Ranking 2025 NFL Draft's Strongest Position Groups Based on Landing Spot

Before the 2025 NFL draft, certain position groups were deemed more valuable than others due to their overall talent and depth.

Which groups those are fluctuates from year to year. In 2024, for instance, the quarterback class had the potential to be one for the ages. What did the '25 class bring?

That's what we're here to answer.

Let's rank the seven position groups from worst to best based on overall talent and the prospects' landing spots.

7. Linebacker

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Jihaad Campbell

The linebacker class was not deep. Still, it offered top-end talent and positional versatility, from hybrid defenders such as Atlanta's Jalon Walker and Philadelphia's Jihaad Campbell to pure off-ball backers like Cleveland's Carson Schwesinger and Cincinnati's Demetrius Knight.

Walker and Campbell can play both off-ball and rush off the edges, and are high-end, disruptive forces, regardless of where they align. Schwesinger and Knight provide more stability as full-time second-level defenders.

Just four linebackers were drafted before the end of Round 3, followed by a six-player run in Round 4.

Some of the Day 3 linebackers project to be above-average starters. Danny Stutsman (Saints) and Barrett Carter (Bengals) stand out among the group. The Jaguars' Jack Kiser joins them as a possible future starter.

Despite potential for success in numerous cases, few '25 linebackers have clear paths to making an early impact.

6. Quarterback

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Jaxson Dart

The predraft consensus said this was a down year for quarterbacks, despite Cam Ward's No. 1 overall status. It didn't help that we saw a projected first-round, or at worst Day 2, pick in Shedeur Sanders fall to the fifth round.

Overall, five quarterbacks went before the end of the third.

Perceptions have not changed post-rookie camps and during OTAs. A few rookies are expected to be The Guy, such as the Titans' Ward and Saints' Tyler Shough.

Jaxson Dart of the Giants and Jalen Milroe of the Seahawks are expected to sit and develop behind established veterans. Dillon Gabriel was a Cleveland Browns dart throw in the third round, and then they doubled back to select Sanders on Day 3.

The rest of the quarterbacks are depth additions.

The landing spots for this QB class are uninspiring. If anyone is expecting major contributors in the 2025 season, temper them. Long term, it's difficult to envision most of this class becoming impact long-term starters.

5. Tight End

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Colston Loveland

This was viewed as one of the best tight end classes we have scouted in years. The draft did not disappoint, as the consensus top two tight ends were selected inside the top 15 picks.

Colston Loveland and Tyler Warren project as future impact starters for the Bears and Colts, respectively. Their landing spots were perfect. Sources informed me before the draft that Indianapolis was higher on Warren due to his playmaking versatility and NFL-ready frame.

Loveland landing in Chicago with Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze gives the Bears an exciting young core to build around.

Among the Tier 2, Day 2 options, Mason Taylor landed with the Jets in an intriguing position. He should not face much resistance on his journey to become a rookie starter, as Taylor brings the athleticism, route running and hands that QB Justin Fields will appreciate.

Terrence Ferguson, Elijah Arroyo and Harold Fannin Jr. landed in promising situations. Ferguson joins a talented pass-catching corps with the Los Angeles Rams under head coach Sean McVay and alongside Matthew Stafford. His athleticism and separation abilities will generate mismatches for McVay to dial up and exploit.

Arroyo will have a little tougher time getting starting reps, as the Seahawks have veteran Noah Fant under contract until the end of the season. The offense can benefit from having both vertical athletes on the field together in 12-personnel packages. Arroyo expects to be the full-time starter in 2026, but he might be best served to assume the TE2 role during his rookie season.

Fannin is in a similar situation in Cleveland. The Browns have David Njoku for now, but his status after the season is unclear. Njoku does not have any more guaranteed money on his deal, and in February, his contract voids kick in. Fannin may be the eventual replacement for Njoku, but right now, he will be holding down the backup tight end spot.

The rest of the tight end class will have to earn their way into prominent snaps. Keep an eye out for Tennessee rookie Gunnar Helm. He was one of the Titans' trio of pass-catchers selected in the fourth round.

4. Safety

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Malaki Starks

Safeties are often viewed as a forgettable position during draft season.

That narrative has to stop. The prototypical safeties are tasked with wearing multiple hats. Most enter the league with experience at both safety and nickel/dime defensive backs. This position is invaluable for defensive coordinators to confuse opposing quarterbacks and muddy the coverage looks post-snap.

Baltimore's Malaki Starks was the lone safety drafted in Round 1. Everyone should expect to see plenty of Starks when the Ravens defense takes the field this season, as he is an outstanding fit alongside current star safety Kyle Hamilton. The Georgia product also fell into the hands of one of the league's toughest defenses.

The next safety selected was Nick Emmanwori by the Seattle Seahawks—a potentially explosive fit.

Former Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald is Seattle's head coach and entering his second season at the helm. Emmanwori's height, weight and arm length are nearly identical to those of Macdonald's former star safety, Kyle Hamilton, with the Ravens.

Emmanwori is the more explosive athlete but lacks Hamilton's instincts. He lands in a great situation to learn from one of the better defensive coaches in the league.

Emmanwori joins veterans Coby Bryant and Julian Love in the safety room. He provides the flexibility as a big nickel/dime defender and zone dropper. Emmanwori enters summer workouts without the pressure to be an immediate starter, rather, he can rotate in and learn from the leaders in the room.

Andrew Mukuba is joining that talented Philadelphia Eagles secondary, which makes a ton of sense. After the Super Bowl, they traded Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, and Mukuba's game mirrors Gardner-Johnson's well. Mukuba can play out of two-high safety shells and as a nickel defender. His instincts in coverage aids his playmaking ability to create turnovers.

The Falcons' pairing of Xavier Woods and Billy Bowman Jr. was a great decision. These defenders are multi-faceted; both can rotate from the top of the defense to playing in the box. Bowman projects as the Falcons' future nickel corner, while Woods will man the safety position beside star Jessie Bates.

3. Wide Receiver

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Travis Hunter

The 2025 wide receiver group was unfairly graded on a curve after being compared to the star-studded 2024 class. After predraft rumors swirled about receivers potentially falling down the board, we finished with four drafted in the first round.

Jacksonville's Travis Hunter was the first "wide receiver" selected. Their plan for him is expected to include playing cornerback as well. Regardless, Hunter will have an offensive impact. He comes in as the WR2 behind Brian Thomas Jr.; this creates more advantageous matchups for QB Trevor Lawrence to target.

Tetairoa McMillan joins the Carolina Panthers to help round out their wide receiver room. The big-bodied pass-catcher adds a prototypical X-receiver build and skill set. They must find out if QB Bryce Young is the real deal and can lead this team to a winning season before the talent-filled 2026 draft.

Emeka Egbuka enters the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense as a first-rounder who does not have to carry the weight of the passing game. The Buccaneers have a lot of weapons for Baker Mayfield to relentlessly attack the opposition with.

He joins Mike Evans, a rehabbing Chris Godwin and second-year wideout Jalen McMillan. The future is bright for the Buccaneers offense.

Matthew Golden joins another crowded wide receiver room with the Green Bay Packers. He is accustomed to vying for a key role after transferring to Texas last offseason before the 2024 season. Golden received Round 1 draft capital and will be expected to elevate this passing attack. With his elite raw speed, he can take the top off the defense or hurt them after the catch.

It was more than first-round receivers; Day 2 had intriguing player-team fits. This receiver class was often maligned, but in reality, it boasts NFL talent and body types. Even on Day 3, receivers such as Kansas City's Jalen Royals have a ton of potential.

2. Defensive Tackle

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Kenneth Grant

From powerful run-stoppers to versatile pass-rushing archetypes, if your team had a need, this was the defensive tackle class to address it.

Cleveland's Mason Graham and Miami's Kenneth Grant were teammates at Michigan and were the top two defensive tackles drafted. They joined defensive lines with enough talent to remove the pressure and spotlight for opposing blocking schemes.

Both Wolverine defenders wreck single blocks and make life difficult for opposing interior offensive linemen. They have the potential to become constant contributors and impact players.

Walter Nolen joins a revamped, talented Arizona Cardinals line and brings the most upside in the room. Nolen provides head coach Jonathan Gannon with a future star defensive lineman who has a dynamic, vertically attacking style of play.

Tyleik Williams will improve the Detroit Lions' run defense and physicality on the interior. Their linebackers should see more space to scrape and flow to the fire. Williams has enough pass-rushing ability to slowly push the pocket into the lap or face of the quarterback.

There were multiple good fits for defensive linemen on night two of the draft. One of the best picks was Omar Norman-Lott, who joined the Kansas City Chiefs. They were rumored to address the defensive tackle position. With another excellent value pick, the New York Giants added Toledo defensive tackle Darius Alexander.

The defensive line prospects landed in advantageous situations to have their presence felt during their rookie campaigns.

1. Running Back

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Ashton Jeanty

Running back was the consensus best position in the class.

Led by Las Vegas Raiders rookie Ashton Jeanty, the group was as talented as any over the last decade.

Jeanty should see a heavy dose of carries to start the season as the Raiders' feature back. This is an underrated landing spot with high-end productivity potential.

The Los Angeles Chargers' Omarion Hampton joined Jeanty as the only running backs drafted in Round 1, and the two backs will be linked forever as their careers progress. Hampton brings the physicality and open-field speed to become a constant feature as a rookie in Greg Roman's offense.

Former Ohio State ball-carriers Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson were selected early during the second round. Judkins will be tasked with filling the physical downhill running void left by Nick Chubb in Cleveland. He runs with a physical tone-setting mentality the Browns offense needs on early downs.

Henderson joins New England, which has one of the league's best pass-catching running back lineages. He joins a talented but young offense. Henderson will be needed to supplement Rhamondre Stevenson, especially considering the latter's fumbling issues. Henderson's explosive top-end speed and pass catching ability will show up often in 2025.

The Denver Broncos added their new RB1, RJ Harvey. He routinely breaks 15-yard plays and is a good receiving threat out of the backfield. Head coach Sean Payton has a track record of fielding running backs who make impactful plays in his offensive system. Harvey does not have any real competition.

Kaleb Johnson joins Jaylen Warren in the Pittsburgh Steelers' backfield. Johnson may not own the title of RB1 right now, but he should take it during the rookie season. He is a physical downhill, one-cut zone runner with great patience and vision. This is a good landing spot and a good fit for his skill set.

The rest of the running back class has potential starters like Jordan James in San Francisco, Woody Marks in Houston and Cam Skattebo with the New York Giants. This class has impact players who will need a chance to prove their worth.