This is our third and final “final” mock draft this week, with the 2025 NFL Draft set to start on Thursday night. Both of our other primary draft writers, Ethan Woodie and Nate Bouda, have taken their cracks at predicting how the first round will shake out, and now it’s my turn. We agree on a fair amount, as it seems a broad consensus has developed over the beginning of the draft among most folks who cover the event.

Every year brings twists and turns, though, and it’s going to be fascinating to see how it all plays out. Hopefully we’ll nail down a couple of those twists here.

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Final 2025 NFL Mock Draft 3.0

1 – Tennessee Titans: Miami QB Cam Ward

This has been written in Sharpie for about a month.

2 – Cleveland Browns: Colorado CB/WR Travis Hunter

Browns GM Andrew Berry compared Hunter to Shohei Ohtani at his pre-draft presser last week. Unless he’s ready to explain on Thursday night why he passed on the NFL’s version of Ohtani, this pick is a lock too.

3 – New York Giants: Penn State DE Abdul Carter

Unlike the first two picks, there’s not the same buzz about the third selection being locked in. New York needs a long-term solution at quarterback and they have exhaustively researched Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders for two years now. Passing on him would mean chucking two years of work into the bin, more or less. Yet it seems more likely that the Giants don’t see Sanders as worth passing on Carter — a far cleaner projection at a premium position. Even if this pick isn’t a lock, I’d say the odds are 90-95 percent that Carter is the pick.

4 – New England Patriots: LSU OT Will Campbell

I think this pick is a lock. We know the Patriots view Campbell as a left tackle, even though other teams might not. That position is a massive need for New England, as is the offensive line in general. Campbell has reportedly impressed the team during the process and checks off a bunch of other leadership and intangible boxes that HC Mike Vrabel is looking for.

5 – Jacksonville Jaguars: Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty

This is where the draft begins. No one has a true feel for what the Jaguars are going to do. The new regime is a blank slate — GM James Gladstone was mostly an unknown until he interviewed for the job and blew Jacksonville away. Gladstone brought the Rams’ policy of not doing official 30 visits with him, so those breadcrumbs aren’t available to track. The roster doesn’t even necessarily line up cleanly with the board.

Michigan DT Mason Graham has been the chalk pick in this slot for weeks and there are a lot of reasons he would make sense. Yet the buzz this week from insiders and folks who claim to have connections has centered around an offensive player for Jacksonville, perhaps because of HC Liam Coen‘s background. If that’s the case, there’s not a better offensive player in this draft than Jeanty, even if he is a running back.

6 – Las Vegas Raiders: Georgia LB Jalon Walker

As of right now, this would qualify as a significant surprise. There’s been almost no buzz linking the Raiders and Walker, with much of the conversation centered around Jeanty and Missouri OT Armand Membou as a dark horse option. If Graham’s available, as he is here, that’s another player who would make a ton of sense given the depth chart and the Michigan connection with GM John Spytek.

But here’s my case on why I think the Raiders might prefer Walker, even if Jeanty is available. This is a premium pick and teams want to use premium picks on premium positions. Walker is a hybrid player but the flashes of upside from him as a pass rusher are exciting. He’s reportedly been blowing teams away in the pre-draft process, which included a 30 visit with the Raiders. I think new Raiders HC Pete Carroll could see shades of guys like Bruce Irvin and Chris Clemons, both undersized pass rushers who thrived on his defenses. Raiders DC Patrick Graham is also a creative play-caller who can maximize a player like Walker.

7 – New York Jets: Penn State TE Tyler Warren

The Jets have a significant hole at right tackle and Membou will be a strong consideration here. But New York used a first-round pick on a tackle last year. While the Jets obviously could use an upgrade, they’re not devoid of options to fill the spot, whether it’s on the roster or in free agency. That could let them swing on a player like Warren who is an exciting playmaker and also fills a major need at tight end that they considered filling in last year’s draft.

8 – Carolina Panthers: Georgia DE Mykel Williams

With Walker off the board, Graham becomes tempting. However, Carolina invested a lot on the defensive line in free agency, plus still has Derrick Brown. This class is deep and quality players will be available later on the interior. Edge rusher is still a need and Williams has all the traits that DC Ejiro Evero prizes in the position. His lack of production is a concern but most of the edge rushers in this class have a wart or two. Williams has good traits and intangibles that the people at Georgia raved about.

