Identifying prospects as 'my guys' in the 2025 NFL Draft
Every NFL Draft analyst finds players each year that they are drawn to on a different level. There's just something captivating and invigorating about watching them play that resonates with you. When you watch over 300 college games every year, it's refreshing to have a player stand out as someone that you just really enjoy watching and studying.
They're known in the industry as "my guys."
These designations are not exclusive to any analyst. Many draftniks wind up having several "my guys" in common. I'm sure that's true of some of the prospects here; the more the merrier!
The status doesn't necessarily mean I believe the player is destined for NFL stardom. While I do tend to be more bullish than my colleagues on these players, it's more about just finding a connection via playing style, personality, or just something that says, "man I really like watching that guy play."
These are "my guys" in the 2025 NFL Draft, in alphabetical order:
Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
Folks who have followed me for years know I'm a sucker for plucky slot corners with an exaggreated fight/size of dog ratio. That's Barron. Or rather, that's the historical part of Barron's profile.
In 2024, the 5-foot-10, 194-pounder got a little bigger and expanded his game to playing much more outside. He thrived in the different role, emerging as a viable first-round prospect. Barron is physical, he's confident and he's blessed with an outstanding football IQ. He's not going to win open-field races and he might bite off more than he can chew as a tackler at times, but Barron is a dang good football player with a high ceiling and a magentic playing style.
CJ Dippre, TE, Alabama
Dippre's stats at Alabama won't wow anyone. He was something of an afterthought in two seasons after transferring from Maryland, catching just 32 passes. His blocking is pretty solid, but certainly not dominating enough to call Dippre a blocking TE. Dippre is more of a try-hard, jack-of-all-trades Day 3 tight end who is capable of a big game here or there.
It was his NFL Scouting Combine interview podium session where Dippre won me over. Dippre was candid, informative, self-aware and engaging. Here's a guy who knows who he is and is comfortable being C.J. Dippre. As someone who covers Dan Campbell's Lions, it wasn't hard to see some of the Detroit coach--a longtime NFL reserve TE--in Dippre.
Ashton Gillotte, EDGE, Louisville
Sometimes the order in which you watch games predisposes your view. The first two games I studied Gillotte last summer, during the preseason scouting period, were against Notre Dame and Virginia Tech in 2023. Those remain arguably the two best games he's ever played. They set a high bar for the power-to-speed pass rusher.
The sacks didn't come in 2024 (just five in 12 games), but Gillotte still impressed. He's very physical at setting the edge and plays the run on the way to the quarterback at a high level. Gillotte brings energy and a decided hatred of being blocked to every snap. It was fun to watch Gillotte play at Louisville and I suspect the fans of whichever NFL team drafts him on Friday night will discover the same.
Ollie Gordon, RB, Oklahoma State
Gordon is a giant of a running back at 6-foot-2 and 233 (he told me in this Senior Bowl interview) someone who doesn't cheat on leg day in the weight room. He's a power runner but he's not just a power runner. Perhaps his best defining trait is that Gordon enthusiastically thrives at pass protection. For a bigger dude, Gordon has soft hands and decent feet in the open field.
It's an apparent crowded RB class in the middle rounds. Gordon's power, passing game work and vivacious personality make him stand out to me.
Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
Human beings built like Kenneth Grant aren't supposed to move the way he does. He's 6-foot-4, played at 340-ish pounds and is still able to run a sub-5 40-yard dash. He can sky up to block field goals and is best-in-class at swatting down passes at the line. Another engaging personality with impressive self-awareness, Grant sure was fun to watch in the middle of the Michigan defense for the last couple of seasons. I'm a firm believer he has a higher ceiling, but lower floor, than more celebrated Wolverines linemate Mason Graham.
Donovan Jackson, OL, Ohio State
I was already higher on Jackson than most of my peers while he was playing guard for Ohio State. Then he kicked out to left tackle after Josh Simmons got hurt. After a rough debut against Penn State, Jackson was literally perfect in pass protection for the rest of the Buckeyes' championship run. Not too shabby for a guard with bad feet, as some detractors liked to claim.
Jackson is a player whose hill I'm willing to die upon. I think he's an above-average starter for a decade in the vein of Joel Bitonio. That he's also a ridiculously intelligent guy off the field (4-time Academic All-Conference) is the cherry on top.
Jonas Sanker, S, Virginia
A relentless bounty of positive energy, Sanker is a do-it-all safety who can play split, high, or box roles. His ability to anticipate and react quickly in coverage really stands out, but so does Sanker's willingness to come down and lay a lick on a running back who dances in the hole. Virginia football hasn't always been an easy watch over the last couple of seasons, but Sanker made it worthwhile.
Isaac TeSlaa, WR, Arkansas
TeSlaa is a special one because he's a local for me. I watched him lead Hudsonville Unity Christian HS to a state football title playing quarterback. I watched him as an integral part of a Michigan state champion high school basketball team that same year, too. While the Grand Rapids area isn't lacking in NFL representation, TeSlaa brings a lot of wattage to our corner of Ottawa County.
None of that would matter if TeSlaa (not pronounced like the famed innovator or the car) couldn't play. He can. Arkansas didn't quite know what it had, using his 6-foot-4 frame as a big slot. I think he's a natural X in training who can contribute right away on special teams and subpackages with starting upside.
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