A few days after the 2024 NFL Draft, we did a small preview of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Now it’s time to look back at this first big board and see what I did right and where I lacked.
What I was right
There were as many as 20 on my boards of top 32 players when the first big board was released after the 2024 draft Arif Hasan’s Consensus Big Board. The 62.5% percentage from start to finish feels pretty good, especially after looking at those players from start to finish. Most of the people at the top remained at the top of this class, and there was some movement, but people remained the same.
My top offensive lineman in this class at the end of the process is the same as my top offensive lineman. LSUCampbell is there. Campbell doesn’t have exactly the big arm length he’s looking for in a prototype tackle, but his core flexibility and anchoring ability can make him a good tackle (but elite guard). Arizona WR Tetaro Amakumillan stayed near the top of my board, but not in the 7th place as in April last year. McMillan raked coal in this cycle, from not running a 40-yard dash at the NFL combine to being asked if he loves football, but on the field, he’s a dynamic receiver that can create separations in the mid-games. Pennsylvania’s Edge Abdul Carter is also stuck at the top of my big board, one of the best players in this whole draft class. In his first year as a full-time edge, Carter showed off the speed and burst that could make him the dominant player in the NFL, and why am I high enough for him to enter the season?
What was wrong
Yes, I was way too low for Travis Hunter and Ashton Janti to enter the season. After the 2024 draft, I took Hunter 13th and Jeanti 21st on the board, both of which ended up in my top three at the end of the cycle. I was worried how long Hunter’s body would last if he played cornerback and receiver, but it turns out he’s gotten even better in both positions ahead of the Heisman Trophy Awards. Jeanty came in third on my board after a historic season. He proved that he could return to Bellcau after sharing a backfield with George Holani after 2023. Jeanty is one of my favourite players to watch on tape this year. True 3 downback that can change attacks.
I had James Pierce Jr. from Tennessee as the top player who enters 2025, but I was hoping that his frame would be a little better for running in 2025. Those things really didn’t come to fruition. He was spinning along the Tennessee front, so they tried to prevent him from playing with the strength of the run design. I hope he goes to a good spot in the draft.
Kentucky DT Deone Walker was my second overall player and at the end of this cycle he didn’t even crack my top 100. His 2024 was very rough, with spinal injuries and he tried to play that disturbed HJS play badly. Even though I have admitted to a back injury, I am a little worried about the 6’7 defensive tackle with thin legs and a bad back. I think Walker could still go three days ago, but it would be interesting to think about what happened.
Okay, let’s talk about QBS
Carson Beck was my QB1, but it wasn’t aged very well. Georgia’s receiving core wasn’t like that at all, but Beck’s 2024 went up and down, while players like Colorado’s Shedule Sanders have improved over Beck. Miami QB Camward wasn’t on that first big board, but I said this about him:
“Miami Transfer QB Camward could be there, but he also needs to significantly reduce Jackass plays.”
I’m not sure if he’s removed all Jackass plays, but Ward will improve his play in the pocket and will likely be his first overall pick. However, after Sanders, as I had thought about earlier in this process, the class becomes very vague.
