Nine Notre Dame players make PFF’s Pre-Combine NFL Draft Big Board
Pro Football Focus put nine former Notre Dame football players on its 2025 NFL Draft Big Board ahead of the NFL Scouting Combine, which begins this week in Indianapolis.
Here are the former Irish whom PFF put on its board, and where the outlet ranked them. For PFF’s full big board, click here.
Notre Dame players on PFF’s Pre-Combine NFL Draft Big Board
| Player, Pos. | Overall ranking | Position ranking |
| Xavier Watts, S | No. 40 | No. 2 |
| Benjamin Morrison, CB | No. 62 | No. 8 |
| Riley Leonard, QB | No. 116 | No. 6 |
| Jack Kiser, LB | No. 130 | No. 8 |
| Rylie Mills, DT | No. 137 | No. 17 |
| Mitchell Evans, TE | No. 140 | No. 8 |
| RJ Oben, DE | No. 158 | No. 29 |
| Howard Cross III, DT | No. 273 | No. 27 |
| Beaux Collins, WR | No. 294 | No. 43 |
Blue & Gold’s thoughts
Of the nine Notre Dame players on PFF’s board, eight were invited to the Combine. Oben, who performed at the Senior Bowl alongside Leonard and Kiser, is the exception.
Irish fans will be surprised to see Oben that far ahead of Cross, given the difference in their production in South Bend. Cross will have to show evaluators that he has his explosiveness back after a lingering ankle injury limited him throughout the CFP. His overall tape with Notre Dame is that of a bona fide draft pick, while if Oben were to get drafted, it would be based on his Duke tape.
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Watts has been the No. 1 prospect out of Notre Dame ahead of Morrison on most boards as of late. The latter’s season-ending hip injury is scaring some analysts off, given his position’s reliance on fluid hip movement. He was a first-round player with the Irish. Watts was, too, but he’ll need to run faster than expected in the 40-yard dash to rise past early Day 2.
Leonard’s placement on the board might mildly surprise some Notre Dame fans, too. But in a bad quarterback class, he’ll have a chance to go much higher than those who spent most of the Irish’s magical season complaining about him expect. Leonard has ideal size and outstanding athleticism for the quarterback position, he improved down the stretch and he threw well at the Senior Bowl.
Also benefitting from his Senior Bowl performance is Kiser, who was named the American Team’s Linebacker of the Week during practice in Mobile, Ala. He has a chance to go early Day 3.
