2025 NFL Mock Draft

1. Tennessee Titans

QB Cam Ward, Miami

A year ago, Cam Ward declared for the draft and was considered a 3rd or 4th round QB prospect. He went back to the college level, got a bag to transfer from Washington State to the University of Miami, and played himself into consideration for the first overall pick. A year ago, the Tennessee Titans thought they had their QB of the future in Will Levis and aggressively pursued Calvin Ridley and Tony Pollard in free agency to give him the surrounding talent needed to make a 2nd year leap. Levis ended up being a total disaster in 2024 and was outplayed by Mason Rudolph.

Like Cam Newton said on his podcast to Travis Hunter, (I’m politely paraphrasing here of course) being a Number 1 pick means resetting the culture of the organization and teaching losing players how to win. Ward has the requisite football IQ and mental toughness to navigate through the ups and downs of turning a losing team to a winning one. However, I'd argue the Titans are not that far off from being at least in wildcard contention. First, 6 of their 14 losses were within one touchdown or less. Second, their starting quarterback for 12 of those games was an unhinged Will Levis, who took 41 sacks and turned the ball over 22 times, including 4 pick sixes (which obviously swing those one-score losses immensely). Third, their defense has the makings of a solid unit. They were pretty mediocre at forcing turnovers and getting the QB on the ground, but they were top 5 in yards allowed per play and aside from a couple of blowout losses to Washington and Detroit, the defense kept Tennessee in a lot of games. Lastly, they have a better offensive line than most teams that pick first in the draft. You can file Ward in the “good but not excellent” cabinet when it comes to quarterback prospects. Last year’s Big 3 of Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Drake Maye,were all higher caliber QB prospects than he is Ward is definitely capable of being a top 12 to 15 quarterback in the league though, which in this draft class is worth the top selection- think Jared Goff in 2016. He didn’t light the world on fire but he helped get the Rams back to respectability.

2. Cleveland Browns

WR/CB Travis Hunter, Colorado

I am fascinated by the sports science aspect of managing Hunter's snap count/stamina game to game as a two-way player, as well as the debate over how much value he brings to his team as a wide receiver versus as a cornerback. The Browns could employ a team of experts to do nothing but manage and evaluate Hunter's workload in practice and in games. Per PFF, Hunter played a total of 1,422 total snaps for Colorado in 2024 - 713 snaps on defense and 709 on offense. That averages out to an insane 118 snaps per game. For reference, no one in the NFL averaged more than 72 snaps per game in 2024. Cleveland reportedly views Hunter as a receiver first, corner second, so I wonder whether they put him on offense about 60 percent of the time and defense 40 percent of the time. Now, this all sounds great but I think it's fair to wonder how likely it is that a cursed team like Cleveland can mess this up. Not every coach is going to be open-minded about bending traditional roles for one player, especially if that player struggles at times to play both sides of the ball effectively. Also, Hunter would have to skip position group meetings at least half of the time for one of his two spots. Third, I think it's fair to wonder how open-minded Hunter's NFL teammates will be about a hotshot rookie taking extra snaps from them - again, especially if he struggles on one or both sides of the ball. The NFL of course, is a much different animal than the Big 12. And fourth, the Browns' offense is relying on a play caller with no NFL experience (Tommy Rees) and at quarterback they are likely counting on Joe Flacco to recapture his magic. This is the Heisman trophy winner and the consensus top-ranked player in the draft, but I truly worry that this is a combustible situation if things get off to a rocky start. The Cleveland Browns' stink has ruined the careers of many promising players over the years. 

