In my first attempt at predicting the first round of the 2025 draft, back in February, I had Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders both going among the top three picks. As the weeks have passed and more (quote, unquote) evidence has leaked into the mock draft-o-sphere, I've wavered on that conviction. I had one mock draft where none of the first three picks were quarterbacks, and another one in which Sanders dropped all the way to 21st. I'm not alone in this; there have definitely been some industry-wide questions about whether the Colorado product was really a top-10 talent.

I should have saved myself the trouble, fast-forwarded to late March and reminded myself of one of the basic tenets of the NFL Draft: Quarterbacks always rise.

Last year, quarterbacks Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye were the first three players off the board (not a terrible surprise) and then Michael Penix, J.J. McCarthy and Bo Nix all followed by the 12th overall selection (definitely a surprise). In 2023, three of the first four picks were passers, and that included a somewhat polarizing prospect in Anthony Richardson going fourth. The 2022 draft was the exception, with Kenny Pickett being the first QB taken at number 20. In 2021, the first three picks were quarterbacks, including the extremely raw Trey Lance at three. In 2020, three of the first six selections were quarterbacks.

You get the picture. The old adage is true: It only takes one team to fall in love. Plus, a quarterback on a rookie contract who can start right away is the most valuable asset in the game, so teams are willing to roll the dice at a shot for the jackpot. So I'm right back where I started when it comes to the top two quarterbacks, and now I have a third one cracking the first round.

As far as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are concerned, the more quarterbacks in the first 18 picks, the merrier. The Buccaneers are almost certainly not in that market, so everyone taken before they're on the clock at number 19 means one more prospect pushed down the list. In this particular case, the Buccaneers wind up with a very productive pass rusher.

This is our Mock Draft 7.0, and my fourth crack at it. For the first time, I will be mocking in a handful of trades. Here is a rundown of the trade predictions you will find below:

1. The New York Giants trade up one spot with Cleveland, from number three to number two. New York gives up it's fourth-round pick (#105), but that's a bit of an overpay by the Chase Stuart draft value chart. Fortunately, Cleveland has four sixth-round picks to work with and number 179 is the perfect value to offset the initial overpay.

2. The Arizona Cardinals trade up two spots with Indianapolis, from number 16 to number 14. Arizona sends a fourth-round pick (#115) to Indy in the deal and gets back a sixth-round pick (#189). Indy comes out on top in the Stuart chart.

3. The Los Angeles Rams trade up eight spots with Seattle, from number 26 to number 18. I'm going with the Jimmy Johnson trade value chart on this one because the Stuart chart only equates this move up to be worth a mid-fifth-round pick, and I have a hard time believing that would be enough to convince Seattle to drop back eight spots. The Johnson chart equates the move with the 78th overall pick, in the third round. The Rams make the deal with pick number 90 plus the first of their four sixth-round picks, number 190.

1. Tennessee Titans: QB Cam Ward, Miami

In my last mock draft, I was still stubbornly putting Abdul Carter here based on Titans President of Football Operations Chad Brinker's comments that "you can't pass on a generational talent." I thought the Titans would go the veteran QB route for at least one year. Well, by now it seems pretty clear that they are not looking for a veteran starter and are instead going to anoint Ward as their next franchise quarterback.

2. **MOCK TRADE** New York Giants (from Cleveland): QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

EDIT: I made this trade and pick before the Russell Wilson signing. However, it's worth noting that Wilson's deal is for just one year, so I'm going to go head and stick with this result for now.

As I said in the intro, it only takes one team to be sold for the next quarterback to rise to the top of the draft. Here I have the Giants trading up one spot with Cleveland to make absolutely sure they get their man. If the Browns are trading down with Sanders on the board, why bother moving up a spot instead of just waiting to nab the Colorado passer at number three? The fear, of course, is that some other QB-needy team will jump them in a different trade with the Browns. The pick swap is an easy price to pay for the Giants, and I don't think the recent addition of Jameis Winston changes the calculus here at all.

