The 2024 NFL season has a grand total of three games remaining, which means the order for the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft is essentially set (aside from the final four teams).
Here’s a closer look at the results of my latest Round 1 mock of the 2025 NFL Draft. For this exercise, PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator determined the draft order.
1) Tennessee Titans: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
If you were to poll Tennessee Titans fans on whether they would like to see another year of Will Levis under center, I would venture to guess the vast majority of the fan base likely wants to see the team go in a different direction. Personally, I’d be shocked if Brian Callahan isn’t willing to jump at the opportunity of bringing in a new face of the franchise under center.
Shedeur Sanders threw for 7,364 yards to go with 64 touchdowns over his two years at Colorado, but did see his interceptions more than triple from his junior to senior year.
Sanders is far from a perfect prospect with some limitations in his arm talent and eyebrow-raising responses to the media when things haven’t gone well in Colorado, but his flashes of processing, anticipation, and off-script creation all project favorably to competently running an NFL offense.
2) Cleveland Browns: Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado
The Cleveland Browns have certainly created a bit of a mess by giving up a boatload of draft assets and oodles of guaranteed money for Deshaun Watson. That has led to just 19 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions over his 19 games in Cleveland.
In other words, I really can’t blame them if they would like to explore their options with one of the top quarterbacks prospect in this class. Yet, if the team still wants to move forward with Watson, snagging an impact playmaker like Travis Hunter who can legitimately contribute to both sides of the football makes too much sense to pass up.
The Browns run man coverage at one of the highest rates in the league, which is something Hunter can do very well. The Browns could certainly use a dynamic playmaker to pair with Jerry Jeudy out on the perimeter, which is another thing Hunter can do at a high level.
If the team decides to stick with Watson, Hunter can help this team on both sides of the ball — which simply doesn’t come along very often in the NFL Draft.
3) New York Giants: Cam Ward, QB, Miami
I can’t imagine the amount of anxiety Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen were likely feeling once the 2024 NFL season came to an end. The relief of keeping their jobs was great for them personally, but I imagine the flame on the hot seat hasn’t even been extinguished yet. This is a make-or-break year for this duo.
After finally parting ways with Daniel Jones, the franchise can finally move on to their next potential face of the franchise by adding Cam Ward at No. 3 overall. Ward’s arm elasticity, velocity, and play extension abilities have him loaded with franchise altering ability under center, which gives Daboll plenty of tools to work with under center after hitting a home run last year by drafting Malik Nabers.
Ward is likely to come with some growing pains when adjusting to the structure of NFL passing games. His fluidity as an athlete renders his throwing mechanics to come across a bit inconsistent and plays out of structure a bit too frequently.
But it is hard to argue with some of the results we saw from him in 2024 with 39 touchdowns passes and 4,313 yards through the air. His ability to extend plays and manufacture explosive plays off script is part of what makes him a great prospect. One that feels like a worthy investment of the No. 3 overall pick in the draft.
4) New England Patriots: Will Campbell, OL, LSU
In one of the bigger surprises of the young offseason, Jerod Mayo is out after just one season as the heir apparent to Bill Belichick as head coach of the New England Patriots. The team is moving forward with Mike Vrabel as the man in charge.
Despite Vrabel’s defensive background and some elite level talent on the defensive side of the football available with this selection, I find it hard to imagine that the Patriots don’t decide to use this pick to build around Drake Maye.
As tempting as it would be to snag an elite receiver, this unit desperately needs to add some talent along the offensive line unit. The Patriots gave up 52 sacks this year, which makes it hard for any quarterback to find consistent success. This makes the athletic and scheme-versatile LSU OT Will Campbell a great addition to the offensive line to protect Maye for years to come.
5) Jacksonville Jaguars: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
One of the holes that eventually sunk Doug Pederson’s ship with the Jacksonville Jaguars was a leaky secondary that gave up a league-worst 257 passing yards per game in 2024.
At this time, it is uncertain who the next head coach of the team will be and what type of defensive scheme they would intend to deploy, but adding a dynamic talent like Michigan CB Will Johnson would only serve to immediately improve this struggling unit entering 2024.
