SNS 2025 NFL Draft & UDFA Analysis - NFC West

John B. Everett
May 5
8 min read

*Mykel Williams / EDGE / San Francisco 49ers*

Arizona Cardinals

1 (16)	Walter Nolen	IDL	Ole Miss
2 (47)	Will Johnson	CB	Michigan
3 (78)	Jordan Burch	DL	Oregon
4 (115)	Cody Simon	LB	Ohio State
5 (174)	Denzel Burke	CB	Ohio State
6 (211)	Hayden Conner	IOL	Texas
7 (225)	Kitan Crawford	S	Nevada

UDFA Signings
	Bryson Green	WR	Wisconsin
	Oscar Cardenas	TE	UTSA
	Josh Fryar	OT	Ohio State
	Valentin Senn	OT	UCONN
	Elijah Simmons	IDL	Tennessee

2025 NFL Draft & UDFA Analysis

The Cardinals entered the 2025 NFL Draft with no major weaknesses or holes to fill on their roster and set out to strengthen their defense through the draft. Nolen is an ascending talent with the desired build and burst to excel as an inside presence. Johnson entered the 2024 season projected as a potential Top 10 pick but fell due to his slow recovering from knee surgery. Johnson is a complete CB who will push for a starting job as soon as he is healthy. Burch has excellent size and length and has the versatility to be plugged in almost anywhere along the DL. Simon is an effective run stopper and dangerous blitzer who needs to improve his coverage ability to stay on the field all three downs in the NFL. Burke started four years at outside CB for the Buckeyes but there are concerns about his speed. Conner is a sturdy, strong, and reliable guard who could be developed into a starter. Crawford found consistent playing time at Nevada after struggling finding it at Texas. His ball skills and range are ideally suited to playing deep safety.

Arizona signed a small class of UDFA prospects who will be hard pressed to make the 53-man roster when training camp breaks. Green has flashed tantalizing skill as a WR with size and great deep speed. Injuries and inconsistent hands have slowed his development. Cardenas has started for years in San Antonio and has a skill set worth developing on the practice squad. Fryar started at ORT for more than two dozen games in Columbus and has the size, length, and experience to push for a roster spot this summer. Senn, an Austrian-born OL with starting experience at both Colorado and Connecticut, who will battle for a practice squad opportunity. Simmons played in a deep and talented DL rotation in Knoxville and has the size and athleticism to push for a roster spot in the fall but will likely start his career on the practice squad.

Draft & UDFA Grade - A-

Los Angeles Rams

2 (46)	Terrance Ferguson	TE	Oregon
3 (90)	Josaiah Stewart	EDGE	Michigan
4 (117)	Jarquez Hunter	RB	Auburn
5 (148)	Ty Hamilton	IDL	Ohio State
5 (172)	Chris Paul	LB	Ole Miss
7 (242)	Konata Mumpfield	WR	Pittsburgh

UDFA Signings
	Jordan Waters	RB	North Carolina State
	Brennan Presley	WR	Oklahoma State
	Mario Williams	WR	Tulane
	Tru Edwards	WR	Louisiana Tech
	Mark Redman	TE	Louisville
	Anthony Torres	TE	Toledo
	Trey Wedig	OT	Indiana
	Willie Lampkin	IOL	North Carolina
	Ben Dooley	IOL	Boise State
	Josh Pearcy	EDGE	Rice
	Jamil Muhammad	EDGE	USC
	Da'Jon Terry	IDL	Oklahoma
	Bill Norton	IDL	Texas
	Shaun Dolac	LB	Buffalo
	Nate Valcarcel	S	Northern Illinois

