2025 NFL Mock Draft – Wild Card Weekend

2025 NFL Mock Draft – Wild Card Weekend

January 6, 2025

11–17 minutes

The first 18 picks of the draft are officially set. After a wile last two weeks, the Tennessee Titans emerge with the top overall selection for the first time since 2016, when they traded the pick away.

Draft order courtesy of http://www.tankathon.com.

Pick	Team	Player	2024 Stats	Commentary
1	Tennessee Titans	QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado – 6’2, 215 lbs	353-477, 4134 yards, 37 TD, 10 INT	The Titans have a tough choice to make, but one thing is for certain, and that is Will Levis will not be the starting quarterback in 2025. Tennessee could sign Sam Darnold, then trade this pick or select Travis Hunter. I do not project trades, however, so I will mock a quarterback here until the franchise gives me a reason not to. Neither Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward are franchise altering talents, but both should be quality starters in the NFL. I give the edge to Sanders, but it could go either way. We have four months to debate that.
2	Cleveland Browns	QB Cam Ward, Miami – 6’2, 223 lbs	305-454, 4313 yards, 39 TD, 7 INT	The book should finally be closed on the catastrophic Deshaun Watson era in Cleveland. The Browns will be able to draft his replacement if they choose. I do not think it is a slam dunk. This is another team with a win now roster who may want to go after Sam Darnold or Kirk Cousins. Until that happens, Cam Ward is the choice here. Cleveland will like all of the experience the five year starter brings to the table, after watching Jayden Daniels bring the Commanders to the playoffs.
3	New York Giants	WR/CB Travis Hunter, Colorado – 6’1, 185 lbs	96 rec, 1258 yards, 15 TD	The Giants were in the drivers seat for the first overall pick a few weeks ago, but a couple of meaningless late season wins crushed that dream. They will have to trade up or find a veteran to fill the biggest quarterback hole in the NFL. New York has key free agents at both wide receiver and cornerback, and Travis Hunter is an obvious fit here. Draft him now and figure out how to use him later.
4	New England Patriots	WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona – 6’5, 212 lbs	84 rec, 1319 yards, 8 TD	The NFL Draft is a crazy thing. New England had their hands on the number one pick, but a win against a resting Bills team cratered their draft standing, and may have strangely cost Jarod Mayo his job. Now, the Patriots miss out on draft capital they could have acquired from a quarterback needy team, and the top talent in the draft in Travis Hunter. Moving on, offensive tackle and wide receiver are the two biggest needs on this roster. I have Tetairoa McMillan higher up on my board than Kelvin Banks Jr., so that is the direction New England goes. The Patriots desperately need to give Drake Maye some weapons, and McMillan’s Mike Evans-like frame and game would be a fantastic fit.
5	Jacksonville Jaguars	CB Will Johnson, Michigan – 6’2, 202 lbs	14 tackles, 2 INT	The Jaguars have talent, but this is just a team that does not know how to win football games. The defense, in particular, has been worrisome. Will Johnson suffered through an injury plagued junior season for a Michigan team with nothing to play for, but his tape shows a shut down, play making cornerback on the level of Sauce Gardner and Derek Stingley Jr.
6	Las Vegas Raiders	DT Mason Graham, Michigan – 6’3, 320 lbs	46 tackles, 3.5 sacks	Not only do the Raiders miss out on the top two quarterbacks, but both elite defensive backs are gone as well. Mason Graham may not be on that Quinnen Williams level, but he is close. He is a very strong overall defensive tackle. Plug him in the middle next to Christian Wilkins, with Tyree Wilson and Maxx Crosby on the edges, and the Las Vegas defensive line would be a strength.
7	New York Jets	DE Abdul Carter, Penn State – 6’3, 259 lbs	63 tackles, 11 sacks	Things are once again in disarray for the Jets. What else is new? One of the many issues was the failed acquisition of Haason Reddick. Will McDonald IV is a keeper for the New York defense, but Jermaine Johnson should be upgraded. Abdul Carter is the best pass rusher in this class. He took over the Micah Parsons role at Penn State and ran with it in 2024, registering 11 sacks and 63 tackles.
8	Carolina Panthers	OLB Mykel Williams, Georgia – 6’5, 265 lbs	21 tackles, 5 sacks	Bryce Young still has a long way to go, but his development since regaining his starting job has been encouraging enough that Carolina can look at shoring up an abysmal defense with this pick. After trading Brian Burns, there are no true franchise talents to build around. Mykel Williams did not quite break out as a supreme stat stuffer, but has top ten talent and should ace the pre-draft process.
9	New Orleans Saints	OT Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas – 6’4, 320 lbs	N/A	The Saints are probably the one franchise in the NFL that just needs a complete reset. Get the bad contracts off the books, and start from scratch. That is not how things work, of course, but New Orleans should just go with the best player available. Taliese Fuaga is a keeper, but the rest of the Saints offensive line has regressed badly from the elite unit it was a few years ago. Kelvin Banks Jr. is a strong talent with a ton of experience blocking for NFL style quarterbacks.