6) Las Vegas Raiders: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
The Las Vegas Raiders find themselves in a tricky position entering the 2025 NFL Draft. The biggest need on the roster is clearly at quarterback, but the tier drop from the second-best prospect to the third-best prospect in this class feels significant.
Last year, the Raiders bypassed addressing team needs to select the best overall player still left on the board with Brock Bowers and the results were historic. Here, I see Michigan DT Mason Graham as the best prospect still on the board.
Graham would instantly bolster the interior of this defensive line alongside Christian Wilkins and Maxx Crosby to create a formidable unit up front to create consistent pressure in a division that features three young franchise quarterbacks.
7) New York Jets: Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State
The quarterback carousel of the 2025 NFL offseason hasn’t started yet, but the New York Jets are still figuring out whether or not Aaron Rodgers will be the man under center for the organization this upcoming year. This situation has a multitude of factors based on whether the veteran quarterback even still wants to play football and who the next head coach of the organization ends up being.
In this scenario, I have the Jets running it back with Rodgers for one more year and see them focus on bringing in a new pass-rushing threat with the explosive Abdul Carter out of Penn State.
The Jets lost Jermaine Johnson this year to an Achilles injury, while Haason Reddick’s return to the lineup after a lengthy holdout saw him produce just one sack in 10 games. Carter’s compact build, uncommon bend, and explosive athletic traits would immediately add a dynamic edge-rushing presence to pair with a talented secondary that could see this defense return to an elite unit in 2025.
8) Carolina Panthers: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
After a painfully slow start that potentially spelled doom for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Bryce Young finished the year on a high note with 251 yards and three touchdown passes with an additional two scores on the ground in an overtime win against the Atlanta Falcons.
Yet, one of the biggest contributors of the passing game in that contest was still veteran Adam Thielen. This team is still in need of true go-to receiver in this offense.
Tetairoa McMillan is an imposing X receiver whose 6’5’’ frame combined with surprising fluidity as a route and dominance at the catch point could instantly elevate this passing attack if the likes of Jalen Coker and Xavier Legette build off of their encouraging rookie campaigns.
9) New Orleans Saints: Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia
I love Demario Davis, Cameron Jordan, and Tyrann Mathieu as much as the next guy, but the New Orleans Saints’ roster is in desperate need of a youth movement.
Chase Young generated just 5.5 sacks in his first year with the Saints, which means the Saints could use a long-term solution at EDGE. Investing the No. 9 overall pick in a toolsy but productive prospect like Mykel Williams makes a ton of sense.
Williams’ flashes of dominance paired with elite athleticism and prototypical size and length are enough to warrant this pick alone, yet his versatility adds another element to his upside as a moveable weapon in this scheme.
10) Chicago Bears: Nic Scourton, EDGE, Texas A&M
Out with the old, in with the new. The Ben Johnson era in Chicago is set to begin after the organization fired Matt Eberflus in the middle of the year, which gives Chicago another offseason to be filled with optimism after a disappointing 2024 season.
The Bears’ offense already has a ton of quality pieces around Caleb Williams, which has me seeing Ryan Poles addressing the defensive side of the football by selecting EDGE rusher Nic Scourton.
The Bears’ defense gave up 354 yards per game last season and only produced 40 sacks. Scourton is a consistent menace as a pass-rushing threat, with 15 sacks over the last two seasons. He’s also an imposing presence as a run stopper, notching 14+ tackles for a loss in each of his final two years in college.
11) San Francisco 49ers: Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame
The potential loss of starting CB Charvarius Ward could turn one of the San Francisco 49ers’ strengths into a position of need if the veteran corner hits free agency. The Niners saw encouraging things from press coverage savant Renardo Green his rookie year, which would make the addition of another man-coverage specialist in Benjamin Morrison an intriguing pairing on the back end of this defense.
Unfortunately, Morrison suffered a season-ending injury early this college football season. Assuming he declares, Morrison has all the tools with size, length, and reactive quickness to make a long-term impact for a secondary filled with young, promising prospects.
12) Dallas Cowboys: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
The Dallas Cowboys’ decision to completely forego addressing the running back position last offseason proved to be a costly mistake. This offense finished 27th in the league with just 100.3 rushing yards per game, many of which came over the last month of the year with Rico Dowdle finally producing some big games.
