How many first-round prospects are there in the 2025 NFL draft class?
You might think the answer is 32, because there will be 32 selections in Round 1 on April 24 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. But we aren't talking about how many players will ultimately be drafted in Round 1; we're talking about how many carry a true Round 1 grade.
The average draft class has roughly 15 players who are deemed "first-round talents," though the number varies by team and scouting department. These sacred evaluations are reserved for prospects who would be Day 1 selections regardless of the year, and my own guideline is whether a player would have been a first-rounder in each of the past five classes.
The 2025 class ends up with the lowest number of true first-round grades I've ever awarded: 13, which is down one from my previous update. To compare, the final list in 2024 had 18 names on it, and the 2023 list had 20. Here are the players who deserve a first-round grade on my board. (Players' overall rankings are in parentheses after their names.)
Jump to position:
QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | IOL
EDGE | DT | LB | CB | S
Quarterback (0)
One year after seeing six quarterbacks drafted in the first round, the 2025 class finishes with zero passers with a true first-round grade. Colorado's Shedeur Sanders and Miami's Cam Ward would have both been ranked behind Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and even J.J. McCarthy in 2024.
Both Sanders and Ward are talented and are being selected high in mock drafts (including my own), but I wouldn't be comfortable calling them first-round prospects based on this past season's tape or the predraft circuit. That said, it's a safe bet that both get drafted in the top five, as quarterbacks always go early.
Running back (1)
Ashton Jeanty, Boise State (No. 3)
Comp: Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints
Jeanty's 2024 stats were legendary. He finished the season with 2,601 yards rushing (only 27 behind Barry Sanders for the most in a single season) and scored 29 touchdowns while accumulating 1,733 yards after first contact.
The 5-foot-9, 211-pound Jeanty is a punishing runner with patience, vision and runaway speed, and he can also catch passes out of the backfield and stand up to pass rushers while in pass protection. The Heisman runner-up is a rare, true blue-chip running back prospect.
Wide receiver (2)
Travis Hunter, Colorado (No. 2)
Comp: Odell Beckham Jr., free agent
The 6-foot, 188-pound Hunter won the Heisman Trophy because of his two-way ability, but I think his biggest NFL impact will come at receiver, which is why I rated him here. (He'd be my No. 2 cornerback if he exclusively played defense). Hunter's playmaking ability, burst in space and easy speed are a joy to watch.
He is electric on both sides of the ball. On offense, he had 96 receptions for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns. On defense, he had four interceptions and 10 pass breakups. And he could be a great punt returner, too.
Luther Burden III, Missouri (No. 13)
Comp: Stefon Diggs, New England Patriots
Burden briefly fell out of my Round 1 grades when all-star season began, but he returned after a strong combine performance confirmed what I've seen on tape for three seasons. Burden is an explosive wide receiver in the mold of Diggs or DJ Moore. He has the strength (6-foot, 206 pounds) to run through defenders and the speed (4.41 in the 40) to run past them.
His 2024 season was a disappointment from a production standpoint -- 61 catches, 676 receiving yards, six receiving TDs -- but in scouting we're supposed to ask what a player can do and not focus on what their scheme asked them to do. I'm betting on Burden's upside.
Tight end (2)
Colston Loveland, Michigan (No. 6)
Comp: Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals
Loveland started the 2024 season with a solid Round 1 grade and a top-10 ranking, but a shoulder injury that seemed to linger caused some concern and prompted me to push him down the board. He ended up having surgery on that shoulder and not working out at the combine. But I've had time for reflection, and Loveland deserves a true Round 1 grade and to be back in the top 10.
The 6-foot-6, 248-pound Loveland is physical and tough with the upfield movement ability to beat defenders in his route tree. He is also a capable blocker with experience playing both in-line and flexed out. Loveland finished last season with 56 catches for 582 yards and five touchdowns in 10 games.
Tyler Warren, Penn State (No. 9)
Comp: Rob Gronkowski, retired
I don't typically compare prospects to NFL Hall of Famers, but as Gronk isn't in the Hall yet, I'm making an exception because Warren is that rare and that good. The 6-foot-6, 256-pound Warren has the functional quickness and movement of a much smaller player, more in line with a 6-foot-3 tight end such as Sam LaPorta.
Warren scored a touchdown as a passer, runner and receiver this past season, finishing with 104 receptions for 1,233 yards and eight touchdowns. He could be an Offensive Rookie of the Year contender in the right scheme.
Offensive tackle (2)
Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas (No. 8)
Comp: Rashawn Slater, Los Angeles Chargers
Banks' elite footwork makes up for any lack of length at 6-foot-5 and 315 pounds, and it helped him allow pressure on an FBS-low 0.8% of snaps. He is also an elite run blocker with the power and agility to overwhelm defenders. Banks has the potential to be a top run blocker in the NFL, either at tackle or kicking inside to guard.
