5. Sebastian Castro Safety, Pittsburgh Steelers
Castro was one of the more intriguing defensive back prospects in the 2025 class. At his peak, he had 1st/2nd round level performance. His 2023 numbers, for example, rival the top CB prospects from this most recent class:
The problem for Castro is that his final season at Iowa was a big drop-off from 2023. His dip in performance brought to life real concerns about his athleticism and ability acclimate to the NFL. But he is starting to make plays in Steelers camp based on recent reporting.
Castro is a high upside kind of prospect. If his real talent was on display in 2023, then he was heck of a get for Pittsburgh. We’ll find out soon enough whether the Steelers got the 2023 or 2024 Castro when the Steelers play their first preseason game later this week.
4, Willie Lampkin, Offensive-Line, Los Angeles Rams
Willie Lampkin is a phenomenal football player. His tape, his scouting report, his grades are all outstanding. He is off the charts when compared to first, second, or third round selections:
The problem is that he is extremely undersized. He’s listed currently at 5-11, 290 and even that may be a stretch. NFL.com had him listed at 5-10, 270 during the pre-draft process. Lampkin may be the first test case in many years where an elite talent gets to the NFL with 1st Percentile measurables. Reports out of camp are mixed so far but Lampkin will definitely get his shot once Preseason games kick-off for LA. For the Rams, its a low-risk, high reward bet that has the chance to pay massive dividends.
3. Simeon Barrow, Defensive-Line, Atlanta Falcons
Barrow was a solid all-around defensive lineman in a class full of really talented specialists. He’s far from a perfect prospect but on a production basis, he was much better in 2024 than many of his peers:
The question for Barrow will be is he good enough in any one particular are to warrant a roster spot? With his size and strength my bet is that he will prove to be an adept pocket pusher in passing situations this preseason. The Falcons need help rushing the passer and would happy to anyone step up in that arena. He showcased that skill with Miami in 2024 and if he can demonstrate that over the next couple of weeks, a roster spot will be waiting for him.
2. JP Richardson, Wide Receiver, Chicago Bears
The Bears added two headline skill players with their first two picks in this past April’s draft. But it’s the undrafted Richardson who has been stealing the show in training camp so far. He’s been consistently making highlight catches with the Bears backups, wowing both coaches and fans.
What makes Richardson so interesting is his big play potential. He excelled with that at TCU and, fortunately for him, the Bears really struggled with generating big passing plays with any sort of efficiency.
While scratching the starting lineup anytime soon, is incredibly unlikely, Richardson will find himself on the roster with a chance to earn playing time with a solid preseason performance. New head coach Ben Johnson is looking to change the culture in Chicago and what better way to send a message than to grant a big play receiver a legimiate shot at playing time through preseason productivity.
1. Jackson Meeks, Wide Receiver, Detroit Lions
Jackson Meeks is the first of many in the new wave of NFL prospects who transferred from one school to another and then immediately broke out. Meeks spent most of his career languishing on the bench at Georgia before transferring to Syracuse and lighting the ACC on fire with over 1000 yards receiving and 7 TDs. While this late arrival definitely hurt his draft prospects, it shouldn’t hurt his ability to make this Lions roster.
Meeks most impressive skill is his ability to win 50-50 balls. He actually led the entire country in 2024 with contested catches. Moreover, that’s something the Lions receiving corps needs more depth on. Outside of star Amon-Ra St Brown, they are lacking in that department:
Meeks has an uphill battle to make the roster and contribute due to the incredible amount of talent and depth the Lions possess. But his emergence as a contested catch machine (not to mention the fact he is an outstanding run blocker) should open the doors for him to get a real chance to show off his playmaker skills this preseason.
