The offseason, at long last, has arrived. In this post-Super Bowl 2025 NFL mock draft – our first with the Round 1 order set in stone – we’re going to play things straight: no trades.
We’re also going to make a pair of situational assumptions in advance: QB Sam Darnold heads to the Raiders in free agency, and Kirk Cousins, via a post-June 1 release, ultimately finds himself reunited with Kevin Stefanski in Cleveland. With that said, let's have some fun.
Post-Super Bowl 2025 NFL Mock Draft
1. Tennessee Titans (3-14) – Shedeur Sanders | QB | Colorado
The tenure of new Titans GM Mike Borgonzi – the former Kansas City Chiefs assistant GM – will be determined by the decision he makes at quarterback this offseason.
Cam Ward is the current betting favorite for this slot. There have also been whispers that Borgonzi will pursue QB Sam Darnold in free agency, allowing the Titans to either use this pick on Travis Hunter, or Abdul Carter, or trade down.
Until we have more information, I’m keeping Sanders, my QB1 in the class, in this slot. The Titans spent a good amount of time interviewing Sanders at the Shrine Game – Sanders elected not to practice after he spoke with the teams holding the top three picks.
Sanders finished more than five points ahead of Cam Ward in adjusted accuracy percentage (81.6% to 76.3%), and Sanders’ 4.3 big-time-throw to turnover-worthy-play rate was more than double Ward’s 1.8. Here’s an excerpt from my Shedeur Sanders scouting report:
“Sanders’ accuracy, in general, is an elite trait. He can put the ball wherever he wants it, to any sector of the field, shielding it from defenders and leading his receivers into space. … You can see how well Sanders has taken to coaching over the years from his repeatable upper-body mechanics; he throws like an archer shoots, quick and easy, tight, natural, and repeatable.”
2. Cleveland Browns (3-14) – Travis Hunter | WR/CB | Colorado
Last month, QB Deshaun Watson underwent a second Achilles surgery, putting his availability for 2025 in doubt. We believe the Browns will add an outside veteran quarterback to take over QB1 duties next year.
Browns HC Kevin Stefanski’s previous working relationship with to-be-released Falcons QB Kirk Cousins puts Cleveland in pole position to sign Cousins to a one-year, minimum-salaried contract post-June 1 (ala the Steelers’ signing of Russell Wilson last year). And it bears mentioning that the Browns could recoup $44.3 million next offseason in rolled-over cap relief from the insured portion of Watson’s base 2025 salary if Watson were indeed ruled out for 2025 due to the re-injury, opening up the possibility of a back-loaded contract offer to Sam Darnold.
In a reality where Cleveland doesn’t feel boxed in to taking a quarterback, Travis Hunter is a no-brainer pick. The draft’s best overall player, Hunter profiles as a CB1 who’ll moonlight part-time as an electric go-to WR1 for however many offensive snaps he can additionally handle. When Hunter is playing offense for the Browns, Jerry Jeudy would slide into the WR2 role he’s more suited for.
3. New York Giants (3-14) – Cam Ward | QB | Miami
The Giants need to come out of this draft with either Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward. That might ultimately involve a trade-up. In this scenario, we’re not projecting trades, and Ward falls into the Giants’ laps.
That would be a coup for a franchise that has floundered amid quarterback issues since 2019, when the Giants transitioned from Eli Manning to Daniel Jones.
Ward has an incredible rags-to-riches story that the Big Apple media would eat up. Here’s a snippet from my Cam Ward scouting report:
“Ward’s got a high-voltage right arm, and there isn’t a throw in this world that he doesn’t think he can make. Ward’s game is a freewheeling, shoot-em-up display of aggression and creativity. … He has an elastic, twitchy arm, shooting the pill out from unorthodox sidearm slots. … Ward hates to check down, and he doesn’t like to throw the ball away. He will keep hunting until the bitter end. He generates explosive plays this way. But it’s also where you see wanton recklessness.”
4. New England Patriots (4-13) – Abdul Carter | EDGE | Penn State
With numerous roster holes, the Patriots are a tough team to peg.
Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan would be a perfect WR1 for Drake Maye. Michigan CB Will Johnson would give New England one of the league’s most enviable young cornerback rooms, lining across from Christian Gonzalez. OTs Kelvin Banks Jr. or Will Campbell would bolster New England’s porous offensive line that has finished dead-last in the NFL in pass-block win rate the past two years running.
