Believe it or not, this is my first mock draft ever, despite having worked in the NFL scouting world for several decades. But with Round 1 right around the corner (April 24 in Green Bay, Wisconsin), there's no time like the present to leap into the mock madness.
In my prior life on the personnel side, I inhabited draft rooms with the Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills and New York Giants, and in no meeting did we ever perform a mock. What we did do was talk through the most likely scenarios and groups of players who would be selected before our pick, based on our prospect evaluations and the intel we gathered from other teams. So I had that approach in mind when filling out my first and only mock of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Let's get to it.
Tennessee doesn't overthink this pick, selecting the player it has publicly praised throughout the pre-draft process. Ward is the only quarterback in this draft who has the playmaking ability required to swiftly transform a franchise; he could provide the Titans with the kind of instant impact we've seen from Jayden Daniels and C.J. Stroud over the past couple seasons.
The opportunity to pair Carter with perennial Pro Bowler Myles Garrett is too tempting to resist. Having these two on opposite sides of Jim Schwartz's defensive line ensures a terrorizing pass rush that will keep opposing quarterbacks uneasy in the pocket. Sure, Cleveland has plenty of questions surrounding its own QB situation, but outside of Cam Ward, I don't see another signal-caller in this class who truly upgrades the Browns offense.
New York could take a quarterback here despite having a trio of veterans on the roster. The team is hosting Shedeur Sanders for a private workout this week, but knowing the Giants' ownership and front office, I'm not sure they'll want to subject themselves to everything that comes with the polarizing prospect out of Colorado. Thus, Sanders' college teammate is the pick. Hunter was a two-way star at Colorado, but I think the reigning Heisman Trophy winner would add more value on offense as a complement to Malik Nabers. That said, he could also play spot duty on the back end of Shane Bowen's defense.
This is too good a fit for a team that desperately needs to improve its offensive line. In my opinion, Campbell is the most polished and best lineman in this class. The highly productive prospect would do well under Mike Vrabel and Josh McDaniels.
The Jaguars must give Trevor Lawrence as many resources as possible to see if he truly is a franchise QB and the guy for Liam Coen's offense moving forward. Warren is the best tight end in this class. He'd find a ton of success working the middle of the field in Jacksonville, with second-year receiver Brian Thomas Jr. commanding the defense's attention deep.
Let's remember that Pete Carroll has doubled down on the quarterback position before, signing veteran Matt Flynn in Seattle before drafting Russell Wilson, who ultimately won the job as a rookie. So just because the Raiders traded for Geno Smith this offseason, it's not unthinkable for them to draft Sanders, who has a relationship with Las Vegas limited partner Tom Brady and wouldn't have to play immediately with Geno in tow.
With Justin Fields under center, it would be wise for the Jets to bulk up the ground game. Breece Hall has been OK, but pairing him with a future star in Jeanty would give new offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand the kind of two-headed monster in the backfield that the assistant coach worked with in Detroit. A potent rushing attack is something that ultimately would fuel Fields' growth as a quarterback.
The Panthers are open to trading back, but their desperate need along the defensive line prompts them to stand pat in this exercise and select a polished/consistent DT to pair with Derrick Brown.
With Derek Carr dealing with a shoulder injury that could threaten his availability for 2025, Kellen Moore drafts his own quarterback in an effort to revitalize the franchise. Projections for the work-in-progress Dart have been all over the board, but there is always QB desperation in the draft. If the Ole Miss passer lands here, he has a chance to reach his potential under Moore.
New head coach Ben Johnson has brought the philosophy from his days in Detroit to Chicago, promptly rebuilding the Bears' offensive line upon arrival. He continues putting his stamp on the front by bringing in the powerful Membou -- just another step in making life as easy as possible for second-year QB Caleb Williams.
After losing a number of key defensive players this offseason, including tone-setting linebacker Dre Greenlaw, the 49ers draft Campbell. The Alabama 'backer is my favorite player to watch in this entire draft class. He'd comprise a spectacular duo with Fred Warner.
To keep up with the Eagles and Commanders in the NFC East, the Cowboys need some impact players on offense outside of CeeDee Lamb. McMillan possesses the size and elite ball skills to perfectly complement Lamb as a deep-ball weapon in this passing attack.
The Dolphins could go a lot of ways here -- especially after the team and Jalen Ramsey mutually agreed to explore trade options for the star corner -- but boosting the pass rush should be Priority No. 1. Walker is at his best when getting after the quarterback and could find success alongside Chop Robinson and a healthy Jaelan Phillips.
The Colts have a ton of playmakers at receiver and running back, but tight end is the missing piece in the offensive weaponry. Consequently, Indy adds Loveland -- a big-time playmaker who has elite downfield speed and a big catch radius -- to give whoever ends up winning the quarterback competition the best chance to succeed.
