Now that I’ve watched much of the tape for summer scouting, it’s time to revisit my way-too-early mock draft. A lot can (and will) change between now and next April, but these exercises are a great way to highlight players to watch in the upcoming college football season, as well as to take stock of the current draft landscape.

As always, this far out, don’t get too hung up on specific prospect to team fits. This is more about the players than the fits right now, though I did try and avoid giving quarterbacks to teams that probably wouldn’t take one.

Draft order per Tankathon’s projections.

1 – New Orleans Saints: Miami ED Rueben Bain Jr.

My money is on Bain emerging as the top non-quarterback in this draft. He needs to stay healthy, but his profile is every bit that of a game-wrecker off the edge. With great length and an elite first step, Bain puts the opposing tackle in immediate recovery mode on every snap. He plays with strong hands and dictates contact, keeping his chest clean and manipulating his blocker. Lightning-quick change-of-direction abilities and an advanced bag of pass-rushing moves make him a nightmare to block.

2 – Cleveland Browns: Texas QB Arch Manning

Manning has a big name to live up to. It’s impressive that in the few games we’ve seen him in action, he’s lived up to the billing and then some. His command of the offense is advanced for his age — he reads defenses well pre-snap, plays with impeccable timing and touch on his passes, and is a natural at manipulating the pocket. All eyes will be on the new Longhorns starter in his first full season of action.

3 – Tennessee Titans: Clemson ED T.J. Parker

Suffocating in run defense and refined in his pass rush, Parker is the most productive returning pass rusher in college football. His pass rush bag is otherworldly for an underclassman, with a wide array of moves and counters to hound quarterbacks. He’s masterful at setting up tackles over the course of a game to work off of in critical situations. Parker isn’t as athletic as top edge defender prospects usually are, but it’s hard to ignore just how good he is already, and how much better he could get.

4 – New York Giants: Miami OT Francis Mauigoa

A violent blocker, Mauigoa has the power profile to be dangerous as a run blocker with the fluid movement skills of the game’s best pass protectors. He’s a brick wall against bull rushers, holding his ground and using his hands to ward off their counters. In space, he’s shown the ability to connect on blocks on the move and has quick enough feet to hold up against faster edge rushers. If there’s one thing he needs to improve, it’s his hands, as he’s liable to draw holding penalties in the NFL if he keeps grabbing outside the defender’s chest.

5 – New York Jets: Penn State QB Drew Allar

Allar checks all the boxes for a prototypical NFL quarterback. He has an ideal frame and arm talent, with the ball rocketing out of his hand on release. He’s mobile and can keep plays alive with his legs, working through progressions late into the snap. The main thing he needs to work on is consistency under pressure, as though he can extend plays effectively, his decision-making and mechanics can get a bit erratic.

6 – Carolina Panthers: Alabama OT Kadyn Proctor

A mammoth of a human being at 6-7 and 360 pounds, Proctor earns the “dancing bear” title well. He’s so big, he’s tough for defenders to get around in their pass rushes, but he’s nimble at that size, too. When initially outflanked, he’s shown the foot speed to recover and he’s effective on the move in run blocking too. His best moments come when he’s asked to block downhill in the run game, when he can get his hands on a defender and erase them from the play.

7 – Las Vegas Raiders: Texas CB Malik Muhammad

A twitchy, explosive athlete with the versatility to play inside or outside, Muhammad is the clear-cut top corner on my board. He’s a smooth mover, effortlessly mirroring receivers through their routes and making plays on the ball at the catch point. He’s willing to mix it up in run support and has the advanced instincts to thrive in zone coverages.

8 – Indianapolis Colts: South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers

If the Colts are picking this high, they’ll be in the market for a new quarterback. Elite arm talent and mobility are his calling cards, but Sellers also plays with good feel in the pocket and is surprisingly effective at reading complex defensive looks. If he can work on hanging in the pocket through his progressions instead of looking to run and adding some touch to his passes, this would be a low draft projection for him.

9 – Cleveland Browns (via JAX): Clemson DT Peter Woods

Though Woods played on the edge last year for the Tigers, he’s an interior defender at the next level. He’s quick and fluid off the snap, establishing initial contact if not simply blowing by his man. His strength is evident on tape, from his legs through his arms. When he wants to drive through people, he’s nearly impossible to stop, and he’s exhausting for offensive linemen to try and hand fight. To take the next step, Woods needs to add more variety to his pass rush bag and have his production catch up to his evident physical tools.

10 – Los Angeles Rams (via ATL): Tennessee ED Joshua Josephs

With length and speed for days, Josephs is the type of freakish athlete that teams can’t resist betting on. No one is quicker off the snap, as he has the burst to win leverage instantly and the length to pay it off against any tackle. Despite being undersized, his legs and arms are powerful, and his speed-to-power moves are effective. Though he already has a decently varied set of pass rush moves, he needs to improve his hand usage to maximize them.

