NFL mock draft: Is a lengthy QB drought coming after No. 1 pick?
The wait is nearly over, NFL draft week now upon us.
The Titans will officially go on the clock as the league’s 90th “Player Selection Meeting” opens Thursday evening in Green Bay, Wisconsin. And while there is little mystery regarding what Tennessee will do at the top of the board, total chaos could ensue thereafter in a draft that may not necessarily be long on elite talent but could feature plenty of intrigue – and that could mean ample maneuvering and surprises as Round 1 unfolds.
Though sufficient time remains for teams, veterans and incoming prospects to infuse further drama into the process, here is USA TODAY Sports’ latest first-round projection for the 2025 NFL draft (which received zero input from ‘artificial’ intelligence):
1. Tennessee Titans – QB Cam Ward, Miami (Fla.)
The AFC South’s cellar dwellers the past two seasons remain devoid of an answer behind center, opting not to pursue a proven veteran this offseason while retaining the No. 1 pick despite originally seeming open to dealing it – meaning all signs are pointing Ward toward Nashville. A dynamic thrower – Ward has a Division I record 158 TD passes spread over five college seasons and three schools – and highly respected leader, the 2024 All-American and ACC Player of the Year will need to leverage all of his estimable abilities on and off the field to turn around a franchise that needs him to stop its free fall.
2. Cleveland Browns – CB/WR Travis Hunter, Colorado
This seems to be shaping up as the ideal marriage between team and player, GM Andrew Berry saying last week that the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner is a ‘unicorn’ while invoking the two-way abilities of baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani. And while Berry appears quite open to allowing Hunter to fulfill his dream of playing offense and defense in the NFL – as he did so well while dominating college football – he said the Browns view his ‘first home as a receiver,’ which also seems to be what Hunter desires after exclusively running routes at the Buffs’ recent showcase and spotlighting himself at the position that’s likely to pay better at the pro level – though he quite obviously has the unique abilities to could carve out a signature paycheck down the road.
3. New York Giants – OLB/DE Abdul Carter, Penn State
He’s regarded in some quarters as this draft’s most talented player, though some (minor?) concerns about his health – shoulder, foot – probably didn’t do the 2024 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year any favors during the pre-draft process. Still, Carter seems way too intriguing to pass up at the expense of a quarterback prospect who would only merit a selection this high based on the position. With an FBS-leading 23½ tackles for losses last season, Carter would force his way into a pass rush rotation that already includes two-time Pro Bowler Brian Burns and 2022 first-rounder Kayvon Thibodeaux.
4. New England Patriots – OT Will Campbell, LSU
Missing out on Hunter and Carter might be something of a worst-case scenario for the Pats, who could even be tempted to trade out of this spot. But no reason to overthink the obvious mandate to better support second-year QB Drake Maye, and taking this consensus All-American – despite Campbell’s suboptimal left tackle arm length – to safeguard Maye’s blind side, so frequently exposed in 2024, seems like the best course of action given the alternatives.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars – RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
Rookie GM James Gladstone, 34, has kept the Jags’ direction fairly cloaked. And while there’s been speculation he could target a player in the trenches, Jeanty might be the answer based on rare blue-chip stock and transcendent abilities that might best support the health and development of franchise QB Trevor Lawrence. Jeanty, the 2024 Heisman runner-up, rushed for 2,601 yards – 28 shy of breaking Barry Sanders’ single-season NCAA record – and would definitely be an upgrade from Travis Etienne. Gladstone, who spent nine seasons with the Rams, saw first-hand how RB Todd Gurley – he entered the NFL with medical concerns Jeanty doesn’t have – helped carry a team with a young passer (Jared Goff) all the way to a Super Bowl.
