Nfl Draft 2025 Rankings Dane Brugler Breaks Down The Top 300 Prospects

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Nov 17, 2025, 9:12 PM

nfl draft 2025 rankings dane brugler breaks down the top 300 prospects

Scouting is a very subjective process, especially when not evaluating for a specific scheme or culture fit. So, I don’t expect this top 300 to play out exactly like the real thing on draft weekend — but the idea is to put prospects in the right neighborhood, close to where they’ll... Even that is a challenge, though, with so many wild cards in this class. For example, some teams see Ohio State’s Jack Sawyer as a second-round player, while others have stamped him with a fifth-round grade. Texas safety Andrew Mukuba is a top-75 prospect for some and a sixth-rounder for others. And I won’t touch on the wild grades from team to team when it comes to the quarterbacks.

Here is my top 300 for the 2025 NFL Draft: Hunter has the twitchy, skilled talent and competitive mentality to be an impact wide receiver and/or cornerback at the next level. NFL teams are split on his role — and on the possibility of Hunter playing both ways, because of durability concerns. But he is both CB1 and WR1 in this class and will give his next coaching staff exciting options. Carter is a disruptive presence, because of his explosive nature and how he mixes up his rushes to win with speed, force and a budding arsenal of moves. He projects as a 1A pass rusher, with a gift for consistently making the quarterback move his feet and making plays in the run game.

With the NFL season more than halfway finished and six teams with two or fewer wins, mock drafts and prospect rankings are starting to be hot in the streets.TheAthletic's Dane Brugler is one of... Let's dive into it. Fittingly, the No. 1 team in the country tops Brugler’s rankings. The Buckeyes have been dominant on both sides of the ball this season, and Ohio State’s defense is playing at another level. Surprisingly, Brugler has LB Arvell Reese at No.

1 overall. Followed by S Caleb Downs (No. 3), WR Carnell Tate (No. 10), DT Kayden McDonald (No. 23), and LB Sonny Styles (No. 26).

Brugler admits that Reese likely won’t be the first player taken in the 2026 NFL Draft, but his ability to play on the edge, off the ball, and rush the passer makes Reese one... Downs has been at or near the top of just about every ranking this season, and that doesn’t change here. Tate has established himself as one of the country’s best receivers, but Brugler has Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson ahead of him. Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson have separated themselves as the two best QBs in the country. Indiana’s signal-caller (No. 7) is the Heisman favorite, but Brugler has Simpson ranked higher (No.

2). He admits that Simpson’s lack of starting experience (nine right now) could make NFL teams hesitate, but the tape doesn’t lie. It will be interesting to see if Brugler flips these two by the end of the season, should Indiana win the Big 10. Oregon’s Dante Moore (No. 12) and South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers (No. 15) round out the QBs.

As part of my post-draft wrap up, I like to revisit my initial top-50 draft board from August to examine the trajectory of prospects. For better or worse, I always try to be transparent with my evaluation process and reasoning for prospect rankings. A preseason board is a starting point, and this look-back exercise helps illustrate the journey each prospect took. The list below follows that initial top-50 rankings plus notes where each prospect landed in my final, top-300 board and their ultimate draft outcome (for those that turned pro). Johnson was an integral part of Michigan’s national title run as a sophomore, which led to his sky-high ranking entering the 2024 season. However, his lack of true top-end speed was more of an issue on his junior tape, hence his fall in the rankings.

And injury concerns are why he ultimately slid to the mid-second round on draft weekend. Despite average speed, though, Johnson is still a very talented cover man who will look like a steal for the Cardinals if he stays healthy. by Bill Sparks | Nov 11, 2025 | NFL Draft, Headlines The new Dane Brugler’s top 50 big board for the 2026 NFL Draft cycle has sparked plenty of discussion across scouting circles and fan bases. While Dane Brugler is widely respected for having one of the most thorough draft processes in the industry, his early rankings always serve as a conversation starter, and this year is no different. From unexpected offensive tackle evaluations to a quarterback class that could dwarf last year’s, there’s plenty to unpack.

Below, the TWSN NFL Draft team breaks down the biggest reactions and debates surrounding Brugler’s list, and what it means for the 2026 NFL Draft landscape. As teams prepare to gather in Indianapolis for the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine later this month, all eyes will turn toward this year's crop of draft prospects. Dane Brugler, The Athletic's NFL Draft analyst, is included in that group as he recently released the first version of his annual Top 100 Big Board. The list will fluctuate from now until April, but an early takeaway is that he believes this is a strong class on the defensive side of the ball. Each of Brugler's top four players are on defense in Colorado cornerback Travis Hunter, Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter, Georgia edge rusher Jalon Walker and Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham. The Top 10, however, is split evenly between offense and defense.

Read Dane Brugler’s 2025 ‘The Beast’ NFL Draft guide. In the last few weeks before the NFL scouting combine, teams conduct scouting meetings to have healthy debates on prospects and build initial draft boards. Their rankings won’t be set in stone as the 2025 NFL Draft process continues to play out, but they establish a foundation going into the combine later this month. Similarly, our board will have some fluctuation before the draft arrives in April, but this updated top 100 provides a frame of reference as the final draft picture comes into focus. Hunter ranked No. 1 on my November draft board, and nothing has changed over the last few months.

He doesn’t have the top spot just because he can play both ways — that is more of a bonus. His athleticism, length and ball instincts are why he's here, and those traits give him a sky-high ceiling at cornerback. After visits to the Senior Bowl and Shrine Bowl, The Athletic draft expert Dane Brugler released his updated top 100 board for the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft. As always, there was plenty to talk about, from which players made huge rises to how the quarterbacks stack to where NFL teams might be able to pinpoint potential “steals” — those prospects who... What were the key takeaways from Brugler’s latest board? Draft analysts Nick Baumgardner and Scott Dochterman break it down …

2025 NFL Draft order: Rounds 1 and 2 set after Eagles' Super Bowl LIX win Nick Baumgardner: It wasn’t really a surprise to me (as I have similar thoughts), but seeing Jalon Walker at No. 3 still made me raise my eyebrows. That ranking says as much about the NFL’s desire for players who can fill the Micah Parsons role as anything else, but frankly, Walker was one of the most consistently explosive front-seven hammers all... He checks every box physically, and his testing won’t be that far behind Abdul Carter’s. It feels a little bit like the Travon Walker situation from a few years ago, albeit at a different position — and with a player who is probably more ready for prime time.

Jalon Walker only started one season at Georgia, but he was outstanding. The ability to take a defensive end and give him coverage and/or run responsibilities in the box when you want to is something NFL defensive coordinators covet now more than ever. After I finish up “The Beast,” my attention shifts to a complete seven-round mock draft. It’s a time-exhaustive task, but I also see it as a helpful thought exercise to focus on team needs, draft trends and fits for all 32 organizations. Scroll to the bottom for team-by-team draft hauls to better see how each team did in this scenario. (Editor’s note: An asterisk designates a compensatory draft pick.)

It became clear at the combine that Ward would be the No. 1 pick. The only question: Would the Titans trade out or stick and pick themselves? Over the last month, it’s become apparent that Tennessee plans to stay in the top spot and hand Ward the keys to its franchise. The Browns are desperate to get the quarterback position right, although I don’t expect them to force the pick. With the best player in the draft still available, it makes sense that the choice here would be Hunter, who could provide a spark on offense (and defense).

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Scouting Is A Very Subjective Process, Especially When Not Evaluating

Here Is My Top 300 For The 2025 NFL Draft:

With The NFL Season More Than Halfway Finished And Six

1 Overall. Followed By S Caleb Downs (No. 3), WR