The (most important part) of the 2025 NFL Draft order is set. The Tennessee Titans own the No. 1 pick, the Patriots fumbled the tank, and we're inching closer to the peak of 2025 NFL Mock Draft season.
Below is my first official first-round 2025 NFL Mock Draft with the regular season behind us. For full NFL Draft coverage, be sure to stay on top of our NFL Draft Hub.
First Round 2025 NFL Mock Draft - Picks 1-18
1. Tennessee Titans (3-14) – Shedeur Sanders | QB | Colorado
On Sunday, the Titans completed a six-loss rally to the very top of the draft board by losing to Houston. In Mock 1.0, published a month ago, Tennessee sat in the 1.06 slot. This left them boxed out of Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward (I gave the Titans Texas OT Kelvin Banks Jr.).
It gets much easier to parse Tennessee’s thinking now that they sit atop the board. The benching of Will Levis was a flashing neon sign that the Titans had already decided to invest big in the quarterback position this offseason.
Shedeur Sanders is the class’ best quarterback. With Sanders in tow, the Titans would presumably prioritize a pass-catcher to flesh out the receiving corps on Day 2.
2. New York Giants (3-14) – Cam Ward | QB | Miami
*TRADE: Giants acquire the No. 2 overall pick from Browns for No. 3, No. 34 (Round 2), and No. 104 (Round 4) picks
The above trade, a value fit on the trade charts, would not only guarantee the Giants that the Browns wouldn’t take Ward, but it would box out the Jets and Raiders beneath them. Ward would solve the Giants’ post-Daniel Jones quarterback questions.
Ward’s game took a big leap forward in 2024. His aDOT and YPA both improved by around two yards. He’s also become noticeably more comfortable in the pocket—sometimes even to the point of appearing nonchalant. Ward slashed his pressure-to-sack ratio from 24.9 to 16.4 this season.
3. Cleveland Browns (3-14) – Travis Hunter | WR/CB | Colorado
*TRADE: Browns acquire No. 3, No. 34 (Round 2), and No. 104 (Round 4) picks from Giants for No. 2 pick.
Currently sitting in the No. 2 slot in a two-QB draft, the Browns have a ton of leverage. Browns HC Kevin Stefanski’s return informs our thinking, as it makes it more plausible that Cleveland could be the landing spot for to-be-released Falcons QB Kirk Cousins on a one-year, minimum-salaried contract post-June 1 (ala the Steelers’ signing of Russell Wilson last year).
Solving the short-term quarterback dilemma on the cheap and using draft equity on immediate help may be the more attractive option for a coaching staff and administration that’ll enter next year on the hot seat.
In this scenario, Cleveland only moves one spot down the board with the Giants while picking up draft ammunition. This trade would give Cleveland three top-34 picks, and seven inside the top 105.
Though Cleveland has bigger needs, Travis Hunter would be 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 WR for however many offensive snaps he can additionally handle.
4. New England Patriots (4-13) – Kelvin Banks Jr. | OT | Texas
New England plummeted out of the No. 1 slot all the way to No. 4 by “beating” Buffalo on Sunday. That win likely cost the Patriots a decade of Travis Hunter.
Instead, New England addresses a porous offensive line that has finished dead-last in the NFL in pass-block win rate two years running. Banks would slide right into that gaping hole at left tackle as Drake Maye’s blindside protector.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-13) – Mason Graham | DL | Michigan
Jacksonville locked in the No. 5 slot by losing to Indianapolis on Sunday.
The Jaguars’ defense is a mess, allowing the most yards per play in the NFL this season. The biggest needs are along the defensive line and a boundary cornerback to line up across from Tyson Campbell. This choice could come down to Graham against his teammate, Michigan CB Will Johnson.
Following Johnson’s injury-pocked final season, Jacksonville sides with Graham. Graham is a two-way bully of a three-technique. He has violent hands and rock-em-sock-em shock-absorbing core strength to continue forward through contact, and anchor against the run.
