We’re halfway through the 2024 NFL season, and some fan bases are already looking ahead to the 2025 NFL Draft to find a remedy for their football pain. I’ve been writing about the NFL for over a decade, and a good portion of that time was spent covering the Detroit Lions, so I’m very familiar with the feeling.
That team is living proof that you should never give up hope that your team can pull it together, turn things around, bite off some kneecaps, and take the NFL by storm. For my first mock of 2025, I’m doing one round, no trades, and as usual, I’m using our Pro Football Network Mock Draft Simulator for player rankings and team needs.
Atypically, I’ve strayed slightly from our own rankings, trying to find a selection that makes the most sense or best fits the coaches, scheme, or team tendencies. Though it never truly left, draft season is officially underway, and I’m excited to hear what picks you think work best for your team. I hope you enjoy what I’ve put together!
1. Jacksonville Jaguars
Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
The first overall pick is unlikely to be a wide receiver or a cornerback, even when it’s a single player who does both. That said, we’re doing this without trades, and it’s even more unlikely that the Jaguars will move on from Trevor Lawrence, considering both his play over the last few years and his massive contract.
Travis Hunter brings a level of athleticism and playmaking ability we haven’t seen since Charles Woodson, the only defensive player to win the Heisman. Hunter offers more offensively than Woodson did, but you’re not really drafting him to be a full-time two-way player.
Finding someone who understands both sides of the ball can make him a threat on either, and that’s what the Jags aim to achieve by selecting a player like Hunter, who’s also expected to excel in nearly every athletic drill.
2. New York Giants
Cameron Ward, QB, Miami
2025 marks the first time since signing his contract that the Giants can move on without incurring an unmanageable cap liability. 2024 marks the clear end for Daniel Jones, as it’s indisputable that there’s nothing left to develop with him; the project is over, and they clearly didn’t pass the grade.
Cameron Ward has five full seasons of college football starting experience at quarterback, never falling below 60% passing or below a 2:1 TD ratio, often performing much better in both. He’s been excelling during the 2025 season and is a huge part of Miami’s resurgence.
There’s some concern that his arm talent is only very good rather than great, but it’s tough to dismiss a player with this level of consistent production and efficiency. As of this writing, he’s only a few touchdowns away from breaking the record for the most touchdown passes thrown in college football history.
3. Tennessee Titans
Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
Coming off back-to-back seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards, Tetairoa McMillan has the production to warrant an early selection even before watching the tape. However, you’ll be glad when you do, as McMillan possesses the size and speed to play all over the field. While he’s not a burner, his speed at his size (about 6’5” and 210 lbs) is notable, as is his agility and explosiveness displayed on every snap.
He runs a solid route tree, though it’s expected to be a focus once he goes pro. The Titans really lack an athletic playmaker at the receiver position, making this a clean fit for a team that may want to build a foundation before bringing in a franchise signal caller.
4. Cleveland Browns
Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
One team that can’t afford to wait to bring in a new signal-caller is the Cleveland Browns. We’re well past the point of viewing the Deshaun Watson trade and subsequent contract extension as anything but one of the worst transactions in NFL history.
The simplest way to remove that bad taste from fans’ mouths and give the franchise a chance to start anew is by bringing in a new quarterback to reboot and build around. Sanders is a somewhat divisive player, but he undeniably comes with a strong athletic pedigree and has displayed impressive arm talent during his time at Colorado.
With a team needing practically everything, the pick will always be a QB, OT, or EDGE. The best option to make Cleveland competitive again is Shedeur Sanders.
5. Las Vegas Raiders
Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama
It’s probably not very controversial to state that the Raiders aren’t going to plan ahead with Gardner Minshew or Aidan O’Connell at the quarterback position. Alabama may not be the powerhouse it was under Nick Saban, but it’s still a very strong program with a long history of developing NFL talent.
Jalen Milroe continues the tradition of playing hyper-efficient football, and he has developed as a dual-threat passer over the last few seasons. Milroe will likely draw comparisons to Lamar Jackson and, more recently, Jayden Daniels with his playstyle, tending to prioritize his athletic ability over passing creativity, but I think much of that is just how he’s deployed in the offensive scheme.
He possesses all of the traits a good quarterback needs, including a good arm, quick field-reading ability, and some of the best athleticism in this quarterback class.
6. New England Patriots
Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State
Considered by many to be the best pass rusher in the class, Abdul Carter carries with him a legacy of Penn State pass rushers near the top athletically all time. Penn State has produced five pass rushers in the top 11% athletically since 2021, and I’d expect Carter to be right up there with them.
