Miami's Carson Beck, Ohio State's Carnell Tate among top replacements for first-round picks in 2025 NFL Draft

The NFL Draft provides an intriguing peek at the future, not only for professional football teams but also for their collegiate counterparts. While all of the focus is, understandably, on which prospects landed where, college programs are left with questions of their own.

Namely: who steps up in the wake of major draft departures? Some of the biggest vacancies are left by prospects that get selected in the first round, which is reserved for the absolute brightest stars in the sport.

For instance, Miami has to move one from No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward, who was a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2024 after throwing for 4,313 yards and 39 touchdowns. Not to be outdone, Colorado has many holes to fill after losing Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter to the draft, where he was selected at the No. 2 spot.

The transfer portal has alleviated some of the pressure when it comes to replacing draft picks -- for major programs, at least. Other schools still prioritize development. Whatever the approach may be, it felt appropriate to look at one college football player that needs to step up during the 2025 season to help his program replace a first-round pick.

Players are listed in the order that their predecessors were drafted Thursday night. Got it? Good.

1. Carson Beck, QB, Miami

Replacing: Cam Ward (No. 1 overall to Tennessee Titans)

Beck might not have Ward's play-making ability, but he does bring a ton of high-level experience to the Hurricanes. He won 24 games as a starter at Georgia and is fresh off a 2024 season in which he led the Bulldogs to an SEC title (though he did hurt his elbow in the SEC Championship Game) while throwing for a career-high 28 touchdowns. He also tied for the SEC lead with 12 interceptions and saw both his completion percentage and yardage total drop between 2023 and 2024. The best version of Beck gives Miami another top-10 QB in the sport, but will he be at his best in 2025?

2. Multiple Colorado players

Replacing: Travis Hunter (No. 2 overall to Jacksonville Jaguars)

It's going to take a village to replace Hunter. He played full-time on both sides of the ball and averaged more than 100 snaps per game while playing wide receiver and cornerback. Offensively, the Buffaloes also lose top receivers LaJohntay Wester, Will Sheppard and Jimmy Horn Jr. They're still in good shape with the Millers -- Dre'lon and Omarion -- and Tulsa transfer Joseph Williams, who was the 2024 AAC Freshman of the Year. Getting D.J. McKinney back defensively is huge. He finished second on the team (behind Hunter) with three interceptions and nine pass breakups last season.

3. Dani Dennis-Sutton, EDGE, Penn State

Replacing: Abdul Carter (No. 3 overall to New York Giants)

Getting Dennis-Sutton back for another season is huge for the Nittany Lions. He's not quite as versatile as Carter, but he does have an ideal frame at 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds and is coming off a 2024 season in which he posted 8.5 sacks and 13 tackles for a loss. Don't be surprised if Dennis-Sutton truly breaks out as a focal point on Penn State's defense and rockets up draft boards.

4. Tyree Adams, OL, LSU

Replacing: Will Campbell (No. 4 overall to New England Patriots)

For the first time since 2022, LSU is searching for a new left tackle. Adams is first in line to inherit that important mantle after spending the last couple of seasons as Campbell's backup. The former four-star prospect out of New Orleans even started at left tackle in LSU's Texas Bowl win against Baylor last season. He also has experience playing left guard.

5. Rayshaun Benny, DL, Michigan

Replacing: Mason Graham (No. 5 overall to Cleveland Browns)

Michigan will have a deep defensive line rotation this season, so more than one player will be filling the tremendous void left by Graham, but Benny will have a real opportunity to shine after waiting his turn. The redshirt senior has been one of Michigan's first defenders off the bench in recent years and made the most of his playing time. From 2023-2024, he logged 55 total tackles, 2.5 sacks and nine tackles for loss.

6. Sire Gaines, RB, Boise State

Replacing: Ashton Jeanty (No. 6 overall to Las Vegas Raiders)

No one should be expected to replicate Jeanty's sheer dominance -- 2,000-yard rushers don't grow on trees -- but Boise State's staff is high on Gaines, a redshirt freshman that played as Jeanty's backup in 2024 before suffering a season-ending injury three games into the season. In his limited playing time, Gaines flashed with 156 yards and one touchdown on just 20 carries. The Broncos also brought in Fresno State transfer Malik Sherrod, who had 966 yards rushing in 2023 and is coming off of his own season-ending injury.

