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The 2025 NFL Draft is finally here (almost), and while much of For The Win's draft analysis is focusing on the top players — we have mock drafts and big boards and odds trackers — we're here to talk about some potentially overlooked players who could make excellent sleeper picks.
LATEST NFL MOCK DRAFT: Saints trade up for Shedeur Sanders, Giants find their QB
Specifically, we're breaking down 10 prospects who are sleeper picks, meaning they're likely slated for NFL Draft selection somewhere in the middle or toward the end of Day 3 on Saturday. Going by position, we've got our NFL Draft sleeper picks for quarterback, tight end, linebacker, cornerback and more. So here's a look at 10 NFL Draft sleeper picks by position.
You want a guy who can win? Let's talk about the QB who made Indiana — INDIANA! — part of the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff. The 6-foot-4 Canadian had his share of struggles against elite competition (68 passing yards on 18 attempts against Ohio State), but elevated his offense, whether he was a Hoosier or over the course of back-to-back 10-win seasons as an Ohio Bobcat.
Rourke, at his best, is a technician with a big arm and accurate touch downfield. He led the MAC in completion rate in both 2022 and 2023, then set a career high by completing 69.4 percent of his passes as a Hoosier. He's a classic drop-back passer, though there could be more to his game when he's not playing on a torn ACL like he did to wrap up the 2024 campaign. Ultimately, you give him a clean pocket, and he'll make the right decision and cap it with a catchable ball across all three levels.
That ACL, which required revision surgery in January, is a concern. So too is his improvisation. He's stoic against pressure, but when flushed from the pocket he's liable to make careless mistakes, potentially devastating drives. While he's a proper computer when it comes to processing his reads, speeding up the process invites sloppiness and shaves points from his accuracy. Factor in that he's already a full year older than C.J. Stroud, and it's fair to wonder how much growth can be wrung out of a player with a limited resume against elite college competition.
Dike was often the only reliable receiving threat in a moribund Wisconsin Badger offense over the first four years of his college career. Then he followed quarterback Graham Mertz to the Sunshine State after being phased out UW's gameplan in 2023 to have a revival season in 2024. His 783 receiving yards last fall were more than half his entire career production in Madison.
Dike is a smooth runner with the size (6-foot-1, about 200 pounds) and route capability to play along the sideline or in the slot. He effortlessly hits an upper crust top speed — he ran a 4.34-second 40-yard dash at the combine — and is equally reliable with short or long targets. He's a trustworthy blocker and high-effort leader who has persevered through less-than-ideal circumstances throughout his college career.
A tendency to remain engaged with cornerbacks too long dings him, as well as the lack of elite production owing, at least in part, to uneven quarterbacking. Despite his top line speed, he's inconsistent after the catch. He can take screens to the house but he can also run into traps that take yards off the board. That's all correctable, however. Even if he doesn't become a big play machine, there's enough Jauan Jennings to his game to make him a reliable contributor.
Giddens isn't quite as prolific as Hampton, but he's got feature back bonafides after averaging more than 17 carries per game the last two seasons -- and 103 rushing yards per contest. He's much more of a jump-cut back than a bruiser despite his 212 pound frame. He sees holes and slices through them with authority, creating highlight reel jukes from thin air to turn bad situations into first downs.
The Wildcats featured him moderately in the passing game, which produced 50 catches and four touchdowns the last two seasons but also a couple more drops than you'd like to see. He doesn't power through contact the way you'd like, instead relying on finesse and lateral quickness to create space. These lapses likely dinged him as a recruit -- he built himself into an All-Big 12 back despite zero stars as a high school senior -- but also illustrated his massive capacity for growth.
Giddens is a risk. His style worked wonders on Saturdays but may not register the same success against the faster pursuit and stronger tackles of the NFL. But he's a reliable back who protects the ball, adds value as a receiver and has genuine home run ability each time he gets the ball even as his running lanes collapse. The reward is worth the risk.
Can the son of a remember-some-guys NFL all-star really be a sleeper? Gadsden will test that theory after earning minimal buzz despite cracking 900 receiving yards in two separate seasons at Syracuse. The converted wideout leaves New York as the program's most productive tight end but still looks like an early Day 3 pick.
