Welcome to my first mock draft for the 2025 NFL Draft cycle! This year I will be integrating last year’s NFL Draft Model into more of my decision-making process for this NFL Draft cycle. However, we are still waiting on critical data this early in the process, so this first mock will focus on team needs and rough player values. So to kick things off, there will be no trades in this mock. This allows us to better gauge player values. Let’s get to it!
Also, be sure to check out our entire 2025 NFL Draft Guide.
- 2025 NFL Draft Guide
- 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Reports
- 2025 NFL Mock Drafts
- Dynasty Mock Draft Simulator
2025 NFL Mock Draft (Round 1)
1. Tennessee Titans: Cam Ward (QB -MIA)
The Titans need to keep things simple at the top of this year’s NFL Draft. Simply put: They need a quarterback not named Will Levis. Under the guidance of passing specialist Brian Callahan, the Titans just could not get their offense rolling smoothly all year. Cam Ward brings nearly five years of starting experience to the table across three schools but culminated his collegiate career with a dominating season for the Miami FL Hurricanes.
2. Cleveland Browns: Shedeur Sanders (QB – COLO)
Deshaun Watson‘s latest re-injury and surgery opens the doorway for the Cleveland Browns to rid themselves of him. I believe that they will take that opportunity and then draft his replacement in turn. Shedeur Sanders played excellently under his father at Colorado for the last two seasons but stands on his talent laurels just fine. He just never quite hit the ceiling that Cam Ward did this season.
3. New York Giants: Travis Hunter (CB – COLO)
Travis Hunter is a fascinating two-way NFL prospect, the likes of which we haven’t seen since Charles Woodson – except better as a prospect. For the sake of how I believe NFL teams will view Hunter, I have him listed as a cornerback. With that being said, the Giants have gaping holes at both CB and WR this cycle. As things stand, his floor is this pick with an outside shot of going 2nd overall as well.
4. New England Patriots: Will Campbell (OT – LSU)
The Patriots landed a great quarterback in Drake Maye last year, and that translated on the field by the end of the season. However, the Patriots are severely lacking in both protection and receivers. The 2025 NFL Draft will yield better day-two receivers than it will offensive linemen, so the Patriots will grab Will Campbell out of LSU. The 6’6″ behemoth allowed just four sacks on 1,593 pass-blocking snaps, per PFF.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Mason Graham (DT – MICH)
Mason Graham may be the best all-around defender in this draft class. He’s been making plays since day one as a true freshman for the Michigan Wolverines. The Jaguars struggled defensively in the 2024 season and will take all the talent they can get in this draft.
Michigan DT Mason Graham put on a 1 min highlight reel by himself against Ohio State. Dominant performance for a top-5 player in this NFL Draft class. pic.twitter.com/HXUdsgfyuC
— Cory (@fakecorykinnan) December 2, 2024
6. Las Vegas Raiders: Will Johnson (CB – MICH)
The Raiders are in dire need of secondary help, so this pick is a slam dunk. Will Johnson suffered from a bout with turf toe this year but has an elite frame and talent to boot. His physicality as a cornerback has assisted him greatly in his tackling and during press coverage when called upon.
7. New York Jets: Abdul Carter (EDGE – PSU)
If there is a “trade up for” candidate in the top ten of this year’s draft, it’s Abdul Carter. Edge isn’t the most glaring need for the Jets, but if Carter is there at pick seven, you sprint to the podium. Carter posted 13 sacks and 43 hurries for Penn State this season, which showcased his twitchy and explosive pass-rushing prowess.
8. Carolina Panthers: Tetairoa McMillan (WR – ARIZ)
At the end of the regular season, Bryce Young was showing why he was selected first overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. Even so, the Panthers will need more talent on the field for Young to target. Enter Tetairoa McMillan, who possesses a size/talent combo that is second to none in this class.
At 6'5", Tetairoa McMillan played 23% of his snaps out of the slot.
On slot routes he led the FBS with 4.48 yprr (min 30 slot tgt).
Big. Slot.
— Kent Weyrauch (@KentWeyrauch) January 22, 2025
9. New Orleans Saints: Mykel Williams (EDGE – UGA)
With Chase Young likely heading to free agency, the Saints will need some help on the defensive line. Mykel Williams is a former 5-star prospect who has shown flashes of brilliance during his tenure with the Georgia Bulldogs. If Williams can dial in his snap timing and bendability, then he has a great chance to succeed at the NFL level.
