Slept on 2025 NFL Draft defenders included on 2024 Feldman's Freak List
As an avid NFL Draft fan, and someone who is in the business, there aren’t many better days than when Bruce Feldman puts out his annual Feldman’s Freak list each summer over at The Athletic. His 2024 version of the list was released on Tuesday. Typically the collection of talented players reveals some undervalued college […]
As an avid NFL Draft fan, and someone who is in the business, there aren’t many better days than when Bruce Feldman puts out his annual Feldman’s Freak list each summer over at The Athletic. His 2024 version of the list was released on Tuesday. Typically the collection of talented players reveals some undervalued college football players, and underrated NFL Draft prospects.
This list was no different. It was a healthy amount of underrated prospects, both on the offensive and defensive side of the football. For the latter, there were several talented defenders mentioned who need more fanfare as we move closer to the 2024 season.
Here are some of those underrated members, which will be important to know for the 2025 NFL Draft class. It includes a couple who could very well be in the first round conversation before too long. Not only is this a list of freaky athletes, but one of talented prospects as well.
For those who follow the NFL Draft space closely, Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham is widely considered one of the top overall prospects in the 2025 class. His partner inside, Kenneth Grant, is also well-liked in NFL circles as well. While Graham is the more nuanced and consistent player, Grant is the higher-upside player.
Feldman backs that up.
3. Kenneth Grant, Michigan, defensive tackle
The Wolverines have produced more freak defensive linemen in the last half-dozen years than anyone, from Rashan Gary (first-rounder), Kwity Paye (first-rounder), Aidan Hutchinson (first-rounder) and Mazi Smith (first-rounder) to Kris Jenkins (second-rounder). The 6-3, 350-pound Grant is the biggest of all of them. As a sophomore, he helped anchor the nation’s No. 1 defense for the national champion Wolverines, making 29 tackles, 5.0 for loss, with 3.5 sacks; six quarterback hurries, five pass breakups, one interception and one fumble recovery. When Grant arrived in Ann Arbor as a three-star recruit from Indiana, Jim Harbaugh raved about the then-360-pounder running a sub-5.0 40. Anyone doubting Grant’s speed (a max of 18.75 mph on the GPS) only needed to see him run down Penn State running back Kaytron Allen in the open field last year. His ability to fly up Michigan’s reactive plyo stairs test, a series of seven 26-inch-high stairs that players attempt to jump up as fast as possible, is truly freakish. This offseason, Grant pressed a 115-pound dumbbell 34 times on his right and 27 times on his left. He vertical-jumped 29 inches and did a Turkish get-up with a 150-pound dumbbell.
The highs are incredibly high for Grant. He is far from a consistent player right now, but the flashes are almost unbelievable. A man his size should not move the way he does. If there’s a major riser in this interior defensive line class that not enough people are talking about right now, it could be Grant.
One player that the media has largely ignored up until this point, but the NFL is very high on, is ECU cornerback Shavon Revel. After beginning his career at Louisburg College, Revel took a fantastic journey to get where he is today. This type of athletic profile is the kind that could force himself into the first round conversation next April.
35. Shavon Revel Jr., East Carolina, cornerback
NFL scouts told me they’re surprised Revel is still with the Pirates and that Power-4 programs didn’t do everything they could to lure him away from ECU. He is that talented. He started all 12 games for ECU in 2023, making 54 tackles with 3.5 TFLs alongside 12 passes broken up. A former high school track standout, Revel ran a 6.90 55-meter dash time, but really got on the Pirates’ wish list after he ran a 4.40 40 and broad-jumped 11 feet during a summer camp. At 6-3, 190 pounds, Revel has ideal size for an NFL corner.
Pirates CB coach Jules Montinar, who has worked at Alabama, Georgia and Florida, said Revel can run a 4.4/4.3 40 and “has great change of direction. He’s a tough, physical tackler and loves football and has great character.” Expect to hear Revel’s name (his first name is pronounced Suh-vone) a lot in the run-up to the 2025 NFL Draft.
Revel’s movement skills are tremendous on film, matching the analysis from Feldman. For a corner listed over 6-2, the change of direction and hip fluidity is rare. In a lot of ways, Revel reminds me of former Pro Bowl cornerback Antonio Cromartie.
One of the coolest members of the list is Central Arkansas star pass rusher David Walker. One of the more productive edge defenders in college football, Walker has recorded 40 tackles for loss and 20.5 sacks over the last two seasons. After schools trying to lure Walker away from Bears this offseason, he returns to an extremely talented squad in 2024.
67. David Walker, Central Arkansas, outside linebacker
A three-time All-American who was No. 76 on the list last season, Walker had 57 tackles, 18 TFLs and 8.5 sacks in 2023. This offseason, the 6-2, 260-pounder trimmed his 40-yard-dash time to 4.59 seconds, maintained his vertical jump of 36 inches and upped his power clean to 385. Walker’s squat rose to 645 pounds, and he did 405 on the bench press. Teammate ShunDerrick Powell, a 5-8, 180-pound running back, who ran for 1,009 yards last year, also put up eye-popping numbers this offseason, broad jumping 11-5 and vertical jumping 41 inches.
Known as a technician with a relentless motor on the field, raw athleticism is not something that has been highlighted in Walker’s game much. Seeing those types of testing numbers is huge, especially for a player who will be seen as a bit of an outlier due to his size. It’s time to get the Central Arkansas star on your draft radars.
