2025 NFL Mock Draft #1 - Round 1

   With Super Bowl LIX in the books and the Combine still a few weeks away, it's officially Mock Draft season. Here is our first try at mocking the first round based on what we know so far:

   As a quick disclaimer, these picks are not the same as our positional rankings. We make our mock drafts based on what we think the real NFL teams will do, not necessarily who we think would be the best player to select at that spot. 

Round 1, Pick 1: Tennessee Titans - Cam Ward (QB)

  The Titans cleaned house this off-season and are now being run by general manager Mike Borgonzi and head coach Brian Callahan. There has been a lot of talk in the weeks since they were hired about "generational talent" and whether or not the Titans would be willing to pass on drafting a quarterback this year and build up the rest of the roster instead, but we believe this is mostly smoke to try and get another team to offer a trade. For the time being, we think the Titans are still looking to draft a quarterback here and they are more likely to go for the higher-ceiling prospect in Cam Ward.

Round 1, Pick 2: Cleveland Browns - Travis Hunter (CB/WR)

   The Browns are in trouble, but they don't seem willing to admit that yet. They're holding onto the idea that Deshaun Watson is a good quarterback and that they would be a good team if he could just stay healthy for a whole season. They're not taking a quarterback here, they're taking the best player available and that is Travis Hunter. 

Round 1, Pick 3: New York Giants - Shedeur Sanders (QB)

  Nobody is on a hotter seat right now than Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll. They currently have zero quarterbacks on their roster. This team needs results and they need them immediately. They're hoping that the high-floor quarterback prospect in Shedeur Sanders can connect with Malik Nabers enough to save their jobs.

Round 1, Pick 4: New England Patriots - Abdul Carter (Edge)

  Building up the supporting cast around Drake Maye should be the number one priority of this Patriots team, but nobody understands the value of getting consistent quarterback pressure better than new head coach Mike Vrabel. Abdul Carter exists in a very unique category of player that can come in and make a huge difference from day one. With their star defensive lineman Christian Barmore facing medical uncertainty, Abdul Carter might be too good to pass up on. 

Round 1, Pick 5: Jacksonville Jaguars - Will Johnson (CB)

   The Jaguars are a grossly underrated team. Despite a whole bunch of injuries on offense and a defense that ranked dead last or very close to it in almost every important stat, Jacksonville kept almost every game they played in this season to a respectably close score. 13 losses is tough to swallow, but 10 of those losses were in one score games. The only teams that beat them by multiple touchdowns all year were the Bills, the Lions and the Bears. If new head coach Liam Coen can find a way to get this defense to play at a league-average level, there is no reason to think the Jaguars can't make a run for the AFC South title next season. That begins with bolstering the secondary, and there's no better way to do that than by drafting Will Johnson. 

Round 1, Pick 6: Las Vegas Raiders - Mason Graham (DL)

   The Raiders would probably love to trade up and get Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders, but convincing any of the teams at the top of this draft to drop all the way down to the 6th pick with this group of players is a tough ask. Mason Graham is an excellent interior defensive lineman who consistently found ways to get into the backfield in college. Adding a player like him would make it very hard for opposing offenses to double team an established edge rusher like Maxx Crosby. If the Raiders pick Mason Graham here, it would open up a lot of possibilities for their defense.

Round 1, Pick 7: New York Jets - Will Campbell (OT)

   Another team going through a lot of changes right now. The Jets have a new head coach in Aaron Glenn, a new general manager in Darren Mougey, and this week they announced that they will be going with a new quarterback next season and plan to move on without Aaron Rodgers. It's way too early to tell who will actually be under center for the Jets next year, but they will want to protect whoever it ends up being. We think the Jets take the first offensive lineman of the 2025 class with Will Campbell.

Round 1, Pick 8: Carolina Panthers - Malaki Starks (S)

   The Panthers have a lot of positional needs, but the defensive side of the ball is the one that clearly needs the most help. Last season, Carolina averaged a league-worst 404.5 yards of total offense allowed per game and they gave up more offensive touchdowns than any other team with 61. As long as they use this pick on a defensive player, it should be a home run pick for them. With that said, this class is a lot deeper at edge rusher and interior defensive linemen than it is in the secondary, and Malaki Starks is a really dynamic player that could help this team in a lot of ways. 

