The degree of difficulty for mock drafts is high this year. I feel like Rodney Dangerfield trying to pull off the Triple Lindy dive in “Back to School.”
Why is mocking this year’s NFL Draft so tough?
A few reasons:
1. The pecking order is ambiguous at several positions. Abdul Carter is sure to be the first edge rusher off the board, but it’s tricky to figure out how the edge guys fall after that. It’s hard to tell how the offensive linemen will fall after the first two or three. It’s not entirely clear who’ll be the first cornerback, safety, or wide receiver not named Travis Hunter to come off the board.
2. Team needs aren’t sharply defined in many cases. The Dolphins have urgent needs in the secondary and along the offensive line. Which need do they address first? The Packers could use WR, CB, DT and EDGE help. The Broncos have needs at all of the so-called skill positions except for quarterback. There are only a few teams we can pretty safely peg for a specific position in the first round.
3. Aside from the Titans taking Cam Ward No. 1 overall, the teams that select QBs in the first round will likely trade into those selections. The Browns and Giants aren’t taking quarterbacks at No. 2 and No. 3, but those teams could trade into late-round spots to grab young QBs. The Saints and Steelers might wheel and deal to take quarterbacks in draft spots other than their own.
But enough whining. Football enthusiasts with truly difficult jobs — ER doctors, kindergarten teachers, restaurant managers – won’t spare any pity for the keyboard jockeys struggling with mock drafts.
This is mock draft 4.0 for me, my final one. There are no trades in this mock, because what are the odds of correctly predicting an NFL Draft trade? Your chances of winning a Powerball jackpot are probably better. That’s why I only have one quarterback going in the first round. I think we’ll see 2-3 quarterbacks drafted on Thursday night, but it’s futile to guess which spots QB-needy teams might trade into to get their guys.
OK, let’s get to it.
2025 NFL Mock Draft
Here is my final 2025 NFL Mock Draft.
1. Tennessee Titans – QB Cam Ward, Miami-Fla.
Here’s the free square on everyone’s bingo card. As of Monday night, Ward was -20000 on DraftKings to be the No. 1 pick.
2. Cleveland Browns – CB/WR Travis Hunter, Colorado
The consensus is that Hunter and Abdul Carter are the two best players in the draft. Hunter delivers extra value because of his ability to play on both sides of the ball. Browns GM has compared Hunter to double-duty MLB star Shohei Ohtani.
3. New York Giants – EDGE Abdul Carter, Penn State
EDGE isn’t a glaring need for the Giants, who already have Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux. But the relentless Carter is too good a value to pass up here.
4. New England Patriots – OT Will Campbell, LSU
Could this be a trade-up spot for Ashton Jeanty? The Patriots would be delighted to move down and add picks. If they stay put, they take a high-floor Drake Maye protector capable of playing the all-important left tackle position (despite the concerns about his arm length).
5. Jacksonville Jaguars – DT Mason Graham, Michigan
Ashton Jeanty could be a weapon of mass destruction for new Jags head coach Liam Coen and QB Trevor Lawrence. DraftKings had Jeanty as a slight favorite to go here at +135 (as of Monday night), with Graham at +155. But would the Jaguars’ new GM, 34-year-old James Gladstone, spend a top-five pick on a running back? As talented as Jeanty is, it just doesn’t seem like a new-school type of move. Graham would address a glaring need at defensive tackle, and the Jags could leverage the RB depth in this class in later rounds.
6. Las Vegas Raiders – RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
If Jeanty is still available here, there’s little chance the Raiders would pass on him. There’s enough depth at the position for Las Vegas to scratch its RB itch later on, but the undisputed No. 1 back in the class could really help make Chip Kelly’s offense go
7. New York Jets – OT Armand Membou, Missouri
The Jets have a vacancy at right tackle, Membou’s natural position. The construction of one of the best young offensive lines in the league continues.
8. Carolina Panthers – EDGE Jalon Walker, Georgia
A North Carolina native who draws raves for his leadership, Walker would be a perfect tonic for a team that gave up an NFL-high 31.4 points per game last season.
9. New Orleans Saints – EDGE Mykel Williams, Georgia
With Derek Carr dealing with a shoulder injury, Shedeur Sanders has become a popular Saints selection in recent mocks. It won’t happen unless new Saints head coach Kellen Moore is smitten with Shedeur and convinces GM Mickey Loomis to pull the trigger. Loomis has made 26 first-round picks since becoming the Saints’ GM in 2002, and nine of his first-rounders have been defensive linemen. He has a thing for toolsy pass rushers. Williams is a Loomis type, and Williams has made a top-30 visit to New Orleans.
10. Chicago Bears – OT Kelvin Banks, Texas
The Bears don’t want offensive line problems to short-circuit new head coach Ben Johnson‘s first season in Chicago. They aggressively patched up the interior of the O-line in free agency. Banks, who started at left tackle for the Longhorns in all three of his college seasons, could compete with Braxton Jones at left tackle and offer depth sat either guard spot.
11. San Francisco 49ers – EDGE, Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M
Meager college sack totals have made Stewart a polarizing figure among draftniks, but his toolkit is stuffed with state-of-the-art pass rushing hardware. The 49ers badly need an athletic young disruptor for their defensive line.
12. Dallas Cowboys – WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
The Cowboys are heavily favored to take a receiver with their first pick (-150 on DraftKings). Some mocks have them taking Matthew Golden, but McMillan is the better player and the better fit for Dallas as a king-sized X receiver.
13. Miami Dolphins – CB Jahdae Barron, Texas
The offensive line and the secondary are both problem areas for the Dolphins. The way the draft falls, Barron is a better value than any of the offensive linemen available. Multifaceted DBs Brian Branch and Cooper DeJean slid way too far in the last two drafts. The NFL has learned its lesson, and the similarly versatile Barron won’t last long.
