NFL Analysis
9/30/24
18 min read
2025 NFL Mock Draft: Latest First-Round Predictions Entering Week 5
Welcome to the quarter-pole of the 2024 NFL season! The marathon that is a 17-game regular season offers no shortage of bumps and bruises, highs and lows, and plenty of revelations for each of the 32 NFL franchises that strap it up each weekend.
What have we learned about your favorite team? Team needs are evolving, and the best players eligible to fill them are changing even faster thanks to yet another dynamic college football season that nears the halfway marker next weekend.
So, as we look ahead to next April, who are the players on the block that make the most sense for every team? We take a look.
Remainder of season predictions for the rest of the 2024 season determined the draft order.
2025 NFL Mock Draft
1. New England Patriots 
Selection: Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado Buffaloes
The New England Patriots' most apparent need is along the offensive line — with the left side of the line standing out as a sore spot as the team grooms Drake Maye to take the starting role. The offensive tackle class, however, has not necessarily had any performers catapult their stock into the stratosphere to warrant a No. 1 overall draft choice.
That leaves the Patriots with a unique opportunity: take the most unique and gifted player in college football and figure out where Travis Hunter plays later. The Patriots have a need at wide receiver and, simultaneously, a need long-term for their cornerback room opposite Christian Gonzalez. Hunter could, in theory, fill either role…or both.
2. New York Giants 
Selection: Cam Ward, QB, Miami Hurricanes
Ward has ice in his veins, and he showed it on Friday night with a game-winning drive against Virginia Tech. The highlight was a miraculous play under pressure that set up a winning touchdown.
Still, Ward's ability to generate explosive plays and navigate pressure is the polar opposite of what New York Giants fans have endured in recent years with Daniel Jones. It would be a significant change of pace amid their hopes of igniting their offense in the suddenly loaded NFC East.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars 
Selection: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan Wolverines
Jacksonville comes on the clock at No. 3 overall with the same plight as New England. Their offensive line play and ability to protect Trevor Lawrence is the ideal top priority — but the value isn't quite right in the top three. Could this be a trade-out spot for another quarterback?
If the Jacksonville Jaguars don't find a dance partner, drafting the best pure coverage player in this year's draft to pair with Tyson Campbell would give them another prototype talent on their defensive depth chart.
4. Tennessee Titans 
Selection: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado Buffaloes
Assuming the Tennessee Titans are picking this high, Will Levis likely does not go on to figure out his troublesome ball security issues from the first month of the season. If that is true, it would likely be safe to assume that a new signal caller for Brian Callahan is on the table.
Sanders is smooth through his progressions and has the big-play mentality as a passer to maximize the Titans' veteran wide receiver room.
Sanders has put together three consecutive strong performances, showing accuracy down the field and an ability to buy enough time against pressure. I especially appreciate how quickly he bounced back from an early interception against UCF this past weekend — a key trait for any successful quarterback.
5. Carolina Panthers 
Selection: Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State Nittany Lions
Speaking of players coming off of impressive performances, Abdul Carter finally put together the performance we've all been waiting for on the edge this past weekend against Illinois. Carter has always flashed the dominant ability to rush the passer, but it too often came in spurts.
After a slow start amid his transition to playing full-time on the edge this season, Carter lived in the backfield against Illinois. The Carolina Panthers are a team that is reportedly not quite ready to punt on their 2023 first-overall selection, Bryce Young, despite his benching in favor of Andy Dalton.
Until we get more clarity on his long-term outlook with Carolina, we'll assume that is true, and the Panthers will not be in this year's quarterback market.
6. Cleveland Browns 
Selection: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona Wildcats
Tetairoa McMillan is, for lack of better words, a monster. He wins underneath with the ball in his hands and can win vertically as a perimeter target. With massive size and elite ball skills, McMillan will be a significant prize at the end of April. With Amari Cooper and Elijah Moore set to hit free agency, the Cleveland Browns are a prime wide receiver landing spot.
With the contract complications of Deshaun Watson's fully guaranteed contract, the team will likely remain committed to Watson, and a player like McMillan can help get the most out of the Browns' starting quarterback.
7. Indianapolis Colts 
Selection: Malaki Starks, SAF, Georgia Bulldogs
The Indianapolis Colts are, at this juncture, a tough team to mock for. The team is sturdy with their offensive line. They've made a lot of investments in wide receiver and on the defensive front and have talent in some non-premium positions like running back and linebacker.
