Five College Players to Secure High Rookie Draft Picks For

Ashton Jeanty | © Marco Garcia-Imagn Images

Rob Willette Posted On October 15, 2024

Tanking.

For some, it is an impossible approach to fathom. You spend your time manicuring the edges of your roster, identifying the man to assume the fortieth spot on your roster, and you are punting an entire season or more? Pure folly.

For others, it is a tried-and-true strategy and one that can benefit a fantasy manager who gives an honest appraisal of their roster and decides it is time to part with players whose clock is ticking in favor of younger assets of picks. You sacrifice the now for the future, dreaming on a juggernaut built off of high draft picks and savvy trades that have you looking like a soothsayer.

If you are in the latter camp, you can easily be seduced by talent at the collegiate level. Each star could be the foundation of your next champion, the tonic to what ails you. Below we will highlight five worth tanking for, players currently biding their time until they become NFL stars.

These players do not necessarily need to be eligible for the 2025 draft. You can play the long game with a rebuild, prioritizing talent over early returns.

Ashton Jeanty, RB Boise State

Anyone with an even passing interest in college football has heard of Ashton Jeanty’s exploits in 2024. He has 1,248 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns in only six games, averaging 9.9 yards per rush and establishing himself as a Heisman favorite. It has truly been a special campaign thus far.

He is more than just a compiler at the NCAA level. It is difficult to find warts with Jeanty; he is a competitive runner with a compact frame whose short-area explosion and extensive bag of tricks make him uniquely suited to dominate no matter the circumstance. He adds punch as a receiver and has aced every test in terms of making his mark against the high-end competition on Boise State’s schedule.

Jeanty could return running backs to the first round in 2025. His well-rounded skillset and impeccable football character make him a workhorse from day one. Given dynasty teams apply the Leonardo DiCaprio Rule to dynasty backs, Jeanty could be a top five runner from day one. He is the early prize for 2025 teams picking at the 1.01.

Jeremiah Smith, WR Ohio State

Smith is the ultimate test of patience, even for teams firmly entrenched in a long-term rebuild. The true freshman has stepped in and been not just one of the nation’s best first-year receivers, but one of its best regardless of class.

Smith is a superstar, with his readymade frame and skillset helping him lead the Buckeyes in receiving after six games. He moves at a different speed than most on the field, striding like a young man while looking like a grizzled veteran in the finer points of the game.

The term “generational” has become considerably overused, but Smith could be the type of prospect who comes around only once every few years. If you are a team looking to play the long game, Jeremiah Smith is your huckleberry. He has a strong argument to be devy’s top player.

DJ Lagway, QB Florida

It was only two years the Florida Gators rolled out one of the more unique quarterbacks in recent memory in Anthony Richardson. While the DNA is not quite the same, current Gator quarterback Lagway is your proverbial freak of nature, a 6’3” and 230-pound teenager whose arm talent has few peers.

After the season-ending injury to Graham Mertz, we will get the full Lagway experience. He already has game time under his belt this fall, throwing for 765 yards and five scores while appearing in all six games. Lagway is a nightmare in the open field, a runaway train who can beat you with speed or power. His rushing upside makes him a swing for the fences for fantasy teams, but it is his passing acumen that will carry his draft stock; despite being a work in progress there, he makes strides weekly, and provides glimpses of a strong and athletic quarterback who cannot be defended when firing on all cylinders.

Lagway is a long-term bet for superflex leagues but a fun one. You could be looking at a player who arrives to the NFL in the QB1 range thanks to his dynamism as a dual threat. His development will be fascinating to watch – especially with Florida HC’s Billy Napier’s job anything but secure – but any head coach should be able to work with this type of raw talent. Lagway has the look of a future 1.01 in Superflex rookie drafts.

Ryan Williams, WR Alabama

Playing for Alabama will expand your national profile. Producing for the Tide will make you a star. Score a game-winning touchdown on a circus catch against a national power? You are a superstar, and Williams is such after only six games.

Williams leads Alabama in receiving by a wide margin, his 576 yards being nearly twice as many as Germie Bernard. He is an electric athlete with an unstoppable first step; his raw athleticism shines and puts him in the company of former Tide receivers DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle.

To top it all off, Williams is still only 17 years old and will be for the duration of the season. If he was eligible in 2025, he could well be a first-round selection. Unfortunately, we will need to wait until 2027, but it should be well worth it given his early trajectory.

Kaleb Johnson, RB Iowa

Johnson may not be a prospect worth tanking for, but he gives us something we all covet: a late riser who adds depth to a strong running back class. He is the perfect antidote to tanks that goes sideways or for teams who have stocked up on rookie second-round picks.

Johnson is a workmanlike, meat and potatoes runner, and neither is meant as a pejorative. He never forces what is not there and shows excellent patience and vision, getting skinny through the hole and dancing on light feet navigate traffic at the second level. His 6’0”, 225-pound frame gives the build to carry a heavy workload.

Johnson is not going to be the first back off the board, but he has the skillset that endears backs to coaches. He is back with a vengeance after an injury-marred 2023, storming to 937 yards and 12 touchdowns already, dominating for an Iowa squad that offers little threat in the passing game. Johnson could well be a riser during 2025 draft season, becoming one of dynasty darlings as analysts get their eyes on players who could make an impact as a rookie.