2025 NFL Draft: How PFF's big board stacks up against the consensus board

• Malaki Starks and Walter Nolen are among PFF's top prospects: Although they rank 10 or more spots higher than the consensus, both have impressive upside.

• Omarr Norman-Lott is a PFF draft darling: The Tennessee interior defender is 36 spots higher on PFF's board and earned an elite PFF pass-rush grade against true pass sets this past season.

• 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.

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The 2025 NFL Draft is just a few days away, and we're ranking PFF’s final big board against The Athletic's consensus board while examining how our top 100 differs from those around the industry. 

2025 NFL Draft Prospect	PFF Big Board Rank	Consensus Big Board Rank
CB/WR Travis Hunter	1	2
EDGE Abdul Carter	2	1
RB Ashton Jeanty	3	3
WR Tetairoa McMillan	4	9
DI Mason Graham	5	4
T Will Campbell	6	10
DI Walter Nolen	7	18
S Malaki Starks	8	28
T Armand Membou	9	6
EDGE Mike Green	10	14
S Jahdae Barron	11	13
TE Tyler Warren	12	5
LB Jihaad Campbell	13	16
CB Will Johnson	14	8
WR Luther Burden III	15	25
TE Colston Loveland	16	11
EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku	17	22
T Josh Simmons	18	26
WR Emeka Egbuka	19	24
QB Cameron Ward	20	12
DI Kenneth Grant	21	29
T Kelvin Banks Jr.	22	17
EDGE James Pearce Jr.	23	21
WR Matthew Golden	24	20
LB Jalon Walker	25	7

One of the biggest differences in PFF's big board and the consensus is Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker‘s ranking. As the No. 7 consensus player, he has an 18-spot gap compared to my board. Walker is a very good football player, one who earned an 83.6 PFF pass-rushing grade in 2024, but I worry about his fit in the NFL — he doesn’t have the coverage feel for off-ball work yet and lacks the length to be a full-time edge defender.

I am also significantly higher on defensive tackle Walter Nolen and safety Malaki Starks, two players in my top 10 but not in the top 15 on the consensus board. I see too many flashes of Jalen Carter in Nolen to not bet on his upside. His upper body is strong, and his pass-rushing potential is immense (although he’s not what Carter was in that category). As for Starks, I believe he sees the game so well, especially in space. He lacks the twitch to be a top-tier slot defender, but I trust him to be a starter and potentially an All-Pro on the backend.

2025 NFL Draft Prospect	PFF Big Board Rank	Consensus Big Board Rank
RB Omarion Hampton	26	27
OL Grey Zabel	27	34
CB Trey Amos	28	36
EDGE Nic Scourton	29	40
T Josh Conerly Jr.	30	33
EDGE Shemar Stewart	31	19
CB Benjamin Morrison	32	47
S Kevin Winston Jr.	33	66
DI Omarr Norman-Lott	34	70
WR Elic Ayomanor	35	79
S Xavier Watts	36	50
WR Jayden Higgins	37	44
EDGE Mykel Williams	38	15
EDGE Landon Jackson	39	41
WR Jack Bech	40	55
DI Tyleik Williams	41	48
DI Derrick Harmon	42	30
CB Maxwell Hairston	43	35
CB Shavon Revel	44	49
QB Shedeur Sanders	45	32
T Donovan Jackson	46	38
EDGE Bradyn Swinson	47	75
G Tyler Booker	48	31
DI Darius Alexander	49	53
EDGE Princely Umanmielen	50	65

In this next batch of 25 players, among those I am higher on are edge defender Nic Scourton (11 spots), cornerback Benjamin Morrison (15 spots), safety Kevin Winston Jr. (33 spots), wide receiver Elic Ayomanor (44 spots) and interior defender Omarr Norman-Lott (36 spots).

I was too big a fan of Scourton's pass-rush tape at Purdue in 2023 (21.3% pass-rush win rate) not to think he's still capable of that type of production. I just don’t feel like Texas A&M put him in a position to have the same sort of production.

Morrison had NFL-caliber tape as a press-man coverage defender in his 2023 sophomore campaign before getting hurt this past season. If he’s healthy, he’s an NFL starter. Winston's athleticism and tackling reliability give him true free/strong safety versatility, and I believe the consensus would be closer to where I have him ranked if not for his knee injury in 2024.

Ayomanor’s lack of draft hype is a result of Stanford‘s very poor passing offense, plus his need to be a bit stronger at the catch point. Of the things he can control, I believe he’ll be better in that area in the NFL. He is also one of the best blocking wide receivers in the class.

