27 Points Wednesday
Brandin Podziemski

Has Second Offseason Surgery
Cale Makar

Wins His Second Norris Trophy
Lane Hutson

Voted NHL's Best Rookie
CGY

Adam Klapka Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

Considered a Game-Time Call Thursday
Jaylen Brown

Undergoes Successful Knee Procedure
Kevin Porter Jr.

Likely to Decline Player Option
Matt McCarty

Comes Off Season-Best Showing at RBC Canadian Open
Justin Thomas

Desperate to Continue Good 2025 Season
Kevin Durant

Knicks Not Looking to Trade for Kevin Durant
Jon Rahm

Seeks Revenge at U.S. Open
Tom Kim

Aiming for Improvement in U.S. Open
PGA

Sungjae Im Expects Solid Performance at Oakmont
Brian Harman

Aims to Rebound From the Memorial
Tony Finau

has Been Up and Down at U.S. Open
Patrick Cantlay

Hoping This is the Year at Oakmont
Akshay Bhatia

Improving in Time for U.S. Open
Xander Schauffele

Primed for Another Major Championship Run
Cameron Young

May Struggle at U.S. Open
Collin Morikawa

Eyeing Third Major Championship Title
Matt Fitzpatrick

Seeks to Avenge Oakmont Collapse
Jordan Spieth

Can Contend at Oakmont
Shane Lowry

a Strong Value Play at U.S. Open
Brooks Koepka

Seeks Another Major Win at Oakmont
Viktor Hovland

Still Can Improve at U.S. Open
Michael Kim

a Boom-or-Bust Value Play at U.S. Open
Russell Henley

Looking to Play the Weekend at Oakmont
Tyrrell Hatton

a Safe Option at U.S. Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Eyeing Third U.S. Open Title
Darius Garland

Kings Targeting Darius Garland
Kevin Durant

Expected to Be Moved Soon
Denny Hamlin

Charges Late to Win at Michigan
Carson Hocevar

Michigan Run is Derailed by A Late-Race Flat Tire
Kyle Larson

Up-and-Down Day Ends With Top-Five Finish at Michigan
Ross Chastain

Quietly Finishes Sixth at Michigan
Corey Perry

Nets Power-Play Goal in Monday's Loss
Chris Buescher

Takes Second Place After William Byron Runs Out of Fuel
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Has a Great Points Day to Build Buffer Over the Playoff Cut Line
Ryan Blaney

Flat Tire Results in Poor Finish for Ryan Blaney
Alex Bowman

Playoffs in Doubt After Stage 2 Crash at Michigan
Sean O'Malley

Submitted For The First Time In His Career
Merab Dvalishvili

Defends Bantamweight Belt At UFC 316
Julianna Peña

Julianna Pena No Longer A Champion
Kayla Harrison

Is The New Champion
Joe Pyfer

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Kelvin Gastelum

Drops Decision
Patchy Mix

Drops Decision In His UFC Debut
Mario Bautista

Extends His Win Streak
Vicente Luque

Submitted At UFC 316
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF