• Luther Burden III is a first-rounder despite his production slide: Burden’s 2024 season didn’t live up to his 2023 showcase, but the 14th-ranked player on PFF’s big board should still be a top pick.

• Don’t forget about Texas’ other top defensive tackle prospect: While Alfred Collins gets most of the attention, Vernon Broughton — who ranks just 130th on the consensus big board — is another special Longhorns talent in a deep class.

• 2025 NFL Draft season is here: Try PFF’s best-in-class Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2025’s top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL team.

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Opinions about NFL draft prospects vary wildly every year, and 2025 is no different. As such, we’ll highlight some players who rank significantly higher on PFF’s big board than the current consensus big board.

WR Luther Burden III, Missouri

• PFF Big Board Rank: 14th
• Consensus Rank: 34th

Burden’s production dip in 2024 has caused some concern, but much of that was due to Missouri’s quarterback issues and a lack of offensive cohesion. We only have to look back to his success in 2023, when he posted an elite 91.0 PFF receiving grade. Burden’s ability with the ball in his hands is reminiscent of Deebo Samuel, which should be enough for him to go off the board in the first round.

• Consensus Rank: 72nd

Skattebo brings everything a team could want out of a running back, aside from blazing top-end speed. He ranked second behind Ashton Jeanty in PFF rushing grade and missed tackles forced in 2024 while placing fifth among qualified running backs with a 79.8 PFF receiving grade. Skattebo possesses the power, vision and elite toughness to thrive in an NFL backfield.

• Consensus Rank: 76th

Knight is one of just a few linebackers who looks like a potential NFL starter as a rookie. He made a huge jump in run defense in his lone season at South Carolina, posting an outstanding 85.4 PFF grade. His 92.4 PFF coverage grade over the past two seasons also placed him among the best players in college football. Knight could make an immediate impact as the weakside complement for a team with an established middle linebacker.

EDGE Jared Ivey, Ole Miss

• Consensus Rank: 104th

Ivey’s size and versatility would be an asset to many NFL defensive lines that continue to search for such qualities. While he isn’t the most dynamic athlete, he earned career-high PFF grades across the board while playing primarily on the edge in 2024. His 90.8 PFF pass-rush grade placed him 12th in the FBS this past season.

• Consensus Rank: 101st

Williams has climbed many draft boards throughout the pre-draft process, thanks to his shifty route-running and separation ability. He terrorized opponents this past season, racking up nearly 1,200 receiving yards, 14 touchdowns and 21 forced missed tackles. Williams is almost certain to slot in somewhere in a deep tier of Day 2 wide receivers.

• Consensus Rank: 127th

Harvey is currently the eighth-ranked running back on PFF’s big board, while he sits 12th on the consensus board and far lower overall. He did nothing but produce over the past three seasons, earning a 95.2 PFF rushing grade and racking up 181 forced missed tackles. Harvey’s vision is outstanding, and he has some of the best feet in the class. A third-round selection wouldn’t be out of line.

DI CJ West, Indiana

• Consensus Rank: 105th

West is one of the best pure run stoppers in the class. His pass-rush production doesn’t jump off the page, but he played a valuable role at Kent State and Indiana, freeing up his teammates to make plays in the run game. Over the past two seasons, West’s 90.4 PFF run-defense grade tied for sixth among qualified FBS defensive tackles.

• Consensus Rank: 118th

Martinez is a bruiser who invites contact, but his vision and balance are underrated. He ranked third in the FBS this past season with a 94.3 PFF rushing grade and eighth with 4.51 yards after contact per attempt. A look at his Oregon State film shows a running back who is more scheme-versatile than most who weigh in at nearly 220 pounds.

DI Vernon Broughton, Texas

• Consensus Rank: 130th

Alfred Collins is the Texas defensive lineman who garners most of the attention, but don’t underestimate Broughton’s versatility and pass-rush ability. Broughton led SEC interior defenders with an 86.3 PFF pass-rush grade in 2024. Like Collins, he has the ability to produce anywhere from the A-gaps to a shade over the offensive tackle. He’s another name to know in an incredibly deep defensive line class.

EDGE Elijah Roberts, SMU

• Consensus Rank: 144th

Roberts immediately became one of the most productive players in the nation upon transferring to SMU from Miami in 2023. Over the past two seasons, Roberts led all FBS edge defenders with 131 pressures while posting a 92.7 PFF pass-rush grade and a 23.5% pass-rush win rate. He isn’t the most explosive athlete, but he is powerful and relentless and should get a chance to crack an NFL defensive line rotation.

CB Mello Dotson, Kansas

• PFF Big Board Rank: 123rd
• Consensus Rank: 213th

Dotson and Cobee Bryant — PFF’s 120th-ranked prospect — formed a formidable cornerback tandem at Kansas. Both will be drafted, likely on Day 3, and Dotson led the way with an 84.8 PFF coverage grade over the past two seasons. He also racked up nine interceptions and 13 pass breakups in that span.

• PFF Big Board Rank: 132nd
• Consensus Rank: 219th

Crenshaw-Dickson didn’t perform well at the NFL Scouting Combine, but his measurables and sound play style should still have teams looking in his direction early on Day 3. After a solid four-year stint at San Diego State, he earned a career-high 80.3 PFF overall grade at Florida in 2024 while not allowing a single sack or hit in SEC play.

• PFF Big Board Rank: 135th
• Consensus Rank: 201st

Standing at just 5-foot-10, Lampkin is one of the biggest underdog stories in the draft. His production as a five-year starter in college, though, shows that he is well positioned to overcome those external doubts. Across his two seasons at North Carolina, Lampkin earned an outstanding 87.0 PFF overall grade while not allowing a single sack in pass protection.

• PFF Big Board Rank: 137th
• Consensus Rank: 246th

Hassanein is a late bloomer with an intriguing background. He grew up in Egypt competing in CrossFit and combat sports throughout his childhood. His transition to football has worked out tremendously, as he racked up 115 pressures and 24 sacks over his final two seasons at Boise State. He should be drafted on Day 3 by a team that feels it can continue to develop his burgeoning skills.