NFL Analysis
3/27/25
8 min read
2025 NFL Draft: Top 5 Team-Player Fits in This Year's Class
There are some fits between prospects and teams in the 2025 NFL Draft that just make too much sense.
While a lot needs to go right in order for the best fits in a given draft class to happen, teams will sometimes go out of their way to make sure they can land that player that fits with exactly what they're looking for by trading up or swinging early at a position generally considered less valuable.
This year's draft features a handful of player-team fits that feel perfect, so let's dive into those.
Best Player-team Fits in 2025 NFL Draft
Indianapolis Colts 
Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
Tight end is at the top of the list of needs for the Indianapolis Colts, and there just so happens to be a top-tier tight end prospect in this year's draft in Tyler Warren.
Warren was the focal point of Penn State's offense this past season, catching 104 passes for 1,233 yards and eight touchdowns. He was also heavily utilized as a wildcat quarterback, running for another 218 yards with four rushing touchdowns and even throwing for another score.
At over 6-foot-5 and 256 pounds, Warren looks like a man amongst boys when he has the ball in his hands. He generates YAC with both strength and athletic ability. He's a solid route runner with great hands but also an under-appreciated blocker with the tenacity to finish blocks and stay engaged.
— James Foster (@JamesFosterNFL) December 18, 2024
That's exactly what's missing in Shane Steichen's offense. On top of his ability as a pass catcher, the Colts can utilize him as an in-line blocker to create rushing lanes for Jonathan Taylor or move in space on arc blocks or other concepts as a lead blocker on designed runs for Anthony Richardson.
That kind of weapon would relieve the pressure on the rest of the offense and could finally unlock Richardson's full potential.
Denver Broncos
Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State 
Bo Nix proved that he at least deserves the opportunity to act like the franchise quarterback for the Denver Broncos, and with the way the rest of the offense is now built, all they're really missing is a running back.
Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime showed brief flashes this past season, but neither look like true No. 1 workhorse options in the backfield. Ashton Jeanty changes that quickly after a dream season for Boise State.
To contextualize just how dominant Jeanty's season was, if you took just his 1,970 yards after contact, he still would have led college football by more than 200 rushing yards. He has a compact frame with elite contact balance, along with the short-area quickness to sidestep defenders in tight spaces and adequate top-end play speed to consistently generate explosive plays.
Ashton Jeanty made Washington State's defense look like a JV squad. I've never seen more forced missed tackles on a RB tape.
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) September 29, 2024
Just watch these 5 clips. #RB1 pic.twitter.com/kVZGdYLBeR
There are a handful of teams that could use Jeanty, but the Broncos could be a place where he really shines. The Broncos had the No. 1 offensive line in run block win rate in 2024 and have quietly built one of the better units in the trenches in the league.
Jeanty playing behind that kind of offensive line could allow him to hit the ground running quickly, give the Broncos some more offensive balance, and potentially turn them into a dangerous AFC contender.
Green Bay Packers
Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State
During the offseason, Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs went on record to say that the team needed to go find a veteran No. 1 receiver. While that didn't end up happening, Brian Gutekunst and his staff could still find a big-bodied outside target early in the draft by taking Jayden Higgins out of Iowa State.
Higgins transferred from Eastern Kentucky to Iowa State in 2023 and quickly became a primary target for the Cyclones over the last two seasons, catching 140 passes for 2,166 yards and 15 touchdowns. He fits Green Bay's size thresholds as a 6-foot-4, 214-pound wideout with excellent athletic testing and tape that shows both contested-catch ability and technical refinement as a route runner.
Jayden Higgins is an incredibly smooth route runner at 6’4 215lbs with excellent hands, physicality, and contested catch ability.
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) January 11, 2025
Has a little Nico Collins to his game 👀 pic.twitter.com/jliz8K5H1r
With Christian Watson presumably out for the 2025 season with a torn ACL, the Packers lack a receiver on their roster who can consistently succeed against Man coverage. No other full-time starter averages more than 1.63 yards per route run against Man.
That's where Higgins can be an immediate solution to Green Bay's passing game, averaging 3.26 YPRR against Man in 2024. He has the size and athleticism that the Packers typically seek in their wide receiver prospects and was also coached by Iowa State wide receiver coach Noah Pauley, who also worked with Watson during their time together at North Dakota State.
Jacobs may not have gotten his veteran WR1, but Higgins has the skill set to become that guy almost immediately at the NFL level.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama
Regardless of what Aaron Rodgers decides to do, the Pittsburgh Steelers shouldn't let that get in the way of drafting the perfect quarterback for how their offense is currently built.
Jalen Milroe had a roller-coaster season at Alabama that highlighted some of his flaws, but his physical tools continued to be put on display, with the best athletic ability and arm strength of this year's quarterback class.
He logged 32 rushing touchdowns over the last two seasons, using his explosiveness, play speed, and strength as a 225-pound quarterback to be a nightmare to bring down.
It's not the mobility that makes him such an ideal fit for Pittsburgh, however. It's the excellent deep ball that he can throw, hitting his receivers in stride deep downfield. His 2023 season was a better example of his ability to push the ball vertically, posting a 131.1 passer rating on passes 20-plus yards downfield for 1,267 yards, 16 touchdowns, and just one interception.
Jalen Milroe tosses. pic.twitter.com/2kw9DNa6MA
— Nick Penticoff (@NickPenticoff) March 17, 2025
That deep ball is a perfect match for what Pittsburgh has done with its receiver room, pairing George Pickens with DK Metcalf as their options on the outside. Both receivers love to push the field vertically, allowing Milroe to do what he does best if the Steelers draft him.
There's still plenty that Milroe needs to work on to refine his abilities as a passer, but Mike Tomlin and the Steelers organization can get him in the right place while allowing him to utilize his physical tools to help get their offense out of its funk from last year.
New England Patriots
Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado
The general consensus is that if Travis Hunter is going to play both ways in some capacity, he should primarily play cornerback and then rotate in at wide receiver. However, for the New England Patriots, the opposite makes a lot of sense, and it is still a terrific fit for both sides.
Hunter's instincts and athletic ability consistently flash at cornerback, but his production at receiver can't be ignored. He caught 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns last year while playing as a two-way star.
His athleticism consistently shows up after the catch and as a route runner, but it's his excellent hands and elite body control that make him stand out from other WR prospects in this draft class.
Unreal catch by Travis Hunter pic.twitter.com/9WLkF1tv9Q
— Receiver School (@ReceiverSchool) August 30, 2024
While other teams might view Hunter as a cornerback first, the Patriots could use the reigning Heisman Trophy winner primarily as a receiver for Drake Maye. Even with the addition of Stefon Diggs, the Patriots severely lack reliable weapons for their young quarterback, and they already have a solid pair of cornerbacks in Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis.
If Hunter is there with the fourth pick, the Patriots could still make him a two-way star, but let him get his feet under him as a wideout first before seeing if he has what it takes to be a full-time player on both sides of the ball.
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