6. Las Vegas Raiders (4-13) – Jalen Milroe | QB | Alabama
The Raiders were extremely interested in Jayden Daniels in the last draft, but Washington had no interest in swapping picks. The year before, in the 2023 draft, the Raiders coveted Anthony Richardson.
Might the Raiders—desperate for a quarterback once again, and once again boxed out of the sure-thing QB prospects in the class—see enough similarities in Milroe to the quarterbacks they coveted in the last two classes to swing for the fences on Milroe’s potential? Like Richardson, Milroe is a big-armed freakish athlete.
Milroe is more polished right now than Richardson was coming out. Milroe is more experienced (663 collegiate attempts to 393), more accurate (64.3% to 54.7%), less mistake-prone and more proven (45/20 career TD/INT rate to 24/15), and analogous as a runner (Milroe averaged 55.8 rushing YPG this season, Richardson averaged 54.5 his last season at Florida).
Milroe was the closest approximation we had to Daniels’ savage blend of athleticism and deep-ball dimes in college football this season. I believe he’s going to go far higher than most currently expect. Landing with the Raiders would make a ton of sense.
7. New York Jets (5-12) – Abdul Carter | EDGE | Penn State
At the moment, we have to make a lot of situational assumptions with the Jets’ thought process. New York will have a new administration, a new coaching staff, and (probably?) a new quarterback in 2025. Will that new administration blow things up and start from scratch? Or try to retool on the fly?
We’re going to default to the latter with this decision, giving EDGE Will McDonald a pass-rushing complement on the other side. Carter’s stock has exploded since his move from off-ball LB to the EDGE this fall. Carter ranks No. 1 in the FBS with 22 TFL.
8. Carolina Panthers (5-12) – Tetairoa McMillan | WR | Arizona
If you’re going to give Bryce Young another year, you need to give him some help. McMillan is a 6’5/210 pterodactyl with a bloated catch radius and ludicrous ball skills.
A made-in-a-factory NFL alpha WR1, McMillan’s addition would allow Carolina to use Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker as the complementary pieces they’re destined to be. This selection would give Carolina one of the league’s most enviable young WR corps. It would also set the stage for a referendum year on Young.
9. New Orleans Saints (5-12) - Will Johnson | CB | Michigan
The Saints have needs all over the roster, and they’re projected to be as much as $65 million over the salary cap this offseason. Johnson could go as high as the top five. But after an injury-mired final season on campus, there’s also a possibility that he falls into this range. That would be a coup for New Orleans, especially if CB Paulson Adebo ends up leaving in free agency.
10. Chicago Bears (5-12) - Mykel Williams | EDGE | Georgia
The Bears fell from No. 7 to No. 10 by beating the Packers on Sunday.
Williams is the next in line of Georgia’s made-in-a-factory EDGE rushers with length and 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 has actually been better at Georgia than Walker was. But he will face some of 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. He did so again in the SEC title game against Texas, and then played 46 against Notre Dame in the CFP.
11. San Francisco 49ers (6-11) - Will Campbell | OT | LSU
San Francisco’s biggest needs are along the OL, both at tackle and along the interior. Campbell was LSU’s starting LT for the past three seasons.
If OG Aaron Banks leaves in free agency, San Francisco could start Campbell at OG as a rookie with an eye on kicking him back outside to tackle the year or two after that, when Colton McKivitz‘s contract is up and/or Trent Williams retires.
12. Dallas Cowboys (7-10) - Ashton Jeanty | RB | Boise State
It’s a cliche pick because it just makes too much sense. I do believe that the organization that took Ezekiel Elliott fourth overall in the 2016 NFL draft would take a running back in this range.
In my opinion, Jeanty is a better prospect than Bijan Robinson, who went No. 8 overall to the Falcons a few cycles ago. There is nothing Jeanty can’t do. He has the contact balance of a spinning top, he breaks tackles at a prolific rate, and he’s an exceptional receiver. 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.
