Summer NFL Draft scouting is well underway, and the 2024 season is just a month away.
To celebrate the festivities, we combined two of our favorite pastimes to form a new one: NFL Draft + EA Sports College Football 25 = a brand new 2025 NFL Mock Draft.
Mock drafts are basically a game at this point of the season, so why not commit to the bit? We simulated a season in the College Football 25 Dynasty game mode, and the results were … interesting, to say the least. But that’s for another article. In this one, we look at the players who were selected in Round 1 of the virtual 2025 NFL Draft.
2025 NFL Mock Draft | Round 1
For those curious, the Utah Utes defeated the Oregon Ducks to take home the national championship, and Hawaii QB Brayden Schager won the Heisman Trophy after throwing for 4,000+ yards, 48 touchdowns, and just four interceptions.
Realistic? No, but it’s a video game, after all.
College Football 25 only provides the round players were drafted, so we filled in the team and pick number based on team need and fit. Additionally, we used the FREE Pro Football Mock Draft Simulator, now equipped with a multi-user experience, for the draft order.
One caveat for the QBs below: just like in actual college stats, QB rushing numbers are impacted by sacks, so it’s safe to inflate their yardage a decent amount.
Note: All stats are from the simulated College Football 25 season unless otherwise stated.
1) Carolina Panthers: Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama
If the Panthers are selecting No. 1 overall again, they could very well move on from Bryce Young. That’s exactly what they do here, replacing one former Alabama signal-caller with another.
Jalen Milroe completed a whopping 78% of his passes (65.8% in 2023) for 3,674 yards, 38 TDs, and seven INTs. He added another 643 yards and 11 scores on the ground while taking just 18 sacks.
Unfortunately, the Crimson Tide fell to Georgia in the SEC Championship and the second round of the expanded College Football Playoff. But Milroe showcased the arm talent and dual-threat ability Carolina wanted in its next face of the franchise.
2) Tennessee Titans: James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee
James Pearce Jr. stays in Nashville, retiring his Vols jersey to don a Titans one.
After generating 10 sacks last season, he came back and delivered 11 more on a Tennessee team that finished the year 4-8. The Titans fell in love with Pearce’s motor, as he never quit despite his team seemingly doing so early in the year.
3) New England Patriots: Will Campbell, OT, LSU
The Patriots need a franchise left tackle to protect Drake Maye under center. Enter Will Campbell.
Injuries held him to eight games, but Campbell allowed just three sacks on the blindside, giving LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier exactly what New England expects from him: Time.
4) Denver Broncos: Deone Walker, DT, Kentucky
Defensive tackles who are 6’6″ and 348 pounds should not be able to move the way Deone Walker does.
He proved he could create his own pressure last year, recording 7.5 sacks. However, Walker took it to a new level in College Football 25, reaching 12 sacks, adding a blocked field goal and a safety for good measure.
The Broncos have longed for an intimidating pass-rush presence, and they don’t get much more intimidating than Walker in the 2025 class.
5) Las Vegas Raiders: Carson Beck, QB, Georgia
Carson Beck could’ve easily gone No. 1 overall following a 5,000+ yard, 50+ TD season, but the Raiders won’t complain about him falling to No. 5.
Perhaps the Panthers were nervous about his 13 INTs and 35 sacks taken, but Beck has the anticipation and layering ability of a future franchise passer.
6) New York Giants: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
Schager may have won the Heisman, but one could argue it was Shedeur Sanders‘ award following a 4,000+ yard, 45-TD, and four-INT campaign. He even posted his best rushing season, taking 97 carries for 378 yards and a score.
Nevertheless, the Buffalos went 5-7, while the Rainbow Warriors won the Mountain West and finished 9-4, giving Schager the advantage.
But there is no doubt that Sanders is one of the best QB prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft, owning the effortless mobility, arm talent, and accuracy to cure the Giants’ Daniel Jones affliction quickly.
7) Arizona Cardinals: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
Arizona desperately needs an interior pass rusher — good thing Mason Graham fell right into its lap. The Wolverines went from national champions to a first-round exit, but don’t blame Graham, as he registered 23.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks.
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His lateral quickness and first-step explosiveness are a nightmare for offensive linemen to handle. If they don’t work on their own, he has the heavy hands to club them backward.
