Eleven Players from 2025 CFP Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl Selected in NFL Draft
MIAMI LAKES, Fla. (April 28, 2025) – A total of eleven student-athletes who competed in the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl between Penn State and Notre Dame have been selected in the 2025 National Football League (NFL) Draft, held this past weekend.
Penn State saw two players chosen in the first round: linebacker Abdul Carter was selected third overall by the New York Giants, and tight end Tyler Warren was picked fourteenth by the Indianapolis Colts. The Nittany Lions had three additional players drafted in later rounds: safety Kevin Winston Jr. (Tennessee Titans – 3rd round, 82nd pick), safety Jaylen Reed (Houston Texans – 6th round, 187th pick), and cornerback Kobe King (Minnesota Vikings – 6th round, 201st pick).
Notre Dame had six players selected throughout the weekend. Defensive standouts included cornerback Benjamin Morrison (Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2nd round, 53rd pick), safety Xavier Watts (Atlanta Falcons – 3rd round, 96th pick), linebacker Jack Kiser (Jacksonville Jaguars – 4th round, 107th pick), and defensive lineman Rylie Mills (Seattle Seahawks – 5th round, 142nd pick). On the offensive side, tight end Mitchell Evans was chosen by the Carolina Panthers (5th round, 163rd pick), and quarterback Riley Leonard, who was named the Most Outstanding Offensive Player of the 2025 CFP Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl, was selected by the Indianapolis Colts (6th round, 189th pick).
Another generation of future NFL stars will appear in the 2026 College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl on January 1, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.
For more information about the Orange Bowl Committee and the 2026 College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl, please visit orangebowl.org.
About Orange Bowl
Orange Bowl is a primarily volunteer non-profit sports organization with more than 410 members that promotes and serves the South Florida community. With its primary mission since being created in 1935 to bring tourism to South Florida through an annual football game and events, it has also maintained a legacy of charitable contributions and community outreach. Orange Bowl’s community outreach is embodied by the four pillars of its Orange Bowl Cares program: Youth Sports, Education, Community Engagement, and Legacy Programs. Orange Bowl features a year-round schedule of events culminating with the 2026 College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl on Jan. 1, 2026. For more information about Orange Bowl events, including promotional inquiries and volunteer opportunities through the Ambassador Program, log on to orangebowl.org or follow @OrangeBowl on social media.
