College Football Playoff Quarterfinals: The best 2025 NFL Draft prospect for every team

• Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty: The top running back in the 2025 NFL Draft is the top prospect remaining in the College Football Playoff.

• Penn State’s Abdul Carter: The best edge defender in the draft is the only other top-five prospect who’s still alive in the playoff.

• Unlock your edge with a PFF+ subscription: Get full access to all of our in-season fantasy tools, including weekly rankings, WR/CB matchup charts, weekly projections, the Start-Sit Optimizer and more. Sign up now!

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

With just one week in the NFL regular season remaining, many teams are already turning their attention to the 2025 NFL Draft. In fact, 15 of the 32 franchises are already eliminated from playoff contention no matter what happens in the final week. 

The College Football Playoff won’t just decide the national champion, it’ll also significantly affect the draft stocks of some of the top prospects in this year’s draft. Before the quarterfinals kick off, here’s a look at the top prospect for every school remaining in the playoff according to PFF’s 2025 NFL Draft big board. 

Oregon Ducks: QB Dillon Gabriel

Ranking on PFF big board: No. 53 overall

Bo Nix surgically ran the Oregon offense in 2022 and 2023, distributing the ball accurately without ever putting it in harm’s way. While Gabriel’s physical tools could preclude him from becoming a top-15 pick like Nix, he’s filled that same point guard role extremely well. The Oklahoma transfer is sixth among FBS quarterbacks in both passing grade (89.3) and turnover-worthy play rate (1.3%). His 81.8% adjusted completion rate is third among the nation’s signal-callers as well. 

Georgia Bulldogs: S Malaki Starks

Ranking on PFF big board: No. 7 overall

Starks has essentially been the top safety in the 2025 NFL Draft ever since the first game of his true freshman season at Georgia, when he did this. 

A TRUE FRESHMAN @StarksMalaki!#GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/zg3DFkovcX

— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) September 3, 2022

Of the 256 Power Four safeties who’ve played at least 500 snaps over the last two seasons, Starks is one of 12 who’s earned 80-plus grades both in coverage and as a run defender. In particular, his 91.3 run-defense grade is tied for fourth in that same group. Starks is the rare safety prospect who seems like a lock to go in the first round. 

Boise State Broncos: RB Ashton Jeanty

Ranking on PFF big board: No. 4 overall

What’s there to say about Jeanty that hasn’t already been said? The Heisman Trophy runner-up isn’t just the best running back in college football this season, he’s having one of the best seasons of all time. 

Ashton Jeanty’s historic season:

*Since PFF began charting college football in 2014

This isn’t new for Jeanty either. Last season, his 95.1 PFF grade led the nation’s running backs. In 2022, his 89.5 PFF grade was the highest among all true freshmen in the FBS. He’s without any glaring weakness and is a projected top-15 pick, a rarity nowadays for running backs.

Arizona State Sun Devils: RB Cam Skattebo

Ranking on PFF big board: No. 143 overall

While Jeanty’s been easily the best running back in college football, Skattebo would take the silver medal as the second-best. His 92.6 PFF grade is second among all FBS tailbacks while his 92 forced missed tackles on the ground lead all Power Four ones. The senior is also a very capable pass catcher, placing third among all running backs with 506 receiving yards. 

Texas Longhorns: OT Kelvin Banks Jr.

Ranking on PFF big board: No. 11 overall

The race for OT1 in the 2025 NFL Draft is tight between Banks and LSU’s Will Campbell, although Banks could have the inside track after his stellar junior year. His 89.0 pass-blocking grade is fifth among the nation’s tackles while his 87.4 overall grade is seventh. Banks has only surrendered a pressure on 1.8% of his pass-blocking snaps this season, sixth among Power Four tackles. Expect to hear his name called within the first 10 picks in April. 

Penn State Nittany Lions: EDGE Abdul Carter

Ranking on PFF big board: No. 5 overall

A few years ago, the Nittany Lions had a star defender who wore No. 11 that they stuck at linebacker. That player would go on to become one of the best edge defenders in the NFL. Much like Micah Parsons, Carter started off the ball at linebacker, but Penn State seemed to have learned its lesson, moving him to the edge this year. The move proved to be wise as Carter is third among the nation’s edge defenders with a 91.9 pass-rushing grade this year while his 22.4% pass-rush win rate is fourth. The junior is a freak athlete who looks like the best edge rusher in the 2025 draft and a projected top-five pick.  

Notre Dame Fighting Irish: S Xavier Watts

Ranking on PFF big board: No. 48 overall

This would’ve gone to cornerback Benjamin Morrison, who’s currently 17th on our big board. However, Morrison is out for the season after undergoing hip surgery back in October. Watts has more than held it down for Notre Dame’s secondary in Morrison’s absence, posting an 89.1 coverage grade that’s a top-15 mark among the nation’s safeties. Last year’s Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner is the best ballhawk in the country, picking off 13 passes in the last two seasons.

Ohio State Buckeyes: WR Emeka Egbuka

Ranking on PFF big board: No. 14 overall

As is the case with Notre Dame, Ohio State’s top prospect is out for the season. Offensive tackle Josh Simmons is 13th on our big board but is out for the year with a knee injury suffered back in October. Egbuka is just one spot behind Simmons on our board and is a smooth operator. He’s gotten open on 77.2% of his targets against single coverage over the last two seasons, which places him in the 98th percentile of FBS wideouts. The senior has strong hands to boot (4.9% career drop rate) and simply does everything at a high level. Expect Egbuka to hear his name called somewhere in the first round.