10. Chicago Bears: Kelvin Banks Jr. (OT – TEX)
I believe that Braxton Jones needs to be replaced at the left tackle position for the Bears. Caleb Williams likes to extend plays – for better or worse – so shoring up the offensive line should return dividends. Interior linemen are also a need, but more plentiful in the middle rounds. Kelvin Banks Jr. put together an outstanding three-year collegiate career with Texas, where he allowed only four sacks and 34 total pressures on 1,543 pass-blocking snaps, per PFF.
11. San Francisco 49ers: Josh Simmons (OT – OSU)
The Niners faced their litany of protection issues this season. That coupled with injuries to Trent Williams and their skill position players caused them to ultimately miss the playoffs. While Josh Simmons played left tackle for Ohio State, he also had experience at right tackle when he played at San Diego State. Additionally, his size isn’t considered elite by NFL standards, so he could start on the interior until Trent Williams departs in a year or two.
12. Dallas Cowboys: Ashton Jeanty (RB – BSU)
Let’s be honest, this just screams a “Jerruh” pick, doesn’t it? Nevertheless, Jeanty is a *cough* generational running back who fell just a few yards short of breaking Barry Sanders’ single-season rushing record. His 30-touchdown season was a sight to behold and secured his place in the top half of the NFL Draft.
13. Miami Dolphins: Malaki Starks (S – UGA)
As of today, the Dolphins are slated to lose both Jevon Holland and Jordan Poyer to free agency. Not to mention Marcus Maye and Poyer are both north of 30 years old and likely need to be replaced with younger talent. Malaki Starks was a very highly rated prospect before heading to Georgia, where he played up to his rating. As a three-year starter, he missed an astoundingly low 6.9% of his tackles.
14. Indianapolis Colts: Tyler Warren (TE – PSU)
Did Tyler Warren wait until his fifth year of college to break out? Yeah. Does that matter? Not in the slightest. The Colts have been playing musical tight end for years now, and they’d love to get their hands on a mainstay offensive weapon. Tyler Warren is that dude. He tallied 1,233 receiving yards and eight touchdowns with Penn State and showcased his pure hands during the college playoffs.
15. Atlanta Falcons: Nic Scourton (EDGE – TAMU)
The Falcons have many needs defensively, but Edge stands out as one of the largest ones as of right now. Between Matthew Judon, Kentavius Street, and Lorenzo Carter they are losing 641 total pass-rushing snaps from last season. At Texas A&M, Nic Scourton stepped into a major role after transferring from Purdue. There he delivered 36 total pressures, four sacks, and 22 run stops.
16. Arizona Cardinals: Kenneth Grant (DT – MICH)
For a man who weighs 339 pounds, Kenneth Grant should not be able to move as quickly as he does. During his two years as a starter, the big man from Michigan handled A and B gap duties with ease. He garnered eight sacks, 52 total pressures, and 47 tackles as an elite combo interior pass-rusher/run-stopper.
17. Cincinnati Bengals: Luther Burden III (WR – MIZZ)
This pick would be under the assumption that Tee Higgins exits to free agency this offseason. Burden is a former five-star recruit that shows it on every play. Missouri made a concentrated effort to get the ball into Burden’s hands because they trusted him to make a play after that. He tallied 2,263 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns during his time as a Mizzou Tiger.
18. Seattle Seahawks: Armand Membou (OT – MIZZ)
Membou is one of the offensive tackles to watch at the Senior Bowl this year. His measurements came in strong (6036 height, 332 lbs, 34-inch arms), and people love his tape. The Seahawks could use help at multiple positions on their line, so Membou offers versatility there.
The more I watch #Missouri RT Armand Membou, the more he moves up my board
He just checks so many boxes — strength, athleticism, agility, balance, coordination, smarts, etc ✅
????: Here’s 2 and a half minutes of him against the vaunted South Carolina D-line ???? pic.twitter.com/zowjYGr1Gu
— The Draft Room (@TheDraftRoomNFL) January 27, 2025
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: James Pearce Jr. (EDGE – TENN)
The Bucs need another pass-rusher across from Yaya Diaby. James Pearce Jr. logged 21 sacks and 71 hurries in his two seasons as a starter for Tennessee – truly dominating opposing offenses. His size and athleticism are ideal and he even played a few solid snaps in coverage during his tenure.
20. Denver Broncos: Emeka Egbuka (WR – OSU)
It seems like Bo Nix is the real deal. And even better news for Broncos fans is that he succeeded with Courtland Sutton and a collection of mediocre pass-catchers this last season. Add in Emeka Egbuka and this offense could get cooking! His experience and red zone prowess could help elevate Nix and the Broncos’ offense to the next level.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Benjamin Morrison (CB – ND)
For cornerbacks entering the NFL, one of the key attributes is dexterity. Benjamin Morrison has that in spades. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to assist Notre Dame in the National Championship, but before getting injured, he was playing lights-out coverage. On 129 targets seen as an Irish, Morrison allowed a meager 45.7% catch rate and allowed zero touchdowns in coverage during his final season.
