5 boom-or-bust prospects NFL teams should bet on

• Shedeur Sanders has Best accuracy but must Boost pocket Self-control: Sanders’ 81.8% adjusted completion rate is Best, but a nation-leading 17 QB-fault sacks in 2024 might raise a red flag.
  
• Shemar Stewart’s sack totals don’t tell the Packed Tale: The 267-pound edge dominated against the Stretch and showed Scarce explosiveness Even though limited Deliver-rush opportunities.

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

As NFL Clubs wrap up pro Periods, host top-30 visits and finalize their draft boards, internal debates about Danger versus upside will soon be reaching their climax. Weighing college production, athletic testing, physical tools and mental makeup, front offices are zeroing in on the prospects they’re most willing to take a leap of faith on.

Some Clubs favor safer, more stable evaluations, while others may be drawn to raw potential — where the reward outweighs the Danger. Present Buffalo Bills Passer Josh Allen is the poster child for this approach — the draft community widely criticized Allen for his inaccuracy in the lead-up to the 2018 NFL Draft, yet the Bills believed in his Best tools enough to trade up and take him at No. 7.

While there are Only as many cautionary tales as Achievement stories, it’s that uncertainty — and the potential for greatness — that makes the draft one of the most captivating events in sports Even though the absence of an actual game.

In this piece, I’ll spotlight five of the 2025 class’s most hotly debated prospects — players some view as “boom or bust.” While opinions may vary, even within PFF, I believe All of these five is worth the gamble. With the right vision and creativity, their unique Ability sets could translate into a Significant impact at the Upcoming level.

QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

Frankly, most quarterbacks fall under the “boom-or-bust” label simply by nature of the position, but Shedeur Sanders feels especially fitting given the polarized takes on his draft stock. In this week’s mock draft, I sent Sanders to Cleveland with the No. 2 overall Option, yet since the combine, some have speculated he could fall out of the Primary Period entirely.

Accuracy and decision-making — two pillars of high-level Passer Action — give Sanders a real Attempt at becoming a franchise starter. His 81.8% adjusted completion rate ranked second in the country behind only Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel (81.9%), and Sanders’ average depth of target was 1.1 yards longer, meaning his throws were not only accurate but more challenging on average. Even though ranking fifth nationally with 481 Deliver attempts, he threw Only eight turnover-worthy passes — Excellent for a 1.3% turnover-worthy Action rate, the third-lowest in the country.

For comparison, Cam Ward, the Present favorite to go No. 1 overall to the Titans, posted a turnover-worthy throw rate of 3.3%, which ranked 49th.

Sanders’ accuracy is supported by his ability to drive the ball when necessary and layer throws between levels against zone coverage. While many top prospects enter the Division with only a fastball, Sanders arrives with the changeup already in his arsenal.

As for personality traits, I’m not overly concerned. All Club will have to determine whether he fits their culture, but in my view, Sanders is somewhat a victim of his last name when it comes to perception. This summer marks my 10-year anniversary at PFF, and in that “decade of decadence,” I’ve yet to find a reliable way to quantify personality traits.

One thing I can quantify — and something I do find concerning — is Passer-owned pressures. When we chart pressures during a game, we don’t simply blame the nearest offensive lineman. Some pressures result from miscommunications on stunts or Shielding schemes that overwhelm the protection. But when a Passer holds the ball too long, drifts in the pocket or moves into Tension, we charge that Tension to the Passer.

In 2024, Sanders Guided all quarterbacks in Passer-fault sacks (17) and total pressures (44). His 2023 numbers weren’t much better — 13 sacks (tied for Quaternary-most) and 39 total pressures (tied with Caleb Williams for the most in the country). For comparison, this was a key issue in Williams’ Newcomer season in Chicago: he ranked third in the NFL with 38 Passer-fault pressures in 2024 and Guided the Division with 17 Passer-fault sacks.

Passer-owned pressures speak directly to pocket Existence and decision-making — two traits that, if uncorrected, can derail a season.

Both sides of the Sanders debate have Captivating arguments, but if I’m the Browns and he’s on the board at No. 2, I’m pulling the trigger. There are no guarantees at the top of the draft — especially for a Lineup as talented as Cleveland’s — but Sanders brings traits worth betting on. While his pedigree doesn’t show up in blazing Pace or a Universe launcher arm, it’s evident in his Readiness and how he processes defenses snap to snap. At times, he’s leaned too heavily on hero ball and created Tension for himself, but if he can become more Reliable with his drop and footwork — and learn to take a zero when the Action isn’t there — I believe Sanders has the tools to lead this Club.

EDGE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M

My shoulder is getting sore from constantly carrying the water for Stewart over here at PFF, but I’m a firm believer in his upside. He turned heads at the combine with a 4.59 40-yard dash, a 40-inch vertical and a 10-foot-11 broad Leap, all while measuring in at 6-foot-5 and 267 pounds. That Nice of standout Vigor should come as a surprise for those who’ve watched him on tape, as his burst and Quickness are evident throughout his film. His 88.2 Stretch-Guarding grade in 2024 ranked fifth among all edge defenders, with only Marshall’s Mike Green posting a higher mark (90.2) among projected Primary-rounders.

