The 2025 NFL draft is nearly here, the start of Round 1 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, now just 10 days away. And while there’s almost no mystery at the very top of the first round, things could get very interesting at pick No. 2 and right down the line from that point.
It’s something of a misconception that players make stratospheric rises or suffer calamitous falls this time of year – off-field incidents notwithstanding – but some can get a bit of a bump with encouraging medical updates, while others might get a push up the board with an assist from the circumstances surrounding whichever team drafts them (the latest news emanating from New Orleans being a perfect example). And there are those smokescreens – and a little bit of misinformation can benefit some clubs if not always the young men that get ensnared by it.
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With that in mind, here’s USA TODAY Sports’ latest first-round projection for the 2025 draft:
1. Tennessee Titans – QB Cam Ward, Miami (Fla.)
Sure feels like we’re effectively in fait accompli territory, the Division I record holder for touchdown passes (158) almost certainly bound for Nashville – especially after the Titans canceled a private workout with Shedeur Sanders after watching him perform at Colorado’s showcase earlier this month. But Tennessee clearly needs a quarterback with no viable options beyond Will Levis, who’s been inconsistent (to put it mildly) during his first two NFL seasons. Interesting to note, too, that Ward’s 2,329 passes attempted are at least 1,000 more than highly erratic Levis has thrown since he entered college in 2018 – Wards’ results typically much better, too, if not skewed by Levis’ NFL mishaps (26 turnovers in 21 games). Aside from his live arm and ability to make plays off schedule, one of Ward’s best traits is his ability to galvanize and lead a team, and the Titans will be his fourth since he graduated from high school.
2. Cleveland Browns – CB/WR Travis Hunter, Colorado
Just imagine the possibilities. The 2024 Heisman Trophy winner could be the No. 2 receiver here behind Pro Bowler Jerry Jeudy, operating in an offense that now has veteran QB Joe Flacco back aboard to sling it – which he did at a very high level as an emergency replacement at the end of the 2023 season. On the flip side, with four-time Pro Bowl CB Denzel Ward doing the heavy lifting, Hunter could tag in to help cover the likes of Cincinnati’s Tee Higgins, Pittsburg’s George Pickens and/or Baltimore’s DeAndre Hopkins in a division loaded with talented wideouts. And with Flacco rejoining the roster, along with recently obtained Kenny Pickett, Cleveland can target a young quarterback atop Round 2…if not earlier.
3. New York Giants – OLB/DE Abdul Carter, Penn State
It seems increasingly likely that they won’t bypass a blue-chip prospect here – even at a position that isn’t necessarily a pressing need – to force the selection of a quarterback not named Cam Ward. The Giants are 13 years removed from their last championship, when they reigned supreme thanks to their NASCAR defensive packages. Adding Carter, the 2024 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year who led FBS with 23½ tackles for losses, might revive something akin to that given the G-Men already have Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux coming off the edge. But while Burns got an extension well in excess of nine figures last year, Thibodeaux, a first-round pick three years ago, hasn’t proven he’s worth that level of investment yet…though Carter very much appears like a player who will be.
4. New England Patriots – OT Will Campbell, LSU
Whether his intensely parsed arm length is 33 inches or a half-inch shy of that, we know this much – the two-time All-SEC selection is 6-6 and 319 pounds and would instantly become the best left tackle on the Pats’ roster if chosen. But even if he doesn’t blossom into a perennial All-Pro on QB Drake Maye’s blind side, it’s virtually a foregone conclusion that Campbell would excel even if he eventually has to make his professional home at guard.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars – RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
Not only is RB Travis Etienne heading into the final year of his contract, he’s also coming off his worst NFL season (812 yards from scrimmage in 15 games in 2024). If the Jags’ new regime really wants to do whatever it can to best support QB Trevor Lawrence, why not take perhaps the best running back to enter the league since Saquon Barkley in 2018? Jeanty, the 2024 Heisman runner-up, rushed for 2,601 yards – 28 shy of breaking Barry Sanders’ single-season NCAA record. If Lawrence is healthy and WR Brian Thomas Jr. continues to ascend, Jacksonville wouldn’t have to rely on Jeanty nearly as much as Boise State did – and especially if they can break him in as the early down player while permitting Etienne to focus on more of a third down role.
