Rob Rang
NFL Draft Analyst
NFL scouts could also be much more enthusiastic about Monday night time’s College Football Playoff National Championship recreation than essentially the most die-hard followers of Notre Dame and Ohio State, as these two rosters are loaded with future draft picks.
Most of the draft-eligible prospects can be sporting crimson and grey, together with a trio of plug-and-play stars alongside Ohio State’s line of defense who might very properly show the story of this recreation, in addition to the 2025 first-rounder. NFL Draft.
Since it is a preview of potential gamers taking part in Monday night time, the next record doesn’t embrace Ohio State left sort out Josh Simmons and Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison, each top-20 prospects who’re recovering from accidents important ones which, sadly, will hold them out of the sphere. nationwide championship.
Perhaps the best testomony to all that expertise, nonetheless, is the truth that the highest prospects on each side are literally not but eligible for the draft, particularly Ohio State freshman huge receiver Jeremiah Smith and star of Notre Dame sophomore operating again Jeremiyah Love.
With that stated, this is a take a look at the highest prospects within the 2025 NFL Draft who will play in Monday night time’s nationwide championship recreation.
Players are listed in descending order with the projected first-round picks of the 2025 NFL Draft listed final.
10. Jordan ClarkCB, Our Lady
When it involves Notre Dame’s extraordinarily gifted secondary, Falcons stars Benjamin Morrison and Xavier Watts have rightfully obtained many of the NFL draft buzz, however remember Clark. He could not appear to be an NFL starter at 5-foot-11 and 181 kilos, however he possesses the linear pace, instincts and competitiveness to assist a staff play cornerback. Clark is one among a number of high prospects taking part in Monday night time who, no less than tentatively, nonetheless have one recreation left, as he has agreed to play within the East-West Shrine Bowl later this month.
NFL Player Comparison: In each his type and actions, I see similarities between Clark and one other former Shrine champion: Avonte Maddox — a 2018 fourth-round steal from the Philadelphia Eagles, now in his seventh season with the membership.
9. Xavier Watt,FS, Our Lady
It’s becoming that Watts performs for Notre Dame as a number of the All-American’s seven interceptions this season regarded like divine intervention. Watts has an uncanny capacity to get across the ball, learn quarterbacks like site visitors indicators, and shut late. He could be very aggressive, which ends up in occasional reckless pursuit angles and missed tackles.
NFL Player Comparison: The identical unstable combine scared some final 12 months with Miami’s All-American Chamber Kinchenwho has since maintained his playmaking type for the LA Rams, intercepting 4 passes as a rookie after being drafted No. 99 total.
8. Tre Veyon HendersonRB, Ohio State
This recreation options future early NFL draft picks at operating backs on each side. The 5-10, 208-pound Henderson is a bat on skates, alternately weaving his approach by defenders or leaving them frozen along with his stop-start stability and exploding. Perhaps as a result of he walked by some gaping holes at Ohio State, some do not see Henderson among the many finest defenders on this class, however I definitely do and I’m assured NFL groups will, too. While I believe Day 2 is value investing in, the nice depth on this 12 months’s RB class will push some gifted runners off the board.
NFL Player Comparison: If Henderson remains to be accessible on Day 3, it might show to be an analogous success to the Rams Kyren Williams – a fifth-round decide in 2022 – who, satirically, performed at Notre Dame.
7. Donovan JacksonOT/AND, Ohio State
Jackson slid from left guard to take over for the injured Josh Simmons at left sort out in October, and early on, the outcomes weren’t at all times fairly. However, Jackson’s play steadily improved as he acclimated to the place and he was seen as a attainable Day 2 candidate at guard early within the season. Jackson is highly effective and his 6-4, 320-pound body would appear higher suited throughout the NFL, however his current play is intriguing and he seems to have the arm size wanted to stay at sort out. This versatility can be appreciated by the NFL with a probable top-75 decide.
Comparison of NFL gamers: In phrases of dimension and magnificence, there are flashes of energy and ending mentality which have helped Tytus Howard discover a spot at left guard for the Houston Texans.
6. Denzel BurkeCB, Ohio State
Battle-tested, productive and sporting a prototypical 6-1, 193-pound body, Burke is an effective guess to finish a three-year stunning drought for Ohio State defensive backs within the NFL Draft. Although he has began each recreation the final three years for the Buckeyes – racking up 28 passes defensed throughout that span – Burke is questionable for Monday night time, after struggling an “higher extremity” harm within the win at Orange Bowl over Texas. He’s a resilient athlete and a bodily, instinctive participant, however he is somebody who can get caught sneaking glances on the quarterback.
NFL Player Comparison: Burke jogs my memory a little bit of the Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt — now a three-year NFL starter — who was drafted sixtieth total in 2022, after consecutive All-Big Ten seasons at Nebraska.
