These decisions are not getting any easier.
The transfer portal and the ability to earn NIL money anywhere, immediately, has only complicated the early-entry decision for underclassmen in college football. Things will get a little tighter starting next season as schools will have to cap rosters at 105 players, but that also means there will be 105 available scholarships per team (instead of 85; RIP to the walk-on).
Everything is dependent on the individual situation, though, and no two players are the same. Here are 15 of the most intriguing early-entry prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft:
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Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama
I was hopeful Milroe would pull a Cam Ward and spend another year in college. His physical profile at quarterback is tantalizing, though. Lamar Jackson is the NFL’s fastest quarterback, but Milroe at least will give him a run for his money in terms of pure speed.
That said, Milroe is not a refined passer. Social media was all over QB Drew Allar during Penn State’s College Football Playoff semifinal loss, but Milroe had a worse season (and final game). He struggled with ball placement his entire college career, and his pocket awareness, footwork, processing and general mechanics all need refinement. The situation in which he lands will be critical. If Milroe finds the right system, with the right offense that gives him time to grow, he could be an outstanding investment.
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Jihaad Campbell, Edge/LB, Alabama
At 6-foot-3, 245 pounds of twitched-up muscle, Campbell checks all the physical boxes for the modern front-seven hybrid — the Micah Parsons spot — teams covet. A wide receiver who moonlighted at defensive end in high school, Campbell left IMG Academy weighing around 215 pounds and has transformed his body in short order.
Mostly a stack linebacker in 2023, Campbell moved all over the Alabama defense as a junior. He still anchored in the stack but also saw more than 100 snaps as an edge (11 1/2 tackles for loss, five sacks) and even worked the slot. He’s nowhere near his best football yet, but his ceiling is phenomenal. He’ll have first-round buzz, despite the lack of long-term production.
Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
Emmanwori (6-3, 229) is an elite athlete — if you put him in a weight room for six months, he could be an NFL linebacker. His speed, though, will give him a shot as a do-it-all safety who flashes terrific ball skills and high-end speed.
Emmanwori could be wild at times for South Carolina, but he was also a walking big play. Over the 2023-24 seasons, he picked off six passes (two of which he returned for touchdowns), forced seven incompletions and broke up eight passes. The positional question will scare some teams, but don’t be shocked if others have first-round grades on him.
Harold Fannin Jr., TE, Bowling Green
In a former life, Fannin was one of the most productive high school defensive backs in Ohio (he also returned kicks and played baseball). Fannin eventually landed with Bowling Green and coach Scot Loeffler, who promptly moved him to tight end. After a breakout, 600-yard campaign last year, Fannin (6-4, 230) exploded for 117 catches, 1,555 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior. He also rushed for 65 yards and a score.
Harold Fannin Jr., Everybody. 👀
There’s a reason he is a Mackey and Biletnikoff Award Semifinalist…@BG_Football | @fannin_jr | #MACtion pic.twitter.com/Oj7iG0lzyq
— MACtion (@MACSports) November 23, 2024
A flexible, explosive, balanced athlete with the ability to win in the air (13 contested catches in 2024) and after the catch (873 YAC), Fannin is also a willing blocker who can be very effective out in space. He reminds me of Isaiah Likely, potentially with more explosiveness.
Mike Green, Edge, Marshall
If you find a football player who’s wrestled, point him to the defensive coordinator. If you find a football player who’s wrestled and can run? Point him toward the NFL combine. Green qualifies as the latter — he entered college as an elite prep wrestler/215-pound linebacker, then spent one year at Virginia before transferring to Marshall.
Now 6-4 and nearly 250 pounds, Green led the FBS in sacks with 17. Per PFF, he finished No. 2 in pressures (65) with a sparkling 21.3 percent win rate. His tape library is only about a year-and-a-half deep, but it’s awesome.
Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
The best part about Jeanty’s historic chase of Barry Sanders’ rushing record this season is it actually overshadowed everything else he can offer a team. Jeanty was one of the most productive high school receivers in Texas and doubled as a running back, eclipsing 1,800 rushing and 800 receiving yards in one year at Lone Star High School in Frisco.
And, yes, he also can throw. If this is starting to sound like a LaDainian Tomlinson scouting report, it should.
Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
Fellow Michigan junior Mason Graham is the better player — and one of the best overall prospects in this class — but Grant’s size-athleticism ratio takes a backseat to no one. A massive man, Grant was running a sub 5-second 40-yard at more than 360 pounds upon arrival at Michigan. He also clocked in at nearly 19 miles per hour on the GPS and should flirt with a 30-inch vertical during testing.
