SNS 2025 NFL Draft & UDFA Analysis - AFC West

John B. Everett
May 4
9 min read

Denver Broncos

1 (20)	Jahdae Barron	CB	Texas
2 (60)	RJ Harvey	RB	UCF
3 (74)	Pat Bryant	WR	Illinois
3 (101)	Sai'vion Jones	DL	LSU
4 (134)	Que Robinson	EDGE	Alabama
6 (216)	Jeremy Crawshaw	P	Florida
7 (241)	Caleb Lohner	TE	Utah

UDFA Signings
	Courtney Jackson	WR	Arkansas State
	Joaquin Davis	WR	North Carolina Central
	Jerjuan Newton	WR	Toledo
	Marques Cox	OT	Kentucky
	Xavier Truss	IOL	Georgia
	Clay Webb	IOL	Jacksonville State
	Joe Michalski	IOL	Oklahoma State
	Johnny Walker	EDGE	Missouri
	Kristian Williams	DL	Missouri
	Karene Reid	LB	Utah
	JB Brown	LB	Kansas
	Kendall Bohler	CB	Florida A&M
	Jaden Robinson	CB	Oregon State
	Chris Chukwuneke*	CB	James Madison

			*Mini Camp Invitee

2025 NFL Draft & UDFA Analysis

Barron gives the loaded Broncos secondary another versatile piece to be deployed outside or covering the slot. Denver's draft will be judged. At least partially because the team passed on top RB prospect Omarion Hampton, who was subsequently selected by division rival LA Chargers. Barron is an excellent prospect but he will likely always be judged against Hampton. In the second round, the Broncos drafted Harvey, a smaller but extremely agile RB who is likely to be part of a RB by committee approach in Denver. Bryant is a big, strong, and physical WR with soft hands but lacking quickness and speed and almost every catch is contested. Jones is a versatile DL who can line up over the A gap and provide inside pressure or line up as a DE or 5T. Jones fits what Denver wants out of their DL. Robinson tested well and is extremely athletic but still needs to prove he can produce on the field. Crawshaw should be Denver's punter for the next decade. Lohner is a project who needs to learn how to play football and should start his career on the practice squad.

Newton is thin but has explosive deep speed. He will likely start his career on the practice squad. Cox started the last two years in Lexington and has good size and strength. Truss is a potential future starter with rare size and mauling blocking style who could project as an ORT or as a guard and provides the versatility desired for a backup OL. Walker is undersized for a 4-3 DE and a little rigid in his movement for an off the ball LB, but he has a god first step and an impressive closing burst. He will push for a roster spot this fall. Reid would have likely been drafted if he was not injured at the Senior Bowl. Reid will likely not be available over the summer and will try to earn a berth on the practice squad once healthy. Robinson showed promise as a slot CB in college and will try to earn a job doing the same in the NFL.

Draft & UDFA Grade - C-

Kansas City Chiefs

1 (32)	Josh Simmons	OT	Ohio State
2 (63)	Omarr Norman-Lott	IDL	Tennessee
3 (66)	Ashton Gillotte	EDGE	Louisville
3 (85)	Nohl Williams	CB	California
4 (133)	Jalen Royals	WR	Utah State
5 (156)	Jeffrey Bassa	LB	Oregon
7 (228)	Brashard Smith	RB	SMU

UDFA Signings
	Zach Zebrowski*	QB	Central Missouri
	Spencer Petras*	QB	Utah State
	Elijah Young	RB	Western Kentucky
	Mac Dalena	WR	Fresno State
	Elihjah Badger	WR	Florida
	Jake Briningstool	TE	Clemson
	Tre Watson	TE	Texas A&M
	Esa Pole	OT	Washington State
	Dalton Cooper	OT	Oklahoma State
	Blaise Sparks*	OT	Delaware
	Jason Collier*	IOL	Pittsburgh
	RJ Oben	EDGE	Notre Dame
	Coziah Izzard	IDL	Penn State
	Nathan Kapongo*	IDL	Akron
	Brandon George	LB	Pittsburgh
	Melvin Smith	CB	Southern Arkansas
	Kevin Knowles	CB	Florida State
	Jacob Covington	CB	USC
	Glendon Miller	S	Maryland
	Eddie Czaplicki	P	USC

