With April already in full swing, the NFL Draft is just a few scant weeks away. NFL executives are frantically attempting to adjust Big Boards with rankings at each position of need. Several high-profile athletes have completed their collegiate Pro Days, resulting in slight shifts in expectations and consensus opinions among top analysts.
Which fantasy-relevant players have experienced changes in their draft stock? Here are a few players whose value has shifted over the last few weeks.
- 2025 NFL Draft Guide
- 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Reports
- 2025 NFL Mock Drafts
- Dynasty Mock Draft Simulator
NFL Draft Risers & Fallers
NFL Draft Risers
Jaxson Dart has continued to steadily rise up several top pundits’ boards and is now viewed in a similar territory as Shedeur Sanders for the second-best quarterback in the 2025 class. An excellent athlete who was very productive under Lane Kiffin’s system, Dart’s calling cards are his exceptional anticipation, above-average athleticism and ability to improvise under pressure with off-platform throws.
Dart’s decision-making and ability to progress through reads are still works in progress, and his arm strength at the NFL level would be considered league-average rather than elite. Still, Dart offers an enticing amount of upside with his scrambling ability and toughness, and he has a solid frame at 6-foot-2 and 223 pounds. Dart is expected to be considered as a late first-round pick, around the territory where Pittsburgh (21st overall) or the Los Angeles Rams (26th overall pick) make their selections.
TreVeyon Henderson (RB – Ohio State)
Matt Bowen from ESPN summed up TreVeyon Henderson nicely when he stated he is “a slasher in the running game with big-play ability once he gets through the second level.” An electric playmaker who averaged over 7.0 yards per carry (YPC) in 2024 behind a stout Buckeyes front, Henderson’s burst and ability to run through tackles make him a must-watch option every week.
A dynamic option as a receiver out of the backfield, Henderson is also known for his prowess as a pass protector, a trait which should keep him on the field as a rookie. Henderson’s lone knock against him is his durability, which will need to improve if he wants to make a true impact as a three-down option in the league.
A strong showing at Ohio State’s pro day on March 26th propelled him up draft board rankings. I currently have him slotted third at the position behind Omarion Hampton from North Carolina and Ashton Jeanty from Boise State. Henderson is likely to be selected early on Day 2.
Emeka Egbuka (WR – Ohio State)
Emeka Egbuka has long been viewed as a top-five receiving option within this class, but recently I’ve seen him overtake Tetairoa McMillan from Arizona as the top dog on many prominent boards, most notably Daniel Jeremiah’s top-50 rankings (the 4.0 version that was released on April 2nd).
It is hard to argue with that viewpoint, given Egbuka is simply good at every route and has the raw ability to make defenders look foolish if he plays outside or in the slot. Egbuka is fearless over the middle of the field, making contested catches, and constantly adjusts his routes to place himself into the best position to use his hands and create an easier lane for the quarterback.
Egbuka doesn’t possess blazing top-end speed (he ran a 4.45 40-yard dash), but his acumen as a technically gifted route-runner more than makes up for any deficiencies. Egbuka has drawn plenty of comparisons to former Buckeye Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and I think that is a spot-on assessment. Egbuka’s maturity and leadership will make him an instant fan favorite, no matter where he lands.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, Mason Taylor quickly caught my eye with his incredibly soft hands and massive frame (6-foot-5, 251 pounds). His strength in pushing around the sled was notable, and he appeared very polished when running routes or being peppered with passes in the gauntlet drill.
The son of Hall of Fame defensive end Jason Taylor, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree in terms of athleticism and motor. In college, Taylor primarily lined up in-line rather than as an outside threat, but I can envision numerous scenarios where offensive coordinators would put him out wide as a mismatch who can simply out-muscle smaller defenders, akin to what Jimmy Graham used to do with the New Orleans Saints.
Taylor has steadily risen in my rankings at tight end. I have him behind only Tyler Warren from Penn State and Colston Loveland from Michigan.
NFL Draft Fallers
A five-year starter with his first four seasons coming at Kansas State, Will Howard eventually transferred to Ohio State for his senior season, where he was able to thrive amongst the nation’s top talent. Howard has the prototypical size scouts look for in a pocket passer (6-foot-4, 236 pounds), but also possesses plus-scrambling ability with the ball in his hands as a runner.
Like many others who have watched his film, I project Howard as more of a backup option rather than a starter, and feel his overall body of work was inconsistent at best. Howard did rise to the occasion in several big moments during 2024, but it is difficult to ignore the struggles he had during losses to Oregon and the upset at home against Michigan.
To complicate matters further, Howard struggled at the combine on several throws and appeared uncomfortable working with receivers he wasn’t familiar with. I expect to see Howard selected as a Day 3 pick at this point, similar to Dillon Gabriel from Oregon and Kurtis Rourke from Indiana.
Kaleb Johnson carried the Iowa Hawkeyes’ offense on his back during his junior season, rushing for over 1,500 yards on 240 carries while scoring a ridiculous 21 rushing touchdowns (primarily on outside zone runs). Johnson’s average of 144 total yards per game in 2024 was notable, but after watching a lot of his film, I’m left wondering if his counting statistics are largely due to volume and anticipation rather than elite physical traits.
Johnson ran a disappointing 4.57 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, including a slow 1.62 10-yard split. His slow acceleration is somewhat offset by excellent vision, but his lack of moves in open space and tendency to run through defenders rather than around them invites a lot of unnecessary contact.
The 2025 running back class is exceptionally deep (more so than any in recent memory), which could cause his stock to slip later on in Day 2 before finding a home. Hopefully, Johnson will land with an NFL team that will allow him to excel at short-yardage and goal-line situations, rather than being mired in a committee situation.
Luther Burden III (Wr – Missouri)
Luther Burden III is a polarizing figure at wide receiver, with analysts unable to come to a consensus on his upside and ceiling. His final numbers during his sophomore season in 2023 were elite. Burden finished with an outstanding 86/1,212/9 split, so expectations were understandably high for this past season. Unfortunately, he failed to come anywhere close to replicating his success. He regressed to a 61/676/6 line that made many wonder what happened.
A former five-star recruit with fantastic 4.41 speed, Burden plays larger than his 5-foot-11, 208-pound frame would suggest. He isn’t afraid to initiate contact in open space to generate extra yardage. Burden struggles in press coverage and overly relies on his athleticism to generate space rather than through technique. At times, his run blocking is overly lackadaisical, and he has had issues making corrections to his routes in zone coverage. Burden is a raw talent with plenty of upside, but holes in his game have caused him to fall behind more sure-fire, polished options around him.
Like many players at tight end, Gunnar Helm came from a basketball background that aided in his development. He was able to use his skills to win contested catches and box out defenders when high-pointing passes were thrown his way. During his junior season at Texas, Helm made significant strides as a receiving threat, catching 60 passes for 786 yards and seven touchdowns, serving as a tertiary option for Quinn Ewers.
For a player with a large frame (6-foot-, 250 pounds), Helm is shifty, and he manages to pick apart zone coverages by finding soft spots to settle down for easy completions. Although he possesses several positive attributes, his overall skill set isn’t without some significant flaws. Helm lacks decent downfield speed (he ran just a 4.84 40-yard dash), and his numbers during the shuttle drills and vertical jump were below average.
Helm’s blocking ability needs refinement, and his play strength needs to improve, as he can be overwhelmed by defensive ends in the running game. His upside is worth a gamble in Day 3. Teams that heavily run 12 personnel packages could view him as an immediate contributor if he can overcome some deficiencies.
Subscribe: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeart | Castbox | Amazon Music | Podcast Addict | TuneIn