But there appears to be a decent chance that either Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter falls down to the Patriots at No. 4 overall – all it takes is the consensus top-two quarterbacks going in the top three. If that happens, New England simply needs to submit the card with one of their names on it. Carter is a destructive force off the edge who led the FBS with 22 TFL in 2024.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-13) – Will Johnson | CB | Michigan
The Jaguars’ defense allowed the most yards per play in the NFL this season. Jacksonville badly needs a legitimate starting boundary cornerback to line up across from Tyson Campbell.
Johnson is a shutdown CB1. During Michigan’s 2023 title run, Johnson allowed a microscopic 30.9 QB rating against on targets. Over the last two years, Johnson picked off six balls while allowing zero TDs in coverage. He would solve a huge issue for Jacksonville.
6. Las Vegas Raiders (4-13) – Tetairoa McMillan | WR | Arizona
Remember, we’ve solved the Raiders’ quarterback need via the mock signing of Sam Darnold (Russell Wilson – and a reunion with HC Pete Carroll – has been another rumored veteran quarterback of interest for Las Vegas).
Whatever the Raiders do at QB, they’ll need to acquire another impact pass-catcher to pair with stud TE Brock Bowers. McMillan would be ideal. A made-in-a-factory NFL alpha WR1, McMillan is a 6’5/210-pound pterodactyl with a bloated catch radius and ludicrous ball skills. Think: Drake London.
7. New York Jets (5-12) – Kelvin Banks Jr. | OT | Texas
In the lead-up to the Super Bowl on Sunday, Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer reported that the Jets have informed QB Aaron Rodgers that he will not be back next season. Interestingly, Glazer’s report strongly suggested that Rodgers will play next season, just not for the Jets.
The Jets rank No. 20 in the NFL in effective cap space heading into the offseason. The Jets don’t have the flexibility nor likely the conviction to engage in reunion talks with Sam Darnold, and New York is going to be boxed out of the class’ top-two consensus Round 1 quarterbacks.
The Jets will likely have to get by with a one-year stopgap at quarterback – Russell Wilson? – while devoting the rest of their offseason resources to plugging the myriad other holes on the roster. That process right here with the selection of Banks. Banks shined in 2024 with an 86.0 PFF grade and 79.9 true pass set grade.
Aging Jets OTs Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses are both free agents. Allowing both to walk while replacing them with last year’s 11th-overall pick (Olu Fashanu) and a top-10 pick from this class like Banks would allow New York’s front office to use its scarce cap room on other spots.
8. Carolina Panthers (5-12) – Mason Graham | DL | Michigan
Carolina had a historically bad defense in 2024. The Panthers allowed the most points ever in a season, and the third-most rushing yards. Carolina has huge needs along the defensive front and in the secondary.
Graham is a two-way bully of a three-technique who gets after the quarterback and anchors against the run. He has violent hands and rock-em-sock-em shock-absorbing core strength. He and Derrick Brown would give Carolina a formidable defensive interior.
9. New Orleans Saints (5-12) - Mykel Williams | EDGE | Georgia
The Saints’ -$59.5 million effective cap space is by far and away the least in the NFL, and New Orleans has needs all over the roster. New Saints HC Kellen Moore would assuredly prefer to draft a young Round 1 quarterback to start developing, but 1.9 is too early for this class’ QB3.
Beyond that, after looking into Derek Carr’s contract deeper, as far as I can tell, restructuring Carr to relieve stress on the 2025 books is the only option the Saints appear to have. In short, we’re looking at other positions for this pick.
With EDGEs Chase Young and Payton Turner headed for free agency, and the 36-year-old Cameron Jordan in an uncertain place heading into the last year of his contact, you could make the argument that EDGE might be atop New Orleans’ sprawling needs list.
Williams has a made-in-a-factory frame and high-octane athleticism. Like Travon Walker before him, Williams has shown to be a well-rounded collegiate defender who stops the run in addition to getting after the quarterback.
Williams will face the same counting-stat questions that Walker did. A heavily-used rotation player all three years on campus, Williams never played 50-plus snaps in a game until the regular season finale against Georgia Tech.
