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Matt Bowen
The 2025 NFL draft offered loads of sturdy prospect-team matches throughout the 257 picks. However which gamers are finest arrange for achievement?
I needed to spotlight my 15 favourite matches, factoring in traits, schemes, playcalling tendencies and training staffs across the league. Who landed in a perfect spot? I attempted to incorporate a couple of first-rounders and some gamers taken later within the draft — together with one Day 3 choose.
Here is my annual checklist of most closely fits, beginning with an instant-impact defensive sort out within the AFC. The prospects are listed under by draft order.
Bounce to:
Spherical 1 | Rounds 2-4
Drafted: Spherical 1, No. 5
Why he matches: Graham’s skill to generate inside disruption is a lift for the Browns’ defensive entrance, the place he’ll play as a 3-technique sort out in Jim Schwartz’s system. The foot quickness, hand utilization and short-area burst led Graham to 17.5 tackles for loss over his three seasons at Michigan.
However let’s not neglect about Schwartz’s skill to scheme for Graham out of a number of fronts as a go rusher, too. In Cleveland’s protection, Graham can use his motion expertise on stunts and loops, whereas additionally getting the inside one-on-one matchups. And do not be stunned to see him rush as a stand-up nostril sort out towards facilities.
Drafted: Spherical 1, No. 8
Why he matches: Below coach Dave Canales, McMillan will shortly change into a precedence goal for quarterback Bryce Younger from a number of alignments. McMillan can play Z receiver subsequent to the tight finish, however I like him finest because the boundary X in Canales’ system. From the latter place, he can create isolation matchups for Younger downfield. And out of slot alignments, his 6-foot-4 body presents points for opposing defenses.
Plus, McMillan might be schemed on in-breaking ideas, the place he can use his protection consciousness to make himself obtainable on the intermediate ranges of the sphere. Carolina wanted a matchup participant within the go recreation, they usually get that with McMillan. He had 40 contested catches and 26 touchdowns all through his profession at Arizona.
Drafted: Spherical 1, No. 9
Why he matches: New coach Kellen Moore is following the blueprint of his Tremendous Bowl offense in Philadelphia by strengthening the sides. Moore had two unicorn bookends with the Eagles in Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata. And now drafting Banks to pair with 2024 first-rounder Taliese Fuaga provides him foundational constructing blocks at offensive sort out with the Saints.
With Fuaga staying on the fitting aspect, Banks matches right here because the left sort out for New Orleans. He is a simple and managed mover, with the foot velocity to match defenders on the sting. And he’ll carry some skill as a run blocker to Moore’s offense. New Orleans was twenty ninth in go block win fee (54.0%) and nineteenth in run block win fee (71.3%) final season. It wanted upgrades.
Drafted: Spherical 1, No. 10
Why he matches: Loveland is a refined route runner with positional flex, and that upgrades new coach Ben Johnson’s offense within the go recreation. At 6-foot-6, 248 kilos, Loveland can play in-line, bump to the slot and even transfer to the bottom of 3×1 units. He is greater than only a huge seam stretcher, although; Loveland can create separation as he comes out of his breaks and has the lower-body quickness to get free towards press protection. He is a three-level goal.
These traits give Johnson’s offense extra creativity from a formation perspective, as Chicago may main in two-TE units with each Loveland and Cole Kmet on the sphere. With the additions of Loveland and second-round receiver Luther Burden III, the Bears are establishing quarterback Caleb Williams with a flexible group of go catchers.
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Drafted: Spherical 1, No. 11
Why he matches: Below new defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, Williams matches as a three-down defender in San Francisco’s 40 entrance. Saleh can create a launch pad for Williams as a go rusher from wide-nine alignments, which ought to put him able to win with speed-to-power reverse Nick Bosa. Plus, I can see Saleh scheming up some inside matchups. That may permit Williams to make use of his 6-foot-5 body and quickness to assault guards in safety.
Williams is an edge setter who will compete on the level of assault, so he is additionally constructed for early-down work as a run defender. He wants extra growth, however the bodily instruments and play fashion match with the 49ers’ defensive id beneath Saleh.
Drafted: Spherical 1, No. 18
Why he matches: Zabel upgrades a Seahawks entrance that was talent-deficient on the guard place final season. The 6-foot-6, 312-pound North Dakota State standout can generate motion off the ball as a run blocker. Extra particularly, he has the mobility to combo block and climb within the outdoors zone recreation beneath new Seahawks coordinator Klint Kubiak.
Zabel was the perfect participant I watched observe on the Senior Bowl. He can mirror inside rushers and drop anchor to deal with energy. I see a tone-setter, a participant who will help reset the id of the Seahawks’ offensive line. And the general scheme match is ideal.
Drafted: Spherical 1, No. 27
Why he matches: Pairing Starks with Kyle Hamilton provides the Ravens two interchangeable safeties within the secondary, which suggests the protection can disguise coverages and alter the post-snap image. Starks has the vary to trace the ball and play from depth, and he can spin all the way down to patrol the beneath zones.
Starks had six interceptions and 15 go breakups throughout his time at Georgia, and we’ll see his versatility weaved into the Ravens’ recreation plan. It is a good match for a protection that makes use of its safeties as matchup items from quite a lot of alignments — in each base and sub packages.