Despite investing a lot of Day 2 draft capital in the defensive line in recent years, Atlanta continually struggles to take down the quarterback. Time to address the issue in Round 1 by scooping up a young, dynamic edge rusher with a Georgia connection.
Simmons offers good value here as the most athletic offensive lineman in this class. The Ohio State/San Diego State product has the potential to be a Pro Bowl-caliber player, but he's coming off a torn patellar tendon. Arizona could be patient with his recovery, already having veteran tackles Paris Johnson Jr. and Jonah Williams in place.
The Bengals couldn't stop anyone last season, so even if reigning NFL sack king Trey Hendrickson ultimately remains in Cincinnati, this defense still needs help. Green is a productive pass rusher, having led the FBS with 17 sacks in 2024. His relentless pursuit of the quarterback and ability to stifle the run would improve a unit that ranked 25th in points and yards allowed last year.
Sam Darnold is at his best when he can distribute the ball to a great supporting cast. Adding Egbuka to a solid receiving corps could help Darnold replicate his 2024 breakout season in Minnesota. Egbuka plays similarly to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, his former Ohio State teammate who's already flourishing in Seattle.
Despite not running a pre-draft 40-yard dash, Johnson still feels like a top-10 talent in this class to me. He'd bring some much-needed playmaking ability to the back end of Todd Bowles' defense.
Outside of the franchises lacking a starting quarterback, Denver might have the biggest need of any team entering the draft. The Broncos have struggled to run the ball under Sean Payton, so they finally solidify the ground game by adding this physical, bell-cow back.
With Cameron Heyward heading into Year 15 and T.J. Watt turning 31 in October, the Steelers must start thinking about the future of the defensive front. Despite his lack of sack production in college, Stewart feels built to play in the Steel City as a traitsy edge with dynamic upside.
Jim Harbaugh loves to utilize tight ends, so the Chargers fill a glaring need with a dependable and underrated prospect from an NFL family. (His dad is Hall of Fame DE Jason Taylor and his uncle is HOF LB Zach Thomas.) Plenty of upside in this well-rounded TE.
Jaire Alexander is at the forefront of trade discussions in Green Bay -- and he's missed double-digit games in three of the past four seasons. Bottom line: It's time for the Packers to invest in his replacement. Hairston has the skill set to step in as a starting cornerback.
The Vikings brought in a ton of upgrades for Brian Flores' defense last offseason and reaped the benefits in a 14-win campaign. After losing a number of key defensive playmakers in free agency this offseason, Minnesota gets a versatile defender who could play various positions in the secondary but would likely replace the departed Camryn Bynum.
The Texans continue overhauling their offensive line with this draft's best interior blocker. Jackson proved he could play left tackle as an injury replacement during Ohio State's national title run, but he projects as a Pro Bowl-caliber guard in the NFL.
The Rams aim to maximize Matthew Stafford's remaining shelf life by adding this speedster. Golden would give Los Angeles a better version of Tutu Atwell to complement Davante Adams and Puka Nacua in the pass game.
After seeing the success Kyle Hamilton has enjoyed in Baltimore, the Ravens bring in another playmaker whose best asset is his versatility. Having Hamilton and Starks next to one another in the secondary will be heaven for defensive coordinator Zach Orr.
General manager Brad Holmes isn't one to make the moves people expect, but he has built a great roster in Detroit. So while the Lions have bigger needs in the trenches, they snag Burden in an effort to offset the loss of OC Ben Johnson and maintain their offensive dominance. A standout in the SEC, Burden has a similar playing style to Amon-Ra St. Brown and can work underneath with Jameson Williams stretching the field.
Maybe the most underrated player in this draft class. Tuimoloau joins Dan Quinn's defensive front as a hard-nosed and productive talent. Filling a big need in Washington, JTT -- who registered 6.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss during Ohio State's four-game playoff run -- could start immediately for the Commanders, whose DE depth chart is littered with NFL journeymen.
Since drafting Josh Allen seventh overall in 2018, the Bills haven't truly hit on many early-round picks. (Former second-rounder James Cook, who has made the Pro Bowl in each of the last two seasons, is a notable exception.) Grant isn't the most consistent player, but he is talented, athletic and has the potential to be an impact player on Buffalo's defensive front. He'll get to learn and grow behind veteran DTs Ed Oliver and DaQuan Jones.
Penalty magnet Jawaan Taylor has been a liability, and I'm not sold on free-agent signing Jaylon Moore curing all of Kansas City's OL ills. Conerly, who had his best game last season against Abdul Carter, has solid technique as a right or left tackle. He'd thrive under Andy Reid, who covets O-linemen with versatility.
With Josh Sweat departing in free agency and Nolan Smith coming off injury, the Eagles need pass-rush help to replicate their Super Bowl success. Pearce is an explosive player off the edge who can contribute immediately.