8) Washington Commanders: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson are stellar WRs, but they are both 6’0″ or shorter. Thus, Washington grabs one of the biggest-bodied pass catchers on the board in Tetairoa McMillan (6’5″, 210 pounds). He didn’t relive his 90-1,402-10 receiving line from 2023, but 57-1,040-11 is nothing to scoff at.
Although he is widely regarded for his sky-walking contested-catch appeal, McMillan is actually quite flexible as a route runner, allowing him to create separation more often than not.
9) New Orleans Saints: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
Will Johnson could’ve started in the NFL as a true sophomore last season. At 6’2″ and 202 pounds, he has all the physical tools to be a shutdown corner, not to mention his easy-to-see intangibles: competitiveness, patience, and high football IQ.
Johnson’s INTs dropped from three and four in his first two years to zero in College Football 25, simply due to offenses opting to ignore his side of the field. But he didn’t let that stop him from making an even bigger impact, as he racked up 64 tackles, more than his previous career total (54).
10) Minnesota Vikings: Travis Hunter, WR, Colorado
College football’s versions of Shohei Ohtani, Travis Hunter has thrived as a WR and a CB. However, Colorado decided to move him to the offensive side of the ball full-time in College Football 25, as he didn’t take a single defensive snap.
The defense suffered because of the decision, but Hunter enjoyed success in his role, taking 59 passes for 1,047 yards and 11 TDs, although he did have six drops.
His smooth athleticism and body control make him dangerous at both positions, but the Vikings keep Hunter where he played last.
11) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame
Notre Dame’s Benjamin Morrison won the Best Cornerback of the Year award, snatching five INTs and four more PBUs. Coverage statistics are supposed to be volatile year over year, but Morrison didn’t get the memo.
As a true freshman in 2022, he put his name on the map with six interceptions. Then, he came right back and put up 10 PBUs and three INTs in 2023.
At 6’0″ and 185 pounds, Morrison brings his movement skills and instincts to smother WRs for the Buccaneers’ secondary.
12) Seattle Seahawks: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
From 2022-23, Malaki Starks notched five INTs and 14 PBUs. In College Football 25, he caught another two picks, broke up five more passes, and forced two fumbles because he could.
Georgia’s Swiss Army knife clearly has the playmaking gene in coverage, but he’s also one of the best tacklers in the nation and revels in crashing the box.
13) Indianapolis Colts: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
The Wolverines “struggled” in their first year without Jim Harbaugh, dropping four games, but TE Colston Loveland did all he could to keep them alive. He led the team in receptions (45), yards (535), and TDs (six), serving as starting QB Alex Orji’s favorite target.
Now, Loveland be able to do the same for the uber-athletic Anthony Richardson in Indianapolis.
14) Pittsburgh Steelers: Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oregon
Only a few QBs had a more prolific season than Dillon Gabriel in his first season with the Ducks (which we could be saying in real life as well). He led Oregon all the way to the national championship, throwing for 4,411 yards, 40 TDs, and 10 INTs with a 70% completion rate. Gabriel also tapped into his legs, rushing for 490 yards and three more scores.
Of course, Oregon fell to their former Pac-12 foe Utah in the title match, but that didn’t stop the Steelers from pulling the trigger on their new QB1.
Russell Wilson’s done, and the Justin Fields experiment failed — it’s time for the DG era.
15) Jacksonville Jaguars: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
Kelvin Banks Jr. set foot in Austin and immediately shined at left tackle, particularly in pass protection. The former five-star recruit has lived up to his billing and then some, and in College Football 25’s simulation, he conceded just four sacks on 920 snaps played.
The Jaguars have filled Trevor Lawrence’s toy box — it’s time to put up the protective gate around him.
16) Cleveland Browns: Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia
At 6’5″ and 265 pounds, Mykel Williams began his career as a defensive end for Georgia but has since moved to outside linebacker. In 2024, he wreaked havoc in his first year starting, amassing 70 tackles, 17 TFLs, six sacks, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.
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Williams is long and powerful enough to set the edge against the run, with the violence to shed blocks before linemen know what happened. Shooting off the line with a blazing first step, Williams has the physical gifts to form the deadliest pass-rush duo with Myles Garrett.
17) Los Angeles Rams: Aireontae Ersery, OT, Minnesota
The Golden Gophers weren’t allowed to run often due to needing to catch up on the scoreboard, but when they did, they averaged 6+ yards per carry. Having a 6’6″ and 336-pound behemoth at tackle certainly helped, as Aireontae Ersery easily overwhelms smaller defenders at the point of attack.
