In today's Fantasy Life Newsletter, presented by 1440:
As much as I love the NFL regular season and postseason, the offseason is almost just as good.
Because it's not just the offseason.
It's NFL. MOCK. DRAFT. SZN.
Time to Party
And by "party," I mean check out the two post-Super Bowl mocks that Thor Nystrom and I have published this week:
With it officially being NFL MOCK SZN, we've decided to dedicate Saturday editions of the Fantasy Life newsletter to draft content, so know you'll have a reason other than your morning coffee (or tea, if you're proper like that) to wake up, get out of bed, and do something with your fantasy life.
Buckle up. MOCK SZN can be a bumpy ride.
A few things for you to note, if you're just now catching up on the NFL Draft.
The No. 1 pick is wide open. At FanDuel, four players have +600 odds or shorter to go No. 1, including potential generational non-QB prospects in EDGE Abdul Carter (+220) and WR/CB Travis Hunter (+450). In my latest mock, I have Carter going first.
There are only two QBs locked into Round 1: Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders. You can find Thor's scouting reports on both in our Fantasy Life NFL Draft Hub. Gene Clemons comped the two from his POV as a football coach.
This class is loaded at RB. It always feels as if there aren't enough RBs to go around in dynasty. This year, we're getting an infusion of young talent at the position.
This year's WR class is relatively thin. Example: Hunter—who just won the Fred Biletnikoff Award as the nation's top collegiate pass catcher—might not even be a full-time receiver in the NFL.
The TE class is stacked. There's no Brock Bowers this year … but there could be a few Sam LaPortas.
For my lifetime, I'm 484-424 (+102.6 units) betting on the draft. As the NFL Draft prop market heats up, I'll put all my bets in our Bet Tracker. It might be worth checking out.
FANTASY LIFE’S NFL DRAFT 2025 CENTRAL
Here is some cool dynasty/draft/college stuff to read…
📈 Bryce Young is one of our dynasty risers and fallers.
🐏 Gene Clemons’ “Small School Report” brings the next Cooper Kupp into focus.
🎸 Remember when you used to hear about bands who wanted only brown M&Ms? High school recruits are the new Aerosmith!
🎯 ICYMI: Thor’s QB profiles on Jalen Milroe and Jaxson Dart.
🐻 UCLA’s Lauren Betts (we can talk WCBB here, right?) is a frontrunner for the Naismith. Her autographed cards are no longer a bargain.
❤️ Find someone who looks at you the way Matthew looks at ...
🙏 Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase are among NFL’s best, but the Bengals still need to give them help.
Since I Love You All, Here’s My Latest 2025 NFL Mock Draft
I’ve been dropping mocks for the 2025 NFL Draft since May of 2024. A few things have changed over that time. Most recently, after Super Bowl 59, we have the finalized draft order. And with it, we have a new player going No. 1 overall to the on-the-clock Tennessee Titans.
No. 1 Abdul Carter | EDGE | Penn State
Abdul Carter has gotten a world of hype over the past month, and although he's still "just" No. 2 to go No. 1 overall (+200, FanDuel), I feel it's time to have a mock with Carter in the top spot. Titans President of Football Operations Chad Brinker has said that the team "won't pass up on a generational talent" at No. 1 … and with all apologies to QBs Cameron Ward and Shedeur Sanders, neither one is a once-a-decade prospect.
No. 2 Travis Hunter | CB/WR | Colorado
The Browns could go with a rookie as a replacement for QB Deshaun Watson (Achilles), but I think it's more likely that they'll go with a veteran via free agency, which means they could be in a position in the draft to go with the best player available at No. 2—and that's Hunter. In terms of talent, he decides to go ahead of both Round 1 QBs.
As for the rest …
SEE MY ENTIRE FIRST-ROUND NFL MOCK DRAFT HERE
Quinn Ewers Reportedly Passed Up $8 Million in NIL Money To Enter the Draft
Let’s join Thor Nystrom’s profile, already in progress…
Quinn Ewers delivers a tight spiral and a catchable ball, and has shown a feel for touch and layered passing in the intermediate area. This is an area of Ewers’ game that will translate—play-callers around the league will recognize this skill on tape and appreciate it.
My issue with Ewers’ game is what we’ve seen when the primary looks are taken away and he has to create. I see a mechanical thinker whose effectiveness wavers the further he goes down the progression line.
This is why Ewers struggles with pressure despite having the arm elasticity and comfort throwing without a platform to theoretically be good at it. Pressure forces Ewers to make a slap-bang decision between non-ideal options outside the original design of the play as taught.
GOT YOU ‘HOOKED,’ RIGHT? READ THE WHOLE THING HERE