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 literally play him anywhere.
This season, Starks has logged 400 snaps as a deep safety, 271 as the nickel defender, 215 as an in-the-box off-ball linebacker, 10 off the edge, and 10 as a boundary corner. Starks is a high-IQ, high-impact, highly-versatile defensive move-piece.
14. Indianapolis Colts (8-9) - Tyler Warren | TE | Penn State
Let’s get Anthony Richardson more help. The 6-foot-6, 260-pounder is a do-everything tight end. He’s a matchup nightmare in the slot, and he’s a decent blocker when deployed inline. Warren has 98 catches and only three drops this season.
Specialized usage is indicative of a smart offensive staff working overtime to scheme touches for special playmakers. During Brock Bowers’ three-year career at Georgia, he had 193 rushing yards and five TDs on 10.3 YPC. This season, Warren has 197 rushing yards and four TDs on 8.3 YPC. Earlier this fall, Warren even caught a TD pass on a trick play where he began as the center (with everyone else on the line aligned to his right).
15. Atlanta Falcons (8-9) - James Pearce Jr. | EDGE | Tennessee
Atlanta has one of the most feeble pass rushes in the NFL. Pearce isn’t for everyone, in that he’s a light edge defender at 6’5"/243lbs. Some believe he’ll be a situational pass-rusher at the next level. I see the next Brian Burns. Pearce is extremely disruptive.
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.
17. Cincinnati Bengals (9-8) - Shavon Revel Jr. | CB | East Carolina
Revel tore his ACL in practice in September. His draft evaluation will obviously hinge on his medicals. If he’s cleared, he has a shot at the top 20. The former track star is a 6-foot-3, long-levered boundary corner with speed to burn.
18. Seattle Seahawks (10-7) - Nic Scourton | EDGE | Texas A&M
Scourton is a massive (6’4/285), powerful EDGE presence with long arms. Scourton’s sack total got cleaved in half this fall from the year before at Purdue, but he had the same amount of hurries.
How will the 2025 rookie class impact the Fantasy Football landscape? Subscribe to the free Fantasy Life Newsletter below to get the latest and greatest fantasy football news, notes, and strategy delivered directly to your inbox, every single day!
2025 NFL Mock Draft First Round - Playoff Teams (Picks 19-32)
***Playoff teams: Order not official****
19. Houston Texans (10-7) - Walter Nolen | DL | Ole Miss
Nolen, a former five-star recruit coming off a fabulous three-year career in the SEC, would immediately enter the interior rotational fray. Nolen is quick and country-strong.
20. Denver Broncos (10-7) - Colston Loveland | TE | Michigan
Thanks to the extension to LT Garett Bolles, the Broncos have crossed OT off the needs list. The offseason priority will boil down to adding more weapons for Bo Nix. With Loveland, the Broncos add the most natural pass-catching tight end in the draft. Loveland has some Zach Ertz to his game.
21. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7) - Benjamin Morrison | CB | Notre Dame
Tampa Bay’s defense, struggling while riddled with injuries, needs help at multiple places. Secondary is a primary need. With this pick, they get a discounted price on Morrison, a surefire top-15 pick were it not for the hip injury that ended his season in September.
That injury, of course, will need to be signed off by the team’s medical staff. The son of former NFL safety Darryl Morrison, Benjamin had six interceptions as a true freshman in 2022 and was a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award in 2023.
22. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7) - Emeka Egbuka | WR | Ohio State
Egbuka doesn’t profile as a flashy alpha WR1 at the next level, but instead an ultra-reliable No. 2. Egbuka is one of the best in the nation at immediately denoting zone coverage and finding the open area. He would make a great compliment across from George Pickens.
23. Los Angeles Rams (10-7) - Josh Simmons | OT | Ohio State
The Rams, who haven’t drafted an offensive lineman in Round 1 in more than a decade, are 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.