Armand Membou, Missouri (No. 10)
Comp: Jason Peters, retired
Membou is an ascending prospect who showed remarkable improvement throughout his junior season before entering the 2025 draft. He's an elite-level mover at 6-foot-4 and 332 pounds -- he ran a 4.91-second 40 in Indianapolis -- and is ideal for zone schemes that ask for movement in the run game. Membou has experience at right tackle but could play guard and potentially even slide to left tackle thanks to his athleticism. He allowed only one sack in his breakout season.
Interior offensive line (1)
Will Campbell, LSU (No. 12)
Comp: Dion Dawkins, Buffalo Bills
Campbell has likely sparked intense debates in NFL scouting rooms as teams try to decide if the three-year starter at left tackle will remain at that spot in the pros. The 6-foot-6, 319-pounder is a technician with great agility and balance, but his shorter arms (measured at 32⅝ inches at the combine) and an upright stance that lacks base power could force a move to guard. Whether he's on the inside or outside, I confidently give Campbell a Round 1 grade.
Edge rusher (2)
Abdul Carter, Penn State (No. 1)
Comp: Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys
Carter is my favorite prospect in this class. At 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, he started his college career as an off-ball linebacker but was unstoppable after being bumped to edge full time this past season, racking up 12 sacks and 61 pressures. Carter has the first-step quickness and speed to blow past tackles, along with the power to set them up and run through them. He has the makings of a perennial double-digit sack performer.
Ben Solak breaks down the intangibles that have former Penn State DE Abdul Carter at No. 2 in Mel Kiper's latest mock draft.
Jalon Walker, Georgia (No. 5)
Comp: Harold Landry III, New England Patriots
Walker is a hybrid defender with the tape to be a first-round prospect at linebacker or edge rusher, but his pass-rushing talent is too valuable to categorize him as a linebacker. The 6-foot-1, 243-pound Walker was a game changer last season with 6.5 sacks, and he played his best football in Georgia's biggest games. He had four sacks in the two meetings with Texas and 1.5 sacks in the season-opening win over Clemson.
Defensive tackle (1)
Mason Graham, Michigan (No. 4)
Comp: Nnamdi Madubuike, Baltimore Ravens
Graham pops on tape, as you'll see him causing constant problems from his 3-technique alignment. The 6-foot-4, 296-pounder had 3.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss in 2024. He is powerful enough to anchor in the running game while also being quick enough to knife through gaps and make plays in the backfield. One AFC East scout summed it up to me by saying that Graham "never loses snaps." He consistently beats the player in front of him and has the tools to be an NFL star.
Linebacker (0)
It's rare for an off-ball linebacker to get a first-round grade, and no one makes the cut in the 2025 class, though Alabama's Jihaad Campbell came close at No. 16 overall. UCLA's Carson Schwesinger is next at No. 39, while Clemson's Barrett Carter comes in as the No. 3 linebacker with a mid-Round 2 grade.
Cornerback (2)
Will Johnson, Michigan (No. 7)
Comp: Pat Surtain II, Denver Broncos
Johnson was limited to six games in 2024 because of a foot injury but had two interceptions (both pick-sixes) during that time. He is an elite all-around corner with speed and physicality, as his 6-foot-2, 194-pound frame allows him to match up with bigger receivers. Johnson isn't as flashy as Travis Hunter, but he is incredibly savvy and technically sound.
Jahdae Barron, Texas (No. 11)
Comp: Brian Branch, Detroit Lions
There will be a conversation about Barron's best NFL position, but I'm a fan of how he plays. The 2024 Jim Thorpe Award winner had five interceptions and 10 pass breakups in his senior season and worked his way from a Day 3 prospect last summer to a Round 1 grade. Coaches at Texas rave about Barron's instincts and leadership, and those traits show up on tape. The 5-foot-11, 194-pounder has inside-outside versatility thanks to experience at both slot and outside cornerback, and some scouts think his best position is at the nickel.
Safety (0)
There are two safeties in the 2025 class who could be drafted in the first round, but I don't have a safe Round 1 grade on either. South Carolina's Nick Emmanwori is my top-ranked safety at No. 17 overall. He's a joy to watch, with elite physical tools at 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds that he showed off at the combine. He had 88 tackles and four interceptions last season.
Georgia's Malaki Starks had a down 2024 after entering the season as a top-15 prospect. But the 6-foot-1, 197-pounder is No. 19 on my board and still has a good chance to be drafted in Round 1.