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10 NFL Draft prospects and sleepers who could sneak into Round 1. These 10 former college stars are flying under the radar in mock drafts but could hear their names called in the first round.
Believe it or not, we are approaching the NFL Draft. With a lot of smoke surrounding early picks, such as Cameron Ward feeling like the locked-in first pick and Travis Hunter potentially off the board at two to Cleveland, the remainder of the first round is vague as far as how it will shake out.
While the top talent in this draft is not considered as game-changing as past drafts, the depth is high quality. General managers have stated that there really is not much of a difference talent-wise between players slated to go in the back end of the first round and in the fourth round, meaning we could see less trades than usual this go-around.
With the gap being so thin in talent, it is anybody’s guess as to how the end of Round 1 shakes out. Here are 10 prospects who are not widely considered first-round selections, but easily could sneak into the back end of the first round.
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TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State
Ashton Jeanty and Omarion Hampton look to be locked-in first-round selections, but behind them, it’s anybody’s guess as to when the next running back comes off the board. Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson is the most dynamic running back in the class and offers a full profile that an NFL team will fall in love with.
There are a plethora of running-back-needy teams and plenty of high-quality running back prospects to fill in the gaps. The depth of the class is the main reason a team may not take Henderson in Round 1, but if a franchise falls in love with his playmaking ability, he could land somewhere like Pittsburgh, Los Angeles (Chargers), Houston, Washington, or Kansas City at the end of the first round.
The #Panthers hosted @OhioStateFB RB TreVeyon Henderson on a top 30 visit, per @Schultz_Report. #KeepPounding
Henderson (5’10”, 202 LBS) finished the 2024 season with 144 carries, 1,016 yards & 10 TDs. He also had 27 receptions, 284 receiving yards & 1 TD. pic.twitter.com/xm7XjSFAJo
— panthers.breakdown (@panthersbreakd) April 11, 2025
Henderson has taken top-30 visits with Cincinnati, Dallas, and Carolina, who all presumably would be targeting him in Round 2.
Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State
Tetairoa McMillan, Emeka Egbuka, Matthew Golden, and Luther Burden III look to be first-rounders, but behind them, there are no guaranteed locks. Iowa State prospect Jayden Higgins not only could work his way into the first round, but could even be selected ahead of one of the aforementioned receivers.
Iowa State WR Jayden Higgins is a big target at 6’4”, 214 pounds, with smooth movement for his size and strong, reliable hands. He’s drawn some comparisons to Nico Collins and Drake London.
A sneaky name to keep an eye on as we get closer to the draft. https://t.co/gFk6AWulmQ pic.twitter.com/Y8R56E7uze
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) April 10, 2025
Standing 6-foot-4, 214 pounds, Higgins has elite size combined with 4.47 speed. He isn’t just a size-speed combo receiver, but has well-polished routes that should transition to NFL success. Higgins had 87 catches for 1,183 yards and nine touchdowns last year. He has both the production and the intangibles to translate to NFL success, and all it takes is one team to realize that and take a stab at him in Round 1.
Higgins had a top-30 visit with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who could be a sleeper team to select him 21st overall.
Tre Harris, WR, Ole Miss
Another receiver with Round 1 potential is Ole Miss prospect Tre Harris. After producing the likes of DK Metcalf and A.J. Brown, Ole Miss prospects such as Elijah Moore and Jonathan Mingo have been misses. Harris will put Rebels receivers back on the map.
Standing 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, Harris ran a 4.54 40-yard dash at the combine. This past season, he had 60 catches for 1,030 yards and seven touchdowns in just eight games. Harris was Malik Nabers’ high school quarterback and transitioned to receiver at Louisiana Tech as a freshman in 2020. He spent three seasons as a Bulldog before finishing out his final two at Ole Miss.
On film, he is purely dominant. Jaxson Dart’s go-to target for the past two seasons will make an NFL team very happy, whether that happens in Round 1 or Round 2.
Harris had top-30 visits with the Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders, and Houston Texans. While the Bears likely are not in play to take him in Round 1, Washington and Houston both could target Harris at the end of Round 1.
Aireontae Ersery, OT, Minnesota
Standing 6-foot-6, 331 pounds, Aireontae Ersery has the flexibility to play both interior and exterior offensive line. He has impressive athleticism for his size and was the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year as a senior.
With the tackle class loaded with talent such as Armand Membou, Kelvin Banks Jr., Will Campbell, and Josh Simmons, it will come down to how many teams are looking to improve their offensive line in Round 1 to determine whether or not the big man out of Minnesota comes off the board on Thursday. He will be an instant plug-and-play who could fit in well in Baltimore or Kansas City.
Ersery is drawing a lot of attention, as he has had visits with the New York Jets, Houston Texans, New Orleans Saints, Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, Minnesota Vikings, and Carolina Panthers.
Tate Ratledge, OG, Georgia
The gritty three-year starter at Georgia has been rising up draft boards as of late. Tate Ratledge was graded as the most athletic offensive guard at the NFL Combine, seemingly raising the ceiling of one of the highest-floor prospects that the 2025 draft has to offer.
Some were surprised by Tate Ratledge's athletic testing, but his agility/quicks have long been an underrated part of his game.
