Kiper: Travis Hunter Would Be Only 2025 WR Ranked over Jeremiah Smith, Ryan Williams

Scott Polacek@@ScottPolacekFeatured Columnist IVOctober 3, 2024

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Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith and Alabama’s Ryan Williams are only freshmen and won’t be eligible for the NFL draft until 2027, but they are already turning heads among talent evaluators.

“I’ll say this,” ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. said Thursday (1:45 mark). “The true freshmen, Jeremiah Smith and Ryan Williiams, would be ahead of these guys. Outside of Travis Hunter, I’d put them ahead of any receiver in this draft. Travis Hunter would be the only one ahead of those two freshmen.”

At this point, Hunter is in a class of his own.

B/R’s NFL Scouting Department has the Colorado star as its No. 1 overall player on its first big board of prospects for the 2025 draft. He has dominated this season on both sides of the ball as a wide receiver and cornerback and seems talented enough to play either position at the next level.

But Smith and Williams are also dazzling.

Williams turned in the play of the season to this point by coming down with a contested catch, spinning past multiple defenders and sprinting to the end zone for the game-winning touchdown in Saturday’s victory over Georgia.

At the same time, Smith was coming down with multiple one-handed catches in a two-touchdown performance in a win over Michigan State.

College football fans are likely watching Hunter for the last time this season. But they are going to get to watch Smith and Williams for years to come.