Early 2025 NFL Draft Rankings - Top Player At Each Position

John Johnson of RotoBaller breaks down the top player at every position in college football this season that's headed to the 2025 NFL Draft. Includes QB, RB, WR, TE, OL, DE, DL, LB, CB, and safeties.

The 2025 NFL Draft really isn't that far away. For fans of historically terrible teams, the draft is the best time of the year, as it instills hope that things might change. And for Dynasty fantasy managers or those extremely dialed-in who play only redraft, it's an interesting time as well.

Knowing which players go to good teams is a big deal. Even if they don't go to winning teams, they can also help turn a franchise around or elevate it to further heights. These aren't insignificant things. Of course, the players drawing the most interest are those at the top of their position groups.

Below are RotoBaller's top players at each position group: quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, offensive guard, offensive tackle, center, defensive end, defensive line, linebacker, cornerback, and safety. We'll provide write-ups on each, though the skill positions and quarterbacks will have more extensive analysis, as they're much more relevant to fantasy football leagues. Let's dive in.

Quarterback - Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss

Starting with a hot take, no doubt -- Dart is the best quarterback in this class. One thing that's confusing to many who scrutinize NFL scouting (which is not very many people) is that players are often crowned as the best in their classes before the season ends. Sometimes, nothing a player can do short of producing at a historic level will change the mind of the consensus.

QB draft prospects when blitzed during their final college season pic.twitter.com/1b6u8tbeAm

— Football Insights 📊 (@fball_insights) February 4, 2025

For starters, among all of the highly-drafted QBs of 2023 and those highest ranked in 2024, Dart was the best against the blitz. When pressure was in his face, Dart averaged an absurd 12.4 Yards per Pass Attempt. That was more than the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels had with both Brian Thomas Jr. and Malik Nabers on his team.

How could this happen, and Dart still not be considered a great prospect? Consensus is lukewarm on him, yet we've seen Daniels, Thomas, and Nabers all play at an elite level in the NFL. It makes little sense to write him off for... what reason exactly?

How a young QB responds to pressure is the biggest separator in the NFL.

Jaxson Dart is my top QB in the 2025 Draft against pressure.

Numbers and tape back it up. pic.twitter.com/CRqrwMMrZ1

— David Syvertsen (@Ourlads_Sy) January 4, 2025

"Look at what he does under pressure" is a great litmus test for quarterbacks. The predictive nature of the pressure-to-sack ratio backs this up very well. Dart has mountains of tape showing what happens when the play breaks down. He's a great decision-maker, and this proves it.

It's odd that Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders is considered a better prospect when he takes so many bad sacks, often seemingly not responding to the pressure in his face. That won't work at the next level.

Jaxson Dart’s “out-dueling” of Jayden Daniels in 2023 is reportedly held in high regard among NFL GM’s.

In that game, Dart went 26/39 (67%), for 389 passing yards, 50 rushing yards, and 5 total TD’s in a 55-49 upset win over 13th ranked LSU.

While Daniels went 27/36 (75%), for… pic.twitter.com/yQGxRqAafH

— NFL Rookie Watch (@NFLRookieWatxh) January 23, 2025

Dart never wavered, even with the defense flying in his face, and he seemed to be very intelligent about when he could take off and run with it. He rarely looked phased and was usually a step ahead of the defense. He seemed to display excellent preparation for his opponents. He's the best quarterback in this year's draft class.

Running Back - Ashton Jeanty, Boise State Broncos

Fresh off a nearly Heisman-winning 2024 season, Jeanty is clearly the top running back in this class. There are several hidden gems in the later rounds for fantasy football managers, so it's a testament to his skill that the most productive RB in the country is distracting everyone so heavily.

No back is in the same tier as Ashton Jeanty in this 2025 draft cycle. pic.twitter.com/9fhjeGI0FA

— AngeloFF (@angelo_fantasy) September 8, 2024

His ability to slip tackles made him nearly impossible for some defenders to bring down. He has impressive hip flexibility and moves very well laterally, easily putting opposing defensive players out of position. And if he has no other option, he's a beast at slipping tackles and using his elite strength to remain upright.

In the NFL, he won't be able to bull over as many defenders as he did in the Mountain West conference in college. But even when he faced great defenses from Power 5 schools, Jeanty showed that he could not only hang in there but continue to dominate.

Ashton Jeanty running the human gauntlet 😤
pic.twitter.com/67iZAixNeg

— Jeff Mueller, PT, DPT (@jmthrivept) January 1, 2025

Taking on tackles at good angles is a proven strategy for success, and he's capable of doing it. He's an intelligent and cerebral back who continually reads his blocks well and sends defensive backfields into chaos. The depth of his skillset is impressive.

