The Super Bowl is in two days, which means we’re three days away from the NFL Draft season officially beginning. Personally, I consider the official start of NFL Draft season the day my first mock draft comes out, but I’m not sure the rest of the world sees it that way.
Either way, today’s that day! We made it! Congrats!
In all seriousness, if you’re even reading this part of the article, then you’ll get the context of what I’m doing here. My first mock of the season isn’t anything close to a prediction of what will happen. It’s ridiculous to attempt that right now. There’s so much of the process left to play out, from the NFL Scouting Combine to NFL free agency. While all mock drafts are educated guesses, this one is more about how I feel about the players based on what I’ve seen from them in their college careers.
Mix it with what are expected to be some team needs, and voila, you have a list of 32 players being selected by 32 teams
As for my initial feelings about this year’s draft class, it doesn’t differ much from what you’ve likely already heard. There are plenty of good players in this class, but I don’t know how many great players we’ll get. Looking at my top 10 picks, I don’t know if more than three of them would’ve been top-10 picks last year.
There’s a chance that opinion will change as we get closer to the real thing, but right now, I see a draft full of guys who can help a team but nobody who can change a team.
The draft order below was determined using the current 2025 NFL Draft order. For more draft coverage, you can hear in-depth analysis twice a week on “With the First Pick” — our year-round NFL Draft podcast. You can find “With the First Pick” wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, etc.
NFL Mock Draft
Round 1
Round 1 – Pick 1
team logo
Abdul Carter EDGE
Penn State • Jr • 6’3″ / 252 lbs
Projected Team
Tennessee
PROSPECT RNK
Right now, I’m between Carter and Travis Hunter as being the two best players in the draft, and I’d rather have either of them than one of the quarterbacks. Of course, that’s rarely how the NFL Draft works, but while the Titans need an upgrade at QB, they shouldn’t pass on Carter. I had fellow Penn State edge rusher Chop Robinson as my top edge in last year’s class, and I think Carter is a better prospect than Robinson (who had 6.0 sacks as a rookie). In general, pass rushers out of Penn State are a solid choice.
Round 1 – Pick 2
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Travis Hunter ATH
Colorado • Jr • 6’1″ / 185 lbs
Projected Team
Cleveland
PROSPECT RNK
1st
POSITION RNK
1st
REC
96
REYDS
1258
YDS/REC
13.1
TDS
3rd
POSITION RNK
1st
He’s polarizing, but is he polarizing because of who he is as a player, or his profile off the field as a college player, as well as the coach he played for? For my money, Hunter is an incredible talent who will be successful on either side of the ball. I genuinely feel he’d be one of the top corners in the league from Day 1 in the NFL, but others feel he’d have a greater impact at receiver. How does Cleveland feel in this situation? I don’t care; just get him in the building and improve your football team.
Round 1 – Pick 3
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Cam Ward QB
Miami (FL) • Sr • 6’2″ / 223 lbs
Projected Team
N.Y. Giants
PROSPECT RNK
4th
POSITION RNK
1st
PAYDS
4313
RUYDS
204
INTS
7
TDS
43
Ward is not the “safest” bet among the QB options in this class, but he does have the highest ceiling. He’s the guy who has consistently shown the ability to create explosive plays in college, both with his arm and his legs. He also has a tendency to try to do too much, which you get away with in college easier than you will in the NFL. As for the fit here, Brian Daboll got the Giants job because of the work he did with Josh Allen. While I’m not making a comparison to Allen as far as prospects, a lot of Ward’s faults are similar to the ones Daboll had to iron out of Allen’s game.
Round 1 – Pick 4
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Will Campbell OT
LSU • Jr • 6’6″ / 323 lbs
Projected Team
New England
PROSPECT RNK
7th
POSITION RNK
1st
Full disclosure, after the 2024 NFL Draft I placed a bet that Campbell would be the No. 1 pick of the 2025 draft at odds of 60-to-1. I’m not going to win that bet (unless the Titans really like me), but it goes to show how high I am on Campbell as a player. There may be some size concerns, and the combine will be huge, but this is a player who stepped into the left tackle position as a freshman in the SEC and held his own from the very start. I’ve never heard a negative word about him from anybody, and his play speaks for itself.
Round 1 – Pick 5
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Mason Graham DL
Michigan • Jr • 6’3″ / 320 lbs
Projected Team
Jacksonville
PROSPECT RNK
5th
POSITION RNK
1st
Another player I’ve been high on for years. Typically, when you’re drafting an interior DL this high in the draft, you’re hoping for Aaron Donald. I doubt you’ll get that from Graham, but you will get a disruptive presence capable of wrecking shop. Graham is extremely athletic, strong and has a motor that goes forever.