Norman-Lott is my big bet for the 2025 NFL Draft. He didn’t even log 100 run-defense reps this past season, but he earned an elite PFF pass-rush grade against true pass sets and recorded an 18.7% pass-rush win rate. Give me that guy as a designated pass rusher who can be a difference-maker in the area of the game that often means the most for winning and losing. 

2025 NFL Draft Prospect	PFF Big Board Rank	Consensus Big Board Rank
RB Cam Skattebo	51	81
LB Demetrius Knight Jr.	52	74
LB Carson Schwesinger	53	43
DI T.J. Sanders	54	54
RB Dylan Sampson	55	60
EDGE JT Tuimoloau	56	56
RB Kaleb Johnson	57	51
RB TreVeyon Henderson	58	37
TE Elijah Arroyo	59	45
WR Jalen Royals	60	61
EDGE Jared Ivey	61	92
S Andrew Mukuba	62	91
WR Kyle Williams	63	90
CB Darien Porter	64	80
RB Quinshon Judkins	65	46
WR Tre Harris	66	58
S Nick Emmanwori	67	23
G Tate Ratledge	68	77
T Aireontae Ersery	69	57
CB Azareye'h Thomas	70	42
RB RJ Harvey	71	98
DI CJ West	72	N/A
TE Mason Taylor	73	39
DI Alfred Collins	74	63
EDGE Oluwafemi Oladejo	75	68

Running back Cam Skattebo is ranked 31 spots higher on PFF's big board versus the consensus. I understand the speed concerns, but he is explosive and fast enough to be a good NFL back after posting a ton of great production and efficiency scores this past season. The only running back in this class with a higher PFF Wins Above Average mark than Skattebo in 2024 was Ashton Jeanty.

Safety Andrew Mukuba and wide receiver Kyle Williams are 29 and 27 spots higher on my board than the consensus, respectively. Size could be seen as an issue for both, but their tape showcases playmaking ability and they have edges in explosiveness and speed. Mukuba recorded an 89.7 PFF coverage grade this season as a safety/slot hybrid, while Williams placed in the 83rd percentile in separation versus single coverage.

While Indiana‘s CJ West plays nose tackle — generally considered a nonvaluable position — he holds the point of attack so well while providing pass-rush flashes every now and then that I would take him in the third round.

I am far lower on safety Nick Emmanwori, who is No. 67 on my board and No. 23 on the consensus board. I understand the appeal of his unique size and athleticism, but he isn’t always as physical as you want him to be at the second level and near the line of scrimmage, and his recovery athleticism is shown off because he can be a step behind in anticipation in deep coverage. I think he can be a good NFL player; his path may just be rockier than most believe.

2025 NFL Draft Prospect	PFF Big Board Rank	Consensus Big Board Rank
EDGE Josaiah Stewart	76	72
WR Xavier Restrepo	77	N/A
EDGE Shemar Turner	78	69
WR Jaylin Noel	79	59
RB Damien Martinez	80	N/A
EDGE Kyle Kennard	81	N/A
T Ozzy Trapilo	82	73
LB Chris Paul Jr.	83	N/A
T Marcus Mbow	84	64
TE Terrance Ferguson	85	87
T Jonah Savaiinaea	86	71
EDGE Elijah Roberts	87	N/A
C Jared Wilson	88	82
S Lathan Ransom	89	N/A
DI Vernon Broughton	90	N/A
G Wyatt Milum	91	89
EDGE Jack Sawyer	92	67
T Cameron Williams	93	93
DI Jordan Phillips	94	N/A
T Charles Grant	95	88
RB DJ Giddens	96	N/A
EDGE Ashton Gillotte	97	N/A
T Anthony Belton	98	95
EDGE Jordan Burch	99	62
QB Jalen Milroe	100	86

There are a handful of players in the backend of my top 100 who are not on the consensus board. Wide receiver Xavier Restrepo’s pro day numbers are certainly worrisome, as they do not signal an NFL-caliber player. But he didn't win with speed on tape, so that showing doesn’t rock my assessment of him too much. I think he can be a nice slot receiver in the middle rounds, evidenced by his 83rd-percentile separation rate versus single coverage and his 99th-percentile separation rate versus all coverages.

Chris Paul Jr. is smaller than most NFL linebackers, but his instincts from this past season were top-notch. Elijah Roberts didn’t do much during his time at Miami, but in his two seasons at SMU — as primarily a stand-up edge rusher — he racked up pressures and earned elite overall PFF grades while posting 21.3% and 22.1% pass-rush win rates. I think he can be a very solid defensive end for a 3-4 team.

As for guys I am lower on, Jordan Burch didn't seem to refine his play in his fifth year of college ball, and I just don’t know if Jack Sawyer is athletic enough to be more than a rotational edge defender.