From a pure athleticism standpoint, he passes all the tests. He has great acceleration and good top speed for his size. He's probably not outrunning any defensive backs step-for-step, but if he gets them at a bad angle or has a head start, he can turn plays into long gains.

Mel Kiper has the #Broncos drafting Ashton Jeanty at No. 20 overall.

Imagine.pic.twitter.com/WnkC5cHC8V

— Zack Kelberman (@KelbermanNFL) January 23, 2025

He's the best back in this class.

Wide Receiver - Tre Harris, Ole Miss

Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan is the consensus top WR from this year's draft, according to almost all other NFL scouting information. But I will plant my flag and say that Harris is the best. It's interesting that NFL scouting consistently mis-ranks players, yet before every draft, peoples' opinions seem to fall straight back in line with consensus.

If you had said Bucky Irving would be the best running back from the 2024 NFL Draft class before the season started, you would have been laughed at. Ideas that don't align with consensus are ridiculed whether or not they end up being true, and sometimes consensus really ignores huge red flags.

Data investigation thread on contested targets 🧵

After discovering an unusually and concerningly high contested target percentage for Tet Mcmillan, I began thinking on the metric, and whether it matters...

We know uncontested targets are good, though ADOT and scheme plays a…

— Dynasty Zoltan (@DynastyZoltanFF) December 7, 2024

The crux of the problem with McMillan is that he's just not a great separator. He's passable at separation against inferior Big 12 defensive backs, many of which will not make it to the NFL. But in the NFL, that won't be good enough. And receivers who don't separate well in the NFL never have wildly successful careers.

TMac's contested target rate is a problem. No receiver succeeds in the NFL, primarily off contested catches. And the comparisons to Mike Evans are simply horrible -- Evans was an elite separator in college in addition to having great size. And he's significantly bigger than McMillan.

With that out of the way, it's strange to see Harris consistently underrated by NFL scouts. His statistics against man coverage are so mind-bogglingly good and outliers that they defy logic. Sure, he's a fifth-year player, but the tape backs up that he is simply not guardable in man coverage.

Tre Harris is one of my favorite WRs in the 2025 NFL draft.

He’s a big body pass catcher with a whopping 45 career contested catches (48%) and he excels from a variety of alignments.

He’s elusive after the catch and has nuance in his routes for such a big frame at 6’3 215lbs. pic.twitter.com/Uo1E6iUu3m

— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) January 13, 2025

The criticisms of his route-running are beyond absurd and honestly laughable. Then again, Ja'Lynn Polk, basically the worst receiver in the NFL last year, was praised for his route-running skills ahead of the draft. The tape shows a player running through mud. Suffice it to say that route-running evaluation is poor on some websites.

Harris' routes are so advanced that he regularly dusted even athletic defensive backs. He makes incredibly high-level yet subtle movements that are reminiscent of Davante Adams at his peak. In particular, the first route in the above video is sublime.

He turns his head around, cuts to the left, and gets the defender so flat-footed that he's forced to commit to the in-breaking slant, or he'll be burned. But Harris is able to slam on the breaks while not fully committing to the slant, leveraging the outside perfectly and sending his defender tumbling.

Tre Harris is 6’3/210lbs running routes like this…

(H/T @CUandyy) pic.twitter.com/7EtVUnxhcM

— SCOUTD (@scoutdnfl) January 19, 2025

Generally, double moves executed with this level of precision will work at the next level. Harris is also 6-foot-3, giving him plenty of size and catch radius. And in his final season, when he had a good quarterback, his efficiency was impossibly good.

Dart's teammate Tre Harris absolutely destroyed man coverage this year:

+ 9.85 YPRR (Most among all WRs since PFF started tracking in 2015)
+ 94.4 PFF receiving grade (Best among all WRs since DeVonta Smith in 2020)

Data via @PFF https://t.co/YHK3FERM0h

— Dataroma (@ffdataroma) February 4, 2025

It was almost automatic that Harris would destroy on plays that he was matched up man-on-man. He was the best man-beating receiver since DeVonta Smith during his Heisman campaign, and he averaged more yards per route than any receiver against man in the last 10 years since the statistic was tracked.

