In this article, John Laub breaks down his early look at the 2025 Dynasty Rookie Rankings.
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2025 Fantasy Football Rookies: Scholar’s Dynamic Dynasty Prospects part II
I highlighted the Top 12 Dynasty Prospects in the 2025 Rookie Class for PlayerProfiler readers last week. In the second article of the series, I have identified the next 12 college players likely to impact Dynasty fantasy football rosters next year and placed the competitors in my third tier of prospects. Enjoy part II and let’s start scouting the Class of 2025
Third Team All-American Dynasty Prospects
RB Devin Neal, Kansas
NFL Comparison: Alvin Kamara
Key Statistic: 5.7 YPA
NFL Draft Grade: Third Round
2024 Must Watch Matchup: Illinois (September 7)
As NFL offenses evolve and incorporate schemes from the college ranks, pass-catching running backs who get to the edge and excel in space are in higher demand. At 5-11 and 215 pounds, Devin Neal has the skills and traits that teams seek in a ball carrier. On the field, Neal immediately impacted the Jayhawks’ offense as a freshman in 2021 and has recorded consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns over the past two seasons. A smooth catcher with natural hands, he shines in the screen game and explodes upfield. A one-cut runner, Neal looks idyllic for a zone-blocking scheme in the NFL and is currently underrated as a prospect. As a result, he deserves this spot in the early 2025 dynasty rookie rankings.
RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
NFL Comparison: Tony Pollard
Key Statistic: 5.8 YPA
NFL Draft Grade: Third Round
2024 Must Watch Matchup: Oregon (September 7)
If Ashton Jeanty suited up for a P4 program (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC), he might be the top-rated running back in the 2025 class. He is such a dynamic player, producing prodigious numbers his first two years on campus. Nonetheless, the production came against teams in the Mountain West, and only 20-percent of the top 24 fantasy running backs over the past four seasons are from Group 5 programs like Boise State.
At 5-9 and 215 pounds, Jeanty has the size and speed to compete against P4 defenders. He finds lanes with great vision and bounces off defenders with excellent contact balance. He is also an outstanding pass-catcher who hits home runs in the open field. Early in the scouting process, I trust that Jeanty overcomes the odds to become a successful fantasy producer.
QB Jaxson Dart, Mississippi
NFL Comparison: Ryan Tannehill
Key Statistic: 1,046 rushing yards
NFL Draft Grade: Second Round
2024 Must Watch Matchup: LSU (October 12)
I might be on an island by myself in regard to Jaxson Dart and his NFL potential. Examining the direction of the modern game, it is evident that quarterbacks who can motor with their legs are in high demand and deserve to be boosted in the dynasty rookie rankings.
At 6-2 and 220 pounds, Dart has illustrated the traits that impact fantasy production. In 26 career games, he has logged 65 total touchdowns, passed for over 7,500 yards and eclipsed 1,000 yards on the ground.
The Rebels’ signal caller has good arm strength and attacks secondaries vertically and horizontally. Throwing well on the run, he keeps his head upright when avoiding tacklers and finds open targets. My QB model identifies Dart as a possible first-rounder. If he leads Mississippi to the SEC Title game and/or CFP Playoffs, an NFL organization will surely agree.
RB Damien Martinez, Miami
NFL Comparison: Jerome Bettis
Key Statistic: 6.1 YPA
NFL Draft Grade: Third Round
2024 Must Watch Matchup: Florida (August 31)
There is still a role for a big punishing back who can take over a game in the fourth quarter. Playing in the Northwest at Oregon State for the past two seasons, Damien Martinez seems to be overlooked by the scouting and Dynasty community—he will no longer be after transferring to Miami. The eyes of fans, scouts, and NFL organizations will have the Hurricanes’ smashing runner in their sight in 2024.