7. Keagan Trost, OL, Missouri

Replacing: Armand Membou (No. 7 overall to New York Jets)

Missouri is still shuffling its offensive line after it lost three starters to NFL Draft declarations, and there's a good chance that the battle to replace Membou at right tackle stretches into fall camp, but Trost is a natural successor given his experience. Trost has been in college since 2019 with starts at Morgan State and Indiana State. He spent the 2024 season at Wake Forest, where he logged 766 snaps on offensive and special teams.

8. Luke Wysong, WR, Arizona

Replacing: Tetairoa McMillan (No. 8 overall to Carolina Panthers)

Wysong and McMillan are very different receivers. Wysong, at 5-foot-10, is a shifty slot, while the 6-foot-5 McMillan is a true boundary weapon. But Wysong should provide a nice safety blanket as the Wildcats look for answers after losing their top offensive option. He's coming off a 69-catch, 840-yard year at New Mexico, so he's capable of handling a high volume. He's also able to do some damage with the ball in his hands, so Arizona can feel comfortable dumping it off to him on screens and underneath routes.

9. Trevor Goosby, OL, Texas

Replacing: Kelvin Banks Jr. (No. 9 overall to New Orleans Saints)

Though Texas is losing an award-winning, All-American left tackle in Banks, the Longhorns are still in good hands with Goosby back to anchor the offensive line. He got plenty of run in 2024 while Banks dealt with a minor injury and even started in the SEC Championship Game against Georgia. Goosby was also a crucial piece in Texas' run to the College Football Playoff semifinals by stepping in for injured right tackle Cameron Williams after the latter got hurt against Clemson.

10. Marlin Klein, TE, Michigan

Replacing: Colston Loveland (No. 10 overall to Chicago Bears)

Klein has spent the offseason bulking up, which means that the 6-foot-6 native of Cologne, Germany, should continue to grow as a blocker That's important in a Michigan offense that prioritizes running the ball. His frame means he's an ideal target in the passing attack, as well; he's coming off a 2024 season in which he had 12 catches for 101 yards while playing alongside Loveland.

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11. Elo Modozie, EDGE, Georgia

Replacing: Mykel Williams (No. 11 overall to San Francisco 49ers)

Modozie, a rare service academy transfer, signed with Georgia in the spring after leading Army with 6.5 sacks last season. He fills a huge need for the Bulldogs, though he'll have to fend off veteran Gabe Harris Jr. and true freshman Isaiah Gibson -- the highest-rated edge rusher to sign with the Bulldogs in the 247Sports era -- for playing time.

12. Kam Dewberry, OL, Alabama

Replacing: Tyler Booker (No. 12 overall to Dallas Cowboys)

Jaeden Roberts maintains his spot at right guard so that means Dewberry, a Texas A&M transfer, will fill the left guard vacancy left by Booker's departure. The former top-100 prospect played left guard in 10 games for the Aggies last season, largely off the bench.

13. Tré Williams, DL, Michigan

Replacing: Kenneth Grant (No. 13 overall to Miami Dolphins)

Measuring in at 6-foot-2 and 315 pounds, Williams has the ideal frame for a nose tackle in Michigan's defensive scheme. He also brings some nice interior production from his five seasons at Clemson, where he had 10 tackles for loss and four sacks.

14. Luke Reynolds, TE, Penn State

Replacing: Tyler Warren (No. 14 overall to Indianapolis Colts)

Reynolds certainly doesn't have Warren's versatility -- few players truly do -- but he does have elite receiving chops and was the No. 1 tight end in the Class of 2024, so there's plenty of reason for excitement about his role in Penn State's offense moving forward.