6. Las Vegas Raiders – DT Mason Graham
A former wrestler, the unanimous 2024 All-American is a relentless three-down player who’s equally effective against the run and pass and possesses both a high ceiling and floor. And even though the Silver and Black spent heavily last year to sign DT Christian Wilkins, who only played five games in 2024, new HC Pete Carroll’s best teams in Seattle rolled deep and talented on the D-line.
7. New York Jets – OT Armand Membou, Missouri
Their offensive line, which added LT Olu Fashanu in Round 1 a year ago, could be set for years by dropping Membou – his combination of size (6-4, 332) and speed was on full display at the scouting combine – into his familiar spot on the right side. Such a move would also mimic the successful roster-building approach new HC Aaron Glenn witnessed while with the Lions, whose rise has largely been predicated on their outstanding blocking.
8. Carolina Panthers – LB Jalon Walker, Georgia
This team desperately needs another difference maker on defense, and Walker could effectively plug a gap at edge rusher or as an off-ball linebacker – and maybe both if he were to be deployed by coordinator Ejiro Evero in the optimal situationally dependent scenarios. But considering Jadeveon Clowney, 32, is the only player on this roster who generated more than a dozen pressures in 2024 – and just 22 – Walker’s ability to get to quarterbacks might be his most-needed attribute here. Size (6-1, 243) is not among his selling points.
While it already felt like this organization could be heavily involved in the quarterback mix prior to Friday’s news about Derek Carr’s injured shoulder, it now seems like it’s almost incumbent on New Orleans to take a passer – especially since Carr’s contract structure was already rigged to make him an ex-Saint in 2026. And maybe Shedeur Sanders is the pick here, as many prognosticators have suggested. But Dart could very well be a better fit with rookie HC Kellen Moore, who’s spent recent seasons working with the likes of Dak Prescott, Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts – all, like Dart, who are more athletic and mobile than Sanders. An all-SEC selection last season after leading the conference in passing yards (4,279) and efficiency, Dart (6-2, 223) might still need a bit of time to get acclimated to the NFL, but the Saints have some other short-term options on their depth chart.
10. Chicago Bears – CB Will Johnson, Michigan
He’s providing a personal workout Monday in Ann Arbor – and that could carry a lot of weight given the shoulder, toe and hamstring injuries Johnson has dealt with over the past year. But if he looks like the player who was a first-team All-American for the Wolverines’ 2023 national championship squad, then he could (should?) be the first pure corner off the board. And the Bears could certainly use a better outside cover man opposite Pro Bowler Jaylon Johnson. Will Johnson has prototypical size (6-2, 194) and ball skills for the position, swiping nine passes (two of them pick-sixes) during three seasons at Michigan.
A Niners roster that’s had a significant reset this offseason – in part to accommodate the weighty contract that’s headed QB Brock Purdy’s way – had some notable nips and tucks in the secondary, S Talanoa Hufanga and CB Charvarius Ward both headed for greener (meaning a lot of money) pastures. Barron’s ability to flex between outside corner, the slot and safety would allow the 2024 Jim Thorpe Award winner to address one of these voids more than capably.
12. Dallas Cowboys – WR Matthew Golden, Texas
As good a player as CeeDee Lamb is, the wideout depth in Big D is woefully unproven beyond him. Golden glittered at the combine, his 4.29 40 the fastest among offensive players – and it not only makes him lethal but would open up the field further for Lamb. Golden led the SEC with nine TD grabs in 2024 after transferring from Houston. He’s not the biggest guy (5-11, 191), but his burst and ability to come up big in the clutch – watch the Longhorns’ CFP defeat of Arizona State – could make him the best of this year’s receivers.
13. Miami Dolphins – OL Grey Zabel, North Dakota State
Is it sexy? No. Is it early for an FCS lineman? Maybe. Is there anything more important for this team than safeguarding QB Tua Tagovailoa? Undoubtedly not – his availability issues in 2024 leading to another unraveled season. Zabel (6-6, 312), a Senior Bowl standout this year, can play every position on the offensive line. It stands to reason 2024 second-rounder Patrick Paul will get the first crack at replacing retired LT Terron Armstead, but Zabel’s versatility could make him an insurance policy. Barring that, he could immediately take over at left guard – for the next decade.