There is some concern about his length, as there was for Chop Robinson in 2024, but the Patriots can’t afford to be that strict on a trait that isn’t nearly as important as the ones Carter excels at. New England desperately needs a game-changing pass rusher, and Abdul Carter gives them their best chance at getting that.
7. New Orleans Saints
Nic Scourton, EDGE, Texas A&M
The current team leader in sacks for New Orleans is Alontae Taylor, their 2nd round cornerback pick from 2022. It’s not a slight to Taylor to note how pitiful it is that their top pass rushers so far are him and an interior pass rusher.
The team is dying for someone to step up on the edge, which means they’re either going to go hard at the position in free agency, or they’re going to draft a premiere pass rusher…or both.
Nic Scourton is a bigger edge rusher with loads of length and strength to get the job done. Agility is a bit of a question mark, to the point I’d expect him to be one of the guys who skips agility drills altogether, but he should test very solidly for his size in all of the other drills.
That athleticism has made him a feared edge rusher in college football, though you’d expect him to find more production once he’s a pro.
8. New York Jets
Carson Beck, QB, Georgia
The Aaron Rodgers acquisition was meant to revitalize the New York Jets, and they’ve catered to his every whim on their way to 3-7, last place in the AFCE. Rodgers isn’t playing terribly, but he’s not playing well, either. The band-aid needs to be ripped off, and the Jets need to go a different direction.
Enter Carson Beck, who has flashed the kind of upside you need to turn an NFL franchise around. He’s not a perfect prospect, hence why he’s QB4 in this mock, but no one would accuse Georgia of facing a cupcake schedule. Beck is one of those players when he’s on, he’s on, but when he’s off, he’s really off, and that’ll likely turn off some.
His size, arm talent, and above-average athleticism make him a very intriguing prospect for building a franchise around, however, and it wouldn’t hurt to start him off with Garrett Wilson and the company.
9. Carolina Panthers
James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee
The Panthers pass rush is among the worst in the NFL right now and is in desperate need of a talent infusion. James Pearce is a little underweight at the moment, but he has the kind of frame that could carry extra weight without losing any of his explosiveness or speed.
That’s his bread and butter, but he also uses his length very well, further adding to his potential as a pro pass rusher. He isn’t the kind of guy you’d expect to be able to do it alone every play, which is why it’s doubly important for the Panthers to focus on their defensive line in free agency as well.
If they target a higher profile edge rusher, maybe pull in some space eaters or explosive interior rushers on the inside, they’ll be setting him up to storm the NFCS and make waves in the league.
10. Miami Dolphins
Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
In looking at positives and negatives, if I had to state a flaw with Michigan’s Mason Graham, it would be that he probably lacks the length to play nose tackle consistently. If that’s the best I can come up with, though, that’s a good sign for the kinds of traits he possesses.
Graham is stout but incredibly tightly built for his frame. He’s extremely explosive and quick to attack the interior of an opponent’s line on any play. He reminds me a bit of former NC State interior rusher and current Detroit Lions starter Alim McNeill, and I’d expect Graham to test similarly well.
Miami could use help both outside and in on their defensive line, so for me, here, this is the best value the Dolphins can get for a high-caliber interior rusher.
11. Dallas Cowboys
Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
There’s a lot that has gone wrong for the Dallas Cowboys in 2024, and week after week, it seems like they find new ways to fill their fans with new forms of disappointment. In the long term, however, their team isn’t in that bad of a shape.
I think the Cowboys can take a page out of the Detroit Lions playbook here and build from their line out, but they’re in good enough shape that they can start by bringing in one of the best playmakers in the draft.
Ashton Jeanty brings a playmaking ability the Dallas Cowboys haven’t seen since Zeke’s rookie season, and I’d argue strongly that Jeanty is a far superior prospect. A danger all over the field would make the team’s offensive identity immediately identifiable, which would be a massive improvement of its current state of disrepair.
12. Indianapolis Colts
Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
It was tough to pinpoint an area the Colts needed the most help, but the back end of their defense is often showing their backside, so I’m expecting an upgrade early in the draft.
Malaki Starks is expected to be one of the best athletes in this draft class, and we all know how much the Colts love their elite athletes. He also comes in at a position of need and is widely considered the best, or nearly the best, safety in the class.
This is a team that needs a lot of help, and getting someone on the back end who can help cover up mistakes will be a good way to jump-start that defense.
13. Cincinnati Bengals
Luther Burden, WR, Missouri
The Bengals haven’t quite been the team that many were expecting them to be in 2024. While there are plenty of problems to address, most notably the offensive line, I opted instead to prevent a strength from becoming a weakness.