No matter how strong Dowdle finished, Ashton Jeanty is a complete game-changer at the position. Jeanty has a dynamic, three-down skill set blessed with some of the best contact balance we’ve seen over the last 10 years at the position. I’d be willing to go as far as saying he is in the company of players like Bijan Robinson and Saquon Barkley in that department by forcing over 150 missed tackles in 2024. That is special.
If the Cowboys want to restore some balance to this offense, landing Jeanty at No. 12 overall feels like a steal for a blue chip prospect.
13) Miami Dolphins: Kelvin Banks Jr., OL, Texas
The dynamic Miami Dolphins rushing attack we saw in 2023 became far less imposing last year with the team dropping from an average of 132.4 rushing yards per game in 2023 to just 105.6 in 2024. With an explosive playmaker like De’Von Achane actually staying healthier this season as opposed to his rookie campaign suggests this drop in production is closely tied to the drop in offensive line play.
This makes the addition of Texas OT Kelvin Banks Jr., who has the athleticism to anchor the backside of Tua Tagovailoa, a sizeable upgrade over Austin Jackson.
Additionally, Banks’ impressive movement ability combined with his raw power should make him an imposing force in gap-based schemes while possessing the athleticism to climb to the second level or lead the way around the edge in zone-based schemes that would help revitalize this rushing attack.
14) Indianapolis Colts: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
The Indianapols Colts barely missed out on landing Brock Bowers last year. This year, they finally get to land a difference-maker at the tight end position in the versatile Tyler Warren out of Penn State.
I am fully aware many have Colston Loveland as the TE1 on the board, but Warren’s formation versatility, RAC ability, strength at the catch point, inline blocking reliability, and underrated route-running chops make him a slightly better fit for this run-heavy Colts scheme.
15) Atlanta Falcons: James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee
The move to acquire Matthew Judon from the New England Patriots entering the 2024 NFL season didn’t yield the returns the organization hoped for after finishing 31st in the league with just 31 sacks.
Fortunately for the Atlanta Falcons, this class is loaded with explosive edge-rushing threats, allowing the organization to land a toolsy, athletic prospect like James Pearce Jr. out of Tennessee.
Pearce has an immense amount of burst, power, and bend for a 243-pound prospect. But he could realize his true potential as a dominant pass-rushing force if he expands his arsenal of moves and proves more consistent with his hands at the next level.
16) Arizona Cardinals: Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
The fact Luther Burden III fell out of the top 15 in this mock draft almost feels disrespectful, but he ultimately lands in a favorable spot to work alongside Marvin Harrison Jr. and Trey McBride in a Kyler Murray-led offense.
Burden has special RAC ability and becomes an instant threat in the manufactured touch game with his instant acceleration and long speed from the slot, which is something this offense could use to round out this receiver room.
17) Cincinnati Bengals: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
The courage of conviction can be tested with previous takes like mine on Georgia S Malaki Starks, who I claimed was the best prospect of the upcoming draft class entering the 2024 college football season.
Entering the 2024 NFL season, Malaki Starks was my top overall prospect on my 2025 big board. While his stats may be a bit disappointing this year, I still see a ball-hawking playmaker on the back end with single-high, nickel, or box versatility with consistent play-diagnosing skills, route recognition and reaction, and physicality both in run support and at the catch point.
The addition of a prospect like Starks could instantly impact a defense that finished 25th in yards per game allowed last year.
18) Seattle Seahawks: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
The Seattle Seahawks could have QB Geno Smith on the hot seat and certainly could elect to address the offensive line with this pick. However, the production this team has gotten from the TE position has been underwhelming with Noah Fant producing just 914 yards and one score over his last 31 games with the team.
In addition to the reduced production we saw from Tyler Lockett for a third straight year, this team could really put teams in a matchup blender with the addition of Michigan TE Colston Loveland, who has the length, fluidity, body control, and strong hands at the catch point to become a big headache for opposing defenses who focus their attention on DK Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba regularly.