15. CJ Allen, LB, Georgia

Replacing: Jalon Walker (No. 15 overall to Atlanta Falcons)

Allen was listed as a co-starter with Walker at "MONEY" linebacker on Georgia's depth chart last season, but he really played all over the field on defense and ended up logging 12 starts of his own. With the increase in playing time, he had 76 tackles -- three of which went for a loss -- one interception and five pass deflections. Now he takes on a leadership role in what projects as an extremely deep linebacker room for the Bulldogs. It will be interesting to see if Allen can replicate Walker's pass-rushing prowess, or if Georgia turns to another player to line up outside in its blitz packages.

16. Zxavian Harris, DL, Ole Miss

Replacing: Walter Nolen (No. 16 overall to Arizona Cardinals)

Harris' size stands out at 6-foot-7 and 320 pounds. He was a key rotational piece for Ole Miss last season and even started three games while tallying 32 total tackles, 4.5 for a loss, 1.5 sacks, two quarterback hurries and a forced fumble. He was also Ole Miss' highest-graded defender against Georgia, per Pro Football Focus, a good sign for his ability to hold up against the SEC's top teams.

17. TJ Searcy, DL, Texas A&M

Replacing: Shemar Stewart (No. 17 overall to Cincinnati Bengals)

Searcy actually comes to Texas A&M with comparable collegiate production as Stewart, who was drafted largely because of his advanced athletic profile, despite less experience. Searcy also still has plenty of untapped upside, coming off a sophomore campaign in which he notched two sacks and four tackles for loss.

18. Beau Johnson, OL, North Dakota State

Replacing: Grey Zabel (No. 18 overall to Seattle Seahawks)

Though Zabel projects as an interior offensive lineman in the NFL, he was an FCS All-American left tackle for the Bison. Johnson played in eight games at tackle as a redshirt freshman last year.

19. Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State

Replacing: Emeka Egbuka (No. 19 overall to Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Jeremiah Smith is the obvious choice as Ohio State's "Alpha" wide receiver -- he already was last year as a true freshman -- but Egbuka's departure creates a huge opportunity for Tate, a former five-star prospect in his own right. He's coming off a quietly excellent 2024 campaign -- largely spent in Smith and Egbuka's shadow -- in which he had 52 catches for 733 yards and four touchdowns. Time to step out for the equally talented wideout.

20. Jaylon Guilbeau, CB, Texas

Replacing: Jahdae Barron (No. 20 overall to Denver Broncos)

Malik Muhammad, Barron's running mate at outside corner in 2024, is back for his junior season, which does help mitigate the loss of a Thorpe Award winner. Guilbeau is the key to Texas maintaining its high level of play in the secondary, though. He's transitioning to boundary corner after playing both safety and nickel for Texas through his first three years with the program.

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21. Bear Alexander, DL, Oregon

Replacing: Derrick Harmon (No. 21 overall to Pittsburgh Steelers)

Has Alexander finally found a home? The former blue-chip prospect signed with Georgia in 2022, transferred to USC in 2023, failed to really break through with the Trojans and finally ended up at Oregon, where he's learning under some of the brightest defensive minds in college football. The Ducks certainly need him to step up, given that they're replacing three of their top four defensive linemen from 2024.

22. Davion Gause, RB, North Carolina

Replacing: Omarion Hampton (No. 22 overall to Los Angeles Chargers)

Gause was North Carolina's No. 2 option behind Hampton last season, and he's the Tar Heels' top returning rusher with 326 yards and four touchdowns. The Tar Heels did add an intriguing transfer in former Michigan back Benjamin Hall and signed a pair of three stars in Demon June and Jariel Cobb in 2025.

23. Ryan Wingo, WR, Texas

Replacing: Matthew Golden (No. 23 overall to Green Bay Packers)

Golden's strong postseason performance with Texas in 2024, where he emerged as one of the nation's top deep threats at wide receiver while averaging 21.6 yards per catch in the College Football Playoff, vaulted him into the first round. Wingo fits the field-stretching mantle well. The rising sophomore averaged 16.3 yards per reception as a true freshman and has the size-speed combo (he's 6-foot-2 and ran a 10.55-second 100-meter dash time in high school) to give opposing defenses nightmares.