14. Indianapolis Colts – TE Tyler Warren, Penn State
More Rob Gronkowski than Travis Kelce – just in case you enjoy outlandish pre-draft comparisons – Warren (6-6, 256) would help this team both in the run game and as an intermediate threat down the field. That might make him the perfect piece to include given the amount of help this team’s quarterback(s) is likely to need. Warren, the Mackey Award winner in 2024, set a Penn State record with 104 receptions last season.
15. Atlanta Falcons – OLB/DE Mike Green, Marshall
Maybe you’d heard no ATL defender has managed a double-digit sack season since 2016? The unit showed improvement in 2024, but Grady Jarrett and Matthew Judon won’t be coming back. Green (6-3, 251), the Sun Belt’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2024, led the country with 17 sacks and, per the analytics website Pro Football Focus, had 32 hurries.
16. Arizona Cardinals – LB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama
Is he an edge rusher? Is he an off-ball backer? Does it really matter given how few answers the Cards appear to have at those positions aside from recently signed OLB Josh Sweat? A first-team All-SEC standout in 2024, Campbell is recovering from recent shoulder surgery.
17. Cincinnati Bengals – DE Mykel Williams, Georgia
This team may not only lose DE Trey Hendrickson to a contract impasse, it’s already taken a hit at the position following Sam Hubbard’s retirement. Williams has the build (6-5, 260), toughness and talent to help out immediately – regardless of what happens with Hendrickson – on a unit that repeatedly collapsed last season. Williams had 14 sacks in three years with the Bulldogs, relatively impressive production given how deep their defense has been in recent years.
18. Seattle Seahawks – S Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina
OK, the Kyle Hamilton comparisons are probably a bit outlandish. That doesn’t mean former Ravens defensive coordinator (and current Seahawks HC) Mike Macdonald wouldn’t covet an athletic weapon like Emmanwori, an All-American in 2024 whose size (6-3, 220) will remind Seattle fans of former Legion of Boom S Kam Chancellor – though Emmanwori is a more explosive athlete. After running a 4.38 40 and posting a vertical jump of 43 inches, he was one of the combine’s 2025 stars. And given that speed, maybe not a surprise he returned half of his four picks last season for TDs.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – DE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M
His talent suggests top-five pick, particularly after he tested just about off the charts at the combine – 4.59 40-yard dash and 40-inch vertical leap at 6-5, 267 pounds. His production (4½ sacks total in three seasons with the Aggies) suggests Day 3 pick. But dig a bit deeper and you’ll find Stewart had 33 hurries in 2024 and was a hellacious run defender. And the Bucs need to give NT Vita Vea help up front, something he hasn’t gotten in ample supply from Logan Hall or Calijah Kancey.
20. Denver Broncos – RB Omarion Hampton, North Carolina
They somehow ranked 16th in rushing offense last season even though their top gainer was now-departed RB Javonte Williams, who had just 513 yards. Hampton could provide next-level production after rushing for 15 TDs and at least 1,500 yards each of the past two seasons for the Tar Heels to go along with 67 total catches. Big (6-0, 221) and fast (4.4 speed), Hampton is also durable and used to carrying a heavy load if asked.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers – QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
Could he really last this long on the draft’s first night? Sure. Would the Steelers really take him if QB Aaron Rodgers puts pen to paper first? Sure, why not plan for the present and future? Did there seem to be a good vibe in the Steel City after Sanders’ visit last week? Kinda – based on what anyone can truly glean from those encounters. But Sanders seems perfectly capable of bringing this offense to life given its receivers (DK Metcalf, Pickens) and a promising young line that should reliably protect the most accurate passer (71.8%) in FBS history.
22. Los Angeles Chargers – TE Colston Loveland, Michigan
It’s pretty easy to marry Loveland to the Bolts given his Wolverines connection to HC Jim Harbaugh and the team’s glaring need for a playmaker at tight end. Loveland (6-6, 248) is a huge target and averaged nearly 15 yards per catch during his first two years in Ann Arbor when J.J. McCarthy was throwing to him. The main question is whether Loveland will actually be available this late into Round 1.
23. Green Bay Packers – WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
Yes, we know HC Matt LaFleur wants to “vomit” at the notion of No. 1 receivers. Yes, we know the Pack haven’t taken a wideout in the first round in 23 years. We’d also suggest the value of a big-bodied pass catcher like McMillan (6-4, 219), also an accomplished volleyball player, would be too much to pass up here – especially given uber-sized deep threat Christian Watson is only three months removed from a torn ACL as he heads into his walk year.