With Tee Higgins likely to depart and Andrei Iosivas struggling to pick up more reps, the team could use another playmaker for Joe Burrow to throw to, especially one that can complement the excellent Ja’Marr Chase.
Enter Luther Burden, an explosive playmaker with elite acceleration and solid agility. Burden can add the same kind of playmaking ability the team got with Chase, with a different style of play that will make the team very difficult to defend.
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are currently sitting at 6th worst for passing yards allowed per game, and while there are plenty of culprits as to why, the quickest way to address that problem is to draft a good corner.
In my opinion, the Bucs get even more than a good corner, and this stops what would be a draft-day slide. Will Johnson has the size, speed, and length to develop in man coverage while also having the explosiveness and agility to excel early in zone.
This has the chance to be a transformative pick for the Bucs, and they’d manage it in the middle of the round.
15. Seattle Seahawks
Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia
The Seahawks seem to be in a perennial cycle of trying to find an elite pass rusher and struggling to make any of their pass rush work. Like former Bulldog Travon Walker, a Mykel Williams selection would be banking heavily on traits.
We expect Williams to test very near to what Walker did, and Walker landed in the Mario Williams/Jevon Kearse tier of athlete.
If Williams matches that expectation, he might go even higher. If the Seahawks land him, though, they’d be adding a player with a similar athletic pedigree to recent picks Derick Hall and Boye Mafe, showing a dedication to speed and explosiveness that will give opposing offensive coordinators fits.
16. Los Angeles Rams
Will Campbell, OT, LSU
While the Rams have several other pressing needs, there’s nobody on the board that didn’t feel like a reach, and the team still needs long-term support at the offensive tackle position.
Will Campbell is the second first-round pick the Rams will make in a decade, and like Jared Verse before him, he comes with a pretty strong athletic pedigree, which we should see confirmed in testing. There’s some concern about arm length with Campbell, but I think his tape does more than enough to assuage those concerns.
17. Chicago Bears
Kelvin Banks, OT/IOL
There wasn’t a great true interior offensive lineman available at this spot that I felt would be good enough value to justify the pick.
With the Bears likely at least optimistic in their current tackles development, taking a player who’s played left tackle his entire career might seem a little odd on the surface, but I think GM Ryan Poles seems to be the kind of GM who wants ‘the best five guys’ on the OL at any given time.
Kelvin Banks is a phenomenal athlete and uses that athleticism along with elite power to bully opposing defenders. If he doesn’t take a spot at tackle immediately, he will develop on the interior until he’s ready.
With Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright athletic enough to swing inside or switch sides, the team would be moving forward with some of the best versatility. Keep putting big, athletic offensive linemen in front of Caleb Williams, and watch the magic happen.
18. San Francisco 49ers
Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame
A year ago, I probably would have had a hard time figuring out just what position the 49ers needed to improve upon, but in the 2025 class, it’s harder to pinpoint exactly what they need to get back on track.
The team has one of the worst pass defenses in the entire NFL but also one of the worst rushing defenses. On the plus side, that gives them options on what to improve and narrows down which side of the ball to focus on.
In this case, I focused on that pass defense, and I have them bringing in Notre Dame’s Benjamin Morrison. Though only average in size, Morrison has the requisite agility to be a dynamic corner by being able to close gaps at incredible speeds.
He might initially face a learning curve, as he’ll need to improve his functional strength, but the long-term outlook looks pretty bright.
19. Denver Broncos
Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
Emeka Egbuka started the year vying for my WR1 spot, and while he hasn’t really done anything to make me think he won’t be successful in the NFL, he hasn’t stood out as much as a few of the guys I had going before him.
With Courtland Sutton locked in for at least another year, the team is in need of a credible receiving threat alongside him or to replace him when his contract voids in 2026.
While Egbuka doesn’t fit the profile of the Bronco’s current receivers, who are all 6’3” or taller (aside from Marvin Mims), his athleticism and general playmaking ability make him an enticing enough prospect to go against current trends.
20. Houston Texans
Isaiah Bond, WR, Texas
The Texans wide receiver room looks alright on paper, at first, but it starts to get very dodgy very quickly. Stefon Diggs only signed a one-year deal, while both Nico Collins and Tank Dell have dealt with injuries over the last two seasons.
The game-day depth of that position is shaky, and the team would do well to address the position early, especially if Collins doesn’t return to 100% quickly after his return. Isaiah Bond is an excellent deep threat, with speed and acceleration to spare and, after the catch, the ability to make him dangerous in the open field.
There are some concerns with his overall length, which impacts his catch radius, but the Texan’s offense shouldn’t really be sending him into high-traffic type of situations anyway, so it isn’t a concern that will matter too much.
