Here we are, folks, just days before the NFL draft. I'm opting out of the last 48 hours of silly season.
All spring, I had Shedeur Sanders going in the top 10. Now he's free-fallin'. That's the winds of spring, and they're fickle.
One or both quarterbacks, Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart, will likely get picked at the back of the first round. Cleveland and New Orleans have extra third-round picks and can make it happen. Cleveland might be able to sit at 33 and wait to reunite the Colorado WR and QB connection.
But as this mock doesn't project trades, and I'm more focused on finding realistic matches between teams and players, here we are. Why don't I project trades? Making a mock draft is like building a house of cards, and I'm trying to give myself half a chance at accuracy.
And with that disclaimer, good luck, everyone. May your favorite team draft a gold jacket Hall of Famer this week.
Also see:
2025 NFL Mock Draft Round 1
This mock will not project trades.
1. Tennessee Titans - Cam Ward (QB - Miami)
We can debate Ward's value relative to the quarterbacks from past classes, but the Titans don't have the luxury of time. In terms of fantasy value, he's probably not an elite option, and I don't see him being worth the 1.02 in most leagues' rookie drafts. More on that scenario now.
2. Cleveland Browns - Travis Hunter (WR/CB - Colorado)
I have the 1.02 in another league where the team is a total rebuild. A week ago, I was trying to trade down, but now, as Hunter to Cleveland solidifies, I'm going to stick and take Hunter, who is trending toward mostly WR usage with the Browns. It's like drafting Shohei Ohtani in baseball. Take the talent and figure it out later.
3. New York Giants - Abdul Carter (EDGE - Penn State)
The Giants draft defensive ends. It's simply what they do. And with Abdul Carter, why not? The dude is an absolute demon. There are mild concerns about foot and shoulder injuries, but still, he's one of only a few blue-chip players in this weird draft.
4. New England Patriots - Will Campbell (OL - LSU)
Jalon Walker is the other real contender here, as the Patriots defense also needs a ton of help at pass rusher. Will Campbell has length concerns but has also had a historic career at LSU. At left tackle, almost anyone would be an upgrade over Vederian Lowe. Campbell's a decent tackle prospect and a Pro Bowl guard at worst.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars - Ashton Jeanty (RB - Boise State)
Many people think this is just a lure to attract a trade-up, but I get it. Franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence is struggling, and the general manager is brand new but doesn't necessarily have job security. Jeanty is an instant impact pick, and his confident open letter to all NFL teams only helped his stock.
6. Las Vegas Raiders - Mason Graham (DT - Michigan)
The new GM is from Michigan, and the latest partial owner, Tom Brady, is also from Michigan. The Raiders have a massive need on the defensive line. With Jeanty off the board, they could go Membou to protect Geno Smith, but that's only a theoretical pick, and Graham has real connections to this franchise.
7. New York Jets - Tyler Warren (TE - Penn State)
I'm not going to lie: I'm a Jets fan hoping to buy a #44 white throwback with Warren's nameplate on the back. He wears 44 in honor of John Riggins, who was on the Jets for a spell during his mohawk phase. Say less. Take the tight end and take my money.
8. Carolina Panthers - Jalon Walker (EDGE/LB - Georgia)
The Panthers get very lucky here, with the number two edge falling to 8 overall. New GM Dan Morgan reportedly wants to trade down, but that's easier said than done. With Walker not going 4, this is a best-case scenario for a defense in need of a pass rush.
9. New Orleans Saints - Armand Membou - (OL - Missouri)
All rumors are that the Saints are not going to take a quarterback at nine, despite the recent news about Derek Carr. The Saints have the ammunition to trade back into the tail end of the round, and they very well might do so, either for Sanders or Jaxson Dart. For now, they get Membou, who replaces Trevor Penning at RT.
10. Chicago Bears - Kelvin Banks (OL - Texas)
Left tackle Braxton Jones suffered a fractured ankle/leg at the end of last season, and his availability for training camp is in extreme doubt. Banks' stock has been quietly rising over the last couple of weeks, and he's been mostly under the radar, despite working out well and winning the Outland Trophy.
11. San Francisco 49ers - Will Johnson (CB - Michigan)
I have nothing but respect for the 49ers' front office and their scouting department. I also feel the same about Will Johnson's film in the cornerback position. A smart franchise takes another quality player, and we'll all look back and wonder how it happened.
12. Dallas Cowboys - Tetairoa McMillan (WR - Arizona)
Jerry Jones doesn't care about what a player said in a blog two offseasons ago about not wanting to watch film. He drafted Michael Irvin in the 1980s and isn't getting younger. Tetairoa McMillan is a win-now pick, and he pairs well with CeeDee Lamb, like mint jelly. Pause for groans.
13. Miami Dolphins - Jahdae Barron (CB - Texas)
The Dolphins reportedly are trying to trade Pro Bowl cornerback Jalen Ramsey. Barron had a tremendous workout at Indy. If both the two main CB prospects (Johnson and Barron) are on the board, the rumor is that the Dolphins would take Barron over Johnson, contrary to most big boards.
14. Indianapolis Colts - Colston Loveland (TE - Michigan)
The Colts and the Jets taking tight ends have been the cornerstones of my mock draft all spring. For Colts fans and fantasy players in TE-premium leagues, I'll plant my flag: Warren is the real deal, and so is Loveland. There's no need to tear down one to build the other up. It's a historic tight end year. Get while the getting's good.
15. Atlanta Falcons - Mykel Williams (EDGE - Georgia)
The Falcons are likely to draft the best available edge. The only question is, which one? Williams is a clean prospect whose stats were depressed by a high ankle sprain. Mike Green and Shemar Stewart are in the running, but I predict Williams at this spot, staying local.
