The Week 2 college football slate had it all — statement games from powerhouses, massive lower-conference upsets, and a host of 2025 NFL Draft risers.
Quarterback Quinn Ewers stands alone as a top riser in Week 2, but numerous small-school prospects also made themselves known.
Week 2 CFB and 2025 NFL Draft Risers: Quinn Ewers Passes Test Versus Michigan
Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas
Ewers has had NFL Draft hype since he first gained eligibility at the start of the 2023 season. I’ve been relatively low on him across that period, and leading into this season, he just missed my preliminary top 10 at the position.
He’ll be in the top 10 QBs after his game against Michigan. He may be closer to top 5.
Most of my qualms with Ewers as a prospect have derived from his relative lack of discipline in years past — discipline with timing and throwing mechanics. He’s an undeniably talented creator and thrower. I was still looking for more control.
Against Michigan, we saw that control and discipline in inspiring fashion. To be fair, it helped Ewers that Texas’ defense played incredibly well and had Michigan under wraps from the start. But Ewers channeled his arm talent with a maturity and efficiency we haven’t often seen, racking up almost 250 yards and three touchdowns.
In my eyes, inconsistent down-to-down discipline was the only thing keeping Ewers from the early-round discussion. Showing out like this — against an elite defense like Michigan’s — was the best way Ewers could have proven the skeptics wrong.
He was a consensus five-star talent. And now, he’s starting to deliver on that billing.
Antario Brown, RB, Northern Illinois
The Northern Illinois Huskies scored a massive upset of the fifth-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish in Week 2, and running back Antario Brown was one of the primary reasons for the triumph — logging 20 carries for 99 yards, as well as two catches for 126 yards and a score.
Brown’s 83-yard receiving TD was the highlight of his day — and an eye-catching display of route running and receiving ability from a 5’10”, 219-pound RB. But Brown truly put together a complete game against Notre Dame, and his stock is on the rise as a result.
Brown is energized, compact, and well-leveraged, with great vision, balance, and physicality. And his unexpected viability as a receiving threat only magnifies his appeal. Small-school RBs pepper the middle rounds every now and then. Brown may be next.
Harold Fannin Jr., TE, Bowling Green
For the second week in a row, Harold Fannin Jr. is on the 2025 NFL Draft risers list. And it might not be long before he’s talked about as one of the best TEs in the 2025 NFL Draft class.
Fannin was listed as a prospect to watch, with Bowling Green facing off against Penn State. And Fannin more than delivered. He accounted for over half of the Falcons’ receiving production against a top-flight defense, catching 11 passes for 134 yards and a score.
At 6’4″, 235 pounds, Fannin is fluid, agile, instinctive, and versatile, and that complete skill set allows him to always make himself available. That’s an equally uncommon and valuable quality for NFL TEs.
Ty Robinson, DT, Nebraska
A sixth-year senior, Ty Robinson has seen his fair share of change in his time at Nebraska. First, there was the Scott Frost era, and now Matt Rhule. It’s been tumultuous, but things are looking up in Lincoln, and Robinson is intent on being a defensive catalyst.
In Week 1, Robinson notched two tackles for loss and a sack. And he made an impression right away against Colorado, on the very first drive. First, he got quick penetration and deflected an intended screen. Then he won immediately on third down for a sack, using a rip move after working across-face.
Robinson lined up as far outside as 5-tech, and as far inside as 1-tech. At 6’6″, 310 pounds, that versatility is impressive, and his motor shined. Robinson is on the rise — a rare sight for an entrenched veteran.
Andrew Mukuba, S, Texas
Andrew Mukuba has been high on my board for a while. He was one of my favorite safety prospects entering the 2024 NFL Draft cycle. His progression stagnated a bit in 2023, but at Texas in 2024, he’s off to a hot start. He was flying around the field against Michigan.
In the Longhorns’ win over the Wolverines, Mukuba was a central force on defense, racking up four tackles, an opportunistic interception, and two pass deflections. He was everywhere — in coverage and in support, and his elastic athleticism and closing speed served as a foil.
Mukuba’s athleticism and fast-flowing style have always been strengths, but in Week 2, the best part of his game was his physicality. In the past, he’s been outmatched at contact. But against Michigan, he didn’t hesitate. He drove down and through, cementing his impact.
Gunnar Helm, TE, Texas
While the Michigan defense is a vaunted unit as a whole, Week 2 exposed the second level as a weak spot — particularly in coverage. That’s where tight end Gunnar Helm ate up the Wolverines, to the tune of seven catches for 98 yards and a touchdown.