14. Indianapolis Colts – TE Tyler Warren, Penn State
It’s not a slam dunk that the Colts take a tight end here, but if Warren makes it this far? Yeah, they’re taking a tight end.
15. Atlanta Falcons – EDGE Mike Green, Marshall
With only three selections in the first six rounds of the draft, the pick-poor Falcons will make every effort to trade down. If they keep this pick, it’s a mortal lock they’ll take an edge rusher. Atlanta ranked 31st in sacks and 25th in pressure rate last season. Green had 17 sacks for Marshall last season and had a great week at the Senior Bowl.
16. Arizona Cardinals – CB Will Johnson, Michigan
Johnson’s questionable speed could lead to a mini-slide. He won’t get past the Cardinals, who badly need an outside cornerback. Johnson does his best work in zone, and Arizona is a zone-heavy team.
17. Cincinnati Bengals – LB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama
The Bengals need to forge a defensive identity. Campbell is a rugged warrior who could help restore the roar to the Cincinnati defense.
18. Seattle Seahawks – TE Colston Loveland, Michigan
Seattle desperately needs to bolster the interior of its offensive line, but the Seahawks have a lot of draft picks, and GM John Schneider is a best-player-available guy who’ll pounce on Loveland if he’s available.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College
Head coach Todd Bowles won’t have to dial up quite as many blitzes if the Buccaneers land Ezeiruaku, one of the more polished pass rushers in the class.
20. Denver Broncos – RB TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State
A lot of mocks have the Broncos taking Omarion Hampton, but the electric Henderson might be the better fit for Sean Payton’s offense.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers – DT Derrick Harmon, Oregon
Could the Steelers take a quarterback here? Theoretically, sure, but Mike Tomlin’s team is always in win-now mode, and the selection of Jaxson Dart wouldn’t fit that ethos. Although the 36-year-old Cameron Hayward is still playing at a high level, Pittsburgh could use a young 3-4 end, and Harmon would be a terrific fit.
22. Los Angeles Chargers – DT Kenneth Grant, Michigan
Defensive tackle is one of the Chargers’ biggest needs. And Jim Harbaugh could address it with one of his former University of Michigan standouts.
23. Green Bay Packers – DT Walter Nolen, Ole Miss
EDGE, cornerback, and wide receiver are all in play for Green Bay with this pick, but the Packers would find it hard to pass on Nolen, who could be a disruptive force playing alongside veteran DT Kenny Clark.
24. Minnesota Vikings – S Malaki Starks, Georgia
This could be another hotspot for a trade, with the Vikings owning only four picks in this draft and hoping to add more. Should the Vikings stay put, they might seize the opportunity to find a worthy heir to 36-year-old safety Harrison Smith.
25. Houston Texans – OT Josh Conerly, Oregon
The sorry state of the Houston offensive line last season was a betrayal of C.J. Stroud. O-line repairs are already underway, but it’s imperative that the Texans do everything in their power to protect their franchise quarterback. Josh Simmons is a possibility here, but Simmons is recovering from a torn patellar tendon. Conerly is healthy.
26. Los Angeles Rams – WR Matthew Golden, Texas
Sean McVay’s offense could use a vertical receiver who’s better than Tutu Atwell. Golden would give the Rams’ passing game a shot of adrenaline.
27. Baltimore Ravens – OG Tyler Booker
The Ravens need help at guard and have a thing for Alabama players. It’s not hard to imagine Booker helping to pave rushing lanes for Derrick Henry.
28. Detroit Lions – OG Grey Zabel, North Dakota State
Some of Detroit’s key offensive linemen are getting old, and guard is a position of need. Athletic and versatile, Zabel can man a variety of OL positions, though he’s best suited for guard.
29. Washington Commanders – RB Omarion Hampton, North Carolina
There’s little doubt the Commanders will look to upgrade the RB position in the draft, and Hampton would be a fabulous value this late in the round.
30. Buffalo Bills – CB Trey Amos, Ole Miss
The recent signing of 30-year-old Tre’Davious White doesn’t solve the Bills’ cornerback problems. Amos is tall, fast and physical, and he’s made a top-30 visit to Buffalo.
31. Kansas City Chiefs – OT Josh Simmons, Ohio State
Simmons wouldn’t be available this late had he not torn the patellar tendon in his knee last fall. The nimble big man’s slide is a stroke of luck for the Chiefs, who could use a long-term solution at left tackle.
32. Philadelphia Eagles – S Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina
The Eagles could use a playmaker at safety and can’t pass up Emmanwori, who posted a perfect 10.0 Relative Athletic Score at the NFL Scouting Combine.
More 2025 NFL Mock Drafts
- Andrew Erickson: 2025 NFL Mock Draft (2.0, 3.0, 4.0)
- Pat Fitzmaurice: 2025 NFL Mock Draft (2.0, 3.0)
- Derek Brown: 2025 NFL Mock Draft
- Kurt Blakeway: 2025 NFL Mock Draft (2.0)
- Matthew Jones: 2025 NFL Mock Draft (2.0)
- Kent Weyrauch: 2025 NFL Mock Draft
- Mike Fanelli: 2025 NFL Mock Draft With Trades (2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0)
- Richard Janvrin: 2025 NFL Mock Draft (2.0, 3.0)
- Russell Brown: 2025 NFL Mock Draft (2.0)
- Seth Woolcock: 2025 NFL Mock Draft With Trades
- Jason Kamlowsky: 2025 NFL Mock Draft Two Rounds