16. Arizona Cardinals - Walter Nolen (DT - Mississippi)
The Cardinals could go in many directions here, but there's a lot of smoke between them and Nolen, a talented player who was the number one prep recruit in 2022, according to ESPN and USA Today. (Rivals had him second behind Travis Hunter.) The Cardinals signed Calais Campbell (38) and Dalvin Tomlinson (31) this offseason, but they still need youth up front.
17. Cincinnati Bengals - Mike Green (EDGE - Marshall)
Historically, the Bengals are one of those franchises that don't red-flag players with character concerns. In fact, they are drawn to those players like a moth to the flame. Green is a legitimate pass rusher with pro-ready traits, including functional strength and freaky bend. He has to stay out of trouble.
18. Seattle Seahawks - Grey Zabel (OL - North Dakota State)
The Seahawks have needs at all three interior positions, and Zabel can start on day one. Skeptics might look at this player's school and scoff, but Zabel had several six-figure offers to transfer to Power 5 programs. He chose to finish his career in North Dakota, and that type of loyalty speaks to his character.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Shemar Stewart (EDGE - Texas A&M)
This team needs defensive help, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see Jihaad Campbell or one of the safeties here. Stewart is just too rare an athlete to fall to the playoff teams. That's not how the NFL draft works. It doesn't matter how many college sacks you have. It's about upside, and always has been.
20. Denver Broncos - Omarion Hampton (RB - North Carolina)
To paraphrase real-life superhero, Cecil Lammey, the Broncos are looking at offensive playmakers, specifically Jeanty, Loveland, and Hampton. They'd have to trade up for the first two options in this mock, but Hampton falls to 20. Maybe Hampton goes higher, but the teams above have bigger fish to fry.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers - Jalen Milroe (QB - Alabama)
Ah, here we are, QB2. Why Milroe? We're in a copycat league. Jalen Hurts tush-pushed his way to the Super Bowl, and Milroe is that type of rare athlete. He has great film and also has awful film, but it's becoming more of a running QB league. I don't make the trends. I only divine them with a wooden stick.
22. Los Angeles Chargers - Kenneth Grant (DT - Michigan)
I'm happy with this match between player and team from Mock 3.0, and my reasoning still stands: Harbaugh knows how to get the most out of Grant. Matthew Golden and Emeka Egbuka are serious considerations at this point in the mock. But the Chargers need defense.
23. Green Bay Packers - Emeka Egbuka (WR - Ohio State)
The Packers are another team with a high-quality scouting department. Egbuka isn't world-class at any skill, but he runs sharp routes and is a clean prospect. The Packers tend to add to their wide receiver corps, and they tend to go with the best available player.
24. Minnesota Vikings - Nick Emmanwori (DB - South Carolina)
Emmanwori is a ballhawk who scored a perfect 10 RAS, one of only a handful to achieve this nerdy honor over the years. The Vikings lost Camryn Bynum in free agency, and Harrison Smith is getting up there in years. Malaki Starks is another obvious choice, but the first round is always about the upside.
25. Houston Texans - Josh Simmons (OL - Ohio State)
The Texans need OL. Simmons suffered a nasty injury last season, but all medical reports are positive. Had he been fully healthy, Simmons might have made a run at OT1, which in this mock draft is top-5 money. Josh Conerly is another option here, as is Tyler Booker, but let's be optimistic and assume Simmons has healed well.
26. Los Angeles Rams - Matthew Golden (WR - Texas)
This is a fun spot to mock Jaxson Dart, but no one in the NFL has the luxury of drafting a player in Round 1 and sitting him a year, not even Sean McVay. The Rams lost Cooper Kupp and gained Davante Adams, but the offense always needs more.
27. Baltimore Ravens - Donovan Ezeirauku (EDGE - Boston College)
Historically, the Ravens tend to favor more "body beautiful" prospects, and a few of those are still available, including James Pearce Jr. Despite being undersized, Ezeirauku's 16.5 sacks in the ACC are more impressive than Mike Green's 17 in the Sun Belt.
28. Detroit Lions - Derrick Harmon (DL - Oregon)
The Lions can take pressure off Aidan Hutchinson by drafting another edge rusher like James Pierce Jr., but another way is to generate pressure from the inside, which is how Harmon will make his money in the league. Jihaad Campbell is another real possibility here.
29. Washington Commanders - Jihaad Campbell (LB - Alabama)
The Commanders are loading up for another deep playoff run, and they need playmakers on defense. Campbell has been quiet this draft season, dealing with a persistent shoulder injury. But assuming his medicals check out in any reasonable fashion, he's a genuine first-round talent in a draft short of those.
30. Buffalo Bills - Trey Amos (CB - Mississippi)
Sigh. I really want to mock Shavon Revel Jr. here. And Maxwell Hairston. But Trey Amos has been strongly linked to the Bills for months, and sometimes teams get locked into players early in the process, not expecting other options to make it down the board.
31. Kansas City Chiefs - Luther Burden (WR - Missouri)
Burden's skill set matches the Chiefs' offense perfectly, and a lot of Burden's so-called off-the-field concerns (which aren't serious at all) can be solved by having a competent quarterback. Andy Reid will design plays for this player and keep him motivated. Also, they could trade out and do it all in Round 2.
32. Philadelphia Eagles - Malaki Starks (S - Georgia)
It is the same for the Eagles, who could easily trade out of the first round for one of the quarterback-hunting teams. But in this mock, they luck into another Georgia Bulldog in Starks, a rugged and versatile defender who would replace C.J. Gardner-Johnson in the defensive backfield.
_png)