Love his ability to get to linebacker, then hook him back inside, springing back for big gain. That will play in a zone scheme like #Seahawks. pic.twitter.com/8z87zlWHmm
— Corbin K. Smith (@CorbinSmithNFL) April 9, 2025
Whoever drafts Ratledge knows that they are getting a hard worker who can instantly step in and contribute. But is there a Quenton Nelson-like upside here? If one team believes so, he will come off the board in Round 1.
Ratledge has met with the Seattle Seahawks, who are looking to rebuild their offensive line and hold the 18th pick in the draft. While he likely won’t go that high, they could be targeting him in Round 2.
Jonah Savaiinaea, OG, Arizona
Jonah Savaiinaea played tackle at Arizona but projects as an NFL guard. Standing 6-foot-4, 324 pounds, Savaiinaea does not have the size or athleticism that franchises typically covet in tackles, but his experience playing outside will make him an intriguing selection for a team.
There are plenty of teams looking to improve their offensive lines, and while Savaiinaea largely projects as a Day 2 pick, he could be a fit in Baltimore or Kansas City, who are both looking for versatile offensive linemen.
Savaiinaea has had visits with the Cincinnati Bengals, Minnesota Vikings, and Chicago Bears. The Minnesota visit is significant, as they hold the 24th pick but do not have another selection until Round 5.
Tyleik Williams, DT, Ohio State
Tyleik Williams may have been the most underheralded player on Ohio State’s national championship team. He clogged the run lane, making it nearly impossible for opposing teams to run on the Buckeyes, while also providing pass-rush help to the tune of 5.5 sacks over the past two seasons.
With this being such a deep defensive tackle class featuring surefire first-rounders like Mason Graham, Derrick Harmon, Walter Nolen, and Kenneth Grant, some team is going to get great value on Williams. He would likely be a Day 1 pick in any other draft class, but is mocked as a Day 2 pick often due to the defensive tackle depth.
Williams has met with the Ravens, Bills, Lions, Packers, 49ers, Texans, and Eagles. Aside from San Francisco, he could be an option in Round 1 for all of these teams. With Milton Williams departing for New England, Tyleik Williams would be a perfect one-for-one replacement on Philly’s defensive line.
Carson Schwesinger, LB, UCLA
Carson Schwesinger is rising on draft boards and could entrench himself as a back-end Day 1 pick. Standing 6-foot-2, 242 pounds, the early declaree out of UCLA is catching eyes with his athleticism.
Schwesinger was a major playmaker on the Bruins defense a year ago, recording 136 total tackles, four sacks, a forced fumble, and two interceptions.
UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger is taking a pre-draft visit to the #Chargers today, per source.
Schwesinger is garnering buzz due in part for his ability to cover downfield (No. 49). pic.twitter.com/tY4PGgacGl
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) April 3, 2025
Positional value could see Jihaad Campbell as the only linebacker off the board in Round 1, but Schwesinger is likely the second linebacker off the board behind the versatile player out of Alabama. He could be a great fit in Los Angeles (Rams), Baltimore, or Buffalo.
Schwesinger has visited the Ravens, Chargers, and Panthers, with both Baltimore and Los Angeles being potential Round 1 landing spots.
Nic Scourton, EDGE, Texas A&M
Nic Scourton’s production dropped off after transferring from Purdue to Texas A&M as a junior, but his physicality and pass-rush prowess did not change, and he makes for a very intriguing NFL prospect. Scourton recorded 10 sacks as a sophomore at Purdue, followed up by five as a junior at Texas A&M, where he recorded First Team All-SEC honors.
He is mocked anywhere between the late first round to the second round. EDGE is another deep position group, featuring first-round locks in Abdul Carter, Jalon Walker, Mykel Williams, James Pearce Jr., Shemar Stewart, Mike Green, and Donovan Ezeiruaku.
At this time last year, Scourton was looked at as one of the top prospects for the 2025 draft. While his production did slightly drop off on a loaded defensive line in the SEC, he still stood out on film and will translate to the NFL successfully.
Scourton has visited the Philadelphia Eagles, who are looking to reload on their defensive line, along with the Arizona Cardinals, who hold the 16th pick in Round 1.
Jack Sawyer, EDGE, Ohio State
Jack Sawyer improved every season at Ohio State, topping his career off with a nine-sack season that included the game-winning strip sack scoop-and-score against Texas in the Cotton Bowl. His work ethic, toughness, and finesse will catch the eye of an NFL team and could lead to him coming off the board at the end of Round 1.
Jack Sawyer - a Columbus native… Ryan Day’s first recruit… former roommate of Quinn Ewers… the 5 star who stayed home delivers the final nail to send Ohio State to the National Championship. Pretty incredible.
— Kevin Negandhi (@KevinNegandhi) January 11, 2025
Sawyer could be a great fit on a contending team looking to reload at EDGE, such as Detroit, Buffalo, or Philadelphia. If not a back-end Round 1 selection, he should come off the board on Day 2 and could even fall to one of those contenders on Day 2 due to the depth of the EDGE position in this draft.
The Ohio State star has visited the Cincinnati Bengals, who are in desperate need of pass-rushing help, and the Las Vegas Raiders. While he probably won’t go off the board to Cincinnati at 17, anything is possible.
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