Each week, Yardbarker is monitoring the 2025 NFL Draft, scheduled for April 24-26 in Green Bay.
From Colorado’s two-way star to Kansas’ explosive running back, here are five players we are tracking:
Will Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter still be a two-way star in the NFL?
Hunter — Tankathon’s No. 1 prospect — recently announced he will enter the 2025 NFL Draft and wants to keep playing both ways in the NFL.
“Hunter has terrific endurance, and I think he could play both ways in some capacity,” wrote ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. Monday. “He will likely have a primary position in the NFL but get sprinkled on the other side of the ball for specific packages in certain looks, especially at the end of games.”
Hunter (6-foot-1, 185 pounds) has excelled at both positions. In 11 games, he has career highs in touchdown catches (11) and passes defended (nine).
Still, the team that drafts him probably won’t play him extensively at wide receiver and cornerback. Per Pro Football Focus, he has played on 1,301 offensive and defensive snaps this season. That snap count may exhaust him throughout a 17-game NFL regular season.
Would Miami QB Cam Ward be a perfect fit for this NFC East team?
The Giants seem to be interested in the Hurricanes QB, who leads the FBS in TD passes (34 in 11 games). According to Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz, the Giants and several other teams watched Miami’s Week 13 home game vs. Wake Forest, and Ward was a “key focus.”
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler thinks the Giants should take Ward (6-foot-2, 223 pounds) if they’re targeting a QB.
“With his arm talent and elusiveness in the pocket, Ward is an exciting player who can keep plays alive and sling the ball to every inch of the field,” wrote Brugler in a Wednesday roundtable.
The Giants must find a franchise QB after recently releasing Daniel Jones. Scouting Ward early in the draft process to determine if he’s the guy is smart and not unexpected.
Where does WR Emeka Egbuka rank among former Ohio State stars?
Ohio State has produced multiple star wideouts in recent years, including Garrett Wilson of the New York Jets and Jaxon Smith-Njigba of the Seattle Seahawks. The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner suggested Egbuka could be better than both in his Tuesday column.
“He’s not the most athletic receiver the Buckeyes have ever had. There have been flashier players who’ve made bigger splashes, to be sure,” wrote Baumgardner. “But when the smoke clears, there’ll be no receiver in the storied history of Ohio State’s program who has been a more complete football player than Egbuka.”
In four seasons with the Buckeyes, he’s second in program history in receptions (180), fifth in receiving yards (2,549) and is tied for eighth in TD catches (23).
Egbuka (6-foot-1, 205 pounds) could continue to show why he’s one of the class’ top WRs in Saturday’s home game vs. Michigan. The Buckeyes — No. 2 in the College Football Playoff rankings — aim to snap a three-game losing streak to their rival.
Kansas RB Devin Neal is a late riser
Neal (5-foot-11, 215 pounds) finished with 287 yards (207 rushing and 80 receiving) and four TDs (three rushing and one receiving) in a 37-21 Week 13 upset over Colorado.
“What stands out most about Neal is how skilled he is in setting up missed tackles,” wrote Brugler Tuesday. “He probably won’t be one of the top testers in the pre-draft process, but his ability to read pursuit angles, make a cut and leave defenders off balance is what makes him productive.”
Neal’s productivity may alleviate potential concerns about his athleticism. Through 11 games, he ranks 17th in the FBS (1,133) in rushing yards and is tied for 10th in rushing TDs (15).
Texas LT Kelvin Banks Jr. could showcase skills in rivalry game
On Tuesday, Banks was named an Outland Trophy finalist, awarded to the best interior O- or D-lineman in college football. The nomination strengthens his case as one of the top prospects in the class.
On his updated big board, PFF’s Trevor Sikkema rated Banks (6-foot-4, 320 pounds) as his No. 2 OT behind LSU’s Will Campbell. According to PFF, the Longhorns standout has allowed just one sack in 11 games.
Banks will play a pivotal role in No. 3 Texas’ road game against No. 20 Texas A&M on Saturday.
The Aggies defense features a potential first-rounder in edge-rusher Nic Scourton, who has 14 tackles for loss and five sacks in 11 games. While the matchup could be challenging for Banks, it should give him another opportunity to boost his stock.
