The first five weeks of the 2024 college football season have seen some big performances from top 2025 NFL draft prospects. But who is moving up or down the board? And what’s going on with an interesting quarterback class as schools dive into big in-conference matchups?

Draft analysts Mel Kiper Jr., Matt Miller, Steve Muench, Jordan Reid and Field Yates answered big draft-related questions coming out of the first month of college football. As we head into October, who is the No. 1 prospect on each of our analysts’ boards? What’s the word on Georgia’s Carson Beck and Alabama’s Jalen Milroe after their showdown in Tuscaloosa? Is Miami’s Cam Ward emerging in the Round 1 picture? And how does the top of the receiver board look compared to 2024’s loaded class?

Our analysts get into all of that and empty their notebooks with everything they have seen and heard over the past few weeks. Let’s start with the No. 1 player in the class, where three of our five experts agree.

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No. 1 prospect | Beck | Top WRs
Ward | Milroe | Early sleepers
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Who is your No. 1 overall prospect right now?

Kiper: Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado. He has been No. 1 on my Big Board all season, and he’s not going anywhere. The hand-eye coordination, ball skills and quickness are all outstanding. And the way he thinks about the game continues to catch my attention. This is a guy who has played essentially the entire game every week, yet he’s still so plugged in that he’s out there counting how many guys are on the field on punt plays. That kind of focus is impressive. Simply put, Hunter is doing things we rarely, if ever, see in college football; he has six TD catches and two interceptions.

Reid: Hunter. However you want to slice it, Hunter has been the best player in college football. Not only has he caught 46 passes for 561 yards and six touchdowns on offense, but he has also picked off two passes while serving as a lockdown corner on defense. Now, is he a receiver or a corner at the next level? That’s still up for debate, but he’s the type of player who can make an immediate impact. Hunter is one of the more unique two-way prospects that we’ve ever seen, and I just moved him to No. 1 overall ahead of Georgia edge rusher Mykel Williams.

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Travis Hunter strikes Heisman pose after diving INT

Travis Hunter lays out for the interception and gives the Heisman pose as a celebration.

Miller: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan. I love Hunter — he would be my pick for the Heisman Trophy — but I can’t put him at No. 1 over Johnson. The Michigan junior is a bigger (6-foot-2, 202 pounds), better cornerback than Hunter. That physicality shows in how he attacks the ball and impacts the run game. Johnson is also equally as dynamic with the ball in his hands, as he has returned both of his interceptions this season for touchdowns. And he now has nine career interceptions.

Muench: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan. A defensive tackle hasn’t gone first overall since the Bengals took Ohio State’s Dan Wilkinson in 1994, but Graham has an outside shot of breaking that streak. Graham was the top prospect on my board coming into the season and has remained there. He demands double-teams, and that makes it tougher for opponents to get blockers up to the linebackers and creates more one-on-one matchups for Michigan’s edge rushers. Graham is the best defensive tackle I’ve evaluated since Alabama’s Quinnen Williams, who went No. 3 in 2019. With two sacks on Saturday against Minnesota, he now has three on the season.

Yates: Hunter. Yeah, I agree with Mel and Jordan. I had Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce Jr. as my preseason No. 1 prospect, but the best player in college football this season has been Hunter — and it’s not close. Trying to encapsulate his greatness is a tall task, as he has been equally dominant as a wide receiver as he has been as a cornerback. Hunter is a natural playmaker and makes everything look effortless. Whether you choose to grade him as a wide receiver or a cornerback, he is a difference-maker.

What is your predicted chance that Carson Beck will be the first QB selected in April?

Reid: 5%. I gave Beck the class’s highest odds (20%) of being selected first overall in the preseason, regardless of position, but he hasn’t looked like the same passer who we saw in 2023. Georgia’s offense has used a high percentage of underneath throws, resulting in some overly cautious play, and Beck has struggled with ball placement on deeper throws. There’s plenty of time for him to recover, but with the play of Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, Texas’ Quinn Ewers, Miami’s Cam Ward and Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, the race for QB1 is getting closer and closer.

Miller: 15%. Beck hasn’t really broken out this season, and much of his preseason draft prospectus was based on him taking another step in his second season as a starter. Beck (6-foot-4, 220 pounds) struggled with underthrown passes, poor ball placement and turnovers in the first half of Saturday’s loss to Alabama. He led a second-half comeback bid but still suffered from key misses. Beck has largely played safe, conservative, check-down football and hasn’t taken many chances down the field.

The emergence of Milroe, strong starts from Sanders and Ewers, and the jump in play from Penn State’s Drew Allar have Beck’s chances much lower than at the start of the season. That said, a longtime GM told me once, “Quarterbacks are ranked based on what happens from January to April, not September to December.” That means the combine, his pro day and private workouts will be as important for Beck’s slotting as his early-season play.

Kiper: 35%. Yes, Beck had a slow start against Alabama and threw a late back-breaking pick. But he took command to bring the Bulldogs back from a 30-7 second-half hole, is very capable of making full-field reads and gets the ball out accurately and on time. He’s going to be in the mix. I have Sanders as my top quarterback, and there are too many challengers to feel confident about any of these QBs being first off the board right now. Plus, losing tight end Brock Bowers and receiver Ladd McConkey has hurt Beck. Georgia doesn’t have any playmakers of their caliber this season.

Muench: 20%. Beck was my QB2 coming into the season with the same grade as Sanders. He moved ahead by the slightest of margins, but Beck is coming off an uneven-at-best performance against Alabama. Meanwhile, Ewers (my QB3) was closing the gap before he got hurt, and it’s likely that at least one other quarterback enters the QB1 chat. I’m not as high on Ward, Milroe, Allar or Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart as others, but each of them could also shoot up boards as the process progresses.

Yates: 15%. Beck held a small lead in my personal quarterback rankings entering the season, but this is a truly wide-open race, with a handful of players very much in the mix. I believe five have a real shot to be QB1. Beck’s combination of accuracy, urgency as a thrower and in-pocket navigation makes him a unique player in my book, though. He has a 62.9% completion rate this year, throwing 10 touchdown passes to three interceptions.

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Carson Beck throws costly INT as Bama thwarts Georgia’s late comeback

Carson Beck lobs pass to the end zone, but it’s intercepted by Alabama freshman Zabien Brown to seal the Crimson Tide’s exhilarating victory.

Where would your current WR1 rank among the 2024 class’s receivers?

Miller: My top receiver is Missouri’s Luther Burden III, though he would have been WR4 in the loaded 2024 class. Burden is an elite playmaker after the catch, with 19 career touchdowns and an average of 13.8 yards per catch over the past season and a half. He has a powerful build at 5-foot-11 and 208 pounds and displays some afterburner speed. Burden is truly a star, but the 2024 class was the best I’ve ever scouted at the top of the receiver board. Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze would all rank above him.

Muench: At 6-foot-5 and 212 pounds, Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan can stretch the field vertically and pick up yards after the catch. He gets off the line and separates well for his size. He has the wide catch radius to make contested catches downfield and in the red zone. McMillan was one of the most productive receivers in the country last season, posting 1,402 yards. He already has 503 receiving yards and four scores this season. That makes him my WR1 and the fifth overall player on my board with a grade of 92. That said, McMillan would have still been WR4 in the 2024 class. Harrison (95), Nabers (95) and Odunze (93) all had higher grades.

What would you need to see from Cam Ward to confidently put him in the first-round conversation?

Reid: Every season there’s a QB who unlocks the next stage of his development and shoots up draft boards. Last season, it was LSU’s Jayden Daniels, who eventually won the Heisman Trophy and became the No. 2 pick in the 2024 draft. Ward is currently the leading candidate to make a big rise in the 2025 class. He has 1,782 passing yards, 18 TD passes and four interceptions over five starts. Thursday’s game against Virginia Tech was Ward’s first matchup against a quality opponent, and he continued his magical season with a top performance against the Hokies.

Ward (6-foot-2, 223 pounds) impressed evaluators, showing a calm presence while throwing with accuracy and aggressiveness. He finished 24-of-38 for 343 yards and four touchdown passes against Virginia Tech while adding another score on the ground, all while overcoming an early turnover. His most impressive stretch came in the fourth quarter, as Ward completed 8 of 11 passes for 88 yards and two touchdown passes, including the go-ahead score. Ward still has moments when he tries to do too much and must learn to be more selective in pursuing those type of plays. But he is already squarely in the first-round conversation.

And what about Jalen Milroe?

Kiper: Like Ward, Milroe is already firmly in the first-round discussion, and he has the chance to rise much higher because of the early season uncertainty of the quarterback class. I mean, what’s not to like about his game? He’s physical and tough, with a rock-solid 6-foot-2, 225-pound frame. He shows strong accuracy on deep throws, averaging 11.3 yards per attempt this season. He’s a dynamic player who can beat defenses with his underrated speed, even when he has to deal with Georgia’s talented defensive playmakers. Milroe ran for his seventh and eighth rushing TDs of the season on Saturday night, and completed 81.8% of his throws for 374 passing yards. Nothing fazes him and he can make all the throws.

Coming into the season, we really needed to see improved ball placement in the short and intermediate areas. I think he has taken a step there. Milroe is completing 75.8% of his passes thrown 15 or fewer yards downfield this season, up a notch from 73.2% in 2023. He was also too quick to bail, tuck and run in the past, but I’m seeing more slipping and sliding in the pocket this season. That’s a good sign for his pro evaluation. The area in which he can most stand to improve now is the pre-snap process. Milroe must be more consistent identifying the blitz, setting his protections and getting his players lined up.

Which sleeper has caught your eye in the first five weeks?

Miller: Jalon Walker, Edge/LB, Georgia. The buzz around the Georgia defense this summer was focused on junior edge Mykel Williams, but his ankle injury has allowed Walker to emerge as a game-changing defender. The 6-foot-2, 245-pounder has played as an off-ball linebacker and a true edge defender, shining in both roles. Walker had five sacks in 2023, but it’s his hybrid ability as an edge setter and pass rusher that’s propelling him up my board. Right now, he has an early Day 2 grade.

Muench: Kalel Mullings, RB, Michigan. Mullings is a former linebacker who had 50 career carries and figured to be a complement to Donovan Edwards this season. But he has been much more than that, rushing for 423 yards and six touchdowns over the past three games. His tough running, paired with Michigan’s talented defense, is a big reason the Wolverines are 4-1. At 6-foot-2 and 233 pounds, Mullings is patient and powerful with good burst through the hole and quick feet for his size. He has three career catches, so he can improve his stock if he can become reliable as a receiver, but Mullings has moved into the Day 2 conversation for me.

Kiper: Kenny Gallop Jr., S, Howard. The 6-foot, 214-pound senior has double-digit tackles in four of five games this season. He plays traditionally in the box as a throwback strong safety-type but can play center field, too. Gallop’s instincts pop on tape, and he shows good tackling ability and closing speed. He is always around the football and flies around the field. Sure, his ball production could improve — only two interceptions over 36 career games — but Gallop has stacked some really good games (and seasons) together. Turn on the Howard film, and he jumps out as the best player on the field. I like him as a Day 3 pick with upside.

Reid: Jake Majors, C, Texas. Majors stands to move up the center position’s board, which lacks a clear-cut No. 1 prospect. With 46 career starts, he’s the anchor of the Texas offensive front. Tasked with altering and setting protections, Majors has been a consistent steady presence in the face of quarterback turnover. He hasn’t given up a sack since November 2022. Coming into the season, the 6-foot-3, 315-pounder wasn’t one of my top five center prospects, but that is likely to change. He is trending upward, receiving Round 3-4 grades from scouts.

Yates: Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon. Harmon is in his first season with Oregon after two years at Michigan State and has made an immediate mark on the Ducks. At 6-foot-5 and 310 pounds, he has elite length, similar to what we’ve seen from former Ducks D-linemen such as DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead. And Harmon has shown dominant flashes as a pass rusher, already picking up two sacks and eight pressures this season. He is a true junior, so he’s no lock to be in the upcoming draft class, but he has the look of a future Sunday starter. I think he could be a solid fourth-rounder.

What else are you hearing from sources or seeing on tape this week?

Miller:

• Scouts are buzzing about Texas wide receiver Isaiah Bond. A transfer from Alabama, Bond has shown game-breaking speed, an ability to track the deep ball and a knack for creating yardage with the ball in his hands as a runner. One scout texted me after Bond’s 56-yard catch-and-run touchdown against Louisiana-Monroe in Week 4: “I think [Bond] might be faster than Xavier Worthy.” Worthy, of course, posted a combine record 4.21-second run in the 40-yard dash this past spring.

• Ole Miss wide receiver Tre Harris is one of my biggest risers so far this season. At 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, he has wowed with after-the-catch ability and is playing above the rim on deep shots from quarterback Jaxson Dart. Harris has three straight games with more than 10 receptions, including an 11-catch, 176-yard performance with a touchdown in Saturday’s upset loss to Kentucky. He entered the season as a Round 3-4 prospect on my board, but he has risen into my overall top 50.

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Ole Miss’ Tre Harris’ huge catch-and-run sets up Ole Miss TD

Ole Miss gets on the board first as Tre Harris gets down to the 1 on a 39-yard catch. The next play Henry Parrish Jr. scores the short touchdown.

• We don’t talk about Bowling Green a lot when it comes to the draft, but tight end Harold Fannin Jr. is a legitimate pro prospect. Fannin has 37 receptions with four touchdowns in four games, including a 12-catch, 188-yard effort Saturday against Old Dominion. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound junior is a bit of a tweener and plays split out wide often, but NFL scouts are very intrigued with his ability in a pro offense. One scout I spoke to this week says Fannin is the second-best tight end in the class, behind Michigan’s Colston Loveland.

Reid:

• Ohio State left tackle Josh Simmons and Texas right tackle Cameron Williams are two names that weren’t mentioned often during the summer, but scouts have been very complimentary of both players over the first month of the season. Simmons, a 6-foot-5, 310-pound transfer from San Diego State, joined the Buckeyes before last season and has quickly become a staple of their offensive line. And while Kelvin Banks Jr. gets plenty of attention at left tackle for Texas, multiple scouts mentioned Williams during our discussions over the past month. Evaluators have continued to rave about the 6-foot-5, 335-pound blocker. They are both Day 2 prospects.

Yates:

• One of the ways in which the 2025 draft appears much different than 2024 is the depth of the running back and safety classes. The 2024 draft saw only one running back taken in the first two rounds and no safety was selected until the No. 47 pick (Tyler Nubin to the Giants). Don’t expect a repeat next April, as I do think there’s a chance of a first-round running back (Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty is my best bet) and at least one safety will go in Round 1 (Georgia’s Malaki Starks).

Muench:

• I’ll add a sleeper tackle to follow up Jordan’s note above. William & Mary’s Charles Grant is on the smaller side (6-foot-4, 300 pounds) and needs to clean up some technique issues — most notably his hand placement — but his length and mobility make him a potential Day 2 prospect if he performs well during the pre-draft process.

• It’s obvious we don’t think the talent at the top of the 2025 receiver crop is going to be the same as 2024’s banner class, but teams should still be able to strengthen their WR corps in April. Iowa State’s Jayden Higgins, Utah State’s Jalen Royals, UNLV’s Ricky White III and Maryland’s Tai Felton project as midround picks. They might never develop into an NFL team’s No. 1 receiver, but each has a skill set to carve out a valued role in the pros.

Kiper:

• I kept waiting for the pass-rushing class to finally break out one weekend. And that came in Week 5. Everything came together for dynamic performances from some top prospects. Texas A&M’s Nic Scourton (DE1) had two sacks against Arkansas. Landon Jackson (DE2) had two of his own for the Razorbacks in the same game. Boston College’s Donovan Ezeiruaku (OLB6) had three sacks, four tackles for loss and a big fourth-quarter forced fumble against Western Kentucky. Michigan’s Mason Graham — my top-ranked DT — picked up two sacks against Minnesota. The big games arrived all over.

• Running backs sometimes get lost in the shuffle, but I’ve been impressed with Texas Tech’s Tahj Brooks, who could end up being a good pick in the fourth- or fifth-round range. He has quick feet and can string together multiple cuts on his runs. At 5-foot-10 and 230 pounds, Brooks shows good contact balance and picks up a lot of yards after first contact, making defenders miss. He has 551 rushing yards and four TDs in four games this season, and though he has only five catches, Brooks has shown the ability to catch passes out of the backfield in the past.

• Two players playing at their third program are making cases to rise up draft boards. Receiver Dorian Singer has gone from Arizona to USC to Utah, where he has 26 catches so far. That includes nine for 155 yards against his former Wildcats team on Saturday. Singer doesn’t drop anything and attacks the football in the air with tremendous hand-eye coordination and reliable hands. And UNLV safety Jalen Catalon (5-11, 205) is making plays all over the place. He was an elite prospect early in his time at Arkansas but struggled with injuries and missed tackles over four seasons there (2019-22) and one more at Texas (2023) before coming on strong this season with the Rebels. Catalon has stayed healthy and improved as a tackler; he has 10 tackles over four games, along with four interceptions.

• I was intrigued by Penn State’s usage of tight end Tyler Warren against Illinois. The Nittany Lions used the versatile playmaker all over, including as a wildcat QB. The 6-foot-6, 257-pound Warren played quarterback in high school and picked up a rushing touchdown on Saturday. He can play out wide, in-line or out of the backfield, and he’s a player to watch going forward. Warren is my No. 2 tight end behind Loveland.

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Tyler Warren climbs the ladder for a slick one-handed catch

Tyler Warren gets up and somehow comes down with a one-handed grab for Penn State.

• Lastly, it has been good to see Ohio State receiver Emeka Egbuka get back to form after injuries limited him in 2023. He caught seven balls for 96 yards and a touchdown on Saturday against Michigan State, his third straight performance with at least 95 receiving yards. Egbuka (6-1, 205) is a good route runner and can pick up chunks after the catch. I have him as my sixth-ranked WR right now.