It may not be the quarterback class we’d hoped for, but it still looks like a step up from last year. After that, though, there aren’t a ton of position groups I’d call “loaded” relative to recent expectations. It’s part of why we’ve already seen so many teams feel comfortable unloading their first-rounders.
That doesn’t mean there isn’t talent to be had, however. It simply means scouts are going to have to work overtime to parse through a less clear-cut draft order than we’ve seen in recent years. If you’re looking for position groups with quality depth — even if they aren’t traditionally drafted highly — interior offensive line and linebacker are where I’d start. There are 13 interior offensive linemen and nine linebackers represented in the top 100 below, both large numbers compared to the typical yearly crop that goes in the top three rounds.
With that context in mind, let’s dive into how the class stacks up in early November.
Bain is putting together the best season for a defensive end at the collegiate level since Aidan Hutchinson. Like Hutchinson, Bain isn’t a cookie-cutter edge prospect. The Hurricanes defender has a defensive tackle build with shorter arms than ideal on the edge. It’s no matter — he already has 44 pressures this season.
Woods has been on scouting radars since he was a true freshman. He’s as powerful a true junior defensive tackle as you’ll see and won’t turn 21 until a month before the draft. He’ll be even more disruptive in the pros than he is in Clemson’s defense.
The Heisman front-runner continues to play clean football with 25 touchdowns and only four interceptions. His timing, decision-making and performance under pressure are already at an NFL level. He’ll be a Day 1 starter next year.
Tyson is a gifted, all-around route-runner whose game fits the modern No. 1 receiver profile. He has 628 yards and eight scores this season. A lot of top-10 teams will be vying for his services.
In a relatively down class, don’t be surprised if a safety ends up in the top 10 for the first time since 2017. Downs is the perfect player for the positionless-defender role that’s growing in the NFL.
Tate is one of the biggest risers in the class this fall. His combination of efficiency and explosiveness is exceedingly rare. He has caught 84.8% of his targets while averaging 18.2 yards per reception. His explosiveness and ball skills are well worth a top-10 pick.
McCoy has yet to play this season while recovering from a torn ACL in January. The fact he remains a top-10 player here shows how good his sophomore tape was. He could pull an Antonio Cromartie and still go in Round 1 without playing his final year.
Mauigoa is a brutish tackle who can punish double-teams and stonewall bull-rushes. He’s been starting on the right side since his true freshman year and has only gotten better.
While Fano plays right tackle, he projects as a guard. He’s the best zone blocker in the class and still well worth a top-10 pick even if kicked inside.
Yet another Buckeye in the top 10. It’s time to drop the linebacker tag and call him what he’ll be in the NFL: a pass rusher. You don’t waste someone with his size, burst and length at the second level. He has 22 pressures on 71 pass-rush snaps this season.
I listed Faulk at edge because that’s where he plays now, but athletes his size are more and more often moving inside in the NFL. He’s long and twitchy with some special run-game reps already.
After a rocky first start against Florida State, Simpson has passed every test since. No moment has seemed too big for him as he looks like a veteran despite being in his first year as a starter. He has solid all-around tools and always looks in command.
Moore has shown his inexperience a bit lately, but there’s still a lot to like on his tape. The question is whether he declares with two more years of eligibility after this season.
Love is a big play waiting to happen. His quick feet, elite acceleration and breakaway speed are exactly what NFL teams want. He’s racked up 28 touchdowns on 303 carries the past two seasons.
Parker is a solid, if unspectacular, edge defender who has been relatively quiet compared with expectations. He was a true freshman starter in 2023 with 35 pressures, but is on pace for fewer this year with only 21 so far.
Ioane has been the lone bright spot on a reeling Penn State team. He has allowed only one pressure all season and is the top true guard in the class.
Lemon is a ready-made slot receiver averaging nearly 100 yards per game. He doesn’t drop passes and consistently finds space over the middle.
Lomu is no sure thing to declare as a third-year player who still needs to improve his strength. If he does, a team is getting a gifted mover who uses his hands in pass protection as well as anyone in the class.
Terrell may not look imposing at 180 pounds, but he plays extremely physical football. He has forced six fumbles over the past two seasons and has 14 pass breakups.
Brazzell is a unique deep threat at 6-foot-5 and 200 pounds. He has real vertical speed and the ability to “Moss” cornerbacks at the catch point. He may be a bit of a one-trick pony, but it’s a valuable trick.
Proctor has shown some limitations in pass protection this year and is most likely going to kick inside at the next level outside of a few schemes. You’re still getting the single best lineman at moving people against their will in the run game.
Pregnon has been lights-out all season for the Ducks after transferring from USC. He has allowed only two pressures after yielding 18 a year ago. You won’t find many offensive linemen as physically put together as Pregnon.