24. Luke Montgomery, OL, Ohio State

Replacing: Donovan Jackson (No. 24 overall to Minnesota Vikings)

Jackson left an impression with his play at left tackle during Ohio State's College Playoff Run, but he was a 31-game starter at left guard for the Buckeyes. Montgomery was part of a three-player platoon at left guard when Jackson kicked out to tackle, and now the full-time position looks to be his.

25. Austin Simmons, QB, Ole Miss

Replacing: Jaxson Dart (No. 25 overall to New York Giants)

Simmons has some huge shoes to fill in replacing Dart, who led Ole Miss to its best season in program history in 2023. Simmons, who's still just 19 years old as a third-year college football player, served as Dart's backup last season and threw for 282 yards and two touchdowns in nine games.

26. Joshua Josephs, EDGE, Tennessee

Replacing: James Pearce Jr. (No. 26 overall to Atlanta Falcons)

Josephs actually signed to play for Tennessee with Pearce in 2022 and saw more playing time as a true freshman than him before Pearce's breakout 2023 campaign cemented him as Tennessee's top pass rusher. Josephs still maintained a major role along Tennessee's defensive line and gets a chance for his own breakout in 2025 after grading out as one of the best run defenders in college football last season.

27. KJ Bolden, DB, Georgia

Replacing: Malaki Starks (No. 27 overall to Baltimore Ravens)

Bolden may not play the exact same position as Starks -- he projects as more of a free safety while Starks was listed at strong safety -- but there's no denying that Bolden is the most talent defensive back in Georgia's deep secondary. He's also following a similar path as Starks, who was a fixture for the Bulldogs since his freshman year. Bolden was an SEC All-Freshman selection after finishing his first season of college football with 59 tackles, one sack, one interception and one pass deflection.

28. Kayden McDonald, DL, Ohio State

Replacing: Tyleik Williams (No. 28 overall to Detroit Lions)

Ohio State has to replace all four defensive line starters from its national title-winning squad, so there's still plenty of moving parts for the Buckeyes. At 6-foot-3 and 326 pounds, McDonald has a comparable physical profile to Williams and he was Ohio State's top defensive lineman off the bench last season with 19 tackles and 1.5 tackles for a loss.

29. Isaiah World, OL, Oregon

Replacing: Josh Conerly Jr. (No. 29 overall to Washington Commanders)

Oregon trades a first-round offensive tackle for a potential first-round offensive tackle in World, a Nevada transfer that graded out as the No. 2 overall prospect and the top offensive lineman in 247Sports' Transfer Rankings. The 6-foot-8 World was an honorable mention All-Mountain West selection in each of his last two seasons with the Wolf Pack.

30. JQ Hardaway, CB, Kentucky

Replacing: Maxwell Hairston (No. 30 overall to Buffalo Bills)

Though Hardaway was penciled in as a starter alongside Hairston last season, he had to step up as Kentucky's top cornerback after Hairston was limited to just five games due to injury. The former Cincinnati transfer did well in a featured role, with two interceptions and four pass breakups, and Kentucky's hope is that he takes another step going into his third year with the system.

31. Justin Jefferson, LB, Alabama

Replacing: Jihaad Campbell (No. 31 overall to Philadelphia Eagles)

Jefferson is able to make his way back to Tuscaloosa thanks to a court ruling that allows former junior college players an extra year of eligibility. That's huge for Alabama, given that Jefferson finished fourth on the team with 60 total tackles and tied for third with 6.5 tackles for loss last season. He also had two sacks, so he should be able to replicate some of Campbell's pass-rushing ability.

32. Ethan Onianwa, OL, Ohio State

Replacing: Josh Simmons (No. 32 overall to Kansas City Chiefs)

Ohio State had to make due when Simmons suffered a season-ending injury in October. Donovan Jackson stepped in at left tackle for the Buckeyes' march to the College Football Playoff National Championship, but he's also gone. So Ohio State went out and signed four-star transfer Ethan Onianwa, who started 34 games in four seasons at Rice. Onianwa actually projected as an early round prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft before landing on a fifth year of college football, so there shouldn't be too much dropoff.