The first week of free agency has come and gone and it went a long way toward changing what was actually the first rendition of this mock draft. We went back to the drawing board over the weekend and I think we’ve got it in a good place following the plethora of events that happened over the last eight or nine days.
Before anything new and crazy happens before I have time to hit “publish” on this monster, let’s go ahead and dive in!
1.) Tennessee Titans: QB Cam Ward, Miami
The Titans need a consistent player at the quarterback position if they ever want to get back to competing in the AFC. They stay at No. 1 and take the best quarterback in the draft. There’s a lot to love about Ward’s calm and collectedness in the pocket which keeps him ready to make plays out of structure when the time arises.
2.) Cleveland Browns: EDGE Abdul Carter, Penn State
Myles Garrett signed back with the Browns so that’s at least one massive problem solved for the Browns this offseason. The other involves who will be throwing passes for the team this season, but all reports and rumblings seem to point to a veteran being signed (Russell Wilson anyone?)
With that in mind, the Browns stick here at No. 2 and land the draft’s top defensive prospect in Carter to pair with Garrett. If one side of the ball has to carry the majority of the load for the Browns in 2025, it might as well be the defense which could have one of the scariest pass rush duos in the league with Garrett and Carter.
3.) New York Giants: QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
This is not a particularly strong quarterback class and that surely has helped Sanders’ stock this draft season. He’s got a great head on his shoulders, he competes with a short memory, and he’s always ready to meet the moment. I view Sanders as a low-floor quarterback with upside if he lands in the right situation. Is that situation the current iteration of the Giants? I don’t believe so, but the G-Men need a QB and they get the next best after Ward here.
4.) New England Patriots: WR/CB Travis Hunter, Colorado
The Patriots once had a great defensive player who also found a way to score touchdowns on offense (I think he might be their head coach now?) and they get another player with the same upside but x1,000,000. The 2024 Heisman Trophy winner comes off the board to New England, which needs help on both sides of the ball, and they get the extravagant Hunter to help get the ball back for second-year QB Drake Maye. How much he truly ends up playing on offense remains to be seen, but this is great value for a team that wants to bounce back quickly to competitiveness under Mike Vrabel.
5.) Jacksonville Jaguars: DT Mason Graham, Michigan
The Jaguars don’t need a quarterback, edge rusher, or another player at a premium position so they get to take the best player available in Graham. The former Wolverine is a wrecking ball in the middle who uses his wrestling background to toss and throw would-be blockers at will en route to disrupting quarterbacks in the pocket. This move doesn’t immediately turn them around, but it’s a great place to start under the new regime.
6.) Las Vegas Raiders: RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
The Raiders are not in line to land a truly impactful quarterback in this year’s draft so they pivot to another player who could also have a sizable impact on the offense in Year 1. Jeanty is the best running back in this class and the Raiders would love to see him paired with a veteran quarterback signed in free agency. That could be Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson, both of whom would love to hand the ball off to Jeanty.
7.) New York Jets: EDGE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M
New head coach Aaron Glenn will want to keep his edge rusher group as one of the roster’s best position groups so I have him taking a shot at Stewart, one of the NFL Combine’s best testers.
The production wasn’t there for Stewart in 2024 (1.5 sacks) but his athletic testing was comparable to that of Myles Garrett when he came out of the same program. New York already has both Jermaine Johnson and Will McDonald, but every good to great defense needs at least three impactful edge rushers to make sure they’re always getting after the quarterback at a high level each and every week.
8.) Carolina Panthers: WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
Bryce Young started to take a step in his development following his benching and now the Panthers feel a bit rejuvenated about his future prospects. If they want to keep his needle pointing upward, they need to give him a true No. 1 receiver and that’s not going to be veteran Adam Thielen or Xavier Legette anytime soon. The 6’4 McMillan has an elite catch radius and the physicality to be the Panthers’ new X receiver. He’ll make life much easier for Young while the two grow together in the years to come.