To be fair, Williams suffered a serious ankle sprain in the opener against Clemson that included the partial tearing of ligaments. He was given a 3-6 week recovery timeline, but rushed back after missing only two games.
Williams was only able to play limited snaps the next three games (42 snaps total between Games 2-6). In his first game with an increased workload, the regular season game at Texas, Williams posted two sacks and had a third taken off the board due to a facemask flag.
If Williams had been healthy for the entirety of his junior season, there’s a decent possibility that he wouldn’t be available in the ninth slot.
10. Chicago Bears (5-12) - Will Campbell | OT | LSU
There are two skill players that I think would make some sense for Bears HC Ben Johnson’s offense: Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty has elements of both Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery to his game, and Missouri WR Luther Burden might offer some intrigue as a high-volume slot who does damage in the intermediate area.
But with D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson back next year, and receiver not exactly a problem area, we have the Bears plugging a bigger hole with this pick. Johnson knows firsthand the power of a colossus offensive line, and the Bears have a lot of work to do in that regard.
With Will Campbell, the Bears get to work improving a maligned offensive line. QB Caleb Williams’ game requires an offensive line that can hold up – and hold up for longer than is typical – in pass-pro. Campbell was LSU’s starting LT for the past three seasons. He has the game to kick inside if needed, giving Chicago options.
11. San Francisco 49ers (6-11) - Jalon Walker | EDGE/LB | Georgia
San Francisco’s biggest needs are along the trenches on both sides of the ball. Defensively, you could extend that to “front 7” help. With Kelvin Banks Jr. and Will Campbell both off the board, but Jalon Walker available, the 49ers side with defensive help.
Walker is a front-7 move-piece who will help you at both EDGE and LB. He has LB size at 6-foot-2, 245 pounds, but Walker has shown an exceptional prowess for getting after quarterbacks off the edge. He’s also proven to be an extremely effective quarterback spy, making dual-threat quarterbacks think twice before breaking containment.
In 2024, Georgia gave Walker more responsibility and maximized his versatility. Walker’s ability to be moved around to frustrate opposing offenses is something that figures to intrigue San Francisco’s defensive staff.
12. Dallas Cowboys (7-10) - Ashton Jeanty | RB | Boise State
Ezekiel Elliott won’t be back next fall, and there’s a decent chance that impending free agent Rico Dowdle is a goner as well. The Cowboys need to start over at the RB position.
In my opinion, Jeanty is a better prospect than Bijan Robinson, who went No. 8 overall to the Falcons two years ago. There is nothing Jeanty can’t do. Jeanty’s 2,601 rushing yards in 2024 rank No. 2 all-time behind Barry Sanders’ 2,628 (1988) on the FBS’ single-season record list. He has the contact balance of a spinning top, he breaks tackles at a prolific rate, and he’s an exceptional receiver.
13. Miami Dolphins (8-9) - Malaki Starks | S | Georgia
The Dolphins need help at cornerback and safety (where Jevon Holland and Jordan Poyer are both impending free agents). This makes Starks an exceptionally good fit. You can play him anywhere - deep safety, nickel defender, in-the-box off-ball linebacker – and he’ll impact the game. Starks is a high-IQ, high-impact move-piece.
14. Indianapolis Colts (8-9) - Tyler Warren | TE | Penn State
Warren is a 6-foot-6, 260-pound do-everything tight end. He’s a matchup nightmare in the slot, and he’s a decent blocker when deployed inline. Warren had 98 catches with only three drops in 2024.
He was used in a specialized way, as Brock Bowers was, with touches manufactured on hand-offs and on trick plays. Warren will immediately improve any passing offense that he’s added to.
15. Atlanta Falcons (8-9) - James Pearce Jr. | EDGE | Tennessee
The Falcons finished second-to-last in the NFL in sacks. Atlanta simply must – at long last – address this long-term issue in a serious way this offseason.
Tennessee’s Pearce isn’t for everyone, in that he’s a light edge defender at 6-foot-5, 243 pounds. He reminds me of Brian Burns. Pearce is extremely disruptive, and you can send him from anywhere.
16. Arizona Cardinals (8-9) - Luther Burden III | WR | Missouri
Burden is coming off a disappointing season, in part due to quarterback injuries at Mizzou this season. But the former five-star recruit is a dynamic playmaker who has a strong catalog of film going back to 2022.
