2025 NFL Draft Mailbag: The legend of Abdul Carter, Tyler Warren propaganda, and the year of the running back
In this week’s 2025 NFL Draft mailbag, we explore the potential blue chippers in the entire class, as well as digging deeper into just how good Penn State stars Abdul Carter and Tyler Warren really are. The interior offensive line class is also dissected, while Malaki Starks, Mason Graham, and the quarterback class were also […]
In this week’s 2025 NFL Draft mailbag, we explore the potential blue chippers in the entire class, as well as digging deeper into just how good Penn State stars Abdul Carter and Tyler Warren really are. The interior offensive line class is also dissected, while Malaki Starks, Mason Graham, and the quarterback class were also discussed. There was a lot to get to in a very small amount of time.
As always, shout out to the wonderful people who submitted questions over at RiseNDraft on X. We are just 100 days from the draft officially kicking off, and April will be here before we know it. Let’s dig into this talented, yet divisive group of players.
Let’s talk Abdul Carter
It wasn’t much of a surprise that the mailbag was flooded with questions about Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter. He is fresh off of a dominant 2024 season where he collected 68 total tackles, 24 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, and two forced fumbles. It’s especially impressive when you consider that this was Carter’s first year playing the position since switching from linebacker previously.
The draft range seems pretty solidified right now, and Carter couldn’t get much higher. Barring some unforeseen circumstances surrounding Carter’s character or any off the field concerns, the Penn State star is very much in the conversation to be the first non-quarterback taken in this class. He’s so talented that he could give a team like the Tennessee Titans a lot of reasons to consider passing on a quarterback for him at the top of the draft.
Even if Carter isn’t the top overall selection, it’s hard to see him falling past a team like the New England Patriots at four, or the New York Jets at seven. There’s almost no chance he would be available in the late stages of the top ten. A big reason for that is he might be the most physically gifted defensive end to come out in several years.
All about Tyler Warren
It’s also no surprise that Penn State tight end Tyler Warren is another player that NFL Draft fans have wanted to talk about regularly. At nearly 6-6 and 260 pounds, Warren is a rare athlete that can make plays from every alignment. His pass catching upside is extraordinary, and we also saw Warren’s blocking take a step forward down the final stretch of the season.
At this point, Warren feels like an easy top 20 selection in this class. The Indianapolis Colts feel like an easy fit in the teens, but I wouldn’t be shocked if Warren went even early. The New York Jets currently select at No. 7 overall, and I wouldn’t be shocked if they considered him in that slot. It feels like forever that the Jets had a difference maker at tight end like Warren, evidenced by his 104 receptions, 1,233 yards, and eight touchdowns this fall.
Behind Warren, it feels like an almost consensus take to have Michigan standout Colston Loveland. While he’s not quite the dynamic athlete Warren is, Loveland is an incredibly smooth and loose athlete in his own right. He will never be the blocker that Warren can be, but Loveland still has impressive upside as a pass game mismatch. There’s a lot to love, and Loveland could potentially come off the board in the late first round.
Just how good is Malaki Starks?
Starks wasn’t great in the first half of the season, but he wouldn’t back into form down the stretch. Before the season, I thought there was a chance he could end as my top safety I’ve ever graded. Starks will more than likely end up ranked behind Kyle Hamilton for me, but he’s still excellent. His range, instincts, movement skills, and playmaking instincts working from depth still gives him rare upside.
Comparing him to South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori is an imperfect comparison. Both players are going to play very different roles in the NFL. If I wanted a safety to solely play in the box and be a tone setter robbing short zones, then Emmanwori is your guy. I personally value the impact that Starks brings to the table much more. Impact players working from depth are hard to find.
Is there really a quarterback to want?
I think we need to firmly define a “franchise signal caller” to begin. For me, that means a player that an organization is going to want to build around. I think that there are some that will convince themselves that both Shedeur Sanders (Colorado) and Cam Ward (Miami) fit that description. For me, I’m still hot and cold on Sanders. If I had an organization that has a strong infrastructure then I think Ward could be that guy. He is, however, a very boom or bust prospect. Ward is either going to give a coach a lot of job security, or cost them a job in a couple of years.
