Summer Scouting Notebook June 23, 2025

It has been a hot minute since I wrote on the Substack, so apologies for that, but I am making up for it with a scouting notebook with a surprise at the end.

There is nothing better, in my opinion, than Summer scouting, why you ask? It is the one time of the year when you can focus on the best parts of players' games, and you do not have to be overtly critical and say someone cannot do XYZ. Instead, you get to highlight what they do best, offer some projections, and then wait for the Fall to look brilliant or throw up your hands and say, “Oh well, we tried.”

Today's notebook will focus on many offensive groups. However, it will start with a defensive group that has a chance to be very special compared to years past.

This Safety Class has a Chance to be Special

Everyone knows and has seen Caleb Downs's playmaking abilities. Ohio State's safety has a rare chance of being the best player in the class as a safety, something we haven’t seen as a possibility in some time. While Kyle Hamilton is the last player in recent memory, positional value eventually affected things, but Downs is different.

Dillon Thieneman is not to be forgotten regarding top-end talent in the class, not just in the safety position. The Boilermaker turned Duck is now poised to have a significant playmaking role in Dan Lanning’s defense out west. With another impressive year, he could be a top 15 pick next April.

Outside of the top dog in the class, there is a mass gathering of talent that can be picked on day two, which I am a fan of. Players like Michael Taaffe of Texas, Clay Hubbard of Alabama, Cole Wisniewski of Texas Tech, and Rod Moore of Michigan are just a few who could be selected in that range. They could all be plug-and-play starters for most teams, which means we are staring at a talent pool we haven’t seen at safety in some time.

Do Not Dismiss this Running Back Class

The 2025 running back class is going to be remembered for the depth and heavy hitters it had at the top. Players like Ashton Jeanty and Omarion Hampton going in round one, followed by even more in rounds two and three, have that class set up for success. Much like when a kid has to follow up a brother who went to an Ivy League school, expectations are impossible to meet.

That doesn’t mean the follow-up kid, or class in this case, is ever a disappointment.

At the top, you have the player everyone is excited to study in Jermiyah Love out of Notre Dame. We saw his homerun hitting ability help lead the Fighting Irish to a National Championship last season, now they hope to lean on it again. After Love, there is a traffic jam of talent all vying for the eyes of talent evaluators this fall. Names you know, like Nick Singleton, Jaydn Ott, and Jonah Coleman, will get national attention.

Names flying under the radar worth watching are Desmond Reid from Pittsburgh, Jamal Haynes of Georgia Tech, and George Pettaway of James Madison. They all have flaws, but they are day two and three draft guys who should explode this fall and help their draft stock with strong campaigns.

The Interior Offensive Line Group is a Bunch of Bulldozers

I won’t ever pretend to be the maestro of offensive lineman evaluation, but I can spot a bulldozer when I see one. This group of interior offensive linemen, especially the centers, is all primed to be some hilariously fun run blockers when they get to the next level.

Big names like Jake Slaughter of Florida and Iapani Laloulu of Oregon are the top-tier players in the group. They could both find themselves being first-round picks in April and starting Week 1 for whatever team selects them. Strong base, good grip, leverage for days, and the initial punch of Paul Bunyan’s ox allow these two to stand above the rest.

Not to be forgotten, other standout run blockers I have watched so far include Connor Lew of Auburn, Bryce Foster of Kansas, and Jaeden Roberts. They have some work to do with their pass blocking and athleticism. For now, though, their run blocking will serve them well to get everyone’s attention for the fall before they develop further.

Linebacker Group includes a Lot of Range

It is funny, but when I watch linebackers, the first thing I see is them eagerly running towards the ball and biting on it. This often leads to them making plays that they hope for in the run game, but when it comes to pass defense, it leaves the middle of the field vulnerable most often.

With the handful of linebackers I have watched in this class, they are all used much more in pass coverage than I remember seeing in years past. I admit this position is the one I have watched the least so far, but it still has me knocked back.

I am not saying the group lacks run-stoppers. When I watched Deontae Lawson of Alabama, he was more aggressively used than most. Others, though, were used to cover a wider range in the pass game before helping out in the run if the play went that way.

It is interesting to see how the linebacker position changes year to year in the college game. Meanwhile, in the NFL, it is slowly making a comeback, especially in the top tier of talent.

The Potential CB1 is Playing on a Team that went 1-11 in 2024

Much like offensive linemen film, when you see a good cornerback, it really gets you jumping out of your seat. You can tell when a player has the length to break up passes, the instincts to play the ball, and the speed and movement skills to shadow anyone he matches up against.

When I watched Josh Moten, I saw a lot of that on a consistent basis.

Moten played in 2024 at Marshall, and his film there was next-level. He and Mike Green were a dynamic duo for the Thundering Herd defense that fed off each other, and they led the team to a Sun Belt Conference Championship and a 10-3 record. However, in 2025, Moten will leave Marshall and follow his head coach to his new spot, Southern Miss.

The Golden Eagles went 1-11 last year and gave up a whopping 37.8 points per game and 442 yards per game. Moten’s arrival seems odd, but following his head coach, Charles Huff, is admirable. He now has a chance to stand out once again as he plays in the same conference he dominated last season.

BONUS: Scouting Reports are LIVE

If you have been following me on X/Twitter (MandrewNFL) you may have seen I started posting scouting reports. I'm making things easier and sharing with you a Google sheet where everything is collected and can be found.

My goal is to watch at least 15 players per position before the summer is over, so far, I am at a good pace.