The NFL Combine kicks off this week as the league prepares for the sprint through free agency and into the draft. While this mock draft does include some trades, it does not project teams to address significant positions that need to be addressed through free agency. It is an attempt at the best guess to marry draft rumors, scheme fits, positions of need, and draft board values two months before the draft. 

2025 NFL Mock Draft Round 1

1. New York Jets - Cameron Ward (QB - Miami)

The criticism that Ward would have been the seventh quarterback in the 2024 draft is valid but loses the narrative. Six quarterbacks went in the top 12 of the 2024 draft in an unprecedented run. Ward's position behind those six does not mean he would not have been a first-round pick. With the Raiders picking at 13 last year and desperate for a quarterback solution, he likely could have made seven in the first 13. Ward has high-level arm talent that he pairs with accuracy, and the mobility teams have come to crave in the position. 

Many have already addressed the reality that the 2024 class had potential generational talent at multiple critical positions. The 2025 draft, well, does not. Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter are excellent. But like Ward, they likely would not have entered the conversation until Marvin Harrison Jr., Joe Alt, and Malik Nabers were off the board. The Titans said, “We won’t pass on a generational talent at the first pick.” That has led to people speculating who they think is a generational talent. The more likely case is they do not believe the draft has a generational talent. Without generational positional talent, but with a quarterback with a first-round value, the positional value will win out. 

So who is coming up? 

Other than the Titans, four teams—Cleveland, the Giants, Las Vegas, and the Jets—have difficulty announcing their Week 1 starters. The Browns face an open player revolt if they officially signal another rebuild. The situation may be past the point of salvaging, but nothing says rebuild like a rookie quarterback. It is too easy to draw the line between Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson. At 73 years old, it seems unlikely Carroll is willing to spend the end of his career with a rookie quarterback. The Giants are in a position to wait for Shedeur Sanders to fall to them or take the top position player on the board. 

That leaves the Jets. 

The Jets franchise is the equivalent of the guy who gets invited to an open gym hoops run and shows up in brand-new shoes and every sweatband Dick’s Sporting Goods has in inventory. Woody Johnson’s operation has been documented. New GM Darren Mougy witnessed what a rookie Bo Nix accomplished in Denver. Their other options are another Aaron Rodgers season or a reunion with Sam Darnold, who new coach Aaron Glenn played a pivotal role in undressing in primetime of Week 18. They also sit with the seventh pick behind all of these teams, making the idea that they can sit and wait very unlikely. 

The Trade: Pick 1 for Pick 7, 2026 1st, 2027 2nd

Using the loose framework from the Bryce Young trade but recognizing Ward is not Young, the seventh pick is more valuable than the ninth the Panthers sent the Bears, and the Jets only have one other top-90 pick in 2025 after the Davante Adams deal. Garrett Wilson’s name has come up in trade rumors; perhaps he would be on the table, similar to DJ Moore. To make things easier, stick with the three picks.

2. Cleveland Browns - Abdul Carter (Edge - Penn St.)

There is a good chance the Myles Garrett situation will be resolved before the Browns hit the clock. Even if Garrett is locked in, Edge is a significant need for the Browns while marrying draft value. 

Carter has settled in as the popular selection at one if the Titans do not make a trade out with a quarterback-needy team. Falling to two looks like the ideal Browns scenario.

3. New York Giants - Travis Hunter (CB/WR - Colorado)

The Giants’ brain trust made multiple visits to Colorado this fall. The logical connection is Shedeur Sanders, whose father Deion all but guaranteed would be a Giant. The Giants NEED a quarterback. There is a wildcard in that conversation. The next Manning, Arch Manning, will be eligible in the 2026 draft. It is not hard to find speculation linking the Giants with Manning.  

Corner is also a significant need. The team signed Adoree Jackson to make it through 2024 after Donte Banks continued to struggle. The Giants can install Hunter as a starting corner while still utilizing him as a receiver in a passing attack built around Nabers. It could prove risky to punt on a quarterback, and GM Joe Schoen and coach Brian Daboll likely would not survive a full-blown tank. But Sanders' value has been all over the board in early mocks. Hunter looks locked into the Top 3. 

4. New England Patriots - Will Campbell (OT - LSU)

You are reading this article on a fantasy football website. The fantasy football pairing of quarterback Drake Maye and top draft receiver Tetairoa McMillan is tempting. McMillan represents a significant need. But this is Mike Vrabel’s Patriots. From age 24 to 40, Tom Brady had two highly drafted players protecting his blindside, Matt Light and Nate Solder. Maye needs his version, and Campbell is prototypical.