Tre Harris

College: Ole Miss
Age: 23
Size: 6’3, 210 lbs

In 7 healthy games in 2024:
- 1st in YPRR (5.15)
- 1st in YPRR vs. Man Coverage (9.28) 🤯
- 2nd in YPRR vs. Zone Coverage (4.05)
- 1,030 YDS on 60 REC for an impressive 17.2 YPR
- First Team All-SEC

He’s a strong physical… pic.twitter.com/Mo94dkpXnY

— The FF Dynasty (@TheFFdynasty) January 28, 2025

He was elite against zone coverage as well, posting the second-best YPRR against that coverage in college football. He only played seven fully healthy games, yet racked up impressive stats. Analysts can scream until they're blue in the face about size and speed concerns, but the elite efficiency speaks for itself.

The tape shows play after play of Harris making great decisions, excelling at contested catches, separating well, running excellent routes, and making highlight-reel plays, all in the SEC, the toughest conference to play in.

Ladd McConkey was too small and injury-prone. Jaxon Smith-Njigba wasn't fast enough. Tank Dell was too small. Year after year, the same stupid excuses are made that WRs can't succeed, yet if they're elite route-runners and separators, they find success in the league.

Add Tre Harris to the Tee Higgins/Courtland Sutton big-bodied freak revolution at WR.

I'm staying strong. Feel much better about him translating than Tetairoa. My WR2.

Dart and Harris are so much fun to tape. #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/kepC9F4oLv

— Austin Swaim (@ASwaim3) January 28, 2025

Harris is the complete package at receiver as well because he's fantastic after the catch and great as a red zone target. The anti-Harris rhetoric is not only misguided but, at times, completely foolish. He is the best receiver from this draft class because he is a fantastic separator and great at nearly everything else. Flag planted.

Tight End - Colston Loveland, Michigan

Penn State tight end Tyler Warren is widely viewed as the best TE in this year's draft class, but I'd argue Loveland should take that spot. Warren is not a polished route-runner, and despite Warren's impressive tackle-breaking ability, elite strength, and elite run-blocking skills, great routes make TEs elite in the NFL.

Time to start pushing some propaganda, Colston Loveland is a prototype of the ideal NFL Tight End pic.twitter.com/F91MoRlpx3

— Josh 〽️ (@UMFanJosh) January 15, 2025

He doesn't resemble a 6-foot-5, 245-pound man in the way that he runs routes. Whereas Warren didn't run a typical route tree and often simply ran up the field through the slot on vertical routes uncovered or worked with designed run plays or screens, Loveland succeeded in running traditional routes.

The Michigan product is the perfect mismatch weapon as a receiver at the next level. He's too strong and physical for most corners to cover and too quick for linebackers to guard effectively. TEs, with his skill set and athleticism, are mismatch nightmares for opposing defenses.

6’5, 250lbs TE’s are not usually able to create man separation like this…

Colston Loveland can. pic.twitter.com/tjzPgxRs9h

— SCOUTD (@scoutdnfl) January 5, 2025

He generates very quick separation when matched up 1-on-1 with LBs. Even the NFL's more athletic linebackers won't likely see much success when tasked with slowing him down. And his production speaks for itself -- he carried his team's offense on his back in 2024 after the departure of quarterback J.J. McCarthy.

At 6’5, Colston Loveland (TE #Michigan) plays with an impressive twitchiness to his game.

I love his catch-to-attack mentality here. Smooth and efficient runner.

A lot of potential here… pic.twitter.com/dSOSJzEsiP

— SCOUTD (@scoutdnfl) December 19, 2024

He's impressive after the catch as well. His game is reminiscent of a "lite" version of Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers, and they actually have similar athletic profiles. The great route-running tight ends typically see success early at the next level, and Loveland should have an immediate impact if he gets enough balls thrown his way.

Offensive Lineman - Will Campbell, LSU

Campbell was a big part of helping quarterback Daniels win the Heisman trophy in 2023. A force in both the run and pass game, Campbell possesses elite strength and excellent usage of his hands. He's a wrecking ball in the run game but also plays with a great degree of intelligence and cognizance.

Nice work here from LSU OT Will Campbell (#66)… works the double, helps secure the DT and then works to the second level. Excellent job getting his body aligned and creates a solid crease in the run game. pic.twitter.com/dGky1HxPcq

— Ryan Roberts (@RiseNDraft) February 6, 2025

It's notable how many reps there are of him blocking a defensive tackle or end at the line on run plays, then quickly shedding that player in time to knock a linebacker or safety out of the way and open up a lane for the running back. Nailing the timing aspect of these blocks is an underrated quality, but looks great on his resume.