The 6’5″, 250-pound Helm did a little bit of everything in this game. He showed off his separation ability and nuanced spatial awareness. He made tough catches over the middle and out of breaks, and he used his rumbling athleticism to generate RAC yards.
With his performance, Helm assuredly established his presence on the 2025 NFL Draft stage. He could follow in Ja’Tavion Sanders’ footsteps and challenge for capital.
Tommi Hill, CB, Nebraska
Tommi Hill was already on the NFL Draft radar entering the 2024 campaign, after a four-interception and nine-pass deflection 2023 season. But now, he’s increased his notoriety with a standout performance against Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter.
Hunter earned his fair share of catches in the Buffaloes’ loss, but Hill undeniably won the battle against the star-studded duo. Hill was chippy and physical all day, and his highlight was a seven-yard pick-six on a late-thrown WR screen. Hill read it the whole way and swiftly capitalized.
At 6’0″, 205 pounds, with superb proportional length and linear explosiveness, Hill fits a certain mold of CB very well. Cam Taylor-Britt came from Nebraska several cycles ago and has become a quality NFL starter. That’s the arc Hill will aim to follow.
Xavier Scott, S, Illinois
The Illinois Fighting Illini have a track record when it comes to producing quality NFL Draft defensive backs in recent years. Devon Witherspoon, Kerby Joseph, and Jartavius “Quan” Martin all came from their ranks. In the 2025 NFL Draft cycle, Xavier Scott is emerging.
Scott had Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels in crisis mode this past week, notching two interceptions in Illinois’ upset win. Scott’s first interception came undercutting a boundary fade route. His second came with rapid recognition of a tight-end screen.
Though Scott is only around average size, he plays fast and instinctive, and his ability to find the football and generate turnovers is emerging as a definite plus.
Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
Nick Emmanwori is one of the most talented safeties in the 2025 NFL Draft, and he’s been converting on that physical ability so far this season. His Week 1 showing was strong. His Week 2 performance — against a high-powered on-paper Kentucky offense — was even stronger.
Against the Wildcats — who only managed to muster single-digit points — Emmanwori registered seven tackles, as well as a pick-six. The touchdown play featured an immaculate extension and an even better return from Emmanwori, who used his speed to take it home.
Emmanwori’s talent is undeniable, and now that his playmaking imprint is improving, it’s rational to expect that his 2025 NFL Draft stock may follow suit — if he can stay consistent.
Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU
It was against an FCS opponent, but Garrett Nussmeier did exactly what you’d expect a competent college QB to do in Week 2 against such a foe: He dominated. And his hot start to the 2024 campaign is carrying on, after a 302-yard, six-touchdown outing.
Nussmeier doesn’t have nearly as much raw talent as his predecessor Jaylen Daniels did, and he’ll likely be a Day 3 pick at best. But as a backup and spot-starter candidate, Nussmeier brings plenty to like with his pocket navigation, composure, and accuracy.
Malik Verdon, S, Iowa State
The Iowa State Cyclones are riding high after their Week 2 win against the Iowa Hawkeyes. They’re ranked in the Top 25, they have a newfound reputation as a stalwart program, and their 2025 NFL Draft talent is thriving on both sides of the ball.
In Week 2, it was safety Malik Verdon who stole the show, racking up 13 tackles, a tackle for loss, and a pass breakup in coverage. Verdon looms alongside Jeremiah Cooper as a potential 2025 NFL Draft prospect, but Verdon has an especially unique skill set.
The 6’4″, 220-pound Verdon is finding his niche as an attacking rover. He brings blistering range in pursuit from the second level, as well as untethered physicality. But he can also obstruct and mirror tight ends in coverage, as well as pedal and trigger in space.
Dylan Sampson, RB, Tennessee
In the 2024 NFL Draft, the Tennessee Volunteers boasted Jaylen Wright. In the 2025 NFL Draft, junior RB Dylan Sampson might be their guy. Sampson flew out of the gate this season, and against NC State in Week 2, he accumulated 20 carries for 132 yards and two scores.
At around 5’11”, 201 pounds, Sampson bears some similarity to Wright with his wiry frame. But while Wright was more of a vertical home-run hitter, Sampson wins with his smooth lateral fluidity and peripheral vision, and he at times surprises with his physicality.
2025 NFL Draft Names To Watch: Questions Mounting For Shedeur Sanders
Shedeur Sanders, QB Colorado
Shedeur Sanders‘ 2025 NFL Draft stock isn’t falling. But there are question marks that need to be addressed, especially after Colorado’s latest debacle against Nebraska — both on and off the field.
