An NFL draft class is ever-evolving.

Preseason expectations based on the previous campaign's performance often change. Individuals can impress or disappoint throughout the regular season and playoffs.

Once collegiate games are complete, incoming prospects then have all-star festivities, the NFL combine, medical evaluations, interviews, pro-day workouts and private meetings/workouts to make an impression.

As such, static evaluations aren't realistic. For those evaluating the event, a constant flow of information and study must be undertaken from August through April.

The Bleacher Report Scouting Department takes this task seriously. B/R scouts Brandon Thorn, Cory Giddings, Dame Parson and Matt Holder work throughout that period, getting eyes on as many prospects as possible and constantly rechecking their assessments.

So, change is inevitable.

With the first 12-team College Football Playoff set to begin on Friday, the group took a moment to reassess their standing and see how things have changed by highlighting a prospect who has greatly improved or hurt his stock to this point in the cycle.

For clarity, season-ending injuries or those making the decision to return to campus for another campaign have not been included. These selections are based purely on certain individuals' performance and current information about their statuses.

Quarterback

Scouted by Dame Parson

Riser: Cam Ward, Miami

Ward's future was unknown after transferring from Washington State to Miami last offseason.

He stepped into the role of savior and made Miami relevant again while also surpassing the program's single-season passing record. His performance didn't fall off a cliff in the middle of the season as most expected.

Ward continued to deliver high-level throws to go with his natural play-making ability to put the team on his back with a return to the national spotlight.

Differential: Day 2 prospect to QB1 and top-five lock

Faller: Quinn Ewers, Texas

Ewers is a talented and accurate passer when kept clean in the pocket. However, he has lacked consistency all season, especially in the bigger games on the schedule.

His pocket presence is mediocre at best, and he does not have a strong feel for pressure. He has taken sacks at the worst possible times, putting his offense behind the chains. Too many times, fans are left clamoring for Arch Manning instead of Texas' actual starting quarterback.

Pair all of that with adequate arm talent, and Ewers is no longer viewed as a strong candidate to be the 2025 class' QB3.

Differential: First-round possibility to late Day 2

Running Back

Scouted by Dame Parson

Riser: Kaleb Johnson, Iowa

Johnson provided a dominant season for the Iowa Hawkeyes with little accompanying passing offense. He became the engine of that unit, with 1,537 rushing yards and 23 total touchdowns.

His patience, vision and strength are a few of his best traits. He also has the open-field speed to generate big, explosive plays.

The consensus All-American and Big Ten Running Back of the Year presents the build/frame of a bell-cow running back in the NFL. He catches the ball well out of the backfield as a functional third-down option.

Differential: Unranked to RB3 as a second-round option

Faller: Ollie Gordon II, Oklahoma State

Gordon is a big downhill running back with a powerful finishing style. He works best and most effectively with a runway to gear up to a full head of steam. He possesses good play strength to fight through contact and use stiff arms to punish incoming defenders.

A functional pass catcher out of the backfield, he is best used as a check-down option. Plus, he showcases reliability in pass protection if asked to play on third downs.

However, Gordon came off an FBS-leading 1,732-yard campaign in 2023 and carried the mantle as RB1 coming into this season. His play fell off behind a less-than-stellar offensive line, thus highlighting his physical, movement-based limitations.

He does not stand out in a loaded running back class, which has caused his stock drop to a potential Day 3 pick.

Differential: RB1 to Day 3 prospect

Wide Receiver

Scouted by Dame Parson

Riser: Matthew Golden, Texas

Golden offers an exciting combination of speed, explosiveness and route running. He is a leverage winner with his route stems and athleticism to threaten defensive backs vertically. He excels at getting open and creating separation as a movement Z-receiver.

Along with his ball skills and body control at the catch point, Golden is the Longhorns' best wide receiver after transferring from the Houston Cougars—which is no small feat considering Texas' roster also features Isaiah Bond, who entered this season with high expectations as a potential early-round draft option.

Differential: Day 3 prospect, who worked his way into being WR5 and Day 2 option

Faller: Luther Burden III, Missouri

Burden is one of the better run-after-catch wide receivers in college football and for the 2025 NFL draft. He is a versatile weapon who aligns all over the offensive formation.

The two-time first-team All-SEC honoree plays with good strength to break from perimeter tackle attempts. His hands are strong and reliable to bring in tough/difficult grabs. He excels with a two-way go out of the slot and puts pressure on the defensive coverage to pull attention toward him, freeing up his teammates.

However, Burden opened this season as a top-10 pick on pretty much every single draft board, including B/R's. He was in contention for WR1 of the class. At the moment, he has dropped to the backend of round one-early Day 2 after a disappointing and largely unproductive season.

Differential: Top 10 to possible Day 2 selection

Tight End

Scouted by Dame Parson

Riser: Harold Fannin Jr., Bowling Green

Fannin became one of the best tight ends in college football this season—both statistically and on tape. The junior prospect epitomizes versatility at the tight end position. He is a better blocker than given credit for, with a strong receiving skill set.

As a target, the nation's second-leading receiver (not just among tight ends but all targets) hurts defenses from different alignments with route running, short-area quickness and run-after-catch ability.