9 – New Orleans Saints: Missouri OT Armand Membou

After a dalliance with Sanders in the rumor mill following the news of QB Derek Carr‘s uncertain status for 2025, it feels like things have swung back toward the line of scrimmage for this pick. Membou would give the Saints bookend first-round tackles paired with last year’s first-rounder, Taliese Fuaga and a replacement on the right side for Trevor Penning.

10 – Chicago Bears: Michigan DT Mason Graham

Graham’s mini slide ends here. Frankly, there’s a strong case to be made for the Jaguars, Raiders, Jets, Panthers and Saints to all take him before it even reaches this point. But it’s also not outside the realm of possibility that he gets pushed down. Graham was a Day 1 star at Michigan and is viewed as a high-floor player. His ceiling is perhaps a little more in question, as Graham doesn’t necessarily check off the boxes for ideal measurables, athleticism or production. For the Bears at this slot, however, it’s a fit that makes a ton of sense.

11 – San Francisco 49ers: Ole Miss DT Walter Nolen

One of the few things I feel confident in saying in this mock is that this pick is going to be a defensive lineman if it’s the 49ers making it (having said that, watch me regret this proclamation). San Francisco needs to rebuild its front to reopen the Super Bowl window. Nolen stands out as the archetype of what the 49ers like as an active, disruptive interior defender. The biggest drag on his stock isn’t his tape or stats, it’s off-field questions that are always a bit nebulous. Teams with strong cultures like the 49ers often feel more confident taking risks on these types of players, banking on the locker room to steer the kid straight.

12 – Dallas Cowboys: Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan

The Cowboys have a major need at receiver and things are setting up well for them to be able to take the first one off the board. Whether that’s McMillan or Texas WR Matthew Golden remains to be seen. Both bring something different to Dallas’ current group. McMillan is a big-bodied jump ball specialist who is underrated after the catch but might face separation concerns at the next level. Golden locked himself as a first-rounder after running a 4.29 40 at the Combine and has a solid all-around game, but his production in college doesn’t leap off the page. Both have visited the Cowboys.

13 – Miami Dolphins: Texas OT Kelvin Banks

Banks has been on the radar since the end of the draft last year and has experienced some prospect fatigue during mock draft season. As the real thing gets closer, though, there have been reminders about how the NFL views him much more favorably than outsiders. Truthfully he’s probably too low here and Miami has two tackles it’s happy with, but if he’s available, they could go best player available and make it work.

14 – Indianapolis Colts: Michigan TE Colston Loveland

Another prospect who I tried to find a home for much earlier, Loveland has had a muted pre-draft process because he’s recovering from shoulder surgery and hasn’t been able to work out. I also think teams are trying to keep things quiet around Loveland to hide how much interest there is in him. He’s every bit as good as Warren, even if they’re different players. The Colts would be running in this pick if Loveland’s on the board I think.

15 – Atlanta Falcons: Marshall DE Mike Green

Atlanta’s hardly keeping it a secret that it wants to add to the defense with this pick, and pass rush is a glaring need. The Falcons were second-to-last in the NFL with 31 sacks. They’ve done extensive homework on nearly all of the top edge rushers and defensive tackles but Green stands out. The top brass, including HC Raheem Morris, attended his pro day, and Green has drawn some comparisons as a player to Von Miller — someone Morris knows well.

16 – Arizona Cardinals: Alabama G Tyler Booker

This feels like a draft that’s going to put an emphasis on the meat and potato positions along the line of scrimmage. For a while, teams have viewed guards as replaceable commodities, but with how much the market for competent interior offensive line play has grown, guards are becoming more of a premium position. Booker also has received high marks for his football character in scouting reports, something all teams prize but particularly the Cardinals. Arizona GM Monti Ossenfort has used his first pick each of the last two years on players from Ohio State, another elite college program, who were impeccably clean projections both on and off the field.

