News
8/8/24
13 min read
2025 NFL Mock Draft: Latest First-Round Predictions As Preseason Kicks Off
The 2025 NFL Draft is slowly coming more into focus as training camp and preseason action are upon us. With summer scouting all but wrapped up as we wait for Week 0 of the college football season, we're left plugging in where we think the top talents could make their biggest impact.
Knowing what we know today about team needs and how each player has excelled thus far, each pick of this first-round mock looks to find the perfect pairing. We'll see risers and fallers emerge throughout the year, but now is the right time to take a snapshot of how this class is viewed.
2025 NFL Mock Draft
We used the reverse order of Super Bowl odds for this draft order.
1. Carolina Panthers 
Selection: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
Finding disruptive playmakers on the defensive interior is one of the most difficult tasks for NFL general managers. The 2025 class is filled with projected impactful pass-rushers, but Michigan's Mason Graham stands out as the best defensive tackle of the group.
The Carolina Panthers' offense should improve enough this fall to justify adding a foundational piece to the defensive side of the ball.
2. New England Patriots 
Selection: Will Campbell, OT, LSU
There are high-end edge defenders available, and even some receivers could garner consideration No. 2 overall. However, it'd be irresponsible for the New England Patriots to pass on a franchise left tackle.
LSU's Will Campbell is the cream of the crop early on, boasting tremendous footwork and natural strength.
3. Denver Broncos 
Selection: James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee
James Pearce Jr. is the hottest name at the top of the pass-rusher class, but he'll need a strong fall to stay in the driver's seat. Reminiscent of Jevon Kearse, Pearce's pure speed wreaks havoc for apprehensive blockers. He projects as a perennial Pro Bowler and star presence.
4. Washington Commanders 
Selection: Nic Scourton, EDGE, Texas A&M
After trading Chase Young and Montez Sweat last year, the Washington Commanders must add someone to shape its pass-rushing unit around. Nic Scourton, at 6-foot-4, 285 pounds, has Travon Walker-like fluidity and explosiveness for his massive frame. He's more polished than Walker and can immediately become an impact rookie.
5. Tennessee Titans 
Selection: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
It's popular to mock a new quarterback to the Tennessee Titans, but what if Will Levis is average or better in Year 2 with an improved scheme and surrounding cast?
This defensive class is loaded, and Will Johnson is as close to Sauce Gardner as possible. The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder is a ballhawk while providing elite man coverage skills.
6. New York Giants 
Selection: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
Get ready for the unending Shedeur Sanders hot takes this fall. We know he's a hard worker who has improved massively since entering college and possesses high-end accuracy and playmaking ability.
If his pre-snap processing and quick game improve, he can be the first quarterback off the board and project close to a top-10 NFL passer.
>> READ: Full Shedeur Sanders Film Breakdown
7) Las Vegas Raiders 
Selection: Carson Beck, QB, Georgia
The 2025 quarterback class is certainly up for grabs. Carson Beck's blend of accuracy, processing, and performance under pressure makes him the easiest of the bunch to project.
He might not have the huge upside that allows him to fight off late bloomers with better traits, but he's the surest bet we've seen in the crop.
>> READ: Full Carson Beck Film Breakdown
8) Arizona Cardinals 
#Kentucky IDL Deone Walker (6-6, 348)
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) July 16, 2024
Unique athleticism for his size. Multiple front space eater that also has active hands and short-area quickness. pic.twitter.com/vaq3sC5lS2
Selection: Deone Walker, DT, Kentucky
They don't make guys as big and fast as Deone Walker, so giving Jonathan Gannon the 6-foot-6, 348-pounder makes too much sense. Walker is unbelievable to watch because of his agility and size combination.
His height will always cause pad-level concerns, but Walker's pass-rush impact is well worth an unavoidable limitation.
9. Minnesota Vikings 
Selection: Travis Hunter, CB, Colorado
Is Travis Hunter a cornerback or a wide receiver in the NFL? It's more difficult to find an impact corner with Hunter's natural instincts and ability to produce turnovers. The Minnesota Vikings have one of the weaker cornerback rooms in the league, so Hunter would revitalize a unit that was elevated by Brian Flores in 2023.
10. New Orleans Saints 
Selection: Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama
Considering the lack of impact New Orleans has seen from Derek Carr and the franchise's spinning wheels since Drew Brees retired, the electricity of Jalen Milroe can't be overlooked.
Milroe has plenty to prove under new head coach Kalen DeBoer, including whether he can thrive in a more timing-based offense. But his linear development throughout 2023 has us excited about his ceiling.
>> READ: Full Jalen Milroe Film Breakdown
11. Seattle Seahawks 
Selection: Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas
Barring a bounce-back season from Geno Smith, the Seattle Seahawks must address its quarterback need. Quinn Ewers is a tremendous pocket passer who thrives in a clean pocket. Seattle's high-end playmakers and quality offensive line would give Ewers an ideal spot to maximize his skill set.
