We made it! It’s Draft Day! Tonight the 2025 NFL Draft kicks off and we finally get some much-needed information about the best players in the 2025 draft class. With that in mind, I ran one more rookie-only mock on Thursday morning. This version is a Superflex league where receptions are worth two points for tight ends. While the tight end-premium is growing in popularity, I had another motivation for choosing this format for the final draft, I wanted to go four rounds and before the draft it is slightly easier if you increase the value of the tight end prospects.
This approach clearly had an impact. Tyler Warren went third overall, I took Coltson Loveland with pick nine, and for the first time in one of my mocks Oronde Gadsden was drafted. Philosophically, I do want to make the point that TEP scoring benefits the elite tight ends much more than low-end players at the position. If your league starts three-plus flexes or two tight ends, then TE2s also get a boost, but otherwise, be careful about elevating tight ends that are unlikely to finish in the top 10 at the position.
Round 1
1. Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
2. Cam Ward, QB, Miami
3. Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
4. Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
5. TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State
6. Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
7. Travis Hunter, WR, Colorado
8. Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
9. Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
10. Mason Taylor, TE, LSU
11. Luther Burden, WR, Missouri
12. Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
Round 1 looks pretty familiar other than the addition of Mason Taylor at pick 10. Taylor is an excellent prospect who is getting Round 1 consideration and if that comes to fruition I would not be surprised if he makes his way into Round 1 in this format. I would also not be surprised if that is a mistake. Taylor does not strike me as someone who is going to be a high target earner, though he could be a red zone monster. If that profile is accurate, he will not get the benefit from this scoring system that Warren, Loveland, and maybe even Harold Fannin will.
Round 2
1. Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
2. Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State
3. Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss
4. Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa
5. Jaylin Noel, WR, Iowa State
6. Tre Harris, WR, Ole Miss
7. Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama
8. Devin Neal, RB, Kansas
9. Harold Fannin, TE, Bowling Green
10. Dylan Sampson, RB, Tennessee
11. Cam Skattebo, RB, Arizona State
12. Elijah Arroyo, TE, Miami
The guy who fell due to Taylor being included in Round 1 was Quinshon Judkins. Judkins, like most of the running backs in this class, could see his value change drastically based on landing spot and draft capital. He is fantastic as a pure runner and is better than many think as a pass catcher and blocker. If he’s drafted in Round 2 to a team with opportunity available, he will be a surefire Round 1 rookie pick no matter the scoring system. If he falls to Round 3 or goes somewhere where he has to wait his turn behind a vet, he could fall even later in Round 2 of rookie drafts.
Round 3
1. Damien Martinez, RB, Miami
2. RJ Harvey, RB, UCF
3. Isaiah Bond, WR, Texas
4. Ollie Gordon, RB, Oklahoma State
5. Gunnar Helm, TE, Texas
6. Elic Ayomanor, WR, Stanford
7. Terrance Ferguson, TE, Oregon
8. Will Howard, QB, Ohio State
9. Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State
10. Oronde Gadsden, TE, Syracuse
11. Tyler Shough, QB, Louisville
12. Jalen Royals, WR, Utah State
Once again, I believe Jayden Higgins was one of the best values in the draft, this time I took him with the ninth pick in Round 3. Higgins’ former teammate, Jaylin Noel went more than a round earlier than Higgins. I prefer the latter, but view them very similarly, at least until we learn where they are drafted. I still expect Higgins to be a Round 2 pick like Noel by the time rookie ADP settles. Tyler Shough is another player that went in Round 3 in this draft that could be a big riser if he lands on one of the teams without a true QB1.
Round 4
1. Jack Bech, WR, TCU
2. Savion Williams, RB/WR, TCU
3. Jordan James, RB, Oregon
4. Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas
5. Tory Horton, WR, Colorado State
6. Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oregon
7. Tahj Brooks, RB, Texas Tech
8. Jaydon Blue, RB, Texas
9. Brashard Smith, RB, SMU
10. Tez Johnson, WR, Oregon
11. Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Virginia Tech
12. Xavier Restrepo, WR, Miami
One of the reasons I wanted to do a four-round rookie draft is to highlight the depth of this class. I am very interested in Jordan James, Tahj Brooks, Brashard Smith, and Bhayshul Tuten as Day 3 running backs who could outperform their draft capital. Jack Bech and Tory Horton are very intriguing as well. Don’t throw those Round 3 or 4 picks away, they could be more valuable than recent years.