Cameron Ward, and a couple of potential first round SEC defenders among biggest boom or bust prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft
No matter how good of an evaluator you are, there are going to be hits and misses. You aren’t just betting on talented football players, but you are betting on people as well. With so much volatility surrounding the process, the 2025 NFL Draft class is going to be no different. There are also always […]
No matter how good of an evaluator you are, there are going to be hits and misses. You aren’t just betting on talented football players, but you are betting on people as well. With so much volatility surrounding the process, the 2025 NFL Draft class is going to be no different.
There are also always going to be the boom or bust prospects each year, the players that can either save a coach's job, or send them to unemployment very quickly. In the 2025 class, there are several potential first rounders that firmly fit that description. Here are those talented players to keep doing homework on.
Cameron Ward, QB, Miami
Ward is coming off of a tremendous season for the Hurricanes. The former Incarnate Word and Washington State star can simply make some throws that no other quarterback in the 2025 class can make. He has a tremendous arm, is very creative, and still has untapped upside to reach for. The inconsistencies inside of structure, however, can leave some to be a little hesitant. The out of structure stuff is great, but only if you can do the requisite inside of structure work as well. You are either getting a Pro Bowler with Ward, or a potential bitter ending to a coaching era.
Deone Walker, DT, Kentucky
You won’t find defensive lineman this impressive from a physical perspective anywhere. At over 6-7 and 340 pounds, with a really long frame, Walker is a dominant presence on the hoof. The impact, however, is just not what you would expect from a player this talented. Walker plays with awful pad level, lacks urgency in his hands, and doesn’t always play hard. He took a huge step back from a production perspective in 2024, and has left a lot to be desired on film this past season.
Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
There’s a lot of hype surrounding Nolen, and it is very understandable. The former five-star recruit is coming off of his best collegiate seasons, collecting 48 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks for the Rebels this fall. When talking about Nolen, there are two major issues that arise in conversation. One is the consistency on the field. For a player this gifted, he spends a lot of time on the ground and disappears for big stretches. Off the field, there are even bigger concerns surrounding his character and work ethic.
Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia
The tools are all there, and are easy to see with Williams. He’s a long athlete with a massive frame, and Williams has also had moments of big time flashes. The major issue has been consistency and the lack of true pass rush impact. Williams is a really nice run defender so he won’t be a true bust, but if you are drafting him in the top 15, you expect a huge impact on passing downs. That’s where the disappointment could come based on expectations.
Maxwell Hairston, Chris Paul Jr., and other different “outliers” you should bet on in the 2025 NFL Draft class
Betting on outliers in the 2025 NFL Draft class.
