It is draft season! The 2024 NFL season is officially over — minus the Super Bowl. The Senior Bowl has also come and gone. With most of my Fantasy Points Data charting done, and all attention now on the 2025 NFL Draft, this is our first real opportunity to take a stab at doing a mock.
As the NFL Draft approaches, anticipation and speculation about who will go where and how the picks will play out are ramping up. Some mock drafters have inside info, and others don’t.
So while many mock drafts aim to predict what will happen, this mock draft takes a different approach.
Rather than trying to guess what each team will do, I have put myself in the shoes of each team's general manager and made the picks based on what I would do if I were in charge. It is not intended to be predictive.
To make these selections, I have carefully considered each team's needs, evaluated the positional value of available prospects, and weighed each player's talent against the specific fit for each team. With these factors in mind, I have compiled a mock draft that reflects my evaluation and vision for the 2025 NFL Draft.
As the evaluation process evolves, this will be the first of many mock drafts. A small caveat I will throw in is that I have not yet scored every prospect in this year’s draft, nor do I have all the information I normally require to finalize player grades. With that said, I have already spent endless hours evaluating this draft class. Let's get started!
The NFL Mock Draft 1.0
1) New York Giants: Cam Ward, QB, Miami (Big Board: N/A)
Trade Alert!
Giants get: 2025 1st-round pick (#1)
Titans get: 2025 1st-round pick (#3), 2026 1st-round pick, 2025 3rd-round pick (#65)
I have come around on Ward a little bit. While he still might not be my favorite QB in the class, it is my conviction that if you are going to trade up for a QB, you gotta go with the highest upside — that is Ward. Ward is a supremely talented playmaker with ridiculous arm talent. The downside is he definitely fits somewhere on the Caleb Williams spectrum in terms of playstyle and has the potential for low-lows, when he seriously costs his team with negative plays. But the ceiling you get here is that of a top QB. The Giants' roster is just a little bit ahead of the Titans, and that’s why both teams collaborated on this trade.
2) Cleveland Browns: Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State
With Myles Garrett likely to be traded, the Browns immediately re-tool here with the best pure pass-rusher in the class. The Browns are in a very tricky spot. They don’t have a QB, but retained their coaching staff and could be forced to deal their franchise player. If I were them, I would hone in on the future rather than the now. This is a pick for the future.
3) Tennessee Titans: Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
Trade Alert!
Titans get: 2025 1st-round pick (#3), 2026 1st-round pick, 2025 3rd-round pick (#65)
Giants get: 2025 1st-round pick (#1)
As badly as the Titans need a quarterback, I just don’t think the roster is ready for one, similar to how I felt about the Patriots drafting Drake Maye last year (though Maye acquitted himself pretty well). Also, the new regime’s clock likely doesn’t start until they make that first decision on a quarterback, so delaying that seems like a win for everyone.
Part of the Titans landing a juicy trade back for me is collecting additional assets while ensuring they still get one of Carter or Hunter, two blue-chip prospects — something new GM Mike Borgonzi said he won’t pass on just to draft a signal-caller.
In Hunter, they are getting a shut-down coverage defender who has excellent ball skills and can thrive in both man and match coverages. This also allows them to move L’Jarius Sneed to the nickel where they should be able to get the most out of him and salvage a large investment.
Given my evaluation, it goes without saying, but I’d play the Heisman winner primarily at CB and let him dabble at WR, which is easier than the other way around.
4) New England Patriots: Tet McMillan, WR, Arizona
The goal of this entire offseason for the Patriots should be improving the environment around Drake Maye on offense. So this pick either has to be a pass-catcher or a pass-protector. I am slightly lower on Will Campbell than most, so I will take the better value in McMillan. McMillan immediately slides in as a true #1 WR who can win at all three levels. He profiles similarly to Drake London.
It’s also worth pointing out the potential positional value within the draft class — there is a scarcity of top-level WR prospects in this draft, especially ones who can do it all.
5) Jacksonville Jaguars: Mason Graham, IDL, Michigan
Graham is about as complete a package as you will find as a defensive tackle. He is excellent against the run and is a pass-rushing machine. He can win with power, speed, or technique. He is one of the best DT prospects of the past decade.
6) Las Vegas Raiders: Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss
I have had Dart near the top of my QB board for this class since this time last year. His 2023 was really good — but his 2024 tape was light years better, as I’ve been discussing since September. In Dart, the Raiders are getting an accurate passer who excels in attacking defenses at the deep and intermediate levels.
