The NFL season kicks off Thursday, but Yardbarker’s already keeping tabs on the 2025 NFL Draft, scheduled April 24-26 in Green Bay.
Here are players we are tracking:
Should Colorado’s Travis Hunter switch to wide receiver full time?
The Buffaloes WR/CB probably won’t play both ways when he enters the NFL. Some talent evaluators believe Hunter would fare better as a receiver.
“It will be interesting to see how it plays out and that will be a healthy discussion,” an NFL personnel source said, per CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz. “I know several scouts of that same opinion: better wide receiver than cornerback. And when I watched him this summer, I was thinking wide receiver over corner.”
In a 31-26 win over North Dakota State in Week 1, Hunter flashed the playmaking ability teams covet, recording seven receptions for 132 yards and three touchdown catches.
Miami QB Cam Ward is generating more buzz
In a 41-17 road blowout of Florida in Week 1, Ward — a Washington State transfer — completed 26-of-35 passes for 385 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
Per Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy, NFL scouts and executives who attended the game thought it was the best performance of Ward’s career.
In his latest mock draft, CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards has the Los Angeles Rams taking 22-year-old Ward with the 20th overall pick. Don’t be surprised if he keeps climbing draft boards.
As of Thursday, FanDuel lists Ward, Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel and Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart as the super-early co-favorites to win the Heisman Trophy (+850).
Texas QB Quinn Ewers must shine vs. Michigan
No. 3 Texas faces No. 10 Michigan in the Big House on Saturday, and Ewers could be under the microscope.
“Coming out of high school, [Ewers] was ranked ahead of Caleb Williams, ahead of Drake Maye, ahead of J.J. McCarthy,” ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. said Wednesday on “Get Up.” “This is Quinn Ewers’ year to maybe reestablish himself as QB1 by the time we get to late April.”
In his preseason top-25 rankings, ESPN’s Field Yates rates Ewers as the No. 3 QB behind Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Georgia’s Carson Beck.
However, if Ewers excels against Michigan, he should raise his stock. Kiper noted the Wolverines’ elite defense features potential first-round picks in cornerback Will Johnson and defensive tackle Mason Graham.
Has Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty already established himself as a clear-cut RB1?
In a 56-45 victory against Georgia Southern on Saturday, Jeanty set program records in rushing yards (267) and rushing TDs (six) on 20 carries. More importantly, he showed he can use his stocky frame (5-foot-9, 215 pounds) to make defensive backs miss in the open field.
“Defensive backs usually don’t have very big frames, and they’re usually a little taller,” Jeanty told the Draft Network’s Justin Melo. “When they see somebody like me, a little ol’ bowling ball coming at them, they don’t really want to tackle me.”
In his initial big board, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler ranks Jeanty as his No. 1 RB prospect. The 20-year-old could continue to showcase his skills against No. 7 Oregon on Saturday.
On Tuesday, third-year Ducks head coach Dan Lanning told reporters he thinks Jeanty “is the best running back I’ve seen since I’ve been here.”
Tennesee’s James Pearce Jr. still seems like the top edge-rusher
According to Tankathon’s projections, the Carolina Panthers will take Pearce with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
“Pearce has a rare explosive first step and natural juice off the edge that will help him morph into an elite pass-rusher at the NFL level,” wrote Yates. “He was a real disruptor in 2023 with 10 sacks, two forced fumbles and a highlight-worthy 52-yard pick-six in Tennessee’s bowl game.”
