With the college football season officially over and 2025 NFL draft prospects coming into focus, we guide you through five names to watch in your offseason fantasy scouting.

When talking about stud freshman WR Jeremiah Smith, former Ohio State standout and eight-time Pro Bowl WR Cris Carter called him “the best player in the country” who will only get “a lot better before he gets drafted into the NFL in a couple of years.”
Smith, who scored 16 total touchdowns in his stellar debut season, helped the Buckeyes get on the board early in the Ohio State’s 34-23 win over Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff National Championship. With the result still in the balance late in the fourth quarter, OSU dialed up a 57-yard bomb to Smith on 3rd and 11 to effectively seal the title. It’s simply wild to comprehend that it’ll be two more years until his talents are on display on Sundays.
But regardless of Smith’s eligibility, the college season is over. It’s now fully time to look forward to the 2025 NFL Draft — and what it may mean for your fantasy football future.
Rookies can have an immediate impact after making the transition to the pros. You don’t have to look far for the most recent evidence, either. Jayden Daniels finished as the fantasy QB5 and has the Commanders in the NFC Championship game.
So which future rookies should have your attention in 2025? Let’s take a brief look at the top five college studs who are poised to become household names in fantasy football (not in ranking order), along with some of their ideal potential landing spots.
RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
2024 stats: 2,601 rushing yards, 30 total TDs

Jeanty finished as the runner-up to Travis Hunter for the Heisman Trophy, but the vote had the smallest margin of victory since Mark Ingram beat out Toby Gerhart for the prestigious award in 2009. Jeanty should be the consensus No. 1 overall pick in upcoming 2025 dynasty drafts. This year’s Maxwell and Doak Award winner scored 56 total touchdowns in three seasons for the Broncos.
Best Fantasy Destination
Social media was buzzing on Monday, after photos surfaced of Jeanty hanging out with Bears QB Caleb Williams. Following the news of Ben Johnson’s hiring as coach, it would not be a shock to see the Bears grab Jeanty at No. 10.
His power and speed would also make a great addition for the Cowboys at No. 12 (need), the Bengals at No. 17 (luxury pick) or the Vikings at No. 24 (aging Aaron Jones). Landing with any of these clubs would instantly make Jeanty a top-12 pick at the running back position in redraft leagues next summer.
QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
2024 stats: 4,134 passing yards, 37 passing TDs

Sanders, who thrived while throwing from the pocket, also made plays consistently when forced to scramble, resulting in an incredible 74% completion percentage. The strong-armed Sanders will likely not wait long to hear his name called on draft night.
Best Fantasy Destination
Will Deion Sanders leave Colorado to become an NFL head coach? If he does, it’s hard to believe he wouldn’t also orchestrate a trade in order to draft his son. If Deion remains in Boulder, though, the Giants, sitting at No. 3 and in need of a franchise signal-caller, are a logical landing spot. The prospect of Sanders landing in the Big Apple should instantly make star WR Malik Nabers happy. However, following the recent news of DeShaun Watson suffering a second Achilles injury, the Browns may not let Sanders make it past No. 2.
WR/CB Travis Hunter, Colorado
2024 stats: 96 receptions, 1,258 receiving yards, 16 total TDs

There is no denying the supreme talent of this year’s Heisman winner who paired his impressive receiving stats with 35 tackles, 11 pass deflections and four interceptions as a cornerback on defense. So will the two-way star player be utilized as a WR or CB in the NFL? That answer will determine everything regarding his fantasy value.
Best Fantasy Destination
Hunter poses as a major fantasy risk now given the unknown about his position, but if he’s an offense-first weapon, he has all the tools to be a stud, and he has a wide range of first-round outcomes.
It would not be shocking to see Hunter land with Cleveland at No. 2 overall, especially since many rumblings have indicated that Sanders has no desire to ever play for the Browns, if he were to be selected by the club.
It’s hard to imagine Hunter lasting as far as Chicago at No. 10, but with Johnson hired as head coach and having a knack for drawing up unique plays, that would certainly cater to Hunter and his fantasy potential.
QB Cam Ward, Miami
2024 stats: 4,313 passing yards, 39 passing TDs

Over the last several weeks, Ward has overtaken Sanders as the prohibitive favorite to be the first player off the board in the draft. After an impressive 39 touchdown passes in his only season with the Hurricanes, Ward’s stock has skyrocketed.
Best Fantasy Destination
Will the Titans be motivated to trade out of the No. 1 spot with a QB needy team, or will they hit reset and move on from Will Levis? No matter which team is making the selection, Ward could wind up as the first name off the board.
Beyond Tennessee, with all the offensive talent at the skill positions the Jets have, seeing Ward in Gotham next season would be alluring but it would likely involve a move up ahead of the Browns (No. 2), Giants (No. 3) and Raiders (No. 6). Landing in Cleveland or Las Vegas would be a buzzkill as both franchises currently lack the offensive talent required to make Ward a fantasy star as a rookie.
WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
2024 stats: 84 receptions, 1,319 receiving yards, 8 TDs

The 6-foot-5 wideout, who hauled in 213 receptions for 3,423 yards and 26 touchdowns in 37 games for the Wildcats in his college career, is the consensus top WR prospect in this year’s class. His big frame and strong route running has led many to compare him to Atlanta star Drake London.
Best Fantasy Destination
If Tee Higgins leaves Cincinnati in free agency and McMillan either falls to the Bengals at pick No. 17 or Cincy deals up to get him, he would immediately become the most coveted rookie WR in fantasy drafts, playing opposite Ja’Marr Chase. After witnessing the enormous success of Nabers, Brian Thomas Jr., and Ladd McConkey this past season, it is hard to envision teams at the top allowing McMillan to fall outside the top 10, though.
It would not be shocking to see the Patriots give Drake Maye a true WR1 at No. 4 overall. If McMillan does land in Foxboro, it would obviously not be as appealing as Cincinnati, but it should not deter fantasy managers from investing in the talented wideout, especially those picking in the top three of 2025 dynasty drafts.