12. Indianapolis Colts 
Every Benjamin Morrison/Marvin Harrison Jr. 1-on-1 🍿 pic.twitter.com/uqHNusYFiC
— James Foster (@NoFlagsFilm) July 25, 2024
Selection: Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame
The Indianapolis Colts already have one gigantic cornerback in JuJu Brents, so why not add a technician with tremendous ball skills? Benjamin Morrison is a 6-foot, 190-pounder with nine career picks, elite footwork, and mirroring ability.
After toying with low-end fliers and stopgaps for years, the Colts would finally have their cornerback room in a more settled place.
13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 
Selection: Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia
His numbers are relatively mundane compared to his peers because he plays in Georgia's deep rotation, but Mykel Williams is the freakiest pound-for-pound athlete in the class.
The 6-foot-5, 265-pounder has top-tier strength, speed, and flexibility through contact. He'd be a force for Todd Bowles to revamp his defense around.
14. Pittsburgh Steelers 
Selection: Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
Luther Burden III is the clear top receiver in the class, a slick-footed dynamo who can do everything he's asked at a high level. Pittsburgh's bare receiving room outside George Pickens needs a boost, and Burden can be the next franchise superstar.
Depending on how the Russell Wilson-Justin Fields experience goes in 2023, the other consideration could be at quarterback.
15. Los Angeles Chargers 
Selection: Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State
Splitting time between an off-ball linebacker in space and a pass-rusher, Abdul Carter has the movement skills we saw out of Micah Parsons while he was in Happy Valley. Few 260-pound prospects can transition through roles as easily as Carter does.
The Los Angeles Chargers might overhaul their defense next year anyway, so Carter can be Jim Harbaugh's next star pass-rusher as they retool the roster in his image.
16. Jacksonville Jaguars 
#UGA DB Malaki Starks (# 24). 6’1 205.
— Kyron Samuels (@kyronsamuels) June 13, 2024
Range, instincts, fluid hips, & closing speed. Showcased in this rep against Alabama in the SECCG for the PBU.
52 tackles, 7 PBU’s, & 3 INT’s in ‘23. Elite playmaker. pic.twitter.com/EwmsEswmi0
Selection: Malaki Starks, SAF, Georgia
With limitless range as a deep presence, the fluidity to hold his own in man coverage, and a hard-hitting nature, Malaki Starks has been a difference-maker from Day 1 at Georgia.
Safeties are rarely taken in the top 10, but Starks can go much higher than this. The Jacksonville Jaguars have been lacking a dynamic presence like this in the back-end of the unit for too long.
17. Cleveland Browns 
Selection: Kelvin Banks, OT, Texas
The Cleveland Browns hope they don't need a quarterback next April, but it's possible their first trek back into the first round since acquiring Deshaun Watson includes taking his replacement.
Short of that, taking a tackle to replace Jedrick Wills Jr. or Jack Conklin makes too much sense. Dawand Jones and Kelvin Banks would form a tremendously powerful tandem for years to come.
18. Los Angeles Rams 
Selection: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
At 31, Cooper Kupp's in the twilight of his prime years. The Los Angeles Rams already have a woeful third receiver situation after Kupp and Puka Nacua.
Adding Tetairoa McMillan, who has a very Mike Evans-esque play style and impact on games, would help Sean McVay keep this offense explosive for years to come.
19. New York Jets 
Selection: Evan Stewart, WR, Oregon
Lightning-quick, sure-handed, and explosive downfield, Evan Stewart fits where the NFL is with its playmakers. He can immediately step in and complement Garrett Wilson's more acrobatic style.
The New York Jets could also be a quarterback landing spot if Aaron Rodgers doesn't produce as expected or retires after the season.
20. Chicago Bears 
Selection: Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State
Taking a running back in the first round can be considered a luxury, but the importance of a game-changing presence at a locked-in rate for four years makes sense for certain teams.
Chicago, needing to give Caleb Williams everything possible to maximize his talent, can add the best back in a loaded class. Quinshon Judkins' balance, agility, and instincts will immediately put him among the NFL's top handful of ball carriers.
21. Atlanta Falcons 
Selection: Tacario Davis, CB, Arizona
The Atlanta Falcons still need cornerback help after adding four defenders in the first five rounds of the 2024 class. Some might view 6-foot-4 cornerback Tacario Davis as a safety or big slot prospect, but there's no reason to change what works.
Davis is a shutdown, gigantic presence who swallows receivers with his rare length and closing speed.
22. Miami Dolphins 
Selection: Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio State
Recent years have shown that the Miami Dolphins will only take premium positions in the first round, meaning cornerback is the most likely outcome of this pick.
With Jalen Ramsey getting more expensive as he ages and 2023 second-round pick Cam Smith failing to crack the rotation, help is needed. Miami's Denzel Burke is big, fast, physical, and a playmaker.