Quarterback could be in play as the Colts wait for Anthony Richardson to bloom, but everyone knew with that draft choice that it would take some time for him to develop. That leaves the best pure talent on the board, Malaki Starks.
Starks is an elite talent who checks all the boxes on the back-end and would be a significant upgrade for the Colts as the quarterback of their young secondary.
8. Las Vegas Raiders 
Selection: Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama Crimson Tide
No one was better this weekend than Jalen Milroe. An SEC heavyweight clash between Milroe's Alabama team and the Georgia Bulldogs gave the second-year starting quarterback a national stage to make a statement. Boy, did he ever.
Milroe has electric speed and a powerful arm, giving him the kind of top-end tools that would compel many coaches. Las Vegas Raiders offensive coordinator Luke Getsy is experienced with building an offensive system around a quarterback who can run. Milroe seems to be improving weekly, which gives him exciting growth potential and upside as he is just a second-year starter this season.
9. Denver Broncos 
Selection: Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri Tigers
The Denver Broncos are finding ways to stay competitive and win games despite rookie quarterback Bo Nix's underwhelming production.
Nix should get better with experience, but the skill group also needs more playmakers to help make some of Denver's underneath targets pop and gain more yardage. Burden III is a run-after-catch dynamo who would be a great addition to the Broncos' wide receiver room and help give the team more explosive play ability.
10. Arizona Cardinals 
Selection: Mason Graham, IDL, Michigan Wolverines
This scenario is a dream come true for the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals' opportunity to land Mason Graham and his talent this late in the top 10 feels too good to be true, yet here we are.
This is an ideal mixture of the best player available and the position of need for Arizona, which has made great strides in overhauling its roster under Monti Ossenfort but must now transition from pooling overall talent to constructing a complete roster.
Graham is a well-rounded player who would boost Arizona's defensive prowess on all three downs; he's a steal at this stage for the Cardinals.
11. Chicago Bears 
Selection: James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee Volunteers
The Chicago Bears don't have a great mix of talent and long-term stability on the edge of their defense aside from Montez Sweat. And, in the NFC North, with gifted tackles like Decker, Sewell, Darrisaw, and Tom?
Having top-flight options on the edge feels like a must. In Pearce Jr., Chicago lands an explosive, fluid athlete on the edge who would give Chicago a dynamic duo of pass rushers to work with.
12. Los Angeles Rams 
Selection: Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The Los Angeles Rams' youth movement on defense looks to be paying dividends with the defensive line duo of Jared Verse and Braden Fiske thus far this season. The 2024 NFL Draft duo has been especially active for Los Angeles during the past two weeks and offers plenty of reason for excitement.
But Tre'Davious White is at corner on a one-year deal, and young corners Cobie Durant and Derion Kendrick are entering into contract years in 2025. Morrison is a technician who would give the Rams a theoretical cornerstone in the secondary to go with their dynamic duo up front.
13. Miami Dolphins 
Selection: Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU Tigers
We need more clarity on the outlook for QB Tua Tagovailoa before we can mock the Miami Dolphins anything other than a quarterback. Tagovailoa, by all reports, intends to continue playing football. But even if that is true, the ball moves into the Dolphins' court.
The team does have an "out" in his new contract—they can avoid his 2026 salary guaranteeing if they part ways before mid-March (assuming Tagovailoa is cleared for a return, which is considered a probability). So there's more than one road to Miami's being in the quarterback market.
In Nussmeier, the Dolphins would be getting a live arm who flashes lots of anticipatory throws and the ability to attack the middle of the field; points of emphasis that have helped make Mike McDaniel's offense go in Miami.
14. Los Angeles Chargers 
Selection: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State Broncos
We, as football fans, deserve this. The Los Angeles Chargers entered Week 4 averaging five yards per carry but struggled against a stout Chiefs defense on Sunday.
We know Jim Harbaugh will want to pound the rock. No one is toting the rock like Jeanty, college, or pro. Jeanty is averaging more than 10 yards per carry through four games, posting an outrageous 845 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns during that stretch.
Jeanty can do it all for a Chargers team committed to running the ball. This match was made in heaven, especially considering the durability questions with J.K. Dobbins.
15. New Orleans Saints 
Selection: Will Campbell, OT, LSU Tigers
The New Orleans Saints stop the slide of Will Campbell in this mock draft, as they're a team that could afford him a home at either tackle or guard. Not unlike 2024 first-round pick Taliese Fuaga, Campbell doesn't have the best length but has loads of power and is a proficient pass protector.