3. New York Giants

EDGE Abdul Carter, Penn State

No matter what decision they make here, GM Joe Schoen and Head Coach Brian Daboll are going to get fired by next year's draft. There is no move they can make here to change what their team is. It's a bad team with a couple of good players. By signing Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston and re-upping Tommy DeVito to fill their roster spots at the QB position, the Giants have once again settled for mediocrity. It would be miraculous for the New York Giants to win more than 8 games in 2025. Between the limitations of the roster they've built and the failure to build on the playoff season in 2022, there is no doubt in my mind that these guys will be fired. On top of that, they made asses of themselves on Hard Knocks when they let Saquon Barkley walk in free agency. For the second straight draft, they will miss out on the top tier of QB prospects and that has to sting. Abdul Carter is the best player available in this scenario, but unfortunately for the Giants, A) he plays the same position as two guys who are capable NFL starters and B) New York has invested significant assets to obtain. On the left side, Brian Burns cost the Giants a high 2nd rounder in last year's draft, then a lucrative 5-year contract extension averaging $28.5M per year. On the right side is Kayvon Thibodeaux, whom the Giants invested the 5th overall to in the 2022 Draft. The thinking here would be that Carter could rotate with the other two and potentially displace Thibodeaux after his rookie contract and 5th year option are finished. However, I'd say that is a very expensive pass rush rotation and not the best way to expend your draft capital - especially when you do not have a good enough quarterback to seriously compete. Carter is an exciting prospect, but he doesn't materially change the Giants. Their offense will be stagnant again in 2025.

4. New England Patriots

OT Will Campbell, LSU

This pick is so popular that the contrarian in me wants to find a different possibility. If New England didn't already commit multi-year contracts to RBs Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson, I would have considered Ashton Jeanty in this spot. Mason Graham could have been a possibility if the Pats hadn’t signed Milton Williams in free agency. Wide receiver is still a need for them, but this is too early for Tet McMillan. That leaves left tackle as the most sensible pick here, and Will Campbell is the best of the class. There’s been a lot of discussion about his arm length limiting his ability to play the tackle position at the next level, but I’d say his track record as a multi-year starter in the SEC is enough for New England to try him at tackle first. If it doesn’t work out, they can kick him inside to guard. The best way to help Drake Maye build on his solid rookie season is to improve the protection in front of him.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars

IDL Mason Graham, Michigan

Remember when the Jaguars were a game away from reaching the Super Bowl in the 2017-18 season? It feels like such a long time ago at this point. That team was defined by its defense, particularly the strength in the middle with Calais Campbell and Malik Jackson providing the interior push. This pick is a bit of an ode to those days, and hopefully it can help Jacksonville get back on track. As a former wrestler, Mason Graham has a great understanding of leverage and uses his hands well to win against blockers in his path. He demonstrated his ability to take over a game in the 2023 College Football Playoff on the way to Michigan's national championship win. In particular, the Rose Bowl win over Alabama stands out. If Jacksonville is going to compete again for the AFC South, getting pressure on CJ Stroud is a great place to start.

6. Las Vegas Raiders

RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State

Everyone knows Pete Carroll loves running the ball (except on the Patriots' 1-yard line with a chance to win Super Bowl XLIX). The Raiders currently have an aging Raheem Mostert and a bunch of non-factors on their roster at the running back position. Ashton Jeanty offers a special blend of power and balance and could help raise the floor of the Raiders' offense immediately. Pairing him up with Brock Bowers would give Las Vegas an exciting duo of playmakers to build their offense around. The Raiders have a ton of other needs, but Jeanty is just too talented to pass up here and I'm sure owner Mark Davis will want to sell some jerseys.

7. Dallas Cowboys (Mock Trade Up with Jets)

EDGE Jalon Walker, Georgia

I envision the #7 draft slot as our first trade spot because of the EDGE rusher position. This is about where most teams will feel comfortable taking whomever they feel is the next best player at the position after Abdul Carter. You can also point to EDGE as a need for each of the next five teams on the board - most notably Carolina, New Orleans, and Dallas. I think the Cowboys will finally make an exciting move and trade up a few spots to get Jalon Walker in their building. Like Dallas superstar Micah Parsons, Jalon Walker offers versatility in that he can play both edge and linebacker at a high level. I could see the Cowboys deploying the two of them together in unique ways, especially to blitz on 3rd and 4th down passing situations to confuse opposing offensive lines and quarterbacks and force turnovers, which is what Dallas fed off in 2023. My reasoning for the Jets to trade down here is that I believe their new front office and coaching staff will prefer to not spend another high draft pick on the offensive line, and that by virtue of the Justin Fields signing, are not interested in drafting a quarterback. In my mind, if I am running a new regime, I'd like to trade down for extra draft picks so that I can bring in more players and therefore have more of a say in shaping what my new team is going to look like. We saw Monti Ossenfort do this in Arizona a couple of years ago. I also see this as a trade-down spot because once Jeanty is off the board, there is a clear step down in the caliber of players available to choose. Lastly, this could be a spot where someone trades up to take QB Shedeur Sanders before New Orleans or San Fran can do it.