Round 1, Pick 9: New Orleans Saints - Tetairoa McMillan (WR)

   General opinion on Tet McMillan is starting to wane, while Luther Burden III and Emeka Egbuka are seeing their draft status rise as we get closer to the draft. This positional group could go through some huge shakeups when the official Combine results are here, so the end of the month could get interesting. New head coach Kellen More has been noncommittal in his responses to questions about Derek Carr, but there aren't a lot of feasible alternatives available at this time. McMillan is a big-bodied receiver who spent his entire college career bailing out poor quarterback play, and bringing him into the fold in New Orleans could give this team a major boost.

Round 1, Pick 10: Chicago Bears - Kelvin Banks (OT)

  Offensive line has been a weak point for the Bears, and Ben Johnson might want to start off his head coaching career by patching that hole. Kelvin Banks is widely considered to be versatile in the sense that he can compete for the left tackle position or slide inside to guard, depending on what works better. A lot of things could come together next year for Chicago if they can beef up the protection for Caleb Williams.

Round 1, Pick 11: San Francisco 49ers - Mykel Williams (Edge)

   The 49ers are a lot closer to being playoff contenders than their record would indicate. A long string of injuries and bad luck derailed their season this year, but they should get the ship right next year. One way to help that process along would be to add some depth on the defensive line. San Francisco spends most of their time in a 4-3 defense and their four down linemen are very good on paper. The challenge here is that it is an older group of players who have dealt with some injuries, and they could really use some rotational help in the trenches to keep them fresh and healthy. By the start of next season, Nick Bosa will be the only starter on the defensive line under 30 years old and he is prone to getting double teamed if the rest of that line isn't playing at 100%. The debate comes down to drafting another edge or drafting an interior lineman. When in doubt, we think the best strategy is go with the more talented player and we think Mykel Williams is more talented than every interior defensive line prospect in this class other than Mason Graham.

Round 1, Pick 12: Dallas Cowboys - Ashton Jeanty (RB)

  To be completely honest, we don't have a great reason to back up this pick. We just keep seeing very smart people who have been doing this for a lot longer than us saying that this is definitely going to happen. The Cowboys do need an upgrade at running back and we do think Ashton Jeanty is the best running back in the class, so it might as well happen.

Round 1, Pick 13: Miami Dolphins - Josh Simmons (OT)

  The Dolphins have dealt with a lot of injuries on their offensive line. Austin Jackson missed some time last year with a knee injury and 33 year old Terron Armstead finished the season on injured reserve. Josh Simmons would give the Dolphins some flexibility as an athletic tackle who could also play guard.

Round 1, Pick 14: Indianapolis Colts - Tyler Warren (TE)

   The Colts had one of the least productive tight end groups in the league last season. Mo Alie-Cox, Kyle Granson, Andrew Ogletree and Will Mallory combined for 39 catches, 467 yards and 2 touchdowns on the year. Only the Rams had fewer catches by tight ends on the season, but they have the excuse that Tyler Higbee was injured for the first 15 weeks of the year. Tyler Warren is an extremely talented tight end who would provide an immediate upgrade to the Colts' offense. 

Round 1, Pick 15: Atlanta Falcons - Jalon Walker (Edge)

   Despite struggling for long stretches during most of the season, the Falcons' offense finally seemed to click in the final few games of the season when they benched Kirk Cousins and made the switch to Michael Penix Jr. Because of how much better the offense looked with a change at quarterback, the Falcons are probably looking more on the defensive side with this pick. This defense has a few good players, but struggled as a unit. Their allowed their opponents to convert on third down 45.28% of the time, which ranked 31st on the season (only the Panthers were worse). Jalon Walker is a highly decorated, versatile player that can rush from the edge or drop back and play as a traditional linebacker. His athleticism allows him to do a lot of different things very well, and he could fit very nicely into the Falcons' front seven.