9.) New Orleans Saints: TE Tyler Warren, Penn State
Former Chargers and Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore is now the head coach of the Saints and that leads me to believe he’ll look to immediately improve the 21st-ranked offense. Having a dual threat running back in Alvin Kamara and a budding receiver in Chris Olave is a good start, so let’s go ahead and round out that grouping with the draft’s top tight end in Warren. Mr. Everything from Penn State could learn a thing or two from Taysom Hill, a guy who’s been doing exactly that in New Orleans for the past seven years.
10.) Chicago Bears: S Malaki Starks, Georgia
The Bears have filled a number of needs thus far in free agency, including interior offensive linemen and edge rusher. Those moves allow them to grab the draft’s top safety here in Starks.
The former Bulldog is a smart and savvy defensive back with high-level processing. He’s cut his teeth for three seasons as a starter in Athens and that will surely allow him to hit the ground running in Chicago. He’ll challenge the aging Kevin Byard for the starting spot in Year 1.
11.) San Francisco 49ers: CB Will Johnson, Michigan
Now that Robert Saleh is back as their defensive coordinator, expect the defense to take a leap back towards the recent standard in San Francisco. Getting the draft class’ best pure cornerback back is a good place to start as Johnson falls just outside the top 10 to the Niners.
Johnson is extremely confident in his off-man and zone skills where he can show off his elite instincts for finding the football. Saleh may have to make him more comfortable in delivering in run support, but overall the Niners should be more than happy getting who many believe to be the top cornerback in the draft after Hunter.
12.) Dallas Cowboys: WR Matthew Golden, Texas
The Cowboys absolutely must continue giving Dak Prescott the proper weapons to throw to as it can’t always be ONLY CeeDee Lamb each and every year. Dallas signed running backs Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders to help build a decent backfield but the receiver is still so lackluster. Behind Lamb, Prescott’s top options are Jalen Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin, the team’s return man.
Golden provides Prescott with an option who can help take the top of the defense and threaten YAC over the middle on intermediate routes. His speed will force more eyes off of Lamb, opening up more throwing lanes than he was able to find during the 2024 season.
13.) Miami Dolphins: OT Will Campbell, LSU
I’m not the biggest fan of forcing great college tackles to play guard due to length questions or any nit-picky measurement of some kind. The thing is, regardless of Campbell’s sub-33” arms, I just think he’d be one hell of a guard. He’s got all the physical ability in the world to play wherever he wants on the line, but I think he could have a Zack Martin-type career should he end up transitioning inside.
Campbell could do a lot worse opening up the A and B gaps for a runner like De’Von Achane, as well.
14.) Indianapolis Colts: S Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina
After the show he put on at this year’s combine, I wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest to see Emmanwori go much higher than expected to a team who has fallen in love with his combination of size, speed, and athleticism. At 6’3 and 220 pounds, he’s got the skillset to thrive near and around the box while also being able to hold his own on the back end in two-high looks.
New Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo deployed the undersized Akeem Davis-Gaither (6’2, 228) as the weakside run-and-chase backer in the Bengals’ 4-3 defense, and that’s easily where I could see Emmanwori spending most of his time as a member of the Colts.
15.) Atlanta Falcons: CB Jahdae Barron, Texas
The Falcons land this year’s Jim Thorpe Award winner (nation’s top defensive back) and a First-Team AP All-American halfway through the first round. The 5’11, 194-pounder played mainly in the slot for the Longhorns and was a disruptive force who used his notable physicality to smother short to intermediate routes thrown his way.
His man coverage skills still leave a bit to be desired as he struggles to keep connected at top of route stems. Coincidentally, Barron did not test in the agility drills at the combine and you have to think he may have been trying to hide his biggest shortcomings with that move.
Still, he’s a very smart defender with a great sense for route combinations. He’ll be a great pick for a zone-heavy team like the Falcons.
16.) Arizona Cardinals: DT Derrick Harmon
Harmon is one of my favorite prospects in this draft as a disruptive, high-motor defensive tackle that immediately gives juice to a front seven. He’s truly gifted in one physical trait, but he’s overall an extremely solid player with one of the higher floors at his position.
