We can now put a bow on the 2024 NFL season — and what a season it was. With record-breaking rookie performances, the running back comeback, and battles between all-time-great quarterbacks, the 2024 NFL season was full of excitement.
As we turn the page to the offseason, let’s get ready for the 2025 NFL Draft. While this class certainly lacks some of the star power of previous years, there are still some quality players available, and teams who do their homework will be able to secure players who can provide a Day 1 impact.
With that said, let’s take a look at how I see the first round playing out as we sit here in mid-February.
1) Tennessee Titans
Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State
The Titans will certainly think long and hard about taking a quarterback with the first overall pick, but first-year GM Mike Borgonzi opts to select the best overall player in the class in Abdul Carter.
Carter is an explosive pass rusher who plays with the type of tenacity and toughness that this organization needs to turn the corner. He is still developing as a pass rusher, but his physical attributes are special and his best football is most definitely still ahead of him.
2) Cleveland Browns
Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
Similar to the Titans, the Browns will also debate on taking a quarterback. However, it makes more sense to take the best player available and look to secure your franchise quarterback next year, which many believe will be a stronger quarterback class.
Travis Hunter is one of the most unique players to enter the draft in decades — he legitimately is the best player at not just one position but two. The Browns will have to decide where Hunter ultimately plays, but he will be an immediate difference-maker no matter where he lines up.
3) New York Giants
Cam Ward, QB, Miami
Head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen enter next season firmly on the hot seat and must perform well to keep their jobs. The team desperately needs a new quarterback and Cam Ward has the playmaking ability to excel in Daboll’s offense.
Ward is a big-armed quarterback with outstanding ability to find the open man at all three levels of the field. He has the highest upside of all the passers in this year’s class. Ward showing promise as a rookie passer may just do the trick in saving this regime’s jobs.
4) New England Patriots
Will Campbell, OT, LSU
The Patriots look like they have struck gold in rookie quarterback Drake Maye, and now they look to build around him to ensure he has enough support to continue to develop. New England could go with a playmaker here but decides to build up front in the trenches with the draft’s best offensive lineman, Will Campbell.
Campbell is an athletic tackle who plays with an outstanding base and excellent balance. He may not be the most physically gifted blockers that we have seen go early, but he offers an extremely high floor. Campbell will go a long way in fortifying the offensive line.
5) Jacksonville Jaguars
Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
Mason Graham is one of my personal favorites in this class. He plays with quickness, power, and with a relentless motor to be a force inside the defensive front.
The Jaguars have struggled on the defensive side of the ball and are in desperate need of help at the line of scrimmage. Pairing Graham with Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen would be a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks.
6) Las Vegas Raiders
Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
Perhaps one of the most commonly mocked team and player fits, Sanders to Las Vegas just feels right. The Raiders are in desperate need of a quarterback and Shedeur Sanders has the talent to be the team’s new franchise passer.
Sanders may not have elite physical tools, but he throws with very good accuracy, timing, and touch. He should go a long way in bringing some much needed excitement to Sin City.
7) New York Jets
Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
The Jets have made their intentions known about moving on from Aaron Rodgers. The team can go a lot of ways here but ultimately decide to choose the best player on the board in Penn State tight end Tyler Warren.
Warren is a do-it-all tight end who offers excellent receiving skills but also is a plus player in the run game. He would fit in nicely in the Jets’ offense and immediately be their No. 2 option in the receiving game outside of Garrett Wilson.
8) Carolina Panthers
Jalon Walker, EDGE, Georgia
I was tempted to give the Panthers another pass catcher to help support Bryce Young but this team has to get better on the defensive side of the football for them to compete at a high level.
Jason Walker is a highly intriguing player as he played as an off-ball linebacker this year but will likely be asked to primarily rush the passer at the next level. Walker is a bit undersized, but he offers outstanding quickness and is an explosive force off the edge.
9) New Orleans Saints
Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
Will Johnson is a little out of sight, out of mind given he missed a big portion of the season dealing with a lower body injury. But make no mistake, this is an elite football player.
Johnson has outstanding instincts and awareness in zone coverage and has the length and movement skills to match up in man to man on the outside as well. He projects as a plug-and-play starter at the next level and would give the Saints a good young corner as they look to revamp their defense.
10) Chicago Bears
Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia
The Bears have a lot of needs, and drafting an offensive player to help Caleb Williams was tempting. But in the end, the upside of Mykel Williams was hard to ignore.
