College coaches evaluate the NFL draft: Best fits, Sanders' slide and sleepers

The NFL draft kicked off just as college football's spring transfer portal window was set to close. Although college coaches were primarily focused on the final few pieces of their rosters for the 2025 season, they were also tracking the selections in Green Bay.

Few groups have a better perspective of the draft than college coaches, who directly worked with or coached against the players hearing their names called last weekend. The transfer portal itself is also a factor, as the increased movement of players exposes them to more coaches before they finish their college careers.

I spoke with coaches and coordinators in every Power 4 league, both ahead of and after the draft, to gather opinions on standouts, snubs, team performances and much more.

Here's an evaluation of the 2025 NFL draft through the eyes of college coaches. (Note: Coaches are listed according to their roles during the 2024 season.)

Jump to a section: Shedeur's slide | First round observations Notable trends | Team breakdowns

The biggest story during the first two days of the draft was a player not selected: Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Once projected as a top-five pick, Sanders fell all the way to No. 144, going in the fifth round to the Cleveland Browns.

Coaches tracked the Sanders saga throughout the weekend. A defensive coordinator who faced Sanders wasn't surprised by the initial hesitancy, saying, "I thought he'd fall but not like this."

"I was shocked," a Big 12 coach said. "You never know what the interview process, how that went. I thought besides Cam [Ward], he was the second [best] guy."

Others noted that if teams weren't drafting Sanders as a clear-cut starter based on ability that couldn't be bypassed, they had to assess how he would fit into a quarterback room that likely had an established starter.

"[The NFL teams] probably figure, once it gets to this point, is it even worth dealing with anymore, but there's no way around that," a Big 12 coach said. "... If you're not drafting the guy to be your starter, it really doesn't matter where you pick the guy."

A Group of 5 coach added: "If you're Tampa and you've got Baker Mayfield, do you want the noise associated with [Sanders] being your backup quarterback? There's a lot of teams that don't need quarterbacks."

A coach who faced Colorado in 2024 said Sanders could end up being a strong NFL starter but understood the concerns about bringing him in as a likely backup initially.

"I see him competing hard on the grass, trying to win the job, making the team better," the coach said, "but making that room better?"

Some coaches questioned the concerns about Sanders' demeanor.

"People have taken a lot worse," an SEC defensive assistant said in terms of players with questions or off-field issue.

Sanders' talent level drew plenty of takes in the media, but coaches saw him as a capable pro quarterback who also had some question marks.

"He's got a bigger, stronger body, he does a great job of extending things, got the crap beat out of him with a subpar [offensive] line," a Big 12 coach said. "But how many times did he make a rhythm-and-timing throw in a window? It's either quick stuff out to the boundary or extended plays that he could get the ball deep. That would have been my question: Is he completely there enough to be a first-round pick? That doesn't mean there aren't reasons he shouldn't have gone second through fourth."

The top of the draft didn't contain many surprises as Miami quarterback Cam Ward, Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter and Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter were the top three selections. The Jacksonville Jaguars made a splash in trading up three spots for Hunter, who will attempt to play both wide receiver and cornerback at the pro level.

"Travis is like the rubberband man," said an assistant coach familiar with Hunter. "He understands football, knows routes off splits, ball skills are out of this world. His ball skills are the best I've ever seen. His endurance is what's really crazy."

A Big 12 coach added, "There'll be a fight to see who gets to use him," referring to the Jaguars' coaches.

Penn State's Carter played outside linebacker early in his college career before shifting to defensive end last fall. He had 12 sacks and 23.5 tackles for loss as a consensus All-America selection in 2024. He joins a New York Giants defense that operates primarily out of the 3-4 set.

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"He's a pretty special talent," said a Penn State source. "I don't know if he'll be a leader, but he's definitely going to do things the right way. His personality will fit right in there."

Cleveland made news later in the draft by picking Sanders -- and another quarterback, Oregon's Dillon Gabriel, two rounds before him -- but began its selections at No. 5 overall following the trade with Jacksonville. The Browns went with Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham, a two-time All-America selection and a mainstay in a defensive front that helped the Wolverines to a national title in 2023.

"He was the most disruptive player in our league last year," a Big Ten coach said. "He was really good."