Round 1, Pick 16: Arizona Cardinals - Nic Scourton (Edge)

   The Cardinals have the basic foundation of a real offense, but their defense is trailing behind. While the situation is not as dire as some of the other teams drafting at this point in the first round, one obvious weakness in Arizona is the third down defense. They gave up conversions 43.8% of the time, which ties them for 28th in the league. Scourton is a strong edge rusher that could be very valuable to a team like the Cardinals.

Round 1, Pick 17: Cincinnati Bengals - Kenneth Grant (DL)

   The Bengals defensive struggles were widely covered by the media this season. Their weakest point was the red zone, where they allowed touchdowns in 67.9% of opportunities (30th in the league). Kenneth Grant played primarily as a 3-4 nose tackle in college, but history has shown us that those types of players can still be effective in 4 down linemen sets with the right coaching. Grant moves extremely well for his size and has excelled at stopping the run throughout his career, but many scouts think he has the potential to develop into an even better pass rusher based on his first step quickness and pursuit speed. The Bengals quite simply need to find a way to give up fewer touchdowns, and this might be the best way they can use this pick for that purpose.

Round 1, Pick 18: Seattle Seahawks - Tyler Booker (OL)

   The Seahawks have consistently had problems with their offensive line over the last decade, but they've always managed to overcome the poor protection because they have so much talent at other positions. Pro Football Focus has given Seattle's blockers a rank of 27th or lower in 7 of the last 10 years, but in that time they've only had one season with a losing record. This off-season might prove to be the exception to that rule. Geno Smith's revival tour looks like it is heading into the final act. Pete Carroll is gone, he's coaching the Raiders now. Tyler Lockett is looking like a potential salary cap casualty. It's time for Seattle to do things differently. Tyler Booker played tackle in college but he more closely resembles an NFL guard with his size and skill set. He's just one piece of the puzzle, but he could go a long way toward fixing the Seahawks' most glaring flaw.

Round 1, Pick 19: Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Luther Burden III (WR)

  Mike Evans and Chris Godwin have been the heart of the Buccaneers' offense for a long time now and our sincere hope is that they continue to be great. With that said, Mike Evans will be 32 years old by the start of next season and Chris Godwin will be 29. Godwin is also coming off a season-ending ankle injury, the second major lower body injury of his career (torn ACL in 2021). There's also some contract related challenges with Godwin due to the three void years at the end of his last deal and a delayed dead cap hit that will probably need to be resolved sooner than later. The Buccaneers would do well to add some depth to their receiver corps with this draft pick, and Luther Burden III would give the Buccaneers an explosive player who excels at getting yards after the catch. 

Round 1, Pick 20: Denver Broncos - Nick Emmanwori (S)

The Broncos *could* lean toward a tight end here, but if Tyler Warren is already off the board then Nick Emmanwori could be a better fit. While Denver has a pretty solid defense already, the secondary could use some help. Emmanwori is a big safety who moves extremely fast for a player of his size. He can play as a box safety to help defend against the run, he’s quick enough to use as a QB spy, and he’s been effective in man coverage against tight ends. We think Emmanwori sees a big rise after the combine and he would be an upgrade in a lot of ways for the Broncos.

Round 1, Pick 21: Pittsburgh Steelers - Emeka Egbuka (WR)

   The Steelers were not able to get much production out of their receivers last year. George Pickens is clearly talented, but has given Pittsburgh a lot of headaches in other ways. Tight end Pat Freiermuth led the team in receptions (65) and touchdowns (7). Aside from those two players, there isn't much more to talk about. For a team with some uncertainty at quarterback, the best thing to do here is probably to draft a receiver. Emeka Egbuka is a polished route runner with great hands and would be an immediate upgrade as the Steelers' WR2.

Round 1, Pick 22: Los Angeles Chargers - Colston Loveland (TE)

   The Chargers are another team that did not get much production out of their Tight Ends last season. As a group, they totaled 83 catches for 810 yards but only 2 touchdowns. Colston Loveland is an underappreciated talent who played in a very run-heavy offense in college, but has the skills to help open up Justin Herbert's passing game in a major way. On top of that, this coaching staff is already very familiar with his work since Jim Harbaugh coached at Michigan for two of Loveland's three seasons there. They won a national championship together two years ago, and we think they will reunite in Los Angeles in 2025. 

