We’re now over a month into the college football season, and it’s time to start updating NFL draft big boards. With teams now having played four or five games, we can re-examine our summer priors and take note of players who weren’t on our radar before who are balling out this college football season.

Last week, I took a look at the quarterback class, which you can see here. Now, I’m going to break down the rest of the class. In this article, I’ve highlighted some risers and fallers from my Preseason Top 50 Big Board, as well as five new names who weren’t on my summer board but have stood out so far this season.

Stock Up: Miami ED Rueben Bain Jr.

A five-star high school recruit and the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2023, Bain exploded onto the scene as a freshman. He had 44 tackles, eight sacks, three forced fumbles and a pass defensed that year, announcing himself on the national stage. Unfortunately, Bain suffered a serious calf injury in the 2024 season opener, causing him to miss a chunk of the season and impacting his performance when he returned. But he’s bounced back in a major way so far in 2025, with 22 tackles, three sacks, a forced fumble, a pass defensed and an interception through four games.

I had Bain as my No. 1 overall player coming out of the summer, and I’m already touting a major scouting win here. Bain’s been unblockable for Miami this season, with a ludicrous 29.7-percent pass rush win rate and 20 total pressures on the season. His combination of size, speed, and athleticism makes him a nearly impossible assignment for any tackle, and he’s technically refined as a pass rusher as well. Bain is one of PFF’s highest-graded run defenders and he can reduce inside on passing downs to create additional mismatches. There isn’t any room for Bain to rise on my board, but he’s gone from a top 20ish player on most boards to consensus top three in the class and the favorite to be the first non-quarterback taken in the draft.

New Name: Iowa G Gennings Dunker

A three-year starter for the Hawkeyes, Dunker was a three-star high school recruit who played a little right guard as a freshman before taking over in 2023 as the starting right tackle, where he’s been since. He earned second-team All-Big Ten honors in 2024 and is on pace to earn even higher accolades this season, as he anchors one of the best offensive lines at the college level.

While Dunker plays tackle in college, he’s a guard at the next level. His play strength is absurd, and he generates powerful, explosive movement in the run game. In space, he has the quickness and foot speed to execute tough reach blocks in zone concepts, and he’s an absolutely terrifying presence for linebackers to see coming at them as a puller. In pass protection, his lack of length shows up at times and so does his struggle to defend his outside shoulder, but this is why he’s a guard in the NFL. Even still, he plays with great anchor strength, hand technique, and recovery ability. Dunker was a player I didn’t get to over the summer and have since corrected this error, and he’s a top 30 player on my board.

Stock Up: USC WR Makai Lemon

A five-star recruit who played high school ball in Los Angeles, Lemon arrived at USC in 2023 with a lot of fanfare. He played both wide receiver and cornerback that year, but never established himself as a go-to option at either position. That changed in 2024, when he played receiver full-time and racked up 52 receptions for 764 yards and three touchdowns. Lemon also made an impact as a return specialist, earning third-team All-Big Ten honors for his work there. So far this year, he has 35 receptions for 589 yards and five touchdowns.

I had Lemon as my WR2 and the No. 22 player on my board this summer. He’s still my WR2, just because Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson’s gone nuclear as well, but he’s moved into my top 10 overall. His route running and versatility have been on full display this season, with Lemon consistently winning one-on-one against man coverage and beating zones with ease. No matter how defenses have tried to cover him, he’s found ways to get open consistently, and his athleticism is on full display. It’s a good year to need a receiver in the draft.

New Name: Texas Tech ED Romello Height

A sixth-year transfer who’s bounced around from Auburn to USC to Georgia Tech before landing at Texas Tech this year, Height’s been an absolute sensation. Although less heralded than Stanford transfer David Bailey, Height’s been every bit as productive. Originally a four-star recruit from Georgia, he committed to Auburn and didn’t get a ton of playing time there. He was a rotational player at USC and broke out at Georgia Tech, with 34 tackles, three sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception. This season, he’s up to eight tackles and three sacks in four games.

Height is on the field to rush the passer. That will be what he’s drafted for and what he’ll be primarily asked to do in the NFL. His bend around the edge is impressive, and he forces offensive tackles to account for his speed on every snap. If Height catches them just a little slow out of their stance, he can rip around them in an instant, with strong hands and the smart technique to free himself around the corner. While he’s likely limited to being a designated pass rusher at the next level, teams need guys who can get pressure on the quarterback, and Height can do that with the best of them.

Stock Down: Auburn OT Xavier Chaplin

A 6-7, 348-pound transfer from Virginia Tech, Chaplin was a three-star recruit who initially took a redshirt year in Blacksburg. He announced himself in 2023 in his redshirt freshman season, starting every game at left tackle for the Hokies and was named a third-team All-American for his efforts. His 2024 season was a bit more up and down, but Chaplin still earned honorable mention All-ACC recognition and was one of the top tackles in the transfer portal. Now at Auburn, it’s been a bit hot-and-cold for Chaplin, and he’s been unable to reestablish the consistency he played with early in his college career.

What’s been disappointing is it’s not just been a struggle for him in pass protection. Outside of one game, Chaplin’s been a poor run blocker, failing to generate movement off the line and particularly struggling in space. The bigger concern with him was always his pass pro, and he’s been exposed by the speedier rushers in the SEC. Chaplin has fallen outside my top 50 from his summer ranking at No. 35. Some evaluators believe he’s a guard in the NFL, and that may indeed be his better fit.