			*Mini Camp Invitee

2025 NFL Draft & UDFA Analysis

Simmons would not have been available for the Chiefs to select if he had not gotten injured and provides KC with a potential significant upgrade at OLT. Norman-Lott has detractors who think his stamina is limited and therefore cannot be a starter. But that will not be a concern in KC as he will be a situational inside pass rusher to start his career. Gillotte is strong and sets a strong edge in the run game. He provides valuable depth up-front. Williams will contribute immediately as a rookie and could eventually become a starter. Royals excels after the catch with good foot speed and a physical running style. If Royals has a good preseason, he should earn a job on the 53-man roster to start the season and possibly become a starter before the end of the 2025 season. Bassa looks like an ideal backup to be developed behind Nick Bolton and eventually become a starter. Smith gives the Chiefs a versatile weapon who has experience in college at both RB and WR. He will push for a job as a third down back in training camp.

Badger has been a productive deep WR at both Arizona State and Florida and could really show out during training camp this summer. Briningstool is a talented H-back prospect who enters one of the deepest TE rooms in the NFL. His immediate NFL future likely starts on the practice squad. Pole is a reliable and durable OLT prospect who does not excite but can be counted to compete play in, play out. Cooper regressed last year but looked like a mid-round pick in 2023 and offers ORT and OG flexibility. Izzard was only a rotation player in Happy Valley, and although undersized, is twitched-up and flashes quality pass rushing skill. George is a good-sized LB with the mindset to excel on special teams. Smith played safety at the Division 2 level but displayed the speed and agility at the Senior Bowl to be developed into a slot CB. His journey likely starts on the practice squad. Miller started last season and steadily improved throughout the season.

Draft & UDFA Grade - A-

Las Vegas Raiders

1 (6)	Ashton Jeanty	RB	Boise State
2 (58)	Jack Bech	WR	TCU
3 (68)	Darien Porter	CB	Iowa State
3 (98)	Caleb Rogers	OL	Texas Tech
3 (99)	Charles Grant	OL	William & Mary
4 (108)	Dont'e Thornton	WR	Tennessee
4 (135)	Tonka Hemingway	IDL	South Carolina

UDFA Signings
	Hajj-Malik Williams	QB	UNLV
	Zakhari Franklin	WR	Illinois
	Hudson Clark	WR-S	Arkansas
	Carter Runyon	TE	Towson State
	Parker Clements	OT	Virginia Tech
	Jarrod Hufford	IOL	Iowa State
	Jeremy James	OL	Ole Miss
	Jah Joyner	EDGE	Minnesota
	Treven Ma'ae	IDL	Baylor
	Kevin Pointer	IDL	Wake Forest
	Jailin Walker	LB	Indiana
	Matt Jones	LB	Baylor
	Mello Dotson	CB	Kansas
	John Humphery	CB	USC
	Greedy Vance	CB	USC
	Cambus Goff*	S	Air Force

			*Mini Camp Invitee

2025 NFL Draft & UDFA Analysis

The Raiders had the worst rushing attack in the NFL last season and decided to address that issue at the top of the draft with the selection of Jeanty, a complete RB with superb contact balance and forward lean. Bech started his career at LSU but transferred to TCU to get more playing time. He is a big WR with a large catch radius, good route running and leaping ability, and a highly competitive nature. He will likely be the Raiders' #1 WR before the end of his rookie season. Porter converted to CB from WR last season and displayed an intriguing upside as a ball-hawking outside CB with starting potential. Rogers and Grant were drafted back to back at the end of the third round and both project as potential future starters. Grant, in particular, is an outstanding athlete and could be developed into an OLT. Thornton has fantastic staight-line speed and offers an outstanding target with a large catch radius. He could become an eventual starter. Hemingway has a tremendous burst and looks like an ideal sub-package inside rush specialist. Pegues is more well-rounded than Hemingway, although not nearly as explosive. He offers versatility as a powerful short yardage RB who was a red zone weapon last season in Oxford. Mellott had an outstanding college career at Montana State but is not an NFL prospect as a QB. Mellott is strong, quick, and tough. He will try to earn a job as a slot receiver in Vegas. Miller led the Bison to the FCS National Championship in 2024. He is a good arm, is very athletic, and displays natural leadership ability. He is likely to start his career on the practice squad. Lindenberg is a physical tackler with quality instincts. Special teams will be the key to his NFL future.