One of the youngest players in the class, Uiagalelei won’t turn 21 until next summer. The former five-star recruit has improved every year and already has 25 pressures this season.
Allen is an enforcer at the second level. Despite relatively modest size, he consistently sends offensive linemen backward. He also rarely misses tackles, with just a 6.8% career miss rate.
Howell is the best pure pass rusher in the class with a full array of moves. The only thing holding him back from being a sure-fire first-rounder is his lack of size and length.
Bailey has elite juice off the edge. He’s racked up more pressures and sacks than anyone in college football this season. While he’s still a little too reliant on raw athleticism, he has shown real development in the run game this year.
27. Max Klare, TE, Ohio State
Klare’s production has suffered with so many mouths to feed in the Buckeyes’ offense, but the tape still shows the best route-running tight end in the class. He has a natural feel for separating, even if he has only 210 yards this season.
Golday has the rare combination of edge-rusher size and safety-level athleticism. He can do it all at the second level.
Josephs is a long-armed edge rusher who wins with length. He may be on the lighter side, but he can still set a firm edge. He’s thriving with a career-high 26 pressures this season.
Styles is a former safety who kept getting bigger — and somehow more athletic. His sideline-to-sideline speed is the best in the class.
Goosby has a more prototypical tackle build and athletic profile than either of the Longhorns’ tackles drafted last spring. He moves well and can get out in space. He’s still raw in his first year as a starter, but a weaker tackle class may push him to declare early.
Singleton didn’t land in the most favorable quarterback situation after transferring from Georgia Tech, but the tape still shows an explosive all-around athlete. His deep-threat ability has been muted with only a 5.6-yard average depth of target.
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McNeil-Warren is the best box safety in the class. His consistent impact around the line of scrimmage will translate quickly. I love that he’s got a knack for forcing fumbles with 11 in his career.
McDonald is the best run-stuffer in the class. Whether one-on-one or against double teams, you aren’t moving him. You’re not getting much as a pass rusher, but he’s a sure thing vs. the run.
Cooper continues to create yards after the catch in Indiana’s offense. He leads the FBS with 17 broken tackles on 46 catches and has a running back-like build that should translate to the NFL.
Boston is a big-bodied outside receiver who can still get down the field. He already has seven deep receptions this season and can win at all three levels.
Trigg has been the most productive tight end in the country with 40 catches for 607 yards. His highlight reel is absurd, and his catch radius is special with a 7-foot wingspan.
Delane isn’t a high-end athlete, but no one is playing the position better right now. He has allowed only eight catches on 25 targets this season.
Hill moves incredibly well for a nearly 240-pound linebacker and has only three missed tackles on 70 attempts this season. There aren’t many holes to poke in his game.
Pieper is almost certain to return to school for a couple reasons. He’s only in his first year as a starter, and inexperienced linemen rarely declare early. He’s also playing out of position at guard — his NFL future is at center. Still, he’s the most athletic lineman in college football.
Even with Jermod McCoy out, the Volunteers have still had a shutdown outside corner. Hood has allowed 17 receptions on 37 targets for 196 yards after transferring from Colorado.
Rhodes has been a breakout star for the Razorbacks. The 6-foot-6, 275-pounder has the ideal build to be a versatile NFL weapon. The question is whether he’ll declare after just one season as a starter.
Height may be light and a bit older, but he can rush the passer. He plays such a tenacious brand of football despite being under 240 pounds that I can’t help but root for him.
Lane has a basketball-type frame and uses it well, especially in the red zone. Seventeen of his 76 career catches have gone for touchdowns.
Concepcion is a nimble route-runner with elite start-stop quickness. His hands are the concern — his career drop rate sits at 9.3%.
I held out waiting for Ponds to get exposed as long as I could before including him in my top-50. That’s because 5-foot-9, 173-pound corners aren’t supposed to be able to lock down receivers the way he does. He just keeps doing it, though, with only 14 catches allowed on 29 targets for 101 yards this season.
Smith has everything you could want athletically to be a do-it-all safety in the NFL. In his two seasons as a starter, he’s been able to consistently get his hands on footballs with nine pass breakups and four picks.
Brailsford isn’t for every scheme. Gap-heavy teams should look elsewhere, but if you want your center on the move, he’s your guy. His ability to locate in space stands out in this class.
Washington is a freak athlete at nose tackle, capable of being a weapon on stunts and slants. His ability to get off the football is special for a 330-pounder.
If the last name sounds familiar, it’s because he’s the son of former All-Pro linebacker Jeremiah Trotter. Unlike his brother Jeremiah, who’s in the NFL now, Josiah has much better size to be a highly coveted prospect. He’s been outstanding coming downhill this season with a knack for getting into the backfield.
