The offseason is officially here, and that means its Mock Draft season. The C2C Devy team got together to release their first post-season Mock Draft.
ROUND 1 TAKEAWAYS
QBs: With the QB pool thinning out, the top names in this rookie class are starting to solidify themselves. Miami’s Cam Ward takes the top spot, and rightfully so. He has tantalizing tools and the improvisational skills that NFL teams covet. He’ll need to continue to work the backyard ball out of his system, but he has made major strides in that department over the last two years.
Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders is the only other QB to be selected. He had an up-and-down end to the season but currently looks like one of the only QBs with a good chance to go in the first of the NFL Draft. That’ll afford him an opportunity, even if I question his overall ceiling.
RBs: You’ll likely see Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty go in your rookie drafts’ first 2-3 picks. I feel like the last person on earth who continues to question parts of his game, but as a potential first-round NFL pick, his value alone is worthy of the selection.
Omarion Hampton makes a surprising appearance as RB2, but maybe not that surprising if you’ve been following the draft community. Nflmockdraftdatabase.com – a collection of mock drafts around the country – has had Hampton as the consensus RB2 for a majority of the season.
“Hampton is a potential bell cow back in the mold of New England Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson” -Felix Sharpe
The round closes with the Ohio State duo of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, an exciting pair of runners offering differing but translatable skill sets to today’s NFL.
WRs: A rapidly thinning pool makes this class feel a little top-heavy, especially considering the risk that Colorado’s Travis Hunter could play more corner than receiver. His talent level as a pure WR makes him more than worthy of the selection, but as we get closer to the draft, that risk could see him fall in drafts.
Mizzou’s Luther Burden, Arizona’s Tet McMillan, and OSU’s Emeka Egbuka continue to be mainstays in the first since the beginning of the season. The first surprise comes with the selection of Matthew Golden, a company favorite at C2C, whose strong post-season has garnered attention from NFL scouts and continues to be a rising name in the community. Don’t be surprised if he ends up a Top 5 WR in this class.
“Matthew Golden is one of the best route runners in this class with incredible ball tracking and hands. He was hampered by poor QB play his entire college career. I expect him to be a first round pick and a consistent WR2 for his career” -Matt Bruening
TE: Penn State’s Tyler Warren has finally started to take his place as the TE1 in this class. He’s a versatile weapon who has caught, thrown, and rushed for a touchdown this year. Even more impressive, the 6’6”, 260-pounder forced 19 missed tackles this season. That led the P4 at the TE position and was 12th for any receiver overall. He’s the only tight end I’d consider using a first-round rookie pick on.
ROUND 2 TAKEAWAYS
QBs: It’s probably important to mention that this draft was ongoing during Senior Bowl week, so things may shift slightly from here.
It’s no secret that Ole Miss Quarterback Jaxson Dart has started to gain traction in draft circles (although his support around these parts has always remained strong), and a solid showing at the Senior Bowl has put him in discussion as a Top 3 QB in this class. His translation from the Rebels’ one-read heavy RPO system may hamper his ability to hit the field early, but he checks a lot of boxes from an analytical and physical standpoint.
“It is no secret that the 2025 QB pool is not as strong as most would like. However, Dart is a potential first round NFL draft pick and from an analytical and tools standpoint provides a safe floor as a prospect. If it doesn’t pan out, a second round rookie pick is a small price to pay for what may be a starting NFL quarterback with upside.” -Aaron Wilcox
On the other hand, Alabama QB Jalen Milroe didn’t fare as well during Senior Bowl practice, but that type of setting isn’t ideal for showing off Milroe’s best asset. His athleticism could even make him a package player early on in his career, but the passing aspect of his game certainly needs some development.
RBs: Iowa RB Kaleb Johnson had a bounce-back season for the ages. He makes it look easy on the field, and a good showing at the combine could lock him into a top-three selection at the RB position.
ASU’s Cam Skattebo will be a polarizing name to follow – he benefited from a long playoff run in the national eye but may pale in comparison to his peers athletically.
“It was between Cam Skattebo and Devin Neal for me, my two favorite backs in this class. Skattebo has a three-down skillset and while not the flashiest runner, he does not quit and can create after contact. He may not be the big-play, home-run threat we all love, but Skattebo always gets yards and is a leader.” -Dwight Peebles
Devin Neal and DJ Giddens have always been a favorite amongst the Campus2Canton family, but an injury-marred season has clouded the evaluation of Georgia’s Trevor Etienne. A look at his sophomore tape at Florida could inspire more confidence in his selection here.
WRs: With only three selections in this round, the WR position feels like it falls off faster than you’d expect. Texas’ Isaiah Bond will be the most controversial selection here after a sub-par year and although I don’t dislike the player, you may be able to target him later than this with the way things are trending.
