Top 10 FCS Prospects For The 2025 NFL Draft (April Update)

Vinson has the highest ceiling of all FCS prospects in the class of 2025. He is 6'7 "and 314 lbs, with big hands and long arms to add to his already impressive length. Vinson has been a high-end starter on the FCS level for multiple years, with film against Power four opponents on his resume. He had a solid performance at the Senior Bowl and capped it off with good testing at the NFL Combine and his pro day.

His 8.07 Relative Athletic Score further solidifies his stock as a Day 3 prospect. Despite his ranking, Vinson has the highest probability of being drafted. He projects as a Fringe NFL Rotational Prospect.

9. Jackson Slater (Sacramento State, OL)

Slater has a lot of high upside compared to most FCS prospects due to his size, versatility, and athleticism for the position. He performed well at the Senior Bowl and tested well at the NFL Combine. Slater ran a 5.01 forty-yard dash with a 10-yard split of 1.78, a 9'0" broad jump, and 31 reps on the bench press to total a Relative Athletic Score of 9.43, further showcasing the athletic upside for an interior offensive lineman.

He is a physical, gap/man scheme blocking lineman who can be versatile within the interior of the offensive line. Slater projects as a Fringe NFL Rotational Prospect.

8. Marcus Yarns (Delaware, RB)

Yarns had a solid pre-draft process after another good year at the University of Delaware. In a deep running back class, Yarns has done a good job of keeping himself relevant throughout this draft process. He performed well at the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine this spring.

He earned a 7.72 Relative Athletic Score, posting a 4.45 forty-yard dash, 37.5" vertical jump, and a 10'2" broad jump. His long speed and explosion show on tape, and a team that runs a zone-heavy running scheme will love his skill set. He projects as an Adequate NFL Rotational Prospect.

7. Lan Larison (UC Davis, RB)

Larison was the do-it-all back in college, and his senior season was one of the best in the country. His versatility as a runner and receiver made him one of the top weapons in the country. He did not receive an invitation to any major all-star games, nor was he invited to the NFL Combine.

He is a diamond in the rough, and the biggest knock on him is his long speed. He had a 4.57 forty-yard dash and a 1.67 10-yard split, which gave him a poor speed grade. However, his 4.21 shuttle and 6.93 3-cone drill times were great for him. His stock will depend on how teams view him and how they utilize him. He projects as an Adequate NFL Rotational Prospect.

6. Marcus Wehr (Montana State, OL)

Wehr has gone under the radar during the pre-draft process. He performed well during the East-West Shrine Bowl week but did not get an invite to the NFL Combine. Wehr tested well during his pro day, ending up with a Relative Athletic Score of 7.85.

He had elite speed and explosion grades for the position, but had poor grades in size and agility. The size and body composition are a knock on him, but his film is good enough for him to be considered a draftable player. He projects as an Adequate NFL Rotational prospect.

5. Elijah Williams (Morgan State, EDGE)

Williams has been the most dominant defensive player in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference since Cobi Durant from South Carolina State University, who was drafted in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft. Williams is the most versatile HBCU prospect outside of McDaniel.

Williams has played outside linebacker, defensive end, defensive tackle, and nose guard in a multitude of alignments. In the spring, he answered a ton of questions about his length and athleticism by posting a Relative Athletic Score of 8.27. At 6'2, 290+ lbs, Williams can be plugged into an early rotational role on the defensive line. He projects as an Adequate NFL Rotational Prospect.

4. Robert McDaniel (Jackson State, S)

McDaniel has been my top HBCU prospect since last year. He is a true three-level defender who can be used in multiple alignments on the football field. His spring has been very good for him in terms of athletic testing, posting an 8.84 Relative Athletic Score and landing as one of the most athletic defensive backs in this year's class.

Out of all of the HBCU prospects, he is the most ready to help a team on defense and special teams as a rookie. He projects as an Adequate NFL Rotational Prospect.

3. Charles Grant (William & Mary, OL)

Grant was not able to perform in any all-star games due to nursing an injury sustained early in the pre-draft process. He was also unable to perform at the NFL Combine, but he tested at his pro day. Surprisingly, based on his tape, I thought the testing numbers would be top of the class at the offensive tackle position, but the numbers came back average for the position.

At 6'5 "and 311 pounds, he ran a solid 5.09 forty, but his agility numbers were below average, which didn't show on his film. His film showed a very good lateral mover who will fit well in an outside zone scheme. The testing numbers won't hurt his stock too much, given his film and some possible guard versatility. He projects as a Quality NFL Rotational Prospect.

2. David Walker (Central Arkansas, EDGE)

Walker has been one of the most dominant defensive players in the FCS over the past three seasons. That domination continued during his pre-draft process. In the Senior Bowl, Walker's explosiveness and power overwhelmed Power 4 offensive linemen throughout the week.

After the Senior Bowl, Walker had a good showing at the NFL Combine. Though he lacks the length you'd like to see from an Edge rusher, his explosion and disruptiveness make him hard to overlook. His 8.63 Relative Athletic Score showcased great explosiveness and speed for the position. He projects as a Quality NFL Rotational Prospect.

1. Grey Zabel (North Dakota State, OL)

Zabel had one of the better pre-draft processes of all 2025 prospects. At the tackle position, he was not viewed as a top prospect, garnering more Day 3 grades early in the process. After his performance at the Senior Bowl, Zabel showed the ability to hold up against Power 4 interior defensive linemen.

Zabel has elite size for the interior of an offensive line, and his versatility sets him apart from most offensive linemen in this class. His relative athletic score of 9.93 gives him the athletic upside that teams are yearning for. Zabel is a player who is graded highest due to projection, but the small sample size versus Power 4 competition comes into play. He projects as a High-end NFL Rotational Prospect with starter potential.

Other Prospects To Watch

• Elijah Ponder, EDGE, Cal Poly
• Efton Chism, WR, Eastern Washington
• Carter Runyon, TE, Towson
• Cam Miller, QB, North Dakota State
• Irv Mulligan, RB, Jackson State
• Tommy Mellott, QB, Montana State
• Keondre Jackson, S, Illinois State
• Aaron Smith, LB, South Carolina State
• Mike Smith, S, Eastern Kentucky
• Isas Waxter, CB, Villanova