3. **MOCK TRADE** Cleveland Browns (from New York Giants): EDGE Abdul Carter, Penn State

The Browns move down a spot and still have their pick between Carter and Travis Hunter, and either one would fill a need. The thought of pairing Carter with the now-entrenched Myles Garrett is too tantalizingly to pass up, as that might quickly be the most dangerous set of edge rushers in the NFL>

4. New England Patriots: CB/WR Travis Hunter, Colorado

The most obvious fit for the Patriots here is at receiver, where their only offseason addition to a lackluster group has been Mack Hollins. Hunter would quickly become the favorite target for young quarterback Drake Maye. And maybe the Heisman Trophy winner really can play two ways in the NFL. New England signed Carlton Davis to pair with young stud corner Christian Gonzalez, but Davis has never played a full season in his seven-year career, so some insurance there is a nice bonus.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars: DL Mason Graham, Michigan

The Jaguars could also use a safety, a receiver and a running back, but I don't think any of those positions offers as much value at this spot as interior defensive line, where Graham is the clear number-one prospect in a very deep group. This is now the same pick that we've made in all of our mock drafts so far, and I wanted to get more creative, but this just seems like too perfect of a fit.

6. Las Vegas Raiders: RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State

I first floated this idea in my last mock draft, and I'm sticking with it here. The Raiders signed soon-to-be 33-year-old Raheem Mostert recently, but he has rarely profiled as an every-down lead back. Las Vegas had the worst rushing attack in the NFL last year, so I don't think they want to go into the season with a committee of Mostert, Sincere McCormick and Zamir White. They've now got their quarterback in Geno Smith and they have a dynamic pass-catcher in Brock Bowers, so now let's try to balance the offense with a run game that opposing defenses will have to respect.

7. New York Jets: T Armand Membou, Missouri

The Jets got their left tackle last year in Olu Fashanu and now they complete the set with the biggest riser of this whole draft process so far. Membou showed off his athleticism at the Combine and seems to have supplanted Will Johnson as the top lineman on the board. This is the clearest match of specific need with top prospect so far, though I think New York would also be tempted by Penn State tight end Tyler Warren, which would also hit a huge need.

8. Carolina Panthers: EDGE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M

After Abdul Carter, this edge rush class is deep but a little hard to parse in terms of the order the prospects will come off the board. On the one hand, you have players with freakishly athletic gifts and, in the case of Stewart, ideal size for the position, but not necessarily eye-popping production at the college level. On the other hand, you have players who are proven producers, like Mike Green and Donald Ezeiruaku. I think some teams will line up to pick from the first group while others are more comfortable with the second profile. Here, the Panthers roll the dice on talent, like the Jaguars did with Travon Walker in 2002.

9. New Orleans Saints: WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona

McMillan seems to be sliding into the second half of the round on a lot of more recent mocks, but a reminder that GMs and scouts put the most stock in game tape. And when you put on the tape, you're reminded why McMillan has long been considered a top-10 pick. He's huge with an enormous catch radius and a bully with the ball in his hands after the catch. The Saints did recently sign Brandin Cooks, but McMillan would give them a completely different kind of pass-catcher.

10. Chicago Bears: EDGE/LB Jalon Walker, Georgia

Walker is another highly athletic defender with one main question mark: What is his position. He played off-ball linebacker in his final season at Georgia after being primarily a pass rusher before that, and some think he can do both at the NFL level, a la Micah Parsons. I think the Bears grab him here planning to add juice to their edge rush but would be willing to find out if he can help out in other ways down the road.

11. San Francisco 49ers: T Will Campbell, LSU

The 49ers will be tempted by the likes of Walter Nolen and Derrick Harmon, but Campbell is too good to pass up here. Campbell's shorter-than-ideal arms may have some teams thinking of him primarily as a guard, and here San Francisco can use him that way at the beginning as a clear upgrade at left guard. If Campbell proves that he can, in fact, handle left tackle at the NFL level, then he would be the eventual replacement for Trent Williams.

12. Dallas Cowboys: LB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama

The Cowboys likely coveted Jeanty but didn't come close to landing the dynamic back. Instead, they pivot to defense with a multi-faceted prospect who has the size, range and athleticism to become a star off the ball and also some very real pass rush potential. DeMarvion Overshown is coming back from a serious injury and Marist Liufau is a nice player but not likely a star, so the Cowboys could use an addition in the middle level of their defense.

13. Miami Dolphins: S Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina

The Dolphins have a lot of ways they can go here and might be a candidate to trade down with team that is coveting, say, Tyler Warren or a corner like Will Johnson or Jahdae Barron. In this case, though, I have them staying put and hitting one of their top remaining needs after the departure of Jevon Holland. Emmanwori put on an historic show at the Combine and could end up being a playmaker in the Derwin James mold.

