2025 NFL Draft sleeper following recent trend that greatly improved his value and turned him from an afterthought to high draft pick

Over the last few NFL Draft cycles, we have seen more and more wide receiver prospects adopt a similar position switch to boost their draft stocks. In the modern space game we see in the NFL right now, the ability to affect that passing game and create mismatches has been emphasized on a much higher […]

Ryan Roberts — National College Football Writer
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American team running back Brashard Smith of SMU (0) runs after a catch during Senior Bowl practice for the American team at Hancock Whitney Stadium.
American team running back Brashard Smith of SMU (0) runs after a catch during Senior Bowl practice for the American team at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

Over the last few NFL Draft cycles, we have seen more and more wide receiver prospects adopt a similar position switch to boost their draft stocks. In the modern space game we see in the NFL right now, the ability to affect that passing game and create mismatches has been emphasized on a much higher level. That has led to more running backs with wide receiver backgrounds.

Former Purdue star Tyrone Tracy Jr. was a great example, and he now appears to have a bright future as a part of the New York Giants. You also had Antonio Gibson come out of Memphis a few years ago, also making that transition before beginning his NFL career. Players like Cordarrelle Patterson and Ty Montgomery have also made that switch after they got to the NFL as well.

The 2025 NFL Draft class has the next example, and it could be the best one to date. This time last year, SMU star Brashard Smith was a former Miami wide receiver who had underwhelmed based on his past recruiting ranking. He chose the Mustangs for his final chance to reunite with his former offensive coordinator, now SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee.

For a player who was playing running back for the first time, Smith made the transition surprisingly well. He was the engine behind the 11-win Mustang team that made a playoff run. In 14 games, Smith rushed for 1,332 yards and 14 touchdowns. His receiving impact also showed up, hauling in 39 receptions for 327 yards and four more scores.

While Smith isn’t a very big running back at 5-10 and 194 pounds, he showed a naturalness as a runner that was very surprising. Smith brings a lot of athleticism to the table, including 4.38 forty-yard dash speed, which he showed off again at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine. He created a ton of huge plays in 2024.

He was a player that was barely on the radar for anyone in the NFL Draft space heading into the season. Now not only is he going to be drafted come April, Smith has an outside shop to end up in the top 100 selections following a strong Reese’s Senior Bowl showing. Smith has continued to ace every step of this draft process, and the buzz is very real.

While he may never be a lead ball carrier, Smith is perfect for the modern game. His experience in the passing game gives him a very solid floor. Add in the untapped upside as a runner, and we could be talking about a dynamic weapon on the NFL level. 

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