The pre-draft process is always one of the most exciting times on the NFL calendar. It’s a stretch filled with rumors and speculation, but it’s also when we start to get real insight into how teams view prospects, which often differs greatly from the consensus media boards.
5 Players Rising on NFL Draft Boards
With that in mind, insider and analyst Ari Meirov listed five players on his “NFL Spotlight With Ari Meirov” channel who are rapidly climbing NFL front office draft boards — and could end up being selected much earlier than most people expect.
Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
The North Carolina running back has solidified himself as the second-best back in this class — and in a year without Ashton Jeanty, his value might be even more recognized across the league.
The truth is, North Carolina’s underwhelming 2024 season overshadowed much of Hampton’s performance. In 2023, all eyes were on quarterback Drake Maye.
“This is a guy who led the ACC in rushing in 2023, but what made it amazing is he did it again this past year without Drake Maye, without really anybody on that team who is a real threat to get the ball. Everyone on defense knew the ball was going to him and he was like the only option, but he still set a team record in scrimmage yards of over 2,000 yards this past year,” Meirov explained.
Hampton’s skill set is tailor-made for the NFL — combining speed, size, strength and pass protection ability. He looks ready to contribute immediately. While he may not be the most elusive back in the class, his refined technique and all-around game make him one of the most pro-ready backs in the draft.
“It wouldn’t surprise me at all if he is, first of all, the number two running back, but we hear him potentially also in that first half of the first round or somewhere in that top 20 picks,” Meirov added.
Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky
At this point, it’s no secret that Travis Hunter is the top cornerback prospect in the class — a projected top-5 pick and widely viewed as a blue-chip talent. But beyond him, Meirov says the race for CB2 is wide open.
“I think the media, most people have Will Johnson out of Michigan as their cornerback two, but I would not rule out Maxwell Hairston being in that conversation as well. He ran a blazing 4.28 at the Combine, 49-inch vertical, he is very, very confident, which is what you want out of your cornerbacks.”
Most draft boards have Michigan’s Johnson and Texas’ Jahdae Barron ranked just behind Hunter, with Hairston often projected as a second-rounder. But Meirov warns he could easily land in Round 1.
“I’ve seen some mocks having him out of the first round. I think he gets into the first round, especially in a cornerback class that is not so deep this year when it comes to top talent.”
Mason Taylor, TE, LSU
The LSU tight end comes from a strong NFL bloodline — his father is Hall of Fame pass rusher Jason Taylor, and his uncle is fellow Hall of Famer Zach Thomas.
But beyond the family ties, Mason Taylor became LSU’s most productive tight end ever, totaling over 1,300 receiving yards and 129 receptions — both school records.
“This is somebody who has great hands, great burst, polished route runner. And he, for the most part, lined up in the inline at LSU. They did put him out in the slot a little bit, but this is somebody where the knock on him is probably in the blocking department,” Meirov said. “I think he could get better there. That is probably the one knock on him that you’ll hear whenever you talk to scouts.”
Meirov pointed to a recent example — in the 2023 draft, Dalton Kincaid and Michael Mayer got most of the buzz, while Sam LaPorta emerged later and became a breakout rookie. In this year’s class, Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland are the top names, but Taylor could be the hidden gem.
“People kind of have him where no one is talking about him. Third tight end in this class, not close to the first two. Those two guys definitely are ahead of him, but somebody who could definitely have the potential in the NFL to be a Day 1 starter for a team,” he added.
Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State
This year’s wide receiver class isn’t considered as deep as past years, which could boost the value of someone like Jayden Higgins as the draft nears.
“And this is somebody who moves really well for a guy of his size — smooth hips, can run the entire route tree. He’s a really reliable pass catcher, not many drops. And he’s great off the line of scrimmage — great for somebody of his size. And I’ve gotten the comps for him as a Nico Collins. One person mentioned Drake London.”
Those are solid comparisons, especially considering his hands and physical play style. Nico Collins, a third-rounder, developed into a top-tier NFL wideout — and Higgins could follow a similar path.
“Trying to figure out where all these guys go, it is all over the place, but there are a lot of fans for Jayden Higgins. If you’re looking for a big-bodied guy, I think he’s somebody who could sneak in the back end of the first round, if not early Round 2. There are some fans of him in the league for sure.”
Jaydon Blue, RB, Texas
Here’s a name that hasn’t been mentioned much: Jaydon Blue. The Texas running back totaled 1,108 yards and 14 touchdowns in his final season. But ball security issues have raised red flags.
“The reason I’m putting him here is when I was asking a bunch of NFL scouts and executives about running backs, I got his name from three different people. Whenever you get three different people mentioning the same person — ‘we’re fans of him, we like him, we like what we saw’ — I feel like I have to put him here.”
Meirov noted that Blue’s draft projection is wide. Some see him as a Day 3 pick in Rounds 5-7, but there’s a chance he sneaks into Day 2 and develops into a productive NFL player.
“He’s also a legit threat in the passing department. He was number one among all FBS running backs with six receiving touchdowns this past year. The one thing for him was the fumbling — it was a big issue at Texas. But if that’s something he can clean up, there are some fans around the NFL for him.”
As with every draft, surprises are bound to happen. Team boards are unpredictable, and these five players could end up being among the biggest surprises come late April.