Entering this season, the MAC product was largely unknown. With his skill set and production, particularly against the Falcons' best competition, he has earned a high Day 2 grade and is worthy of a late first-round selection.

Differential: Unranked to possibly first-round choice

Faller: Luke Lachey, Iowa

Lachey is a smooth-moving route-runner with a plus-level athletic profile. He can win one-on-one opportunities against second-level defenders and some safeties.

When healthy, he can be an impactful pass-catching option. He works the seams well with his ability to high-point passes, plus an NFL build/frame. His run-blocking is solid but could stand to improve from a functional strength standpoint.

Based on last season's tape, Lachey looked like a solid second-round talent. As the season progressed, it was clear there were more talented and gifted players among a deep positional group. As such, he appears to be trending towards an early Day 3 grade.

Differential: Early Day 2 to Day 3 option

Offensive Tackle

Scouted by Brandon Thorn

Riser: Armand Membou, Missouri

Membou had only been a starter for one season prior to the 2024 campaign.

While he had some notable flashes when studying last year's starting left tackle Javon Foster, there wasn't enough volume to rate him much higher than a prospect who could be draftable somewhere on Day 3 of the event.

Upon further inspection of this year's film, it became clear that Membou's loose, explosive movements, natural power and competitive toughness are the foundational tools needed to become an early starter in the NFL, with impact potential during his rookie contract.

Membou also turns 21 a month before the 2025 draft and will have the runway to add refinement before reaching his considerably high ceiling.

Differential: Round 4 to fringe Round 1

Faller: Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas

Banks entered the 2024 season poised to capitalize on his tantalizing upside going back to his days as a 5-star recruit. While the Longhorns as a team have matched the hype, his play has been a little underwhelming relative to expectations.

These concerns stem primarily from shaky recovery skills that result in him being manipulated out of position by skilled rushers who know how to set up their moves and struggling to get himself out of compromising positions.

Banks has made plenty of big blocks in the run and screen game this season while largely being solid as a pass protector, which has been enough to rack up accolades (Outland and Lombardi awards) but has left something to be desired for his projection to the pro game, with lingering questions on whether he can stick at tackle or would be best served kicking inside to guard.

Differential: Fringe top 10 to Round 2

Interior Offensive Line

Scouted by Brandon Thorn

Riser: Jalen Rivers, Miami

Rivers has battled an injury bug for the bulk of his college career with two season-ending injuries in 2021 and 2022 in addition to five missed games this past season that caused him to fly under the radar as an unranked prospect prior to studying his seven starts in 2024.

He has a massive frame and thick, dense build with excellent length, huge hands and impressive movement skills at his size. This was on display with his coordinated footwork in pass protection and a refined ability to weaponize his length to line up his targets and keep rushers at his fingertips.

With good posture and balance through contact, Rivers' mass is a chore for defenders to work through or around. He also rotated inside at left guard throughout games this season in a display of impressive versatility.

I expect Rivers to make even more of a name for himself during the practices at Mobile next month when scouts get to size him up, watch him move and play.

Differential: Round 4 to fringe first round

Faller: Emery Jones Jr., LSU

Jones entered the 2024 season with significant hype as a bookend to the nation's best tackle duo opposite Will Campbell.

Instead, erratic play plagued the LSU offensive line, with much of that stemming from Jones' inability to consistently protect his edges in pass protection. This concern led to quick losses, with Jones overextended and falling off of blocks in nearly every film studied.

As such, his best projection is inside at the professional level, where he won't have to contend with NFL edge-rushers on an island while complementing his aggressive, attacking play-style, thus giving him the best chance to become a regular, long-term starter.

Differential: Round 1 to third round

Defensive Linemen

Scouted by Matt Holder

Riser: Derrick Harmon, Oregon

Harmon was a solid player for the Michigan State Spartans but was hardly on the draft radar heading into the fall. After transferring to Oregon, he burst onto the scene and has become one of the top defensive tackles in this year's draft class.

The second-team All-Big Ten performer has always been a stout run defender, but he's showed tons of growth as a pass-rusher this season to shoot up draft boards as a potential late-first to second-round pick.

Differential: Day 3 to possible first-round pick

Faller: Deone Walker, Kentucky

This summer, Walker comfortably sat as the second-best defensive tackle prospect behind Michigan's Mason Graham. That standing was primarily due to the 6'6" and 345-pounder's combination of size and movement skills.

However, he had a significant dip in production and it looked as if his conditioning got worse this season, as he got pushed around far too much for someone of his size.

Now, Walker is looking at a Day 2 projection and several interior defensive linemen have long since passed him among the positional heirarchy.

Differential: Top 15 ranking to Day 2 prospect

Edge-Rushers

Scouted by Matt Holder

Riser: Mike Green, Marshall

Coming into this season, Green was an unknown Group of Five underclassman. However, he ended up leading the country in sacks (17) and tackles for loss (23) to shoot up draft boards and become a potential late-first or early second-round pick.

Green presents a handful of pass-rush moves he can win with and plenty of bend to corner at the top of the rush.

