- The defensive line class is loaded: The 2025 NFL Draft has top-end talent and depth at both defensive tackle and edge defender.
- The quarterback class isn’t nearly as good as last year’s: While Cam Ward should go first overall, there are plenty of questions about the rest of the group.
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Draft Position Rankings
The 2025 NFL Draft kicks off in less than 12 hours. Every draft class is different, with distinct strengths and weaknesses at every position.
Here’s a look at the strongest positions in this year’s class, as well as the weakest.
Strength: Defensive Line
From top-end talent to depth on Day 2 and Day 3, this class of edge defenders and defensive tackles is simply incredible. Nine defensive linemen rank inside the top 32 of PFF’s big board, with another eight placing inside the top 50.
Two of those players project as top-five picks: edge defender Abdul Carter and interior defender Mason Graham. Carter was the most valuable edge rusher in the nation, according to PFF’s Wins Above Average metric, and ranked second among FBS edges with a 92.4 PFF pass-rushing grade in his first year playing the position. Meanwhile, Graham led all FBS defensive tackles with a 92.5 PFF overall grade over the past three years.
Weakness: Offensive Line
On the flip side, this year’s offensive line class is just average. Only eight offensive tackles and interior offensive linemen feature among PFF’s top 64 prospects, the exact number of picks in the first two rounds. By comparison, last year’s class produced nine offensive linemen in the first round alone.
This class is also hurt by the fact that many consider two of the top offensive tackle prospects, Will Campbell and Kelvin Banks Jr., to be guards at the next level.
Strength: Running Back
NFL Stock Exchange co-host Connor Rogers said in a recent episode that he sees 14 running backs who could be starting-caliber rookies.
14 starting running backs from this year’s class? 😳 pic.twitter.com/OvG2pozwtd
— PFF (@PFF) April 18, 2025
While the actual number is likely lower than that, it’s still an absurdly stacked class at the position. There are 10 running backs among PFF’s top 100 prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft. The most recent draft with double-digit running backs selected in the first 100 picks was in 2008. The headliner is Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, who projects as a top-10 selection. He shattered PFF College single-season records for PFF rushing grade (96.6), yards after contact (1,970) and forced missed tackles (152).
Weakness: Quarterback
Last year’s quarterback class was historic, as six signal-callers were selected in the first 12 picks. While Cam Ward is all but guaranteed to go first, the rest of the class is up in the air. Shedeur Sanders is the most fascinating of the bunch, as he could still go in the top 10 to a team such as the New Orleans Saints or be taken later in the first round. Jaxson Dart is also a projected first-round pick, but there are serious questions about how he’ll look outside of Lane Kiffin’s system — which is why he places 132nd on PFF’s big board. In fact, Ward and Sanders are the only passers among the top 75 players on PFF’s big board.
Strength: Tight End
The strength of the tight end class is largely due to two players: Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland. Both are projected top-20 picks in the draft as two of the better tight end prospects in recent memory. It’s incredibly rare for a draft to produce multiple first-round tight ends. In fact, it has happened just six times in the 21st century, with the last occurrence in 2019.
Warren may go in the top 10 after leading all Power Four tight ends in PFF overall grade (91.2), receiving yards (1,230), receiving touchdowns (eight) and yards after the catch (693) in 2024. Outside of him and Loveland, there are intriguing options on Day 2 in Elijah Arroyo, Mason Taylor, Terrance Ferguson and Harold Fannin Jr.
Weakness: Linebacker
The 2024 NFL Draft produced an incredibly underwhelming linebacker class, with only one (Edgerrin Cooper) going in the first two rounds. While this year’s class likely won’t be as scarce, it still lacks depth.
Jihaad Campbell is the No. 11 prospect on PFF’s big board, and Jalon Walker is No. 24, but teams seem to be split on whether Walker will be a linebacker or edge defender at the next level. Campbell and Walker are the only linebackers in the top 50 on PFF’s board, with Demetrius Knight Jr., Carson Schwesinger and Chris Paul Jr. placing in the top 100.
This news was originally published on this post .
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