Mason Graham measurements
We don’t have an official arm length on Graham, but I’d estimate it’s right around 32 inches. If it is lower than 32, I’m not overly concerned. Graham is so powerful that he has the overcompensating traits to make up for a lack of length. He has no issue playing within his frame.
Offensive line talk
It’s a fascinating question. While I think he can play offensive tackle on the next level, Jonah Savaiinaea (Arizona) would be my top ranked offensive guard in this class. I’m infatuated with his combination of size and movement skills. Landing him in a zone blocking scheme on the next level screams Pro Bowl upside. If you don’t include Savaiinaea then Tyler Booker (Alabama) would be the answer for me. Booker has somehow become a very slept on prospect in this class, but his combination of size, power, and tenacity make him a very easy sell.
Donovan Jackson rising?
I included the question about college football risers because of Jackson’s play down the stretch for Ohio State. A three-year starter at offensive guard, Jackson has made a seamless transition to left tackle after some early bumps in the road. There are now some NFL evaluators that could see Jackson stick at tackle, although guard is still very much his best spot. That type of flexibility does raise the floor for Jackson’s outlook. He has a chance to play in the league for a long, long time.
Blue Chippers
For me, there are four blue chip players in this class. After that it tapers off very quickly, and then there are very few true first round grades. On the defensive line, you have pass rusher Abdul Carter (Penn State) and defensive tackle Mason Graham (Michigan). You also have tight end Tyler Warren (Penn State) and athlete Travis Hunter Jr. (Colorado). Others who are close, but are outside for me, are running back Ashton Jeanty (Boise State) and safety Malaki Starks (Georgia). I thought Starks was going to be in that category in the preseason, but he didn’t quite take that step forward. He is, however, still very good with Pro Bowl upside if developed properly.
Running back evaluations
Obviously Ashton Jeanty (Boise State) is at the top of the list. After Jeanty, there is a huge cluster of talented running backs. I haven’t gotten deep into final evaluations yet at the position, but for me, DJ Giddens (Kansas State), Kaleb Johnson (Iowa), Damien Martinez (Miami), and TreyVeon Henderson (Ohio State) will all be in that next bucket most than likely.
Drafting for the Steelers
Wide receiver is the biggest need for me. George Pickens is a very talented outside receiver, but he’s a loose cannon and doesn’t offer a ton of impact in the middle of the field. Getting someone like Emeka Egbuka (Ohio State) to operate out of the slot would be huge for whoever is under center moving forward. Pittsburgh needs a safety blanket of sorts.
After wide receiver, figuring out the long term outlook at left tackle, as well as running back and a cornerback opposite of Joey Porter Jr. would be some of my top priorities. This unfortunately feels like Steelers roster that has an unusually high amount of holes in it entering the offseason.
Drafting for the Bears
The Bears certainly make it better. There’s a good chance that Chicago will have a really strong board of available offensive linemen at No. 10, and someone like Will Campbell (LSU) would make a lot of sense with his position flexibility. You most likely aren’t going to fully rebuild the group in one offseason, but the key is to trend upward and not stagnate like you did last offseason up front.
All-Star snub
There are a couple of 2025 prospects who I believe have been a bit of snubs on the All-Star game circuit. The first one is Wake Forest linebacker Branson Combs who began his career with FCS Southern Illinois as a wide receiver. Combs is a really smooth athlete who has experience in space, from a traditional linebacker alignment, and on the line of scrimmage in varying fronts. His versatility and athleticism should give him a good chance to stick.
My other snub is a bit of cheating considering former Arizona running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt did end up getting elevated to the East-West Shrine Bowl. I was really excited about Croskey-Merritt when he transferred from New Mexico this offseason, but he was only able to play in one game for the Wildcats while dealing with an eligibility issue. On the field, he’s an excited player. Crockey-Merritt has a tremendous feel for space, and excels at making defenders miss in tight areas.
Is Seth Henigan underrated?
I don’t really understand the hype around Henigan I’ve seen out there from some. He’s a very good college quarterback but what traits does he bring to the table that make him anything more than a priority free agent you want to bring into your building? He’s tall (6032v) but super skinny at around 205 pounds. Henigan also has below average arm strength for NFL standards, and an elongated release. From an athleticism perspective, Henigan is a solid mover but it isn’t to the level that makes him a difference maker. There is just nothing to get overly excited about from a talent perspective.
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