24. Minnesota Vikings – S Malaki Starks, Georgia
A cagey DB who can play deep, near the line or in the slot – think Derwin James or Brian Branch. And it feels like the 2025 season is shaping up as the final ride for Minnesota’s Harrison Smith, a six-time Pro Bowler who just turned 36.
25. Houston Texans – OT Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas
Laremy Tunsil is gone as QB C.J. Stroud’s blind side protector. Veteran Cam Robinson is a one-year patch – at best. Banks, an accomplished three-year starter for the Longhorns who won the Outland Trophy last season, would be a nifty long-term solution.
26. Los Angeles Rams – CB Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame
He picked off nine passes during his first two seasons with the Irish before a hip injury sidelined him in 2024. Now healthy – Morrison will work out next week for NFL teams – his ball skills, smarts and size (6 feet, 193 pounds) could reaffirm him as a Round 1 prospect, and certainly one who would fit well on a young Rams defense that could use help at corner.
27. Baltimore Ravens – OLB/DE Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College
This is one team that would probably love to have a bigger guy like Mykel Williams. Yet Ezeiruaku (6-3, 248) would hardly be a consolation prize, the 2024 ACC Defensive Player of the Year posting 16½ sacks (most in FBS) and 21 TFLs last season. And it’s not like a defense can ever have enough pass rushers, but the Ravens also need to plan ahead with OLBs Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh set to hit free agency in a year.
28. Detroit Lions – G Tyler Booker, Alabama
His combination of leadership and nastiness would seem to make him an ideal candidate for a Dan Campbell team – and, based simply on need, the Lions could use the help in the middle of their offensive line. Booker didn’t test well athletically at the combine (5.38 40-yard dash), but his intangibles could make him too enticing to forego in Round 1.
29. Washington Commanders – DT Walter Nolen, Mississippi
They’ve got a lot of money tied up in DTs Daron Payne and Javon Kinlaw, yet neither has shown the consistent ability to be a disruptive player (aside from Payne’s Pro Bowl production in 2022). Nolen (6-4, 296), a 2024 All-American, has the talent to create a lot more havoc up the gut (10½ sacks and 2023 TFLs since 2023).
30. Giants [PROJECTED TRADE with Buffalo Bills] – QB Jalen Milroe, Alabama
It feels like New York has to get a quarterback in this draft, if not with the No. 3 pick. And with veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston now in the building, this could be a perfect scenario to redshirt and develop a raw but explosive and tantalizing talent like Milroe – and working with HC Brian Daboll, who was intrinsic to Josh Allen’s development in Buffalo, could be optimal for a player who needs to progress into a more accurate, polished passer … while also potentially cooling Daboll’s hot seat. Yet it’s starting to seem like Milroe is generating enough intrigue that Daboll and GM Joe Schoen might need to leverage their Bills connections and move up a few spots for Milroe to ensure they don’t miss out.
TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA – SEPTEMBER 23: Jalen Milroe #4 of the Alabama Crimson Tide converses with Jaxson Dart #2 of the Mississippi Rebels after their 24-10 win at Bryant-Denny Stadium on September 23, 2023 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
31. Kansas City Chiefs – OT Josh Simmons, Ohio State
How much longer can they continue to wing it at left tackle before QB Patrick Mahomes really gets frustrated – or worse? Simmons, a large (6-5, 317) and very strong man, likely would have been a top-10 selection had he not suffered a torn patellar tendon last season. He seems on track to be ready for the upcoming season but should easily be worth the wait if not – and that could mean productive time for recently signed OT Jaylon Moore to prove he can hold down a spot on the left or right side of K.C.’s evolving O-line.
32. Philadelphia Eagles – DL Derrick Harmon, Oregon
After a breakout 2024 season for the Ducks, Harmon (6-5, 313) could be a nice addition to the reigning champs’ rotation. And EVP/GM Howie Roseman values few things more than his D-line depth and talent – especially so after losing DT Milton Williams to free agency and beloved DE Brandon Graham to retirement.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL mock draft 2025: Jalen Milroe, Jaxson Dart rising as Saints pivot?