The one-year star for the Oregon Ducks posted 10 tackles for loss and five sacks en route to being named a Second-Team All-American in 2024. He uses his 6’5, 313-pound frame well to swallow gaps and hold his ground against down blocks hoping to wash him out.
17.) Cincinnati Bengals: DT Walter Nolen
This is an interesting part of the draft because both the Cardinals and Bengals need help along the interior of the defensive line and these players could go back-to-back in whatever order the Cardinals prefer. It could go Harmon-Nolen or Nolen-Harmon and I would not be surprised.
In this mock, the Bengals end up taking Nolen after Harmon comes off the board one pick before. The former Ole Miss defender needs to polish him game further to become more consistent down-by-down, but his biggest flash can’t help but suck you in. He’s a hiccup away from making a negative play, but that aggressiveness can, and will, come back to bite him at times.
18.) Seattle Seahawks: OG Tyler Booker, Alabama
The Seahawks like their backfield duo of Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet so it’s understandable they’d want to add players who could help raise their rushing totals as fast as possible.
Enter Booker whom, despite a very underwhelming combine performance, is still the top guard prospect. The Seahawks shouldn’t ask him to get on his horse in outside or wide zone often, but he’ll be a people-mover in gap schemes from Day 1.
19.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: LB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama
The Bucs signed former Dolphins linebacker Anthony Walker to pair with Lavonte David in the middle of their defense but that shouldn’t stop them from finding a further upgrade at the second level. Campbell is an explosive athlete with the range to run sideline to sideline. He’ll fit well into the identity of this Tampa Bay unit.
20.) Denver Broncos: Mykel Williams, Georgia
The Broncos want to keep their defense elite and that means making sure they’re not lacking in the pass rush department. Williams is a lengthy, physically imposing edge rusher who will pair well with budding star Nik Bonitto.
21.) Pittsburgh Steelers: CB Shavon Revel, East Carolina
The Steelers lost Donte Jackson in free agency and need to find another solid starter opposite Joey Porter Jr. They signed a 34-year old Darius Slay in free agency, but they’ll need to find a young player to help round out their Top 3 at the position and to make sure they have someone ready to go when and/or if Slay retires following the 2025 season.
22.) Los Angeles Chargers: TE Colston Loveland, Michigan
Jim Harbaugh gets a Michigan man at a massive position of need. The Chargers need a difference-maker at tight end to complement Will Dissly’s steady game in two tight end sets. The team could look for a guard or running back here to pair with Najee Harris, but the value of getting an elite pass-catcher with familiarity into the culture of the Chargers is too good to pass up.
23.) Green Bay Packers: DT Kenneth Grant, Michigan
The Packers need to get more out of their defensive lineman and a good place to start is adding a freakishly-strong player like Grant. At 6’3 and 332 pounds, he’s a a literal house with dynamite under the foundation. He’ll absorb double-teams at a high rate which would allow the likes of Rashan Gary and Kenny Clark to hopefully be more impactful on a snap-to-snap basis.
24.) Minnesota Vikings: S Xavier Watts
The Vikings lost Cam Bynum in free agency and will need to find a young starter on the back end who can spend a year learning next to Harrison Smith, the veteran returning to Minnesota on a one-year deal. Watts can play in single-high looks, in the box, and in the slot as a bonafide playmaker for a secondary.
25.) Houston Texans: OT Kelvin Banks, Texas
The Texans land a top prospect from their backyard in the massive Banks. The former top-10 recruit out of high school won just about every accolade he could following his standout 2024 season, including being named a consensus All-American and winner of the Lombardi Award, given to the nation’s top offensive lineman.
At 6’5 and 315 pounds, Banks would immediately slide in to the starting left tackle spot following Laremy Tunsil’s trade to the Commanders. He’s got the ideal functional strength to lock down edge rushers who try to win the corner and the basketball feet to stay on top of sudden inside counters.