Many expected Penn State's Tyler Warren to be the first tight end drafted, but the Chicago Bears bypassed the Mackey Award winner in favor of Michigan's Colston Loveland at No. 10. Loveland had 649 receiving yards for Michigan's national championship team in 2023, then led the squad last season with 56 receptions -- a record for Wolverines tight ends -- as one of few bright spots for a passing game that ranked 130th nationally.

"The quarterback play [in 2024] kind of killed him, he didn't have anybody to throw him the ball," a Big Ten defensive coordinator said. "But I think he's pretty special. He's more of a receiving tight end, where Tyler can kind of do it all. Two good ones, though. No doubt about it."

Another Big Ten coordinator said the Loveland-Warren question comes down to "personal preference."

"Warren's more of hard-nosed, tough, physical, along with being a good receiving threat," the coach said. "Loveland's a little bit more of a better receiver, a little less blocking. I don't know if it was the injury or what this year, but they didn't really use him a ton to block. So is it, he can't do it or he was banged up? Penn State's guy is a little bit more of a complete player."

Another mid-first round debate involved Georgia defenders Mykel Williams and Jalon Walker. A coach who faced Georgia last season thought Walker, who won the Butkus Award as the nation's top linebacker and led the Bulldogs in both sacks (6.5) and tackles for loss (10.5) last season, is the better overall player. But there's some position curiosity around Walker, an SEC assistant noted, and how he'll be used in the NFL.

Williams, meanwhile, is more of a pure edge rusher at 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds. He went 11th overall to the San Francisco 49ers, while the Atlanta Falcons selected Walker four spots later at No. 15.

"The 49ers are used to playing big guys up front," a Georgia source said. "That's what makes the Eagles defense so good, because they kept everything condensed in the box. The 49ers were doing the same thing before and now with [defensive coordinator Robert Saleh] back, they'll take the same approach with guys like Mykel."

Another edge rusher, Texas A&M's Shemar Stewart (No. 17 overall, Cincinnati Bengals), was also among the more intriguing first-round selections. He had only 1.5 sacks in 2024, fewer than the totals of two other drafted Aggies defensive linemen -- Nic Scourton (second round, Carolina Panthers) and Shemar Turner (second round, Chicago) and many others picked behind him.

But Stewart's physical traits -- he's 6-foot-5, 267 pounds and ran the third-fastest 40 among defensive ends at the combine (4.59 seconds) -- make him a true NFL draft-style projection pick.

"There's just not that many specimens at that size," an SEC offensive coordinator said.

A Texas A&M source noted that Stewart, who had 13 quarterback hurries the past two seasons, would do well in a locker room filled with veteran players who demanded accountability.

"He'll do whatever you tell him to do," the source said. "So he gets into a place where working and work ethic and preparation and how you play is important, then I think he'll do it."

After the draft, a Big Ten coach recalled talking with NFL scouts during the season about the 2025 running back class.

"That's something that would just permeate through all the conversations, that the running back class was super deep," the coach said.

A Big 12 coach added: "That's one of the strongest running back positions I've seen."

The predictions came true as 25 running backs were selected. Not surprisingly, Boise State's Ashton Jeanty, the Heisman Trophy runner-up, went first at No. 6 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders. Few running backs since Saquon Barkley (No. 2 overall in 2018) entered the draft with as much attention as Jeanty, who rushed for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns on 374 carries last season.

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"He's a really good player and he doesn't have a specific weakness where he has to come off the field or anything like that," a Mountain West coach said. "He can pass protect, he catches the ball pretty well. The only thing I would question is how many miles got put on him in college."

There were debates among coaches about the next-best back. Some liked North Carolina's Omarion Hampton, the only other running back selected in the first round (No. 22, Los Angeles Chargers), while others pointed to Ohio State's TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins.

Henderson, who shined during Ohio State's College Football Playoff run, received more buzz entering the draft but actually went two spots behind Judkins early in the second round. Judkins was picked at No. 36 by Cleveland, while Henderson went to the New England Patriots at No. 38.

"Henderson had a phenomenal final year, as a complete player," a Big Ten defensive coordinator said. "His blocking was next level, and he stayed healthy, because that's been the knock on him, his health issues. At the end of the year, you thought maybe [Henderson] might be a little bit better, but they're both elite."