21. Atlanta Falcons
Princely Umanmielen, EDGE, Mississippi
The Falcons pass rush has been nothing short of extraordinary in 2024. Not extraordinarily good, unfortunately, but it is kind of incredible how little production they’ve managed to get despite the presence of Grady Jarrett and the acquisition of Matt Judon.
No player on the roster has even 3.0 sacks, so they need someone to come in and wreck shop. Enter Princely Umanmielen, whose 9.5 sacks in 2024 are already more than the entire Atlanta Falcons roster combined (9.0).
Umanmielen is a tightly built-athlete who wins quickly and efficiently. I’m going to watch his lower body explosiveness very closely at the Combine and expect him to test among the best in the class.
Like former LSU pass-rushing prospect Danielle Hunter, Umanmielen has some technical issues that need cleaning up, but everything he needs to improve are things that can be taught quickly in an NFL program.
22. Arizona Cardinals
Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
We’re hitting that part of the draft where the best edge rushers have been taken, and it’s tough to justify taking what’s left at this stage, but that doesn’t mean you’ve eliminated all of the best pass rushers.
Kenneth Grant should see his stock rise quite a bit after the NFL Combine, as he’s expected to test especially well for his position. While he is by no measure a bad player, the criticisms levied against him about being raw and needing to develop more as a pass rusher are valid, as are concerns about his present ability to defend his run lanes consistently.
Taking a pick on pure upside isn’t always going to be popular, but the payoff if Derrick LeBlanc and Nick Rallis can develop him may just be worth it. Rallis, of course, came from Philadelphia, a team that is well known for plugging in extreme-level athletes on both of their lines and building from there outward.
23. Washington Commanders
Shavon Revel, CB, East Carolina
Washington is finally out of quarterback purgatory, and it has to feel good. They still have to build on that momentum, and I think they do that by shoring up that defense. This wouldn’t be the first time the Commanders bring in a first-round corner, and not even the first time they have done so recently.
However, despite Mike Sainristil’s development, it remains a position of need. He’s actually a big reason I think the team should target a player like Shavon Revel. Revel is a tall, lengthy, athletic corner who, as of the time of writing, has allowed a passer rating under 50 on the season.
Pair a player like that with Mike Sainristil, an ascending talent who looks like he’s only getting started, and this defense is suddenly just as fearsome as the thought of Jayden Daniels with another year of experience.
24. Los Angeles Chargers
Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio State
The Chargers already have more wins in 2024 than they had in all of 2023, and a large part of that is due to coaching. They’ve also fielded a top-ten passing and rushing defense so far this season, as well as allowing a league-low 13.1 points per game.
We could look at more ways to fill holes on the team, but I believe Jim Harbaugh will instead lobby to work from his strengths and find more ways to bully his opponents into submission.
There are a lot of ways to do this, but I think they opt to strengthen the back end of their defense, and a player like Denzel Burke fits exactly what they’d need. Burke has an impressive frame for a corner with plenty of length to go with strong marks in both explosiveness and speed.
25. Green Bay Packers
Deone Walker, DT, Kentucky
The NFCN has been one of the strongest divisions in football, and in a different year, the Packers might actually be leading the division. As it is, they’re 6-3 and 3rd place, still very much in the playoff fight, a testament to the strength of their roster.
Speaking of strength, if the Packers are missing one thing, it’s a gigantic defensive lineman with the kind of explosiveness you’d expect of a pass rusher 70 pounds lighter. Enter 6’6”, 348 lb Kentucky defensive tackle Deone Walker.
With his size and explosiveness, Walker just eats offensive linemen, and a guy like that on a line that already has Rashan Gary and Devonte Wyatt is going to be a real problem.
26. Baltimore Ravens
Tyler Booker, OG, Alabama
The Baltimore Ravens have been one of the best-run franchises in the NFL for so long that nobody of driving age even remembers a time when they were legitimately bad. A big reason why they’re as good as they are is that they prioritize improvement, not repair.
In his prime, Lamar Jackson needs protection to continue playing at an MVP level, and the Ravens won’t wait until their line breaks to bring help onboard.
Tyler Booker is a massive interior offensive lineman, an archetype the Ravens are familiar with. Having 350-lb Tyler Booker play alongside 380-lb Daniel Fa’alele would be wild.
27. Pittsburgh Steelers
Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas
The Steelers lead their division currently, but they’re doing so with a pair of quarterbacks on one-year deals. That’s not a sustainable formula for success, and I think they ultimately move on from both and bring in someone new.
Quinn Ewers played some excellent football in 2023, and that continued in 2024. At the time of writing, he has thrown for 19TDs to only 6 interceptions, completing nearly 70% of his passes.
