- Quinn Ewers was the most disappointing quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft: The Texas signal-caller went from a projected first-round pick to a late Day 2 selection this past season after struggling due to his pocket presence and decision-making.
- Ollie Gordon II is no longer close to being the top running back: Last year’s Doak Walker Award winner took a nosedive in 2024 due to not producing as much after contact.
- 2025 NFL Draft season is here: Try PFF's best-in-class Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2025's top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL team.
Estimated reading time: 11 minutes
The NFL is a league that’s all about, “What have you done for me lately?”
That mantra extends to the NFL draft as well, as prospects like Cameron Ward and Abdul Carter see their stocks soar because of fantastic final seasons.
However, what about the other way around? Here are five players who were seen as top prospects last offseason but have seen their respective stocks take a hit because they underperformed this past season.
QB Quinn Ewers, Texas
Ewers wasn’t nearly as efficient in Steve Sarkisian’s offense as he was during his redshirt sophomore campaign. In 2023, the Texas native was 12th among FBS quarterbacks with an 85.6 passing grade. He fell to 70th this past season with a 71.8 mark.
Ewers displayed major issues with his pocket presence and decision-making that’ll likely drop him to at least the third round of the draft when many thought he could’ve been one of the top signal-callers selected.
WR Isaiah Bond, Texas
One player who may have suffered from Ewers’ decline was Bond. Many pegged the Alabama transfer as a potential first-round selection thanks to his blazing speed. In 2023, he tallied 302 receiving yards and four touchdown catches on deep throws alone.
Bond would post just five receiving touchdowns total in all of 2024 as fellow transfer Matthew Golden became the projected first-round pick in the Longhorns’ receiving room. Following the disappointing season, Bond is now projected to go in the third round like his quarterback.
DI Deone Walker, Kentucky
Walker was a top-10 selection in our way-too-early 2025 mock draft thanks to his preposterous size (6-foot-7, 331 pounds) and ability to get after the quarterback. In 2023, he led all FBS defensive tackles with 51 pressures.
He placed just 57th among all interior defenders this past season with 22 pressures while his run-defense grade fell 14 points to a 67.7 mark. Now, he’s a projected third-round pick.
RB Ollie Gordon II, Oklahoma State
Before Ashton Jeanty ran wild on college football in 2024, Gordon was atop many running back rankings for the draft. As a true sophomore in 2023, Gordon won the Doak Walker Award after leading the nation with 1,702 rushing yards despite running for a team that was 102nd in run-blocking grade.
The Cowboys improved to 67th in that aspect this past season, but Gordon’s production fell off a cliff. He ran for only 854 yards, about half what he posted the year before. In fact, Gordon had more yards after contact in 2023 (1,056) than he had in total rushing yards in 2024. In a loaded running back class, he seems to be falling behind and is now a projected Day 3 pick.
DI Howard Cross III, Notre Dame
Despite being a smaller player at 6-foot-1 and 285 pounds, Cross was one of the most productive defensive tackles in the country during the 2023 season. That year, his 90.1 grade trailed only T’Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy II among FBS interior defenders.
His 71.0 PFF grade this past season stood just 111th among all defensive tackles in the nation. Cross’ dip in play combined with his smaller stature and age (sixth-year senior) has him as a projected sixth-round pick right now.
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