The Scouting Combine hasn't even arrived yet and there has still been plenty of movement in the NFL Draft stock market. Among the prospects who seem to be getting more and more love by the day are Marshall edge Mike Green, Alabama lineman Tyler Booker, Georgia safety Malaki Starks (best name in the draft), Missouri tackle Armand Membou and Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron. At the same time, there seems to be less and less consensus that the top quarterback prospects (Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders) will definitely go in the top three picks.
All of that is reflected in the mock draft below, my second crack at this impossible exercise and the third overall for Buccaneers.com. Some things didn't change (I still ended up with secondary help for the Buccaneers), and some things did (but not the same player). I'm also less convinced that the Titans will use the first pick on a quarterback, and more convinced that Green will end up being the top choice in a muddled but intriguing group of edge rushers.
We are still not projecting potential trades at this point, so here are my updated thoughts on the first 32 picks of the 2025 NFL Draft:
- Tennessee Titans: CB/WR Travis Hunter, Colorado
In the Super Bowl era, a wide receiver has been drafted with the first-overall pick just two times. A cornerback? Never. But what if I told you we smashed the best receiver and the best cornerback into one great taste, like those old Reese's cups commercials? Now we've got a player more than worthy of the top pick. I'm starting to think that the Titans aren't enamored of this year's quarterback class and will instead look for a veteran bridge while taking one of potentially the most valuable draft prospects (non-quarterback division) to come along in a long while.
- Cleveland Browns: EDGE Abdul Carter, Penn State
No change here for me from the last effort. I am of the opinion that Myles Garrett will eventually see his trade request granted and it just makes too much sense to jump on a prospect who projects as another potentially dominant edge rusher.
- New York Giants: QB Cam Ward, Miami
Maybe when it's all said and done the Giants will have to swing a small deal upward to avoid being leap-frogged for their top quarterback, but here they sit back and are able to reset with Ward, who they see as having a higher ceiling than Shedeur Sanders. After the early success of Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix, quarterbacks with a whole lot of college experience are suddenly in vogue.
- New England Patriots: T Will Campbell, LSU
In my last mock draft, Ward and Sanders both went in the top three and that allowed Travis Hunter to fall this spot, where the Patriots couldn't resist taking the two-way threat. This is probably for the best, because the number-one thing this team needs is more protection for the very promising Drake Maye at quarterback. I know there are some concerns that Campbell will end up as a guard, but he's the top OL prospect overall and the Patriots need a lot of help in that area.
- Jacksonville Jaguars: DL Mason Graham, Michigan
Jacksonville has Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker, who had a combined 18.5 sacks last year, and still finished 30th in sacks-per-pass-play on defense. The Jaguars' secondary was a mess in 2024 and the team finished last in pass defense, so cornerback Will Johnson or safety Malaki Starks would be tempting, but I think the better approach in terms of pick value here is to grab the can't-miss Graham to beef up the front line and hurry quarterbacks into mistakes.
- Las Vegas Raiders: QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
As I noted with the Giants above, I think it's quite likely the Raiders will have to trade up a bit to get their quarterback of the future, but in this exercise they land the pro-ready Sanders at their original spot. Sanders doesn't have elite arm strength and his response to pressure is a bit of a concern, but he is extremely accurate and throws a nice deep ball overall.
- New York Jets: TE Tyler Warren, Penn State
This is awfully high for a tight end, especially considering the Falcons' pick of Kyle Pitts fourth overall in 2021 doesn't quite seem like it has paid off. But the Jets have Garrett Wilson and (maybe) Davante Adams plus a decent running back room and could give their next quarterback a lot of help with a very dynamic tight end. Look what Brock Bowers did for the Raiders.
- Carolina Panthers: EDGE Mike Green, Marshall
As noted above, Green's draft stock seems to be on the rise. There were five edge rushers in my last mock draft and, beyond Abdul Carter being the clear number one, there doesn't seem to be much consensus on how the rest of them will fall. To me, Green has the combination of production (17.0 sacks last year) and dominance at the Senior Bowl to give him the top spot.
- New Orleans Saints: WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
I love this pick. I mean, I hate this pick because I don't want the Saints to get McMillan, but this pairing seems phenomenal to me. Even if you assume injuries won't continue to be a problem for Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, this passing attack could use a big Mike Evans-type who can win physically but also create yards after the catch.
- Chicago Bears: T/G Tyler Booker, Alabama
The Bears have to do something about their underwhelming offensive line, especially with all three of their interior starters slated for free agency. Caleb Williams absorbed 68 sacks in his rookie season, and no one wants to see a repeat of how David Carr's career played out. Booker is probably going to move inside in the NFL, but it doesn't hurt that he could play tackle if that's what the Bears end up needing.