Round 1 – Pick 6
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Shedeur Sanders QB
Colorado • Sr • 6’2″ / 215 lbs
Projected Team
Las Vegas
PROSPECT RNK
9th
POSITION RNK
2nd
PAYDS
4134
RUYDS
-50
INTS
10
TDS
41
Ignore the name and look simply at the player. What you have is a guy who would be considered a first-round QB but likely not a No. 1 pick. Sanders doesn’t have top-end physical traits, but he has many other traits that are imperative for playing the position. He doesn’t have a rocket arm, but he’s accurate. He’s also fearless. He’ll stand in the pocket as long as he must to get the throw off, take the big hit, and then get up and do it again. This gets him in trouble with sacks a little too often, and the hope is you can find the right balance. Sanders might not be the next Patrick Mahomes, but he could easily be an above-average starting QB in the NFL, and a lot of teams could use an above-average starter at QB!
Round 1 – Pick 7
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Mykel Williams EDGE
Georgia • Jr • 6’5″ / 265 lbs
Projected Team
N.Y. Jets
PROSPECT RNK
13th
POSITION RNK
3rd
I told you about my Will Campbell bet. Well, my other bet was on Mykel Williams. I won’t win that one, either, as Williams didn’t have a great season at Georgia in 2024, but he wasn’t fully healthy, either. To me, Williams is a fascinating player who can play and excel at multiple spots on a defensive line. He’s the kind of player I can see new Jets head coach Aaron Glenn falling for.
Round 1 – Pick 8
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Will Johnson CB
Michigan • Jr • 6’2″ / 202 lbs
Projected Team
Carolina
PROSPECT RNK
2nd
POSITION RNK
1st
Johnson missed most of the 2024 season with an injury, but he made his presence felt in a short amount of time. Johnson had two pick-sixes for the Wolverines in six games, which means the only Wolverine to catch more touchdowns than Johnson did last season was tight end Colston Loveland. Johnson has the ability to be a lockdown corner at the NFL level, and depending on how things go at the combine, I won’t be shocked if he begins climbing higher than this in mocks.
Round 1 – Pick 9
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Tetairoa McMillan WR
Arizona • Jr • 6’5″ / 212 lbs
Projected Team
New Orleans
PROSPECT RNK
6th
POSITION RNK
1st
REC
84
REYDS
1319
YDS/REC
15.7
TDS
8
Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins will be one of the most sought-after free agents in the league this spring. Well, if you miss out on Higgins in free agency, maybe you’ll get the chance to draft him! That’s who Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan reminds me of, though I’ve also seen comps to Drake London, which make sense, too. Either way, he’s a big-bodied receiver who can win a jump-ball scenario but is also athletic enough to make you miss in the open field.
Round 1 – Pick 10
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Kelvin Banks Jr. OT
Texas • Jr • 6’4″ / 320 lbs
Projected Team
Chicago
PROSPECT RNK
8th
POSITION RNK
2nd
The Bears have their quarterback after drafting Caleb Williams and their head coach in Ben Johnson. Now they need an offensive line, or both will fail. Banks is a much stronger pass-protector than a run-blocker, but he wasn’t really asked to maul much in the Texas offense.
Round 1 – Pick 11
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Walter Nolen DL
Ole Miss • Jr • 6’3″ / 305 lbs
Projected Team
San Francisco
PROSPECT RNK
20th
POSITION RNK
2nd
Based on what I’ve seen to this point, Nolen is the most slept-on prospect in the draft. He is a large, disruptive force in the middle of your defensive line and strikes me as the kind of player Robert Saleh loves at that spot. There are plenty of really good edge guys in this class, but I don’t think the interior has that same depth. I bet Nolen’s stock rises as we approach the draft.
Round 1 – Pick 12
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Armand Membou OT
Missouri • Jr • 6’3″ / 325 lbs
Projected Team
Dallas
PROSPECT RNK
22nd
POSITION RNK
4th
Membou has a lot of the physical traits teams love at the tackle position, and he’s an impressive athlete for a player his size. I don’t think he steps in as a rookie and excels, but there’s the potential for a franchise left tackle and perennial Pro Bowler in there.
Round 1 – Pick 13
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Malaki Starks S
Georgia • Jr • 6’1″ / 205 lbs
Projected Team
Miami
PROSPECT RNK
14th
POSITION RNK
1st
Starks has tremendous instincts for the ball at the safety position, and since he played at Georgia, you know he was well-coached. You also know he’s versatile enough to handle different assignments, as the Dawgs weren’t afraid to put Starks in different spots during his time in Athens.
Round 1 – Pick 14
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Tyler Warren TE
Penn State • Sr • 6’6″ / 261 lbs
Projected Team
Indianapolis
PROSPECT RNK
18th
POSITION RNK
1st
REC
104
REYDS
1233
YDS/REC
11.9
TDS
12
It feels like everybody in the world is mocking Warren to the Colts, so I suppose I’ll throw my hat in the ring. Warren is a unique weapon who was used in every conceivable fashion in the Penn State offense. If Anthony Richardson is going to work out with the Colts, he needs as much help as possible, and Warren is the kind of safety valve who will come in handy. And if Richardson doesn’t work out, well, it’ll still be nice to have Warren.
