Every year, there's a team or two that do something completely unpredictable in the draft, and the 2025 version will likely be no different. Many of the names that we have penciled in as first-rounders will drop to the second, and other prospects will rise like sleeping children when they smell bacon and buttermilk biscuits on a Sunday morning before church.

There will be head-scratching selections and places where many will believe the team reached (see the Detroit Lions criticism in 2023). It makes you wonder, who could be the longshot draft pick/bold prediction that nobody sees coming?

Bold Predictions for the 2025 NFL Draft

Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty drafted at 3 to the Giants

The Giants have now realized their mistake. They allowed a generational talent at the position to walk out the door for nothing. They have a chance to hit the reset button on running back, and as good as Tyrone Tracy was last season, he exposed some weaknesses.

Jeanty has an argument as the best talent in the draft and we have seen the pendulum swing back towards successful teams having elite running backs. The Giants have improved the offensive line through free agency over the past two seasons, and it can get better with a move or two internally. They have perimeter weapons all over the field and now two veteran quarterbacks that love to throw the football but appreciate the value of a quality rushing attack.

Jeanty will walk into the building and rival Malik Nabers as the most talented player in the organization. He is impossible to bring down. He can carry the ball a ton and grind out a game, or he can strike from anywhere on the field for a big play touchdown run. Nystrom compared him to Hall-of-Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson, which feels like a lofty expectation, but when you consider his output, it's not far-fetched and would justify being taken at any spot in the top five.

Texas WR Matthew Golden drafted at 6 to the Raiders 

It's the Raiders, and a “Davis” still owns the team. They are in Las Vegas now which means even more glitz and splash than back when Al Davis ran the show. Speed kills, and nobody believes in that more than Raider Nation, so it should come as no surprise that Vegas grabs the fastest receiver in the draft this year.

Golden was very quiet before the combine when speaking about his expectations for the event. What unfolded when he performed was a 4.29-second 40-yard dash time. It held up as the second fastest time at the combine in 2025, only one hundredth of a second slower than Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston, who ran a 4.28. His play at Texas garnered him comparisons to Chris Olave by Nystrom, who has him as the second-ranked receiver in the draft.

He did not just run fast; he played fast, averaging 17 yards per reception and leading the team in receiving yards. The interesting part is that the offense he played in was probably not the greatest for his talents. His quarterback was much more comfortable throwing short, but now paired with Geno Smith, it could unlock his full potential.

North Carolina RB Omarion Hampton drafted at 10 to the Bears

With all due respect to the “do not draft a running back in the first round” crowd, passing up on elite talent is ridiculous regardless of the position. So the Bears may have missed out on Jeanty, but they are filling a position of need with legitimate elite talent.

Before the 2024 season, many thought that Hampton would be the consensus RB1 in this draft. He is still an extremely talented back who blends a good combination of size at 5-foot-11 and 221 pounds and explosiveness. He is Nystrom’s RB2 in this draft class and was compared to former New Orleans Saints great Deuce McAllister.

One of the best things about Hampton getting drafted to the Bears is that there are weapons on the perimeter that will keep the defense from packing the box. In addition, the presence of Caleb Williams as a potential run threat will open cutback lanes for Hampton, who is your prototypical downhill, one-cut back. He should have a level of toughness and grit to pick up critical short gains while breaking off explosive plays as well.

Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders drafted at 21 to the Steelers

Once the Giants decide to go away from the quarterback position, there is no other organization that is drafting after them that has quarterback as an immediate need, and many of these teams are looking to flip their fortunes quickly. That does not include drafting a quarterback that they feel may not be able to help them right now. The Raiders just traded for and paid Geno Smith, the Saints need a quarterback, but do they know they need one? They still have a good amount invested in Derek Carr.

After those two, it's crickets unless someone trades up—until the Steelers at 21. If Sanders were to fall that far and land in the lap of the Steelers, it would be the perfect marriage. He is Nystrom's QB1 in this draft, and just because others may not understand his ability level does not mean Pittsburgh should not sprint the pick to the podium if he is there. 

Sanders knows how to handle a receiver room with a bunch of egos. He knows how to operate an offense and will not be afraid to push the ball downfield. He will come in as a true professional. He will not be distracted by the trappings of the NFL lifestyle, he's been living that lifestyle long before he arrived in the league. It becomes the perfect apprenticeship if they get a deal done with Rodgers, and if they don't, he is ready right now.

Texas A&M DE Shemar Stewart drafted at 2 to the Browns

A lot of people have suggested that Abdul Carter could be the pick for Cleveland with the second pick, but does he really fit the profile of what the Browns want at defensive end? We see their prototype, it's Myles Garrett, a 6-foot-4, 272-pound athletic freak. Shemar Stewart is a 6-foot-5, 267-pound athletic freak. That was confirmed at the combine when he ran a 4.59 40-yard dash, jumped 40 inches in the vertical, and close to 11 feet in the broad jump.

Those two defensive bookends would be a terror for offensive linemen to deal with, not only as pass rushers but as run defenders as well. Stewart is a defender who likely played out of position for his entire collegiate career. That is why you do not see the crazy statistics for him. He played more of a head-up four technique, which is prone to chips and double teams on the inside and outside. That makes it infinitely more difficult to get to the quarterback. People thought that he may just be a run defender, but at the Senior Bowl, he showed how dynamic he could be on the edge.

It's that potential that has people going crazy, that and a nearly 10-foot wingspan. At his floor, he puts on more weight and becomes a monster 3-tech, and at his ceiling, well, he’ll now be lined up across from him.

Bonus NFL Draft Bold Prediction

North Carolina C Willie Lampkin drafted Day 3 by Ravens

Lampkin is an extremely talented and consistently effective football player who is going to possibly get passed on by every other team because he’s not tall. The lack of imagination, mixed with the desire to bypass legitimately talented players by NFL franchises, has always been baffling.

This is why the Ravens are so good in the draft. They are willing to overlook flaws on day three, and they find ways to utilize a player’s strengths. They draft productivity more than potential. Imagine the Ravens drafting Lampkin and using him at fullback in addition to seeing if he can be effective as an NFL center. Imagine if he and current Ravens fullback Patrick Ricard were in the same backfield together, leading the way for Lamar Jackson or Derrick Henry.

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