
NFL Draft Big Board: One QB Risers, Another Falls in the Top 75
We're nearing the midway point of March, so now feels like a good time to update my NFL draft big board.
Here are my earlier iterations.
To see the top 75, check out my full NFL draft prospect big board. In this article here, I'm revealing only my top 32.
Every Saturday edition of the Fantasy Life Newsletter is now dedicated to the draft. If you're a sports-obsessed degenerate (and of course you are), then subscribe.
2025 NFL Draft Prospect Big Board
Rank | Player | Position | School |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Cameron Ward | QB | Miami |
2 | Abdul Carter | EDGE | Penn State |
3 | Travis Hunter | WR | Colorado |
4 | Shedeur Sanders | QB | Colorado |
5 | Mason Graham | DT | Michigan |
6 | Jalon Walker | EDGE | Georgia |
7 | Tetairoa McMillan | WR | Arizona |
8 | Will Campbell | OT | LSU |
9 | Ashton Jeanty | RB | Boise State |
10 | Armand Membou | OT | Missouri |
11 | Tyler Warren | TE | Penn State |
12 | Will Johnson | CB | Michigan |
13 | Mykel Williams | EDGE | Georgia |
14 | Kelvin Banks | OT | Texas |
15 | Shemar Stewart | EDGE | Texas A&M |
16 | Mike Green | EDGE | Marshall |
17 | Tyler Booker | G | Alabama |
18 | Jihaad Campbell | LB | Alabama |
19 | Colston Loveland | TE | Michigan |
20 | Walter Nolen | DT | Mississippi |
21 | Jahdae Barron | CB | Texas |
22 | Kenneth Grant | DT | Michigan |
23 | Josh Simmons | OT | Ohio State |
24 | Malaki Starks | S | Georgia |
25 | James Pearce | EDGE | Tennessee |
26 | Emeka Egbuka | WR | Ohio State |
27 | Matthew Golden | WR | Texas |
28 | Nick Emmanwori | S | South Carolina |
29 | Luther Burden | WR | Missouri |
30 | Josh Conerly | OT | Oregon |
31 | Derrick Harmon | DT | Oregon |
32 | Grey Zabel | OT | North Dakota State |
See the full top-75 Big Board here
2025 NFL Big Board Methodology
Our Fantasy Life NFL draft guru Thor Nystrom is fantastic at watching players, providing skill- and trait-based profiles, and stacking prospects against each other.
Check out our Fantasy Life NFL Draft Hub for Thor's scouting reports, our most recent mocks, and all our draft content.
But I lack Thor's scout-like abilities. I don't break down film and analyze hand placement and hip swivel.
So when I look at prospects, I think less about potential and more about probabilities.
Here's what that means: In creating my big board, I tend to be less evaluative and prescriptive and more descriptive and predictive.
Instead of ranking the 75 guys according to how I see them as prospects or how I think their NFL careers will turn out, I'm endeavoring to place guys in the general range in which they'll be drafted while giving priority to the positions that matter most and ordering the players accurately within their respective positions.
Given that The Huddle Report's Big Board Contest judges top 100 boards on draft accuracy (and not the career impact of the players), I feel my selection-focused approach is valid, especially since I think the market tends to be fairly efficient anyway.
I've submitted big boards over just the past four years, but across that timeframe, I'm in the top 10.
And as a mocker, I'm No. 2 over the past six years (since I started submitting mocks in competitions). To see all my mocks, check out my Fantasy Life author page.
I'm a lifetime 484-424 (+102.6 units) betting on the draft. Subscribe to our free Betting Life Newsletter for regular guidance, best bets, and more.
NFL Draft Stock Up - Big Board Risers
No. 1: QB Cameron Ward (Miami)
- New Ranking: 1
- Prior Ranking: 3
I now have Ward as my top prospect. He's a big favorite to go No. 1 (-295, DraftKings), and the importance of the position he plays dictates he be the top player on the board.
Last year, he won the Davey O'Brien Award as the nation's best QB. He's not a generational prospect, but he's a respectable option at No. 1.