10	Chicago Bears	OT Will Campbell, LSU – 6’6, 320 lbs	N/A	The Bears ended the season on a high note, both breaking both a 10 game and a long time Lambeau Field losing streak. Caleb Williams had a very promising rookie season, but the offensive line did not do him any favors. Will Campbell is an easy choice here. Even if he has to move inside to guard at the next level, his pass blocking experience will be a great help.
11	San Francisco 49ers	DT Walter Nolen, Ole Miss – 6’3, 305 lbs	48 tackles, 6.5 sacks	The 49ers came into the season with Super Bowl aspirations, but injuries have exposed an alarming lack of youth and depth on this roster, which essentially ruined the season. Both lines could use major upgrades. Walter Nolen finally realized his immense potential with a dominating junior season for Ole Miss. He has double digit sack potential as an interior lineman.
12	Dallas Cowboys	RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State – 5’9, 215 lbs	374 carries, 2601 yards, 29 TD	Ashton Jeanty to Dallas is the most popular mock draft pick out there, and it is easy to see why. Dallas is at its best with a dominating running game, and Jeanty has had one of the very best running back seasons in NCAA history. Sure, he did not have a fantastic game against Penn State in the playoffs, but he was the entire Boise State offense, and the Nittany Lions were easily able to sell out to stop him. I do worry about the amount of carries Boise State has put on his legs, but he should be a tremendous back during the length of his rookie contract.
13	Miami Dolphins	DE Nic Scourton, Texas A&M – 6’4, 285 lbs	37 tackles, 5 sacks	Despite investing heavily on pass rushers, Miami only has 31 sacks on the season. Bradley Chubb has not played all year and Jaelan Phillips cannot stay healthy. Nic Scourton would be a good fit with Miami’s 3-4 defense. He is big enough to line up at end and hold his own against the run, while providing pass rushing ability as well.
14	Indianapolis Colts	CB Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame – 6’0, 190 lbs	20 tackles	The Colts defense is getting old in a hurry, and there are a lot of upcoming free agents to account for. Benjamin Morrison would be a top ten pick if an injury did not wipe out his junior season at Notre Dame. If he can show his injury issues are not a long term thing, I still expect him to push for that position. He is talented, athletic and a real playmaker. He had nine interceptions during his first two seasons in college.
15	Atlanta Falcons	OLB Jalon Walker, Georgia – 6’2, 245 lbs	61 tackles, 6.5 sacks	Like most teams, the Falcons are in need of additional pass rushing help. Jalon Walker is a very solid all around linebacker. He rushes the passer like a classic 3-4 edge, but can chase down ball carriers as well.
16	Arizona Cardinals	OLB James Pearce Jr., Tennessee – 6’5, 243 lbs	38 tackles, 7.5 sacks	Arizona has a playoff worthy offense, but the defense is still a work in progress. James Pearce Jr. needs to bulk up if he wants to play a three down linebacker, but he will be a first round pick because of his quickness and ability to get after the quarterback. The Cardinals do not have any players on the roster with his ability to disrupt the apposing passing game.
17	Cincinnati Bengals	DT Kenneth Grant, Michigan – 6’3, 339 lbs	38 tackles, 7.5 sacks	Despite a five game winning streak to end the season, it was too little, too late for the Bengals. The defense is clearly the issue here, so devoting draft picks to that side of the ball makes sense. Kenneth Grant is not Mason Graham, but the fellow Wolverine is a first round pick in his own right. The 340 pounder is more than just a run stuffing tackle, he can rush the quarterback as well.
18	Seattle Seahawks	OT Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota – 6’6, 330 lbs	N/A	Charles Cross is a keeper at left tackle, but it would be correct to say that Seattle could use an upgrade at each of the other four positions along its offensive line. Aireontae Ersery does not have the name recognition of some of the other offensive linemen in this class, but continues to rise up the board as a safe, ready to contribute option. Seattle could use him at right tackle or inside at guard.
19	Houston Texans	WR Luther Burden III, Missouri – 5’11, 208 lbs	61 rec, 676 yards, 6 TD	The Houston passing offense has taken a very disappointing step back in 2024.. Tank Dell is a dynamic talent, but has suffered his second serious injury in two years. Couple that with Stefon Diggs upcoming free agency, and a receiver to pair with Nico Collins is needed. Luther Burden III could not build on a very impressive sophomore season, but I am still a believer in his talent. He is a smart route runner and has the ability to gain those tough yards after catch.