19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jalon Walker, EDGE, Georgia
The temptation to double down along the interior of the offensive line for a second consecutive year with Tyler Booker still on the board is tempting, but adding a dynamic athlete with alignment and position versatility like Georgia’s Jalon Walker is simply too valuable to pass up.
The emergence of Calijah Kancey and YaYa Diaby alongside Vita Vea has given this unit optimism for improving their pass rush in the coming years, but a prospect like Walker — with elite explosiveness, exceptional bend, combined with some hand technique nuance — could elevate this defense back to its former Super Bowl form.
20) Denver Broncos: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
Bo Nix had an outstanding rookie campaign in his pro debut in Sean Payton’s offensive scheme, which was been predicated on timing and seeing the defense through the same set of eyes as the quarterback. Yet, Nix’s rushing abilities were called upon regularly with a young receiver core that was still finding its footing alongside veteran Courtland Sutton.
Emeka Egbuka passed on entering the NFL Draft last year, but he was a big part of why the Ohio State Buckeyes won the National Championship this year with 1,011 receiving yards and 10 scores on 81 receptions.
Egbuka is a physical zone beater who excels in beating zone coverage from the slot, but he has the versatility and route-running nuance to be an effective chess piece as a possession receiver who gives you a little something extra as a YAC threat to help Nix take another big step forward in 2025.
21) Pittsburgh Steelers: Tre Harris, WR, Ole Miss
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ WR room has been a bit of a mess over the last year. They traded away Diontae Johnson and saw inconsistent effort and commitment from George Pickens throughout the 2024 NFL season. This feels like a serious position of need, which makes Tre Harris out of Ole Miss an intriguing addition to this offense.
After showing promising flashes of potential during his time at Louisiana Tech, Harris managed to post consecutive seasons with 50+ receptions, 985+ yards, and 7+ TDs at Ole Miss.
Harris’ imposing 6’2’’, 205-pound frame combined with his play strength at the catch point and after contact make him ideally suited for outside work at the next level. He aligns very well with the skill set of Russell Wilson (if the teams brings him back in 2025).
22) Los Angeles Chargers: Tyler Booker, OL, Alabama
If selecting a 6’5’’, 352-pound human steamroller doesn’t sound like someone Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman want on their team — think again.
No offense to Jamaree Salyer, but Alabama’s Tyler Booker would provide the type of physically imposing upgrade at guard as a dominating force in the run game that fits the exact identity of what Harbaugh wants this team to be moving forward.
23) Green Bay Packers: Shavon Revel Jr., CB, East Carolina
If Shavon Revel Jr. didn’t tragically tear his ACL earlier in the 2024 college football season, we very well may have seen some top-10 chatter about him this draft cycle.
Unfortunately, the risk of injury pushes him down the board to the Green Bay Packers.
As for the optimistic view of this selection, Revel displayed all of the route combination diagnosing with physicality at the catch point and in run support — and a long and athletic frame — that could make him a great addition to this young secondary.
24) Minnesota Vikings: Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
Outside of the future questions surrounding Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy, it’s pretty difficult to pinpoint one significant area of concern on this roster. A consistent contributor alongside Pat Jones on the interior of the defensive line could help, which has me leaning toward Derrick Harmon out of Oregon.
Harmon’s five sacks and 11 tackles for a loss in 2024 presents the type of production as a disruptive force paired with a long, agile, and powerful frame that could fit perfectly into Brian Flores’ aggressive defensive scheme. Flores demands versatility in pass-rushing threats to consistently present opposing quarterbacks with exotic and unpredictable pressure looks.
25) Houston Texans: Cameron Williams, OL, Texas
The interior of the Houston Texans’ defense could certainly use some attention this offseason, but the bigger priority has to be protecting C.J. Stroud, who got sacked 52 times in 2024.
Well, Texas OT Cameron Williams had a pressure rate of just 2.6% in 2024 as the starting right tackle for a title contender, which projects like a quality prospect at a position of need for this roster with long-term upside.
26) Los Angeles Rams: Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
The Los Angeles Rams have managed to strike gold with a multitude of great value picks on the defensive side of the football over the last few years — namely Jared Verse and Kobie Turner. Yet, this team just gave up 205 rushing yards and two scores to Saquon Barkley in their playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
A player like Jihaad Campbell out of Alabama is just what the doctor ordered to help shore up the holes in the running defense by adding a playmaker with 117 tackles, five sacks, and 12 tackles for loss.
