Just one game remains in the 2024-25 NFL season: The big one.
And that means it's time to update my 2025 NFL mock draft.
Here are the previous versions.
- Version 1: Way-too-early version (May 2024)
- Version 2: Midseason version (Nov. 2024)
- Version 3: Two-thirds-through-the-season version (Nov. 2024)
- Version 4: Pre-college conference championship version (Dec. 2024)
- Version 5: Pre-Heisman version (Dec. 2024)
- Version 6: Pre-Round 1 CFB Playoff (Dec. 2024)
- Version 7: Pre-Round 2 CFB Playoff (Dec. 2024)
- Version 8: Pre-Round 3 CFB Playoff (Jan. 2025)
- Version 9: Pre-CFB Championship (Jan. 2025)
- Version 10: Post-CFB Championship (Jan. 2025)
Over the past six years (since I started submitting mocks in competitions), I’m the No. 2 mocker for accuracy, and I'm a lifetime 484-424 (+102.6 units) betting on the draft.
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I plan to do more draft content moving forward, so be sure to check out our Fantasy Life NFL Draft Hub, where you can see my NFL prospect big board, Thor Nystrom's most recent mock, and his early thoughts on the top of the draft board at each skill position.
Updated 2025 NFL Mock Draft
The 2025 NFL draft order is set for the top 30 picks. For the final two, I'm using a combination of consensus odds to win the Super Bowl and my own personal projections.
Every week, you can access my team projections in our Fantasy Life Game Models (accessible with a FantasyLife+ subscription).
Here's my pre-Super Bowl mock, followed by notes.
| Pick | Team | Player | School | Position | Team Needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TEN | Cameron Ward | Miami | QB | QB, EDGE |
| 2 | CLE | Travis Hunter | Colorado | WR | QB, WR, EDGE |
| 3 | NYG | Shedeur Sanders | Colorado | QB | QB, WR |
| 4 | NE | Abdul Carter | Penn State | EDGE | WR, OT, EDGE |
| 5 | JAX | Will Johnson | Michigan | CB | CB, DT |
| 6 | LV | Jalen Milroe | Alabama | QB | QB, WR, CB |
| 7 | NYJ | Mason Graham | Michigan | DT | DT, EDGE, OT, WR |
| 8 | CAR | Tetairoa McMillan | Arizona | WR | WR, EDGE |
| 9 | NO | Mykel Williams | Georgia | EDGE | EDGE, CB, S |
| 10 | CHI | Will Campbell | LSU | OT | OT, EDGE |
| 11 | SF | Jalon Walker | Georgia | EDGE | EDGE, OT |
| 12 | DAL | Ashton Jeanty | Boise State | RB | RB, WR |
| 13 | MIA | Malaki Starks | Georgia | S | S, OT |
| 14 | IND | Tyler Warren | Penn State | TE | TE, CB, S |
| 15 | ATL | James Pearce | Tennessee | EDGE | EDGE, DT |
| 16 | ARI | Kenneth Grant | Michigan | DT | DT, EDGE, OT |
| 17 | CIN | Luther Burden | Missouri | WR | WR, EDGE, DT |
| 18 | SEA | Kelvin Banks | Texas | OT | OT, OG, DT, EDGE |
| 19 | TB | Benjamin Morrison | Notre Dame | CB | CB, EDGE, LB |
| 20 | DEN | Colston Loveland | Michigan | TE | TE, RB |
| 21 | PIT | Emeka Egbuka | Ohio State | WR | WR, CB |
| 22 | LAC | Walter Nolen | Mississippi | DT | DT, TE, EDGE |
| 23 | GB | Shavon Revel | East Carolina | CB | CB, DT, EDGE |
| 24 | MIN | Derrick Harmon | Oregon | DT | DT, CB, S, OT |
| 25 | HOU | Tyler Booker | Alabama | G | OG, OT, DT |
| 26 | LAR | Josh Simmons | Ohio State | OT | OT, CB |
| 27 | BAL | Shemar Stewart | Texas A&M | EDGE | EDGE, OT |
| 28 | DET | Nic Scourton | Texas A&M | EDGE | EDGE, DT |
| 29 | WAS | Josh Conerly | Oregon | OT | OT, EDGE |
| 30 | BUF | Jahdae Barron | Texas | CB | CB, DT, EDGE, S |
| 31 | PHI | Mike Green | Marshall | EDGE | EDGE, DT, OT |
| 32 | KC | Armand Membou | Missouri | OT | OT, DT, EDGE |
Strongest Round 1 NFL Mock Draft Prospects
Entering this mock, there were 30 guys I felt I "must" include. I'm not saying that they're Round 1 locks, but (right now) these are the prospects I feel most confident projecting for Day 1.