Ewers possesses the requisite athleticism to play quarterback, though he’s not much use as a rushing threat. Still, his arm strength is upper-tier, and his efficiency is top-notch. With players like George Pickens and Pat Freiermuth running routes, it’s a good recipe for bringing that efficiency to the NFL.
28. Minnesota Vikings
Tacario Davis, CB, Arizona
The Minnesota Vikings have been having a great season, and if they weren’t being overshadowed a bit by the Detroit Lions dunking on opponents weekly, the Vikings would be talked about as a frontrunner in the NFC.
On the other hand, their passing defense has been a liability at times, and they need some upgrades to that side of the ball. Tacario Davis brings a rare size to the cornerback position at around 6’4” with excellent length, and he accents that size with good speed and explosiveness.
As is the case with most taller corners, agility and short-area quickness can be spotty at times, but if he had everything, he’d be going a lot earlier. Davis is a good read-and-react corner prospect with elite size, and that could help the Vikings get a leg up on a highly competitive division.
29) Philadelphia Eagles
Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia
Despite sitting atop the NFCE and solidifying that spot with a decisive win over the Commanders this week, the Eagles sometimes feel like the forgotten team in the NFC.
A Super Bowl contender and probable division winner with one of the best defenses in the NFL makes it tough to find many cracks on the roster.
So rather than doing that, I’m just going to find a player who fits their style and general roster build. The Eagles have had one of the most athletic offensive lines over the past decade, but their defensive line isn’t that far behind.
As such, adding another superbly athletic playmaker just makes sense, and in this case, we’re looking at Jalon Walker. Walker fits that prototypical Eagles build with the frame to put on another 10-20 lbs without losing any of the explosiveness he’s shown at Georgia.
While not a fully developed pass rusher, Walker has shown enough solid work in the passing game to project him as a long-term starter in the NFL.
30) Buffalo Bills
Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State
Every year since Josh Allen broke out, I’ve imagined this team with a running back that truly complements Allen’s style, and while they always seem to come close, they never quite get there.
Quinshon Judkins is a hard-nosed runner who uses his size and acceleration together — and he is just the tonic the team needs to transform this offense from dangerous enough to truly nightmarish. James Cook is a good player, but if there’s anything we can learn from the Detroit Lions’ current season, it is that two premiere running backs in an efficient office can outright embarrass their opponents on a weekly basis.
The Bills’ history has always been about being almost good enough, getting close but not quite sealing the deal, and they’re close enough that one more dynamic piece might be all that it takes to put them over the edge and make them a dominant force in the AFC instead of constantly playing second fiddle.
31) Detroit Lions
Jack Sawyer, EDGE, Ohio State
Few people are even alive today who can remember a time when the Detroit Lions were this dominant. It’s gotten to the point where it’s gone beyond ‘almost comical’ and has morphed into an active laugh-out-loud comedy. The team is favored by two touchdowns this week, and that might not even be enough.
What to get a team that seems to have everything? Well, their defense isn’t great statistically, and their pass rush is noticeably anemic with Aidan Hutchinson out for the season.
As such, they need to bring him a partner for his triumphant return in 2025. Jack Sawyer has prototypical size and athleticism for the position, and while he’s not quite the specimen that Aidan Hutchinson was, he brings a similar motor and play-by-play effort that Dan Campbell is sure to love.
Having two players who bring it 100% on every play of the game will be very difficult to defend, and no offensive tackle is going to want to play against a team where they’ll get no reprieve from either side.
Aaron Glenn’s defense is very good at wearing teams down even without Hutchinson, but throw in Hutch’s return, and a player like Sawyer and their opponents may have to rotate starters on their OL.
32) Kansas City Chiefs
Kevin Winston Jr., S, Penn State
The only undefeated team left at the time of writing is Andy Reid’s Chiefs, who are going to attempt the ever-elusive Threepeat. They’ve allowed the 5th fewest points in the league while their running backs have struggled to even hit 4.0 YPC, so it’d be very easy to plug in an offensive lineman and call it a day.
I have faith in that offensive plan, however, and when Isiah Pacheco returns, I am confident the run game will rebound in a big way. Justin Reid’s contract is up, and Bryan Cook’s is almost there, so instead, I think they go with safety to plan long-term on the back end of their defense.
One of the best tacklers in college football, Kevin Winston Jr. has the size, range, and general athleticism to make him a true threat in any defensive backfield. His ability to move around a formation, play either side of the field, or be up in the nickel has to be enticing for a coach like Andy Reid.
He’s exactly the type of player I’d expect the Chiefs to draft, not flashy on paper, but a well-oiled part of any efficient defensive machine.