6. Las Vegas Raiders – OT Armand Membou, Missouri
Could they still go running back – much of HC Pete Carroll’s success in Seattle came courtesy of bruising Marshawn Lynch – with Jeanty gone here? Certainly, given there doesn’t appear to be a precipitous drop-off to UNC’s Omarion Hampton. But the cold truth is that this roster has numerous needs, no matter how quickly Carroll, rookie GM John Spytek and minority owner Tom Brady might covet a quick turnaround – and let’s not forget the gap that has formed between the Silver and Black and the remainder of the AFC West. Membou (6-4, 332) could slot into his familiar right tackle post, providing a nice bookend to LT Kolton Miller, and solve one position for the next decade – while putting this squad in a better position to run the ball regardless of who’s carrying it.
7. New York Jets – TE Tyler Warren, Penn State
Newly signed QB Justin Fields could use a talented right tackle but also badly needs a weapon aside from WR Garrett Wilson. Why not get both with Warren, a gifted and versatile receiver who also utilizes his 6-6, 256-pound frame as an effective blocker. But Warren’s real impact should come with the ball in his hands, and rookie HC Aaron Glen saw what TE Sam LaPorta did for Detroit’s offense in recent seasons.
8. Carolina Panthers – LB Jalon Walker, Georgia
GM Dan Morgan has already identified him as a fit for this team’s 3-4 base defense. Carolina obviously needs another difference maker there, and Walker could effectively plug a gap at edge rusher but maybe also as an off-ball linebacker – perhaps 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.
9. New Orleans Saints – DT Mason Graham, Michigan
He’s one of the draft’s cleaner prospects and seems to have a very high floor, it not necessarily a vaulted ceiling. Yet the 2024 All-American’s value – even for a team that suddenly appears to have a very pressing need at quarterback in light of Derek Carr’s injured shoulder (or whatever’s bothering him) – could make Graham way too good to bypass, especially given DL Cam Jordan’s age (36 when the season starts) and Bryan Bresee’s struggles since being taken in the first round two years ago.
10. Chicago Bears – OT Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas
Several directions they could go as they continue to reload and retool around second-year QB Caleb Williams, who might really benefit from a dominant runner like Jeanty. But what about a dominant left tackle such as Banks, the 2024 Outland Trophy winner, who was nearly airtight for the Longhorns? And when you consider the 49ers, who pick next, need a left tackle of the future plus the fact that Chicago incumbent Braxton Jones is entering a contract year after breaking his ankle in December …
11. San Francisco 49ers – DT Walter Nolen, Mississippi
A team that’s been such a near-perennial Super Bowl contender the last half-dozen seasons suddenly finds itself full of holes – perhaps none more glaring than at defensive tackle on a line once predicated on depth and talent. And the best way to complement DE Nick Bosa might be to add a disruptive interior force like Nolen, who can cause even more havoc inside given the attention the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year commands off the edge.
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 not named Travis Hunter.
13. Miami Dolphins – CB Will Johnson, Michigan
He probably doesn’t last this long if he’s in the 2024 draft on the heels of the Wolverines’ national championship. 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 and might perfectly address what appears to be a potential opening given the divorce the Fins are telegraphing with Jalen Ramsey.
14. Indianapolis Colts – TE Colston Loveland, Michigan
How best to prop up an offense with quarterback issues? How about by procuring a swift, 6-6, 248-pound tight end who averaged nearly 15 yards per catch during his first two years in Ann Arbor when J.J. McCarthy was throwing to him.
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 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 – DB Jahdae Barron, Texas
It doesn’t appear as if DE Trey Hendrickson is going anywhere, so the Stripes can probably focus on other areas of their eminently leaky defense to address. Barron would be a nifty addition to a unit that surrendered 30 TD passes last season given the 2024 Jim Thorpe Award winner’s ability to flex between outside corner, the slot and safety – all seeming problem spots in Cincy.
18. Seattle Seahawks – G Tyler Booker, Alabama
This nasty road grader could provide the perfect shot of attitude and talent into an offense that needs both on its long-beleaguered line. Booker (6-5, 321) seems like the type of guy second-year HC Mike Macdonald is looking for given his desire for a more physical football team that can capably run the ball.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – S Malaki Starks, Georgia
A team that saw its secondary decimated by injuries in 2024 might be wise to select a baller and perennial All-American who can help in so many capacities – think Derwin James or Brian Branch.