5. Quinshon JudkinsRB, Ohio State
Running backs are essentially the most gifted place group within the 2025 NFL Draft, and Judkins may be the best-looking athlete of the bunch. He possesses an thrilling mixture of dimension, energy and pace that would generate mind-blowing leads to exercises. He’s a basic slasher who slaloms his approach by site visitors, consuming up yards with lengthy, sturdy strides. Like his backfield accomplice, Henderson, Judkins can be a dependable receiver out of the backfield.
NFL Player Comparison: His recreation and body remind me of a younger man Joe Mixon again to Oklahoma, which the Bengals took at No. 48 total in 2017.
4. Jack SawyerFROM, Ohio State
As beforehand talked about, the regular enchancment proven by left sort out Donovan Jackson performed a key position within the Buckeyes’ restoration following the loss to Michigan, however make no mistake, Sawyer’s clutch play was the spark for the post-run Ohio State season. In truth, the comparability for Sawyer at this level might arguably be the LA Dodgers slugger Freddie Freemann for the 4.5 sack and fumble returned for a landing throw that Sawyer unleashed on opponents within the playoffs. The 6-5, 260-pound Sawyer has at all times regarded like an early NFL Draft decide, nevertheless it’s his improved snap timing and refined handwork this season that has despatched his inventory hovering.
NFL Player Comparison: Sawyer is an effective athlete however a good higher soccer participant due to his instincts and fervour, which jogs my memory a little bit of Kansas City. Giorgio Karlaftis popping out of Purdue.
3. Tyleik WilliamsDT, Ohio State
Williams is a little bit of a throwback, overwhelming opposing linemen with a uncommon mix of dimension (the Buckeyes formally record him at 6-3 and 327 kilos), energy and quickness. He might be surprisingly fast off the ball when he snaps proper, and his girth and power make it tough for him to maneuver off the road of scrimmage. It can be fascinating to see how NFL groups consider Williams, as he’s simpler at stuffing the run than chasing quarterbacks, recording simply 5.5 sacks in his final 25 video games. I really like his passionate play and talent to reset the road of scrimmage and would fortunately draft Williams within the first spherical.
NFL Player Comparison: I see quite a lot of similarities with the DT stud from Detroit Alim McNeillthough with Williams, groups probably will not make the error of ready till the third spherical, as they did with McNeill in 2021.
2. Emeka EgbukaWR, Ohio State
Ohio State’s seemingly infinite string of gifted huge receivers for the NFL goes sturdy with the aforementioned Smith, however remember Egbuka, a silky-smooth senior whose quickness stands out in a comparatively lean 12 months on the place. Egbuka is one among this 12 months’s elite route runners, steadily gaining separation because of his coordinated shoulder feints and staggered strides that hold angles guessing on the stem. He catches the ball cleanly and tries to get upfield rapidly, displaying the sort of reliability that would make him a QB favourite out of the slot at the same time as a rookie.
NFL Player Comparison: There’s quite a lot of it Amun Ra-St. Brown in Egbuka recreation. Expect him to be one of many first receivers off the board in 2025, not the seventeenth like St. Brown, who was a fourth-round steal for GM Brad Holmes and the Lions in 2021.
1. JT TuimoloauFROM, Ohio State
Along with the operating again, the sting rusher is likely one of the strengths of this 12 months’s draft class and few can match Tuimoloau’s pro-ready mix of dimension (6-5, 279 kilos) and energy. There are sooner, extra agile cross rushers (like Penn State’s Abdul Carter, for instance) who might generate a good earlier choice on draft day, however Tuimoloau’s bull-rush is likely one of the defining ability units of this class. Most rookie edge rushers battle with the physicality of the NFL, however I do not assume that is the case with Tuimoloau. Physically talking, he’ll have the ability to intervene as a standard defender, able to offering a transparent benefit within the operating recreation, producing fixed strain from behind on quarterbacks and utilizing his lengthy arms to beat. balls on the line of scrimmage.
NFL Player Comparison: Tuimoloau could not have the 10-plus sack ceiling of a number of the others on this class, however his energy and consistency all through his profession towards elite competitors means he is safer than a Subaru, projecting as a Cameron Giordano-like a decade-long anchor for some fortunate NFL staff.
Rob Rang is an NFL Draft analyst for FOX Sports. He has been protecting the NFL Draft for greater than 20 years, working at FOX, Sports Illustrated, CBSSports.com, USA Today, Yahoo, NFL.com and NFLDraftScout.com, amongst others. He additionally works as a scout with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. Follow him on Twitter @RobRang.
(Want nice tales delivered proper to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, comply with leagues, groups and gamers to obtain a customized e-newsletter each day.)
Get extra from College Football Follow your favorites to get info on video games, information and extra
