We all know who some of the big name players in the 2025 NFL Draft will be. Guys like Travis Hunter, Cam Ward, and Shedeur Sanders highlight another great draft class. But sometimes guys from the Group of 5 that could surprise you.
The Grouo of 5 does not always have the biggest name guys or guys you have ever heard of. Their rosters may not have 100 five star recruits like Alabama or Ohio State, but sometimes there are true diamonds in the rough there.
Some of football's biggest names have come from the G5. Even though they do not get all the tv exposure during college, they come into the NFL and play at eltie levels. From Josh Allen (Wyoming) to Aaron Jones (UTEP), to DaVante Adams (Fresno State); or sometimes the guys in the trenches like Dion Dawkins (Temple) or Trey Hendrickson (Florida Atlantic) who have turned into all-pro caliber players.
Around 5years ago I started covering college football specifically the Group of 5. A couple of guys from college Randy Hall and Christian Willams introduced me to this fun world of scouting players and treating the NFL Draft as Christmas. I thought let's get back to my roots and come up with Group of 5 rankings ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft. So this one is dedicated to The Devy Royale, Christian, and Randy!
Ashton Jeanty RB Boise State
This should be no question. Jeanty had a legendary season for Boise State and single handily led Boise State to the College Football Playoff. Jeanty's legendary regular season ended with him as the runner up to the Heisman Trophy. Not only is he the best player from the G5, but he is undoubtly RB1 in this class and has the potential to be a top 10 pick. His yards after contact is incredible. He averaged over 10 yards after contact. To think he averaged a first down AFTER contact is insane. He posses some much speed and strength that will make him a day 1 starter in the NFL.
Mike Green DE Marshall
If you know me you know how much I am a fan of Green. Does it have to do with me being a Marshall alum? Yes! But Green is a great talent as well. Green possess some of the best hand work for any EDGE in this class. He does such a great job of shredding the offensive line and has enough speed to get to the ball very quick. He led FBS in every category that involves sacks. He may not start day 1, but he has every skill and ability to be a pro bowler one day.
Jalen Royals WR Utah State
Here is my sleeper WR pick in this year's draft. Royals is going to be a sleeper WR pick for one NFL team this season. I am excited to see how he performs at the combine and his pro day. There is a good chance he has the fastest 40 time in this entire class. Royals is a great deep ball threat and has enough speed to beat any corner. He is not great with any other routes other than verticals, but that speed is elite.
Shavon Revel Jr. CB East Carolina
Revel Jr.'s collegiate career is one of those stories that you love to see. He started his career at Louisburg College before transferring to ECU in 2022. After spending 2022 on special teams, Revel Jr became a lockdown corner in 2023. His tape is very limited due to his limited playing time. In his limited tape you can see a CB with impressive build and a very fluid mover. His ability to switch his hips and great change of direction is why he is being discussed as high as he is. NFL teams will have to take that risk with lack of competitive snaps.
Harold Fannin Jr. TE Bowling Green
Fannin Jr. grew up in Canton Ohio. Could we be foreshadowing Fannin ending his career in Canton? Before I get ripped for that, I had to start this off with a catchy phrase somehow. Even though Fannin Jr is listed as a TE, I feel he can be used more as a slot receiver. His build and size for a TE is not great. He struggles in the blocking game for a TE. However, his pass catching skills are great. He has great hands, good separation, and decent speed. If he were to move away from TE, I think you have a solid WR2 or 3.
Andreas Keaton S Temple
If you have made it this far, this is probably where I am going to lose you. Keaton is getting zero attention this draft cycle. It could be that it is a shock that he declared or Temple was not very good. I covered Temple football all season and had the chance to watch Keaton all year. He is a raw product. He has great physicality and ball skills that he can take on any size reciever or TE. He needs to learn to shed off blocks better, but the upside is there. If you are going to take away anything from this article, keep an eye on Keaton.
Tory Horton WR Colorado State
Is Horton the best WR in this class from the state of Colorado? Absolutely not, but I am sure someone out there probably thinks so. Horton has great separation and ability to track a ball that is under thrown. He is not a great deep ball threat, but is good in the mid and short range passes. His hand skills are not the best and a lot of his catches are in the body. If he can improve his catching, he can be a solid day 3 pick up.
Tommy Mellott QB Montana State
Before I get ripped one, I know Montana State is not a G5 program and they are FCS. I needed a chance to talk about Mellott and the G5 gets as much attention as the FCS. Mellett is a great dual threat QB who will succeed tremendously in a RPO offense. He does not have an ideal QB build for the NFL with him being undersized, but his football IQ and ability to read defenses make him an intriguing prospect. Keep an eye on Mellott for a late day 3 pick.
Clay Webb OG Jacksonville State
The former Geogia Bulldog now Jacksonville State Gamecock quickly turned into one of the better interior lineman in this entire draft class. Webb succeed very well in the pass block game and over the last few seasons has improved in the run game. He is not an ideal size for an interior guard, but it feels like he plays bigger than what he is. With him being a former highly rated recruit, he has the potential to be a starter in the NFL with the right development.
Upton Stout S Western Kentucky
Stout is a very frustrating prospect to look at. When he can win a matchup he plays so smooth and looks like a potential day 2 draft pick. However, due to his very very small size, he can often look like an UDFA. I was hesitant to even put him in this list, but the areas he succeeds in are nice to watch. Even though he is undersized he is very aggressive and will not back down to any matchup. He is not going to grow, but he is going to need to bulk up in the NFL.
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