8. Carolina Panthers

WR Tet McMillan, Arizona

The Panthers did not have a wide receiver record more than 615 yards or more than 5 touchdowns last season. The guy who led the squad in both of those categories was a 34-year old Adam Thielen. I think it's safe to say the Panthers could use another option in the receiving game here. The question is whether they'd prefer that help to come from the WR position or from one of the tight end prospects. T-Mac would give Bryce Young a bonafide Number 1 target. Carolina converted just 36% of its 3rd Down plays in 2024, which was Bottom 10 in the league. McMillan's ability to make contested catches could be an asset for Carolina in that area. They were surprisingly good at converting in the red zone last season, but that was mostly a testament to their run game.

9. San Francisco 49ers (Mock Trade Up with Saints)

QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

The 49ers struck gold when they identified a starting caliber QB with the very last pick of the 2022 Draft in Brock Purdy. The past 4 years, Purdy has been locked into a cost-controlled rookie scale contract, which has allowed San Fran to add and retain star players with lucrative contracts, such as George Kittle, Joey Bosa, Christian McCaffrey, Trent Williams, Fred Warner, and Brandon Aiyuk. This season will be Purdy’s last on his rookie deal, and a contract extension could severely limit San Francisco’s flexibility going forward. That would force them to move on from some of their key veterans and potentially close this championship window without a championship. I envision Sandwrs being a great fit in the Niners’ system and facilitating the offense in a similar way to Purdy. Shanahan can lean on the run game first and ask Sanders to win with intermediate routes to the weapons they have like Aiyuk, Kittle, Jauan Jennings, and Ricky Pearsall. I think this would be a great situation for Sanders.

10. Chicago Bears

TE Tyler Warren, Penn State

New head coach Ben Johnson absolutely cooks defenses with his tight ends, and I could see him deploying Tyler Warren in some very intriguing ways. This guy carried Penn State's offense at times in 2024, logging an incredible 104 catches for 1,233 receiving yards and 8 TDs. Demonstrating his versatility, he also ran for 4 TDs and threw for one. He has lined up as a wildcat quarterback, he has lined up at running back, and he has lined up at fullback. He would be a perfect weapon to add to the Bears' offense and could have a monster impact as a rookie like Sam LaPorta did.

11. New Orleans Saints (Mock Trade Down with 49ers)

OT Armand Membou, Missouri

I'm of the opinion that the Saints don't need to force anything at quarterback, even if Derek Carr is in jeopardy of missing the entire season. They are much better off staying patient and in this scenario they get to trade back a couple of spots and pick up extra draft capital from the Niners. The Saints can draft a QB in the middle rounds, say Dillon Gabriel, and let him compete with Spencer Rattler, Jake Haener, and Ben DiNucci. Maybe they could even trade for or sign a veteran QB during training camp. Worst case scenario, Carr misses the full season, Rattler or whoever starts stinks it up, and the Saints walk into the 2026 draft in position to take Arch Manning, Garrett Nussmeier, or even LaNorris Sellers. Armand Membou would be a tremendous value pick here at #11 overall. The Saints' current starter at right tackle, Trevor Penning, has been a major disappointment since being selected in the 2022 1st Round. New Orleans declined his 5th year option, which likely sets him up to leave the team after the 2025 season. Membou would kick Penning to the bench, start from day one, and form a solid starting tackle duo with last year's 1st Rounder, Taliese Fuaga. 

