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

Underrated NFL Draft Prospects: 5 Sneaky Rookie Studs For 2025

Jarquez Hunter - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Rookies - icon rotoballer

John's analysis on five underrated standout rookie prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft. His top sneaky stud rookie prospects to watch for the 2025 NFL Draft.

It shouldn't come as any surprise to fantasy football managers that, like them, actual NFL teams are looking to find as many steals as possible in the 2025 NFL Draft, as they do every season. Finding players that vastly outperform what's expected of the average player at their position and draft spot has an immediate and lasting impact on their success.

Players like Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua, one of the league's best wide receivers, allow teams to make up for a lack of early draft picks or turn what would be a good draft into a historically great one. Nacua's performance easily made up for the Rams' lack of a first-round pick in 2023, and has been a key driving factor in the team's playoff appearances.

Nacua is an extreme example, but it illustrates how impactful a player that all but a handful of, or even none of, the teams are willing to draft near what value they actually present. For whatever reason, additionally, sometimes teams have doubts about players that are unfounded or aren't able to evaluate their upside accurately. We can dig up some of those players, so let's dive in!

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

 

Kyle McCord, QB, Syracuse

Typically, teams don't want to depend on backup quarterbacks running the show, but sometimes it happens. The most important thing for backups to do is not screw it up, and one of the best ways to stop negative plays from happening is to be good at evading sacks. Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord is a pretty good processor at his position.

As the above X post states, he's accurate and doesn't tend to hang onto the ball for too long. QBs who don't throw the ball as early as they need to tend to kill their teams' offenses completely. It's very rare that a sleeper QB pick turns into a starter, and I'm not advocating that McCord will become one, but he could end up as a solid backup for over a decade moving forward, and that's worth a mid- to late-round draft pick.

 

Tez Johnson, WR, Oregon

Johnson is stylistically and analytically very similar to Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell, though his size is even more diminutive. Still, he has the separation chops to immediately contribute to any passing offense, with nice speed and elusiveness after the catch. He's lightning quick in many scenarios, which will help him consistently pick up first downs with the ball in his hands.

Johnson's small size comes in handy, just like Dell's does, at being more nimble than defensive backs can be. His small size will bring serious injury concerns, but Dell's injury issues were freak accidents. It's possible for smaller wide receivers, like Philadelphia Eagles wideout DeVonta Smith, to stay mostly healthy despite the hits they take.

Johnson combines a very high football IQ with his impressive physical skill set. He's a great sleeper.

 

Jarquez Hunter, RB, Auburn

It's odd that a highly productive SEC running back is flying a bit under the radar this season. He's 5-foot-9 and 203 pounds (combined measurements), so it makes some sense, but he rushed 187 times for 1,201 yards (6.4 yards per carry), scored eight rushing touchdowns, and caught 21 passes for 155 yards and one touchdown.

The most impressive part of Hunter's game is his elusiveness, though his 4.44-second 40-yard dash was also intriguing. The film is pretty, pretty good as well, and he was an explosive play machine, only outdone by UCF RB RJ Harvey, someone I consider a top-3 running back in the class, in big play generation.

His tape is littered with example after example of him being very, very tough to get on the ground. Despite his smallish frame, he has the strength to stay upright while tacklers fall off of him if they take poor angles, and he has a pretty nice stiff arm. He doesn't have a lot of pass-catching upside, so he might not get a big role right away, but he could be a nice RB2 or RB1B option on quite a few teams.

Hunter's efficiency against such good competition alone should be a green flag. He's yet another back I'd take over Iowa RB Kaleb Johnson, who's likely to be a massive bust. Hunter is somewhat similar to Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving, but a bit less elusive with the ball in his hands, a bit bigger, and a bit faster. That's a solid player to have on your roster.

 

Mike Green, DE, Marshall

This year's pass rushers are a very, very deep group, just like the running backs. Defensive end Mike Green put up great statistical production, backing it up with excellent film, so, oddly, he's not regarded higher than he currently is. He should gain an immediate role with significant snaps and has the talent to develop into a future Pro Bowl player.

Green's set of pass-rush moves is pretty impressive for a player of his size, and his strength will allow him to maintain playing time and generate pressures while developing his spin moves, swipes, bend, and other skills. Green logged 17 sacks and three forced fumbles in 2024, showing massive development after gathering just 4.5 sacks and one forced fumble the year before.

He's already put plenty of elite reps on tape. A shot on him late in the first round wouldn't be too much of a reach, though there are plenty of pass rush prospects that went to bigger schools and seem to be garnering more attention. Green is one of the best defensive prospects in this class, though the NFL doesn't seem to view him this way. So, he should be a steal.

 

Shaun Dolac, LB, Buffalo

Walking in the footsteps of former Buffalo linebacker Khalil Mack (well, sort of), Shaun Dolac is a highly talented Swiss-army-knife of a player who lined up often at the line of scrimmage, in the defensive backfield, and in pass coverage. His size is a bit concerning, but his play certainly isn't.

Dolac was statistically dominant, leading his conference in many categories, which is impressive. He was an All-American as well. His smaller size will likely be an issue at the next level, but he could carve out a nice rotational role. Good defenses typically put together packages and call plays based on their players' strengths and to cover for their weaknesses, anyway.

Dolac plays with a high football IQ and should punish offenses for missing their blocking assignments. He doesn't match up well with offensive linemen in the run game, but for where he'll be drafted, any production out of him for a few seasons would be a positive.