He's a solid fit as a joker tight end who can be moved across the lineup. He played a moderate amount in-line, but spent most of his time in the ACC out of the slot or occasionally split wide. He's not a burner, but with 4.6-second 40 speed and tricky in-route acceleration he's capable of putting a defense on its heels in a split second.
Gadsden may never be more than an average blocker, but he's shown a willingness to engage and improve when tasked in the running game. He uses his frame well, creating a big catch radius by creating leverage with that body and shielding defenders from the ball. That makes him an excellent bail-out candidate for a quarterback in trouble. He's capable of precise routes to snap off man coverage but also identifies the soft spots in zone to sit down for easy gains.
His NFL bloodlines shine brightest in his hands. Gadsden catches balls away from his body and hauls them to his chest with reliability and confidence that bolsters that already stellar haul-it-in ability. He's still got a ways to go as a traditional tight end and his run after catch skills aren't where you'd want them to be for a player who'll be in the slot a fair amount. But Gadsden's floor paints him as an immediate boon for his QB.
I love a good FCS prospect. Enter these former CAA rivals. Grant was a three-time All-American at William & Mary. Cornelius was a one-time All-CAA honoree at Rhode Island who used that platform to transfer up to the Ducks.
Let's start with the man who stuck around to punish lower-level pass rushers. Grant was enough of a monster to be the only offensive lineman to earn votes for the Walter Payton Award, which honors the FCS's top offensive player.
Grant is a nimble 310-pounder with a wild wingspan; his near-35-inch arms are about two inches longer than Campbell's oft-debated reach. He slides and punches to keep edge rushers at bay, bringing an almost elegant violent to pass protection. There's nothing elegant about what he does on zone runs, however. Get him in space and he's a runaway steamroller destined to squish linebackers into a pulp.
Doing that against CAA opponents is one thing. Doing it against the Big Ten is another. Cornelius acquitted himself well in two years with the Ducks, but the step up in competition was occasionally clear at Oregon.
The right tackle can occasionally get locked in on the wrong thing, committing one way only to get knocked off balance by a rusher's counter-move or letting smaller linebackers and ends wreck his leverage by getting under him. These are traits that will require a dedicated hand from his next coaches but are correctable. Cornelius is the product of an impressive rise up the college ranks, one only made possible by prodigious talent. That shows up on tape as well.
He's a powerful puncher who plays mean and can create the space for a downfield throw with a single move. He mirrors well and has a thick base to repel power moves. Even if he's not racking up pancakes, he's liable to keep an edge rusher busy long enough to take them out of the play. He's similarly talented as a run blocker, where that leg drive makes a brutal puller (though one who can get caught up in the static and lock onto a single block rather than mashing one dude and moving on).
Grant should be a mid-draft pick. Cornelius will likely linger into Day 3. Both bring talent and a high ceiling to the NFL.
Gillotte is a tornado unto himself but brings questions with that chaos. Can a 6-foot-2, 270-pound wrecking ball at defensive end translate his college havoc into a rounded NFL game? Or is he destined to be a modest part-time pass-rusher?
You may notice those highlights are from two seasons ago. That's because Gillotte's production dipped after his All-ACC 2023 campaign (he got more coaches votes than Jared Verse, currently tearing it up as a Los Angeles Ram). His sacks fell from 11 in 14 games to 4.5 in 12, though his pressure rate remained mostly static, per Pro Football Focus. That served to dent his draft stock — and make him a potential bargain on Day 3.
Gillotte added nearly 60 pounds of mass in college and he plays like his entire mission is to utilize every pound per square inch of that newfound power. He's got hyperactive hand work that can blast opposing tackles backward or create the space for a swim move inside. This explosion isn't limited to his punch; he's got nightmare inducing closing speed and the right instincts to use it at the exact moment where a play can be won or lost. He's a perpetual motion machine who has to be an absolute headache to see every down.