12. New York Jets (Mock Trade Down with Cowboys)

CB Jahdae Barron, Texas

The Jets’ new head coach Aaron Glenn comes over from Detroit, where having several contributors in the secondary was a big part of the defense’s success. I believe Glenn may look at Jahdae Barron and see similarities to Detroit’s Brian Branch, a safety/corner hybrid out of Alabama who stepped in and made plays right away. On paper, the Jets have solid starters on the outside in Sauce Gardner and Brandon Stephens and at the slot position in Michael Carter, but Barron is talented enough to find his way on the field, whether it ends up being at corner or safety.

13. Miami Dolphins

OT Kelvin Banks, Texas

Two recent pieces of news have left the Dolphins with two massive holes that need to be addressed early in this draft. First, left tackle Terron Armstead announced his retirement. Second, the team agreed to accomodate star corner Jalen Ramsey's request to be traded to a new team. I have them going offensive tackle here based on the talent available. Kelvin Banks can step in and compete with Patrick Paul for the starting gig at left tackle. His athleticism makes him an interesting fit with the Dolphins.

14. Indianapolis Colts

TE Colston Loveland, Michigan

This guy's first name is eerily close to "Colts." How could they not draft him? The Colts are going to trot out either Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones at QB this year, and whichever guy it is could use a nice trustworthy target down the middle of the field.

15. Atlanta Falcons

EDGE Mykel Williams, Georgia

We mock the Falcons a pass rusher every year, and they never actually draft one in Round 1. Maybe this year will be different. If you've watched Georgia in the last couple of years, you've seen Mykel Williams. There are times where he shows flashes of greatness, a guy who can live in the backfield and disrupt offenses. He just needs to be a little stronger and a little more consistent, but really I would not be surprised if he ends up being a better pro than his teammate Jalon Walker.

16. Arizona Cardinals

IDL Walter Nolen, Ole Miss

The Cardinals habe quietly constructed a very solid offense that should put them in contention for the NFC West this year, but I'd like to see them infuse more talent into the defensive side of the ball. Walter Nolen can wreak havoc on the inside and help complement the additions the Cards made on the outside in Josh Sweat and Baron Browning.

17. Cincinnati Bengals

EDGE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M

This would be somewhat reminiscent of the Bengals' pick last year, when they drafted Georgia OT Amarius Mims. Like Mims, Stewart is an athletic specimen (6-5, 267 and ran 4.59 second 40 yd dash) with extremely high upside. Why does he go 17th off the board? Well, Stewart finished his three-year college career with a grand total of 4.5 sacks in 37 games. As Billy Beane asks in the movie Moneyball, "If he's a good hitter, why doesn't he hit good?" If Stewart looks like a stud pass rusher, why doesn't the production match up? The Bengals currently have Myles Murphy and Joseph Ossai officially in the fold as pass rushers. Longtime starter Trey Hendrickson is on roster but pursuing a trade. Cincy could plan to place Stewart in the pass rush rotation to replace Hendrickson and the retired Sam Hubbard, then hope its coaching staff can help him reach his full potential.

18. Seattle Seahawks

WR Matthew Golden, Texas

The surprising departures of Geno Smith, DK Metcalf, and Tyler Lockett this offseason have made the Seattle passing game almost unrecognizable. Seattle did bring in Cooper Kupp and Marquez Valdes-Scantling in free agency, but I think they'd be wise to add another receiver in the draft. Matthew Golden offers sure hands and the ability to play any of the three starting wide receiver positions. He can play a meaningful role early on and act as either an immediate contingency plan if Kupp is as washed as his former employer thinks he is, or they can ease Golden in early and give him a bigger role later like they did with Jaxson Smith-Njigba. I think Seattle could consider going cornerback with this pick, but the best ones are off the board.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

LB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama

It only makes sense that the Buccaneers would pick up a successor to the great linebacker Lavonte David. Campbell is an elite athlete for the position, which makes him worth a pick this high.