- San Francisco 49ers: T Kelvin Banks, Texas
Trent Williams is probably going to the Hall of Fame, but he's going to be 37 when the 2025 season starts and he hasn't played a full season since 2013. I'm in no way counting him out for 2025 and I'm sure the 49ers aren't either, but it only makes sense to plan for the (near) future here and this draft provides good value at offensive tackle.
- Dallas Cowboys: RB Ashton Jeanty Boise State
I'm sorry. I wish I was more creative. This just feels like what Jerry Jones would do.
- Miami Dolphins: S Malaki Starks, Georgia
Jevon Holland seems to think the Dolphins have "moved on" from their four-year starter in the secondary, so I'll take him at his word. If so, they can get his replacement here in a safety who both displays incredible instincts as a pass defender and is also a willing and dependable tackler in the run game. Safeties don't crack the top half of the first round very often, but I think NFL personnel pros value the position a bit more than people realize. Kyle Hamilton went 14th in 2022, and that was probably too low.
- Indianapolis Colts: CB Will Johnson, Michigan
I think the Colts would be very tempted by Michigan tight end Colston Loveland (I gave them Tyler Warren in version 1.0), but the value here is too good with Johnson at a position of need. Indy seriously needs an infusion of talent at the cornerback position and the way this draft feel they get the top man on the board. Johnson is big and long, with great instincts and a nose for the football.
- Atlanta Falcon: EDGE James Pearce Jr., Tennessee
Projecting an edge rusher to the Falcons in the first round is like mock draft fool's gold. We do it every year and it never pays off. The Falcons haven't taken an edge rusher in the first round since Tak McKinley in 2017, and maybe that scared them off. Still, this is a good draft for pass rushers and Atlanta needs more juice off the edge. I'll try one more time with Pearce, who may not be a great run defender but has all the tools to dominate in the pass game.
- Arizona Cardinals: EDGE Mykel Williams, Georgia
The Cardinals could use help all over their defense, but they were in the bottom quarter in pressure rate last season and improving that would help all three levels. Williams is a bit of a polarizing prospect because he is clearly very athletic and he's got great size and length for a pass rusher but he hasn't necessarily looked explosive off the snap and he doesn't yet have a well-developed arsenal of moves. But he did have at least 4.5 sacks in each of his three seasons at Georgia, so he's made that package work.
- Cincinnati Bengals: DL Walter Nolen, Mississippi
There are a couple very nice receivers available, but I think the Bengals are going to end up keeping Tee Higgins, so I'm giving them some help for a defense that gave up the seventh-most points in the league last season. B.J. Hill is a potential free agent defector and Cincy cut Sheldon Rankins just last week, so this is definitely a position of need and Nolen is another player whose stock appears to be on the rise. He's already a force against the run and he looks like he has some strong pass rush potential, as well.
- Seattle Seahawks: T Armand Membou, Missouri
When it's all said and done, I don't know if Membou makes it to the back half of this round, but that's how it fell in this exercise. The Seahawks really need interior help more than a tackle for a line that struggled mightily in 2024, but Membou could move inside. The Mizzou product has quick feet and a very competitive demeanor.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: CB Jahdae Barron, Texas
In my first mock draft two weeks ago, I gave the Bucs Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison, and Morrison is still available here. So why the switch to Barron? Well, I guess you could say I've studied up a bit more on the cornerbacks in the past two weeks and have grown to appreciate Barron more. I may be too late; he seems to be going earlier this in a lot of recent mock drafts I've read. What needs to be answered is if Barron can thrive just as much on the outside as in the slot, where his solid frame, quick feet and stout run defense make him a natural. He may not demonstrate absolute top end speed, which could be a red flag on the outside, but Texas used him in countless ways on their defense, so he's definitely a versatile defender of the kind that Todd Bowles liked. Tampa Bay played zone coverage at a very high rate in 2024, and that's where Barron really excels with his instincts and football IQ.
- Denver Broncos: WR Luther Burden, Missouri
This is the same pick I gave Denver two weeks ago and I see no reason to change it now. After Bo Nix's impressive rookie season, it seems like a good plan to give the second-year quarterback more weapons to work with, and Burden would be an excellent weapon out of the slot to pair with a resurgent Courtland Sutton on the outside. I did, however, strongly Michigan tight end Colston Loveland here.
- Pittsburgh Steelers: WR Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
This is also a repeat from my first mock draft that I saw no reason to change. Egbuka just does everything well, and now only is he as dependable as they come but he actually enjoys being used as a blocker in the run game, a la Chris Godwin. As I said last time, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith would surely appreciate that.