While the redshirt sophomore does need to add some size and strength at the point of attack—he's listed at 6'4" and 248 pounds—he's a physical player who should develop into an every-down player with more time in an NFL weight room.

Differential: Unranked to first-round grade

Faller: James Pearce Jr., Tennessee

Unlike the other two positions in the front seven, this year's draft class didn't have a dramatic "faller" where someone played themselves out of the first round.

However, Pearce could fit the description since he was seen as the next up-and-coming edge-rusher who had the potential to be the first non-quarterback off the board and possible No. 1 overall pick.

The Tennessee product generated buzz with his combination of size, strength and athleticism with a strong season sophomore season in the SEC but needed to refine his technique, especially against the run, to become a well-rounded player. That never occurred, causing his draft stock to slide, thus allowing a player like Penn State's Abdul Carter to take over as Edge1.

To be clear, Pearce will still likely be a Day 1 pick, but don't expect him to be the first player drafted at his position.

Differential: Top-three talent to mid-to-late first-round projection

Linebackers

Scouted by Matt Holder

Riser: Jihaad Campbell, Alabama

Campbell blended last season into Alabama's defense, partially because he didn't become a full-time starter until the second half of the campaign. But he became a focal point for the Crimson Tide in 2024, leading the team in total tackles (106) and tackles (12) by wide margins—30 and five, respectively.

He doesn't even turn 21 until April, giving him plenty of potential at the next level, which will help him rise up draft boards.

Differential: Unranked to early Day 2 prospect

Faller: Lander Barton, Utah

Barton had second-round potential heading into the season, as he looked to be a standout against the run and showed impressive athleticism to be effective in coverage.

However, he regressed in coverage and didn't show much improvement as a run defender. Those concerns drop the true junior prospect into the fourth-round category if he does decide to declare this offseason.

Differential: Second to fourth-round grade

Cornerbacks

Scouted by Cory Giddings

Riser: Azareye'h Thomas, Florida State

Thomas can be considered a riser among the cornerbacks largely due to his decision to forgo his remaining eligibility and enter the 2025 draft after an impressive junior campaign.

Typically, junior prospects are covered later in the process based on expectations of whether they plan to declare. In Thomas' case, he proved a pleasant surprise.

His blend of size, athleticism and physicality has certainly caught the attention of scouts. At 6'2" and 198 pounds, he possesses the prototypical frame that is coveted in the NFL, along with long arms that help him contest passes and play physical coverage. His ball skills and ability to challenge receivers at the line of scrimmage make him a versatile boundary defender.

While his technique is still a work in progress, including his press coverage and ability to recover against quicker receivers, his physical tools give him significant upside for development.

As he continues to refine his game, particularly in recovery and leveraging his size, Thomas has the potential to develop into a starting outside cornerback in the NFL, making him a rising prospect in the draft.

Differential: Unranked to a Day 2 prospect

Faller: Denzel Burke, Ohio State

Burke entered this season as one of the projected top cornerback prospects but went on to disappoint to a degree.

While he still has the ideal size (6'1", 193 lbs) and athletic traits, his performance this year has been inconsistent. Despite his physicality and versatility, he didn't quite measure up against top-tier receivers, showing lapses in coverage during key matchups. His tendency to gamble for interceptions and his inconsistent breaks—particularly in off-coverage—have hurt his production.

Although he remains a solid tackler and a physical run defender, his overall lack of production in coverage has caused him to fall short of the elite cornerback status some once thought he held.

If Burke can clean up his technique and improve his consistency, he could still develop into a starting cornerback, but his current form leaves plenty of room for improvement.

Differential: Top-25 prospect to third-round possibility

Safeties

Scouted by Cory Giddings

Riser: Billy Bowman Jr., Oklahoma

Bowman's rise up the draft board can largely be attributed to his consistency and versatility.

Despite being part of an underwhelming Oklahoma defense, he has stood out as a key contributor in both the run game and coverage. His football IQ, quick reactions and ability to play multiple roles within the defense—whether in the box or in coverage—have enhanced his stock.

His physicality and toughness in run support, paired with his ball-tracking ability in coverage, make him a valuable prospect, though his lack of size (5'10", 194 lbs) and top-end speed may limit him against bigger and faster NFL targets.

As a versatile defender, Bowman projects as a solid early-round pick with starter potential, particularly in a scheme that values flexibility and intelligence.

Differential: Outside of top 10 to top-four safety prospect

Faller: Jaylen Reed, Penn State

Despite being a multi-year starter for Penn State, Reed has seen his stock dip after failing to live up to the high expectations set for him entering the season.

Though he has contributed to a strong Nittany Lions secondary and earned second-team All-Big Ten honors, he hasn't been dominant enough to be considered one of the class' top safeties. His occasional missed tackles, poor angles and lack of top-end speed leave him vulnerable, particularly against faster, more elusive players.

Reed's lack of fluidity and tendency to overrun plays have caused some to question his ability to cover efficiently in space.

While he remains a versatile defender with good football IQ, his limitations may push him into a more specialized, rotational role at the next level rather than as an immediate every-down starter.

Differential: Potential top-five safety now sits outside top 15 among position group