Franklin is a thin, injury-prone but highly productive WR with 38 TDs scored during his career at UTSA and Illinois. Clark played safety at Arkansas but was signed as a WR. If he can make a successful conversion, his career likely starts on the practice squad. Hufford is a big, strong center who will push for a backup spot on a line in needing of reinforcements. James has experience aat OT and OG and the size to be a versatile backup in the NFL. Joyner has a tantalizing combination of height, length, and athleticism. He has flashed but never put it all together. Walker is a lanky, rangy LB who plays stronger than his size and has good instincts and breaks down well to secure the open field tackle. He should excel on special teams. Dotson earned a mid-round grade from SNS and is a productive, confident CB with the length to play outside CB.

Draft & UDFA Grade - A

Los Angeles Chargers

1 (22)	Omarion Hampton	RB	North Carolina
2 (55)	Tre Harris	WR	Ole Miss
3 (86)	Jamaree Caldwell	IDL	Oregon
4 (125)	Kyle Kennard	EDGE	South Carolina
5 (158)	KeAndre Lambert-Smith	WR	Auburn
5 (165)	Oronde Gadsden	TE	Syracuse
6 (199)	Branson Taylor	OT	Pittsburgh
6 (214)	RJ Mickens	S	Clemson
7 (256)	Trikweze Bridges	DB	Florida

UDFA Signings
	DJ Uiagalelei	QB	Florida State
	Spencer Petras*	QB	Utah State
	Rocket Sanders	RB	South Carolina
	Luke Grimm	WR	Kansas
	Stevo Klotz	TE	Iowa State
	Savion Washington	OT	Syracuse
	Corey Stewart	OT	Purdue
	Nash Jones	IOL	Texas State
	Josh Kaltenberger	IOL	Maryland
	Isaac Bunyan*	IOL	Maryland
	Garmon Rudolph	EDGE	Baylor
	Kylan Guidry	EDGE	Western Kentucky
	Josh Fuga	IDL	Virginia Tech
	TeRah Edwards	IDL	Illinois
	Marlowe Wax	LB	Syracuse
	Jordan Oladukon	CB	Bowling Green
	Myles Purchase	CB	Iowa State
	Eric Rogers	CB	Rutgers
	Nikko Reed	CB	Oregon
	Jaylen Jones	S	Virginia Tech

			*Mini Camp Invitee

2025 NFL Draft & UDFA Analysis

Hampton gives the Chargers the feature RB that Harbaugh's offense can be centered around. He is a complete back without any notable holes in his game and should beat out Najee Harris for the job as primary RB. Harris has a good blend of size and speed and has displayed game breaking ability when healthy. Caldwell plays with outstanding leverage and is most effective against the run. Kennard is highly productive and produces consistently despite the lack of elite burst or agility. Lambert-Smith finally started to reach his potential last season at Auburn and should earn a role as the fourth or fifth WR as a rookie. Gadsden, a second-generation NFL player who plays a similar style that his father played as a big WR for the Dolphins two decades ago, gives the Chargers a dynamic middle of the field option for Justin Herbert. Taylor is a big, long-limbed OLT who may not have the feet to stay there but looks like an ideal back-up swing OT. Mickens is another second generation player who displays the intelligence to become a valuable role player in the secondary. Bridges may end up being an absolute steal at the end of the draft. Bridges played almost exclusively at safety at Oregon and Florida, with plenty of time in the slot but started playing outside CB late last season due to injuries suffered in the secondary. Although needing development, his press technique and length looks ideal on an island outside. Bridges may be one of the biggest surprises to come out of this draft.

Uiagalelei was a 5-star uber-recruit who after showing promise as freshman, flamed out at Clemson, rebounded slightly after transferring to Oregon State, and then crashed and burned last year at Florida State, losing his job in October and going undrafted. DJU is big, fast, and has a cannon for an arm. But he is a mess on the field and will be hard pressed to earn a practice squad spot this fall. Sanders is big, explosive, and injury prone. He should make the practice squad, at a minimum. Grimm is a quicker than fast slot WR who will try to earn a spot on the practice squad. Stewart and Washington are two experienced major conference OLTs who have enough size and athleticism to push for a roster spot. Randolph is a big and extremely long athlete who is raw but has upside worth developing. Wax entered the season as a mid-round draft prospect but missed almost his entire senior season with injury. His lengthn and range should be an asset on special teams. Purchase has good length and flashes moments of being a lockdown press CB.