17 – Cincinnati Bengals: Oregon DT Derrick Harmon

Cincinnati kept the band together on offense, now the Bengals will turn their attention to bringing the defense back to competence. No one outside of DE Trey Hendrickson was able to be consistently disruptive, and there are questions about whether Hendrickson will be back amidst his contract dispute. Harmon has an outstanding combination of size, length, power and quickness that should ensure he comes off the board somewhere in the top 25 picks.

18 – Seattle Seahawks: Alabama LB Jihaad Campbell

The Seahawks have far bigger needs than linebacker after extending Ernest Jones and getting flashes from 2024 fourth-rounder Tyrice Knight. Yet I can’t shake how superb of a fit Campbell is for DC Mike Macdonald‘s defense. Macdonald puts a huge premium on the position and good linebacker play can elevate the rest of the unit. In Baltimore, his defense took off after the Ravens traded for Roquan Smith. Last year the Seahawks put a lot of energy into building the unit, then rebuilding it again midseason by inserting Knight into the starting lineup and trading for Jones while moving on from Jerome Baker and Tyrel Dodson. Campbell would be a final solution, and with two picks each in the second and third rounds, the Seahawks have ammunition to address other needs.

19 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Boston College DE Donovan Ezeiruaku

For a lot of the draft process, Ezeiruaku flew under the radar. He’s a little on the smaller side for an NFL edge rusher and is better suited for teams that want their edges to attack up the field. However, Ezeiruaku checks a ton of other boxes that teams love to see — long arms, productive in college (16.5 sacks last year), athletic (great agility times even though he didn’t run a 40 this spring) and high football character. This edge class is a bit of a pick-your-flavor, and it wouldn’t necessarily be surprising to see Ezeiruaku be selected ahead of more name-brand players.

20 – Denver Broncos: North Carolina RB Omarion Hampton

This has been one of the most frequently mocked picks since Denver landed TE Evan Engram in free agency. Running back stands out as a gaping hole on the roster and the Broncos are expected to address the position in the first or second round of the draft. Hampton is overshadowed by Jeanty in this class but he’d have a legit case to be the top back in many other years. He has three-down size and power to carry an offense, plus the speed to hit home runs. While he’s not the best pass-catching back in this class, he’s competent in this area in the same way Mark Ingram, another former Sean Payton runner, was.

21 – Pittsburgh Steelers: Michigan DT Kenneth Grant

This is where many folks have Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders landing after a slide. I’m not so sure. If Pittsburgh isn’t truly enamored with Sanders, they could fortify the rest of the roster with this pick and bank on being able to figure out the position later, either when or if Aaron Rodgers signs or a move for a different option like Kirk Cousins. The Steelers have done extensive work on this defensive tackle class, and even in a deep group Grant stands out for his rare combination of size and athleticism.

22 – Los Angeles Chargers: Texas WR Matthew Golden

The Chargers sorely need playmakers, particularly players with speed to take the top off the defense and unlock QB Justin Herbert‘s elite arm talent. Golden fits the bill after running a blazing 40 time, before which he had more of a reputation as a technician. He’s taken a 30 visit with the Chargers, which isn’t always predictive of where players will land but feels fitting here.

23 – Green Bay Packers: Texas A&M DE Shemar Stewart

I’m forecasting a little bit of a slide for Stewart, whose stock exploded after he aced the two biggest events of the pre-draft process. Stewart dominated Senior Bowl practices and tore up the Combine, literally testing as the most athletic edge rusher prospect in the history of the event per Relative Athletic Score (RAS). Stewart has taken a ton of pre-draft visits, at least 14 per our tracker and possibly more. That’s not always a good sign for a player going super high, however, as visits are used for a variety of reasons by different teams, including to answer medical or other questions.

Packers GM Brian Gutekunst said this week they don’t use RAS but they do use something similar, and Gutekunst has historically put a premium on athleticism at several different positions. Stewart is a rare athlete and might be too good for Gutekunst to pass on, especially considering pass rusher is arguably a need for Green Bay.

