A power ranking of the top four sporting events that involve no physical exertion whatsoever:
- NFL Draft
- NCAA Selection Sunday
- World Cup Draw
- NBA Draft
The NFL Draft is a runaway winner — there is a Marianas Trench-sized drop-off between No. 1 and No. 2.
Evidence? Exhibit A is the popularity of mock NFL drafts. Here you are, reading this one even though we’re about 50 days away from the actual 2025 NFL Draft.
Case closed. Let’s begin.
Here is my initial 2025 NFL Mock Draft, including picks and predictions for the first round.
- 2025 NFL Draft Guide
- 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Reports
- 2025 NFL Mock Drafts
- Dynasty Mock Draft Simulator
Pat Fitzmaurice’s 2025 NFL Mock Draft 1.0
1. Tennessee Titans – QB Cam Ward, Miami-Fla.
Sure, the Titans could trade the pick or take a non-QB such as Abdul Carter. But when you have the No. 1 pick and don’t have a viable starting quarterback, you take a quarterback unless it’s a 2022 type of class in which the top QB prospect is Kenny Pickett. Cam Ward isn’t foolproof, but he’s no Pickett. Ward’s tools are legit.
2. Cleveland Browns – EDGE Abdul Carter, Penn State
If the Browns are going to acquiesce to Myles Garrett’s trade request, they will need a replacement disruptor. Even in a draft class stacked with good edge rushers, Carter stands out.
3. New York Giants – CB/WR Travis Hunter, Colorado
This assumes the Giants find a quarterback via trade or free agency. For my money, Hunter is the best player in the draft. The guess here is that he primarily plays cornerback in the NFL and plays roughly 20% of the offensive snaps at wide receiver.
4. New England Patriots – OT Will Campbell, LSU
The Patriots have a great many needs, but protecting franchise QB Drake Maye is the top priority. New England’s offensive line was a sieve last year. Campbell solidified high blue-chip prospect status with a jaw-dropping performance at the combine.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars – DT Mason Graham, Michigan
The Jaguars need a cornerback, too, but there’s no CB worth taking at No. 5. Instead, they fortify their defensive line with Graham, a human bulldozer.
6. Las Vegas Raiders – QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
I’m not buying the rumors of a slide for Deion’s son. Sanders’ quick release and exceptional accuracy should make him a quality NFL starter. I think he’s a safer QB prospect than Cam Ward, whose hero-ball style is reminiscent of Jameis Winston (both good and bad).
7. New York Jets – TE Tyler Warren, Penn State
Daniel Jeremiah of the NFL Network makes a compelling case that Warren could be a two-pronged offensive solution for the Jets. Like 49ers TE George Kittle, Warren is a Tasmanian devil after the catch and also a high-quality blocker.
8. Carolina Panthers – EDGE Jalon Walker, Georgia
The Panthers ranked 29th in sacks and 32nd in pressure rate last season. An explosive athlete with a nose for the football, Walker is an off-ball linebacker who can come off the edge on passing downs. He also draws raves for being a charismatic leader.
9. New Orleans Saints – WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
Chris Olave has a worrisome concussion history, and Rashid Shaheed is coming off a torn meniscus. The Saints need pass-catching talent, and since this isn’t a deep WR class, it makes sense to use this pick on arguably the best receiver in the draft.
10. Chicago Bears – RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
The Bears’ recent trades for OGs Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney lessen their need for an offensive lineman and give GM Ryan Poles the freedom to draft a special RB prospect for new head coach Ben Johnson.
11. San Francisco 49ers – CB Will Johnson, Michigan
With Charvarius Ward and Isaac Yiadom unrestricted free agents, the 49ers need help at cornerback. A big cover man with exceptional ball skills, Johnson had a disappointing, injury-plagued 2024 season but was sensational in 2023.
12. Dallas Cowboys – OT Armand Membou, Missouri
The retirement of OG Zack Martin leaves the Dallas offensive line in rough shape. Membou is an athletic marvel who aced the combine testing and has the versatility to play tackle or guard.
13. Miami Dolphins – OT Kelvin Banks, Texas
The Dolphins’ offensive line simply wasn’t good enough in 2024. The Dolphins are worse off at guard than they are at tackle, but they can’t pass up a value like Banks.
14. Indianapolis Colts – TE Colston Loveland, Michigan
Tyler Warren is the headliner of this rookie TE class, but Loveland is on Warren’s level as a prospect and is also two years younger. Don’t be surprised if Loveland were the first tight end to come off the board.