“A potential injury discount, inconsistency makes this a boom or bust pick with no inbetwen. Isaiah Bond, when healthy, shows all the technique of being a refined route runner while showcasing he’s an elite athlete. Due to health reasons, we only seen him play the first 5 games this season healthy which was the weakest part of the schedule.” -Mike Vallerie
Elic Ayomanor and Xavier Restrepo fall on two different sides of the spectrum, the latter of which feels like a safe but potentially “low-ceiling” option in this draft. Ayomanor, on the other hand, shows the upside of a true WR1 during his highlights but surrounds them with an inconsistent play that finds you questioning if he can reach his potential at the next level.
TEs: Tight end is quickly starting to feel like a deeper class then we expected, and I could picture more than the two selections we see in the second round of this mock as the offseason progresses. Colston Loveland – a constant at the top of tight end rankings since before the season started – should be a safe and reliable pick in the early-to-mid second round.
BGSU’s Harold Fannin will be on the opposite side of that spectrum with a slightly undersized frame and a questionable athletic profile, but one of the most impressive production profiles we’ve seen at the position.
ROUND 3 TAKEAWAYS
QBs: Texas QB Quinn Ewers still has his supporters out there, and although he never quite met expectations, there’s still a lot of arm talent there for a guy who was one of the highest-ranked QB prospects in 247Sports history. A lack of mechanical refinement, injury-plagued seasons, and inconsistent play have made him more of a developmental project at this point, but someone will likely take the chance on the former Longhorn. Expect to see him as a trendy third-round pick this offseason.
RB: We’re definitely getting in “my guy” territory here, as headlined by the first running back selected in this round. South Carolina’s Raheim “Rocket” Sanders will be a surprising name to some, but the once-heralded prospect had to claw his way back from a nagging knee injury in 2023 and finally showed signs of the prospect we fell in love with as a sophomore.
“Rocket Sanders didn’t exactly regain his form from that impressive 2022 sophomore season, but the change of scenery at South Carolina and weight loss worked wonders for Sanders. He recaptured some of his explosiveness on his way to 1,200 scrimmage yards, 13 TDs, and being named one of the AP’s 3 Comeback Players of the Year for 2024. It’s a deep RB class, but Sanders is a worth a shot later in drafts given his size, athleticism, pass catching ability and his bounce back senior year.” -Colin Decker
Tennessee’s Dylan Sampson might go higher than this once he records a sub-4.4-second 40-yard dash at the combine, but I think this is the perfect spot for him. Sub-par size and a lack of play strength may make him more of a complimentary back than a reliable fantasy asset (think Tyjae Spears.)
Bhayshul Tuten and Brashard Smith (a candidate as this year’s Tyrone Tracy) will likely headline a lot of “sleeper” lists this offseason. Tuten – a success story from the FCS – and Smith both had solid showings in Mobile and offer plenty of value to an NFL team.
“Bhayshul Tuten reminds me a lot of Jaylen Warren. He’s a gamer and just a darn good back who should fit on most rosters in the NFL. -Austin Nace
WRs: Although the position seemed like a struggle to figure out in the second round, the third is filled with potential values at the receiver position. The Iowa State duo of Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel have had plenty of love in the draft community. Strong showings at the Senior Bowl have them projected as Day 2 picks, with Higgins being my favorite of the two (and my selection in this round).
You’ll likely see Jalen Royals flirt with the second round of rookie drafts – especially as one of the biggest risers at last week’s Senior Bowl – making him a potential value here.
UNLV’s Ricky White continues to be one of my favorite G5 receivers in this class, and a solid showing at the Senior Bowl should see him get some NFL attention. You could target him later, especially if your rookie draft extends into the fourth round.
“In a thin wide receiver class, White has a lot of the traits that many NFL teams need out of receivers. Even if White doesn’t go high in the draft, he should be ready to become an instant impact player.” -Justin Massie
TEs: A strong class continues into the third, with Texas’ Gunnar Helm headlining the round. He’s a fluid 6’5”, 250-pound athlete who became the top option in the Longhorns passing attack. He rounds out his profile as one of this class’s most experienced run and pass blockers.
LSU TE Mason Taylor entered the year as my TE2, and I expect the love he received at the Senior Bowl to continue throughout the offseason. With a good landing spot, he’ll push for a top three TE spot in my rankings, making him a value as the last pick in this round.
SNUBS
QB:
- None
RBs:
- Damien Martinez, MIA
- Ollie Gordon III, OKST
- Jordan James, ORE
WRs:
- Tez Johnson, ORE
- Jack Bech, TCU
TE:
- Elijah Arroyo, MIA