Dart is a disciplined player from the pocket with clean footwork and a willingness to consistently throw in rhythm with good timing, executing plays as they are drawn up. He also offers extra juice with his legs as a creative passer or runner.
7) New York Jets: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
Shedeur is one of the more polarizing prospects in the class for various reasons. With his on-the-field play, you get a mixed bag. On one hand, he’s the most accurate QB to enter the draft since Joe Burrow. On the other hand, he struggles with his feel for pressure and takes a lot of unnecessary sacks. There is plenty of good in the tape and data to consider this a big win for Aaron Glenn’s Jets.
8) Carolina Panthers: James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee
The biggest hole on the Panthers roster is on the edge. While the drumbeat for the Panthers to go get a WR1 for Bryce Young is real and justified, there just isn’t a guy here worth grabbing, so plugging the biggest hole with a huge upside player in Pearce is easy money for me. Mykel Williams is also in play, but I like the specific skills Pearce brings that pair well with defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero’s preferences in his pass rushers. Guys that can move around the formation and rush from a variety of alignments.
9) New Orleans Saints: Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia
The Saints desperately need some pass-rush juice, and they are getting plenty in the 20-year-old Williams. Williams won’t wow anyone with pure production, but his ceiling is on par with that of anyone in the class.
10) Chicago Bears: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
New head coach Ben Johnson gets his Jahmyr Gibbs. The Bears need a lot of stuff, but someone will fall in love with Jeanty. Why not Chicago?
11) San Francisco 49ers: Will Campbell, OL, LSU
Sometimes the draft falls well for good teams — the 49ers are thrilled to land the best offensive lineman in the class here. Trent Williams is ancient, and whether he is back or not in 2025 should not impact this decision at all. If Williams does come back, Campbell can provide a huge upgrade at left guard (some view him as a guard anyway) and could even slide over to right tackle. He is as technically sound as they come.
12) Dallas Cowboys: Kelvin Banks Jr., OL, Texas
The Texas product stays in state, where he will likely play one of the guard spots early on. If the Cowboys can get Tyler Guyton back on track, they have one of the youngest, most versatile young offensive lines in the NFL, with Tyler Smith, Cooper Beebe, Banks and Guyton.
13) Miami Dolphins: Armand Membou, OL, Missouri
The Dolphins need to make a major investment in their OL. Membou steps in as the most technically sound OL in the class. He can likely play on the outside at tackle but hits his peak on the interior, where the Dolphins are weak. So far, this has been my easiest pick of the round.
14) Indianapolis Colts: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
Warren scored slightly behind where I had Brock Bowers a year ago. Fittingly, I have Warren going a pick later than where Bowers went in the 2024 draft. In Warren, the Colts are getting a culture-changing offensive centerpiece. He is a tone-setter as a blocker in the run game and a guy you can run the offense through in the pass game.
15) Atlanta Falcons: Kenneth Grant, IDL, Michigan
The Falcons need some girth and youth on the interior of their DL. Grant has a rare combo of size and quicknessl. He brings versatility to the table as a guy who can line up in various alignments or win in various schemes. He can use his size and strength to two-gap/gap and a half, or he can use his quickness and insane get-off to win as a penetrator (a very large one).
16) Arizona Cardinals: Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia
This is another very easy pick. The Jonathan Gannon defense works best when he has versatile EDGE/LB types who have elite burst and the ability to drop into coverage. Walker gives Gannon a hybrid weapon like Haason Reddick, who worked so well with Gannon in Philly.
17) Cincinnati Bengals: Elic Ayomanor, WR, Stanford
Ayomanor’s style of play reminds me a lot of someone the Bengals might be familiar with — Tee Higgins. Ayomanor is a big-bodied X-type receiver with alignment versatility and the elite WR skills I prefer. He has excellent body control, and route running, and is a legit YAC threat. Plus, he is the one WR in the country who made Travis Hunter have a very bad day (2023).
18) Seattle Seahawks: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
How does a CB trio of Tariq Woolen, Devon Witherspoon, and Will Johnson look? If each player hits his ceiling, it could give the Legion of Boom a run for its money. In my mind, Johnson is way more talented than the 18th overall pick, but with reports that not every team loves the way his career at Michigan ended, it's plausible he will last this long.
19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M
The closer we get to the actual draft, the higher Stewart will be rumored to go. He is the ultimate “traits” prospect with a 6’6”, 290-pound frame, but moves like he's 230. Mark my words: he will blow up the Combine. I would bet he's a strong candidate to go top-8 when it's all said and done. While I love the ceiling you get here, the tape just doesn’t match (yet), so I will play a more risk-averse approach and keep him here around 20.
