The 12 most intriguing players on Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft

The first round of the 2025 NFL Draft wasn't quite as topsy turvy as we expected, with just two big trades and a bunch of teams staying put and making reasonable selections. But there were still plenty of moments that raised eyebrows — and plenty of interesting players that fell to Day 2.

Thursday was just the tip of the iceberg that is draft weekend. Friday will bring the second and third rounds, and this is where this specific class should get really fun: While there may not be as much top-end talent as we've seen in years past, there are plenty of players that teams can dream on, with real strengths and real weaknesses in almost equal measure.

Note that these aren't strictly the best players still available, although there is some overlap. Rather, these are the players who pique our interest the most, whether because they've yet to scratch the surface of their potential or they're equally likely to boom or bust. Let's get to it.

Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado

Do I really need to explain myself here? Sanders' drop out of the first round was morbidly fascinating to watch in real time, and now some team has a chance to swipe him on Day 2. Shedeur certainly comes with a fair share of baggage, and you can understand why GMs would be hesitant to sign up for that. But he also brings accuracy and playmaking ability that hint at a potential future starter. Which of those will win out, and how far will he fall?

Will Johnson, CB, Michigan

When he's right, Johnson looks the part of a top-10 pick, a former five-star recruit who's an easy athlete and boasts remarkable coverage skills. The problem is that he might not be right at the moment, as rumors continue to swirl that a knee issue was flagged on his medicals that's giving teams pause. Whichever team decides to take the plunge here could be getting a future All-Pro; they'll also be taking a major risk.

Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall

Speaking of risk-reward debates, it's a bit surprising to see Green here after most mocks had him going in the middle of the first round. But his lack of significant Power 5 competition, as well as character concerns stemming from past sexual assault allegations, are likely making teams wary. Those allegations are obviously worth taking seriously, but it remains to be seen how far he'll fall until a team talks itself into his on-field upside; he's one of the best pure pass rushers in this class, as he proved in last year's matchup with Ohio State.

Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama

How patient are you? Milroe was a rough watch at times last season, making some very questionable decisions and spraying some wildly inaccurate passes. Get him on the right day, though, and you could see something akin to Lamar Jackson. Milroe is at the very least in that ballpark as an athlete with the ball in his hands, which is some very high praise. A team that has the equity and the infrastructure in place to give him time — the Eagles, maybe? — should roll the dice and see what happens.

Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina

Emmanwori turned heads with his ridiculous athletic performance at the NFL Scouting Combine, but for as good as he looks in shorts, he had trouble translating all of those physical gifts to the field at times at South Carolina. Tackling and operating in space remain issues for him, but if a team can unleash him in the right spots, they could have a true game-wrecker on their hands.

TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State

Henderson has drawn some Jahmyr Gibbs comparisons through the draft process, and while that's probably a little lofty — he doesn't have Gibbs' ability between the tackles, for starters — he is a genuinely elite athlete who could generate a ton of explosive plays in the right context. He's also a much more hard-nosed player than he gets credit for; just watch him pass protect at Ohio State and marvel at how someone with his frame could more than hold his own against linebackers and defensive linemen. Henderson isn't a bell cow by any means, but he is a game-breaker who will help a team.

Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri

I get the nitpicking here. Burden hasn't quite developed the way everyone hoped when he burst onto the scene as a five-star freshman at Missouri. He profiles as a strictly slot player at the NFL level, and he didn't always display the best attitude during his career with the Tigers. But man: Watch him operate in the middle of the field, and it's hard to understand why some NFL offense wouldn't want that sort of weapon at its disposal. Burden is a better route runner than he gets credit for, and he's quick as a hiccup in open space. If he turned into the next Amon-Ra St. Brown, I wouldn't be stunned.

Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame

In an alternate universe, we could be talking about Morrison having been taken already. This time last year, he was being looked at as a future first-rounder after earning All-American honors in each of his first two seasons at Notre Dame. Unfortunately, a torn ACL last October derailed things, but assuming a full recovery, Morrison still profiles as a legit starting corner at the next level. This will require some patience, and maybe taking a full redshirt year, but the payoff may well be worth it.

Jaylin Noel, WR, Iowa State

Noel's teammate, Jayden Higgins, tends to get most of the attention due to his more traditional X receiver frame. But if I had to put money on one of the two becoming a long-term NFL starter, I'd take Noel: He's a lightning strike waiting to happen from the slot, capable of taking the top off the defense while even flanking out wide for short spells if you need him to. His diminutive frame could be cause for concern, but his agility and speed numbers at the Combine were exactly what you'd want to see from someone of his stature, and he could be a handful in the right offense.

Tyler Shough, QB, Louisville

The comparisons to Brandon Weeden are a bit unfair; Shough spent so long in college because of injuries, not because of a Minor League baseball career, and his tape offers much more to get excited about than Weeden's did out of a college-friendly offense at Oklahoma State. Still, there are tons of red flags here, from those aforementioned injuries (a broken collarbone, a shoulder injury, a broken fibula) to his age (he'll be 26 in September) to his ... sometimes questionable decision-making. But the tools are there to be developed.

Harold Fannin Jr., TE, Bowling Green

What is Fannin Jr., exactly? Is he an inline tight end? Is he a big wide receiver? Is he an H-back? Whatever he is, he put up gonzo numbers against just about every defense he came up against at the college level, including Power 5 opponents like Texas A&M and Penn State.

That said, he's a weird fit physically, not quite big enough to be a traditional tight end but not a good enough mover to work out wide full-time. Someone like Kyle Shanahan or Mike McDaniel would know exactly what to do with such a strange hybrid profile, who can create tons of mismatches if deployed correctly. Don't expect Fannin Jr. to line up and win like, say, Tyler Warren, but I can't wait to see what his career holds.

Carson Schwesinger, LB, UCLA

An unranked recruit who was forced to walk on to the UCLA football team four years ago, Schwesinger might not look like much before he gets going. Once he does, though, look out: This man absolutely flies to the ball, and he knows how to finish once he gets there. The smallish frame is a concern as he moves to the NFL level, but if he goes to a team with a defensive line good enough to keep him clean, he could generate splash plays by the bushel.