Round 1 – Pick 15
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Shemar Stewart DL
Texas A&M • Jr • 6’6″ / 290 lbs
Projected Team
Atlanta
PROSPECT RNK
33rd
POSITION RNK
5th
Ah, the eternal question of traits vs. production. Stewart did not have great numbers in college. He had only 4.5 sacks and 11.0 tackles for loss in three seasons, but the stats don’t always tell the whole story. He’s young and has all the athleticism and physical traits you look for in a pass-rusher. He was also disruptive as hell at A&M, but had trouble finishing. Somebody will fall in love with him
Round 1 – Pick 16
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James Pearce Jr. EDGE
Tennessee • Jr • 6’5″ / 243 lbs
Projected Team
Arizona
PROSPECT RNK
11th
POSITION RNK
2nd
There aren’t many other edge prospects in this class with Pearce’s first step or his ability to change direction without losing momentum. What will keep him from going too high is his overall size and questions about his ability to hold up against the run.
Round 1 – Pick 17
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Benjamin Morrison CB
Notre Dame • Jr • 6’0″ / 190 lbs
Projected Team
Cincinnati
PROSPECT RNK
52nd
POSITION RNK
6th
Morrison played in only six games this season and wasn’t around for Notre Dame’s playoff run, and I think it’s caused people to forget how freaking good he is! If Morrison stayed healthy all year, I don’t think there’s any question that he’s a first-round pick. He’s an exceptional corner in coverage.
Round 1 – Pick 18
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Josh Simmons OT
Ohio State • Sr • 6’5″ / 310 lbs
Projected Team
Seattle
PROSPECT RNK
17th
POSITION RNK
3rd
Maybe it won’t be Simmons, but I’ll be shocked if the Seahawks don’t address their offensive line in the first round. As for Simmons, the ACL injury will impact his draft stock, but when healthy this season, he was one of the best left tackles in the country.
Round 1 – Pick 19
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Mike Green EDGE
Marshall • Soph • 6’4″ / 248 lbs
Projected Team
Tampa Bay
PROSPECT RNK
71st
POSITION RNK
12th
The Bucs could use some new blood in their pass rush, and Mike Green is flying up boards right now following his performance at the Senior Bowl. He reminds me of Tennessee’s James Pearce in that he’s extremely quick and athletic, but he probably isn’t an every-down player right now.
Round 1 – Pick 20
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Emeka Egbuka WR
Ohio State • Sr • 6’1″ / 205 lbs
Projected Team
Denver
PROSPECT RNK
32nd
POSITION RNK
3rd
REC
81
REYDS
1011
YDS/REC
12.5
TDS
10
I was tempted to send Egbuka to Pittsburgh because he reminds me a lot of Hines Ward. Am impressive route runner who has no qualms about mixing it up as a run-blocker when called upon (though not as good as Ward was). He spent his entire college career in the shadow of another top wide receiver (Jaxson Smith-Njigba, Marvin Harrison Jr., Jeremiah Smith), but that says a lot more about Ohio State’s receiver room than Egbuka.
Round 1 – Pick 21
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Luther Burden III WR
Missouri • Jr • 5’11” / 205 lbs
Projected Team
Pittsburgh
PROSPECT RNK
12th
POSITION RNK
2nd
REC
61
REYDS
676
YDS/REC
11.1
TDS
8
The Steelers need help at WR, and Burden immediately improves the situation. He’s best suited working out of the slot, and there are kinks to work out when it comes to route-running, but he’s electric with the ball in his hands. He reminds me a lot of current Bears wideout D.J. Moore
Round 1 – Pick 22
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Nic Scourton EDGE
Texas A&M • Jr • 6’4″ / 285 lbs
Projected Team
L.A. Chargers
PROSPECT RNK
15th
POSITION RNK
4th
Maybe the Chargers look to add to their OL here or do something “fun” by taking Ashton Jeanty. With questions about Khalil Mack’s future, as well as the health of Joey Bosa, addressing the pass rush probably isn’t a bad option, either. Scourton strikes me as the kind of edge presence Jim Harbaugh appreciates. He gets after the quarterback while also serving as a positive, setting the edge against the run.
From Houston Texans
Round 1 – Pick 23
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Jahdae Barron CB
Texas • Sr • 5’11” / 200 lbs
Projected Team
Green Bay
PROSPECT RNK
42nd
POSITION RNK
4th
Barron doesn’t have great size, but it doesn’t impact the way he plays. He looks like a 195-pound player who thinks he’s 215 pounds when throwing himself into a tackle. He’s a playmaker in the secondary who has the ability to line up in different spots and shows strong instincts for knowing where the ball will be and when it’ll get there.