New Name: Tennessee CB Colton Hood

A four-star high school recruit, Hood redshirted for a year at Auburn before transferring to Colorado in 2024. He made an impact right away for the Buffaloes, with 24 tackles, two interceptions, and six passes defensed, being named honorable mention All-Big 12. He’s upped his game as a redshirt sophomore this year at Tennessee, with 19 tackles, five passes defensed and an interception through five games.

Hood’s specialty is man coverage. He plays a lot of press and is physical throughout the route, using his length to disrupt receivers as they try and release. With a forced incompletion on over 20 percent of his targets, Hood’s ball production is both impressive and consistent — he plays aggressively and rewards himself for it by making plays. He can get a bit overaggressive at times, giving up some catches he probably shouldn’t, but he makes a lot more plays than he gives up. I’d like to see him put more effort into his run defense, because he has the body type and physical playstyle to be more effective than he is. But Hood is playing his way into the Day 2 conversation at cornerback.

Stock Up: LSU CB Mansoor Delane

A three-star prospect in the class of 2022, Delane committed to Virginia Tech and played three seasons in Blacksburg. He was thrust into the starting lineup midway through his true freshman season, notching 38 tackles, an interception, eight passes defensed and two forced fumbles that year, earning honorable mention All-ACC status. His sophomore campaign wasn’t as decorated, but he started every game and totaled 54 tackles, with an interception and a pass defensed. Delane started every game again in 2024, this time earning third-team All-ACC recognition with 54 tackles, four interceptions, seven passes defensed and two forced fumbles. He’s been sensational so far at LSU, with 20 tackles, four passes defensed and an interception through five games.

I was higher on Delane entering the season, as he slotted in No. 25 on my board. Now, I have him hovering around top 15 status. His coverage ability is almost otherworldly — few cornerbacks move the way he does. He has the rare ability to flip his hips late without losing speed, staying sticky in tight man coverage. Delane also has great awareness in zone coverage and the range to make plays opposing quarterbacks can’t account for. What’s crazy is that on the season, Delane has as many forced incompletions as he has total receptions allowed. He’s firmly moved himself into first-round range.

New Name: Georgia DT Christen Miller

A four-star recruit in the class of 2023, Miller made an impact right away as a true freshman, getting consistent snaps and notching a sack. He stepped into a more consistent role as a starter last season, with 27 tackles, a sack and a pass defensed. So far in 2025, he’s taken another step, though he only has three tackles on the season through two games. Miller missed Georgia’s first two contests of the season.

Miller is a run-stuffer in the middle. He plays with powerful hands, detonating on contact to deliver shocking blows to offensive linemen and disrupt their rhythm. With an impressive 27.7-percent positively graded run defense rate, Miller makes his presence felt on every play. He can eat up multiple gaps and hold his ground against double teams, as well as blow up blockers to make plays in the backfield. He’s not a particularly impactful pass rusher, but he has some moves, and he hand-fights well. There’s some upside there as a pass rusher that most players of his archetype don’t usually have. I see him as a pretty safe Day 2 selection, drafted to give a big upgrade to a team’s run defense in the middle of their line.

Stock Down: Ohio State TE Max Klare

The 6-4, 240-pound redshirt junior was a three-star prospect who committed to Purdue out of high school. After an injury cut his 2023 campaign short, he emerged as one of the top playmakers in the Big Ten in 2024, posting 51 catches for 685 yards and four touchdowns. Klare earned third-team All-Big Ten honors for his performance last year and became the most coveted tight end in the transfer portal. In 2025, he’s put up six receptions for 74 yards and a touchdown in four games.

It’s a testament to how deep Ohio State is that Klare is not a major factor in their offense this year. He’s taken a firm backseat to WRs Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate, with just a 13.9 threat percentage and 1.03 yards per route run. He’s graded fairly well as a blocker, which was the biggest concern with his tape at Purdue, so that’s a good sign. Watching the tape, Klare’s been fine — he hasn’t stood out as a receiver, but it’s not like he’s been overwhelmed, either. Were the draft today Klare would still be a pretty safe Day 2 pick, but he’s firmly ceded the TE1 spot to Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq. Klare was No. 23 overall on my summer board, he’s now just outside my top 50.

New Name: Florida OT Austin Barber

A three-star recruit who stayed in his home state of Florida, Barber redshirted in 2021 before starting five games in 2022, earning some freshman All-America recognition. He was an on-again, off-again starter at both tackle spots in 2022 and 2023 before settling into the full-time starting role at left tackle over the last two seasons.

It’s fun to watch Barber in pass protection. His range is impressive and he has the quickness and lateral agility to stymie all types of speed rushers. With plus length and awareness, he establishes initial contact well and dictates the rep. Barber is a technician with his hands and feet, using them in sync to create a wall in front of his quarterback. As a run blocker, he’s most effective on the move and climbing to the second level, using his mobility to connect on blocks in space. Barber does have some strength concerns, as he doesn’t create much movement off the line in the run game and his anchor can get exposed at times. But he’s a quality second-round tackle prospect with room to continue climbing up boards.