18) Los Angeles Chargers: Ollie Gordon IV, RB, Oklahoma State
The 2023 Doak Walker Award winner went back-to-back, gliding to 1,233 yards and eight scores.
Ollie Gordon II‘s 15 carries of 20+ yards ranked first in the nation, and his 42 broken tackles ranked second. He may have fallen short of his 2,000-total-yard campaign from the year before, but the Oklahoma State RB proved he wasn’t a one-hit wonder.
Jim Harbaugh needs a workhorse back with the flexibility, contact balance, and vision to pick up yardage routinely. Gordon is the perfect man for the job.
19) Chicago Bears: Tate Ratledge, G, Georgia
Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze could start the Great Chicago Fire Part 2 on offense, but Williams will need time to get the ball to his playmakers. The OT spots are solid enough, but Tate Ratledge would solidify the interior.
Defenses may have sacked Beck 35 times, but Ratledge only forfeited four of them on 922 snaps, and he helped pave the way for the ninth-ranked rushing attack.
20) Atlanta Falcons: Malachi Moore, DB, Alabama
Is Malachi Moore a first-round pick? In July 2022, I wrote the following in Moore’s scouting report:
“We need to see Moore rebound in 2022 before placing him in the Day 1 conversation. But the raw talent, athletic gifts, and size make for a compelling NFL Draft prospect. Moore’s versatility will benefit him, as he can line up and succeed wherever a defense needs him to.”
Two years later, most of that paragraph still applies. Moore would need an exceptional year in order to hear his name called in the first round. So how did he do in the College Football 25 simulation? He had 49 tackles, one INT, and two other PBUs. Yeah, not all that impressive.
I’m still a fan of Moore and reaches happen all the time in the draft, but the game’s draft logic may need a tune-up.
21) Miami Dolphins: Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
Across two seasons at Texas A&M, former five-star Walter Nolen largely won on talent alone, but Ole Miss believes they can unlock his potential, which is exactly what they did in College Football 25.
Nolen surpassed his career TFL (13 to 11) and sack (10.5 to five) numbers in just one season and instantly entered the draft. If he enjoys similar success in real life, he could hear his name called even higher.
22) Green Bay Packers: Jonah Monheim, OL, USC
Jonah Monheim can line up anywhere on the offensive line but has played most of his career at tackle (both left and right). Mauling defenders isn’t rare from the USC lineman, but he’s clearly spent most of his time in the pass-blocking lab.
He kept Caleb Williams’ jersey clean over the last two years, and that wasn’t always easy with the former Trojans quarterback’s pocket tendencies. Miller Moss lowered the difficulty in 2024, resulting in Monheim allowing four sacks on 1,006 snaps while playing at center and guard.
23) New York Jets: Garrett Greene, QB, West Virginia
If you thought Moore going on Day 1 was crazy…
In his first year as the full-time starter in 2023, Garrett Greene put up an unspectacular stat line as a passer: 53% completion rate, 2,406 yards, 16 TDs, and four INTs. However, he tore defenses apart as a rusher, running for 772 yards and 13 scores.
Greene’s ground numbers fell in 2024 (103-555-1), but he improved as a QB, reaching 3,029 yards with 26 TDs and 13 INTs at a 68% clip. He led the Mountaineers to their first double-digit win season (10-4) since 2016 and a playoff berth. But is he worth a Round 2 selection?
No. The highest you’ll see an analyst grade him is sometime on Day 2, but there isn’t enough there to warrant a first-round pick, even if his stats were better than what he produced in College Football 25.
24) Houston Texans: Barrett Carter, LB, Clemson
Barrett Carter is the epitome of a modern linebacker with the size, speed, and power to be a chess piece on defense. Blitz him off the edge, send him to cover from the slot, or have him fill gaps in the run game from the box — he can do it all.
While he’s one of the best LBs to user in College Football 25, the CPU couldn’t harness his potential, as he recorded just 58 tackles, five TFLs, and three sacks. But on the real gridiron, Carter should vastly improve in 2024, as 2023 was his first playing full-time at the second level.
25) Dallas Cowboys: Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
The Cowboys will get by with Ezekiel Elliott, Deuce Vaughn, and Rico Dowdle this season, but they need an every-down back. Omarion Hampton is what the doctor ordered at 6’0″ and 220 pounds.