14. **MOCK TRADE** Arizona Cardinals (from Indianapolis): CB Will Johnson, Michigan

The Cardinals are surprised to see Will Johnson still on the board and concerned that the Falcons might take him at number 15, so they make a small move up to address one of their biggest needs. At times considered a top-five talent, Johnson may have slipped a bit due to the turf toe that kept him out for most of his junior season and a hamstring strain that sidelined him during Michigan's Pro Day. If so, that small slide is a big gain for the Cardinals, who haven't taken a cornerback in the first round since Patrick Peterson in 2011 and might be about to hit a similar home run.

15. Atlanta Falcons: EDGE Mike Green, Marshall

It really doesn't matter what year it is, it seemingly always makes sense to pair the Falcons with an edge rusher in the first round. They did sign Leonard Floyd, who is now in the mercenary portion of his career, to pair with 2022 second-round pick Arnold Ebiketie, but there is still room for an addition to an edge rush rotation that has been looking for a spark for years. Green was incredibly productive at Marshall.

16. **MOCK TRADE** Indianapolis Colts (from Arizona): TE Tyler Warren, Penn State

When the Colts traded back, both Warren and Michigan's Colston Loveland were still on the board, so it looked extremely likely that at least one would still be available to scratch their tight end itch. As it turned, both are still there so the Colts take a player some consider to be a top-five prospect regardless of position. Indianapolis needs to add as much talent as possible around Anthony Richardson as they try to determine once and for all if he is their future.

17. Cincinnati Bengals: EDGE Mykel Williams, Georgia

Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins got paid, thankfully, and maybe Trey Hendrickson will be next. Even with the extremely-productive Hendrickson in the mix, the Bengals sorely need another impact edge rusher. Williams has some way to go to refine his technique and get the most out of his talent, but he's got great size and a wide wingspan and is already a very good run defender.

18. **MOCK TRADE** Los Angeles Rams (from Seattle): CB Jahdae Barron, Texas

The Rams make a pretty big trade up the board to nab what is clearly the best remaining cornerback, landing here specifically because they think the Buccaneers have their sights on Barron. That very well could be true, and if Barron had been on the board at 19 I probably would have mocked him to the Buccaneers. I think Barron could quickly displace either Darious Williams or Ahkello Witherspoon in the starting lineup.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College

In that edge rush debate noted early about raw athletic talent versus proven production, I think Todd Bowles and the Buccaneers' staff would lean to the latter. He might not be as stout against the run as some edge prospects, but the Buccaneers already have several players in their rotation who fit that bill. Ezeiruaku is a 6-2, 248-pound pass rusher who racked up 16.5 sacks last season, his second season with at least 8.5. He has a well-developed arsenal of moves and good bend to get around the corner. With the free agency acquisition of Haason Reddick and now this addition, the Bucs could quickly turn a weakness (edge rush production) into a strength.

20. Denver Broncos: WR Luther Burden, Missouri

The Broncos definitely need help in the running back room and might be tempted by Omario Hampton, but this is a deep enough class at that position to address it quite nicely on Day Two. Instead, they continue to surround Bo Nix with weapons, in this case a versatile receiver who can step right into the slot role and be an upgrade over 2024 seventh-round pick Devaughn Vele. Burden is creative and a tackle-breaker after the catch, capable of turning on the jets quickly with the ball in his hands.

21. Pittsburgh Steelers: QB Jaxson Dart, Mississippi

This makes sense to me even if Aaron Rodgers does eventually strike a deal with the Steelers. In fact, it might make more sense in that scenario. The Steelers have a talented, playoff-ready roster – especially after trading for DK Metcalf – and might not want to turn that over to an untested rookie. Rodgers would surely only be in Pittsburgh for a maximum of two years, if that, so Dart wouldn't have to wait long to get his shot. There are some concerns about Dart's processing speed, but he has the size and arm NFL teams covet and he led the SEC in passing yards and completion percentage. Plus, Dart has 41 collegiate starts, which teams might be appreciating a bit more after seeing how Bo Nix and Jayden Daniels performed last year.

22. Los Angeles Chargers: TE Colston Loveland, Michigan

A Michigan product to Jim Harbaugh's Chargers seems a bit on the nose, but there's no denying that tight end is a huge need for the team and the 6-6, 248-pound Loveland is a big target who runs routes like a receiver. He can test the defense at all three levels and would join Ladd McConkey as Justin Herbert's top two targets.