Miller is a long defensive tackle who looks like a prototypical 3-4 defensive end. While he’s a work in progress as a pass rusher, like many Georgia defensive linemen, he can play the run at a high level already.
Sadiq is such an explosive athlete at the tight end position, but he’s struggled to develop into an all-around route runner in his first season as a starter. He’s still such a good YAC weapon and move blocker to be coveted highly.
The former Georgetown defender has been one of the breakout prospects of the college football season. He’s one of the twitchier defensive tackles in the class and already has 19 pressures for the Demon Deacons.
Watching Laloulu clear out defensive tackles on double-teams is a thing of beauty. He’s physical and built low to the earth to generate movement. It’s why he’s been starting since his freshman year in 2023.
Stowers has always been a high-end athlete, but he’s had to grow into the tight end position. This has been his best season so far, with 38 catches for 543 yards and four scores.
Hoover looks unlikely to declare at this point, but I remain impressed by the NFL-translatable skills he shows on a weekly basis. He just needs to reel himself in from trying to do too much in big situations.
Scott is easily my favorite slot cornerback in the draft class. His short-area quickness and toughness are put on full display every week. If he could just wrap up a little more consistently, he could be a top-50 pick.
Green has been wildly impressive kicking out to left tackle this season after starting at left guard his first two years in college. Green has allowed only five pressures on 238 pass-blocking snaps. His home is at guard, though, where his natural power really shines.
We got to see more of Rivers’ explosiveness last year, but it’s not like it’s gone away. He’s still arguably the most gifted all-around athlete in this receiver class. Rivers just doesn’t have the size to be much more than a deep threat.
Haulcy has been another standout transfer in their secondary with two picks and three pass breakups on the season. I love his range at his size (6-foot, 222 pounds). It reminds me a bit of Colts safety Nick Cross.
Mateer’s stock took a hit as he’s tried to play through a thumb injury, but the guy we saw before that looked like a first-rounder. He’ll be back with the Sooners next year and should factor into a crowded class.
Alexander is a well-traveled defensive tackle who’s finally showing why he was a composite top-50 recruit in 2022. He’s been a terror vs. the run with the highest run-stop percentage in the country among defensive tackles.
Tiernan is a four-year starter for the Wildcats and has turned into one of the best pass protectors in the FBS. He’s got an odd tackle build in that he’s very tall at 6-foot-7 but has relatively short arms. He has swing tackle potential at the next level.
Thieneman still needs to get stronger and isn’t a sure thing to declare because of that. His ability in coverage is obvious, though, and he could even be a potential corner convert in the NFL.
Banks is a specimen at 6-foot-6, 330 pounds, but we’ve only seen him for one game this season due to a foot injury. He has top-10 talent but inconsistent tape last year.
Cisse has thrived in South Carolina’s defense after transferring from N.C. State. He’s allowed only 12 catches on 28 targets for 176 yards this season. His ability to close to the catch point will make him in demand come April.
Thomas won’t be for everyone at 6-2, 249 with under 32-inch arms. That low center of gravity combined with elite bend makes him a nightmare for tackles to try to square up. He’ll be an early-impact designated pass rusher.
Harkey definitely looks like a guard playing tackle at times, but he also contrasts that with some special reps as well. He’s light on his feet for a bigger lineman and it shows with how well he plays in space.
Smothers has been one of the most efficient backs in the country, averaging 6.9 yards per carry this season. He’s undersized but difficult to pin down in space and runs hard.
Lew’s ranking here is a mere formality. He’s got first-round talent but tore his ACL earlier this year and looks likely to come back to school as he’s only a true junior.
Neal has enjoyed a breakout season for the Razorbacks after transferring from Fresno State. He’s broken up six passes and picked off two more. His real value, though, comes from blowing up screens where his 6-foot-2, 208-pound frame really shines.
Bell has taken a step forward from last season and been the Cardinals’ go-to receiver this fall. He’s racked up a career-high 56 catches for 743 yards and six scores. He looks like a running back and runs like a corner.
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73. Anto Saka, EDGE, Northwestern
Saka truly has everything you could want to be a high-end pass rusher in the NFL. He just doesn’t have much of a well-rounded game at this point. His developmental potential, though, could see him get drafted higher than even this.
Muhammad has barely been tested this year on the outside for the Longhorns. And when he has, not much has come of it. He’s allowed 14 of 25 targets for 104 yards this season with two picks and two pass breakups.
Burke has thrived in an expanded role this fall. He’s a power end who’s been one of the best run defenders in the country so far this season.
Claiborne is pure electricity with the ball in his hands. He’s right up there with Jeremiyah Love in terms of his dynamism in space, but he doesn’t have quite the prowess between the tackles.