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While Drake Maye conducted the offense, Hampton was the engine, rushing for 1,504 yards and 15 TDs. Even with defenses stacking the box more often in 2024, Hampton ran for 1,019 yards, 16 TDs, and a nation-leading 48 broken tackles.
Hampton’s footwork and vision behind the line of scrimmage capitalize on his athletic gifts and will continue to find paydirt in Jerry World.
26) Philadelphia Eagles: Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
Luther Burden III is a Heisman candidate as a true junior and the top WR in the country. However, he didn’t live up to the hype in College Football 25. He reeled in just 49 passes for 775 yards and four TDs, which were all third on the team. It was a rough year overall for the Tigers, as they went 6-6 and missed the playoffs.
Still, after displaying his playmaking ability as a true freshman, LBIII torched SEC defenses to the tune of 1,212 yards and nine scores in 2023. With the speed, body control, and route-running nuance of a pro, Burden’s potential is off the charts.
27) Cincinnati Bengals: Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State
Quinshon Judkins took the SEC’s “It just means more” mantra to heart in his first two years on the collegiate level, totaling 2,725 rushing yards and 31 TDs. However, he left the conference to chase a ring with the Buckeyes, which he failed to do.
Ohio State forced him to split work right down the middle with incumbent starter TreVeyon Henderson, resulting in Judkins’ worst season yet (91-479-7). Instead of returning for another go-round or transferring out, he felt he put enough on tape over his two seasons at Ole Miss to earn a Round 1 selection, and he was right.
Without Joe Mixon, the Bengals’ RB room is in flux, something Judkins can solve from Day 1.
28) Buffalo Bills: Quincy Riley, CB, Louisville
To survive in the QB-heavy AFC, the Bills need game-changing DBs — Louisville’s Quincy Riley meets that standard. Over the last four seasons (first two at Middle Tennessee, last two at Louisville), he has showcased his ball skills with 13 INTs and 39 pass deflections.
You’d think offenses would learn, but they didn’t in College Football 25, as Riley hauled in another three INTs and seven PBUs in a lost 3-9 season for the Cardinals.
29) Detroit Lions: Danny Stutsman, LB, Oklahoma
Entering the 2024 season, Danny Stutsman started 25 of 35 career games, accounting for 267 tackles, 28 TFLs, seven sacks, three INTs, eight PBUs, and four forced fumbles. In the College Football 25 simulation, he hit his third straight 100+ tackle campaign (111) and delivered two sacks and five PBUs.
He is a throwback linebacker at 6’4″ and 241 pounds, making his money scraping and rallying in run defense. Yet, Stutsman is also a capable blitzer and zone coverage defender. I’d say that’s about as Dan Campbell as a prospect can get.
30) Baltimore Ravens: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
If you watched Ravens football last year, it was clear they needed WR help. Baltimore selected UNC’s Devontez Walker in Round 4 of the NFL Draft, but that’s not enough.
Emeka Egbuka is a first-round talent who dealt with injuries last season and has been buried under several other first-round talents in recent years.
It happened again in 2024, with true freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith operating as the WR1 (57-841-8), but Egbuka was still productive (43-727-11), flashing the skill set Baltimore needs on the outside.
31) San Francisco 49ers: Jay Higgins, LB, Iowa
We saw how the 49ers’ defense looked after LB Dre Greenlaw went down in the Super Bowl, and with his contract up after this season, they’ll need a replacement.
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Jay Higgins fits the mold of a standout Iowa defender: Disciplined, a good athlete, a sure tackler, and has a nose for the ball. He led the country in total tackles last year (171) and did so again in College Football 25 (180), showcasing his consistent vision.
32) Kansas City Chiefs: Sebastian Castro, DB, Iowa
The Chiefs completed the three-peat! Now, they aim for four straight Super Bowls like the 1991-94 Buffalo Bills, except, you know, all wins instead of all losses.
To help their endeavors, Kansas City brings in slot savant Sebastian Castro. His two INTs and four PBUs are a far cry from his three and 11 in 2023, but that’s because offenses stopped testing him.
At 5’11”, 204 pounds, Castro is a rocked-up nickel with the size to fill gaps in run defense and the athleticism to shut down the short and intermediate parts of the field in coverage.