20) Denver Broncos: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
Starks is one of the more versatile players in the class and would give Vance Joseph a gifted weapon in his secondary to go with Pat Surtain. Starks has the range to play deep safety but also thrives near the line of scrimmage as a box player or lined up in the nickel.
21) Pittsburgh Steelers: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
Long, instinctual corners with press-man ability are my thing. Barron fits the bill and finally gives the Steelers a 2nd outside corner who can hold his own. His ball skills are some of the best in the class. He and Joey Porter Jr. behind this pass rush will give offensive coordinators nightmares.
22) Los Angeles Chargers: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
Both head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman are TE guys, and there might not be a better fit than reuniting Harbaugh and his former player from Michigan. Loveland is the epitome of the modern-day TE — he’s 6’5”, 250, with length, athleticism, and the ability to run routes like a WR. If you created a spectrum from Trey McBride to Sam LaPorta, Loveand is somewhere in the middle of it. This would be huge for the Chargers’ passing offense.
23) Green Bay Packers: Tyler Booker, IOL, Alabama
The Packers continue to invest in their OL with premium draft capital, and do so with the best player left on the board. This is not the sexiest pick, as it creates a bit of a log jam on the interior, but GM Brian Gutekunst loves having depth on the offensive line.
24) Minnesota Vikings: Walter Nolen, IDL, Ole Miss
With Jon Greenard, Andrew Van-Ginkel, and Dallas Turner, the Vikings are supremely talented on the EDGE. They don’t have matching talent on the interior of their DL, though, and Nolen gives them a scary piece to work with and scheme around as a pass-rusher. He is sort of like a slightly more polished Braden Fiske from a year ago.
25) Houston Texans: Jaylin Noel, WR, Iowa State
Noel was arguably the biggest riser from the Senior Bowl and lands himself in the first round here as a result. Noel is an incredibly skilled player with the correct mental makeup to become a superstar in the league. He is basically an Amon-Ra St. Brown clone who gets to go play next to Nico Collins, a scary proposition for the rest of the league.
26) Los Angeles Rams: Grey Zabel, OT, North Dakota State
Another big Senior Bowl performer, Zabel is a coach's dream as he can play all five OL spots, allowing his team to ensure they have the best five on the field at all times. Furthermore, the Rams need a long-term solution at LT, and Zabel could fill that role.
27) Baltimore Ravens: Azareye’h Thomas, CB, Florida State
The corner spot opposite Marlon Humphrey — and eventually Nate Wiggins once Humphrey moved back inside — was the team's biggest weakness in 2024. The problem is fixed, as they grab Thomas, who is a big/long CB that can play man or off-zone coverage. He is also a super physical player who embodies the Ravens' gritty approach on defense.
28) Detroit Lions: Jared Ivey, EDGE, Ole Miss
The Lions need a cheap, long-term solution opposite Aidan Hutchinson on the EDGE. Ivey fits their mold as an extremely heavy-handed, technically sound, big-bodied edge defender who is also of great length. He might be the most ready-to-play edge in the class and could contribute to the team immediately.
29) Washington Commanders: Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
The list of offseason to-do’s for the Commanders should almost solely consist of improving their OL. Simmons was a DUDE for the Buckeyes before he suffered an injury earlier in the season. Simmons is a powerful tackle with a lot of athleticism in his body. He plays with an edge and would fit the culture being built in Washington.
30) Buffalo Bills: Nic Scourton, EDGE, Texas A&M
This is a great year to need a defensive lineman, and the Bills take advantage by grabbing a giant-sized EDGE in Scourton who plays outside or in, with his hand in the dirt or from a standing alignment. The versatile Scourton should give them some much-needed youth and juice on the DL and allow some much-needed creativity in their pass-rush scheme.
31) Philadelphia Eagles: Darius Alexander, DL, Toledo
Alexander is the picture-perfect Milton Williams replacement. He is a long, athletic interior defender with some outside rush ability. Despite coming from a small school in Toledo, Alexander has a coveted refinement to his game. He also plays with his hair on fire, which fits what Howie Roseman typically looks for in a defensive lineman.
32) Kansas City Chiefs: Elijah Arroyo, TE, Miami
As Travis Kelce gets closer and closer to the end of his career, people have been mocking tight-ends to the Chiefs at the end of Round 1 for years. Here they finally do it and grab Arroyo, whose 2024 tape has top-20 player written all over it. Arroyo is the total package and does everything you would ask a TE to do at an extremely high level.
