We’re less than a week away from the 2025 NFL Draft, and as we inch closer to the big day, some players are still creeping up draft boards, and as a result, some may be falling a bit.
Below, I’ll examine the players I believe are heading in these directions, focusing on two risers and two fallers.
Let’s dive in.
NFL Draft Risers & Fallers
NFL Draft Risers
Perhaps this is just me, but I’m starting to consider Kyle McCord as a potential top-three quarterback in this class. I think NFL teams will like him a lot, too.
McCord has played a lot of football, winning state titles in high school, sitting behind players like C.J. Stroud, going nearly undefeated in his lone starting season at Ohio State and then putting up monster numbers with Fran Brown and the Syracuse Orange.
Here’s the thing with McCord: He can sometimes play like Jameis Winston, but has the arm of Brock Purdy.
If McCord can settle down and learn to take the check-down option a bit more often, rather than trying to make some circus play, he’ll be extremely valuable in the league.
I think he processes the field and goes through his progressions well.
This quarterback class is a bit of a mixed bag.
Do you want the more league-ready players? Such as McCord, Dillon Gabriel or Tyler Shough? Or would you prefer more developmental players with some traits, like Jaxson Dart or Jalen Milroe?
That’s a question evaluators will need to answer.
I wouldn’t be shocked to see McCord go in the second round.
I don’t understand the rise, but it’s happening, folks.
Jalen Milroe received a 2025 NFL Draft invite, and while we’ve seen players like Will Levis wait to be selected, that may not be the case here.
I get the hype surrounding Milroe: He’s a physical specimen who runs like very few others in the NFL today.
However, as a passer on the short and intermediate routes, there’s a lot to be desired.
Could I see the Rams taking him at No. 26 overall to sit behind Matthew Stafford for a year or two? Yes.
Could I see the Cleveland Browns trading up a couple of spots to take him, thereby securing his fifth-year option, rather than selecting him at No. 33 (the first pick in the second round)? Yes.
I think he has a long way to go before he’s a full-time starter, but in a class like this, where I think the overall talent pool isn’t as massive as some recent years, it could very well happen.
NFL Draft Fallers
Luther Burden III (WR – Missouri)
Luther Burden III is extremely talented, but this buzz surrounding how he prepared leading up to Saturdays is seemingly having an impact. There are a lot of talented receivers in this draft, and Burden is one of them.
This past year at Missouri, Burden wasn’t as effective as he was in 2023. Of course, some of that can be attributed to the quarterback play.
Not only that, but he played in the slot a bunch in 2024.
The Missouri receiver could play inside and outside with his 4.41 40-yard dash. I could also see him falling if teams are hesitant to take that risk and instead draft him to start in the slot, with the potential to eventually work outside.
Part of what could cause him to fall a bit is teams drafting offensive and defensive linemen early. As for the receivers, there’s Tetairoa McMillan, Emeka Egbuka and Matthew Golden.
Burden also has two elite tight ends (Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland) and potentially two or more running backs (Ashton Jeanty and Omarion Hampton, at least) who could go ahead of him, which could impact his draft stock.
The Patriots at pick No. 38 would be a fun landing spot.
James Pearce Jr. (EDGE – Tennessee)
I like James Peace Jr. a lot, but I can see why teams may be a bit hesitant.
Pearce is incredibly explosive with his 4.47 40-yard dash (97th percentile) and 1.56 10-yard split (93rd percentile), but at just 245 pounds (seventh percentile), teams could worry about his overall mass transitioning to the pros.
From there, the narrative could be: “If he bulks up more, will he lose that speed?”
Additionally, there are some concerns in the run game, but he could also be utilized as a designated pass-rusher.
I’m not sure he falls out of the first round, but he could go in the back-end.
Please, NFL teams, don’t let the Philadelphia Eagles get him at No. 32. Howie Roseman can’t keep getting away with it.
Also, it’s safe to say my futures bet from July 2024 for him to go No. 1 overall isn’t going to come to fruition, sadly.
Pearce is awesome, but he could conceivably slip in the draft.
Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.