24 – Minnesota Vikings: North Dakota State OL Grey Zabel

The Vikings are one of many teams that will be motivated to try and trade down since they have just five selections this year. It’s a buyer’s market, though, so if nothing materializes they could look to continue reinforcing the trenches. With the top defensive tackles off the board, it makes sense to look on offense where the team could still find an upgrade for LG Blake Brandel and a long-term heir to C Ryan Kelly by plucking Zabel. The college left tackle for the Bison has rare five-tool flexibility up front and should help the Vikings maintain one of the top offensive lines in football.

25 – Houston Texans: Ohio State OL Donovan Jackson

Not only are the Texans looking for offensive line help in the draft, they’re looking for a specific kind of player after identifying culture issues that led to their underperformance up front last season. Houston wants players who are aggressive, hard-nosed and love football, embodying the same culture DC DeMeco Ryans has instilled on the defense. Oregon’s Josh Conerly and Ohio State’s Josh Simmons have the athleticism and skills to potentially replace the pass-protecting prowess the Texans lost by trading LT Laremy Tunsil, but it’s less clear if they embody the attitude. There are no such questions with Jackson even if his best fit is at guard, not tackle.

26 – Los Angeles Rams: Ohio State LT Josh Simmons

Add the Rams to the long list of teams that want to move back, and they could possibly find a buyer with some of the tackles sliding here, along with the quarterbacks. Yet Los Angeles could use help at both positions itself, and here I have them taking Simmons to groom as a potential long-term replacement for RT Rob Havenstein, who’s in the final year of his contract.

27 – Baltimore Ravens: South Carolina S Nick Emmanwori

Though the Ravens have the best safety in football in Kyle Hamilton, the rest of the depth chart has grown a little thin. Emmanwori is a ludicrous athlete, and while there are mixed reviews about how cerebral of a player he is, it’s clear he’s far more than just another Taylor Mays (Google him, kids). Pairing him with Hamilton would give the Ravens the most unique safety duo in football, with both players adept at a wide variety of roles and skilled play-makers.

28 – Detroit Lions: Toledo DT Darius Alexander

Detroit would love to build up the defensive line to be as dominating and central to its identity as the offensive line is. The Lions aren’t quite there, which is why it feels likely they’ll continue to add in the draft. The team has also proven it doesn’t give a rip about consensus value and will instead seek out players it views as culture fits. Alexander strikes me as someone the Lions will have higher on their board than other teams given his athleticism, his production at Toledo and how he impressed at the Senior Bowl.

29 – Washington Commanders: Tennessee DE James Pearce

Once seen as a potential candidate for a top-three selection at this point last year, Pearce now seems like a potential candidate to fall out of the first round entirely due to character concerns. Those are nebulous but have cropped up from multiple, credible draft analysts. Still, the talent and production are undeniable. Someone like Commanders HC Dan Quinn could feel more equipped to get the best out of Pearce than other coaches. For a team that could use a bona fide edge rusher, the gamble is worth taking late in the first.

30 – Buffalo Bills: Texas CB Jahdae Barron

There’s been some smoke connecting the Bills to Barron this week, and I think it’s quite possible Buffalo moves up to make sure it lands him. It’d be a bit of a surprise if he lasted this long on Thursday, and Bills GM Brandon Beane has the extra draft capital to make sure he gets his guy. Buffalo is the rare team that could be motivated to move up this year. Barron would fill a big need in the secondary and is a smart, tone-setting player. You can draw parallels to Chiefs CB Trent McDuffie who Beane was also high on and missed out because he couldn’t trade up.

31 – Kansas City Chiefs: Ohio State RB TreVeyon Henderson

I had this pick in a mock earlier this spring and I just can’t shake the fit even though Kansas City has bigger needs at other more premium positions. I also think Henderson is a first-round caliber prospect in this year’s batch of prospects with his combination of game-breaking speed and passing game acumen, including pass protection which is not particularly common for most backs coming out of college. Henderson would be everything Clyde Edwards-Helaire was supposed to be as an explosive element in Kansas City’s offense.

32 – Philadelphia Eagles: Oregon OT Josh Conerly

It’s far from a given that the Eagles will be the ones making this pick. If they do, with the way the board has shaken out, Conerly makes a ton of sense. He’s a great athlete but not a finished product. In Philadelphia, he wouldn’t have to be and would give the Eagles a long-term replacement to groom behind RT Lane Johnson.

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