Arrowhead Pride’s player grades for the 2025 NFL Draft

The 2025 NFL Draft has finally arrived!

I’ve spent the offseason seeking the best prospects for the Kansas City Chiefs, so let’s take a look at my final grades for the class. I’ve placed each of the top players in one of six tiers based on their projected career outcome.

Top-10: A Day 1 star, a consistent All-Pro and one of the best at his position, who resets the market when signing a second contract. Example: Myles Garrett

First round: A blue-chip player who is a foundational part of a team. He makes Pro Bowl teams, but doesn’t necessarily reset the market when signing an extension. He is nonetheless consistently in the upper tier of contracts and rankings. Example: Josh Hines-Allen

Second round: An above-average starter who is rewarded with a good second contract. He might make one or two Pro Bowls. While he’s not a star or building block, he rounds out a team. Example: George Karlaftis

Third round: An average starter — a quality player who won’t necessarily earn a big second contract. Example: Dorance Armstrong

Fourth round: A fringe starter or rotational player who has a narrower role compared to a team’s better players. Example: Mike Danna

Day 3: A fringe roster or practice squad player.

Players in bold are “My Guys” — my favorite 2025 prospects.

Quarterbacks

Round 1: Cam Ward

Round 3: Shedeur Sanders

Round 4: Tyler Shough, Jaxson Dart and Jalen Milroe

Day 3: Dillon Gabriel, Kyle McCord, Riley Leonard and Quinn Ewers

Running backs

Top 10: Ashton Jeanty

Round 1: Omarion Hampton

Round 2: Kaleb Johnson, Treyveon Henderson and Damien Martinez

Round 3: Cam Skattebo, Jordan James, Dylan Sampson, Quinshon Judkins, Devin Neal and D.J. Giddens

Round 4: R.J. Harvey, Raheim Sanders, Bhayshul Tuten and Trevor Etienne

Day 3: LeQuint Allen, Jaydon Blue, Brashard Smith, Kyle Monangai, Ollie Gordon II and Phil Mafah

Top to bottom, the depth of this running back class is incredible. While I have just two Round 1 grades — for Jeanty and Hampton — the Day 2 class is excellent. There are 11 backs worthy of the top 100 — and project to at least be starters. Some have even higher ceilings.

Even in Round 4 or Day 3, I feel great about this group. While I’m skeptical about players like Harvey and Tuten being more than good second running backs, they still have skillsets that will fit NFL offenses; they will be productive. A player like Blue will add speed out of the backfield, while Allen will have a long career as a third-down running back.

There’s also plenty of variety. There are power runners like Martinez, Skattebo, Judkins and Neal. Johnson, Giddens and Sampson are great for outside zone offenses. Tuten and Harvey are smaller, but bring lots of explosiveness and playmaking. Whatever their running scheme, teams should find running backs that will work for them.

Wide receivers

Top 10: Tetairoa McMillan

Round 1: Travis Hunter, Matthew Golden and Emeka Egbuka

Round 2: Luther Burden III, Jaylin Noel, Tory Horton and Elic Ayomanor

Round 3: Jayden Higgins, Jack Bech, Tre Harris and Kyle Williams

Round 4: Tai Felton, Jalen Royals, Pat Bryant, Tez Johnson and Jaylin Lane

Day 3: Xavier Restrepo, Chimere Dike, Da’Quan Felton, Isaac TeSlaa and Savion Williams

Tight ends

Round 1: Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland
Round 2: Elijah Arroyo

Round 3: Oronde Gadsden II, Mason Taylor, Terrance Ferguson, Mitchell Evans and Gunnar Helm

Round 4: Harold Fannin Jr. and Jake Briningstool

Day 3: Luke Lachey

As I’ve said several times this offseason, I’m not crazy about Day 2’s tight ends. I think Arroyo separates himself from the next group; I feel safe in my belief that he’ll be a starting tight end.

But I have at least one big concern with each of the Round 3 tight ends. Taylor and Ferguson are minus blockers in the running game. Helm tested poorly at the Combine — and isn’t the ideal size for a Y tight end. Evans is a great blocker, but he’s limited at separating. Even for Oronde Gadsden II — whom I love — there are concerns about how his blocking will translate and how he will be able to decelerate and change directions so he can separate.

Still, some of these players have the potential to exceed my expectations. I pushed them down because for some of them, the floor could fall out from underneath.

Tackles

Top 10: Armand Membou and Will Campbell

Round 1: Josh Simmons and Josh Conerly Jr.

Round 2: Aireontae Ersery and Kelvin Banks Jr.

Round 3: Emery Jones Jr., Jalen Travis and Anthony Belton

Round 4: Ozzy Trapilo and Cameron Williams

Day 3: Charles Grant and Jack Nelson

Interior offensive linemen

Round 1: Marcus Mbow and Donovan Jackson

Round 2: Tyler Booker and Grey Zabel

Round 3: Dylan Fairchild, Jonah Savaiianea and Jared Wilson

Round 4: Myles Frazier and Wyatt Milum

Day 3: Tate Ratledge

The offensive line drops off quickly. While I’m not confident about the ceilings for some of the players in the top 40, I think there are 10 strong starters between the six tackles and four interior players in that range.

After that, though, the class falls off — and there’s a pretty large gap between guys in Round 2 and Round 3. I don’t see many clear starters in that range; most project as depth and fringe starters.

Defensive ends

Top 10: Abdul Carter

Round 1: Shemar Stewart and Mykel Williams

Round 2: Mike Green, Princely Umanmielen and Donovan Ezeiruaku

Round 3: Jordan Burch, Bradyn Swinson, Nic Scourton, James Pearce Jr., Landon Jackson and JT Tuimoloau

Round 4: Jared Ivey, Kyle Kennard, Jack Sawyer, Ashton Gillotte, Oluwafemi Oladejo and Josaiah Stewart

Defensive tackles

Top 10:

Round 1: Mason Graham, Derrick Harmon, Walter Nolen and Kenneth Grant

Round 2: Tyleik Williams, T.J. Sanders and Shemar Turner

Round 3: Darius Alexander, Alfred Collins, Deone Walker and Vernon Broughton

Round 4: Ty Hamilton, Nazir Stackhouse, Howard Cross III, Joshua Farmer, Omarr Norman-Latt and Ty Robinson

Day 3: Rylie Mills and Jordan Phillips

Linebackers

Round 1: Jihaad Campbell

Round 2: Carson Schwesinger and Jalon Walker

Round 3: Kobe King, Danny Stutsman and Chris Paul Jr.

Round 4: Demetrius Knight Jr., Jeffrey Bassa and Smael Mondon Jr.

Cornerbacks

Top 10: Travis Hunter

Round 1: Will Johnson and Jahdae Barron

Round 2: Trey Amos, Benjamin Morrison and Shavon Revel Jr.

Round 3: Azareye’h Thomas, Cobee Bryant, Maxwell Hairston, Darien Porter, Robert Longerbeam and Jacob Parrish

Round 4: Jabbar Muhammad

Safeties

Round 2: Malaki Starks and Xavier Watts

Round 3: Andrew Mukuba, Lathan Ramson, Nick Emmanwori, Jaylen Reed, Kevin Winston Jr. and Billy Bowman Jr.

Round 4: Jonas Sanker, Hunter Wohler and Malachi Moore

Day 3: Sebastian Castro

In Round 3, there’s a glut of defensive backs. There are lots of guys with starting upside, but there are few game-changers — and I don’t see much separation between them. After we get through the first 50 picks — when the offensive and defensive line classes have dried up — I think we’ll see a run on these players.