5. New York Giants - Shedeur Sanders (QB - Colorado)

Remember that line about Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll not having a year to wait? 

Jacksonville holds the fifth pick and could find itself in a difficult spot. Campbell and Hunter would be ideal picks for them, but with them off the board, the value of the offensive line and corner, two of the Jaguars' most significant needs, falls out. With the draft falling this way, it is difficult for the Jaguars to balance available talent, need, and positional value. 

The Giants make a splashy move to pair up Hunter and Sanders. After watching Saquon Barkley win the Super Bowl and the mortifying moment he left the franchise playing out on Hard Knocks, a swing like this is needed to bring everyone back on board. 

According to rumors, the Giants are prime candidates for Matthew Stafford. Expect them to make a significant swing for a quarterback.

The Trade: Pick 5 for Pick 34, 2026 1st, 2027 3rd

6. Las Vegas Raiders - Mason Graham (DT - Michigan)

Graham has a legitimate case as the best player in the draft. Unfortunately, he does not play a position frequently recognized as a premium. That said, interior pressure is a building block across the league, and the Chiefs Chris Jones and Philadelphia’s Jalen Carter were drivers for the two Super Bowl teams. 

The Raiders made a significant investment in Christian Wilkins in the 2024 offseason. Maxx Crosby is in his prime. Graham fits well with both and helps build a Raiders defense that faces Patrick Mahomes II, Justin Herbert, and Bo Nix in the AFC West. 

They are a prime landing spot for Ward or Sanders without a significant quarterback addition, but both are gone.

7. Tennessee Titans - Tetairoa McMillan (WR - Arizona)

2024 breakout Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Tyler Boyd are pending free agents. Here are the current Titans receivers who are under contract by age and 2024 targets: Calvin Ridley (age 31, 120 targets), Treylon Burks (25, 8), Jha'Quan Jackson (25, 3), Mason Kinsey (27, 2).

They need targets, both long and short-term.

McMillan and Ridley have complementary skill sets. Ridley is coming off consecutive 1,000-yard seasons and has bounced back from missing a chunk of his prime. This pairing would give the Titans a window into a high-end pairing that naturally fits well with age curves and contract timelines.

8. Carolina Panthers - Jalon Walker (Edge - Georgia)

Walker is a natural Edge in the Panthers' 3-4 scheme, a convenient marriage of value and need. In 2024, the team relied on Jadeveon Clowney and D.J. Wonnum, but they ranked 31st in team pass rush win rate. Both Clowney and Wonnum are on expiring contracts. Walker can be a key piece in building the team’s next defensive chapter. 

9. New Orleans Saints - Mykel Williams (Edge - Georgia)

New coach Kellen Moore witnessed the impact defenders from the University of Georgia made on the Eagles’ Super Bowl run. Cameron Jordan, who is 36, has said he wants to play another year. Carl Granderson is locked up. Chase Young played well on a one-year deal. Williams would continue to build depth while resetting the room younger.

10. Chicago Bears - Mike Green (Edge - Marshall)

Green is THE Senior Bowl riser, dominating the week in Mobile. With Ben Johnson’s arrival and the uneven rookie year for Caleb Williams, much attention will go on the offensive side. With four picks in the top 72, they will have chances to impact that side. Green pairs with Montez Sweat to give the team bookend pass rushers. 

11. San Francisco 49ers - Kelvin Banks Jr. (OT - Texas)

Resetting the offensive line is a significant need. Right tackle has been a problem since Mike McGlinchy left in free agency. Banks can fill that side immediately and take over for 37-year-old Trent Williams long-term on the left. 

12. Dallas Cowboys - Walter Nolen (DT - Ole Miss)

Mazi Smith, the 2023 first-round pick, has disappointed, and the defensive interior is a significant need. Nolen is the disruptive interior presence that Micah Parsons has been craving. 

13. Miami Dolphins - Will Johnson (CB - Michigan)

Jalen Ramsey had an excellent 2024 season. At age 30, he is the only solid piece of a secondary that could see significant turnover as neither safety Jevon Holland nor Jordan Poyer are under contract or expected to return. Johnson has the size Anthony Weaver likes in the position and the talent to be off the board much earlier.