Every one-on-one between LSU LT Will Campbell (#66) and Texas A&M Edge Shemar Stewart (#4) pic.twitter.com/6X9mPmPd8Y

— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) January 30, 2025

Even against some of the better pass-rusher prospects in this year's draft class, matched up one-on-one, Campbell stymied their attempts with ease. His tape is full of highlights of him shutting down a variety of pass-rush moves, from swipes, spin moves, bull rushes, and attempted duck-under moves.

Will Campbell (#66) getting some torque on his block on Nic Scourton pic.twitter.com/2agZIKr5dk

— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) January 30, 2025

He doesn't always need to shove defenders forward, as he's also just strong enough to twist his body and move defenders aside. He's an elite LT prospect and could end up protecting his new quarterback's blind side immediately, depending on where he's drafted.

Defensive Line/Edge - Abdul Carter, Penn State

There's no debate about who the best prospect is in this class. Carter is a generational pass-rusher prospect who unironically evokes memories of one of the best in PSU's history and now one of the best in the NFL, Dallas Cowboys defensive end Micah Parsons. And the comparisons are not out of the ordinary.

ESPN's 2025 NFL Draft Big Board now has Penn State EDGE Abdul Carter ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the class.

Would you want the Giants to take Carter at No. 3 overall? pic.twitter.com/eb73zsy3cV

— Anthony Rivardo (@Anthony_Rivardo) January 20, 2025

On tape, he often seems to blast through blocks as if they're not there, which is what we saw Parsons do. He's a class of pass-rusher that makes pressuring the quarterback seem effortless. The explosive first-step quickness off the line of scrimmage also brings him massive upside.

Abdul Carter. pic.twitter.com/xT6Buh4P8x

— Nick Penticoff (@NickPenticoff) February 2, 2025

As a bonus, he also has elite speed to chase down quarterbacks and running backs on outside run plays, which can create serious problems for offenses. He's far and away the best player along the defensive line in this draft.

Linebacker - Jihaad Campbell, Alabama

As he is easily the best overall athlete of the linebackers, he also happens to be the best player at his position. Campbell has fantastic speed for his size and is able to chase down athletic running backs and quarterbacks when carrying the ball. He displayed his lateral agility early and often in his career.

Jihaad Campbell loves to hit people, therefore I love Jihaad Campbell pic.twitter.com/Ljz7XROxvD

— Joe DeLeone (@joedeleone) January 17, 2025

He can turn on a dime, and players attempting to run around him with the ball often run into this issue combined with his excellent length. He's also a powerful hitter and sure tackler -- he recorded 111 total tackles, five sacks, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery in his senior season.

Campbell's first step is sudden, and he accelerates to top speed quickly, helping him chase down receivers and running backs on screen passes. And for a linebacker, his strength is impressive, allowing him to shove blockers off his frame or just bull through them if needed.

He has an impressive bend, or ability to contort his body around blockers and accelerate curvilinearly, so he could even see some usage in the NFL at defensive end, which he saw at college. He still needs to develop in this aspect, but you usually don't see linebackers doing that anyway.

Defensive Back - Travis Hunter, Colorado

The two-way star isn't as polished a prospect as former Michigan Wolverines cornerback Will Johnson, but Hunter's insane athletic ceiling and his potential to play snaps at both CB and wide receiver make him the best defensive back prospect in the draft.

Hunter's Heisman campaign was built on playing both sides of the ball, and he proved his durability under such a high workload. The ceiling for him is absolutely massive, and it will be interesting to see how he's utilized in the NFL, though if he knows what's good for him, he should probably focus on receiver.

Travis Hunter is legitimately UNFAIR at the catch point

➖ 68.8% contested-catch success
➖ Only 4 career drops

He’s so good at separating that we rarely even get to see this skill from him… pic.twitter.com/LxxWJF3fq2

— SCOUTD (@scoutdnfl) December 18, 2024

He's supposedly primarily seen as a cornerback prospect, though. And he excels at this position. He's a generational athlete, which allows him to make absurd interceptions, even if he's several yards away from the opposing team's receiver when the pass is thrown.

Nem tô fazendo scout dele, mas olha o Travis Hunter...

Ball skills! pic.twitter.com/kHLB3TpOHu

— cristian (@Cristianspfc_) February 3, 2025

The absurdity of some of his plays shows just how high a ceiling he has. He's the best defensive back prospect in this year's draft class.

This Travis Hunter Interception was electric!!! What a stud pic.twitter.com/c4IJZ8WgQh

— Alex Micheletti (@AlexMicheletti) September 2, 2023

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