23. Green Bay Packers 
Selection: Emery Jones, OT, LSU
Few teams are as savvy at addressing the offensive line as the Green Bay Packers. Even after adding three rookies in this past class, Rasheed Walker's development at left tackle remains to be seen.
If Walker struggles in Year 3, LSU's Emery Jones projects as a high-end starter as he switches from the right to the left side.
24. Houston Texans 
Selection: Jordan Hancock, CB, Ohio State
The Houston Texans hope their outside corners are set with Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter, but a deeply talented secondary is required for DeMeco Ryans' defense to peak.
Ohio State's Jordan Hancock is the best slot defender to come out of college in several years. He never panics in coverage, and his wingspan easily shuts down passing windows.
25. Philadelphia Eagles 
The instincts Harold Perkins has without having a true position the last two seasons is nuts. I feel pretty confident he'll have an easy time moving to ILB full time pic.twitter.com/Bh9NMAU2D9
— Joe DeLeone (@joedeleone) May 31, 2024
Selection: Harold Perkins, LB, LSU
Some coaches will see Harold Perkins as an undersized 6-foot pass-rusher without a full-time home, but his incredible athleticism and instincts should translate well as a middle linebacker in 2024.
The Philadelphia Eagles' rotation of Devin White, Zack Baun, Nakoe Dean, and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. isn't enough to keep passing on someone who can elevate the unit to a new level.
26. Dallas Cowboys 
Selection: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
Unless the Dallas Cowboys see Jalen Tolbert breakout this season, there's a massive need for a quality second playmaker next to CeeDee Lamb.
Ohio State's Emeka Egbuka is similar to Lamb as someone who wins all over the field and in different roles so the two can coexist and thrive together. Egbuka's well-roundedness will help him contribute better on Day 1 than most in this class.
27) Buffalo Bills 
Selection: Isaiah Bond, WR, Texas
Seeing the Buffalo Bills pass on Xavier Worthy just to take Isaiah Bond one year later would be comical, but pairing Bond with Keon Coleman makes more sense than building their passing game solely around Worthy in 2024.
Bond has sub-4.3 speed, high-end playmaking with the ball in his hands, and is a sharper route-runner than Worthy. Still, like Worthy, Bond plays a little too fast and would benefit from throttling his speed to maximize his effectiveness.
28. Cincinnati Bengals 
Ollie Gordon immediately stands out as big running back but he has nice straight line speed as part of his athletic profile as well. pic.twitter.com/2PaY5AxTtJ
— John Crumpler (@JohnHCrumpler) August 1, 2024
Selection: Ollie Gordon III, RB, Oklahoma State
We could see Chase Brown thrive enough in 2024 for this pick to look ridiculous in hindsight. But Ollie Gordon III is awesome and deserves a spot in the first round.
He plays with great strength and downhill acceleration despite being an upright back. His scouting report will read like Derrick Henry's, and pairing that type of presence with Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase is exciting.
29. Detroit Lions 
Selection: Princely Umanmielen, EDGE, Ole Miss
Princely Umanmielen might've been a first-round pick in 2024 had he entered the draft, so transferring to Ole Miss was a surprise. After another year of development, Umanmielen would complement Aidan Hutchinson as a speedy, bendy rusher.
Umanmielen would offer a better upside than what the Detroit Lions have tried in the past.
30) Baltimore Ravens 
Selection: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
Speaking of Henry, the Baltimore Ravens clearly want to remain an elite rushing team in the future. The veteran will do fine in 2024, but Ashton Jeanty can be the future next to Lamar Jackson. His agility, low pad level, and vision all stand out as Pro Bowl-caliber traits.
31. San Francisco 49ers 
Selection: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
Colston Loveland is the latest tight end prospect with stellar speed, soft hands, great change of direction for his size. He would stretch the field for Kyle Shanahan to gameplan around.
His blocking is the real key to lock in this draft spot, and we know the San Francisco 49ers demand that of George Kittle. Loveland is a natural eventual replacement for Kittle, who turns 31 this fall.
32) Kansas City Chiefs 
#Minnesota LT Aireontae Ersery has been a very enjoyable study to kick off the T deep dive
— Hail Mary Sports (@hailmarysportss) August 1, 2024
He is dominant when on the move. Reliable, powerful, and mobile.@Aireontae_69 pic.twitter.com/fPrEQRALc8
Selection: Aireontae Ersery, OT, Minnesota
Taking Kingsley Suamataia in the 2024 draft might fix Kansas City's left tackle problem, but Jawaan Taylor's job might not be safe beyond this season if his performance doesn't improve.
Aireontae Ersery, at 6-foot-6, 325 pounds, fits the trend of gigantic blockers. He's more than capable of becoming a reliable right tackle for Patrick Mahomes. Despite his towering frame, he's one of the most athletic blockers in the class.
