Jalen Milroe, Ashton Jeanty and other intriguing 2025 NFL Draft early entrants
These decisions are not getting any easier.
The transfer portal and the ability to earn NIL money anywhere, immediately, has only complicated the early-entry decision for underclassmen in college football. Things will get a little tighter starting next season as schools will have to cap rosters at 105 players, but that also means there will be 105 available scholarships per team (instead of 85; RIP to the walk-on).
Everything is dependent on the individual situation, though, and no two players are the same. Here are 15 of the most intriguing early-entry prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft:
I was hopeful Milroe would pull a Cam Ward and spend another year in college. His physical profile at quarterback is tantalizing, though. Lamar Jackson is the NFL’s fastest quarterback, but Milroe at least will give him a run for his money in terms of pure speed.
That said, Milroe is not a refined passer. Social media was all over QB Drew Allar during Penn State’s College Football Playoff semifinal loss, but Milroe had a worse season (and final game). He struggled with ball placement his entire college career, and his pocket awareness, footwork, processing and general mechanics all need refinement. The situation in which he lands will be critical. If Milroe finds the right system, with the right offense that gives him time to grow, he could be an outstanding investment.
At 6-foot-3, 245 pounds of twitched-up muscle, Campbell checks all the physical boxes for the modern front-seven hybrid — the Micah Parsons spot — teams covet. A wide receiver who moonlighted at defensive end in high school, Campbell left IMG Academy weighing around 215 pounds and has transformed his body in short order.
Mostly a stack linebacker in 2023, Campbell moved all over the Alabama defense as a junior. He still anchored in the stack but also saw more than 100 snaps as an edge (11 1/2 tackles for loss, five sacks) and even worked the slot. He’s nowhere near his best football yet, but his ceiling is phenomenal. He’ll have first-round buzz, despite the lack of long-term production.
Emmanwori (6-3, 229) is an elite athlete — if you put him in a weight room for six months, he could be an NFL linebacker. His speed, though, will give him a shot as a do-it-all safety who flashes terrific ball skills and high-end speed.
Emmanwori could be wild at times for South Carolina, but he was also a walking big play. Over the 2023-24 seasons, he picked off six passes (two of which he returned for touchdowns), forced seven incompletions and broke up eight passes. The positional question will scare some teams, but don’t be shocked if others have first-round grades on him.
In a former life, Fannin was one of the most productive high school defensive backs in Ohio (he also returned kicks and played baseball). Fannin eventually landed with Bowling Green and coach Scot Loeffler, who promptly moved him to tight end. After a breakout, 600-yard campaign last year, Fannin (6-4, 230) exploded for 117 catches, 1,555 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior. He also rushed for 65 yards and a score.
A flexible, explosive, balanced athlete with the ability to win in the air (13 contested catches in 2024) and after the catch (873 YAC), Fannin is also a willing blocker who can be very effective out in space. He reminds me of Isaiah Likely, potentially with more explosiveness.
If you find a football player who’s wrestled, point him to the defensive coordinator. If you find a football player who’s wrestled and can run? Point him toward the NFL combine. Green qualifies as the latter — he entered college as an elite prep wrestler/215-pound linebacker, then spent one year at Virginia before transferring to Marshall.
Now 6-4 and nearly 250 pounds, Green led the FBS in sacks with 17. Per PFF, he finished No. 2 in pressures (65) with a sparkling 21.3 percent win rate. His tape library is only about a year-and-a-half deep, but it’s awesome.
The best part about Jeanty’s historic chase of Barry Sanders’ rushing record this season is it actually overshadowed everything else he can offer a team. Jeanty was one of the most productive high school receivers in Texas and doubled as a running back, eclipsing 1,800 rushing and 800 receiving yards in one year at Lone Star High School in Frisco.
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