What makes a true NFL Draft sleeper in 2025?
Honestly, they’re difficult to find because all of the sleepers have been unearthed, analyzed and ordered in countless mock drafts and analysis. Everybody has their own personal set of sleepers heading into the 2025 NFL Draft.
There is not a standard profile either. Power 4 or Group 5. Underclassmen or sixth-year late bloomers. Transfers. Four-year starters. All-Americans. NFL Scouting Combine superstars. Sleepers can come in any of those packages.
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The trick is getting a steal. Perhaps one of those players slipped down the draft board at a potential value. That is when a team can get a steal. Those guys are the true sleepers. Sporting News scanned the latest 2025 NFL Mock Draft and found a sleeper who could be a steal at 11 different positions. Here are our favorite picks.
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NFL Draft sleepers 2025
Quarterback: Kyle McCord, Syracuse
McCord (6-3, 218) was 22-4 as a starter between Ohio State and Syracuse, and he will be propped up against Will Howard given the Buckeye connection between the quarterbacks. Howard might go higher, and that’s fine. McCord had 1,273 passing yards on passes of 20 yards or more last season according to Pro Football Focus – second-most in the FBS behind projected first-round pick Jaxson Dart. McCord maintained the same accuracy between the Buckeyes and the Orange, and he impressed with his accuracy at the NFL Scouting Combine. McCord is a value pick on Day 3 who could eventually be an NFL starter.
Also watch: Max Brosmer, Minnesota. Brosmer (6-2, 217) had a 65.3% completion percentage on throws between 10-19 yards, which was the same as Howard last season. Brosmer also had 56 TDs and 13 interceptions from 2022-23 at New Hampshire in the FCS. He is an ideal late-round pick.
MORE: QB-only mock draft for 11 signal-callers
Running back: DJ Giddens, Kansas State
Giddens (6-0, 212) should be in the middle of the Day 3 run on the rest of the running backs in a loaded class, and there is a lot to like. He averaged 1,284 yards the last two seasons with the Wildcats, and he averaged 4.16 yards after contact – the sixth-best mark in the FBS. It’s behind the premier backs such as Ashton Jeanty, Omarion Hampton and Kaleb Johnson, but at a value price. Giddens also ran a 4.43 in the 40-yard dash and averaged 25 receptions the last two seasons. Will he improve in pass protection?
Also watch: RJ Harvey, UCF. Harvey (5-8, 205) averaged 6.5 yards per carry with the Knights, and he had 42 TDs from scrimmage the last two seasons. Harvey was second to Jeanty with 32 runs of 15 yards or more, and he ran a 4.4 in the 40 at the NFL Combine. He’s 24 years old, but the value is similar to Illinois’ Chase Brown in 2023. That worked out for Cincinnati.
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Wide receiver: Xavier Restrepo, Miami
Restrepo (5-10, 209) was one of the best FBS receivers in the intermediate range last season. He had 22 catches on 32 targets in that range, and he had 157 yards after the catch. That demonstrates play-making ability – and he also had five TDs on passes of 20 yards or more. He will stick as one of the better slot receivers in this draft despite questions about his 40-yard dash time at Miami’s Pro Day.
Also watch: Jamaal Pritchett, South Alabama. Pritchett (5-8, 175) worked his way up from Division II Tuskegee to be one of the best slot receivers in the FBS last season with the Jaguars. He had 91 catches for 1,126 yards and nine TDs with a 76.5% catch percentage. It’s a line that almost mirrors Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka, who is considered one of the safest picks in the draft.
Tight end: Harold Fannin Jr., Bowling Green
Fannin (6-3, 241) put up absurd numbers for the Falcons in 2024. He had 117 catches, 1,555 yards and 10 TDs and ended his college career with a 17-catch, 213-yard performance against Arkansas State in the 68 Ventures Bowl. He had the sixth fastest 40-time among tight ends at 4.71, and there should be no doubts about the competition. He had 19 catches on 27 targets for a total of 282 yards and two TDs against Penn State and Texas A&M. He’ll be compared to Penn State tight end Tyler Warren – but the value pick might be better here.
Also watch: Gunnar Helm, Texas. Helm (6-5, 241) has some shades of Travis Kelce in his game. He had an 82.5% catch percentage on passes of 10 yards or less, and he caught 5 of 5 targets on passes of 20 yards or more for the Longhorns. Helm’s athleticism scores are not high, which is the major difference with any comparison to Kelce.
MORE: Sporting News 2024 All-America teams
Offensive tackle: Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon
Conerly (6-5, 311) is stretching the limit of what we can call a sleeper. He should be going in the first round given the talent he showed at Oregon last season. Conerly allowed one sack against Boise State in Week 2, then did not allow another sack the rest of the season. He fared well against elite Big Ten pass rushers from Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State. He is not getting the attention of the top-rate tackles in this draft despite running a 1.71 split in the first 10 yards of the 40. Oregon’s last two tackles who were drafted are Penei Sewell (2021) and Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu (2023).