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 – DL Derrick Harmon, Oregon
22. Los Angeles Chargers – DE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M
His talent suggests top-five pick, particularly after he tested just about off the charts at the scouting 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. He also plays relentlessly, which HC Jim Harbaugh will appreciate, and should nicely bolster a defensive front which lost OLB Joey Bosa this offseason and probably won’t have OLB Khalil Mack for much longer.
23. Green Bay Packers – CB Trey Amos, Mississippi
The Alabama transfer has nice size (6-1, 195), only allowed a 54.5 QB rating when targeted in 2024 and would provide a nice fallback if the Pack move on from veteran CB Jaire Alexander. Amos could handle wide duties with newly signed CB Nate Hobbs able to man the slot.
24. Saints [PROJECTED TRADE with Minnesota Vikings] – QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
The Vikes badly need more draft capital, and New Orleans badly needs a QB1 and can surrender one of its extra third-rounders in this scenario to make the jump from the 40th spot in Round 2 to get Sanders. The Big 12’s reigning Offensive Player of the Year and most accurate passer – by the numbers – in FBS history should plug smoothly into rookie HC Kellen Moore’s offense, one that has solid playmakers elsewhere (WRs Chris Olave and Brandin Cooks and RB Alvin Kamara).
25. Houston Texans – OL Grey Zabel, North Dakota State
The 6-6, 312-pound Senior Bowl standout can play every position on the offensive line – so the Texans can just pick his best spot after taking a sledgehammer to theirs this offseason.
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 Monday 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 – S Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina
Imagine pairing this physical specimen with All-Pro Kyle Hamilton, who was teamed with Smurf-y Ar’Darius Washington (5-8, 180) for much of 2024. Emmanwori, an All-American in 2024, has size (6-3, 220) comparable to Hamilton’s – yet his metrics suggest the Gamecocks star 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.
28. Browns [PROJECTED TRADE with Detroit Lions] – QB Jaxson Dart, Mississippi
Cleveland climbs five spots to secure a long-term replacement for Deshaun Watson, whose pathetic tenure with the club is effectively over. Rumored to be in play for veteran Kirk Cousins, the Browns instead get Dart, something of a younger version of “KFC” but a more athletic one. An all-SEC selection last season after leading the conference in passing yards (4,279) and efficiency, Dart might still need a bit of time to get acclimated to the NFL, so it surely wouldn’t hurt that he can marinate here behind Joe Flacco and/or Kenny Pickett as long as necessary.
29. Washington Commanders – WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
He’s become something of a polarizing prospect in recent months given questions about his speed and, perhaps, commitment to the game. But there’s no denying his size (6-4, 219) or production (174 grabs for more than 2,700 yards since 2023). And QB Jayden Daniels could use another weapon, especially with WRs Deebo Samuel and Noah Brown only signed for the 2025 season.
30. Bears [PROJECTED TRADE with Buffalo Bills] – RB TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State
Caleb Williams and new HC Ben Johnson, who ran Detroit’s offense so well for three seasons, get their version of Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs. Henderson would pair nicely with D’Andre Swift and could be a real weapon as a change-of-pace back or on passing downs, especially given his reliability as a pass protector.
31. Kansas City Chiefs – OT Josh Simmons, Ohio State
How much longer can they continue winging 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 – DE Mykel Williams, Georgia
It’s not really an NFL draft unless the reigning champions enlist a defender from Georgia. Williams could be a phenomenal value at this spot and a very nice backfill for departed Sweat – even if he’s in a rotational role early, as he was in Athens. Williams’ numbers for the Bulldogs (14 sacks and 57 hurries in three seasons) are actually unusually good given the depth of that defense and how rarely it had to be on the field.
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