The New Orleans Saints are entering the final week of the regular season and are shifting their focus to the offseason. The marquee event of the offseason is the NFL Draft. Fans and teams can begin getting a look at some top prospects as the College Football Playoffs roll on this week.
The Saints had an elite 2025 draft class which has inspired fans to begin looking at upcoming players early, hoping to replicate it. Luckily for them, some elite prospects will be showing down this week.
Here are four of the premier prospects from the first two games of the quarterfinals in the College Football Playoffs. It’s important to note that some articles were covered in a previous article so they won’t be listed here (Rueben Bain).
Rueben Bain isn’t the only force of nature on Miami’s defensive line
Miami: Akheem Mesidor
Rueben Bain gets all the praise for the Miami defensive line (deservingly so), but this has made edge rusher Akheem Mesidor severely underrated. Mesidor had 1.5 sacks and an absurd 11 pressures last week against Texas A&M. He’s got an incredibly high motor and a mix of speed and technique that makes him dangerous. He’s an older prospect, being 25 on draft day, but is still enticing for a team looking to improve their pass rush.
Ohio State: Sonny Styles
Sonny Styles is my highest graded player in this class. Similarly to Mesidor, he gets outshined by other stars on his defense, but is arguably the best. The 6’5”, 243 LBs safety converted to linebacker is an athletic freak, ranking No. 10 on Feldman’s Freak List. He’s incredibly versatile and impacts the game in pass coverage, run defense, and as a pass rusher. Plus, he hasn’t missed a tackle all year. Styles is the most well rounded player in this class.
Oregon: A’Mauri Washington
A’Mauri Washington is an athletic paradox at defensive tackle. The 6’3”, 330 LBs player has a 36” vertical jump, has clocked in at 20.89 MPH, squats 755 LBs, and bench presses 475 LBs. He uses these skills constantly as he’s got a rapid quick first step and can bulldoze opposing lineman. Washington isn’t a huge name, but will make an impact on Thursday.
Texas Tech: David Bailey
There isn’t a better pass rusher in the nation then edge rusher David Bailey. He is second in the nation with 13.5 sacks and leads it with 77 pressures. He’s a triple threat and wins with speed, power, and technique. He can struggle against the run, but his prowess rushing the quarterback makes him unmissable.