Former 国产外流网player and scout Bucky Brooks knows the ins and outs of this league, providing keen insight in his notebook. In today's installment, he spotlights some of the most alluring individual traits in the 2025 国产外流网Draft class ...
Identifying a prospect's "superpower" is a critical part of the scouting evaluation. In a league built on teams taking chances on players with impressive tools, scouts spend countless hours studying game tape to find elite characteristics that could allow potential picks to flourish at the next level. Whether it is explosive speed, contact balance, violent hands, a relentless motor or something else, the best prospects exhibit traits that wow evaluators in study sessions and ultimately help them play like superheroes on Sunday.
Several players in the 2025 draft class have special qualities that separate them from their peers. Here are nine notable prospects' superpowers.
SUPERPOWER: First-step quickness/snap-count anticipation
The league's elite pass rushers routinely display exceptional first-step quickness and snap-count anticipation. Carter pounces off the ball like a cat, showcasing a three-step burst that leaves blockers in a daze when trying to shadowbox with the sensational sack artist. As a dynamic athlete who explodes off the edge on the center's ball squeeze, the Penn State star exhibits the Hall of Fame traits that helped two of my former teammates, Derrick Thomas and Bruce Smith, earn gold jackets as pass-rush specialists.
SUPERPOWER: Ball skills
The reigning Heisman Trophy winner is a spectacular athlete with extraordinary hand-eye coordination and ball skills. Hunter tracks the ball like an MLB center fielder, exhibiting outstanding over-the-shoulder technique and high-point skills in traffic. With the 6-foot, 188-pounder's ability to dominate opponents as a catch-and-run specialist, Hunter's additional capacity to expand the quarterback's strike zone makes him a coach's dream as a WR1. Meanwhile, when the two-way star lines up a cornerback, opposing passers who throw in his direction risk turning the ball over.
SUPERPOWER: Contact balance
Jeanty's contact balance sets him apart from his contemporaries in this class -- and elite RB prospects of the recent vintage -- as a rare back capable of running through defenders utilizing force and finesse. The 5-8 1/2, 211-pounder mixes various jump-cuts and skip-and-dip maneuvers with stiff arms to fend off defenders in traffic. Jeanty's unique ability to pinball off defenders without losing speed/quickness is a testament to his ballerina-like footwork, balance and body control. With the league's running back renaissance of late, the 国产外流网world could quickly fall in love with the .
SUPERPOWER: Jump-ball skills
Defending a 6-4 1/8, 219-pound pass catcher with NBA length and leaping ability is hard. McMillan's supersized frame and athleticism give him a significant advantage in isolated matchups against defensive backs in a league with a limited amount of 6-footers on the defensive perimeter. As a former high school basketball and volleyball player, McMillan excels at playing the ball in the air on alley-oop tosses down the boundary and in the end zone. With his phenomenal leaping ability and extraordinary wingspan expanding the quarterback's target zone, McMillan enters the league with the potential to emerge as a prolific red-zone scoring machine.
SUPERPOWER: Running skills
Though elite pocket passers are preferred in the NFL, the success of mobile playmakers like Lamar Jackson, Jayden Daniels, Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts has encouraged scouts and coaches to seek out quarterbacks with plus running skills. With Milroe having checked in at the 国产外流网Scouting Combine at a hair under 6-2 and 217 pounds with a muscled-up frame, it is easy to see why scouts are salivating over the fleet-footed playmaker's potential as a dual-threat quarterback. He displays a rare combination of speed, strength and power, making it difficult to defend him when he's utilized on designed quarterback runs. As teams become more comfortable utilizing QBs more prominently in the running game, particularly on third-down and in red-zone situations, Milroe's explosive burst and rugged running style could make him an unstoppable force in clutch situations. To be clear, though, he still has a ways to go as a passer.
SUPERPOWER: Explosiveness
The star of this year's combine is more than just a "workout warrior." Emmanwori is a big-play specialist who showcases his decathlete-like skills in pads. Whether nailing a big-bodied running back in the hole or picking off an overthrown pass and taking it back to the house, the South Carolina standout perfectly illustrates how elite athleticism translates into dominant production. The 6-3 1/8, 220-pounder with 4.38 speed and explosive leaping ability (43-inch vertical leap and 11-foot-6 broad jump) is the rangy playmaker defensive coordinators prefer in the middle of the field. With the speed to track down runners from sideline to sideline and the hops to swat away passes thrown inside the numbers, Emmanwori is one of the few defensive game changers in the 2025 class.
SUPERPOWER: Agility/Foot quickness
There are few "dancing bears" with the size, strength, balance and body control to knock defenders around in the trenches or on the perimeter. Checking in at 6-4 1/4 and 332 pounds with freak athleticism and a "bully ball" mentality, Membou plays like a no-nonsense bodyguard, throwing opponents around in the running game. The Missouri standout aggressively attacks defenders on the edges to steer them out of the hole or pin them inside to create room for runners. With his feet and hands working in unison to establish control at the line of scrimmage, Membou's impeccable balance and body control make it nearly impossible for defenders to escape his clutches.
SUPERPOWER: Power
Few blockers move the furniture around the room like Booker. The 6-4 5/8, 321-pounder is a tone-setter with a nasty disposition and an old-school game that forces foes to make "business decisions" at the point of attack. Booker blows defenders off the ball with such force that it looks like he is driving a one-man sled. Moreover, his physical dominance over opponents showcases his ridiculous strength and power at the end of scrimmage. As the league embraces a return to rough-and-rugged football, the need for violent people-movers could make Booker a hot commodity on draft day.
SUPERPOWER: Route running/separation quickness
Teams looking for a mismatch creator should love the Michigan standout after extensively studying his game. Loveland is a jumbo receiver in a tight end's body, exhibiting outstanding route-running skills and short-area quickness as a primary target. As a 6-5 3/4, 248-pounder who wins with wiggle and burst, he can create separation against linebackers and safeties with ease. Given the advantages a dynamic flex adds to the lineup, Loveland should be an instant-impact player as a pro.