Trey Amos is a gifted cornerback with the tools to be a long-term starter. His athleticism and frame make him an intriguing prospect, and with the right development, he has the potential to thrive at the next level.
While refining his eye discipline will be key, his natural talent and upside could make him a valuable addition, especially for a team in need of help on the outside.
Jalen Milroe stands out as the most athletic quarterback in this draft, boasting a cannon for an arm and elite athleticism—rivaling even last year’s No. 1 pick, Caleb Williams. However, his accuracy in the 10-19-yard range needs improvement. If he sharpens his short and intermediate passing, Milroe’s game will be complete. For now, his raw athleticism lets him outrun SEC linebackers, while his arm strength can deliver strikes to receivers with minimal separation. Development is key, but his natural gifts already set him apart.
Jihaad Campbell is the prototype. He’s carved from stone but with outrageous freedom to change direction. The Alabama linebacker’s growth in coverage has been beautiful to watch unfold. He drops with intention, gets his eyes on his responsibility, and uses his outrageous athleticism to match them by flipping across the field, carrying vertically, and even mirroring them on multi-layered routes.
There are worrying inconsistencies on Donovan Jackson’s tape, but when things are clicking, few blockers in the country are more impressive. Jackson possesses an absurd wingspan for an interior blocker, along with smooth hips, an explosive first step, and enough juice to lead the charge in the open field.
Xavier Restrepo almost certainly won’t see the same success as Cooper Kupp at the NFL level, but the Hurricanes’ playmaking hero could easily fit into the role Sean McVay created for Kupp.
Restrepo thrives as a David vs. Goliath blocker in the run game, and his undersized frame actually boasts decent density to hold up. He’s also a shifty route runner and an impressive backyard football finder. He can be a third-down demon or a Patrick Mahomes-like creator’s best friend.
As a proactive athlete, it’s unfair to have Shemar Stewart’s blend of length, explosiveness, and density. He’s a lab-built creation with untapped potential as a pass rusher.
Stewart may never have the technical details of his pass-rushing Aggies partner on the defensive line, but he also possesses an athletic profile we haven’t seen since J.J. Watt.
That’s not to say he’ll be Watt. That would be reckless, even if he was a technical wizard. However, Stewart converts speed to power at an outstanding rate, and that is as translatable to the NFL level as pure juice and bend are. He also provides interior alignment versatility, plus he’s no stranger to dropping into coverage.
Walter Nolen’s highs are incredibly impressive. He’s a top-20 talent at his peaks but practically unplayable in his valleys. There are times he’s consistently terrorizing opposing quarterbacks and ball carriers and others where he’s being washed away to sea while teams run right at him for chunks.
Nolen is a peculiar case because his consistent echo-of-the-whistle effort doesn’t appear to be to blame for his inconsistencies. That leads one to postulate that certain environmental factors offensively cause a seed of doubt in his processor, making him a half-step slow, spelling doom for him for four quarters at a time.
Harness his high points, and Nolen could be the steal of the entire draft if teams let him fall this far.
Kyle Kennard has the uncanny ability to fight through contact and soften rush angles up the arc. Linemen hook him when he rips through on exterior rushes, but his ferocity and ability to reduce his surface area often set him free.
As a proactive rusher, Kennard possesses the length and power to punish tackles. However, his lack of density shows up as a run defender when he’s forced into a reactionary position. Kennard is often washed out of the picture against the run, making him a prime DPR candidate early in his career.
Although listed as a tight end, Colston Loveland’s game doesn’t translate to success at the NFL level as a traditional TE. It will take an offensive coordinator who knows how to properly deploy his ilk. Teams will need a veteran on the roster who they can use as their primary in-line tight end, and they’ll need to run an offense that can maximize the production from a big slot.
However, Loveland’s freedom of movement and catch radius aren’t too dissimilar to McMillan’s, although he’s not as explosive as the Arizona WR. Loveland’s use as a WR outside of the numbers could also entice teams to use him as their X, but it will take a quarterback comfortable throwing into tight windows to maximize him in that role.
There are few players we are more confident in being a decade-long NFL starter in this class than Xavier Watts. He engulfs runners with impressive form-tackling ability. His knack for being in the right place at the right time to receive the ball from opposing passers may appear accidental at times, but it stems from being assignment sound.
Watts has no weaknesses in his game. His quick trigger gets him downhill quickly to jump crossing routes, and he has enough fluidity and understanding of route dangers at different depths to keep him sticky in man coverage.
The only thing keeping Watts from being a Day 1 player is lackluster size and athleticism. It may limit his draft potential, but we’ve seen countless “average” athletes flourish on the back end of NFL defenses. Watts will be no exception. He’s going to make a team very happy.
Maxwell Hairston didn’t play many snaps in 2024 because of injury, but he’s displayed enough when on the field to potentially command Day 1 draft capital if a team falls in love with his enticing traits.
Hairston possesses outrageous confidence in his fluidity, agility, and burst at the line. He’s unbelievably patient against flamboyant releases by receivers to the point where he practically looks bored waiting for them to make their move.
Although he’s definitely lean, we’ve consistently seen teams throw caution to the wind when it comes to the cornerback’s weight, and Hairston isn’t even bordering the danger area there.