- Los Angeles Chargers: TE Colston Loveland, Michigan
This is the cut-and-paste portion of my mock 2.0, as I've now made the same pick as last time for three straight teams. I just love the idea of adding a dynamic pass-catching tight end like Loveland to an offense that already runs the ball well and has another big-time pass-catcher at receiver in Ladd McConkey. As Head Coach Jim Harbaugh obviously knows very well, Loveland is a big-time mismatch creator who creates separation with quickness out of his breaks that seem unfair for such a big frame.
- Green Bay Packers: CB Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame
Green Bay makes sure Morrison doesn't last on the board much longer after the Buccaneers go with Barron. The Packers love using first-round picks on defensive players, and there's some chatter that Jaire Alexander could be a cap casualty. Morrison is returning from hip surgery in October but he is quick and agile when healthy and can play inside or outside.
- Minnesota Vikings: G Grey Zabel, North Dakota State
Zabel dominated at the Senior Bowl as the latest tackle-convert from North Dakota State, a la Cody Mauch. The interior line is a big area of need for the Vikings, particularly if Dalton Risner departs in free agency. I really like this pick for the Vikings, but you know who doesn't like it? That would be…
- Houston Texans: WR Matthew Golden, Texas
…the Texans, who were one pick away from landing Zabel and are probably even more in need on the interior line than the Vikings are. If I were projecting trades here, I could see the Texans moving up a few spots to get their man. Here, however, I see them pivot and push the guard/center issue into Day Two, instead opting for a receiver after their injury-plagued 2024 season. I think Stefon Diggs is probably gone in 2025, so the Texans could help C.J. Stroud rebound after he took a step back last year by giving him a receiver with big-play potential due to his speed and acceleration.
- Los Angeles Rams: T Josh Simmons, Ohio State
Simmons actually fell in the overall pecking order from where I had him in my first mock, but if the medicals on him come in favorably at the Combine, he's probably going to start moving in the other direction. For now, the Rams address a big need, particularly if Alaric Jackson opts for free agency after a breakout 2024.
- Baltimore Ravens: EDGE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M
Stewart is an even trickier evaluation than Mykel Williams simply because all of his obvious physical strengths only translated into 1.5 sacks in each of his three seasons with the Aggies. He has great size at 6-5 and 281 pounds and is good against the run, and he was dominant at the Senior Bowl, so I still think he goes in the first round and maybe the Ravens end up with a steal here.
- Detroit Lions: EDGE Nic Scourton, Texas A&M
If Scourton calls Stewart to congratulate his teammate on being picked 27th he'd better make it a quick call because his own phone is going to be ringing with Dan Campbell on the other end. Absolutely horrific injury luck on defense eventually tanked the Lions' promising 2024 season, but even with everyone back to full health the Lions know they need another scary pass-rusher on the other end from Aidan Hutchinson
- Washington Commanders: RB Omarion Hampton, North Carolina
Hampton has been sneaking into the first round in a lot of recent mock drafts, and I'm jumping on that train for Washington. Look at what adding a huge threat at running back did for Lamar Jackson and Baltimore's offense last year. After the Commanders' Jayden Daniels produced perhaps the best season by a rookie quarterback ever, Washington follows that Baltimore blueprint here in the draft. The 6-0, 220-pound Hampton isn't quite as big as Derrick Henry (who is?) but he's still a powerful runner who gains yards after contact and can hit the home run when he breaks through the front line.
- Buffalo Bills: DL Kenneth Grant, Michigan
I gave the Bills Ohio State defensive lineman Tyleik Williams last go-round, but Grant had already come off the board before this pick in that first mock. I still think the Bills defense needs some beef up front and here they opt for Grant over Williams, adding a player who eats up double-team blocks and clogs lanes in run defense.
- Kansas City Chiefs: T Josh Conerly, Oregon
I would suspect that 90% of mock drafts give the Chiefs a tackle after what we all witnessed in the Super Bowl. Conerly is well-regarded as a pass-blocker, which is clearly what Kansas City needs, and adding a plug-and-play starter at left tackle allows the Chiefs to move Joe Thuney back to guard, where he tends to dominate.
- Philadelphia Eagles: LB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama
The Eagles don't have a lot of glaring roster holes, obviously, and part of me thinks they'll do that Eagles thing where they plan a year or two ahead on their offensive line and make sure they're never in a bad spot if a lineman retires or leaves in free agency. But I don't really love the value at that position after so many were taken in the first round, so I'll stick with Campbell, thinking Philly may need an off-ball linebacker who can also occasionally cameo as an edge rusher if Zack Baun cashes in elsewhere in free agency.