Burden would provide the Cardinals with a perfect stylistic complementary piece to the pass-catching corps of Trey McBride, Marvin Harrison, and Michael Wilson. A lightning-fast slot receiver, Burden could take advantage of the intermediate spacing provided by coverage attention paid to Harrison and McBride.
17. Cincinnati Bengals (9-8) - Walter Nolen | DL | Ole Miss
The Bengals must improve their pass rush. Last year, the Bengals finished No. 31 in pass-rush win rate from the defensive interior. Cincy’s interior wasn’t much better against the run, and B.J. Hill’s contract is expiring.
A former five-star recruit, Nolen is quick and country-strong. What Nolen does best is get into the backfield – run or pass, you can count on him shedding quickly. Nolen, coming off a fabulous three-year career in the SEC, would be a Day 1 starter for the Bengals.
18. Seattle Seahawks (10-7) - Josh Conerly Jr. | OT | Oregon
Seattle could use multiple new starters on the offensive line. Conerly fits the high-end athletic profile that Seattle has historically fetishized in offensive tackles.
A former five-star recruit, Connerly began his high school career as a running back. Play strength is a question, but Conerly is an extremely gifted pass-protector. Over 1,091 career pass-pro reps – nearly all of them at left tackle – he allowed only two sacks.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7) - Mike Green | EDGE | Marshall
Green’s stock has soared since his dominant showing at the Senior Bowl. HC Todd Bowles loves his pass-rushers, and Tampa Bay needs to add a legitimate one this offseason.
Last year, the Bucs ranked No. 31 in passing defense, in part because Tampa Bay gave opposing quarterbacks all day to throw. Green’s addition would be a nice step toward improving Tampa’s lackluster pass rush.
20. Denver Broncos (10-7) - Colston Loveland | TE | Michigan
The Broncos’ biggest offseason priority is adding more weapons for QB Bo Nix. Loveland is an extremely skilled receiver. He has some Zach Ertz to his game.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7) - Emeka Egbuka | WR | Ohio State
Egbuka doesn’t profile as a flashy alpha WR1, but as an ultra-reliable secondary option out of the slot – similar to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, his former Ohio State teammate. Egbuka is the best in this class at immediately denoting zone coverage and finding the open area. He’d fit in really well beside George Pickens.
22. Los Angeles Chargers (11-6) - Kenneth Grant | DL | Michigan
According to The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman, Grant ran a sub-5.0 40-yard dash at 350 pounds coming out of high school. His college coach, Jim Harbaugh. called Grant “just an absolute, absolute gift from the football gods” during Grant’s first offseason in Ann Arbor.
In the time since, Grant has developed into a clear Round 1 talent. Meanwhile, Harbaugh’s Chargers badly need a war-daddy interior defensive lineman. The marriage seems destined.
23. Green Bay Packers (11-6) - Jahdae Barron | CB | Texas
The Packers have a glaring need at cornerback. CB Eric Stokes and Corey Ballentine are free agents, and it’s unclear whether CB Jaire Alexander will be back.
Barron is a destructive secondary presence in a zone scheme – such as the one Green Bay plays. Texas played Barron all over the place. Barron has extensive experience at boundary corner, in the slot, and in the box as a dime LB.
Barron is instinctive and active, deciphering offensive intentions immediately and springing into action. In coverage in 2024, Barron allowed no touchdowns and 272 yards on 65 targets with five interceptions.
24. Minnesota Vikings (14-3) - Shemar Stewart | DL | Texas A&M
The Vikings need multiple new starters along the defensive line and at cornerback. The Vikings also desperately need a new starting RG, but my assumption is that need gets addressed in free agency.
GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah takes input from the coaching staff in draft evaluations, and Shemar Stewart is a prospect that I believe DC Brian Flores will advocate for. Stewart profiles as an active, two-way 3-4 defensive end.
Stewart was dominant at the Senior Bowl. He measured in at 6-foot-5, 281 pounds, with a wingspan of nearly seven feet. Stewart is an incredible athlete for his size. His stock rose in Mobile, and it's going to rise again later this month in Indianapolis at the NFL Combine.