Round 1, Pick 23: Green Bay Packers - Shemar Stewart (Edge)

   The Packers need to take a defensive player who can make an immediate impact here. There are a bunch of options left on the board that still fit that mold, but our favorite is Shemar Stewart. He has all the traits you look for in a big time pass rushing prospect, and had an impressive college career. He was effective at compressing the pocket from the edge, and he can slide inside and beat guards to create interior pressure. 

Round 1, Pick 24: Minnesota Vikings - Benjamin Morrison (CB)

   Given how Minnesota's season ended, they are going to be looking very closely at defensive prospects. Overall, the Vikings actually had a very good defense but they were much better at stopping the run than they were at stopping the pass. Benjamin Morrison is the best corner left on the board at this point, and he has a pretty good chance at making an immediate difference for the Vikings.

Round 1, Pick 25: Houston Texans - Derrick Harmon (DL)

   There aren't a lot of weaknesses that the Texans need to address, but their run defense is definitely one area they need to improve in. They allowed 3.5 rushing yards per attempt to opponents this season, which was 29th in the league. This resulted in 1,643 rushing yards allowed (22nd) and 19 rushing touchdowns allowed (23rd). This interior defensive line needs help, and Derrick Harmon is a very disruptive player who has a lot to offer in that regard.

Round 1, Pick 26: Los Angeles Rams - Josh Conerly Jr. (OT)

   The Rams have a bunch of questions they need to address regarding their future, but you can never have too much protection. While they figure out what to do with Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp, bringing in Josh Conerly Jr. ensures that they move forward with a high-upside blocker.

Round 1, Pick 27: Baltimore Ravens - Jahdae Barron (CB)

   The Ravens ran into some injury trouble with their secondary during the second half of the season, and weren't playing anywhere close to 100% as they came down the final stretch. Jahdae Barron is a great player who really shouldn't fall this far, but positional needs and scheme fits are going to outweigh all-around talent with this class and we think the Ravens are going to find themselves in the very lucky position to draft him. Even if he isn't a Day 1 starter, he would be a very welcome insurance policy and a solid option to rotate in on certain packages to keep the rest of the secondary fresh. 

Round 1, Pick 28: Detroit Lions - Mike Green (Edge)

   This pick is very likely to change after the Combine, as Mike Green has been on a somewhat meteoric rise through the experts' big boards over the last few weeks. If we're wrong about that, and Mike Green is still available when the Lions get to make their pick, they could get to add an excellent defensive player from a smaller program who looks like he might be much better than the stats show. 

Round 1, Pick 29: Washington Commanders - Armand Membou (OT)

   The Commanders did everything right last year and don't have a lot of positional needs going forward. The best thing to do would be to pick up another offensive lineman, because you can never have too much protection. Just like Mike Green, Armand Membou has been getting a lot of hype since the college season ended and if he's still here when the Commanders are on the clock, the continued health and well-being of Jayden Daniels should be the focus here.

Round 1, Pick 30: Buffalo Bills - Walter Nolen (DL)

   At this point in the draft, it's less about positional need and more about finding the best player available. The Bills don't need much, but interior defensive linemen are seeing a rise in their value lately and Walter Nolen is a very good prospect at that position. 

Round 1, Pick 31: Kansas City Chiefs - James Pearce Jr. (Edge)

   Six sacks on zero blitzes. Those five words are going to haunt the Chiefs for a long time. It might make more sense to try and go for an offensive lineman given how the Super Bowl went, but the pool of talent left on the defensive side of the ball is a lot deeper by the time we get to pick #31 and James Pearce Jr. is objectively a very talented player. If the Chiefs ever hope to create their own "six sacks on zero blitzes" moment, this is the best way to get there.

Round 1, Pick 32: Philadelphia Eagles - Aireontae Ersery (OT)

   The champs just need to keep Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts healthy. If they can do that, they could be right back to making a deep playoff run next season. Grabbing an offensive lineman here is best way to ensure their continued success and well-being. It's that simple.