11 – Miami Dolphins: Ohio State S Caleb Downs

Downs is as complete a prospect as can be this far out. His instincts on the back end, in both coverage and run support, are exceptional. He takes smart angles pursuing the football and is a reliable, devastating tackler. With great athleticism, Downs has true sideline-to-sideline range and the hip flexibility to cover receivers one-on-one. The only reason he’s not a lock for the top five is that safeties rarely go higher than this.

12 – New England Patriots: Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson

Explosive separator is how I would describe Tyson. He’s a masterful route runner and a good athlete, with the twitchiness to clear his defender at all levels of the field. In-breaking routes are his specialty, and he knows how to manipulate zones to give himself space to work. After the catch, he turns into a running back, getting up to top speed and weaving through the secondary. He’ll have a chance to bounce back from a collarbone injury and improve his stock even further.

13 – Seattle Seahawks: Utah OT Spencer Fano

The best run-blocking tackle in this class, Fano puts on a weekly clinic. He’s exceptionally athletic and not only does he have the power to devastate opposing defenders, he’s quick and fluid on the move. As a lead blocker, he’s terrifying for linebackers and safeties in the hole, and he puts a lot of them on the ground. Though his technique lags behind, he has all the tools to be a great pass protector. If he takes a step forward in that department this year, he could push to be a top-five pick.

14 – Arizona Cardinals: Clemson CB Avieon Terrell

The younger brother of Falcons CB AJ Terrell, Avieon is a bit undersized but makes up for it with incredible movement and change-of-direction skills. You won’t find a more fluid mover in this class, and he pairs it with the speed to match even the best vertical burners at receiver. At the catch point, Terrell plays with good timing to disrupt the ball, and he sets the edge well in run support.

15 – Pittsburgh Steelers: LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier

Opinions on Nussmeier are varied, depending on how much you buy into his upside vs. the inherent risks in his playstyle. There might not be a better middle-field passer in this class, as Nussmeier has phenomenal arm strength to fit passes into tight windows and the touch to layer throws over lurking zone defenders. He’s athletic enough to make plays on the run and he’ll stand tall under pressure to make plays. The next step for him is to read his progressions faster and take fewer risks with the football.

16 – Dallas Cowboys: Georgia WR Zachariah Branch

Though he was one of Caleb Williams’ top targets in 2023, USC used Branch last year as more of a gadget player. Now at Georgia, he’ll look to expand his game. He’s small and likely limited to the slot in the NFL, but he’s a devastating speed threat with the best stop/start acceleration in this class. When he’s allowed to run real routes, he gains quick separation in the short and intermediate areas of the field, and he knows how to stack the cornerback on deep passes. Good hands and body control make him more of a complete receiver than he gets credit for, and now he’ll get a chance to prove it in the SEC.

17 – Chicago Bears: Michigan ED Derrick Moore

Moore’s speed-to-power game is electric. He fires off the snap to devastate quarterbacks in the backfield, winning the edge quickly or working through the tackle. Fluid hips allow him to bend the corner well and he has the movement skills to pull off quick counters. However, Moore needs to develop an actual set of moves, as he currently relies more on athleticism than technique. 2025 will be his first season as a full-time starter, so the opportunity for significant development will be there.

18 – Minnesota Vikings: Penn State CB A.J. Harris

If you want a corner to lock someone up one-on-one, Harris is your guy. He’s got the length and strength to disrupt receivers off the line and thrives in bump-and-run coverage, where his long arms routinely bother his assignment. He’s fluid enough to keep up with receivers of all types, and though he’s still working on his zone assignments, he’s flashed good instincts and playmaking skills there as well.

19 – Houston Texans: Texas LB Anthony Hill Jr.

Hill’s ability to diagnose run concepts in real-time and fire into the backfield to get stops is marvelous to watch. He was an extremely productive player last year, with the range to cover sideline-to-sideline and the refined tackling skills of a veteran. Hill’s coverage skills are more of a work in progress, but with the way he moves, the agility and speed he displays in this game, I’m confident he can improve in this area.

20 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Auburn ED Keldric Faulk

A bit of a tweener between a defensive tackle and true edge rusher, Faulk nonetheless spends most of his time as an edge defender at Auburn. With a massive frame, he displays impressive movement ability at his size, as he has the power to run through people and the quick feet to dance around them. He’s a powerful run-stuffer and uses his hands well to manipulate blockers. As expected for someone his size, he’s not the quickest off the snap, and might be best-suited kicking inside on passing downs.

21 – Denver Broncos: South Carolina WR Nyck Harbor

Harbor is listed at 6-5 and 235 pounds, with proven track speed that translates to a sub-4.3 40-yard dash. That sort of physical profile is truly generational, and if Harbor had the production to back it up, he’d be mocked a lot higher than this. The issue is, he hasn’t done much so far in college. Still, he’s a pretty fluid route runner, with strong hands and good blocking skills. It’s not purely athletic upside with him. If he can take the next step to being a reliable, productive receiver, he’ll be a monster riser in this class.