14. Indianapolis Colts - Tyler Warren (TE - Penn St.)

The Colts have taken a shotgun approach at the tight end position, with Kylen Granson, Mo Alie-Cox, and Drew Ogletree playing between 44% and 40% of the snaps. 2023 fifth-round pick Will Mallory is the only tight end on the roster after 2025 and the youngest, at 26. Warren has the talent and momentum to make the Top 10 and would be very interesting in the Colts' offense. 

15. Atlanta Falcons - James Pearce Jr. (Edge - Tennessee)

Mock drafters are obligated to give the Falcons a pass rusher. I did not make the rules. They will probably annoy everyone and pick Luther Burden. 

16. Arizona Cardinals - Derrick Harmon (DL - Oregon)

Harmon is an ideal fit for the Cardinals' scheme. Jonathan Gannon has spent the last two seasons overhauling the Cardinals’ defense from the ground up, but the team still lacks a consistent disruptor on the defensive interior. Harmon can be a lynchpin in that movement. 

17. Cincinnati Bengals - Tyler Booker (G - Alabama)

Booker is a Day One starter for an offensive line needing a boost. Joe Burrow’s 21% pressure rate was his highest since 2021. Booker has the ceiling to raise the rest of the offensive line around him. 

18. Seattle Seahawks - Shemar Stewart (Edge - Texas A&M)

Stewart is an explosive, versatile lineman who can fit within Mike MacDonald's multiple fronts. Under John Schneider, the Seahawks have deferred to elite-testing athletes, and Stewart is the type of player capable of winning the predraft process. 

19. Los Angeles Chargers - Ashton Jeanty (RB - Boise St.)

On talent alone, Jeanty can go inside the Top 10. The devaluation of running backs is well known, though feature backs have made a significant comeback with offenses built around showcasing their skill sets. If Jeanty lasts this long, Denver, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Washington, and Kansas City will all join the Chargers as teams that would provide excellent offensive environments and wide-open backfields. 

It is challenging to see Jeanty getting past both Denver and Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, landing in Denver or Kansas City puts him on the Chargers schedule twice yearly. If Jeanty realizes his potential, he will pair with Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey as one of the best offensive trios for the next decade. 

The Trade: Pick 19, Pick 158 for Pick 22, Pick 86

20. Denver Broncos - Colston Loveland (TE - Michigan)

Now that Bo Nix has provided bona fides about his status as the franchise quarterback, the Broncos need to build talent around him. Loveland may be the best receiving tight end in the class. Marvin Mims Jr. and Courtland Sutton’s ability to win vertically open space allows Loveland to operate in the short and intermediate passing game. The Broncos have Adam Trautman, Nate Adkins, and Thomas Yassmin under contract for 2025, and no one will be under contract in 2026. Tight end is a strength of the class, and they have to hit it. 

21. Pittsburgh Steelers - Luther Burden III (WR - Missouri)

Pittsburgh could look at either wide receiver or running back with their first two picks, especially considering the murky futures of Najee Harris and George Pickens. Burden gives them what they lost with Diontae Johnson’s departure in a player capable of handling volume in the short passing game, but brings explosion the team has lacked since Antonio Brown. The offense needs dynamic playmakers, and Burden can deliver if Arthur Smith allows him that chance. 

22. Kansas City Chiefs - Armand Membou (T - Missouri)

The Super Bowl exposed the Chiefs' pressing need on the offensive line; they made the move with Membou still available and an extra early third from the L'Jarius Sneed trade with Tennessee. Membou is a traits-based projection at left tackle; he has stood up well against top rushers on the right side and can play guard as a fallback plan.

The Trade: Pick 22, Pick 120 for Pick 31, Pick 66

23. Green Bay Packers - Jahdae Barron (CB - Texas)

Barron is another player with the talent to go much higher who could see himself pushed down based on role limitations. The current thought is that he is locked in as a nickelback who may struggle to play outside. Corner is a significant need in Green Bay, so Barron would be a “bet on the player and figure it out later” pick. 

24. Minnesota Vikings - Kenneth Grant (DT - Michigan)

The Vikings have to hit both sides of the line after they struggled against Detroit and the Rams to end the season. Grant is an immediate impact interior presence who will give the team's deep group of edge rushers even more opportunity to impact games. 

25. Houston Texans - Emeka Egbuka (WR - Ohio State)

In August, the Texans looked like the deepest stable of receivers in the league with Nico Collins, Tank Dell, and Stefon Diggs. Now, Diggs is a free agent rehabbing a torn ACL, and Dell’s long-term future is in question after one of the scariest injuries of the year. Egbuka’s skillset is a great fit for the Texans’ needs, playing well off of Nico Collins. As a cherry on top, he reunites with college teammate C.J. Stroud. 

