2025 NFL Draft: Biggest Risers and Fallers Ahead of the Scouting Combine

NFL draft evaluations are a step-by-step process. The combine is the next step.

The event serves as the league's equivalent to one-stop shopping. All NFL personnel descend upon Indianapolis for a week to assess the incoming talent pool through medical evaluations, interviews and workouts.

This year's on-field portion takes place from Feb. 27 through March 2.

However, it's only one step. Since the start of the new year, multiple steps have occurred, starting with College Football Playoff contests through to all-star events.

At this juncture, an inventory of where the Bleacher Report Scouting Department, consisting of Brandon Thorn, Dame Parson and Matt Holder, stood in early January compared to now differs. Why? Evaluations remain ongoing, and adjustments are necessary throughout the process.

A disservice emerges when evaluations are static throughout the entire process. Instead, B/R likes to look where it previously stood and where it's heading in regards to its evaluations of the upcoming class.

With that in mind, the following six prospects have been the three biggest risers and fallers on the department's draft board since the calendar turned to 2025.

Riser: TE Elijah Arroyo, Miami

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Miami tight end Elijah Arroyo made a quick ascent to fringe first-round status after a somewhat surprising declaration as a 21-year-old junior prospect.

This past season, the 21-year-old set career highs with 35 receptions for 590 yards and seven touchdowns. During the previous three campaigns, he managed only 11 catches. Even with a breakout season, the tight end still ranked fifth and fourth, respectively, on Miami's roster in the two main receiving categories.

Granted, Arroyo's ability was evident in each of the Hurricanes' contests. He's an athletic 6'4", 251-pound target with the speed to threaten the seam and create after the catch.

However, the trait that really elevated his status appeared at this year's Senior Bowl.

Arroyo created separation and space from defenders in all of the practice sessions. His ability to do so on a regular basis became a running joke, because linebackers and safeties were consistently shaken off the route stem.

Today's NFL offenses are looking for weapons. Arroyo has an excellent chance to be the focal point of a passing attack and a far bigger threat at the professional level than he was in college.

Faller: QB Riley Leonard, Notre Dame

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Riley Leonard deserved significant credit for how he helped steady the ship for Notre Dame after the team's early loss to the Northern Illinois Huskies.

His efficient play, athleticism and leadership were big parts of the Fighting Irish's run to the National Championship Game.

However, the 22-year-old became exposed to a degree against the Ohio State Buckeyes and in his subsequent Senior Bowl performance.

The Notre Dame coaching staff decided not to put the ball in his throwing hand to try to capture a national championship. Instead, the game plan revolved around Leonard's utilization as a downhill runner. In fact, the quarterback ran it 60 times during the team's College Football Playoff performance.

In Mobile, Alabama, he simply didn't show enough juice as a thrower. He doesn't drive the ball particularly well into tight spaces or outside the numbers.

For a class desperately searching for legitimate options behind center, Leonard had a chance to show he's worthy of being a Day 2 prospect with some starting upside. Instead, he worked his way into Day 3 contention as someone who can last in the league for some time as a primary backup.

Riser: QB Will Howard, Ohio State

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Ohio State's Will Howard lies on the opposite end of the spectrum from Riley Leonard.

As stated, the 2025 quarterback class needs a third QB to enter the conversation as a legitimate option beyond Miami's Cam Ward and Colorado's Shedeur Sanders, both of whom are expected to be top-10 selections.

Howard currently holds the designation of QB3 within Bleacher Report's rankings. More importantly, he finds himself solidly slotted into the second-round range.

The Kansas State transfer flourished throughout the College Football Playoff, with a 74.2 completion percentage and an eight-to-two touchdown-to-interception ratio.

Howard provided his best season when expectations couldn't have been higher. He executed as part of a loaded Ohio State roster. With a national title on the line, new Las Vegas Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly wasn't afraid in allow his quarterback to push the ball down the field for the game-securing play.

The 6'4", 235-pound signal-caller has a sturdy frame, and he's more than capable of evading pressure, while adding to the design run game. During his four seasons with the Wildcats, he ran for 921 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Howard's upside may be limited overall, but he has the makings of a possible starter in the right situation.

Faller: WR Xavier Restrepo, Miami

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The idea of a slot receiver not holding as much value as other wide receivers has long since passed, though a true-blue X-receiver tends to find their way into a draft's Top 10.

Still, an offense needs someone who can get open and catch the ball on a consistent basis, whether he plays outside receiver, slot receiver or tight end.

In the case of Miami's Xavier Restrepo, he earned his reputation as part of the Hurricanes by leaving the program as its all-time leading receiver.

Think about that previous statement for a second. Michael Irvin, Reggie Wayne, Santana Moss and Andre Johnson played at the U. Yet Restrepo's 200 receptions and 2,844 receiving yards top them all.

What's interesting about Restrepo's evaluation is how he wins. He's not a blazer by any means. He's more of a traditional slot, where he's going to use short-area quickness and route-running to get open despite working in congested areas.

However, his draft status took a step back after the Senior Bowl viewings, because his suddenness at the top of his route wasn't as dynamic as initially thought.

Restrepo doesn't present the same type of burst as an Amon-Ra St. Brown or Josh Downs, hence why he's now slotted just outside of B/R's top 100 overall.

Riser: Edge Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M

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Potential combined with raw physical traits often supersedes any concerns over production, or lack thereof, when evaluating a prospect.

Coaches and scouts drool over the possibility of what a player can become. Case in point, Shemar Stewart never emerged as a game-wrecker during his time with the Aggies. Yet the possibility of him developing into one injects the defensive lineman into the first-round conversation.

While the B/R Scouting Dept. doesn't have the 21-year-old ranked as a first-rounder, the group can't deny the potential found in his 6'5", 281-pound frame.

Over the last three seasons, the former 5-star recruit managed only 4.5 sacks, though. Questions should arise about that figure because of his clear physical gifts.

With that said, Stewart showed up in Mobile ready to make some money and did. He used his length, strength and explosiveness to overwhelm all-star offensive linemen. He performed well enough that he created a significant buzz among the NFL's scouting community.

Risk is inherent in every draft pick, and Stewart's lack of production definitely presents its own concerns. Still, he flashed exactly why some are so bullish on his upside.

Faller: DL Deone Walker, Kentucky

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The Planet Theory can be a blessing or a curse for an NFL prospect.

There are only so many people walking the planet with the size and athleticism of the 6'7", 340-pound Deone Walker. Yet he doesn't use his mountainous frame to his advantage with any kind of consistency.

The 20-year-old was initially being looked at as a potential top-15 draft pick entering the 2024 campaign. A closer inspection of his game showed an individual who doesn't play with good leverage, technique or consistent effort.

Considering the defensive tackle's size, pad level is always a concern.

A significant difference exists between John Henderson and Daniel McCullers despite being nearly identical in height (6'7") while playing the same position. The former was a feared defender and two-time Pro Bowler, while the latter became nothing more than a backup nose tackle over seven nondescript seasons.

Why? Because Henderson played with better flexibility, explosiveness and pad level.

Walker even went to the Senior Bowl and got pushed around far too often. Yes, he can be an absolute load when he's fully committed. But those moments aren't consistent enough, which is why his draft status has been pointing downward for months.