There are many ways in which Miami quarterback Cam Ward is unique, one of which is that he is the lone player in the entire 2025 NFL draft class with a true one-pick range. In an exercise filled with uncertainty, we can safely assume Ward will be the first player off the board.
But for every other prospect in this year’s class, the range is wider. Sometimes much wider. Teams have a variety of opinions on every player, but some are truly hard to get a read on. And we could see that play out on draft night. For instance, why might Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders — the presumed QB2 of the class behind Ward — go No. 2 overall … or slide outside the top 10?
I picked out seven prospects with the widest draft ranges this month — four in Round 1, three outside Round 1 — and then zeroed in on when they are most likely to go. Let’s get started with a few projected first-rounders.
Players who could go in the first round
Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
My ranking: No. 16 overall
Highest projected draft slot: No. 2
Lowest projected draft slot: No. 21
Many around the league are wondering if the Browns (No. 2) or Giants (No. 3) will take Sanders, as each team remains in the quarterback market. He has been linked mostly to New York, but the Giants recently signed both Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, making this less clear. Should both teams bypass Sanders, other potentially QB-needy teams include the Raiders at No. 6, Jets at No. 7, Saints at No. 9 and the Steelers at No. 21.
The areas of strength for Sanders in the eyes of scouts around the NFL are his accuracy, touch, toughness, durability, experience and poise. He led the FBS in completion percentage last season (74%), but his accuracy is more than just a number — Sanders routinely puts the ball in a spot that allows his receivers to tack on yards after the catch. Most scouts that I have spoken with believe Sanders will be the second quarterback taken, and many think he could hear his name called within the first 10 picks, though that isn’t a lock.
So why might he drop? Evaluators point to his lack of urgency within the pocket. While Sanders played behind a shaky offensive line during each of his seasons at Colorado, he held onto the football too long at times and attempted to drift away from pressure, leading to critical sacks. His 94 sacks over the past two seasons were the most in the FBS. If no team in the top 10 is in love with his traits, it’s possible he starts to slide — potentially even reaching Pittsburgh. But given the Steelers’ uncertainty at quarterback, I’d be hard-pressed to see them passing on Sanders unless an Aaron Rodgers deal is agreed to imminently.
Sanders has been my QB2 throughout the predraft process and went third to the Giants in my most recent mock draft.
Shemar Stewart, Edge, Texas A&M
My ranking: No. 19 overall
Highest projected draft slot: No. 7
Lowest projected draft slot: No. 32
I’ve long described Stewart as the most fascinating player in this year’s class. I believe he’s a first-round lock, but where in the first round is another question. His skill set is great, and he checks a lot of boxes for NFL defenses. But he posted only 4.5 sacks in his three-year college career, including 1.5 last season.
At 6-foot-5 and 267 pounds, Stewart ran a 4.59-second 40-yard dash and jumped 40 inches in the vertical at the combine. If he puts it all together and converts his explosiveness into sack production, he could be a star. Scouts point to flashes of his elite power in college when he overwhelmed offensive tackles to the point that quarterbacks were moved off their spots, but he’d often not finish the job with a sack to conclude the play. There are other plays where Stewart is off the screen for most of it before hunting down a ball carrier, seemingly from out of nowhere.
In speaking with scouts about where he would rank if he had more consistent production throughout his college career, several have said he’d be a lock as a top-10 player. Putting it all together at the NFL level where the competition is even stiffer is a huge “if” though, which has several evaluators I’ve spoken with thinking Stewart is far more likely to hear his name late in the first round.
When I first got started in my scouting days working with the Patriots, I was constantly reminded of the importance of identifying traits in college prospects, not just looking at production. Stewart is the ultimate traits over production player.
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Shemar Stewart’s NFL draft profile
Check out some of the top highlights from Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart.
Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss
My ranking: No. 35 overall
Highest projected draft slot: No. 9
Lowest projected draft slot: No. 34
Dart — who I had going No. 21 overall to the Steelers in my most recent mock draft — is widely viewed as the class’ QB3. But that could still mean a wide range of picks. My ranking of Dart has remained relatively stagnant over the process, as he is still a second-round prospect on my board and could wind up early in the second round. But scouts point to the quarterback tax that must be accounted for in the draft, as several have stated to me that while their own assessment of Dart aligns with mine, he could soar into Round 1 given positional value.
The Saints are doing their homework on quarterbacks this predraft cycle, and current starter Derek Carr is 34 years old, reportedly dealing with a shoulder injury and not the long-term answer. If Sanders were to go prior to New Orleans at No. 9, I could see the Saints considering Dart, with other plausible Round 1 landing spots including the Steelers at No. 21 and the Rams at No. 26 if they decide to consider life after Matthew Stafford.
