5 surprise NFL Draft first-round picks to look out for
These players could be the ones to crash the round one party
Every year, there’s a player that surprises the NFL world by going way higher than consensus. Michael Penix Jr. going 8th to the Atlanta Falcons in 2024, Cole Strange going in round one to the New England Patriots in 2022, and many more surprises that threw the NFL Draft on tilt. 2025 is bound to have some surprises come Thursday, largely because of how much is unknown about this class.
After maybe the first two or three picks, everything is on the table. The gap between the 10th and 28th player on some boards might not be as large as the conventional wisdom would imply, so Thursday could ring some excitement. Here are players that I think might surprise with how early they could go.
Grey Zabel, iOL, North Dakota State
Viewed by many as the top interior linemen in this class, Zabel’s name could end up getting called much higher than general consensus. There have been many rumors about teams viewing Zabel as a center or guard, with his quality athleticism and movement skills. In Mobile, Zabel played guard and center and looked like one of the best linemen there, so he has a lot of potential at the pivot point. There have been rumors of Zabel going as high as 12 to the Dallas Cowboys, so I would be on the lookout for his name on Day 1.
Trey Amos, CB, Ole Miss
After CBs Travis Hunter, Jahdae Barron, Will Johnson and Maxwell Hairston come off the board, the next guy up could be anyone. If there’s a CB after those top guys that I think will come off sooner than believed, it’s Amos. He’s got enough speed, but in Cover 2 or Quarters coverage he’s physical and wants to disrupt guys at the line of scrimmage. He’s also got a clean bill of health and ran fast at the Combine, two things that’ll work in his favor. With plenty of teams near the end of the first round needing help at cornerback, his physicality and ball skills underneath could be useful.
Jaylin Noel, WR, Iowa State
This receiver class is interesting to say the least. After Travis Hunter goes early, the peking order is a bit fluid. That gives a lot of opportunity for guys like Noel to jump into the first round. For teams that need gamebreaking speed at the receiver spot, Noel has an easy second gear that allows him to access the second and third level of defenses easily. While he might be more of a number two receiver, a team like the Rams makes a lot of sense for him.
Tyleik Williams, DT, Ohio State
This defensive tackle class is DEEP, and if the top guys come off the board relatively early, I could see a team jumping for Williams in round 1. One of the best glass eaters in this entire class, Williams is a force in the run game who has the quickness to be a factor as a pass rusher, though that’s not his game at all. Mason Graham, Derrick Harmon, Kenneth Grant and Walter Nolen all figure to be gone by the end of the first round, and towards the back end teams could use some help stopping the run. If there’s anything we’ve learned from the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory, it’s that rotating in defensive linemen like hockey shifts could be the way to go. Williams could be the rock of a stout NFL run defense.
Nic Scourton, EDGE, Texas A&M
Scourton’s profile is an interesting case of measuring 2023 vs 2024 tape. In 2023, Scourton was slimmer and a menace off the edge for Purdue, showing quickness that was pretty sick for a guy his size. However, after transferring to Texas A&M and putting on 20 or so pounds to play in their defense, he looked slower and the second gear that he had at Purdue was lost. At the Combine, he came in at a slimmed down 257 pounds and looked more like the guy he was at Purdue. If teams are going to believe in a player who can set the edge in the run game and win with power and violence, Scourton could sneak into the back end of the first round.