22. Los Angeles Chargers: Colston Loveland (TE – MICH)
Even though Tyler Warren received more recent hype, Loveland is arguably every bit as good of a prospect despite never posting a truly elite season as Warren did. Instead, Loveland was an early contributor to the Michigan offense as a true freshman, then only got better each year. He could use some work as a blocker, but posted yards per route run metrics of 2.67 and 2.38 in his last two seasons.
NFL Draft Profile
23. Green Bay Packers: Shavon Revel (CB – ECU)
I’ll let the 2-Minute Drills guys make the pun, so I don’t have to. This long-armed traits machine played extremely well for East Carolina but had his 2024 season cut short due to an ACL tear. It’s hard to ignore Revel when he’s on his game, but does still needs some work in zone coverage to reach his ceiling.
24. Minnesota Vikings: Jahdae Barron (CB – TEX)
Another year that the Vikings need to draft a cornerback, drink. But seriously, drafting secondary has been a challenge for the Vikings in recent years. With that being said, I do think that Jahdae Barron would be a great fit for the Vikings. He’s played almost every possible alignment possible, and done a pretty decent job no matter the assignment. If the Vikings manage to retain Flores, he could use Barron in creative ways.
25. Houston Texans: Tyleik Williams (DT – OSU)
I would say that Tyleik Williams has the potential to be the best run-defending 3-tech in this draft class. If he can fix some of his pass-rushing miscues, he could be a steal in the late first round. The Texans have a pretty big hole on their defensive interior, and Williams would fill that hole perfectly.
NFL Draft Profile
26. Los Angeles Rams: Josh Conerly Jr. (OT – ORE)
When the lights shined the brightest for the Rams, Matthew Stafford was sacked five times by the Eagles’ ferocious defensive line. Not to mention, as things stand the Rams have zero viable tackles under contract after next season. They need a long-term plan, even if they re-sign Alaric Jackson. Josh Conerly Jr. played exceptionally for the Oregon Ducks and allowed just nine total pressures on 521 pass-blocking snaps during the 2024 season.
27. Baltimore Ravens: Wyatt Milum (OT – WVU)
The Ravens have an all-around solid squad, but with Ronnie Stanley currently slated to hit free agency, they need to re-assess their offensive line. Wyatt Milum has the experience as a 3-year starter to replace Stanley on the left side. Not to mention, he did not allow a single sack during that stretch.
28. Detroit Lions: Jalon Walker (LB – UGA)
Despite being listed as a linebacker, Jalon Walker projects more as a 3-4 OLB at the next level. His pass rush is fueled by elite athleticism and extremely high motor. His versatility should have him on several teams’ boards as we approach the NFL Draft.
NFL Draft Profile
29. Washington Commanders: Shemar Stewart (EDGE – TAMU)
The Commanders made a valiant effort to reach the Super Bowl but ultimately fell short. Improving their pass rush could be a key focus for them as they approach this offseason. Stewart is a big man who can MOVE. He’s somewhat unrefined in his pass-rush toolkit but has the explosiveness to succeed at the next level with training.
Texas A&M Edge Shemar Stewart vs LSU’s Emery Jones #TheDraftStartsInMOBILE pic.twitter.com/6FbxCPpYiD
— Mason Kinnahan (@Mason_Kinnahan) January 28, 2025
30. Buffalo Bills: Mike Green (EDGE – MRSH)
I’d expect the Bills to focus on a wide receiver here, but the board doesn’t quite fit their needs. Instead, they will grab Mike Green from Marshall, who hasn’t sported a first-rounder since Byron Leftwich in 2003. And let me tell you, it’s deserved. Green smashed opposing offensive lines to the tune of 17(!) sacks this last season, which led the entire FBS.
31. Philadelphia Eagles: Derrick Harmon (DT – ORE)
Hey, you know how the Eagles have a great front seven? It’s about to get a whole lot better. Harmon has played a variety of assignments and alignments on the defensive line. He could easily be a partial replacement for the losses of Milton Williams and Josh Sweat.
NFL Draft Profile
32. Kansas City Chiefs: Aireontae Ersery (OT – MINN)
If the Chiefs pull off the three-peat, then they will be sitting here at the 32nd pick ready to select Aireontae Ersery from Minnesota. Ersery was a five-year player and a three-year starter for the Golden Gophers. He never allowed more than 15 pressures or two sacks in any season. And at 6’6″ 330 lbs, he has the size to contribute at the NFL level.
Check out all of our 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Reports
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