While his production may not impress, Williams’ physical tools are all elite, and he has the potential to develop into a game-wrecking pass rusher. Pairing a player with this much upside opposite Montez Sweat would give the Bears a formidable pass rush for years to come.
11) San Francisco 49ers
Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon
With Trent Williams’ career slowly coming to an end, finding a young replacement will be a massive priority for the 49ers.
Josh Conerly Jr. is an athletic big man who excels in pass protection and playing in space. Conerly has gotten better each year at Oregon, and as long as he continues to add functional strength, he should quickly develop into a Pro Bowl-caliber tackle. He is an ideal player to get in the program to be Trent Williams’ eventual successor.
12) Dallas Cowboys
Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
Dallas finally stops Tetairoa McMillan’s mini fall here as they look to pair the big-bodied pass catcher with superstar receiver CeeDee Lamb.
McMillan is my highest-ranked receiver in this class if you don’t count Travis Hunter, and McMillan is one of the safest prospects in this class, too. McMillan shares a lot of similarities with Drake London and will give Dak Prescott a reliable option and another red-zone target.
13) Miami Dolphins
Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
The Dolphins need to continue to protect quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and do so here with the selection of Kelvin Banks Jr.
There are some differing opinions on whether or not Banks is a tackle or a guard, but I believe he can play both at a high level and would give the Dolphins a versatile player and productive blocker upfront.
14) Indianapolis Colts
Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
While Tyler Warren gets most of the attention and rightfully so, Colston Loveland is an extremely talented prospect in his own right.
Loveland is a sudden mover who runs excellent routes and can create separation with ease. He would give the Colts a seam-stretcher and a reliable chain-mover, which is something this offense is in dire need of.
15) Atlanta Falcons
James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee
I am a sucker for pass rushers who have difference-making speed and the ability to bend, hence my bullishness on James Pearce Jr. Pearce has wreaked havoc rushing the quarterback in the SEC and just knows how to win and get to the quarterback. The Falcons are in desperate need of more pass rush — Pearce should be able to provide just that.
16) Arizona Cardinals
Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M
The NFL will certainly value Shemar Stewart more than I personally do, so he could go even higher than this come April. Stewart is an extremely toolsy defender who has rare length, explosiveness, and power. His lack of production is concerning, however, and he lacks a consistent rush plan. With that said, his physical traits are tantalizing and will be too hard for the Cardinals to pass on.
17) Cincinnati Bengals
Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
Starks is another favorite of mine and could easily go much higher than No. 17. He is an outstanding safety who offers excellent athleticism and coverage ability.
He is a playmaker on the back end and is exactly what Cincinnati needs to start rebuilding this now-depleted defense. He would give this defense a true blue-chip player in the secondary, a necessary step in slowing down AFC quarterbacks.
18) Seattle Seahawks
Armand Membou, OT, Missouri
The Seattle Seahawks have done a heck of a job drafting in recent years and has wisely invested in the trenches. That theme continues here with the addition of Membou.
Membou is a highly productive blocker who simply lacks prototypical NFL size at tackle. He plays with good athleticism overall and displays good power in the run game. But the lack of length will give teams pause and make them question where Membou should line up. He could ultimately kick inside to guard and would be a nice fit to the interior of Seattle’s offensive line.
19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
Corner has been a need in Tampa Bay for quite some time and here they finally address the position by drafting one of my favorite prospects in this whole class, Jahdae Barron.
Barron was primarily a nickel defender last season but successfully made the transition to outside corner this Fall — and he excelled. Barron is a smooth mover with excellent length and instincts. He will be an immediate contributor in the Bucs’ defensive backfield.
20) Denver Broncos
Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
The Broncos found their quarterback of the future in Bo Nix and now the team must do everything it can to properly build around him.
Jeanty is a top-five player in this class for me and is a true difference-maker at running back, capable of changing games with his ability to hit explosive runs. Denver’s running game was putrid last season, and the team lacks juice in the backfield — this feels like a match made in heaven.
21) Pittsburgh Steelers
Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
Tough. Physical. Reliable. Those are words that come to mind when describing a Pittsburgh Steeler. Those are also words that just so happen to describe Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka.
Egbuka is a highly productive slot receiver, offering excellent hands and separation quickness. He is a chain-mover who would be a great complement next to a big-play receiver like George Pickens.
