12 Bold Predictions for the 2025 NFL Draft That Might Actually Happen

Twelve bold and surprising predictions for the 2025 NFL Draft that just might come true—featuring rising stars, two-way phenoms, and draft-day shockers you won’t see coming.

Alyana Aguja
April 21, 2025
5 min read

12 Bold Predictions for the 2025 NFL Draft That Might Actually Happen — Dave Adamson from Unsplash

The 2025 NFL Draft is promising to be one of the most unpredictable on record, with explosive talent and high-stakes decisions hanging over the board in every direction. From two-way sensation Travis Hunter to possible late-rising quarterback candidates like Jalen Milroe, this draft class is filled with brash storylines and draft-night drama. Whether Georgia’s trench prowess or an FCS surprise breakout, these 12 bold predictions provide a sneak peek into what may be an unforgettable draft evening.

1. Shedeur Sanders Enters Top 5, Not No. 1 Overall

Image from Sports Illustrated

Though pegged as a possible No. 1 pick a year ago, Shedeur Sanders will fall just outside the top three because of reservations about Colorado’s up-and-down 2024 campaign and his ball-holding habits. Nonetheless, his high-end arm skill, pressure preparedness, and football smarts will impress a QB-starved team in the top 5. The Chargers, Commanders, or Giants might consider him a franchise pillar.

2. James Pearce Jr. Is the First Defender Off the Board

Image from Vols Wire

The Tennessee pass rusher has skyrocketed up boards due to a freakish combination of speed, bend, and production in the SEC. With the NFL always coveting pass rushers who can destroy games, Pearce might vault even elite defenders like Dallas Turner or Caleb Downs. Expect a team to trade up for him in the top 3.

3. Georgia Breaks School Record with 6 First-Round Draft Choices

Image from 247 Sports

With Brock Bowers lost in 2024, Georgia still reloads with top-level talent—LT Earnest Greene, WR Dominic Lovett, EDGE Mykel Williams, S Malaki Starks, CB Kamari Lassiter, and DL Nazir Stackhouse are all possible first-rounders. Kirby Smart’s recruiting factory keeps producing NFL-ready players across the board. The Bulldogs may match or even beat LSU’s 2020 draft haul (5 first-rounders) this cycle.

4. Travis Hunter Emerges as the First Genuine Two-Way Player Taken in Decades

Image from Wikipedia

While most scouts view him as a first-round corner, Hunter’s playmaking skills at wide receiver are too strong to overlook. Watch for a team to take him with plans to use him both ways, particularly if he sets the Combine and interviews ablaze. A visionary coach like Mike McDaniel or Sean Payton could create something special around him.

5. No Running Backs Drafted in the First Round—Again

Image from ESPN.com

As the position’s value continues to slide and the 2025 class doesn’t have a clear elite talent like Bijan Robinson or Jahmyr Gibbs, the first round might become RB-free for the second consecutive year. Top prospects like Quinshon Judkins (Ohio State) or TreVeyon Henderson (Ohio State) could slip into Day 2. Front offices like to take running backs on bargain-basement second-round deals instead of investing first-round money.

6. Jalen Milroe Sneaks into Round 1 as a Dual-Threat Wild Card

Image from Sports Illustrated

The Alabama QB vastly improved in 2024 and possesses unusual athleticism and big-play potential. Though he remains raw as a passer, his ceiling and highlight-reel ability might entice a playoff team to draft him late in the first round. Imagine a Lamar Jackson-style draft-night ascent.

7. Michigan Dominates the Trenches with Three O-Linemen in Round 1

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The defending national champs (2023) could send LT LaDarius Henderson, C Drake Nugent, and RG Zak Zinter into the first round if they build on strong 2024 seasons. NFL GMs crave plug-and-play linemen with experience in pro-style schemes, and Michigan’s OL factory fits the bill. This would mark the first round of O-linemen from a single school in over a decade.

8. Caleb Downs Becomes the Highest-Drafted Safety Since Eric Berry

Image from ESPN

The Alabama sophomore by eligibility is a generational safety prospect—instinctive, quick, and dynamic. If a team sees him as a Derwin James-hybrid defender, he could make the top five. Berry went 5th overall in 2010, and Downs has the ability to equal or surpass that.

9. A Tight End Enters the Top 10 for the Second Consecutive Year

Image from Dallas Cowboys

Minnesota’s Brevyn Spann-Ford or LSU’s Mason Taylor could rise with dominant final seasons and elite testing numbers. After Brock Bowers went 13th in 2024, teams are more open to early TE investments, especially those who can block and stretch the field. Expect a TE-needy team like the Colts or Raiders to pounce early.

10. Carson Beck Becomes the First QB Taken

Image from Sun Sentinel

While less flashy than Sanders or Milroe, Beck’s steady mechanics, playmaking, and high floor could make him the most secure QB prospect. If he keeps excelling in Georgia’s pro-style attack, a QB-hungry team may select him first overall. He’s being compared to Kirk Cousins—but with a more-armed version.

11. Oregon’s Defensive Duo Makes History

Image from Sports Illustrated

LB Jeffrey Bassa and CB Khyree Jackson are on the rise quickly after a dominant 2024 season. Oregon may have several defenders taken in the first round for the first time since 2015. If Dan Lanning’s defense keeps performing, both players have a chance to make the top 20.

12. A Surprise FCS Prospect Crashes the Top 50

Image from Lexington Herald Leader

Keep an eye out for a player like QB Parker McKinney (Eastern Kentucky) or CB Max Melton (Rutgers, technically FBS but small market) to impress at the Senior Bowl or Combine and jump into early Day 2. Each year, a handful of non-Power Five players surprise with NFL qualities. Don’t count out a sneaky Belichick-type team making that reach look brilliant in retrospect.