An NFL running backs coach added: "Judkins, his Ole Miss film was better than his Ohio State film. Put on Ole Miss versus Alabama or Ole Miss versus LSU, it's different."

UCF's RJ Harvey (Denver Broncos) was the only other running back selected in the second round, and Iowa's Kaleb Johnson (Pittsburgh Steelers) became the sole third-round selection. Rounds 4-7 featured 19 backs being drafted. The list could have been even longer, as accomplished backs like South Carolina's Raheim Sanders went undrafted.

Arizona State's Cam Skattebo, who finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting, went early in the fourth round to the New York Giants. An NFL assistant who scouted Skattebo described him as a "hard charger" who lacks top-end speed but wills his way for yards.

"Can he stay healthy?" a Big 12 coach asked. "He's a battering ram and he's going to be hitting people who are a little different."

Coaches saw value in several of the running backs drafted toward the end of Day 3, including the Big 12 group of Kansas State's DJ Giddens (fifth round, Indianapolis Colts), Kansas' Devin Neal (sixth round, New Orleans Saints) and Tahj Brooks (sixth round, Cincinnati), as well as Rutgers' Kyle Monangai (seventh round, Chicago).

The lack of elite quarterback prospects led to some interesting draft decisions, even beyond Shedeur Sanders' slide. Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart was the only other QB picked in the first round (No. 25 overall, New York Giants), which didn't surprise coaches who had faced him. Louisville's Tyler Shough, a 25-year-old who once backed up Justin Herbert at Oregon and also spent time at Texas Tech, became the only other quarterback drafted in the first 90 picks. A coach who faced Shough last season noted that his size, experience and ability to throw from different arm angles undoubtedly helped his profile.

Alabama's Jalen Milroe was invited to the draft but didn't hear his name called until midway through the third round, when the Seattle Seahawks selected him at No. 92. Two spots later, Cleveland surprised many by picking Oregon's Dillon Gabriel, a prolific college quarterback but not projected as one of the top draftable QBs.

"I don't see the evaluation of Gabriel over [Will] Howard," a Power 4 defensive coordinator said, referring to Ohio State quarterback Will Howard, who wasn't picked until the sixth round by the Steelers. "I'm not saying either one of them is more talented than Sanders, but Will Howard's a better pro prospect than Gabriel with the size, arm strength, the passing tree that he had to throw at Ohio State."

Another trend college coaches noticed was the overall depth on the defensive side. The draft featured 30 defensive tackles, 29 cornerbacks, 27 edge rushers, 22 linebackers and 19 safeties. South Carolina's Kyle Kennard, the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and the Bronko Nagurski Award winner as the nation's top defender, didn't go until midway through the fourth round, when the Chargers selected him.

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"Just knowing some guys who didn't get drafted or getting drafted really low tells me that there were a lot of good players," a Power 4 defensive coordinator said. "That was kind of something that stood out to me. It especially felt like linebacker, there were a lot of pretty good guys this year."

Ohio State (14) and Georgia (13) produced the most draft picks, followed by Texas with 12, its most in the seven-round draft era. Although the Longhorns have sent batches of players to the NFL through the decades, their 2025 output is notable because of where they were around the time coach Steve Sarkisian arrived. Texas had only five total draft picks in 2019 and 2020, and none in the first two rounds. In 2022, Texas had zero players drafted for only the second time in its history.

But the Sark effect has shown up in the past three drafts with 28 selections, including five first-round picks and 12 in the top 75. This year's output included six defensive or offensive linemen, areas that have grown substantially under Sarkisian.

"Texas had a huge number, set the record," an SEC coach said. "Three years ago, they didn't have anyone. Now he sets the record. That's pretty impressive by Sark."

Added an SEC offensive coordinator: "Especially on defense, they're ridiculous."

Several college teams stood out during draft weekend, and coaches weighed in on how things unfolded and who went where.

Ohio State Buckeyes: The reigning national champions led all teams with 14 players drafted, which tied Ohio State and Big Ten records for most in a year (2004). Ohio State had three first-round picks in wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (No. 19, Tampa Bay Buccaneers), defensive tackle Tyleik Williams (No. 28, Detroit Lions) and offensive tackle Josh Simmons (No. 32, Kansas City Chiefs). Coach Ryan Day told me several other players had first-round ability, like running backs Judkins and Henderson and defensive end JT Tuimoloau, who went No. 45 overall to Indianapolis.