The Browns (No. 33) and Giants (No. 34) at the top of Round 2 are other spots to watch, especially in a scenario where Sanders lands with the Steelers at No. 21. The last dynamic to mention is a trade up from the Browns or Giants back into the late first round, as there is benefit to securing a fifth-year option on a first-round contract and getting ahead of the other team in the order.
Dart is accurate and mobile and has a strong arm, but he might take some time to adjust to the NFL game after playing in Lane Kiffin’s offense. He was third in passing in the FBS last season at 4,279 yards. When he gets picked will come down to simply whether a team in Round 1 sees a future with him as its QB1.
Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
My ranking: No. 27 overall
Highest projected draft slot: No. 11
Lowest projected draft slot: No. 32
Scouts have known about Nolen since high school, as he was one of the most dominant prep players in his 2022 recruiting class. He later transferred to Ole Miss from Texas A&M and has become one of the most impressive defensive players in this draft class, too.
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Scouts I’ve spoken with feel strongly that Nolen checks all the boxes to be a first-round talent, with some believing he is a clear top-20 player regardless of position. I had had Nolen all the way up at No. 11 overall in my latest mock draft. His first step is super fast, and he has the power to run right through offensive linemen — he had 6.5 sacks last season.
Nolen’s dominant flashes at a position that is becoming increasingly more valuable makes his first-round appeal obvious. But he was not quite as consistent as some of the other defensive tackles at the top of this class — specifically against the run — which is why his range widens to the late portion of the first round.
Players who could from Round 2 to Round 4
Oluwafemi Oladejo, Edge, UCLA
My ranking: No. 54 overall
Highest projected draft slot: No. 45
Lowest projected draft slot: No. 105
Oladejo started a pair of games at inside linebacker last season before kicking down to an edge rusher role, where he projects in the NFL. While inexperienced, the talent is very clear. He finished the 2024 season with 4.5 sacks, 13.5 tackles for loss and 29 pressures.
Scouts are enamored with Oladejo because of his potential. He has the fluidity to bend the edge, quickness off the ball and length to grow into a much more refined pass rusher. As a starting point, however, one scout noted that his powerful hands at the point of attack provide a built-in base as a run defender: Oladejo had 13 run stops last season. And with time, he has some true upside at a premium position off the edge. I have him No. 54 in my rankings, which puts him in line for a late-Round 2 pick — perhaps by a team like Washington or Kansas City.
Darien Porter, CB, Iowa State
My ranking: No. 87 overall
Highest projected draft slot: No. 55
Lowest projected draft slot: No. 115
The high-end range for Porter is easy to see, as the wide receiver-turned-cornerback had an eye-popping combine in which he ran a 4.3-second 40-yard dash at 6-foot-3, 195 pounds. He picked off three passes last season, too.
However, given that Porter has only seven career starts under his belt (he didn’t start a game in his first four seasons), he is still a developmental defensive prospect. While Porter’s raw skill set will require time to grow, scouts I’ve spoken with do believe he’ll be able to make an impact on special teams right away — an area that he excelled at in college.
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Darien Porter’s NFL draft profile
Check out some of the top highlights from Iowa State’s Darien Porter.
I have Porter in the third-round range at No. 87 on my board. I see great size, speed and ball skills in his game, and he could boost a lot of NFL cornerback rooms on Day 2 of the draft. There are some in the scouting community who think he is best-suited for a team that relies heavily on zone schemes, as Buffalo at the tail end of Round 2 could be a great match (Nos. 56 and 62).
Charles Grant, OT, William & Mary
My ranking: No. 97 overall
Highest projected draft slot: No. 60
Lowest projected draft slot: No. 110
Any time a player is making the leap from the FCS to the NFL, the first question surrounding him will be how he handles the vastly different competition. Grant was unable to take part in the Senior Bowl and combine due to a knee injury, but he’s still all over the NFL’s radar.
Scouts have consistently identified Grant as one of — if not the best — FCS prospect in the class, and they see the frame of an NFL offensive tackle. Grant is 6-foot-5 with 34¾-inch arms, and he had 41 career starts. Where Grant needs to improve is in building up strength and converting his punch into more power in pass protection — two things that are very developable at the NFL level.
I’ve given him a fringe third-, fourth-round grade. I’m picturing him with a team like Baltimore (No. 91) or Detroit (No. 102).