Drafted: Spherical 1, No. 31
Why he matches: We all know Campbell can play off-ball as a stack linebacker. The flexibility to suit the run recreation is there. However I additionally see the velocity and protection consciousness to get to depth and shut on the ball in a rush as a zone defender. Campbell can blitz, too. Each single a kind of traits helps Vic Fangio’s protection on the second degree.
Campbell might be greater than a standard linebacker in Philly. Like Zack Baun final season, Campbell has the bodily expertise to set an edge towards the run. He may align as an out of doors linebacker to hurry the passer, utilizing his first-step quickness and lower-body flexibility to run the ring. Campbell has severe upside on this protection.
Drafted: Spherical 2, No. 47
Why he matches: Extra easy than sudden, Johnson performs with aggressive eyes within the secondary and has explosive traits. That works in a Cardinals protection that tends to be extra zone-heavy (61% of opponent dropbacks final season). In Cowl 3 or quarters coverages, he can use his backfield imaginative and prescient to get a leap on the throw. In Cowl 2, he can sink and break because the flat defender.
With a 6-foot-2 body, Johnson may press and stick after the preliminary launch from the receiver. However the excessive proportion of zone protection in Arizona will put him able to make use of his playmaking expertise on the perimeter. Johnson had 9 interceptions at Michigan over three seasons, together with three defensive touchdowns.
Drafted: Spherical 2, No. 59
Why he matches: Inexperienced might be arrange as a go rusher in Baltimore, just like the crew’s present utilization of Kyle Van Noy. Which means schemed one-on-ones — each off the sting and on the inside — with the twist stunts that ought to permit Inexperienced to dart via open rush lanes. He may drop into protection, which supplies Baltimore the power to raised disguise pressures.
Inexperienced’s 17 sacks led the FBS in 2024, and I believed he was essentially the most expert go rusher on this class. He is explosive off the ball, with a number of countermoves that can translate to Sundays.
Drafted: Spherical 2, No. 60
Why he matches: The operating again place is a vital piece of Sean Payton’s offense, and Harvey has the traits to play a dual-threat function for Denver. At 5-foot-8, 205 kilos, he can run via contact and deal with quantity as a lead runner. His lateral quickness and straight-line velocity assist him create much more on the bottom. Harvey may even issue into the go recreation for Payton. He’ll run mixture routes out of the backfield to emphasize the boundary protection, whereas releasing on alternative routes to uncover for sophomore quarterback Bo Nix. Add display ideas as an choice, too.
Regardless of making the playoffs for the primary time since 2015, the dearth of manufacturing from the Broncos’ operating again room restricted this offense in key recreation conditions. Harvey can change that in 2025.
Drafted: Spherical 3, No. 68
Why he matches: Porter has all of the bodily instruments to develop right into a big-time press nook. He’s lengthy at 6-foot-4 and 195 kilos, and he can sustain with huge receivers utilizing his 4.3 velocity. However Porter’s success will not be restricted to man protection. He can discover the ball in zone, which inserts beneath the core coverages of Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.
In 2024, the Raiders performed zone protection on 65.2% of opponent dropbacks (eighth-highest fee within the league). Graham significantly leaned on Cowl 3 and Cowl 2, which is the place Porter can produce on account of his subject imaginative and prescient and shutting burst. He’ll shut down throwing home windows and use his ball expertise as a former receiver to complete performs. He had three interceptions final season.
Drafted: Spherical 3, No. 69
Why he matches: Williams can function as a vertical risk for quarterback Drake Maye, and he can hit the accelerator after the catch. With Josh McDaniels again as offensive coordinator in New England, Williams might be schemed to get free entry off the road to run the crossers and overs. He may additionally see some manufactured touches (screens, fly sweeps) to maximise his electrical skill.
Final season, Williams averaged 17.1 yards per catch at Washington State, and he scored 14 touchdowns. He must climb the depth chart in New England as a rookie, however he is a big-play goal who brings extra juice to the crew’s huge receiver room.
Drafted: Spherical 3, No. 83
Why he matches: Johnson is at his finest within the outdoors zone recreation, a foundational a part of coordinator Arthur Smith’s offense. He presses the sides and is nice at discovering cutback lanes to get north-south with the ball. At 6-foot-1 and 224 kilos, he may push via arm tackles for explosive performs. Johnson had 21 rushes of 20 or extra yards in 2024, which was the second most nationally behind Ashton Jeanty. He’ll share the backfield with Jaylen Warren in Pittsburgh, however he may emerge because the early-down runner. Within the go recreation, Johnson will see targets on screens and swings.
Drafted: Spherical 4, No. 133
Why he matches: With the protection consciousness to seek out open zone voids and a aggressive play fashion after the catch, Royals can function in Andy Reid’s system as a midlevel goal for quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Royals is keen to work the heavy visitors areas of the sphere, the place he could make contested catches. And he turns beneath throws into explosive performs.
As a deep-ball goal, Royals has the velocity to be schemed situationally. However I actually just like the match right here based mostly on the Chiefs’ leveled ideas, run-pass choices and three-step throws. A lot of these performs will permit him to seek out open grass and achieve much more yards after the catch.