Although Tuimoloau and fellow end Jack Sawyer (fourth round, Pittsburgh) received more attention as college players, Williams going first among the defensive linemen didn't surprise Day, who called him "our most productive guy, just was solid, was consistent, was productive."

"Seeing him go there was really appropriate," he said.

Ohio State supplied a portion of the Day 3 draft value, especially on defense with linebacker Cody Simon (fourth round, Arizona Cardinals), safety Lathan Ransom (fourth round, Carolina), tackle Ty Hamilton (fifth round, Los Angeles Rams), cornerback Jordan Hancock (fifth round, Buffalo Bills) and cornerback Denzel Burke (fifth round, Arizona).

"I think they're going to play for a long time in the NFL," Day said. "We've had guys who have left in three years. These guys have been four or five years in the program, played a lot of football, played the longest season ever, played the most big games ever."

Howard had the longest wait among Buckeyes draft picks, as the championship QB went No. 185 overall to Pittsburgh.

"It's exciting, man, to see him go there, for their need, for their situation, it's a great opportunity for him," Day said. "You just get to the point where you just get stressed out because you don't know where it's going to be. You see these other guys getting drafted and just want to know where you're going to be. So I know those were a long couple days for him, but ultimately, a lot of relief knowing he's going to a great organization."

Alabama Crimson Tide: Alabama's first true NFL draft under coach Kalen DeBoer featured two Day 1 selections, extending the program's record streak of years with a first-round pick to 17. Tyler Booker was the fourth offensive lineman drafted but the first non-tackle, as the guard went to the Dallas Cowboys at No. 12 overall.

The second-team AP All-America selection started 12 games at left guard last season and one at tackle, a spot DeBoer doesn't rule out playing in the future.

"Thinking ahead down the road, I don't think it's so far-fetched that if he gets in the league for a couple of years, he couldn't become a tackle," DeBoer told me. "I think he's such a versatile player. He can play inside. I know he could snap the ball and play center, from how smart he is. He'll pour himself into whatever it is."

Milroe was a wild card entering the draft, undoubtedly the most explosive runner among the top quarterback prospects and an effective downfield passer. But his overall accuracy fluctuated during his second season as Alabama's starter. DeBoer thinks Milroe could benefit from being in Seattle, even if he's playing behind veteran Sam Darnold for a while.

"It's another set of verbiage and all that kind of stuff," DeBoer said. "So having a little perspective, kind of sitting back and seeing if someone else can do it isn't all that bad. He did that a few years here, and then he got his chance."

Crimson Tide safety Malachi Moore could become one of the better mid-round value selections, as he went late in the fourth round to the New York Jets. Moore had some turbulent moments last season but still earned second-team AP All-America honors.

"His position flex -- he played in the nickel position at times earlier in his career and then obviously moved back to safety for us -- so he's been a part of a lot of meetings and learned a lot of defense," DeBoer said. "He plays with an intensity, and it's not just on game day. He brings it every day."

Oregon Ducks: Only four teams reached double digits in draft picks, and Oregon was one of them following its first season in the Big Ten. The Ducks had a team-record 10 players selected, including six players in the top 100. Oregon's line-of-scrimmage success showed up in the draft, as defensive tackle Derrick Harmon (Pittsburgh) and offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. (Washington Commanders) went in the first round, and defensive linemen Jordan Burch (Arizona) and Jamaree Caldwell (Chargers) both went in the third round.

Terrance Ferguson, who earned all-league honors in different conferences during his last two seasons, was the fourth tight end selected, No. 46 overall to the Rams.

"He's become a more complete tight end," Ducks coach Dan Lanning said. "He's always been a really savvy route runner, a comfort blanket for the quarterback, a guy they know where he's going to be at, what kind of route he's going to run. But I thought he got a lot better at blocking this past year."

Oregon had quarterbacks drafted for the second straight year, and running back Jordan James (fifth round, San Francisco) followed 2024 draftee Bucky Irving.