But that motor can sometimes take him out of plays as he overextends himself. He lacks ideal height, and while that helps him get low and provide leverage for his strength it also means bigger tackles will be able to engage him first and nullify some of his more potent moves. That leaves him with plenty to prove at the next level, especially after his relatively frustrating 2024.
Harrison-Hunte's 290-pound frame will likely limit him to gap duty in the NFL. That's perfect, because that's where his explosive first step can shine brightest.
He's a late bloomer in every sense. He was a modest contributor at Miami who didn't break out as a draft prospect until moving to SMU. Of his career-high 6.5 sacks, 4.5 came as the Mustangs made their push to the College Football Playoff in the final four games of 2024. He's quickly ascending, and his athletic profile suggests we have yet to see the peak of his power.
Harrison-Hunte does his best work slicing through creases, using an explosive first step and quick hips to slide through tight spaces and into the backfield. He identifies the ball well, sliding to block running lanes, picking up on play action passes and, as seen above, making himself a real headache on interior screens.
But part of his charm is a relative svelte-ness for a tackle. He's able to shoot gaps effectively because he's leaner than most lane-cloggers at 6-foot-3 and 290 pounds. There's a chance NFL guards wash him out, and the quick pulls of Sunday's run games minimize his window to wreak havoc in the backfield. He's a proper athlete who should have a place on a 53-man roster, but he's still got room to grow -- and at 25 years old, it's fair to wonder if he's got the same ceiling as a younger prospect at the same spot.
Medrano lacks the numbers of his more-hyped colleague, but has the athleticism to grow to greater heights in the NFL. A light frame at 222 pounds was the only thing keeping him from being one of the most complete athletic linebackers of the past two decades.
With his speed and motor, Medrano feels never-ending. He stalks the ball like the antagonist in a horror movie, occasionally slowed but rarely stopped. He'll get eclipsed by pulling guards and tight ends but find a way to shine on a play, emerging from the ether to make a high effort stop or swat at the ball to create a turnover.
He'll have immediate value as a special teams ace with All-Pro upside. That starts the conversation. Then it will be up to NFL coaches to find a place for him to thrive whilst giving up weight to several of the running backs he'll be tasked with meeting in the middle of a running lane. Medrano's skillset makes him a potential menace in coverage and as an occasional havoc-creating blitzer. But he's going to get washed out once linemen get their hands on him, and his passing game instincts aren't where they need to be yet.
That makes him a project — but with the stable floor of being able to do all the little kicking game things that quietly flip the field. Drafting Medrano is the equivalent of taking your special teams coordinator out for a filet.
A tall cornerback with blazing speed (a 4.33-second 40) from Texas-San Antonio. Is it *too* lazy to make a Riq Woolen comparison here?
Woolen went from the Roadrunners to immediate stardom, notching five interceptions as a rookie fifth-round pick for Pete Carroll's Seattle Seahawks. Frazier's lone season as a starter suggests a similar ceiling. He had six interceptions last fall, leading the AAC for the Myrtle Beach Bowl champions.
Frazier is a 6-foot-3 speed merchant with strong recovery skills to bail him out of rookie mistakes. But his resume is thin. Power Four teams -- by which I mean Texas, the one Power Four team the Roadrunners played last season -- made him a non-factor. His technique is raw, and he relies heavily on his athleticism to provide an edge rather than discipline. That's all correctable, and his athleticism is undoubtedly NFL worthy, but it's easy to see why such a productive FBS corner could languish to the fifth round or later.
There's a good chance these players will end up as undrafted free agents after all seven rounds are finished. But they also could be bargain pickups who play key roles for playoff teams.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: 10 sleeper picks for the 2025 NFL Draft
Continue reading...
LATEST NFL MOCK DRAFT: Saints trade up for Shedeur Sanders, Giants find their QB
Specifically, we're breaking down 10 prospects who are sleeper picks, meaning they're likely slated for NFL Draft selection somewhere in the middle or toward the end of Day 3 on Saturday. Going by position, we've got our NFL Draft sleeper picks for quarterback, tight end, linebacker, cornerback and more. So here's a look at 10 NFL Draft sleeper picks by position.