26.) Los Angeles Rams: OT Armand Membou, Missouri
Rams right tackle Rob Havenstein is 32 years old and the Rams may want to get ahead of schedule by drafting a backup who could challenge him for the starting job right away. Membou deserves to go higher in this draft, but the way the board fell in this mock has the Rams in a great position to draft a player at a premium position.
27.) Baltimore Ravens: EDGE Nic Scourton, Texas A&M
The Ravens cannot have the aging Kyle Van Noy starting at edge rusher for too much longer, so they grab a tough and rugged edge player here in Scourton to pair with Odafe Oweh. Scourton is NFL-ready with a well-muscled frame and a polished tool box as a pass rusher. He also just screams “Raven” to me and coincidentally they land him here late in the first.
28.) Detroit Lions: EDGE Mike Green, Marshall
The nation’s top sack artist with 17 in 2024, Green has been one of the biggest risers of the entire draft season thus far. His 22.5 tackles for loss were also good for second in the nation, as well. The former member of the Thundering Herd has really impressive bend and he showed that at this year’s Senior Bowl through two practices before bowing out for the week to start back on training ahead of the draft.
With the Lions expecting Aidan Hutchison to return to the field with a vengeance in 2025, they’d love to be able to pair him with another explosive pass rusher on the other side, especially after they released veteran Za’Darius Smith.
29.) Washington Commanders: EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College
Ezeiruaku likely parlayed a strong week at the Senior Bowl into a potential selection in this year’s first round. At a premium position, guys ahead of him will go fast which could force teams to start getting their guy before the talent drops off a cliff after the first and second tiers.
We don’t won’t know his 40 time until his pro day, but Ezeiruaku posted excellent agility numbers with a 6.96 in the three-cone drill and a 4.19 in the short shuttle. Those numbers check out after seeing his quick twitch and explosive first step on film. The 2024 Ted Hendricks Award winner (nation’s best defensive end) posted a career-high 16.5 sacks this past season, good for second most in the country. After releasing defensive tackle Jonathan Allen on Friday, the Commanders would love to immediately add another impact player up front.
30.) Buffalo Bills: CB Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky
Hairston earned himself some money at this year’s combine with a 4.28 40 time to go with a 39.5-inch vertical jump. Those numbers likely will bump him into the bottom of the first round and there is likely not a better spot for him to go late on Day 1 than to the Bills.
Buffalo is likely to move on from Rasul Douglas, who struggled in 2024. They could also consider a defensive lineman if they like one enough to take them here, but Hairston’s value is much more in line with the pick and consensus ranking compared to reaching for a defensive trench player.
31.) Kansas City Chiefs: OT Josh Simmons, Ohio State
The Chargers signed former 49ers left tackle Jaylon Moore to a massive deal in hopes he’ll be their long-term starter at left tackle. I didn’t like that deal in the slightest and it should not stop them from taking a shot at one of the draft’s best tackles, either. If either of them hit, you’ve still built your depth up, which is something that was tested quite a bit throughout the entire 2024 season.
If it wasn’t for an injury that cut his season short, Simmons could have been considered the top tackle in the draft. That’s not bad at all for a team picking second-to-last on Day 1.
32.) Philadelphia Eagles: EDGE James Pearce Jr., Tennessee
Even after winning the Super Bowl, the Eagles’ luck continues to roll as they have one of the most athletically gifted edge rushers in the draft fall to them at No. 32. Pearce blazed a 4.47 in the 40-yard dash at 6’5 and 245 pounds. That’s special for a guy who will be chasing quarterbacks as a part of one of the top defenses in the NFL from this past season.
At one point last year, Pearce was mocked as the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. That’s how much hype this guy had after recording 10 sacks and 15 tackles for loss in 2023. Those numbers took a slight step back to 7.5 and 13, respectively, and scouts still feel like he needs to add mass and strength for the next level. Still, this is nonetheless another luxury pick for the reigning Super Bowl champions.