Hunter is the best playmaking nose tackle in the class. He’s been consistently able to track down ball carriers over the course of his career. He’s just a little too up and down to have higher on this list.
The Clemson offense desperately missed Williams after he went down early in Week 1 with a hamstring injury. He’s back now and fresh off a 10-catch, 149-yard performance against Duke. He’s a rugged slot receiver who’s willing to take hits over the middle of the field.
Lucas is another big, long defensive end who’s shown high-level flashes. His down-to-down consistency has been average, though, and he may even be better suited on the inside in the NFL.
Wheatley has an ideal safety build with long limbs that have pop behind them. He’s outstanding at coming downhill and corralling ball carriers in space.
Johnson has been dominant so far this season. He’s yielded all of 14 catches on 33 targets for 142 yards with three picks and four pass breakups. I love his hard-nosed play style and tackling ability with only one miss on 42 attempts.
This tight end class is full of gifted athletes after the catch and Carter is right near the top of that list. Over the past two seasons, he’s broken 31 tackles on 75 receptions.
Johnson has looked like a completely different player this fall than he did in his first year as a starter. His missed-tackle rate has gone from 20.7% in 2024 to 4.1% this year (on 74 attempts) and he’s gone from no picks last year to four this year.
Overton has been one of the more disappointing prospects this fall. He returned for his senior season to hopefully become a first-rounder but has taken a step backward if anything. Still, he’s extremely young for a senior (turned 21 last month) and has positional versatility.
Mesidor keeps overpowering opposing offensive linemen this season. He’s had an injury-plagued career but finally looks like an NFL-caliber difference maker with 28 pressures this season.
Coleman is a jitterbug slot receiver. He may be skinny, but defenders can rarely get their hands on him for it to matter. He also has some of the best hands in the draft class with a 3.1% career drop rate.
Kanu is a breakout prospect with a ton of high-level reps on tape this fall in his first year as a starter. He’s really shined in the run game where his ability to get off blocks has been top notch.
Even if he doesn’t quite play a traditional linebacker role, Perkins’ ability in space as well as taking on blocks looks well suited to play the position in the NFL. You won’t find too many players his size that can consistently defeat blocks the way he does.
If you’ve followed Notre Dame closely the past two seasons, you’d know that despite having RB1 in Jeremiyah Love, the Irish offense hasn’t taken that big of a step back when Price comes in the game. He’s averaged 6.1 yards per attempt the past two seasons with 15 scores on 206 carries.
I wrote linebacker here, but it’s actually been Barham’s tape off the edge of late that lands him on this list. He’s ferocious coming downhill and already shown some innate feel for rushing the passer. He’s a perfect hybrid linebacker for modern defenses.
Bisontis has been starting since his true freshman year for the Aggies where he’s developed into one of the best pass-protecting guards in the country. He’s only allowed six pressures all season.
Murdock stuffs the stat sheet on a weekly basis and over the weekend he made history. Murdock broke Khalil Mack’s FBS forced-fumbles record with his 17th against Bowling Green. His ability to consistently punch and pry balls away from running backs will be a weapon in the league.
Corleone has never quite lived up to the potential he flashed early in his career, but it’s still in there somewhere. He’s got bowling-ball size with 3-technique explosiveness. That can still make an impact in the league.
Abney is yet another corner who plays the position the correct way for the modern NFL. He’s an awesome tackler with no misses on 33 attempts this season and has been consistently competitive at the catch point throughout his career.
Smith has been the starting left tackle the past three seasons for the Hoosiers and seen his game improve by leaps and bounds over that time. He’s been fueling one of the best ground games in America and only allowed four pressures this season.
Lawson has been a breakout star for the Tigers and is producing almost as much as his teammate 80 spots above him on this list. He has a small frame for an edge rusher, but he uses it to his advantage by shrinking his strike zone for opposing linemen.
Yet another tackle-to-guard conversion. Zuhn is already such a good pass protector at tackle that you feel confident about his ability to kick inside. He’s allowed only five pressures all season at left tackle.
98. AJ Harris, CB, Penn State
Harris hasn’t had quite the season he was hoping for to vault him into the first-round mix, but he’s still a very solid all-around corner. I love his ability in space as a tackler and could even see him as a slot or safety if he continues to bulk up.
At 6-foot-3, Moore is a uniquely tall corner who thrives at the line of scrimmage. He’s only allowed 10 catches for 93 yards all season in his first year as a starter.
100. Clev Lubin, EDGE, Louisville
All Lubin has done in his two seasons of Division I football is rush the passer. He had 46 pressures last year for Coastal Carolina and now has 40 already this season for Louisville. He’s not going to be much more than a third-down guy, but he could be effective at that still.