New Orleans' reinvigorated offense is making explosive plays thanks to its ability to run the ball — Campbell helps the cause at either spot.
16. Atlanta Falcons 
Selection: Isaiah Bond, WR, Texas Longhorns
The Atlanta Falcons did the hard part this past offseason—they added a short-term and a long-term quarterback to the mix with premium dollars and draft picks. Now, the process shifts to effectively setting the table long-term. Michael Penix Jr. threw to three talented receivers at Washington and will be one short when he takes the reins in Atlanta.
Isaiah Bond is electric in short spaces and can create a ton of separation in tight spaces, making him a great foil to powerful pass-catchers like Drake London and Kyle Pitts.
17. Philadelphia Eagles 
Selection: Nic Scourton, DL, Texas A&M Aggies
The Philadelphia Eagles' ability to pressure and sack the opposing quarterback has come under the microscope amid a 2-2 start. There's no shortage of options to rush the passer, but some key players haven't been clicking into Vic Fangio's defensive scheme just yet.
Names like Nolan Smith and Bryce Huff were expected to offer much more for Philadelphia, putting the defensive front squarely on the menu for another prime draft pick. Scourton is a powerful rusher with a body type different from Smith and Huff — he's a dense and powerful player who offers violence on edge.
18. Seattle Seahawks 
Selection: Tyler Booker, OL, Alabama Crimson Tide
The Seattle Seahawks are off to a fast start this season under Mike Macdonald. However, the team's ability to protect QB Geno Smith has been a significant issue, even in wins against the Patriots and Dolphins in the last two weeks.
Getting the offensive line healthy would help, but more reinforcements on the interior should be considered a top priority, especially after losing offensive guard Damien Lewis in free agency this offseason. Booker would fit the body type mold that John Schneider has gone after in recent years and bring the kind of physicality Macdonald saw to help drive his old team's offense in Baltimore.
19. Cincinnati Bengals 
Selection: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas Longhorns
The Cincinnati Bengals already proved they aren't afraid to roll the dice on a long, athletic tackle with elite tools — they drafted Amarius Mims in the same ballpark this past April.
But with Trent Brown now down with an injury, the hefty salary of Orlando Brown Jr., and Mims' injury history, getting another tackle into the fray feels like the intelligent and responsible thing to do. Maybe all that athleticism on the edge can help kickstart the run game in Cincinnati, too.
20. New York Jets 
Selection: Carson Beck, QB, Georgia Bulldogs
The New York Jets endured an ugly loss at the hands of the Denver Broncos in Week 4. Just 10 days after QB Aaron Rodgers appeared to turn back the clock a decade, Rodgers very much looked like a quarterback in the final chapters of his career against the Broncos.
He struggled to get off his spot and missed some throws that have been considered "routine" for one of the game's best passers. By the end of the contest, Rodgers was limping off the field due to "wear and tear."
That's all good, so why not take the chance to draft a quarterback who has slipped a bit since the start of the season? Carson Beck hasn't had the torrid start of Cam Ward or the weekly consistency of Shedeur Sanders.
Still, he has quality tools across the board, and you can't help but respect how he bounced back after a horrid start against Alabama this past Saturday night; coming back from down 28 points in Tuscaloosa is no small feat, even if Jalen Milroe landed the last haymaker to win the game.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers 
Selection: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State Buckeyes
The Pittsburgh Steelers have the defense. Even if they aren't healthy, they have nailed some of their new offensive line investments. And between WR George Pickens, their tight ends, and running backs, there's enough for a young quarterback to work with.
But what if QB Justin Fields gets the call long-term? Emeka Egbuka would be a lovely chain mover to go with Pickens and scrappy rookie slot WR Roman Wilson long-term in Pittsburgh.
22. Washington Commanders 
Selection: Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia Bulldogs
The hottest team in football likely would have picked Egbuka if he fell one more spot. Instead, the Washington Commanders shift their focus to the defensive line, where they can tack on one of the freakiest pass rushers eligible for the 2025 NFL Draft in Mykel Williams.
Given the points Washington is currently scoring, you'd love to have a closer to rush the passer and help contain opposing quarterbacks. Williams, with his explosiveness and length, could eventually be just that.
23. Minnesota Vikings 
Selection: Shavon Revel Jr., CB, East Carolina Pirates
Don't let Shavon Revel Jr.'s season-ending injury talk you out of projecting him into the upper echelon of corners eligible for the 2025 NFL Draft. Revel Jr. has incredible length and ball skills — things that Brian Flores would surely love using on an island for his aggressive defensive scheme.