Round 1 – Pick 24
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Ashton Jeanty RB
Boise State • Jr • 5’9″ / 215 lbs
Projected Team
Minnesota
PROSPECT RNK
10th
POSITION RNK
1st
RUYDS
2601
YDS/ATT
7
REYDS
138
TDS
30
We saw running backs have a huge impact for a lot of the best teams in the NFL this year, but will that change how teams look at them in the draft? As a player, Jeanty is a top-five prospect in the class, but that’s not how RBs are looked at when chosen. Aaron Jones isn’t getting younger, and Jeanty gives the Vikings yet another incredible weapon on offense.
Round 1 – Pick 25
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Tyler Booker IOL
Alabama • Jr • 6’5″ / 325 lbs
Projected Team
Houston
PROSPECT RNK
29th
POSITION RNK
1st
Much like Seattle, I don’t know if Booker will be the guy here, but I’m confident the guy will be an offensive lineman. Houston’s unit was a mess last season, and Booker would be a good way to go about shoring up the interior of that line. He’s big, long, strong and plays with a mean streak.
Round 1 – Pick 26
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Josh Conerly Jr. OT
Oregon • Jr • 6’4″ / 315 lbs
Projected Team
L.A. Rams
PROSPECT RNK
31st
POSITION RNK
6th
I have no idea what direction the Rams are going this offseason, but they can probably use help up front either way. I’m higher on Conerly than many others seem to be, but saying that, I’m not sure he’s a first-round talent in other years. It’s the lack of depth at OT in this class that could lead to players like Conerly sneaking into the back end of the first round.
Round 1 – Pick 27
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Kenneth Grant DL
Michigan • Jr • 6’3″ / 339 lbs
Projected Team
Baltimore
PROSPECT RNK
24th
POSITION RNK
3rd
Grant’s excellence on the interior was often overshadowed by Mason Graham, but he has a quick first step and can really move in ways that sometimes cause you to reconsider the laws of physics. Consistency is the concern, as Grant would sometimes disappear for a series before re-emerging as a monster later.
Round 1 – Pick 28
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Jack Sawyer EDGE
Ohio State • Sr • 6’5″ / 260 lbs
Projected Team
Detroit
PROSPECT RNK
30th
POSITION RNK
8th
The Lions will look to address the pass rush in the draft, and Jack Sawyer seems like he was grown in a lab to play for Dan Campbell. He’s big, strong, smart and goes full speed on every snap. There isn’t a kneecap he won’t bite off when given the chance.
Round 1 – Pick 29
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Matthew Golden WR
Texas • Jr • 6’0″ / 195 lbs
Projected Team
Washington
PROSPECT RNK
74th
POSITION RNK
7th
We know who the quarterback will be here for a long time; now the job is surrounding him with what he needs. Perhaps that’s an offensive lineman, or perhaps it’s another weapon in the passing game. Terry McLaurin is criminally underrated across the league, but the Commanders could use upgrades behind him. Golden’s stock skyrocketed during Texas’ playoff run as Isaiah Bond dealt with injuries. A lot of the things Golden was asked to do in Texas’ offense translate to what the Commanders do in theirs.
Round 1 – Pick 30
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Jalon Walker EDGE
Georgia • Jr • 6’2″ / 245 lbs
Projected Team
Buffalo
PROSPECT RNK
25th
POSITION RNK
7th
The primary knock I’ve heard on Walker is people aren’t sure what he is. It’s a combination of his size, as well as the fact he had a limited role at Georgia due to the overwhelming number of players they had at his position. What can’t be denied is his explosiveness, strength and fluidity. He has the ability to take games over.
Round 1 – Pick 31
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Princely Umanmielen EDGE
Ole Miss • Sr • 6’4″ / 255 lbs
Projected Team
Philadelphia
PROSPECT RNK
16th
POSITION RNK
5th
Ole Miss went and plucked two defensive linemen out of the transfer portal last year, and I have both of them in the first round of my first mock. Umanmielen is another player I’m a touch higher on than the consensus. He has a quick first step, great athleticism and is versatile. A real Vic Fangio special here.
Round 1 – Pick 32
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Donovan Jackson IOL
Ohio State • Sr • 6’4″ / 320 lbs
Projected Team
Kansas City
PROSPECT RNK
41st
POSITION RNK
2nd
I don’t know if there’s a player who impressed me more this year than Jackson. He was already one of the top guards in the country but was forced to move to left tackle when Josh Simmons tore his ACL. After a rough start, Jackson more than held his own at tackle as Ohio State worked its way to a national title.
The 2024 NFL Draft will take place from April 25-27 in Detroit.
