Biggest Storylines to Watch in the 2025 NFL Draft

Now months away from the end of the 2024-2025 season, the slate is clean. The new season has started, and all 32 teams are ready and raring to be crowned Super Bowl 60 champions. But before they can look that far ahead, they cannot overlook a crucial part of a rewarding season: a successful draft. With the 2025 NFL Draft (April 24-26 on ESPN/ABC/NFL Network) nearing, here are the top three storylines to look for regarding this year’s class of players.

Where Will Shedeur Sanders Call Home?

Year after year, quarterbacks drive the conversations by teams and fans alike around the NFL Draft. This year is no exception, however for a different reason than past draft classes.

The biggest difference is the unpredictability past the No. 1 overall pick, creating an air of mystery. Once the Tennessee Titans most likely pick Cam Ward to kick off the 2025 NFL Draft, the next quarterback to go should be Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. His landing spot is the biggest question of the draft, especially due to the wide array of talent in this class.

Five teams from picks No. 2 to 10 are in need of a franchise quarterback, with the New York Giants being the main prediction to take Sanders. However, all five teams may look elsewhere at quarterback and are desperate to fill other positions of need.

https://twitter.com/GetUpESPN/status/1914679474076913821

With such a talented pool of players, there is a genuine chance that Shedeur Sanders slides out of the top ten. If that’s the case, Sanders’ best opportunity to be a first round pick is either through a trade or with the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 21. If none of these scenarios happen, Primetime’s son could be in for a long night.

A Multitude of Impressive Skill Players

When you think of the flashiest pick a team can make, it normally is a skill player. Fans always want to see draft picks make an immediate difference and the offensive side of the ball is the best to do just that. For this year’s draft, many teams will make their fans very happy by picking from a wide array of offensive talent.

At wide receiver, there are a ton of options to choose from in the first round. Travis Hunter, Tetairoa McMillian, Matthew Golden and Emeka Egbuka could all be drafted on the first night. Luther Burden III, Jayden Higgins, Tre Harris and Jaylin Noel are also all candidates to sneak into the first round or be picked early on the second night. There are more than enough strong receivers in the class for teams to make a splash by picking.

Even further, running back is one of the deepest positions in this year’s class of stars. At the top of the group is Heisman Finalist Ashton Jeanty, who shattered expectations and eclipsed 2,500-yard mark in his final season. The rest of the class is also stellar, with Kaleb Johnson, Omarion Hampton, TreVeyon Henderson, Quinshon Judkins and Cam Skattebo all worthy to helm a backfield for any team.

Ashton Jeanty showing respect to Kaleb Johnson.
We love to see it.
The two best RBs in college football in 2024.
The two best RBs in the 2025 NFL Draft. pic.twitter.com/E4AGSVZRY3

— The Ben McCollum Era (@HireBenMcCollum) March 5, 2025

With so many skill players posting strong seasons and upping their draft stock, teams will have many options to choose from, regardless of what pick or round it is.

Who Will Sneak into Round One?

Every year, there a few players who get the unexpected call of being drafted on night one. Last year, the biggest culprits were wide receivers Xavier Legette and Ricky Pearsall. Since the entire class is so strong, there are many players who could end up happy after a surprise pick. These players outside the top 40 best available have the best chance to move up in the actual draft from their prediction.

The aforementioned wide receivers have the biggest chance to leap into night one. As it stands, Tre Harris, Luther Burden III and Jaylin Noel all sit outside the first round. However, all three received first-round grades from various draft experts previously, with Burden III ranking as high as the top 1o. The trio could have easily been first round picks in prior drafts deficient in receiving-talent but rank lower due to their competition. Any of the three could end up on the inside of the first round instead of the bubble.

Past the receivers stand defensive prospects who have been rising up draft rankings since the end of the season. East Carolina cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. stands out from the pack, as teams are increasingly high on him. Revel Jr. is one of the fastest cornerbacks in the class, matched with a decent amount of length at six-foot-two. There are downsides with Revel Jr., who comes into the season off a 2024 ACL tear and being older than most rookies at 24 years old. However, if teams can look past the negatives and focus on his incredible on-field ability, they might walk away with one of the steals of the draft.

CB Shavon Revel Jr. also ranked higher by league sources than public evaluators.
"Boundary bully" (h/t @dpbrugler) brings good size/speed, toughness.
Concerns exist – coming off ACL tear, will be a 24-year-old rookie – but had 1st round buzz pre-injury.pic.twitter.com/hui5PdO1pv

— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) April 21, 2025

The Draft is On the Clock

The NFL Draft is one of the most exciting moments of each season and this year is no exception. With a ton of talent and many teams looking for difference makers, there is plenty of intrigue to go around. Whether teams will make the right pick or fail miserably is uncertain and a far ways away. What is certain is that the excitement could not be higher for teams and fans alike as the 2025 NFL Draft is drawing near.