Campbell’s alignment versatility, play recognition, and angle discipline could make for a valuable addition to this unit.
27) Baltimore Ravens: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
The Baltimore Ravens were forced to move Kyle Hamilton away from the line of scrimmage in the middle of the season after the early struggles against opposing passing attacks. This felt like a bit of an indictment on some of the other safety options on the roster by limiting some of Hamilton’s impact near the line of scrimmage.
The addition of Nick Emmanwori out of South Carolina, who is an imposing 6’3’’, 227 pounds and possesses outstanding ball skills and physicality at the catch point, could instantly give this secondary another physical and versatile presence to pair with Hamilton on the back end to shore up one of the very few weaknesses the Ravens appeared to have in 2024.
28) Detroit Lions: Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall
The Detroit Lions’ season may have come to a crashing end, but the team’s roster is still one of the best in the league. One thing the injury to Aidan Hutchinson exposed was the lack of pass-rushing depth that is on the roster, which makes Mike Green out of Marshall a potential option towards the end of the first round.
Green’s great reps against Ohio State (tremendous bend running the arc and a disgusting spin move for a sack) gave us a glimpse of the potential his 6’4’’, 248-pound frame possesses. He has an explosive first step, uncommon lateral agility, and physics-defying bend for an edge rusher, which gives him some real double-digit-sack upside at the NFL level.
29) Washington Commanders: Jonah Savaiinaea, OL, Arizona
The Washington Commanders have completely shocked the football world by advancing to the NFC Championship with the excellent play of Jayden Daniels. Now the question becomes — how do we best build around him for the upcoming 2025 NFL season?
As tempting as it may be to go with a receiver or running back here to take some of the playmaking responsibilities off of Daniels’ hands, investing in the unit up front is making sure you prioritize his long-term durability.
This makes me want to bring in the athletic and versatile Jonah Savaiinaea out of Arizona, who has impressive lateral movement ability while packing a powerful punch at the point of attack. That could make him a terror as a run blocker at either guard or tackle down the road.
30) Buffalo Bills: Trey Amos, CB, Ole Miss
In a conference filled with promising young quarterbacks, it never hurts to add quality depth to the secondary to make life more difficult on opposing passers.
Ole Miss CB Trey Amos combines great click and close acceleration with impeccable timing at the catch point to break up passes with hand placement that appears to magnetize to the ball, making life difficult on pass catchers.
31) Philadelphia Eagles: Princely Umanmielen, EDGE, Ole Miss
Despite the greatness we saw from Philadelphia’s vastly improved defense this season, they were still in the middle of the pack regarding sack production (41). Jalen Carter is an absolute stud, and Nolan Smith has certainly had his moments, but adding a versatile edge with the pass-rushing upside we’ve seen from Princely Umanmielen out of Ole Miss definitely makes sense.
After transferring from the Gators to the Rebels last offseason, Umanmielen generated a career-best 10.5 sacks in 2024. His long and athletic profile combined with his uncommon twitch and acceleration for a player at his position could make him a tricky assignment for tackles who aren’t disciplined in their pass protection because of his effective inside counters and effective spin move counter.
32) Kansas City Chiefs: Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
While I might agree that offensive tackle feels like the bigger need on this roster, Omarion Hampton feels like an impact player at a devalued position that the Kansas City Chiefs would be stealing at this point of the first round.
Kansas City backs have been among the worst yards after contact per attempt cohort this season. Need proof? Isiah Pacheco, Kareem Hunt, and Samaje Perine are all under 2.0 yards after contact per attempt, which ranks outside of the top 60 at the position in the league.
Well, Hampton was the inverse of that in 2024. He averaged a healthy 4.35 yards after contact per attempt this year, which was the sixth-highest mark of any back with more than 150 carries.
Kansas City ranked 24th in the league with 102.2 rushing yards per game, which makes their 15-2 record that much more impressive. Adding Hampton would provide an immediate spark to this rushing attack to help elevate the floor of this offense led by Patrick Mahomes.