2025 NFL Draft & UDFA Analysis

The Rams traded out of the first round, acquiring an additional selection in the 2026 draft in the process. A sensible trade since the Rams have very few holes but need a young QB to develop to become Matthew Stafford's heir apparent. And without a franchise QB being available this year, acquiring an additional first round pick next year when the QB class should be markedly better makes a lot of sense. Ferguson looks like the future starting TE, possibly as soon as the season opener. Ferguson is a well-rounded in-line TE with good size and athleticism. Stewart lacks size and his workout numbers are poor but his bend and burst are NFL-worthy and he projects as a situational pass rusher as a rookie. Hunter is a similar RB to Kyren Williams and Blake Corum and gives the Rams one of the most talented RB rooms in the NFL. Hamilton is an active, hard-nosed prospect who will try to earn a role as a depth player on a deep LA DL. Paul is an athletic and aggressive LB with the experience and instincts to earn a backup job as a rookie. Mumpfield is productive with the ball in his hands. His career likely starts on the practice squad.

Waters is a productive RB with plenty of experience but will likely start his career on the practice squad. Pressley and Williams are two undersized yet productive slot WRs likely fighting for one practice squad spot. Redman is a well-rounded, highly experienced in-line Y-TE who is more athletic than he looks. The Rams are deep at TE Redman's career is likely to start on the practice squad. He will compete with Torres, an experienced MAC TE, for what is likely one spot on the practice squad. Wedig transferred to Indiana from Wisconsin and made his senior season the best of his career. He has the length and experience to push for a roster spot. Lampkin is vastly undersized (5'11" / 270) but is a technician who plays with outstanding leverage and strong hands. Pearcy and Muhammad are likely to be in a training camp battle as an athletic EDGE prospect with the bend and burst to be developed. Norton is a big, hulking interior presence who does the dirty work that allows others to make plays.

Draft & UDFA Grade - B-

San Francisco 49ers

1 (11)	Mykel Williams	EDGE	Georgia
2 (43)	Alfred Collins	IDL	Texas
3 (75)	Nick Martin	LB	Oklahoma State
3 (100)	Upton Stout	CB	Western Kentucky
4 (113)	CJ West	IDL	Indiana
4 (138)	Jordan Watkins	WR	Ole Miss
5 (147)	Jordan James	RB	Oregon
5 (160)	Marques Sigle	S	Kansas State
7 (227)	Kurtis Rourke	QB	Indiana
7 (249)	Connor Colby	IOL	Iowa
7 (252)	Junior Bergen	WR	Montana

UDFA Signings
	Corey Kiner	RB	Cincinnati
	Isaiah Neyor	WR	Nebraska
	Drew Moss	IOL	Colorado State
	Sebastian Valdez	IDL	Washington
	Stone Blanton	LB	Mississippi State
	Michael Batton*	LB	Houston
	Tevin Shipp*	LB	UT-Martin
	Jakob Robinson	CB	BYU

			*Mini Camp Invitee

2025 NFL Draft & UDFA Analysis

The Niners jettisoned a lot of veteran talent in the offseason to get underneath the salary cap and used the draft as an opportunity to acquire some inexpensive replacements. Williams should step in on the opposite side of Nick Bosa and give the Niners a talented young EDGE to develop. Collins is a strong and feisty interior presence who typically requires double teams to neutalize. He will aid Bosa and Williams rushing off the edges. Martin is a fast and instinctive tackling machine who could be a dark horse contender for NFL Rookie Defensive P.O.Y - he is a tackling machine. Stout played outside CB at Western Kentucky but his size and skill set seems ideally suited to covering the slot in the NFL. West is far more athletic and quick than Collins and gives the Niners a quality inside pass rushing IDL. Watkins has great speed and he should contribute as a rookie. James will fight for a spot in a deep and talented RB room. Sigle lacks some desired size but he is rangy, competitive, and athletic. Sigle has to prove he is not a liability in man coverage. Rourke is one of the most accurate passers in this class but he is coming off an injury and has had difficulty staying on the field. His career likely starts on the practice squad. Colby is a reliable and highly durable guard who just gets the job done.