Sanders himself wasn’t terrible against the Cornhuskers — he completed 23 of 38 passes for 244 yards, a touchdown, and an interception — and he also predictably had little help from his offensive line. He was sacked five times, and he dealt with constant pressure.
All this being said, one thing is becoming startlingly clear watching Sanders’ film amidst these circumstances: He’s not quite the elite physical talent to consistently transcend those circumstances. He’s not a high-end athlete or creative presence, and his arm — while solid — isn’t quite elite.
Sanders’ non-elite physical pallet already casts a pall on his standing as a potential Round 1 passer — and then there’s his press conference. After the game, Sanders blatantly threw his offensive line under the bus. And for his interception — a pick-six on a WR screen that was thrown late by Sanders — he blamed his freshman WR, failing to take accountability.
Sanders is not to blame for most of Colorado’s execution issues on offense — but that’s beside the point in this case. A franchise QB is supposed to be a leader. Leaders must be constructive and uplift, to inspire growth in their teammates. Sometimes, they have to take one for the team at the mic.
Sanders has had multiple instances where his actions have run counter to this philosophy. First, he antagonized and belittled players for leaving Colorado for the transfer portal in the offseason. And now, amidst adversity shared by the team, he points fingers.
The book for Sanders in the 2025 NFL Draft cycle is yet unwritten, and there’s time for the tides to turn. But the evaluation of any potential franchise QB is both physical and mental. Right now, Sanders’ profile doesn’t have the merit to match his prestige.
Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
Not much additional text is needed here. Just watch Ashton Jeanty. Watch his game, and your eyes will thank you. He dominated to the tune of 267 yards and six touchdowns in Week 1. And in Week 2, he proved it wasn’t a fluke with a three-TD outing versus Oregon.
Jeanty is actively solidifying his status as RB1 on PFN’s 2025 NFL Draft board. Few RBs over the past five cycles have boasted the blend of athleticism, vision, contact balance, and creative intelligence that Jeanty has. He’s not a riser, only because he can’t rise much farther.
Taylen Green, QB, Arkansas
Taylen Green isn’t solidified as a long-term 2025 NFL Draft riser just yet, but he’s firmly on the watch list for the QB position. The 6’6″, 230-pound talent impressed with four total touchdowns in Week 1, and he helped lead Arkansas to overtime against Oklahoma State, throwing for over 400 yards.
Accuracy is one of the main concerns for Green at this point, and overall, his process as a passer still needs refinement. But his dual-threat ability separates him from a great many QBs, and with his arm, he’s able to drive the ball down the field and layer into windows.
Jalon Daniels, QB, Kansas
The assumption heading into the 2024 season was that Jalon Daniels — if he stayed healthy — could be a sleeper in the 2025 NFL Draft quarterback class. Daniels has stayed healthy to this point, but his play leaves more to be desired.
In Kansas’ surprise loss to Illinois in Week 2, Daniels completed 18 of 32 attempts for 141 yards, two scores, and three interceptions. His mechanics were sluggish at times, and under pressure late in the game, his volatility increased.
Daniels still has the dynamic athleticism and the requisite arm talent, but his progression has stagnated to this point in 2024. Big 12 play may reveal more about his standing.
Jo’Quavious Marks, RB, USC
In a stacked 2025 NFL Draft RB class, keep an eye on USC’s Jo’Quavious “Woody” Marks as a sleeper. Marks first made his mark — so to speak — as a receiving back at Mississippi State, catching 191 passes from 2020 through 2022. This year, he’s a dynamic ground threat.
Marks is coming off an extremely efficient 13-carry, 101-yard outing in Week 2, and in USC’s Week 1 win against LSU, he was exceptional as well. Though Marks isn’t the biggest back, his quickness — combined with his low center of gravity — serves him well.
Theo Wease Jr., WR, Missouri
As Missouri gets into SEC play, all eyes will be on Luther Burden III, who’s in the mix to be a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Here’s a reminder to not forget about his ancillary partner in the WR corps: Theo Wease Jr.
Wease could’ve declared for the 2024 NFL Draft, and he would’ve contended for capital. In Week 2 against Buffalo, the 6’2″, 210-pound pass-catcher siphoned receptions from Burden, hauling in 13 passes for 149 yards.
Wease is a respected veteran in Missouri’s WR room. But more than that, he’s an explosive, fluid mover — and in Week 2, he won with that fluid RAC, while also showing off strong hands and chippy physicality.