After tearing his ACL this month, Revel Jr. will have plenty of time to rehab and could potentially be ready for the start of the 2025 season.
24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 
Selection: Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia Bulldogs
Walker is the kind of defensive weapon that a creative coach like Todd Bowles could get a lot of run out of.
Walker moves around the Bulldogs front and can play either on the edge or as a stack linebacker. He's becoming a total terror as a pass rusher, as evidenced by his dominant play against Kentucky earlier this month. Put him in Tampa and let Bowles figure out the rest.
25. Houston Texans 
Selection: Kenneth Grant, IDL, Michigan Wolverines
The Houston Texans' defensive front is the area that appears most primed for some reinforcements, and Grant's value in the mid-20s is too good to pass up.
Grant has tremendous athleticism for a player of his stature and offers stout run-defending skills to play on early downs. Given the pass rushers assembled in Houston, it is hard to imagine him not winning his fair share of pass rush 1-on-1s, too.
26. Dallas Cowboys 
Selection: Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina Tar Heels
Not one, but two running backs! In the year 2024! Man, oh, man. Hampton is an absolute hammer of a runner who brings punishing power and high-end contact balance to the field.
The Dallas Cowboys' youth movement along the offensive line should have plenty of big holes to run through, but Hampton can also create on his own and would be a superb fit as a physical primary ball carrier to help get the Cowboys' running game back on track.
27. San Francisco 49ers 
Selection: Emery Jones Jr., OT, LSU Tigers
The San Francisco 49ers need to start prepping for life after Trent Williams in the next few years, even amid his adjusted contract before the start of the season. Part of that preparation should be making sure the floor of the rest of the unit is fit and, frankly, higher than it has been the past few years.
Rookie Dominick Puni appears to be a great start. But RT Colton McKivitz feels like a player who could be worth upgrading. Jones Jr. has ample upside and could help ensure that the 49ers have the tone-setting play across the board up front, which helps make this offense go.
28. Buffalo Bills 
Selection: Jack Sawyer, EDGE, Ohio State Buckeyes
The Buffalo Bills' pass rush rotation is an area where you get the sense Sean McDermott can never get enough. And with an aging Von Miller as a key cog in the wheel right now, it would be wise to be prepared with another contributor.
Sawyer has showcased active hands, effective power, and a hot motor thus far with the Buckeyes and looks to have taken his game up a notch this season.
29. Green Bay Packers 
Selection: Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio State Buckeyes
The Green Bay Packers secondary got a significant facelift at safety this offseason, but adding a new face on the outside to pair with Jaire Alexander is a good next step.
Green Bay's depth at the position is shaky at best, which was illustrated on Sunday in a loss to Minnesota. No, Jaire Alexander is tough — but it becomes especially tough when you don't have quality options to step in and play opposite him.
30. Baltimore Ravens 
Selection: Tate Ratledge OL, Georgia Bulldogs
The Baltimore Ravens' offensive line has found its stride during the last two weeks. Last night's shellacking of the Buffalo Bills included nearly 200 yards from Derrick Henry. More importantly, it kept Lamar Jackson clean to push the ball — a promising development after some struggles with three new starters in their ranks.
Ratledge feels like a possible upgrade inside, which would also be a win, with some offensive line contracts set to expire at the end of the season.
31. Detroit Lions 
Selection: Antwaun Powell-Ryland, EDGE, Virginia Tech Hokies
One of the hottest names in September was Powell-Ryland — a transfer from the University of Florida who has lit up the sack column thus far this season.
The Friday night showcase last weekend against the Miami Hurricanes was a nice affirmation of how disruptive he could be against quality competition despite spending some time in the locker room for Virginia Tech during the game. He checks many boxes for speed, power, and agility and would be a great pairing with Aidan Hutchinson in Detroit.
32. Kansas City Chiefs 
Selection: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State Nittany Lions
We're about to find out exactly how much juice Travis Kelce has in the tank. The Kansas City Chiefs appear to have lost not just RB Isiah Pacheco for an extended period, but they now seemingly have lost WR Rashee Rice — potentially for the season.
But instead of going to the wide receiver well, how about a tight end to take the mantle from Kelce as "the guy" in one of the deepest tight end rooms in all of football?
I dare you not to watch Penn State's Tyler Warren and not be inspired about what he could look like as a possible cog in Patrick Mahomes' skill group for years to come.