The Niners signed a small class of UDFA prospects. Kiner has a ton of playing experience at LSU and Cincinnati and will compete with James for a spot on the roster. Neyor started his career at Texas and finally found success on the field last year in Lincoln. His combination of size and speed is tantalizing and he will push for a roster spot this fall. Valdez is a similar player to Collins and would have been drafted in most seasons. He will push for a spot on the 53-man roster over the summer. Blanton declared with a year of eligibility remaining and has the size and read & react skills to compete for a backup spot. Robinson flashes moments where he seems like an NFL prospect with the quickness and ball skills to compete for a roster spot.

Draft & UDFA Grade - B+

Seattle Seahawks

1 (18)	Grey Zabel	IOL	North Dakota State
2 (35)	Nick Emmanwori	S	South Carolina
2 (50)	Elijah Arroyo	TE	Miami, Fl
3 (92)	Jalen Milroe	QB	Alabama
5 (142)	Rylie Mills	IDL	Notre Dame
5 (166)	Tory Horton	WR	Colorado State
5 (175)	Robbie Ouzts	TE-FB	Alabama
6 (192)	Bryce Cabeldue	OL	Kansas
7 (223)	Damien Martinez	RB	Miami, Fl
7 (234)	Mason Richman	OT	Iowa
7 (238)	Ricky White	WR	UNLV

2025 NFL Draft & UDFA Analysis

Seattle's offense stalled last year and although some blame is rightfully placed on ex-QB Geno Smith, the majority of the blame lies on the offensive line. OTs Charles Cross and Abe Lucas enter their third seasons as starters and likely have this season to prove themselves. So, Seattle went about improving the IOL by drafting Zabel, a productive OLT at FCS power ND State but lacks the desired length to lineup outside in the NFL. Zabel will be an eventual starter at either center or guard as a rookie. The Seahawks trade up to acquire Emmanwori, a big and fast safety with LB hitting ability and CB ball skills. He beocomes an immediate starter. Arroyo gives the Seahawks the weapon at TE that Noah Fant never proved to be. Milroe is perhaps the fastest QB to enter the league but his throwing mechanics are raw and he needs a lot of development before he can play QB in the NFL. Mills has the length and the game to provide a versatile backup to be used all along the DL. He just may not be ready to contribute until mid-season after having his season ended in the playoff victory over Indiana. Horton likewise had his senior season interrupted by injury but his combination of length, speed, and hands could make him an eventual starter in Seattle. Ouzts played TE at Alabama but was drafted as a FB. He is a quality blocker who lumbers when he runs. His career likely starts on the practice squad. Martinez is a powerful inside runner who joins a stacked RB room but he gives the Seahawks a potential short yardage stud in the NFL. Richman started more than two years at OLT. He is a technician with good length but only adequate feet. He could be developed into a quality backup swing OT at the next level. White is a talented WR who grades as a third round pick but fell down the draft board due to a poor combination of size and timed speed. White is a fantastic special teams player whose ticket to the NFL likely starts there.

Kight has an ideal combination of size and length and is worth developing on the practice squad this season. Maranges is an experienced, multi-year starter who will compete for a practice squad spot. Ivey flashes elite bend and burst and looks like he has a good shot at earning a berth on the final roster. O'Toole sets a strong edge against the run and gives maximum effort rushing the passer but is not have elite bend or burst. Special teams will be key to his NFL future. Jackson is an undersized and quick IDL who will ty to provide a versatile prospect to be developed as a DE and a DT. Coleman may be the steal of this UDFA class as a LB-EDGE tweener who displays the quickness and burst to be developed into an outside pass rusher. Woodard is an athletic ILB who projects as a versatile backup LB and special teams stalwart. Alexander is thin but has great length and improved consistently throughout his senior season. He fits the profile of what the Seahawks like their CBs to look like. He has a great chance of making the 53-man roster. Waxter is a big, physical FCS CB who may lack the speed and quickness to play CB. The Seahawks will probably want to work with him as he develops on the practice squad.

Draft & UDFA Grade - C+