22 – Los Angeles Chargers: Oregon S Dillon Thieneman

A transfer from Purdue, Thieneman is an otherworldly athlete. He’s a burner at the safety position and a hard hitter too, reminiscent of the types of Cover 3 safeties Seattle used to employ. Forceful, deliberate decision-making allows Thieneman to beat receivers to the catch point and thunder downhill in run support. Perhaps most impressively, he’s rarely moved by the quarterback, not biting on eye or head fakes and reading plays before they happen.

23 – Green Bay Packers: Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy

The only reason McCoy is projected this low is because of an ACL tear suffered in January. It puts his 2025 season in jeopardy and he could return to school in 2026. Still, when healthy, he’s as good as they come. McCoy’s timing and anticipation make him a dangerous weapon in off coverage, where he can trigger downhill to make plays on passes. Strong ball skills allow him to create turnovers where other corners would simply log pass breakups, and he has the length and agility to thrive in the NFL.

24 – San Francisco 49ers: Missouri G Cayden Green

A devastating run blocker, Green’s raw strength is something to behold. He moves people, paving roadways for his running back behind him. He’s not limited to playing in a phone booth, either, with quick feet that let him reach his marks and carve paths through the second level. In pass protection, he’s a natural with his hand usage, keeping his chest clean and redirecting as needed. That said, he can get over-aggressive, leaving himself vulnerable to counters.

25 – Cincinnati Bengals: Florida C Jake Slaughter

Though Slaughter isn’t the athlete at center that usually gets taken in the first round, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more refined player at any position in this class. He’s been tested again and again by the best interior pass rushers in the SEC, and he’s held up every time. His fluidity and hand usage in his pass sets turns him into a veritable brick wall, one that rarely — if ever — cracks. A little more anchor strength couldn’t hurt, especially in drive-blocking scenarios.

26 – Washington Commanders: Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love

Arguably the most electric player in college football, Love is as dynamic as they come. He hits creases in the defense like lightning, shooting through gaps and gashing the defense for chunk plays. Speed is truly his greatest asset, but he plays with good contact balance as well, shedding arm tackles and hits in the hole to keep moving forward. Though he only runs a rudimentary route tree, Love is dangerous after the catch, and Notre Dame’s offense often just tried to get him the ball in space so he could make a play.

27 – Los Angeles Rams: Oklahoma QB John Mateer

Arguably the most dangerous rushing threat in this quarterback class, Mateer thrives on the move. He’ll make defenders look silly in the open field and can fire off passes from a variety of launch points and arm angles. With natural timing and rhythm in his passes and the confidence to stand firm in the face of pressure, there’s so much to like on Mateer’s tape. He needs to play more under control, however, and improve his ability to read and respond to different coverages.

28 – Buffalo Bills: Penn State ED Dani Dennis-Sutton

Though quickness and agility aren’t his strong suits, Dennis-Sutton does everything else you could want a pass rusher to do. His powerful hands jolt blockers on contact, letting him dictate the rep, and his length lets him initiate contact more often than not. He can rush the passer from multiple alignments and sets a hard edge in run defense.

29 – Detroit Lions: Texas Tech ED David Bailey

Bailey is flying under the radar heading into the 2025 college football season, but I’ll be watching him closely. His tape at Stanford is impressive, and he’s set to feast in the Big 12. Bailey plays with speed, speed and more speed. He is lightning off the snap and routinely beats the offensive tackle to the spot, and once he has the corner, he can flatten back to the quarterback in an instant. Despite being undersized at just 240 pounds, Bailey also has considerable strength in his hands, ripping through tackles’ arms to defeat blocks and chase quarterbacks. If he builds on what he did last season, he could be a fast riser in this class.

30 – Baltimore Ravens: Texas A&M G Ar’maj Reed-Adams

Power. That’s the first word that comes to mind when discussing Reed-Adams. Powerful hands and a rock-solid lower half give him the road-grader moniker for good reason. He shocks on contact, directing the rep as he pleases, and his drive-blocking abilities are top-notch. In pass protection, he plays with smart hands and is good at handling stunts and blitzes. He can be a little clunky in space, but another year in the Aggies’ conditioning program might help with this.

31 – Kansas City Chiefs: Penn State DT Zane Durant

When Durant is at his best, he’s sensational. An undersized pass-rushing 3-tech, he plays with good leverage and can get underneath opposing linemen. He’s often the first player moving off the snap and crashes into the backfield to make plays. With the lateral agility of a much smaller man, Durant is a nightmare for guards to try and contain. The issue is that these flashes are just that: flashes. He’s yet to consistently produce or show he can be a game-wrecker for more than a few plays per week.

32 – Philadelphia Eagles: Ohio State WR Carnell Tate

The most technically refined receiver in this class, Tate isn’t the most athletically gifted. That hasn’t mattered much so far in his career, and he’s primed for a bigger role in this Ohio State offense. His route-running skills are superb, and he has some of the most reliable hands in this class. With an advanced route tree, good body control to adjust to poor passes, and a surprisingly effective set of moves after the catch, he projects as a plug-and-play third receiver in the NFL.