Two years ago, Martinez was the PAC-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year and a Doak Walker Semifinalist last season. At 6-0 and 232 pounds, the third-year ball carrier has the feet of a smaller back and packs a punch upon impact. With very good vision, he powers through small holes between the tackles and rapidly motors quickly north after making a cut. I look forward to scouting Martinez in a new uniform in order to finalize a scouting report.
RB DJ Giddens, Kansas State
NFL Comparison: Javonte Williams
Key Statistic: 5.6 YPA
NFL Draft Grade: Third Round
2024 Must Watch Matchup: Oklahoma State (September 28)
At the end of last football season, I did not rank DJ Giddens highly as an NFL prospect despite a prodigious campaign in Manhattan, Kansas. Giddens scampered for 1,226 rushing yards, corralled 29 passes for 323 yards, and scored 13 times. At 6-1 and 212 pounds, the Wildcats’ runner pops on tape with stupendous vision and patience. He breaks tackles and stays on his feet with very good contact balance. Does he have ankle-breaking speed? Giddens’ athletic scores in the speed drills will likely determine his final place in the dynasty rookie rankings. Dynasty managers need to get eyeballs on the Kansas State ball carrier in the fall.
Scholar’s 2025 Preseason Draft Rankings
Class of 2025 Scholar’s Draft Rankings
RB Jaydon Ott, California
NFL Comparison: Aaron Jones
Key Statistic: 71 Receptions
NFL Draft Grade: Third Round
2024 Must Watch Matchup: Auburn (September 7)
Jaydon Ott has applied his trade on the West Coast for California and likely not seen by enough Dynasty managers on the East Coast. Now that the Golden Bears are competing in the ACC, Ott might be more visible to fans up and down the Atlantic. He begins the campaign second among all FBS runners with an average of 92.2 rushing yards per game.
At 6-0 and 210 pounds, Ott profiles as a three-down back with great balance and lateral movement. Deadly in the open field, he has five touchdown runs over 40 yards and surpassed 150 yards rushing six times. The third-year runner has also recorded 71 catches for 514 yards and five scores. Ott has a third-round grade as a prospect and could move up to a second rounder with another 1,300-yard campaign on the resume.
WR Elic Ayomanor, Stanford
NFL Comparison: Michael Pittman, Jr.
Key Statistic: 16.3 YPC
NFL Draft Grade: Second Round
2024 Must Watch Matchup: Clemson (September 28)
In late May, I began to look at the DEVY prospects, and Elic Ayomanor’s tape and numbers impressed me. I participated in four DEVY drafts this summer and acquired the Stanford receiver in each one. At 6-2 and 210 pounds, the Cardinals’ receiver dominates outside of the hash marks and tracks the ball well deep. With good hands, Ayomanor easily plucks the ball out of the air and creates additional yards after the catch. Currently, he is a hidden nugget in the riverbed of DEVY drafts. Please join me on the Ayomanor Express this fall.
QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
NFL Comparison: Kirk Cousins
Key Statistic: 151.7 QB Rating
NFL Draft Grade: Second Round
2024 Must Watch Matchup: Nebraska (September 7)
As a history teacher, I provide my scholars with many different perspectives from the past–classroom acumen provides me a roadmap to analyzing prospects. I passed on quarterbacks Mitch Trubisky, Daniel Jones, Trey Lance and Kenny Pickett for other signal callers that I preferred.
Shedeur Sanders is the darling of the national media and industrial scouting complex. It is nearly impossible to read a preview of the 2025 class without the writer, or Draftnik, waxing poetically in regard to Sanders. I remain skeptical of Sanders pro potential despite the attributes that so many discuss. He holds the ball too long and takes too many sacks. I will be watching Sanders closely to assess his development in the pocket: I remain open minded. We will see where he ultimately winds up in the dynasty rookie rankings, but for now, he is here.