"There's not a lot Jordan can't do," Lanning said. "He's more of a downhill runner than Bucky was. He's done a great job, though, of taking checkdowns and turning them into positive plays, becoming a better route runner in his time here, has been good in protection. There's a lot of value, and there's a ton of depth at that position in this draft."

Notre Dame Fighting Irish: Fighting Irish offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock posed an interesting question before the draft.

"If you stacked all the [College Football] Playoff teams up from top to bottom, talent-wise, what were we? Maybe five? Six?"

Notre Dame won its first three CFP games and reached the national championship with a roster that produced six NFL draft picks, but none in the top 50 and only two in the top 100 -- cornerback Benjamin Morrison (No. 53, Tampa Bay) and safety Xavier Watts (No. 96, Atlanta). The Irish were the ultimate team in 2024 and, judging by their recruiting under coach Marcus Freeman, should see their draft numbers rise in the coming years.

Morrison was among several players with first-round ability who slid because of injury or other factors (Michigan cornerback Will Johnson was another). Watts was one of the more accomplished defenders entering the draft -- Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner in 2023, back-to-back All-America selection, 13 interceptions and 27 passes defended in the past two seasons -- but was the sixth safety selected.

"Those guys are going to have long NFL careers," Freeman said of Morrison and Watts. "As I look at some of our guys that are currently playing in the NFL, those guys [Morrison and Watts] are just as good or better."

Like Ohio State's Howard, Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard also had a long wait in the draft, before Indianapolis selected him midway through the sixth round. Leonard rushed for 906 yards and 17 touchdowns in his only season with the Irish, and he completed two-thirds of his pass attempts.

"A lot of the talk is, he's an ascending player," Freeman said. "He'll be a guy that isn't near his ceiling. He can continue to improve, which is intriguing for the NFL."

South Carolina Gamecocks: The Gamecocks sent a team-record 11 players to the NFL combine and had five drafted. Although South Carolina produced no first-round picks, safety Nick Emmanwori went No. 35 overall and sparked a series of Gamecocks who heard their names called.

South Carolina had two more top-50 picks in defensive tackle T.J. Sanders (No. 41, Buffalo) and linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. (No. 49, Cincinnati). Kennard, the team's most decorated individual defender, went early in Day 3.

"It really resonates when people, whether it be a high school coach or an NFL personnel guy that has been at other schools previously, they come in here and they talk about our body types and just, 'Hey man, you guys look so much more athletic, you guys are so much longer,'" South Carolina coach Shane Beamer told me. "The way that we're recruiting and the way that we're developing our roster, when they get into our program, NFL teams recognize that, and they're going to continue to come around here."

South Carolina should be a factor in upcoming drafts, as players like quarterback LaNorris Sellers and defensive end Dylan Stewart are generating early attention. Beamer was an assistant at South Carolina from 2007 to 2010, ahead of a historic run on the field and the drafts from 2012 to 2014, when the program produced five top-60 picks.

"I think there's a lot of guys in this year's class that are going to go to the NFL and be pros for a long time, just like those guys from that era with [Jadeveon] Clowney and Stephon Gilmore and Melvin Ingram," Beamer said. "This isn't going to be just something that's like a flash in the pan."

Maryland Terrapins: Despite only four wins last season, Maryland had six players drafted, tying Notre Dame for the 11th most draft picks among college teams. The Terrapins led off with wide receiver Tai Felton (third round, Minnesota Vikings). Fellow Terrapins wide receiver Kaden Prather went to Buffalo in the seventh round.

"KP was a steal, being drafted this late," Maryland coach Mike Locksley told ESPN. "Buffalo got a tremendous value in a guy like KP, and Tai has an opportunity to go play for what I feel is one of the best, if not the best, receivers coaches (Vikings coach Keenan McCardell) in the country."

Maryland has had multiple players selected in five of the past six NFL drafts, but after producing three offensive line selections and three defensive back selections from 2023 to 2024, this year's output was heavier on defensive front-seven players and receivers. Locksley noted that Maryland's losses at offensive line and defensive back contributed to last year's struggles, but he expects the NFL pipeline to pay off.

"They weren't all five-stars," Locksley said. "[Linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II] was a heavily recruited guy that got a bunch of offers at the end, but a lot of them have some tremendous stories of being guys that we believed in, that we developed. They put the work in. We gave them the direction."