Simmons, a first-round talent coming off a season-ending knee injury, would immediately upgrade the team’s pass protection. In 601 pass-blocking reps going back to last season, Simmons allowed only one sack. He’s a smooth-mover with really good feet.
24. Green Bay Packers (11-6) - Aireontae Ersery | OT | Minnesota
Green Bay needs help along both trenches. It has a propensity to use premium picks on those positions anyway. C Josh Myers and OT Andre Dillard are both impending free agents.
Ersery manned LT at Minnesota for the last three years. He only allowed one sack over 419 pass-pro reps this fall.
25. Los Angeles Chargers (11-6) - Kenneth Grant | DL | Michigan
According to The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman, Grant was running sub-5.0 40-yard dashes 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, while Harbaugh has made a home with the Chargers. Los Angeles’ biggest need this offseason is a war-daddy interior defensive lineman. You do the math.
26. Washington Commanders (12-5) - Derrick Harmon | DL | Oregon
Harmon made the Round 1 leap this fall. He comfortably leads all FBS DL in hurries with 39. He would give the Commanders a disruptive interior presence.
27. Baltimore Ravens (12-5) - Josh Conerly Jr. | OT | Oregon
A former five-star recruit, Connerly is a tremendous athlete. He actually 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.
28. Minnesota Vikings (14-3) - Jahdae Barron | CB | Texas
Minnesota might need multiple new starters at both interior defensive line and cornerback. The Vikings side with cornerback, here.
Barron has extensive experience at boundary corner, in the slot, and as a box safety—sounds like DC Brian Flores’ kind of guy. Barron picked off five balls this year, allowing only 272 yards on 65 targets with no touchdowns.
29. Buffalo Bills (13-4) - Jalon Walker | EDGE/LB | Georgia
Walker is a very interesting prospect. He has LB size at 6’2"/245lbs, but has shown an exceptional prowess for getting after quarterbacks off the edge. This year, Georgia has maximized his versatility. The Bills, who have needs at both edge-rusher and off-ball linebacker, could be attracted to his skillset.
30. Philadelphia Eagles (14-3) - J.T. Tuimoloau | EDGE | Ohio State
With Josh Sweat an impending free agent and Brandon Graham retiring at season’s end, EDGE is at the top of Philadelphia’s offseason shopping list. Tuimoloau ranks in the top 10 of the FBS in both sacks and hits. He’s also shown substantial improvement against the run, with 32 stops and a strong 85.5 PFF grade.
31. Detroit Lions (15-2) - Landon Jackson | EDGE | Arkansas
Marcus Davenport is going to leave in free agency, Aidan Hutchinson is coming off a season-ending knee injury, and Za'Darius Smith is a potential cut (Smith has a convoluted contract that would result in cap hits of $5 million-plus in both 2025 and 2026 if the Lions keep him next season due to a bonus-heavy structure and void years tacked at the end). Long story short: Detroit needs more EDGE help.
Jackson is a towering 6-foot-7, 280-pound presence with a powerful game. He’s a gifted run defender who sets a hard edge. Jackson isn’t an athletic freak, but he’s turned into a solid pass-rusher because of his length, active hands, variety of pass-rushing moves, and a William Wallace die-on-the-sword motor. The NFL will like that he posted as many hurries in 362 pass-rush reps this year as he did in the 526 over his first two years combined.
32. Kansas City Chiefs (15-2) - Jonah Savaiinaea | OL | Arizona
Offensive line is likely to top Kansas City’s offseason shopping list. OG Trey Smith is going to get a mega-deal in free agency—will the Chiefs be able to retain him? If they do, can they still pay OG Joe Thuney? Outside of that, some sort of OT insurance is needed in lieu of the uneven play of Kingsley Suamataia and Wanya Morris.
Savaiinaea could be of interest. This past season, he split snaps almost evenly between LT and RT. He started at RG in 2022, and RT in 2023. The 6-foot-5, 335-pounder could step into Kansas City’s lineup immediately at guard, while giving the Chiefs additional tackle insurance.