WR Tory Horton, Colorado State
NFL Comparison: Keenan Allen
Key Statistic: 239 Receptions
NFL Draft Grade: Third Round
2024 Must Watch Matchup: Texas (August 31)
It is risky rating a Group 5 wide receiver this high. Over the past four seasons, only 22-percent of the top 36 fantasy football WRs played college football all outside of the P4 (or P5) programs. Colorado State resides in the Mountain West, and Tory Horton returns for his fifth season in college—two at Nevada and two at Colorado State. He has surpassed 1,000 yards receiving in consecutive crusades and a preseason All-American in 2024.
At 6-2 and 190 pounds, the fifth-year playmaker excels in the slot and runs crisp routes. He wins with immediate separation and double moves. Horton has another must-watch matchup versus Colorado and Travis Hunter on September 14. The two early contests against the Longhorns and Buffaloes will provide insight into Horton’s Draft profile and where he should ultimately reside in the dynasty rookie rankings.
WR Kyren Lacy, LSU
NFL Comparison: Terry McLaurin
Key Statistic: 14.4 YPC
NFL Draft Grade: Third Round
2024 Must Watch Matchup: South Carolina (September 14)
Sometimes, it is easier to find reasons why a player will not succeed than uncover the upside and potential of a competitor. Kyren Lacy started his college journey at Louisiana in the Sun Belt Conference. After two seasons, he bet on himself and transferred to LSU in the SEC against much tougher competition in 2022.
Last year’s numbers are not overly impressive with 30 catches for 558 yards and seven touchdowns. However, context is very important: Lacy played behind first round NFL Draft picks Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. In the offseason, coach Brian Kelly did not acquire any top-level receivers in the transfer portal, and Kelly spoke highly of Lacy throughout spring practices and training camp. I foresee a breakout campaign for the Tigers’ home run hitter and moving up Draft boards before the season ends.
WR Travis Hunter, Colorado
NFL Comparison: Brandon Aiyuk
Key Statistic: 12.6 YPC
NFL Draft Grade: Third Round
2024 Must Watch Matchup: Nebraska (September 7)
I had to place Travis Hunter among the top 24 Dynasty prospects despite uncertainty to which position he plays in the NFL: cornerback or wide receiver? I believe he ranks among the best corner prospects since Champ Bailey and Darrelle Revis over the past 25 years (of course Will Johnson might disagree). Hunter is a classic cover corner, who locks down opponents’ top receiver in man-to-man matchups. Regrettably, the NFL is moving towards more zone coverages, and Hunter’s skills might conflict with some defensive coordinator’s schemes.
Athletically, Hunter is the top pro prospect in the country. A 5-star recruit, he chose to play for coach Deion Sanders at Jackson State (an HBC program) and followed his coach to Colorado last year. As a receiver, Hunter snatched 57 passes for 721 yards and five scores in 2024. It seems likely that he wants to play both sides of the ball as a professional, which would cap his fantasy impact. Hunter’s place in the dynasty rookie rankings will depend on his final decision in regard to his future role.
TE Colston Loveland, Michigan
NFL Comparison: Jake Ferguson
Key Statistic: 14.5 YPC
NFL Draft Grade: Second Round
2024 Must Watch Matchup: Texas (September 7)
If a Dynasty manager needs a tight end, it is slim pickings before the season kicks off. The top-rated player at the position is Michigan’s Colston Loveland. At 6-5 and 245 pounds, Loveland was a 4-star recruit, who has excelled since stepping on campus at Ann Arbor.
As a sophomore last year, Loveland started all 12 games for the National Champions and snatched 45 passes for 649 yards and four touchdowns. He was named First Team All-Big Ten and has earned varsity letters each of his first two campaigns. In 2023, the Wolverines employed Loveland all over the formation and placed him in mismatches with smaller or slower defenders. When the scouting process is over, Loveland could be a second-round selection in the NFL Draft.
For John’s 2025 Dynasty Rookie Rankings Part 1, click here – 2025 Dynasty Rookie Rankings Part 1
