Early season 2025 NFL Draft matchups that evaluators will be paying close attention to this fall
Scouting the NFL Draft landscape is a fascinating venture. Most think it’s just about what a player does on film. Others think analytics are the top resource for determining a player’s worth. While both strategies have merit, the truth is that scouting is a multifaceted evaluation process. ESPN NFL Draft analyst Jordan Reid joined The […]
Scouting the NFL Draft landscape is a fascinating venture. Most think it’s just about what a player does on film. Others think analytics are the top resource for determining a player’s worth. While both strategies have merit, the truth is that scouting is a multifaceted evaluation process.
ESPN NFL Draft analyst Jordan Reid joined The First Team NFL Draft and College Football Podcast to talk about the importance of in-person scouting. Here is what Reid had to say:
I just got it yesterday, actually. I kind of compare it to buying a car when you're looking at a player. So you can look at a car online. You can type in whatever Mercedes Benz 2024, Mercedes Benz used, new, or whatever. And it looks amazing. Online, the exterior is nice and shiny. They take all these nice pictures of the interior but when you go to the dealership, that's like actually going to a game just because you get to see in it you get to test drive it you get to see what makes the car tick. Is the engine bad? When you turn it on, is there smoke coming out of the engine? So it's kind of like buying a car.
That's what I compare really scouting, and in person scouting. Just because I love life scouting so much. It is easily my favorite part of the year. The pre draft process is nice, but just go into the games experience in different college atmospheres. You get to see the players' mannerisms, who's a leader, who's kind of those extroverts, who's an introvert. How do guys respond after making mistakes? Little stuff like that you don't really get to see on TV. So that's my favorite part of my little spiel on why I love live scouting.
My first game is actually Clemson in Georgia. So we're hitting a home run right out of the gate in Atlanta. So I'm excited to go to Atlanta for that one. And then my second game is actually Tennessee and NC State. They’re playing in Charlotte, so right down the road for me. It’s going to be good to see two players that I'm really excited to see in Anthony Belton, offensive tackle from NC State. And then also James Pearce, the defensive end we just talked about from Tennessee. That’s going to be a fun matchup for sure.
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Roberts’ Take
There's going to be a countless number of prospects to know in that Georgia-Clemson game. That includes star Bulldog defensive end Mykel Williams, who Jordan is very high on currently. On the rest of the Georgia defense, safety Malaki Starks is a player to watch. For my money, he could be the top overall prospect in the 2025 class. There is also linebacker Smael Mondon, as well as defensive tackles Warren Brinson and Nazir Stackhouse to know.
On offense, it is the Carson Beck show for the Bulldogs. The talented signal caller is currently the favorite to be the first quarterback selected in the 2025 NFL Draft next April. Running back Trevor Etienne, tight end Benjamin Yurosek, and offensive lineman Tate Ratledge are a few other offensive players to keep a close eye on.
It could be a massive season for the Clemson defense, who have a lot of notable defenders. That includes linebacker Barrett Carter, who people were surprised didn’t end up declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft. He will have defensive tackle DeMonte Capehart in front of him, who has been stellar in limited opportunities but now the spotlight is firmly on him. He has a chance to be a major riser heading towards next April.
On offense, Clemson has a couple of extremely underrated prospects to monitor this fall. That includes tight end Jake Briningstool, running back Phil Mafah and offensive tackle Blake Miller. All three of them have a chance to go in the top 150 selections of next year’s draft with big seasons.
In the second game Reid is covering, he will get the chance to see a very intriguing head-to-head matchup of 2025 NFL Draft prospects. Tennessee pass rusher James Pearce Jr. is one of the heavy favorites as the top overall player in the class, and he will be opposed by NC State offensive tackle Anthony Belton. North of 6-5 and 348 pounds, Belton is one of the more underrated offensive lineman in the class.
Both players have a chance to prove some early negatives incorrect in this matchup. For Pearce, it is the slender frame and power profile. Can he hold up in the run game while going up against a massive offensive lineman like Belton? On the other side, will the mammoth offensive tackle be able to counteract the speed and bend of Pearce?
We should get clear answers to both questions in this matchup.