23. Green Bay Packers: CB Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky

I thought long and hard about putting Ohio State wideout Emeke Egbuka here but in the end I harken back to the fact that Green Bay has not selected a receiver in the first round since 2002, and until they do so I'm not going to predict an end to that streak. Alternately, the Packers love picking defensive players in the first round and they do so again here with a cornerback whose stock is on the rise. Hairston ran a 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the Combine, the fastest among all players at any position, and he's a scrappy defender with a nose for the football. That last point was evidenced by six picks, three returned for a touchdown, over his last 20 games.

24. Minnesota Vikings: S Malaki Starks, Georgia

The Vikings lost safety Cam Bynum in free agency and long-time standout Harrison Smith is going into his 14th season. This is clearly a position of need and Starks, a potential top-15 pick if things had fallen a little differently, provides great value here. Starks has a high football IQ and is a more polished prospect than Nick Emmanwori, and he has the versatility to play in any defensive scheme.

25. Houston Texans: T Kelvin Banks, Texas

Like Kansas City, the Texans took an offensive line that was clearly an area of great need and further complicated matters by trading away its top blocker, in this case left tackle Laremy Tunsil. Houston did subsequently sign Cam Robinson, presumably to fill Tunsil's spot, but it's only a one-year deal. Banks could beat Robinson out for the job in training camp or kick inside to an interior line that needs help this year and eventually inherit the left tackle job.

26. **MOCK TRADE** Seattle Seahawks (Los Angeles Rams): G Tyler Booker, Alabama

The Seahawks knew that fixing their interior offensive line was priority number one and thought that they could still address that need ably later in the round after trading back. Here they still can choose between Booker and North Dakota State's Grey Zabel, and probably couldn't go wrong either way. The 6-5, 332-pound Booker is massive and strong with good arm length. He can hold his ground against bull rushes and also move nimbly enough to get outside on pulling plays.

27. Baltimore Ravens: EDGE James Pearce Jr., Tennessee

Baltimore has mastered the art of letting the draft fall to them and here make out well again with Pearce, who produced 17.5 sacks over the past two years at Tennessee and still has room to grow his arsenal of pass rush moves. Pearce's production was matched at the Combine by a strong performance that included a 4.47-second 40-yard dash with a 1.56-second 10-yard split. The Ravens did finish second in the NFL last year with 54 sacks but are not loaded on the edge, and Ravens GM Eric DeCosta knows the importance of frequently adding talent to that position.

28. Detroit Lions: EDGE Nic Scourton, Texas A&M

The Lions really need a bookend for Aidan Hutchinson, but a run on edge rushers has thinned out the board and this might be a bit of a reach for the Lions. In fact, they could possibly trade back seven or eight picks into the second round and choose from the likes of Scourton, Ohio State's J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer and Arkansas's Landon Jackson. In this case, I have them staying put in the first round to get that optional fifth year on the rookie contract and going with Scourton, who has good size and strength and can beat you with a bull rush or a wicked spin move.

29. Washington Commanders: WR Emeka Egbuka

The Commanders traded for Deebo Samuel to join Terry McLaurin but also lost postseason standout Dyami Brown in free agency and could use an infusion of youth to pair with budding superstar quarterback Jayden Daniels. Egbuka is a professional receiver who runs sharp routes and does a little bit of everything right.

30. Buffalo Bills: DL Walter Nolen, Mississippi

With Nolan, Derrick Harmon and Kenneth Grant all still on the board, the Bills might consider trading back here. On the other hand, both the Chiefs and Eagles are potentially in the market for an interior defensive lineman, so Buffalo decides not to get cute and addresses a top position of need with a player who is often mocked to go much higher than this. Nolen can hold up against combo blocks in the run game and has some pass rush potential as evidenced by his 10.5 sacks over the past two seasons at Texas A&M and Ole Miss.

31. Kansas City Chiefs: T Josh Simmons, Ohio State

Yes, the Chiefs signed former 49ers reserve Jaylon Moore to protect Patrick Mahomes' blind side, and Andy Reid and company certainly deserve the benefit of the doubt given their track record. Still, it's hard to call Moore a sure thing given his grand total of 12 NFL starts. Simmons could start his career by kicking inside and battling the equally unproven Kingsley Suamataia for the left guard spot, while standing by to take over at tackle if the Moore thing doesn't go well or injuries strike this group.

32. Philadelphia Eagles: DL Derrick Harmon, Oregon

It's the Eagles doing what they do and adding to the front lines before the need is glaringly obvious. In this case, the Eagles already have Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis on the inside and might realistically need more help on the edge, but the value on the board is at the former position and Howie Roseman adds a player in Harmon who has the ability apply pressure from the inside.