20. Denver Broncos

WR Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State

I've seen running back mocked here more often than not, but I get the feeling that Sean Payton enjoys finding diamond in the rough guys at the position, like Pierre Thomas, Khiry Robinson, and Alvin Kamara. Maybe he sees Jaleel McLaughlin or Audric Estime in that sense, or maybe Denver will identify a guy later on in the 2025 class. At any rate, I think Denver is much more likely to go with a receiver here. The Broncos' current pass catching complements to WR1 Courtland Sutton are Marvin Mims, DeVaughn Vele, and Evan Engram. That group does not exactly strike fear in the heart of defenses. Egbuka could be a highly productive WR2 with the potential to someday be the lead guy. Denver could use him in sort of the "power slot" role that's become popular across the league in recent years.

21. Pittsburgh Steelers

IDL Derrick Harmon, Oregon

This guy just screams "Steeler" to me. At 6-4, 315, he plays with power and toughness that remind you of Pittsburgh Steel Curtain football. Harmon was a big factor in Oregon's successful regular season in 2024, logging 10.5 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 4 pass breakups. I think he can contribute right away in Pittsburgh's system and ultimately step up as a leader on the defensive line once Cam Heyward moves on.

22. Los Angeles Chargers

CB Will Johnson, Michigan

The Chargers' projected starting corners are Cam Hart and Donte Jackson, so if Johnson is still on the board here, I think these guys would jump at the opportunity to add him. Chargers' coach Jim Harbaugh obviously knows Johnson well because he recruited and coached him for two years at the collegiate level. At 6-2, Johnson is a tall corner who can disrupt passing lanes in zone coverage.

23. Green Bay Packers

CB Shavon Revel Jr., East Carolina

The Packers are annually one of the hardest teams to predict on draft night. They often go with a player at a position that you didn’t expect, or take a guy with no plans to play him right away. This was the case last year with Jordan Morgan and the year before with Lukas Van Ness. They are often very patient in the way they develop their first round rookies. This would be another example of that trend. Revel tore his ACL last September, so the Packers can bring him along slowly. But once he gets back on the field he can help them, as they could use some talent at CB across from Jaire Alexander. Revel is a tall (6-2), physical corner with long arms. He’s rated as a borderline 1st round pick by most, but I think he goes here because one of these teams late in the 1st will be wowed by his skill set and be willing to take the risk.

24. Minnesota Vikings

S Malaki Starks, Georgia

The Vikings’ defense plays very well together but they are really lacking a superstar difference-maker. I’m not sure they have any household names other than Harrison Smith. Adding Starks would be a smart way to add a playmaker to the secondary and give defensive coordinator Brian Flores additional flexibility to dial up some funky defensive looks.

25. Las Vegas Raiders (Mock Trade Up with Houston)

QB Jalen Milroe, Alabama

I get the feeling that Milroe will be the third QB taken in this draft because he offers a tantalizing skillset that none of the other QB prospects possess. Do the Raiders have more pressing needs than RB and QB? Absolutely. Their receiver room is arguably the worst in the league, their offensive line is a couple of pieces away from being an above average unit, and the defense has two blue chip players in Maxx Crosby and Christian Wilkins and not much else. However, I can imagine the new Raiders' regime talking themselves into building around three exciting offensive centerpieces (2024 1st round pick Brock Bowers, Jeanty, and Milroe) then filling in the rest of the roster with shrewd moves around the margins. By this point, Pete Carroll has to feel like he can find good defensive backs late in the draft with ease. (See: Richard Sherman (5th), Byron Maxwell (6th), Kam Chancellor (5th), Riq Woolen (5th), Coby Bryant (4th). Milroe has legitimate 4.4 speed which is extremely valuable at the quarterback position in this day and age. Think about the QBs who reached the AFC and NFC Championship games this past postseason. All of them can run. In the biggest games, having a QB who can take off and make something positive out of a seemingly broken play keeps your offense on the field and breaks the spirit of the defense. I strongly believe that a team will make a bet on Milroe late in the first round and hope to develop him into that type of guy in the next year or two. In this scenario, working behind Geno Smith would be very positive for Milroe's development. On top of that, a run game headlined by Milroe and Ashton Jeanty would have Raiders fans dreaming of the success the Philadelphia Eagles had this season behind Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley. Lastly, the reasoning for the Raiders trading up to this exact spot: I think some teams will anticipate the Rams taking a QB of the future behind 37 year old Matthew Stafford and will want to make sure LA doesn't scoop up their preferred QB prospect. Meanwhile for Houston, I view them as a solid playoff team without major holes right now, so they can afford to trade down, pick up extra capital, and continue to build depth on the roster. And remember, they surrendered a lot of capital in the 2023 Draft to make their move for Will Anderson.