Quarterback sleeper pick: Kurtis Rourke, Indiana
You want a guy who can win? Let's talk about the QB who made Indiana — INDIANA! — part of the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff. The 6-foot-4 Canadian had his share of struggles against elite competition (68 passing yards on 18 attempts against Ohio State), but elevated his offense, whether he was a Hoosier or over the course of back-to-back 10-win seasons as an Ohio Bobcat.
Rourke, at his best, is a technician with a big arm and accurate touch downfield. He led the MAC in completion rate in both 2022 and 2023, then set a career high by completing 69.4 percent of his passes as a Hoosier. He's a classic drop-back passer, though there could be more to his game when he's not playing on a torn ACL like he did to wrap up the 2024 campaign. Ultimately, you give him a clean pocket, and he'll make the right decision and cap it with a catchable ball across all three levels.
That ACL, which required revision surgery in January, is a concern. So too is his improvisation. He's stoic against pressure, but when flushed from the pocket he's liable to make careless mistakes, potentially devastating drives. While he's a proper computer when it comes to processing his reads, speeding up the process invites sloppiness and shaves points from his accuracy. Factor in that he's already a full year older than C.J. Stroud, and it's fair to wonder how much growth can be wrung out of a player with a limited resume against elite college competition.
Wide receiver sleeper pick: Chimere Dike, Florida
Dike was often the only reliable receiving threat in a moribund Wisconsin Badger offense over the first four years of his college career. Then he followed quarterback Graham Mertz to the Sunshine State after being phased out UW's gameplan in 2023 to have a revival season in 2024. His 783 receiving yards last fall were more than half his entire career production in Madison.
Dike is a smooth runner with the size (6-foot-1, about 200 pounds) and route capability to play along the sideline or in the slot. He effortlessly hits an upper crust top speed — he ran a 4.34-second 40-yard dash at the combine — and is equally reliable with short or long targets. He's a trustworthy blocker and high-effort leader who has persevered through less-than-ideal circumstances throughout his college career.
A tendency to remain engaged with cornerbacks too long dings him, as well as the lack of elite production owing, at least in part, to uneven quarterbacking. Despite his top line speed, he's inconsistent after the catch. He can take screens to the house but he can also run into traps that take yards off the board. That's all correctable, however. Even if he doesn't become a big play machine, there's enough Jauan Jennings to his game to make him a reliable contributor.
Running back sleeper pick: DJ Giddens, Kansas State
Giddens isn't quite as prolific as Hampton, but he's got feature back bonafides after averaging more than 17 carries per game the last two seasons -- and 103 rushing yards per contest. He's much more of a jump-cut back than a bruiser despite his 212 pound frame. He sees holes and slices through them with authority, creating highlight reel jukes from thin air to turn bad situations into first downs.
The Wildcats featured him moderately in the passing game, which produced 50 catches and four touchdowns the last two seasons but also a couple more drops than you'd like to see. He doesn't power through contact the way you'd like, instead relying on finesse and lateral quickness to create space. These lapses likely dinged him as a recruit -- he built himself into an All-Big 12 back despite zero stars as a high school senior -- but also illustrated his massive capacity for growth.
Giddens is a risk. His style worked wonders on Saturdays but may not register the same success against the faster pursuit and stronger tackles of the NFL. But he's a reliable back who protects the ball, adds value as a receiver and has genuine home run ability each time he gets the ball even as his running lanes collapse. The reward is worth the risk.
Tight end sleeper pick: Oronde Gadsden II, Syracuse
Can the son of a remember-some-guys NFL all-star really be a sleeper? Gadsden will test that theory after earning minimal buzz despite cracking 900 receiving yards in two separate seasons at Syracuse. The converted wideout leaves New York as the program's most productive tight end but still looks like an early Day 3 pick.
He's a solid fit as a joker tight end who can be moved across the lineup. He played a moderate amount in-line, but spent most of his time in the ACC out of the slot or occasionally split wide. He's not a burner, but with 4.6-second 40 speed and tricky in-route acceleration he's capable of putting a defense on its heels in a split second.