- QB: Cameron Ward (Miami), Shedeur Sanders (Colorado)
- RB: Ashton Jeanty (Boise State)
- WR: Travis Hunter (Colorado), Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona), Luther Burden (Missouri), Emeka Egbuka (Ohio State)
- TE: Tyler Warren (Penn State), Colston Loveland (Michigan)
- OT: Will Campbell (LSU), Kelvin Banks (Texas), Josh Simmons (Ohio State), Josh Conerly (Oregon)
- OG: Tyler Booker (Alabama)
- EDGE: Abdul Carter (Penn State), Mykel Williams (Georgia), Jalon Walker (Georgia), James Pearce (Tennessee), Shemar Stewart (Texas A&M, Nic Scourton (Texas A&M), Mike Green (Marshall)
- DT: Mason Graham (Michigan), Kenneth Grant (Michigan), Walter Nolen (Mississippi), Derrick Harmon (Oregon),
- CB: Will Johnson (LSU), Benjamin Morrison (Notre Dame), Shavon Revel (East Carolina), Jahdae Barron (Texas)
- S: Malaki Starks (Georgia)
The two remaining players I opted to include are QB Jalen Milroe (Alabama) and OT Armand Membou (Missouri).
Milroe, I believe, has an underappreciated chance to go high in the draft because of his dual-threat skill and the number of teams in the top 10 that have notable needs at the QB position. As for Membou, I mentioned in my previous mock that he had gotten a lot of hype over the past two weeks, and I want to be ahead of any continued moves in his draft stock.
Borderline Round 1 NFL Mock Draft Prospects
These are the guys I didn't include in my mock but whom I currently view as residing on the borderline of Rounds 1-2.
- WR: Matthew Golden (Texas)
- OT: Aireontae Ersery (Minnesota), Jonah Savaiinaea (Arizona)
- OG: Donovan Jackson (Ohio State)
- EDGE: Jack Sawyer (Ohio State), Landon Jackson (Arkansas), Princely Umanmielen (Mississippi), J.T. Tuimoloau (Ohio State)
- DT: Tyleik Williams (Ohio State), Shemar Turner (Texas A&M)
- LB: Jihaad Campbell (Alabama)
- CB: Trey Amos (Mississippi), Azareye'h Thomas (Florida State)
- S: Nick Emmanwori (South Carolina)
The Perfect NFL Mock Draft
Here's what I like specifically about this mock.
- QB Cameron Ward: He's still the favorite to be the No. 1 selection (+100, FanDuel), whereas Shedeur Sanders is a distant fourth in the race (+800). If a QB goes to the Titans at the top of the draft—and HC Brian Callahan almost certainly will want to upgrade the position this offseason—then right now I lean strongly toward Ward.
- WR Travis Hunter: Last mock, I experimented with giving the Browns a QB at No. 2, but I think it's likeliest that they address the position in free agency with a veteran and thus use this pick on the multitalented and multipositional 2024 Heisman Trophy winner.
- EDGE Abdul Carter: He might be a proverbial "generational" talent, and in this mock I finally have him in the top five. I still can't put him ahead of Hunter, but if Hunter, Ward, and Sanders are all on the board, then Carter should be the next guy to go, and even though the Patriots could draft WR Tetairoa McMillan here in an attempt to get an elite pass catcher for QB Drake Maye, it's not hard to imagine new HC Mike Vrabel craving a guy like Carter to anchor his defense.
- QB Jalen Milroe: With the Browns bypassing QB in Round 1, that means that Milroe falls to the Raiders at No. 6, and I can imagine him playing for new HC Pete Carroll.
- WR Tetairoa McMillan: The difference in pass-catching talent between McMillan and Hunter I think is negligible. In fact, McMillan could be the better receiver in the NFL. But the Patriots and Raiders could address non-WR needs in Round 1, which would allow McMillan to slip to the Panthers at No. 8. While it's popular to mock the Panthers with an EDGE—and they need help all over the roster—it would be irresponsible for them to go into next season with WRs Adam Thielen, Xavier Legette, and Jalen Coker as the primary pass catchers for third-year QB Bryce Young.
- RB Ashton Jeanty: I would love to get him into the top 10 somehow. Maybe the Raiders at No. 6 or the Bears at No. 10. But he's too good of a fit with the Cowboys not to mock him there.
I like a lot about this version.
And yet …
Still Not the Perfect NFL Mock Draft
No mock is perfect. Here are ideas I have for future versions.
- Four CBs: I'm glad that I finally got CB Jahdae Barron in a mock. His performance in the CFB Playoff makes him a legitimate Round 1 candidate. Here's the thing: I still have Will Johnson, Benjamin Morrison, and Shavon Revel ahead of him, and although I believe all four belong in the top 32 right now there aren't four no-doubt Day 1 landing spots for CBs. The Jaguars at No. 5 go DT in the majority of mocks. The Buccaneers at No. 19 could easily opt for EDGE or LB, while the Bills at No. 30 could go EDGE or DT. Enough teams need CB to where I think the odds of all four going in Round 1 are good—but nailing down the landing spots will be a process.
- OT Aireontae Ersery: Last mock, I had Ersery as my No. 5 OT, but with the inclusion of OT Armand Membou, I needed to bump Ersery out. But Ersery is dominating at Senior Bowl practices this week, and I still think he has a good chance to go in Round 1.
- S Nick Emmanwori: I'm still thinking about possible Round 1 landing spots for him. If the Dolphins take S Malaki Starks, then the Colts, Vikings, and Bills are still options … and it's not a lock that Starks will go ahead of Emmanwori anyway.
- Seven EDGEs: I'm still stuck at seven, but we could easily see eight EDGEs in Round 1. If I ever do a mock without QB Jalen Milroe, his vacant spot will almost certainly be filled by a pass rusher.
Eventually, we'll find the perfect mock.