15. Atlanta Falcons – EDGE Mike Green, Marshall
A standout during Senior Bowl week, Green gives the Falcons the pass-rushing help they desperately need.
16. Arizona Cardinals – EDGE Shemar Stewart Texas A&M
The 6-5, 267-pound Stewart was a combine sensation, posting a perfect Relative Athletic Score of 10.00 (hat tip to RAS pioneer Kent Lee Platte).
17. Cincinnati Bengals – CB Jahdae Barron, Texas
I gave the Bengals a wide receiver on a FantasyPros mock draft podcast a few weeks ago and immediately heard from multiple Bengals fans who said they’d be furious if the team didn’t take a defensive player in the first round. Well, how about a Swiss army knife in the secondary? Barron is a plus-sized nickel corner who can play safety in a pinch.
18. Seattle Seahawks – OG Tyler Booker, Alabama
The Seahawks address a pressing need with one of the better interior linemen in the class.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – EDGE, Mykel Williams, Georgia
The Bucs could use an edge rusher who consistently brings the heat. Williams never had more than five sacks in any of his three seasons at Georgia, but his exceptional athleticism gives him vast upside
20. Denver Broncos – S Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina
The Broncos could go with a tight end, wide receiver or running back here, but they also need safety help. Emmanwori posted the highest Relative Athletic Score of any safety to test at the combine since 1987. He ran a 4.38 and had a 43-inch vertical jump. Wowzer. The 6-3, 220-pound Emmanwori isn’t just a workout warrior either; the dude is a baller.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers – WR Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
A high-floor slot man is just what the doctor ordered for the Steelers, who don’t have much at receiver other than George Pickens and can’t count on 2024 third-rounder Roman Wilson after his injury-marred rookie season. Egbuka is an advanced route runner who’s shifty after the catch.
22. Los Angeles Chargers – DT Kenneth Grant, Michigan
This could be a tight end or a running back, but let’s give Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh a Michigan man to shore up his defensive line. The 6-4, 331-pound Grant is an imposing physical specimen with big-time potential.
23. Green Bay Packers – EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College
The Packers could take a cornerback, a wide receiver or an offensive lineman. But they could also use a speed rusher, and the edge-bending Ezeiruaku played for Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley at Boston College.
24. Minnesota Vikings – DT Walter Nolen, Ole Miss
The Vikings need help in the middle of their offensive and defensive lines. They address the latter with Nolen, a twitchy defensive tackle who could perhaps be a poor man’s John Randle for Minnesota.
25. Houston Texans – OT Josh Simmons, Ohio State
The Texans’ offensive line was awful in 2024. Houston gets tremendous value here with Simmons, who’ll come at a slight discount because he’s recovering from a torn patellar tendon.
26. Los Angeles Rams – WR Matthew Golden, Texas
With Cooper Kupp on the way out of L.A., the Rams could use help at receiver. Golden boosted his draft stock by running a 4.3 at the combine. He’s not a one-dimensional speed merchant; Golden is a crafty route-runner.
27. Baltimore Ravens – OT Josh Conerly Jr. Oregon
The Ravens generally draft for value, not for need. But, well, they kind of need an offensive tackle, and Conerly is a good one.
28. Detroit Lions – EDGE James Pearce, Tennessee
Aidan Hutchinson is coming off a major injury, and Za’Darius Smith turns 33 in September. The Lions add another pass rusher, capitalizing on Pearce’s slide.
29. Washington Commanders – S Malaki Starks, Georgia
The Commanders will need safety help if they don’t re-sign Jeremy Chinn. Starks’ draft stock could slide after an underwhelming combine performance, but he’s a talented and versatile defensive back.
30. Buffalo Bills – DL Derrick Harmon, Oregon
What could help put the Bills over the top in their pursuit of a championship? Well, their run defense hasn’t been great. Let’s give Buffalo a run stuffer to play alongside Ed Oliver. Harmon is a powerful force in the middle.
31. Kansas City Chiefs – OT Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota
It’s hard to imagine the Chiefs spending their top draft pick on anything but an offensive tackle. Ersery bolstered his first-round credentials with an outstanding combine that saw him post a Relative Athletic Score of 9.89.
32. Philadelphia Eagles – EDGE Nic Scourton, Texas A&M
Eagles GM Howie Roseman had a pair of excellent cornerbacks fall into his lap at last year’s draft. This year, Howie stays put and lucks into Scourton, a high-ceiling edge player who fills a need for the champs.
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