22) Los Angeles Chargers
Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall
With Khalil Mack potentially moving on from Los Angeles this offseason, the Chargers will be in need of additional pass-rush help as they continue to build this defense.
Mike Green is coming off a successful week at the Senior Bowl where he displayed his exceptional burst and length while rushing the passer. Green projects as an eventual double-digit sack artist at the next level and would be a welcomed addition to the Bolts.
23) Green Bay Packers
Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
The Devonte Wyatt experiment hasn’t gone as well as many Green Bay Packers fans would have hoped. Luckily for them, this draft is loaded with defensive tackles.
Oregon’s Derrick Harmon is a disruptive force inside and plays with quick twitch and power to wreak havoc. He would be a great addition to the Packers’ defensive front that continues to add young talent.
24) Minnesota Vikings
Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
Minnesota will eventually need to replace Harrison Smith, and they take their first swing here with the selection of the ultra-talented Nick Emmanwori.
Emmanwori offers outstanding range and coverage ability but also has the size and physicality to be a difference-maker in the run game. He would give the Vikings another young athletic defender for defensive coordinator Brian Flores to get creative with.
25) Houston Texans
Tyler Booker, IOL, Alabama
Watching the Texans’ offense this season was oftentimes a brutal experience as we would be subjected to watching C.J. Stroud run for his life. The interior of this offensive line struggled mightily throughout the season, and the Texans would be wise to address this issue to ensure Stroud remains upright.
Tyler Booker is one of the cleaner evaluations in this year’s class and would be an immediate upgrade at guard for Houston. He offers excellent size and power while also displaying good overall movement skills climbing to the second level.
26) Los Angeles Rams
Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
The Los Angeles Rams have arguably been the best drafting team in recent seasons, and a big reason for that is their dedication to investing in the trenches. General manager Les Snead knows that the best way to build a roster is inside out, so taking a talented pass protector in Josh Simmons makes a lot of sense here.
Simmons is an athletic tackle with excellent feet who likely would have been drafted a lot higher had he not missed time due to injury this season. He would give the Rams a foundational piece along the offensive line.
27) Baltimore Ravens
Donovan Jackson, IOL, Ohio State
Donovan Jackson was one of the better storylines of the college football season. He was an All-American at left guard for the Buckeyes but was forced to kick outside to left tackle after Josh Simmons was injured midseason. Jackson not only survived at tackle but thrived and was arguably better playing outside.
This versatility will be attractive to the Ravens — they may have a need at both left tackle and guard depending on what happens with Ronnie Stanley.
28) Detroit Lions
Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
The Lions’ defense was decimated with injuries this season, but when healthy, the unit is one of the best in the NFL. Detroit could still use some more juice inside at defensive tackle, and Walter Nolen would be a tremendous fit.
He is a quick-twitched interior rusher who would be a force inside and would also give Aidan Hutchinson more one-on-one opportunities.
29) Washington Commanders
Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
It’s pretty safe to assume that the Commanders will be using the 29th pick on an offensive player to help support their young superstar quarterback, Jayden Daniels. While adding an offensive lineman is tempting, Luther Burden III is too talented of a player to pass up.
While I have questions about Burden ever being a well-rounded, true WR1, his playmaking ability with the ball in his hands is impossible to ignore. He would be a tremendous fit opposite Terry McLaurin.
30) Buffalo Bills
Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
The Bills are so close to finally breaking through, and all they need is just a few more pieces. Adding a player like Kenneth Grant would be another positive step in the right direction. Grant is a massive defender who plays with surprising quickness and agility inside the defensive line.
31) Kansas City Chiefs
Marcus Mbow, OT, Purdue
We knew the Chiefs would need to address their offensive line this offseason, and after the Super Bowl, it is undoubtedly priority No. 1.
Marcus Mbow is an athletic offensive linemen with very good quickness, balance, and flexibility. He has played both guard and right tackle in college and could be the Chiefs’ best option to replace Trey Smith at guard should they lose him in free agency.
32) Philadelphia Eagles
Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
Death, taxes, Howie Roseman getting a major steal. Matthew Golden is one of the best receivers in this class and falls all the way to the last pick of the first round. While receiver isn’t a pressing need for the Eagles, it would be wise to continue to add talent to the room. Golden can come in and compete for the team’s third receiver spot instantly.