26. Los Angeles Rams - Josh Simmons (T - Ohio State)

The knee injury that ended Simmons’ season in mid-October would be the primary reason he could be available this late. The Rams may face an uphill battle to retain left tackle Alaric Jackson in free agency. Simmons presents a potential upgrade at a key position.

27. Baltimore Ravens - Jack Sawyer (Edge - Ohio State)

The Buckeye run continues. Ohio State had some talent in 2024. Sawyer fits the bill as a blue-chip player who made key plays that Baltimore always seems to land. 

28. Detroit Lions - Grey Zabel (OL - North Dakota State)

Zabel can play any spot on the line. The Lions' tackles are locked in, but both guard positions are questions. Zabel can shift into his best natural position and build on top of their strength. 

29. Washington Commanders - Josh Conerly (T - Oregon)

Tackles always fly off the board, and Conerly represents a dwindling usage. The Commanders are a fun speculative fantasy landing spot, but a pragmatic approach wins out as they address the line early. 

30. Buffalo Bills - Darius Alexander (DT - Toledo)

Buffalo watched the impact the Eagles’ defensive front created in the Super Bowl and has to see that as a potential answer to the struggles of getting past Patrick Mahomes II. Alexander is a Senior Bowl riser who can pair with Ed Oliver to create consistent interior disruption. 

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Nick Emmanwori (S - South Carolina)

Emmanwori has a chance to be the top riser from the Combine. Emmanwori is the type of Swiss Army knife safety Todd Bowles can build his scheme, which is heavy on secondary pressures and multiple looks around.

32. Philadelphia Eagles - Malaki Starks (S - Georgia)

If a Georgia defensive player is on the board, the Eagles must take them. Those are the rules.

2025 NFL Mock Draft Round 2

33. Cleveland Browns - Jaxson Dart (QB - Ole Miss)
34. Jacksonville Jaguars - Donovan Jackson (OL - Ohio State)
35. Tennessee Titans - Jihaad Campbell (LB - Alabama)
36. Jacksonville Jaguars - Shavon Revel Jr. (CB - East Carolina)
37. Las Vegas Raiders - Omarion Hampton (RB - North Carolina)
38. New England Patriots - Matthew Golden (WR - Texas)
39. Chicago Bears - Treveyon Henderson (RB - Ohio State)
40. New Orleans Saints - Mason Taylor (TE - LSU)
41. Chicago Bears - Tyleik Williams (DT - Ohio State)
42. New York Jets - Elijah Arroyo (TE - Miami)
43. San Francisco 49ers - T.J. Sanders (DT - South Carolina)
44. Dallas Cowboys - Jayden Higgins (WR - Iowa State)
45. Indianapolis Colts - Donovan Ezeiruaku (Edge - Boston College)
46. Atlanta Falcons - Alfred Collins (DT - Texas)
47. Arizona Cardinals - Aireontae Ersery (OL - Minnesota)
48. Miami Dolphins - Jonah Savaiinaea (OL - Arizona)
49. Cincinnati Bengals - Benjamin Morrison (CB - Notre Dame)
50. Seattle Seahawks - Tate Ratledge (G - Georgia)
51. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Carson Schwesinger (LB - UCLA)
52. Denver Broncos - Tre Harris (WR - Ole Miss)
53. Pittsburgh Steelers - Kaleb Johnson (RB - Iowa)
54. Los Angeles Chargers - Harold Fannin Jr. (TE - Bowling Green)
55. Green Bay Packers - Nic Scourton (Edge - Texas A&M)
56. Buffalo Bills - JT Tuimoloau (Edge - Ohio State)
57. Houston Texans - Joshua Farmer (DT - Florida State)
58. Carolina Panthers - Azareye'h Thomas (CB - Florida State)
59. Baltimore Ravens - Cameron Williams (T - Texas)
60. Detroit Lions - Josaiah Stewart (Edge - Michigan)
61. Washington Commanders - Jaylin Noel (WR - Iowa State)
62. Buffalo Bills - Maxwell Hairston (CB - Kentucky)
63. Kansas City Chiefs - Quinshon Judkins (RB - Ohio State)
64. Philadelphia Eagles - Jordan Burch (Edge - Oregon)