Gadsden may never be more than an average blocker, but he's shown a willingness to engage and improve when tasked in the running game. He uses his frame well, creating a big catch radius by creating leverage with that body and shielding defenders from the ball. That makes him an excellent bail-out candidate for a quarterback in trouble. He's capable of precise routes to snap off man coverage but also identifies the soft spots in zone to sit down for easy gains.
His NFL bloodlines shine brightest in his hands. Gadsden catches balls away from his body and hauls them to his chest with reliability and confidence that bolsters that already stellar haul-it-in ability. He's still got a ways to go as a traditional tight end and his run after catch skills aren't where you'd want them to be for a player who'll be in the slot a fair amount. But Gadsden's floor paints him as an immediate boon for his QB.
Offensive line sleeper picks: Charles Grant, William & Mary; Ajani Cornelius, Oregon
I love a good FCS prospect. Enter these former CAA rivals. Grant was a three-time All-American at William & Mary. Cornelius was a one-time All-CAA honoree at Rhode Island who used that platform to transfer up to the Ducks.
Let's start with the man who stuck around to punish lower-level pass rushers. Grant was enough of a monster to be the only offensive lineman to earn votes for the Walter Payton Award, which honors the FCS's top offensive player.
Grant is a nimble 310-pounder with a wild wingspan; his near-35-inch arms are about two inches longer than Campbell's oft-debated reach. He slides and punches to keep edge rushers at bay, bringing an almost elegant violent to pass protection. There's nothing elegant about what he does on zone runs, however. Get him in space and he's a runaway steamroller destined to squish linebackers into a pulp.
Doing that against CAA opponents is one thing. Doing it against the Big Ten is another. Cornelius acquitted himself well in two years with the Ducks, but the step up in competition was occasionally clear at Oregon.
The right tackle can occasionally get locked in on the wrong thing, committing one way only to get knocked off balance by a rusher's counter-move or letting smaller linebackers and ends wreck his leverage by getting under him. These are traits that will require a dedicated hand from his next coaches but are correctable. Cornelius is the product of an impressive rise up the college ranks, one only made possible by prodigious talent. That shows up on tape as well.
He's a powerful puncher who plays mean and can create the space for a downfield throw with a single move. He mirrors well and has a thick base to repel power moves. Even if he's not racking up pancakes, he's liable to keep an edge rusher busy long enough to take them out of the play. He's similarly talented as a run blocker, where that leg drive makes a brutal puller (though one who can get caught up in the static and lock onto a single block rather than mashing one dude and moving on).
Grant should be a mid-draft pick. Cornelius will likely linger into Day 3. Both bring talent and a high ceiling to the NFL.
Edge rusher sleeper pick: Ashton Gillotte, Louisville
Gillotte is a tornado unto himself but brings questions with that chaos. Can a 6-foot-2, 270-pound wrecking ball at defensive end translate his college havoc into a rounded NFL game? Or is he destined to be a modest part-time pass-rusher?
You may notice those highlights are from two seasons ago. That's because Gillotte's production dipped after his All-ACC 2023 campaign (he got more coaches votes than Jared Verse, currently tearing it up as a Los Angeles Ram). His sacks fell from 11 in 14 games to 4.5 in 12, though his pressure rate remained mostly static, per Pro Football Focus. That served to dent his draft stock — and make him a potential bargain on Day 3.
Gillotte added nearly 60 pounds of mass in college and he plays like his entire mission is to utilize every pound per square inch of that newfound power. He's got hyperactive hand work that can blast opposing tackles backward or create the space for a swim move inside. This explosion isn't limited to his punch; he's got nightmare inducing closing speed and the right instincts to use it at the exact moment where a play can be won or lost. He's a perpetual motion machine who has to be an absolute headache to see every down.
But that motor can sometimes take him out of plays as he overextends himself. He lacks ideal height, and while that helps him get low and provide leverage for his strength it also means bigger tackles will be able to engage him first and nullify some of his more potent moves. That leaves him with plenty to prove at the next level, especially after his relatively frustrating 2024.
Defensive tackle sleeper pick: Jared Harrison-Hunte, SMU
Harrison-Hunte's 290-pound frame will likely limit him to gap duty in the NFL. That's perfect, because that's where his explosive first step can shine brightest.
