Penn State EDGE rusher Abdul Carter, Colorado “Athlete” Travis Hunter, and Michigan cornerback Will Johnson have all been the #1 player on my NFL Draft board at some point in 2024-2025. Let this serve as a reminder of the potential for change between now and late April. In a concise style of “tidbits,” let’s create a scouting summary for the top three prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Abdul Carter has been making a name for himself in Pennsylvania for years. His four-star recruitment led him to 30+ starts for the home state Nittany Lions and two First Team All-Big Ten nods (once as an off-ball linebacker, once as an edge rusher). It only took six starts as a freshman to earn Carter Second Team Big Ten and excite NFL evaluators.
The “Feldman’s Freak” sports a sub-4.5-second 40-yard dash simultaneously with the strength and explosiveness to power-clean 350 pounds. Despite having only one season of true edge rusher starting snaps, Carter displays elite burst off the line of scrimmage, with speed in backside pursuit and an impressive bend that overwhelms offensive linemen. Combining Carter’s impressive stunt ability with skilled teammates, his 66 pressures and 13 sacks in 2024 suggest All-Pro potential for the team taking him in the NFL Draft.
Carter’s open for business as early as the number one overall pick to the Tennessee Titans and closes for the night at the Carolina Panthers at eighth overall.
Micah Parsons
Focus on 2024 for Heisman Trophy-winning Travis Hunter; that’s all you need to know. He should also be recognized as the Biletnikoff and Bednarik Award winner. Hunter is an explosive player with incredible ball skills, arguably the best I have seen in a high school athlete.
His stats from 2023-24, which include 12 pass breakups and seven interceptions, reflect his ability to close passing windows and break on the ball quickly. Hunter sees the field well on both sides of the ball and displays great route recognition. His 1-of-1 stamina to handle 120 snaps a game is 1-of-1 like the NFL Draft has never seen. Calling it “elite” does not do justice to the team player.
Every single team. 1-of-1.
Will Johnson’s father, Deon, raised him as a quintessential Michigan man. He starred as a defensive back in Ann Arbor, providing excellent genetics for his five-star son. Johnson’s First-Team All-American and National Championship-winning 2023 all but locked up his first-round future and college career, having dealt with a turf toe in 2024. Michigan finished 8-5, peaking in defeating National Champion Ohio State.
NFL Network Insider and former Ravens/Browns/Eagles scout Daniel Jeremiah surprised readers recently, mocking Johnson to the Falcons 15th overall in the NFL Draft. “Johnson is a polarizing player around the league,” wrote Jeremiah on NFL.com. “He provides size (6-foot-2, 202) and production (nine career interceptions), but some questions emerged about his tackling and top speed in 2024.”
Yes, Johnson is a very aggressive tackler, just like he is aggressive at the catch point (4 interceptions in 2023), but he won’t always finish (13.8% career missed tackle rate). Teams can’t ignore Johnson’s NFL standard elite ability to change direction at his size. He is seamlessly smooth out of his backpedal and closes on the ball, squeezing routes in the blink of an eye in zone or man coverage (primarily off-coverage zone experience).
Johnson’s opens as early as the Jacksonville Jaguars at 5th overall and closes at the Atlanta Falcons at 15th overall. Circle The Raiders at 6th in the NFL Draft as well.
Patrick Surtain II
These three have been considered the best players coming out of the draft for me at different times up until now; it will be interesting to see what my final board looks like.
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