Now closer to 340 pounds, Grant is still more of an elite athlete playing defensive tackle than a defensive tackle who happens to be an elite athlete. His pass-rush win rate over the last two seasons was less than 10 percent and the 2024 season was his first as a full-time starter, so there’s still a lot of work to be done here — but Grant’s potential is off the charts.
Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa
In his only year as a full-time college starter, the 21-year-old Johnson finished second only to Jeanty in the FBS this season in yards after contact per carry (4.42). He finished with 1,537 yards rushing and 21 touchdowns in all on 240 attempts.
Built to handle a load, Johnson (6-0, 225) combines terrific vision with great explosion and feel in space as a downhill, one-cut back. He also offers good hands out of the backfield. If he lands on a team with a quality offensive line, he’s going to be a problem for NFL defenses.
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Jacob Parrish, CB, Kansas State
Parrish won state titles in both the 100- and 200-meter dash while at Olathe North in Kansas. And though his size (listed at 5-10, 198) is really never going to work in his favor, his speed and competitive fire — in coverage, against the run or anywhere else a team wants to use him — make him a very productive, physical outside corner who also can work in the slot.
Parrish finished the year with 18 stops and nine forced incompletions for the Wildcats. He also flagged for seven penalties, too, so it’s not always perfect. But NFL coaches will adore his effort and physicality.
Dylan Sampson, RB, Tennessee
After splitting carries with Jaylen Wright as a sophomore, Sampson exploded as the main back this season alongside QB Nico Iamaleava, producing 1,491 yards and 22 touchdowns. He saw more attempts than Wright did a year ago, and he also forced more missed tackles (70).
Sampson doesn’t have great size, but he’s a burner who should flirt with the 4.3s whenever he runs the 40. In the right situation, he’ll be a weapon.
Carson Schwesinger, LB, UCLA
A former zero-star walk-on (who was more productive in high school as a wide receiver), Schwesinger got one year as a full-time starter at UCLA — and went bonkers, finishing with 136 tackles in just 10 starts. He posted at least 15 tackles in three different games, including 17 at Washington.
He’s undersized, at just 225 pounds, but has outstanding coverage range and is rarely out of a play in the box due to his quicks and nose for the football. Schwesinger moves like a safety — he played 21 snaps in the slot in the season finale vs. Fresno State.
Carson Schwesinger doing Carson Schwesinger things 😤💪 @UCLAFootball#B1GFootball on BTN 📺 pic.twitter.com/gI99T8y4oy
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) November 30, 2024
Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
If any elite player is a candidate to slide in the draft simply because of where he lines up on the field, it’s Starks. We see this happen every year. Starks has the best football IQ of any defender in this class, even though there will be teams who aren’t in love with his top-end speed or the fact he’s a safety.
He’s not perfect and had some lapses this season, while also playing more reps in the slot than he ever had before, but he’s a true do-it-all defensive back in the mold of Brian Branch. Don’t bet against him.
Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia
One of the draft class’ most athletic big men, Williams has star potential as a long, explosive and powerful edge who also can cause damage inside. He was limited by injury this year and has a low number of total reps, in part because of how deep Georgia was up front.
Same time, though, we never saw Williams truly take over a game. He dominated for stretches, including big-time flashes against both Texas (twice) and Clemson, but he still needs to show he can do it for 60 minutes, consistently. He’s Travon Walker, but even more raw than Walker — who is starting to turn a corner in Jacksonville — was at this stage.
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Kevin Winston Jr., S, Penn State
One of the best young safeties in the country entering the season, Winston suffered a season-ending knee injury in September and missed most of Penn State’s run to the College Football Playoff.
Winston’s 2023 season, however, was pretty outstanding. The 6-2, 204-pounder showed an ability to play basically anywhere in the secondary, from either safety spot to slot or outside corner. That injury could cause Winston’s stock to slide, meaning someone could get a steal if he’s still there beyond Day 2.
Armand Membou, OL, Missouri
NFL teams love offensive linemen who can play multiple spots — especially if one of those spots is tackle. Membou (6-3, 325) doesn’t have an ideal tackle body, but he was an outstanding protector at right tackle for Missouri and improved as a run blocker during his two years as a starter.
Many teams likely will scout Membou to play inside, but his versatility should be a big deal. In time, he could be an outstanding, scheme-versatile guard.
(Top photo of Jalen Milroe: Douglas P. DeFelice / Getty Images)