He's a late bloomer in every sense. He was a modest contributor at Miami who didn't break out as a draft prospect until moving to SMU. Of his career-high 6.5 sacks, 4.5 came as the Mustangs made their push to the College Football Playoff in the final four games of 2024. He's quickly ascending, and his athletic profile suggests we have yet to see the peak of his power.
Harrison-Hunte does his best work slicing through creases, using an explosive first step and quick hips to slide through tight spaces and into the backfield. He identifies the ball well, sliding to block running lanes, picking up on play action passes and, as seen above, making himself a real headache on interior screens.
But part of his charm is a relative svelte-ness for a tackle. He's able to shoot gaps effectively because he's leaner than most lane-cloggers at 6-foot-3 and 290 pounds. There's a chance NFL guards wash him out, and the quick pulls of Sunday's run games minimize his window to wreak havoc in the backfield. He's a proper athlete who should have a place on a 53-man roster, but he's still got room to grow -- and at 25 years old, it's fair to wonder if he's got the same ceiling as a younger prospect at the same spot.
Linebacker sleeper pick: Kain Medrano, UCLA
Medrano lacks the numbers of his more-hyped colleague, but has the athleticism to grow to greater heights in the NFL. A light frame at 222 pounds was the only thing keeping him from being one of the most complete athletic linebackers of the past two decades.
With his speed and motor, Medrano feels never-ending. He stalks the ball like the antagonist in a horror movie, occasionally slowed but rarely stopped. He'll get eclipsed by pulling guards and tight ends but find a way to shine on a play, emerging from the ether to make a high effort stop or swat at the ball to create a turnover.
He'll have immediate value as a special teams ace with All-Pro upside. That starts the conversation. Then it will be up to NFL coaches to find a place for him to thrive whilst giving up weight to several of the running backs he'll be tasked with meeting in the middle of a running lane. Medrano's skillset makes him a potential menace in coverage and as an occasional havoc-creating blitzer. But he's going to get washed out once linemen get their hands on him, and his passing game instincts aren't where they need to be yet.
That makes him a project — but with the stable floor of being able to do all the little kicking game things that quietly flip the field. Drafting Medrano is the equivalent of taking your special teams coordinator out for a filet.
Cornerback sleeper pick: Zah Frazier, UTSA
A tall cornerback with blazing speed (a 4.33-second 40) from Texas-San Antonio. Is it *too* lazy to make a Riq Woolen comparison here?
Woolen went from the Roadrunners to immediate stardom, notching five interceptions as a rookie fifth-round pick for Pete Carroll's Seattle Seahawks. Frazier's lone season as a starter suggests a similar ceiling. He had six interceptions last fall, leading the AAC for the Myrtle Beach Bowl champions.
Frazier is a 6-foot-3 speed merchant with strong recovery skills to bail him out of rookie mistakes. But his resume is thin. Power Four teams -- by which I mean Texas, the one Power Four team the Roadrunners played last season -- made him a non-factor. His technique is raw, and he relies heavily on his athleticism to provide an edge rather than discipline. That's all correctable, and his athleticism is undoubtedly NFL worthy, but it's easy to see why such a productive FBS corner could languish to the fifth round or later.
2025 NFL Draft deep-sleeper picks by position
There's a good chance these players will end up as undrafted free agents after all seven rounds are finished. But they also could be bargain pickups who play key roles for playoff teams.
- Quarterback: Taylor Elgersma, Wilfrid Laurier (Canada)
- Wide receiver: Will Sheppard, Colorado
- Running back: Qualan Jones, Stephen F. Austin
- Tight end: Holden Willis, Middle Tennessee State
- Offensive line: Steven Losoya, Vanderbilt
- Edge rusher: David Walker, Central Arkansas
- Defensive tackle: Thor Griffith, Louisville
- Linebacker: Shaun Dolac, Buffalo
- Cornerback: Melvin Smith Jr., Southern Arkansas
This article originally appeared on For The Win: 10 sleeper picks for the 2025 NFL Draft
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