Thor's Prospect Profile: Cam Ward
No. 6: EDGE Jalon Walker (Georgia)
- New Ranking: 6
- Prior Ranking: 13
I can't help but continue to move Walker up my board. He's young (21 years old) and pedigreed (2024 Butkus Award as the nation's top LB). Like Micah Parsons, Walker (in my opinion) has the size to play on the edge and the athleticism to play off the ball.
That versatility could make him a matchup nightmare in the NFL.
No. 9: RB Ashton Jeanty (Boise State)
- New Ranking: 9
- Prior Ranking: 14
I increasingly think it's likely that Jeanty will go in the top 10, so I'm bumping him up the board.
As a junior, Jeanty last year earned unanimous first-team All-American recognition and won the Maxwell and Doak Walker Awards as the best all-around player and top RB in the nation.
In terms of raw talent, he probably belongs in the top five.
In fantasy, now is the time to buy Jeanty.
Thor's Prospect Profile: Ashton Jeanty
No. 10: OT Armand Membou (Missouri)
- New Ranking: 10
- Prior Ranking: NA
Here's the sign of how quickly Membou has been hyped: I didn't have him even in my top 50 in January.
Life comes at you fast, and Membou's stock has skyrocketed since his memorable combine testing.
No. 11: TE Tyler Warren (Penn State)
- New Ranking: 11
- Prior Ranking: 16
Long gone are the days when I had Warren ranked below fellow TE Colston Loveland.
Last year, in a John Mackey Award-winning campaign as the most outstanding TE in college football, Warren had a team-best 104-1,233-8 receiving, to which he added 26-218-4 rushing.
He's an absolute beast.
NFL Draft Stock Down - Big Board Fallers
No. 4: QB Shedeur Sanders (Colorado)
- New Ranking: 4
- Prior Ranking: 2
A drop of only two spots might not seem like much, but there's a big difference between No. 2 and No. 4—and Sanders is now distantly behind Ward to be the No. 1 QB in the class.
In Lance Zierlein's most recent mock, he actually has Sanders sliding all the way down to No. 29.
Sanders could still end up being the best QB in this class even if he falls down the board—but his draft stock has unquestionably taken a hit over the past month.
Thor's Prospect Profile: Shedeur Sanders
No. 12: CB Will Johnson (Michigan)
- New Ranking: 12
- Prior Ranking: 5
I like Johnson. With good size (6'2", 194 lbs.) and pedigree (five recruitment stars), he is a worthy No. 1 CB.
But recent mocks have moved a little off this CB class in general and Johnson in particular. He's still very likely to go in Round 1, but I once had him mocked No. 5 to the Jaguars, and now I don't think that's remotely probable.
His limitations in man-to-man coverage (vs. zone) make him a reach in the top eight and probably the top 10.
No. 24: S Malaki Starks (Georgia)
- New Ranking: 24
- Prior Ranking: 11
The emergence of S Nick Emmanwori (South Carolina) has complicated matters for Starks. Months ago, he looked like the clear No. 1 S in the class.
Now, after Emmanwori flashed at the combine, he is challenging Starks for the top spot at the position, and that has dragged Starks down.
I ultimately expect both to go in Round 1, but the fact that there is now another viable option at the position means that scarcity doesn't benefit Starks the way it once did.
No. 25: EDGE James Pearce (Tennessee)
- New Ranking: 25
- Prior Ranking: 12
On the one hand, Pearce absolutely tore up the combine (4.47-second 40-yard dash at 6'5" and 245 lbs.).
On the other hand, rumors circulated at the combine that Pearce was due for a draft day slide because of questions about maturity and character.
I have no idea if those questions are warranted.
But the post-combine mocks speak for themselves: Pearce's draft stock has taken a hit.
No. 40: CB Shavon Revel (East Carolina)
- New Ranking: 40
- Prior Ranking: 17
In my last big board, Revel was my No. 2 CB, below Johnson and just a little ahead of Benjamin Morrison (Notre Dame).
Now, he's my No. 6 CB. Unlike Morrison, Revel is recovering from a season-ending ACL tear, and Jahdae Barron (Texas), Azareye'h Thomas (Florida State), and Maxwell Hairston (Kentucky) have all seen a surge in their draft stock over the past month.
At the CB position, there's just too much competition for Revel to keep his place.