Also watch: Wyatt Milium, West Virginia. Milium (6-6, 313) allowed no sacks and just six hurries for the Mountaineers last season and was a Sporting News first-team All-American. He is the consummate value pick knowing he showed the ability to start at left and right tackle and also could fit in at guard.
Guard/center: Luke Kandra, G, Cincinnati
Kandra (6-5, 319) is a huge offensive lineman who was a mainstay at right guard for the Bearcats last season. He didn’t allow a sack and was one of the key blockers for Corey Kiner, who had 1,153 yards and four TDs. Kandra led all offensive linemen at the NFL Scouting Combine with 33 reps on the bench press. He will at minimum add depth for any offensive line – and that value is attractive if he falls to Day 3. The Cincinnati native – who played at Elder High School – is projected to land with the hometown Bengals in our latest seven-round mock draft.
Also watch: Clay Webb, Jacksonville State. Webb (6-3, 312) played three seasons at Georgia before transferring to Jacksonville State, where he was an All-American caliber guard for three seasons. Webb flashed with a 1.72 split in the first 10 of the 40 and 29 reps on the bench press. He will be a quality pro.
Defensive tackle: Darius Alexander, Toledo
Alexander (6-4, 305) was a six-year player at Toledo, and he graded out as the second-highest defensive tackle behind Graham on PFF. He had a sack and five hurries in two games against Power 4 opponents – and he was a consistent run-stopper in the middle. He could be a three-down defensive tackle at the next level, and that makes him an intriguing Day 2 pick.
Also watch: Deone Walker, Kentucky. Walker (6-7, 331) dropped 10 pounds, and the athleticism is there. He had four sacks and 18 hurries this year – a drop in production from the previous season when he had eight sacks and 39 hurries. There is a high ceiling here.
Edge rusher: Kyle Kennard, South Carolina
Kennard (6-4, 254) developed on a five-year curve between Georgia Tech and South Carolina, and he earned SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors. He had 10 sacks and 23 hurries, and some of that production was attributed to being opposite Dylan Stewart. He also will need to be more active against the running game. Kennard, however, closed strong and will add depth to a team looking for help on the defensive front. He is a nice upside pick.
Also watch: Bradyn Swinson, LSU. Swinson (6-4, 255) was one of eight FBS edge rushers with at least 40 hurries last season, and that included 10 hurries against Oklahoma. He finished with nine sacks and should fit as a situational pass rusher immediately in the NFL.
MORE: Ranking the top 10 edge rushers
Linebacker: Chris Paul, Jr., Ole Miss
Paul Jr. (6-1, 222) is an active linebacker in the box, and he totaled 85 tackles, six sacks and four pass breakups for the Rebels last season. That comprehensive approach to linebacker works at the next level, and Paul ran a 4.63 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. He will have to improve in coverage, and just two of those sacks were in SEC play last season. In the right scheme – our latest seven-round mock has Paul Jr. landing in San Francisco – he could be a difference-maker.
Also watch: Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma. Stutsman (6-3, 233) ran a 4.52 at the NFL Combine, and he had three consecutive seasons with 100-plus tackles for the Sooners. He is a by-definition value pick who will likely fall to Day 3.
Cornerback: Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame
Morrison (6-0, 193) would be a first-round pick if he did not undergo hip surgery last season. He allowed just two catches of more than 20 yards the past two seasons, which included six games before the injury in 2024. He played well against the Buckeyes in 2022 and 2023, and he finished his career with nine interceptions and 18 pass breakups. Morrison did not work out at the NFL Scouting Combine or Notre Dame’s Pro Day, so a team is going to have to trust the game film. We are good with that.
Also watch: Nohl Williams, Cal. Williams (6-0, 199) had nine interceptions and 14 pass breakups for the Golden Bears the last two seasons after transferring from UNLV. He also had 50-tackles in each of those seasons. He’s a nasty competitor who ran a 4.50 in the 40 at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Safety: Andrew Mukuba, Texas
Mukuba (5-11, 186) might be undersized, but he made plays at two big-time programs in Clemson and Texas. He was one of three safeties with at least five interceptions and five pass breakups in 2024. Mukuba can fill on the run, too. He totaled 23 tackles in Texas’ last three games against Georgia, Arizona State and Ohio State. Mukuba topped that off by running a 4.45 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Also watch: Billy Bowman, Oklahoma. Bowman (5-10, 192) ran a 4.42 at the NFL Scouting Combine, and he is projected in the fourth round in our latest seven-round mock draft. Bowman had six interceptions and three returns for TDs as a junior in 2023.
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