For every can’t-miss Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck at the top of the NFL Draft board, there are Tom Brady and Terrell Davis sleeper picks that either fall or aren’t drafted at all.
What makes the NFL Draft great is much more than betting the chalk on the first 10 picks. Whoopity doo, you knew that Cam Ward was taken by the Tennessee Titans with the first pick for -10000 odds… but did you know that Michael Penix Jr. was going eighth overall last year?
Elite front offices aren’t the ones that pick the best player available at #1, they find value at every position regardless of where they pick. That’s why sleeper NFL Draft picks are oftentimes more important than the blue-chip guys atop the pile.
So, if Roger Goodell calls any of these guys on behalf of your team, prepare for them to make you a very happy fan.
Sleeper NFL Draft picks 2025
First-round sleeper NFL Draft picks: Benjamin Morrison (CB, Notre Dame)
Lest we forget, Morrison was widely viewed as the best cornerback in this draft until he suffered a season-ending hip injury in Week 6 of his junior season. That poured cold water on his draft stock, but he is still an outstanding player and is expected to make a full recovery.
Only 21 years old, Morrison was a freshman All-American and had nine interceptions and four touchdowns in his underclassman seasons. He forced a 20.5 percent incompletion rate when targeted over the last two years and is a solid six feet tall, though he’s a lean 190 pounds and will need to learn how to battle more physical receivers.
Second-round sleeper NFL Draft picks: Darien Porter (CB, Iowa State)
One of my favorite sleeper NFL Draft picks, Porter is a 6-foot-4 corner who ran 4.3 in the 40-yard dash as part of the second-best cornerback performance at the 2025 NFL combine. He only allowed a 29.4 percent completion rate when targeted and did not give up a touchdown in back-to-back seasons.
Porter’s frame and athleticism make him a hybrid type of player that many NFL rosters lack. Quarterbacks had a passer rating of just 4.7 when targeting him in 2024, and he should see the field early in his career.
Third-round sleeper NFL Draft picks: Wyatt Milum (OT, West Virginia)
A 6-foot-6 tackle, Milum has short arms but is a heavy hitter with solid lateral speed. He’s more of an anchor than a dancing bear, but he did not allow a single sack in 1,155 pass-blocking snaps over the last three years.
Experts worry about Milum’s ability to play in space against bendy edge rushers, but his production, immense strength, and frame give him a chance to become a long-term starter if he can evolve the mental side of his game to account for his arm length.Â
Fourth-round under-the-radar NFL picks: Tory Horton (WR, Colorado State)
Horton’s best assets are his safe hands (86th in contested catch rate) and unique versatility. Even at 6-foot-3, he took nearly 30 percent of his snaps over the last two years from the slot, which created matchup issues for opposing defenses in the way that Cooper Kupp did (though Horton is not the same caliber of player).
He won’t steal your eye as a natural athlete, but he finds the ball and gets to it… so who really cares? He’s also well-equipped with body feints and quick moves to get open in tight spaces.
Fifth-round dark horse NFL Draft picks: Malachi Moore (DB, Alabama)
Bama defensive backs are a proven commodity. Moore played at a variety of spots in the secondary and can line up at safety or nickel, though he’s better in coverage than he is at trying to get the ball carrier on the ground.
Moore forced incompletions on 23.3 percent of his targets last year and noticeably improved his tackling ability. He was one of Pro Football Focus’ best coverage players last year and is incredibly smart, even if he doesn’t have as great of a burst as the top prospects.
Sixth-round sleeper picks: Ahmed Hassanein (EDGE, Boise State)
Turn on Hassanein’s tape and you’ll hear his V12 motor running from the first play. He’s a fiery competitor who had 22 sacks and 32 tackles for loss over the last two seasons, and he’s likely to get much better since he only picked up football in 2018.
At 6-foot-3, 271 pounds, Hassanein found success as a pass-rusher and run defender, though he sometimes appears jumpy instead of measured. More reps in an NFL system will be the best thing for him, and he has the mentality to work his way onto the field.
Seventh-round NFL Draft picks: Thor Griffith (DT, Louisville)
Believe it or not, Griffith was one of the most productive defensive linemen in the country. His three sacks and 12 hurries don’t jump off the page, but he had a 10 percent pass-rush win rate and easily made the top quarter of linemen with an 8.2 percent run-stop rate following three dominant seasons at Harvard.
The jump from the Ivy League to the ACC didn’t bother Griffth, which was nice to see considering the imminent leap to the NFL. He plays with terrific leverage and power, though he might be capped as a two-down player at 6-foot-2, 320 pounds.
