2025 NFL Draft DB Odds in the 1st Round: Travis Hunter the Unicorn
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Swinging Johnson
- April 22, 2025
It’s not often we see a possible generational talent on both sides of the ball, but Travis Hunter could be exactly that, as he is the No. 1-ranked wide receiver and defensive back in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Travis Hunter – CB
Colorado – 6’0”, 188 pounds, 93.4 Player Rating
What are the chances that an electric wide receiver and a dynamic cornerback are wrapped up in one supremely gifted athlete who happens to be coached by another two-way sensation who did it decades ago?
That’s exactly what we have here in Travis Hunter, who has made it quite clear that he wants to play on both sides of the ball in the NFL, as he did in college under the charge of Hall-of-Famer and generational talent Deion Sanders. This might be the only fly in the ointment for a team eager to select Hunter exclusively as a game-changing wideout or as a ball-hawking defensive back.
Nevertheless, Hunter will be the first cornerback/wide receiver taken in the draft, but precisely where he goes and to whom is still up for debate. It has been widely reported that Miami quarterback Cam Ward is a lock to go No. 1 overall to the Titans, but then all eyes will be on Cleveland, New York (Giants), and New England as to which one will pull the trigger on this gifted two-way athlete.
The Pick: No. 2 Overall Pick: Travis Hunter (+200) at BetOnline
Jahdae Barron – CB
Texas – 5’11”, 194 pounds, 88.1 Player Rating
One of college football’s premier defensive backs last season, Barron does just about everything well. He drops quarterback ratings down to 50.3 when they target him, and he scores the following in these categories:
- Tackling – 92%
- Run Defense – 93%
- Coverage – 99%
- Zone – 89%
- Man/Press – 98%
Barron was named the 2024 Jim Thorpe Award winner as the nation’s top defensive back and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.39 seconds. But what makes Barron even more intriguing is that he has improved markedly every season and is entering the draft as a senior with 67 tackles, 5 interceptions, and 11 pass breakups last season while playing both outside corner and in the slot.
Some team could land Jahdae Barron in the middle of the first round and could consider him a steal if he falls outside the top 10 picks.
Will Johnson – CB
Michigan – 6’2”, 194 pounds, 87.8 Player Rating
It’s never a bad idea to use a draft pick on a tall, talented cornerback, and Michigan’s Will Johnson fits that bill. During the Wolverines’ championship run in 2023, Johnson was named a First-Team All-American and defensive MVP in their national championship win over Washington.
However, Johnson was sidelined throughout much of last season with a turf toe injury, but in the five games in which he did play, he managed 14 tackles (12 solo) along with two interceptions. In his 22 games as a starter over three seasons at Ann Arbor, Johnson tallied 68 tackles, 6 picks, and 17 pass breakups.
Johnson has a high football IQ and can hang with the shiftiest of receivers despite his 6’2” frame. He has far more pluses than minuses on his skill sheet, but teams may be reluctant to pull the trigger early in the first round, considering he is coming off an injury (turf toe) that has ended careers prematurely.
Nick Emmanwori – S
South Carolina – 6’4”, 227 pounds, 87.7 Player Rating
If a team is looking for a physical specimen, then look no further than South Carolina’s Nick Emmanwori, a 6’4” safety who ran a 4.38 40 at the Combine. The native of Irmo, South Carolina, stepped in his freshman year and never looked back, starting all three years at Columbia.
At 227 pounds, he can lay the lumber when he has to and is frequently seen bodying smaller receivers for the ball. Emmanwori can pivot on a dime and had four interceptions with two pick-sixes in his 2024 campaign, earning him First-Team All-SEC honors.
Emmanwori tackles the same as a punishing linebacker, but he brings the pain as an oversized safety, a rare breed indeed, and one that will not escape the first round.
The Pick: First Safety Drafted: Nick Emmanwori (-145) at BetOnline
Shavon Revel Jr. – CB
East Carolina – 6’2”, 194 pounds, 87.4 Player Rating
Coming from a smaller school like East Carolina will do Shavon Revel no favors, and neither will his injury-shortened 2024 season, when he tore his ACL during a practice session. However, the previous year, Revel turned heads with 55 tackles, 12 pass breakups, a sack, and an interception, as well as two blocked kicks to close out the season.
One of Revel’s biggest attributes is that he has speed and mobility to go with all that length, and he is not afraid to use it, bullying receivers every chance he gets. Unfortunately, his injury will scare off some teams, and his propensity to draw flags when a receiver gets behind him will have to be cured. Good coaching will teach him to trust in his ability to recover rather than grab the receiver.
Should he fall to the second round, some team will get serious value, assuming he is fully recovered from his ACL tear.
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