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

Travis Hunter

Jaguars List Travis Hunter as Starting Wide Receiver, Backup Cornerback
Kyle Tucker

Leaves With Calf Tightness on Tuesday
Alexandre Sarr

to Miss Rest of EuroBasket
Max Scherzer

Blue Jays Confident Max Scherzer Will Make Sunday Start Despite Back Tightness
Roman Anthony

Leaves Early With Back Injury
Jared McCain

"On Pace" for Training Camp
Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

Done for the Year With Torn ACL
Luke Hughes

Devils Optimistic About Signing Luke Hughes
Martin Fehérváry

Martin Fehervary on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Dylan Holloway

Good to Go for Start of Season
Nick Kurtz

Back in Action on Tuesday
Josh Morrissey

Fully Healthy for Start of Season
Dennis Hildeby

Signs Three-Year Extension With Maple Leafs
Nick Lodolo

Scratched With Illness
Dalton Kincaid

Role Not Expected to Grow?
Quinshon Judkins

Zero Chance Quinshon Judkins Plays Against Bengals?
Najee Harris

Says He's Expecting to Play Against Chiefs
Adolis García

Adolis Garcia Departs Monday with Quad Injury
Franz Wagner

Collects Double-Double in Blowout Win
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Achieves Rare Numbers at EuroBasket
Nikola Vučević

Nikola Vucevic Dominates Against Sweden
Stefon Diggs

Expected to Suit Up in Week 1
Kristaps Porzingis

Finding Form at EuroBasket
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic Suffers Minor Injury at EuroBasket
DJ Moore

Bears Experimenting with DJ Moore in Backfield
Rome Odunze

Could Move All Around the Offense
Carolina Panthers

Dave Canales Comfortable With Panthers' Young Receivers
Quinshon Judkins

Not Considering NCAA Return
Dallas Goedert

Healthy for Week 1
Marvin Mims Jr.

Returns to Practice Monday
Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

Carted Off Monday With Knee Injury
Jason Adam

Diagnosed With Ruptured Left Quadriceps Tendon
Victor Wembanyama

Looking "Quite Stellar"
Fernando Tatis Jr.

Scratched on Monday
Matthew Stafford

Expected to Start in Week 1
Edward Cabrera

Heading to Injured List With Elbow Sprain
Najee Harris

Cleared for Contact, Could Play in Week 1
Denny Hamlin

Ends Eventful Day at Darlington in Seventh Place
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Almost Earns a Top-Five Finish at Darlington
John Hunter Nemechek

has His Best 2025 Performance at Darlington
Ryan Blaney

Has An Underwhelming Performance At Darlington
Josh Berry

Crashes Early and Suffers A Playoff Setback at Darlington
Harry Ford

Called Up for Major-League Debut
Victor Scott II

Activated From Injured List
Fernando Tatis Jr.

Dealing With Hamstring Tightness, Expects to Play Monday
Giannis Antetokounmpo

"Staying in Milwaukee"
Thanasis Antetokounmpo

Agrees to a One-Year Contract with Milwaukee
Kyrie Irving

"Healing Up Great"
Dante Exum

Mavs Agree on a One-Year Deal
Jaylen Warren

Agrees to Two-Year Extension With Steelers
De'Von Achane

Practicing Monday, on Track to Play in Week 1
Quinshon Judkins

Could Report to Browns This Week
Kansas City Chiefs

Chiefs, Trent McDuffie Not Expected to Finalize Extension
Chase Elliott

Under Playoff Pressure After 17th-Place Darlington Finish
Kyle Larson

Despite Hendrick Mediocrity, Kyle Larson Remains Pretty Safe in Playoffs
Alex Bowman

Opening-Lap Crash and Botched Pit Stop May Have Sunk Alex Bowman's Playoff Hopes
Erik Jones

Darlington Master Erik Jones Comes Up Short but Still Finishes Third
AJ Allmendinger

A.J. Allmendinger Impresses at Southern 500
Dameon Pierce

Ahead of Schedule, Ready for Season
Jordan Love

May Wear Thumb Brace During Season
Chicago Bears

Bears Head Coach Admits Offense Could Face Learning Curve
Matt Chapman

Leaves Early on Sunday, Expects to Play Monday
A.J. Brown

Says He'll Be Active For Season Opener
Luis Garcia

to Make Season Debut on Monday
Max Scherzer

Exits Due to Back Tightness
Taylor Ward

Exits Early After Collison
Sal Stewart

Reds Promoting Sal Stewart to Majors
Daniel Suarez

is A DFS Risk for Darlington Lineups?
Randy Rodríguez

Randy Rodriguez to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Noah Gragson

Should Fantasy Managers Roster Noah Gragson for Darlington?
Ty Dillon

is an Excellent Punt Option for Darlington DFS Lineups
Bogdan Bogdanović

Bogdan Bogdanovic to Miss the Rest of EuroBasket
Denny Hamlin

Picking Up Where He Left Off At Darlington
Kyle Larson

The Sky Is The Limit for Kyle Larson at Darlington
Ryan Blaney

a Strong DFS Play at Darlington This Weekend
Tyler Reddick

Shouldn't Be Overlooked at Darlington This Weekend
Alex Bowman

An Easy Place-Differential Play in DFS This Weekend
Ty Gibbs

Could Be Strong at Darlington This Weekend
Erik Jones

Has Best Darlington Qualifying Effort Since Last Win
Zane Smith

Hopeful For Another Solid Run At Darlington
Aroldis Chapman

Agrees to Contract Extension
Dallas Mavericks

Olivier-Maxence Prosper Waived by the Mavs
Lauri Markkanen

Dominant in Win Over Great Britain
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic Leads Serbia to a Win
Nikola Jokić

Nikola Jokic Shines Versus Portugal
Jose Alvarado

"Good" After Recent Fall
Lauri Markkanen

Torches Sweden
Neemias Queta

Dominates in EuroBasket Opener
Kawhi Leonard

Clippers Not Allowing Kawhi Leonard to Play Back-to-Backs

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP