Nick Nash was skeptical.

As San José State’s star senior receiver looked across at his new head coach, Ken Niumatalolo, this spring, his mind was torn. Nash knew all about Niumatalolo’s past at Navy, where he exclusively ran the triple option. The situation, Nash said, was scary.

Nash arrived at San José State as an athlete with no discrete position. He had no other major offers. He started his career at quarterback before realizing by the end of the 2022 season that he didn’t have much of a future under center.

Suddenly, his future at wideout appeared murky—diminished in a run-heavy offense. Niumatalolo knew why Nash was concerned, but he also knew his new offensive coordinator, Craig Stutzmann, had the goods to change Nash’s mind.

“Just give us a chance,” Niumatalolo told Nash. “I’ve got a guy coming in that I know you’re going to love his offense, and you’re going to fit perfectly with what he does.”

Nash committed to staying for spring practice. The rest is history—literally.

“I ended up falling in love with this offense,” Nash says. “So, I decided to stay, and I think it was the best decision for me.”

The 6’3″, 195-pound Nash, who played over 600 snaps at wide receiver in 2023, started on the outside in Stutzmann’s patented spread-and-shred offense. The Spartans quickly moved him to the slot, citing the need to maximize personnel. Nash has now changed the way San José State views its slot position.

Nash, a native of Irvine, Calif., became the fourth player in FBS history to win the triple crown, leading the nation with 104 catches for 1,382 yards and 16 touchdowns en route to being a finalist for the Biletnikoff. He had at least six catches and 90 receiving yards in 10 of his 12 games, and scored a touchdown in all but one game.

San José State’s offense finished with 494 pass attempts, the fourth-most in the nation. The Spartans are adamant Nash’s numbers aren’t a byproduct of the system.

“I think it’s a mixture of what the offense is but also being the best guy,” Stutzmann says. “People aren’t saying Ashton Jeanty is a product of Boise State’s system, right? He’s the best running back in the country, and so when you have the best or one of the top guys in the country at something, you need to feature that guy.”

Nash wins with a bevy of traits. He’s versatile, competitive, coordinated, a smooth route runner, can win vertically, has a large catch radius and, according to quarterback Walker Eget, can “jump out of the gym.” San José State molded part of its offense specifically around Nash. Several NFL teams have made return trips to San José this fall.

Opposing defenses have mixed coverages, thrown double teams and put safeties over the top. Few have found success against Nash, whose quarterback past helps him read coverages and attack different leverages.

Stutzmann hopes Nash’s NFL offensive coordinator uses him like the Los Angeles Rams do Puka Nacua, or how the Minnesota Vikings utilized Adam Thielen—but regardless of where Nash lands, San José State expects his days of turning highlight reel grabs into SportsCenter Top-10 moments are far from over.

“He’s probably the best ball player I’ve ever played with,” Eget says. “You’ll see something every day and it’s like, ‘This guy is special.’ There’s something every single day. He’s very, very special—not only making plays here, but he’s going to make plays at the next level.”

1. Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado

The Heisman Trophy winner blends elite athleticism with ball skills. What position he plays in the NFL may ultimately be dictated by who drafts him, but he’s a rarity in terms of his dual-phased mastery.

2. Abdul Carter, LB/EDGE, Penn State

The 6’3″, 252-pound Carter is athletic, instinctive and a proven playmaker both on and off the line of scrimmage. He was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year this season after notching 19.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks.

3. Will Johnson, CB, Michigan

Johnson missed the final five games of the season due to a toe injury, which may force him to fall a few spots on draft day. But when healthy, Johnson is a traditional cover corner with superb instincts and a knack for making plays on the ball.

4. Mason Graham, DT, Michigan

Graham, who stands 6’3″, 320 pounds, is the complete package inside. He’s quick and powerful, was one of college football’s best run defenders in 2024 and was an ascending pressure player in pass-rushing scenarios.

5. Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State

Positional value will hurt Jeanty’s spot in the draft order, but there’s no denying his stellar season—2,497 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns—or the traits that led to it, from his contact balance and vision to his speed and elusiveness.

6. Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona

McMillan has two seasons of elite production, and at 6’5″, 212 pounds, his ball skills and run-after-catch are brilliant. His large catch radius will make life easier for whoever’s throwing him passes in 2025.

7. Malaki Starks, S, Georgia

A do-it-all safety who’s been a steady contributor for three years at Georgia, Starks has the ball skills and schematic versatility to fill multiple roles on the back end. He’s a good tackler who’s stout against both the run and the pass.

8. Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia

Williams boasts one of the highest ceilings in the class, position aside. At 6’5″, 265 pounds, he’s explosive off the ball and powerful at the point of attack. Consistency is his biggest question.

9. Will Campbell, OT, LSU

Campbell will be knocked for his length, and he may be forced to kick inside to guard because of it, but he’s as steady as they come. He’s technically smooth, athletic and potent in both run and pass blocking.

10. Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia

Walker will be a fun chess piece for whoever drafts him. He has sideline-to-sideline speed when playing off the ball, and his 6’2″, 245-pound frame helps him wreak havoc rushing the passer.

11. James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee

Pearce is one of the purest pass rushers in college football. He pairs a quick first step with an expansive arsenal of pass-rushing moves, and he finished third in Division I with 40 quarterback hurries.

12. Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas

Like Campbell, Banks may also get looks at guard, but he’s strong enough to handle power rushers and quick enough to win against speed rushers. He’s still growing as a run blocker, but he gave up just one sack and one quarterback hit this season.

13. Cam Ward, QB, Miami

There’s not a throw Ward doesn’t think he can make, and for good reason. He has a strong arm, and he can throw from a variety of angles and platforms. His ability to manipulate defenders with his eyes is noticeable. Still, Ward has flaws—most mechanical and capable of being fixed—that will make his pro development fascinating to watch.

14. Derrick Harmon, DL, Oregon

Perhaps the biggest riser this fall, Harmon, who was previously at Michigan State, slimmed down at Oregon and has flourished. He can play inside and outside on the defensive line, and he’s consistently disruptive.

15. Shemar Stewart, DL, Texas A&M

Stewart is 6’6″, 290 pounds, but moves like he’s much lighter. He doesn’t have gaudy stats, but he’s scheme versatile, athletic and plays extremely hard—which makes him an intriguing top-20 pick.

16. Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri

A former five-star recruit, Burden is a big-play threat who can legitimately change games each time he touches the ball. The 5’11”, 208-pound Burden scored four touchdowns through the air and two on the ground this season.

17. Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado

Accurate, competitive and boasting a nation-best 74.2% completion rate, Sanders has both the tangible and intangible tools to lead an NFL franchise. He held onto the ball for too long in spurts at Colorado and will need to hasten his decisiveness, but Sanders can meet lofty expectations.

18. Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss

Nolen fits the theme atop the interior defensive line class: explosive and disruptive. He registered 6.5 sacks, eight tackles for loss and 24 hurries this past season while making 31 run stops, tied for second-most in the FBS.

19. Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State

No two plays ever seem to be the same for the 6’6″, 261-pound Warren, who’s built like a traditional tight end but has the versatility and athleticism to align anywhere in the formation. He caught 88 passes for 1,062 yards and six touchdowns in 2024.

20. Shavon Revel Jr., CB, East Carolina

A torn ACL cost Revel the final nine games of this season, but the 6’3″, 190-pounder is loose, lanky and has stout ball skills—he intercepted two passes in three appearances before his injury.

21. Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan

Highly touted but relatively unproven entering the year, Grant enjoyed a strong 2024 campaign. He’s difficult to move at 6’3″, 339 pounds, and he recorded 27 quarterback pressures to go along with three sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss. He’ll test extremely well at the NFL Combine.

22. Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan

There’s an argument for Loveland to be above Warren, but ranking aside, Loveland is a terrific player. He’s an athletic pass catcher capable of stretching teams vertically, and in an inept Wolverine offense, he made 56 receptions for 582 yards and five touchdowns.

23. Nic Scourton, Edge, Texas A&M

The 6’4″, 285-pound Scourton led the Big Ten with 10 sacks at Purdue in 2023 and he produced well in the SEC this season. He’s well-built, defends the run well and logged 34 pressures in 2024. Scourton has a lofty ceiling with his length, strength and motor.

24. Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama

The Milroe experience is littered with highs and lows, but he’s an elite athlete who’s difficult to tackle at 6’2″, 225 pounds. Milroe scored 35 touchdowns this season—20 rushing and 15 passing—and while he’s unrefined as a passer, he’s shown enough glimpses to offer hope for brighter days.

25. Aireontae Ersery, OT, Minnesota

Ersery’s final collegiate season has been more up-and-down than preferred, but he’s a three-year starter at left tackle who’s powerful in the run and stable as a pass blocker. He allowed only one sack and one quarterback hit in 2024.

26. Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa

Jeanty rightfully demands most of the attention, but this is an incredibly deep class at running back, and Johnson has a chance to slide into the end of the first round. He’s quick, powerful and a capable pass catcher who rushed for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns this fall.

27. Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama

Campbell, who measures 6’3″, 244 pounds, is a versatile second-level defender who can impact games working forward, laterally and in reverse. He made 106 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception in the middle of the Crimson Tide’s defense.

28. Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon

A two-year starter at left tackle, Conerly has been brilliant on lefty quarterback Dillon Gabriel’s strong side. The 21-year-old has allowed just one sack, one hit and five pressures this season due to his quick hands and feet.

29. JT Tuimoloau, Edge, Ohio State

Tuimoloau is a stoutly built, 6’5″, 269-pound defensive end who sets a physical edge and generates pressure with power. He took a positive step forward as a pass rusher during his final act with the Buckeyes, but he projects as an early-downs player as a rookie.

30. Landon Jackson, Edge, Arkansas

Few edge defenders have the blend of size and production that Jackson does. He’s 6’7″, 280 pounds, and totaled 9.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, 38 pressures and eight quarterback hits this season for the Razorbacks.

31. Tyler Booker, OG, Alabama

Booker, who’s played both guard spots and has proven capable at tackle, didn’t allow a sack during the regular season. He’s a physical run blocker and should make an early impact as a professional.

32. Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State

The 22-year-old Egbuka hasn’t replicated the production of his 1,100-yard season in 2022, but he’s still the same advanced route runner and loose mover. He caught 60 passes for 743 yards and nine touchdowns during his senior season in Columbus.

33. Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State

Simmons suffered a season-ending left knee injury against Oregon, but he didn’t allow a sack in his six appearances. He played left tackle the past two years after being a right tackle for San Diego State. He’s steady, fundamentally sound and moves defenders off their spot in the run game.

34. Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame

Injury struggles have significantly hurt Morrison’s draft stock—he missed the final six games this year after undergoing hip surgery. He’s still, however, a reliable cover corner who totaled nine interceptions in his first two seasons and could sneak into the latter portion of the first round.

35. Cameron Williams, OT, Texas

Banks generates considerably more buzz, but his bookend teammate Williams is highly thought of within NFL circles. The 6’5″, 335-pounder allowed three sacks and 12 hurries as the Longhorns’ right tackle this season.

36. Jonah Savaiinaea, OT/G, Arizona

Savaiinaea has played both left and right tackle but will likely move to guard at the next level. He’s instinctual and strong at 6’5″, 330 pounds, but he lacks high-end athleticism, which makes him better suited to play inside. Savaiinaea allowed four sacks and 10 hurries in 2024.

37. Mike Green, Edge, Marshall

College football’s sack leader with 17, Green bolts off the edge at 6’4″, 248 pounds. He’s stronger than expected for his frame and finished the season second in pressures with 63.

38. Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina

Emmanwori has an untraditional build at 6’4″, 227 pounds, but he can play various roles in the secondary, and South Carolina gave him reps at single-high safety, a nod to his athleticism. He made 83 tackles and four interceptions this fall en route to earning first-team All-SEC honors.

39. Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina

Hampton may be more scheme-specific than Jeanty and Johnson, but he’s well-suited for a downhill inside rushing offense with his 6’2″, 220-pound build and physical running style. He rushed for 1,660 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2024 while averaging nearly six yards per carry.

40. Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky

Hairston is long, twitchy and finished fifth nationally in interceptions with five in 2023. He played in only seven games this year due to a shoulder injury, but the 6’1″, 186-pounder tallied one interception and four pass breakups. His physical tools give him an intriguing ceiling.

41. Tyleik Williams, DT, Ohio State

The Buckeyes’ defensive front is deep, and Williams at times went overlooked. He’ll be a strong run defender early in the NFL, and if the 6’3″, 327-pounder keeps evolving as a pass rusher, he may outplay this slot. He had only 2.5 sacks but 30 pressures this season.

42. Kyle Kennard, Edge, South Carolina

Kennard was a first-team All-SEC selectino, and that alone says plenty about his season in a conference stacked with defensive linemen. At 6’5″, 254 pounds, Kennard had 11.5 sacks and 16 tackles for loss in his lone season with the Gamecocks after four at Georgia Tech.

43. Alfred Collins, DT, Texas

Collins is powerful and athletic for his 6’6″, 319-pound frame. He’s an impressive run defender who should make a living controlling the point of attack—and while his pass-rush productivity won’t stand out, he batted down six passes in 2024.

44. Marcus Mbow, OT, Purdue

You’re forgiven if you didn’t watch much of the 1–11 Boilermakers this season, but Mbow shouldn’t be punished for that. He’s an uber-athletic right tackle who also has experience at guard. His future may ultimately be inside, but his physical tools give him starter potential.

45. Elic Ayomanor, WR, Stanford

Ayomanor is only a redshirt sophomore, and there’s still lots to untap in his game. He’s 6’1″, 210 pounds, can win vertically and is capable of making plays with the ball in his hands. He caught 63 passes for 831 yards and six touchdowns this season.

46. Shemar Turner, DL, Texas A&M

Another member of a deep, explosive and alignment-versatile Texas A&M front, Turner didn’t produce as well as Scourton or Stewart, but his upside may be just as high. Turner is a smooth mover at 6’3″, 300 pounds, and he’s a penetrative presence against both the run and the pass.

47. Jack Sawyer, Edge, Ohio State

Sawyer will play on run downs early in his career, as he matches his 6’5″, 260-pound frame with strength, physicality, hand usage and instincts. He generated 42 pressures this fall, using his power to collapse pockets. Sawyer is tough, physical and his motor always runs hot.

48. Deone Walker, DT, Kentucky

Walker’s numbers took a significant downturn in 2024 after a stellar ’23, but he remained a force in the middle of the Wildcats’ defensive line. He’s 6’6″, 345 pounds, and defends the run well, which should translate given his mass and power at the point of attack. Walker is also a capable pass rusher, as he had 7.5 sacks in ’23 and 21 pressures in ’24.

49. Isaiah Bond, WR, Texas

Bond, an Alabama transfer, is one of the draft’s best deep threats. He’s an easy accelerator with a high top gear, and the 5’11”, 180-pounder averaged over 16 yards per catch. For teams needing big-play weapons on the perimeter, Bond is an easy answer.

50. Grey Zabel, OG, North Dakota State

Zabel has started games at every position except for center, though he may get looks there at the NFL level. He’ll get the small-school tag, but there’s nothing small about his 6’6″, 305-pound frame nor the Bison’s year-over-year success. Zabel is strong, athletic and has a chance to significantly raise his stock at the Reese’s Senior Bowl.

51. Evan Stewart, WR, Oregon

52. Donovan Jackson, OG, Ohio State

53. Mason Taylor, TE, LSU

54. Wyatt Milum, OG, West Virginia

55. Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas

56. LT Overton, Edge, Alabama

57. Jalen Royals, WR, Utah State

58. Trey Amos, CB, Ole Miss

59. Nicholas Singleton, RB, Penn State

60. Jordan Burch, Edge, Oregon

61. Barrett Carter, LB, Clemson

62. Emery Jones Jr., OT, LSU

63. Tre Harris, WR, Ole Miss

64. Princely Umanmielen, Edge, Ole Miss

65. Deontae Lawson, LB, Alabama

66. T.J. Sanders, DT, South Carolina

67. Harold Perkins Jr., LB, LSU

68. Azareye’h Thomas, CB, Florida State

69. Savion Williams, WR, TCU

70. Donovan Ezeiruaku, Edge, Boston College

71. Tate Ratledge, OG, Georgia

72. Terrance Ferguson, TE, Oregon

73. Anthony Belton, OT, North Carolina State

74. TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State

75. Elijah Arroyo, TE, Miami

76. Omarr Norman-Lott, DT, Tennessee

77. Kevin Winston Jr., S, Penn State

78. Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State

79. Jared Ivey, DE, Ole Miss

80. Cobee Bryant, CB, Kansas

81. Harold Fannin Jr., TE, Bowling Green

82. Xavier Watts, S, Notre Dame

83. Danny Stutsman, LB, Oklahoma

84. Dylan Fairchild, OG, Georgia

85. Xavier Restrepo, WR, Miami

86. Billy Bowman Jr., S, Oklahoma

87. Jacob Parrish, CB, Kansas State

88. Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio State

89. Kyren Lacy, WR, LSU

90. Charles Grant, OT, William & Mary

91. Armand Membou, OG, Missouri

92. Tez Johnson, WR, Oregon

93. Darien Porter, CB, Iowa State

94. Nick Nash, WR, San José State

95. Gunnar Helm, TE, Texas

96. DeMonte Capehart, DL, Clemson

97. Jared Wilson, C, Georgia

98. Dylan Sampson, RB, Tennessee

99. Chris Paul Jr., LB, Ole Miss

100. Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State