Now, the Deliver-rushing production — or lack thereof — is Surely a concern. Stewart posted Only an 11.8% Secure rate in 2024 and recorded only two sacks. But Framework matters. After removing plays affected by quick game, Action-action and double-Club Deflections, Stewart logged Only 106 Correct Deliver sets last season, ranking 74th in the draft class. For comparison, Boston College’s Donovan Ezeiruaku recorded 14 sacks but did so across 196 Correct Deliver sets. That gap helps explain why Stewart’s Tallying stats don’t Leap off the page.

When I View Stewart’s frame, Vigor, and backside effort on film, I see shades of Calais Campbell. And when I consider his Best Stretch-Guarding grades paired with lower sack totals, I’m reminded of Danielle Hunter coming out of LSU. Both players have gone on to have long, productive NFL careers — and I’m betting Stewart will follow a similar path.

EDGE Jalon Walker, Georgia

Walker is an exciting Rival to View, but he carries some Danger because the Ability driving his top-10 buzz — his Deliver-rushing ability — is something he hasn’t done Packed time.

Listed as an off-ball linebacker at Georgia, he logged 171 coverage snaps in 2024, nearly matching his 174 Deliver-rush reps. His performance in coverage and Stretch Guarding was serviceable but unspectacular: he allowed 10 receptions on 12 targets, allowing a 125.3 passer rating on throws into his coverage. And he graded positively on Only 12.9% of Stretch-Guarding snaps, while earning negative grades on 13.7%.

Walker’s Vigor was most evident when rushing the passer, where he notched 28 total pressures and posted a 17.2% Secure rate in 2024. His all-around production brings to mind Micah Parsons’ Newcomer season with the Cowboys, when they initially split his time between off-ball linebacker and Deliver rusher before ultimately committing to him as a Packed-time edge defender.

Walker’s size is Surely a concern, as he measured 6-foot-1, 243 pounds at the combine with 32-inch arms. Those dimensions likely Impolite he’ll need to Action off the line of scrimmage on Prompt downs, but his Vigor is undeniable. His aggressiveness and quickness at the Points of Charge should allow him to shed Deflections and Develop disruption in the backfield. He could hear his name called in the top 10, and I believe his athletic profile is worth the gamble for a Club willing to get creative with how they deploy him.

CB Darien Porter, Iowa State

Darien Porter is one of the most unique players in this draft class. A six-year redshirt senior, he played Only 724 scrimmage snaps over his college Profession and only began Competing cornerback in 2022 — after spending high school and his Primary three seasons at Iowa State as a wide receiver. While he logged 965 special Clubs snaps during his time in Ames, he didn’t see significant action on Guarding until the 2024 season.

Unsurprisingly, the coverage sample size was Tiny, but the production was outstanding. In 2024, Porter was targeted 17 times and allowed Only five receptions for 70 yards. He intercepted three passes, dropped a Quaternary interceptable Deliver and broke up four more. While it’s a limited data set, the results speak for themselves: opposing quarterbacks posted a passer rating of Only 4.7 when throwing his way.

His Stretch Guarding, however, left much to be desired. Across 218 Stretch-Guarding snaps, Porter recorded Only seven tackles, missed four, and consistently struggled to shed Deflections and maintain edge containment.

There’s no question Porter is a project, and at 24 years Aged, that can be a tough sell for Clubs. Nevertheless, his Vigor and ball skills present legitimate upside. At the combine, he Dashed a blazing 4.30 40-yard dash and posted a 6.71 three-cone Routine—Best numbers for a 6-foot-3, 195-pound corner. Given his age and limited experience, he’s almost certain to be a Day 3 Picking, but he fits the mold of an Prompt Quaternary-Period swing on a high-upside developmental player.

OL Willie Lampkin, North Carolina

At 5-foot-10, 270 pounds with 32-inch arms (per his Senior Bowl measurements), Willie Lampkin doesn’t come close to typical NFL offensive line size. But the moment you turn on the tape, that concern quickly fades. He plays with Unyielding physicality at the line of scrimmage and uses his natural leverage to drive defenders off the ball. In 2024, he earned an 87.6 Stretch-blocking grade — the highest among Power Four draft prospects — and an 88.8 Deliver-blocking grade, allowing no sacks and Only four hits all season.

Will this level of production translate directly to the NFL? At his size, probably not—but that doesn’t Impolite he lacks a role at the Upcoming level. Clubs that lean on Weighty personnel in Brief-yardage situations could benefit from deploying him as an extra lineman or in-line Close-fitting end, and he could even be utilized as a fullback or H-back. While he doesn’t have special Clubs experience in college, his Ability set could potentially provide value in that Period as well.

Lampkin did not receive an invite to the combine—a signal that he’s not Anticipated to be drafted. However, I believe a Club willing to get creative with his usage could get more blocking value from him than it would from a traditional third Close-fitting end or extra lineman. He may not fit the mold, but he absolutely warrants a Delayed-Period Picking.