The 2025 NFL Draft begins tonight. This year I was able to evaluate 157…well technically 156 players. We will get to the one player disparity in a moment. I have made some changes to how I tier my valuations from years past.
Gone are the traditional round grades. In lieu of those, I now use tiers working off stable historical outcomes. If you would like to know more about this process you can find a more researched dive into it here.
As for that 156/157. You will see I have Colorado’s Travis Hunter, who excelled at both cornerback and wide receiver for the Buffaloes, evaluated individually for each position he may play in the NFL. Hence, 157 evaluations for 156 players. Each tier is color-coded as follows:
Tier One – Purple – Future All-Pro
Tier Two – Blue – Future Pro Bowl
Tier Three – Green – Four or more-year starter
Tier Four – Yellow – Three-year starter
Tier Five – Orange – Two-year starter
Tier Six – Red – One-year starter
Tier Seven – Grey – Other
Josh Queipo’s NFL Draft Big Board – Offense
Quarterback
I’m not very high on this class in general. I do think Cam Ward is a long-term starter. Given the positional weight of the quarterback position, I have no issue with Ward going first overall, as he is expected to. I wouldn’t be surprised if Shedeur Sanders, Jaxson Dart and Tyler Shough each get a shot to start at some point, but I’d be surprised if any held that spot for more than a year.
Running Back
The most glaring difference between my running back rankings and consensus is that Omarion Hampton is not my RB2. And while some people will say I am “low” on Hampton, the truth is I am just that high on Quinshon Judkins. I think he’s a good blocker, with a great frame who can contribute in every facet of the game. And I think he’s considerably more explosive than he is often given credit for. I like Hampton a lot. He’s a tier two back by my grading and someone I think can be a Pro Bowl-caliber player down the line. I just happen to think Judkins is as well.
Wide Receiver
Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan – Photo by: USA Today
I’m just about as far off consensus as possible on this one. I don’t hate Matthew Golden. I don’t hate Tetairoa McMillian. I see both becoming multi-year starters. But I see a real path to Emeka Egbuka and Kyle Williams being special. And I think Jack Bech, in the right system, can put up real volume in a power slot role. I’m also a very big fan of Tai Felton’s game. If he is healed up from an injury that hampered him for much of 2024, I think he has real potential to be one of the best receivers from this class five years from now.
Tight End
I’m more confident that Courtland Loveland will be a good starter than Warren. But the ‘special’ factor with Warren has him in a tier above for me. Ben Yurosek has a lot of tools. Given the downward trajectory of his production and how many years he has remained in college, it is unlikely he ever amounts to anything, but I’m willing to make a bet on the upside.
Offensive Tackle
Armand Membou plays with an edge, that paired with his size, movement and technical skills make him the cleanest eval of the bunch in my opinion. Simmons may have the highest ceiling because he can move better than anyone at the position in at least the last three drafts, but his injury issues complicate things. I have Will Campbell evaluated as a tackle, but part of the reason I have him in tier five is because I don’t think he will stick there long term.
Interior Offensive Line
I didn’t get to scout many interior offensive linemen. The draft community is high on Grey Zabel. So am I. But my “hot take” is that Tate Ratledge is just as good. Different systems. Ratledge is probably best suited for a gap system, where Zabel will probably work best in a zone-based attack. Kelvin Banks Jr. and Marcus Mbow both played tackle in college, but I am fully projecting them inside in my evaluations. Even with the move inside I am still not very high on either.
Josh Queipo’s NFL Draft Big Board – Defense
Interior Defensive Line
I am a much bigger fan of this year’s crop of run-defense first players than I am by the gap penetrating three-techniques. Kenneth Grant is the best combination of both and so he is my DT1. I love CJ West’s tape. He can drop a knee, take on a double team and hold the point of attack. There are other reps where he flashes a quick launch and collapses the pocket.
Omarr Norman-Lott is an enigma to me. He may be one of the most impactful pass rushers in the class. But I have reservations on whether he will ever be more than a designated pass rusher. Alfred Collins and Mason Graham will probably make me look foolish, but I believe Collins to be the opposite of Norman-Lott. He will contribute heavily as a nose tackle on early downs, but I doubt he will ever contribute much on passing downs. As for Graham, I don’t think his game will translate to the NFL level and the jump in power and speed will negate his best attributes and highlight his flaws. His balance concerns me.
Edge Defender
Marshall OLB Mike Green – Photo by: USA Today
Like many, I think this class has a lot of positive contributors. I believe Abdul Carter will quickly become one of the best pass rushers in the NFL. I believe Donovan Ezeiruaku and Mike Green will also be highly productive rushers. The 2017 NFL Draft featured Myles Garrett, T.J. Watt and Haason Reddick. I see these three in a similar ilk in that all three will become one of the best in the game for some time during their careers. The next group is two tiers below, but I think there are multiple solid starters in this draft.
Linebacker
Chris “Pooh” Paul’s functional athleticism and instincts have me as high as anyone on him. I still see Jihaad Campbell and Carson Schwesinger as good starters who will be in the league for a while. Campbell has a well-rounded base skillset to build on. I don’t think it’s likely he hits his ceiling though. Swchwesinger has some explosive strengths that should lead to highlight-reels, but the lack of play strength may cap his potential.
Cornerback
The fall off from Trey Amos to tier three is substantial, but I think there is some real talent at the top of this class with several future Pro Bowlers. I worry about Azareye’h Thomas’ play speed at the NFL level, which is why I am so low on him. Cobee Bryant’s lack of mass won out for me, keeping him out of the top six tiers.
Safety
I’m all in on Kevin Winston Jr. despite his low career snap count in college. As long as he is fully recovered from his 2024 injury, I think he is the best safety in this class. He’s an enforcer with plus athleticism and great instincts and football IQ. Similarly, I think Jonas Sanker will be a surprise to many and a starter at the NFL level for years to come. His play style is similar to Winston with a bit less upside.
Conversely, I am lower on Malaki Starks and Nick Emmanwori. Emmanwori tested off the charts at the NFL combine, but I just didn’t see those traits on his film. And the more I watched Starks the lower I thought his floor was. He still has a high ceiling, but I’m just not sure what his best fit is and whether he can keep his play consistently high.
Join Pewter Report’s LIVE 3-Day Bucs Draft Show – April 24-26
Pewter Report will be broadcasting its annual LIVE 3-Day Bucs Draft Show from One Buccaneer Place on April 24-26 – presented by Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux. Bucs fans are encouraged to watch nearly 20 hours of wall-to-wall draft coverage from the Pewter Report staff streamed on our PewterReportTV YouTube channel, which has over 18,000 subscribers.
The LIVE 3-Day Draft Show will also be streamed on PewterReport.com in addition to Pewter Report’s X and Facebook accounts – @PewterReport. Here are the broadcast times:
Thursday, April 24 – 7:00 pm ET / Day 1 starts at 8:00 pm ET
Friday, April 25 – 6:00 pm ET / Day 2 starts at 7:00 pm ET
Saturday, April 26 – 11:00 am ET / Day 3 starts at noon ET
Nobody covers the Bucs draft like Pewter Report, and we’ll publish our fifth and final Pewter Report 2025 7-Round Bucs Mock Draft on Monday at 5:00 p.m. ET on PewterReport.com.
The entire Pewter Report staff will be on hand to preview and discuss each Bucs draft pick, offering insight and analysis found nowhere else – in addition to answering questions from fans and reading their comments from the chat on-air.
The Pewter Report staff will also be offering live reaction from interviews with general manager Jason Licht, head coach Todd Bowles and Tampa Bay’s draft picks following their selections.
