Entering Week 2 of the college football (CFB) season, who are the top 2025 NFL Draft prospects to watch? A heavyweight clash between 2023 CFB Playoff participants pits dozens of prospects against one another, but there are others to keep tabs on as well.
2025 NFL Draft Prospects To Watch in Week 2 CFB Action
Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
Saturday. High noon. The fourth-ranked Texas Longhorns play the ninth-ranked Michigan Wolverines. Texas has the edge on offense, but Michigan’s defense is elite, and Week 1 proved it.
Will Johnson, in particular, was once again a central force in their success. He is a top-three overall prospect on Pro Football Network’s initial board, and Texas wide receiver Isaiah Bond is a first-round candidate. Thus, it stands to reason that whenever they line up across from each other, it’ll be a must-watch spectacle.
Johnson, at 6’2″, 202 pounds, thrives in off-man and zone coverage with his read-and-react ability, closing speed, and ball skills. But he also has the quickness and physicality to survive in man. Bond will test him in all of those areas.
Isaiah Bond, WR, Texas
Bond is a unique test for Johnson. At 5’11”, 185 pounds, he doesn’t have the size to outmatch Johnson, but he’s a dynamic athlete who weaponizes that athleticism with bend and nuance. On top of that, he plays with a chip on his shoulder.
Bond has a level of matching physicality that few smaller wideouts can match, and he knows when to apply it — at the top of stems and releases when wide receivers are off-balance. Bond can give Johnson a handful with his foot speed, flexibility, patience, and tenacity.
For Bond, it’ll be a test to play to his strengths. For Johnson, it’ll be a test to maintain spatial discipline in different coverage types — and not get caught sleeping by Bond’s competitive edge.
Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas
Johnson vs. Bond is the premier matchup of the Texas-Michigan clash, but it’s impossible to ignore Quinn Ewers going up against an elite defensive unit like Michigan’s. Ewers’ debut was respectable, but his mechanical volatility still shows up at a frustrating frequency.
He entered the season with a Day 3 grade on my board, but his hyper-elite arm elasticity and off-platform freedom grant him early-round upside. The pressure concocted by Michigan’s front line and secondary will force Ewers to stay disciplined.
If he passes the test and leads Texas to a win, it could be big for Ewers’ stock. If not, it could be another contributing factor in him stalling out.
Taylen Green, QB, Arkansas
“Taylen Green Breakout Watch” is underway. The Boise State transfer amassed over 300 total yards and four total touchdowns in his first game with the Arkansas Razorbacks. And this week, he faces his first true test in the ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys.
Green has the physical tools to become a factor in the 2025 NFL Draft. In fact, there’s open real estate for him to climb into the Round 1 ranks if a best-case scenario plays out.
Week 1 gave us a lot to like — athleticism, creative freedom, arm elasticity, and touch. Week 2 will be the next test for Green. Can he elevate his offense against a stalwart threat and perhaps prove his mettle as a prospect at a new level?
Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
Alright, so Ashton Jeanty ran for 267 yards and six touchdowns on 20 carries in Week 1. But it was against Georgia Southern. The skeptics are saying: “Now do it again versus Oregon.”
Oregon’s Week 1 showing wasn’t quite as dominant as expected, but the defense is still a vaunted unit under Dan Lanning’s oversight. Oregon has the easy advantage in the trenches, so the onus will be on Jeanty to create for himself when he needs to.
Already, Jeanty is the RB1 of the 2025 NFL Draft on PFN’s board. His Week 1 showing strengthened that standing, but a similarly efficient performance against a defense like the Ducks’ can solidify it.
Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
Michigan lost J.J. McCarthy, Blake Corum, Roman Wilson, and all of its offensive line starters this past offseason. We knew there was going to be an acclimation period for the offense, but Week 1’s inconsistency highlighted just how long that period might last.
One thing is for certain, though: The passing offense runs through Colston Loveland. The top-rated 2025 NFL Draft prospect caught eight of the Wolverines’ 16 completions in Week 1 and accounted for 87 of the team’s 121 passing yards.
Odds are the Wolverines may have to play a little bit of catch-up against Texas if their offense sputters. It’ll be a chance for Loveland to show off his elite size-adjusted separation ability against versatile defensive backs like Jahdae Barron and Andrew Mukuba.
Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
The first-round offensive tackle pecking order is very much unsettled in the 2025 NFL Draft. Emery Jones Jr., Will Campbell, Jonah Savaiinaea, Fernando Carmona Jr., and Kelvin Banks Jr. are all in the conversation — but Banks can separate himself in Week 2.
In both phases, Banks will be tested by Michigan’s defensive line. Kenneth Grant and Mason Graham are stalwarts against the run who can rush the passer and work on stunts. Additionally, Derrick Moore and Josaiah Stewart blend power and finesse on the edge.
If Banks can maintain his road-grading presence and keep Ewers clean in the passing game, scouts will notice.
Donovan Smith, QB, Houston
Entering the season, I was of the mind that Donovan Smith had the physical upside to enter the first-round quarterback conversation. I still believe that — but he absolutely needs to bounce back against a ranked opponent in Oklahoma after a dud Week 1 vs. UNLV.
The 6’5″, 235-pound Smith has proven he can step up against quality opponents. His game against Texas in 2023 was one of his best career outings. But he’ll need to tone down on the volatility in his game and stay composed if he wants his raw talent to shine through.
Anthony Belton, OT, NC State
There’s a potential prove-it matchup during Week 2’s prime-time slate. As Tennessee faces off against NC State in a non-conference matchup, James Pearce Jr. — a popular first-round candidate — will go up against Anthony Belton, a 6’6″, 336-pound senior blocker.
Belton — nicknamed “Escalade” — has all the qualities you’d come to expect from such a domineering player. He’s strong, powerful, and ruthlessly physical, and he should be able to outmatch Pearce in the run game. But his pass protection will be an important barometer.
Harold Fannin Jr., TE, Bowling Green
The Bowling Green Falcons will face off against the Penn State Nittany Lions in Week 2. This one could be lopsided, with Drew Allar firing on all cylinders. But the Falcons, playing from behind, could rely on the talents of Harold Fannin Jr. to keep the game respectable.
At 6’4″, 236 pounds, Fannin is one of the more underrated TE prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft. He’s a quick and smooth athlete, an instinctive separator and receiver, and a vital orbital piece for his offense.
If Fannin can stay productive against Penn State’s second and third-level defense, it’ll be a good sign.
Joey Aguilar, QB, Appalachian State
Keep this one on your radar. Appalachian State won its first game comfortably, with Joey Aguilar tossing three touchdowns. Now, he’ll face a Clemson team that’s reeling after a 34-3 loss to Georgia in Week 1. Clemson is susceptible, and Aguilar has the goods.
Aguilar is a fun small-school QB prospect whose arm pops off the screen. He can generate easy velocity, is a high-volume passer, and he’s not afraid to take chances down the field with his gunslinger mentality. If Aguilar can challenge Clemson, it’ll be a feather in his cap.
Kapena Gushiken, DB, Washington State
A 2025 NFL Draft sleeper to watch in Week 2 is Washington State’s Kapena Gushiken. A fast-flowing, hard-charging nickel defender at 5’10”, 186 pounds, Gushiken’s Cougars will go up against a Texas Tech offense that predictably revels in putting up big numbers.
What the Red Raiders have in offense, they lack sorely in defense. So if Gushiken can be the two-phase force that gets Washington State the one stop they need, it could serve well toward earning the team a victory — and Gushiken more NFL Draft notoriety.
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