26. Los Angeles Rams

OT Josh Simmons, Ohio State (Transfer from San Diego State)

It's definitely tempting to give the Rams a wide receiver, corner, or even a tight end here. If you recall last year, there were rumors floating around about LA potentially trading up to select Brock Bowers. A few mocks even have the Rams going QB of the future here. I think LA will take the "boring" route and add another piece to their offensive line. Rams' right tackle Rob Havenstein is entering his age 33 season and the final year of his contarct. On the left side, Alaric Jackson played very well in 2024 and earned an extension. The Rams could add Simmons here, allow him time to work back from his knee injury, then take over on the right side for good in 2026.   

27. Baltimore Ravens

OG/C Grey Zabel, North Dakota State

The Ravens need help on the interior offensive line, because the current group of Daniel Faalele, Andrew Vorhees, and Ben Cleveland (who posted a ludicrous BAC on his offseason DUI) doesn't give me a lot of confidence. There always seems to be an offensive lineman from a smaller school who shoots up the draft board this time of year, and Zabel is that guy here in 2025. He'd be an asset to the Ravens because of his experience at the college level (46 games) and his ability to play multiple spots on the line (played 4 positions).

28. Detroit Lions

EDGE Mike Green, Marshall

The Lions' defensive line was crushed by a swarm of injuries late last season, so I suspect the team will go into this draft with intentions to add depth at the position. In this scenario, they benefit from Mike Green falling down the board. I've seen Green mocked as high as 7th overall and as low as the mid 20s. I think getting him in this spot would be great value for Detroit and he could be a formidable running mate with Aidan Hutchinson.

29. Washington Commanders

S Nick Emmanawori, South Carolina

At 6-3, 220 with a 4.38 second 40 yard dash time, Emmanawori is the latest edition of the big strong safety/subpackage linebacker prototype that has tantalized NFL observers for years. Past prospects like Taylor Mays, Derwin James, and Isaiah Simmons come to mind. Perhaps the most apt comparison for Emmanawori though, is Jeremy Chinn and Chinn is exactly who he’d be replacing here with Washington. Chinn departed for Las Vegas in free agency, leaving the strong safety spot up for grabs. I think Emmanawori can step into that Chinn role and be an enforcer in the Washington secondary.

30. Buffalo Bills

EDGE Donovan Ezeiraku, Boston College

Let’s think about this. The Bills are one of the best teams in the NFL, but they just can’t beat the Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs. I’d look at the recipe the Eagles and the Buccaneers cooked up in their respective Super Bowl wins against Kansas City - the main ingredient was an overwhelming pass rush. The Bills take a page out of that cookbook here and add another young pass rusher to their rotation.

31. Kansas City Chiefs

OT Josh Conerly, Jr., Oregon

This one is pretty simple. The KC offensive line got absolutely worked in the Super Bowl, then the team traded the arguably the best player in the unit, Joe Thuney, to Chicago. I believe they are going to have to take the best tackle available, and Conerly would be the guy here. They could also consider a guard like Tyler Booker or Donovan Jackson, but I’m sticking with tackle for now.

32. Philadelphia Eagles

CB Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky

The champs add another young cornerback with the chops to play both man and zone coverage effectively and who has been tested against the best, having played in the SEC. The Birds hit big on two rookie corners last year in Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, but they are better off keeping Coop in the slot and adding another CB to replace Darius Slay (who left in free agency for Pittsburgh) on the outside. Safety would have been a consideration here, but the top two players at the position are off the board.