25. Houston Texans (10-7) - Grey Zabel | OL | North Dakota State
The Texans’ interior offensive line crumbled in 2024. QB CJ Stroud was sacked 52 times in the regular season, and he took eight more in the playoff loss to the Chiefs. Multiple new starters are needed to patch the leaking.
Grey Zabel has moved onto the Round 1 line after a dominant Senior Bowl – which itself came off a nearly flawless 2024 season at NDSU. Zabel didn't lose a single rep in one-on-ones in Mobile.
In Mobile, coaches played Zabel everywhere — at tackle, guard, and center. The 6-foot-5, 316-pounder was dominant at each spot. A voting bloc of 32 NFL executives named Zabel the Practice Player-of-the-Week.
He would likely take over the Texans’ starting center gig immediately. But Zabel could also start at guard, another current sore spot for the Texans. Zabel’s presence in camp would give the Texans options with the configuration of the 2025 line.
26. Los Angeles Rams (10-7) - Armand Membou | OL | Missouri
The Rams, who haven’t drafted an offensive lineman in Round 1 in more than a decade, are badly in need of an offensive tackle. LT Alaric Jackson is a free agent, and RT Rob Havenstein has one non-guaranteed year left on his deal.
Membou, a three-year starter at right tackle in the SEC, is coming off a dominant 2024 season (90.4 PFF grade). Membou is still 20 years old, with upside left to untap. He’s sawed-off at 6-foot-3, 314 pounds, but Membou has the long arms to potentially hang on the boundary at the next level. He could improve his argument in that regard with a big showing at the NFL Combine later this month.
27. Baltimore Ravens (12-5) - Josh Simmons | OT | Ohio State
Simmons is coming off a season-ending knee injury. If that checks out, he’ll be a first-round pick. Simmons allowed only one sack over 601 pass-blocking reps since the start of 2023. He’s a smooth-mover with really good feet.
28. Detroit Lions (15-2) - Tyler Booker | OG | Alabama
The Lions need help at offensive guard. If Kevin Zeitler doesn’t return, a non-enviable combo of Graham Glasgow and Christian Mahogany is the projected starting duo.
Booker would provide an instant upgrade. He is an exciting guard prospect with a high ceiling. Booker, who declared following his true junior season, has a made-in-a-lab frame. He plays with great leverage.
29. Washington Commanders (12-5) - Benjamin Morrison | CB | Notre Dame
The NFC championship loss to the Eagles shot boundary cornerback to the top of Washington’s needs list if it wasn’t already. Here, the Commanders take a sticker-price discount on Morrison.
The son of former NFL safety Darryl Morrison, Morrison looked like a surefire top-15 prospect prior to the hip injury that ended his 2024 season in September. That injury, of course, will need to be signed off on by medical staffs at the NFL Combine.
Morrison had six interceptions as a true freshman in 2022 and was a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award in 2023. When Morrison was on the field in college, he was generally the best player on it.
30. Buffalo Bills (13-4) - Derrick Harmon | DL | Oregon
Harmon made the Round 1 leap in 2024, comfortably leading all FBS interior defensive linemen in hurries with 39. He and Ed Oliver could do some damage together.
31. Kansas City Chiefs (15-2) - Matthew Golden | WR | Texas
The Chiefs’ receiving corps is headed for a makeover. WRs Hollywood Brown, DeAndre Hopkins, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Justin Watkins are all impending free agents.
We know WRs Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy will be back next season. But Kansas City needs to add another legitimate starter to run beside them. Golden would fit that bill. Golden broke out during his one season at Texas. He and Worthy were never teammates with the Longhorns, but I think they would complement each other well at the NFL level.
32. Philadelphia Eagles (14-3) - Nic Scourton | EDGE | Texas A&M
With Josh Sweat an impending free agent and Brandon Graham retiring at season’s end, EDGE sits atop the Super Bowl champion’s offseason shopping list. There should be plenty to choose from at that position to choose from in the No. 32 slot.
Scourton is a massive (6’4/285), bully-ball edge defender with long arms. He sets a hard edge in the run game and uses speed-to-power to win as a pass-rusher. Scourton has the versatility to move up and down the line to maximize matchups. Per PFF, Scourton exceeded a 19% win rate each of his final two seasons in college.