20	Denver Broncos	TE Colston Loveland, Michigan – 6’5, 245 lbs	82 rec, 1095 yards, 6 TD	Things are quickly looking up in Denver. Bo Nix is absolutely the franchise quarterback of the future, and present, for the Broncos. The Broncos should look to give Nix as many pass receivers as possible. The Michigan passing game was a disaster in 2024, but Loveland was been slump-proof. He is an athletic target hog who was the entire Wolverine offense at times.
21	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	CB Jahdae Barron, Texas – 5’11, 200 lbs	50 tackles, 5 INT	Despite a laundry list of injuries, Tampa Bay won the NFC South for the fourth year in a row. Even when healthy, the secondary is probably the biggest need on the roster. Jahdae Barron has worked his way from a deep bench player to legitimate first round pick. He has five interceptions as a senior.
22	Pittsburgh Steelers	WR Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State – 6’1, 205 lbs	70 rec, 896 yards, 10 TD	George Pickens is a Pro Bowl talent at receiver, but the rest of the group leaves much to be desired. Emeka Egbuka looked like a future superstar in 2022, with CJ Stroud throwing passes his way. He since settled in to a nice complementary role, racking up the tough yards and finding the end zone with regularity. He is an ideal WR2 at the next level.
23	Los Angeles Rams	CB Shavon Revel Jr., East Carolina – 6’3, 193 lbs	8 tackles, 2 INT	Despite going seven years without a first round pick, the Rams have drafted well enough to plug quite a few holes on their roster. The secondary could use a couple of upgrades. Shavon Revel Jr. was off to an all world start as a junior before suffering a season ending injury. He has only played a little over a full season as a starter, but showed serious play making ability, and has great size for the position. A gamble to be sure, but he could pay off in a big way.
24	Green Bay Packers	DE Princely Umanmielen, Ole Miss – 6’4, 255 lbs	34 tackles, 10.5 sacks	The Packers may have the deepest roster in the NFL. It is tough to find obvious needs. This is a front office that often drafts defenders who can eventually take over as a starter in a year or two. Lukas Van Ness has struggled a bit to justify his draft spot, and competition may be a good thing. Princely Umanmielen had a three school journey, that culminated with a fantastic senior season, where he racked up 10.5 sacks, giving him 36 for his career.
25	Los Angeles Chargers	TE Tyler Warren, Penn State – 6’6, 257 lbs	98 rec, 1158 yards, 8 TD	Ladd McConkey is a good start, but the Chargers need to keep drafting skill position talent. They are only going as far as Justin Herbert takes them. It is hard to ignore Tyler Warren’s production. The senior tight end has Travis Hunter type numbers, and is a legitimate first round prospect.
26	Washington Commanders	DE JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State – 6’5, 269 lbs	49 tackles, 10 sacks	The Commanders defense has not been the same since they traded both Montez Sweat and Chase Young. JT Tuimoloau, a former top recruit, continues to put the ribbon on what has been a fantastic senior season for the Buckeyes. He has put forth back to back two sack games in the College Football Playoffs.
27	Baltimore Ravens	OG Tyler Booker, Alabama – 6’5, 325 lbs	N/A	Baltimore will always a team that needs to draft very well, since it does not often use free agency to plug holes. The interior of the offensive line has simply been okay, which may not be good enough if they want to squeeze another year or two out of the ageless Derrick Henry. Tyler Booker may be a guard only prospect, but he is ready made to step right and and start for a playoff team in need of that extra beef up front.
28	Minnesota Vikings	SS Malaki Starks, Georgia – 6’1, 205 lbs	77 tackles, 1 INT	The Vikings have four upcoming free agents at the cornerback position. Malaki Starks does not play that position, but offers versatility in the secondary and is a steal talent wise here. He is a big time playmaker, with six career interceptions.
29	Buffalo Bills	FS Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina – 6’3, 227 lbs	99 tackles, 4 INT	The Bills struggled so badly in the back half of their secondary in 2024, that they brought back Micah Hyde late in the season. Nick Emmanwori is a physical marvel that tackles like a linebacker, and has six career interceptions, including four in 2024. He brought two of those back to the house.
30	Philadelphia Eagles	OT Jonah Savaiinaea, Arizona – 6’5, 330 lbs	N/A	Philadelphia may have the deepest roster in the NFL, so they can afford to draft for depth here. Jonah Savaiinaea played tackle for Arizona, but is a ready made interior offensive lineman. He is big and blocks with a mean streak. Mekhi Becton filled in admirably at guard this year, but Savaiinaea could be a future starter at guard.
31	Kansas City Chiefs	OT Josh Simmons, Ohio State – 6’5, 310 lbs	N/A	The Kansas City offensive line is a major work in progress, and could lose stud Trey Smith in free agency. Josh Simmons started his career at San Diego State, and spend the last two years developing into a starter for Ohio State. The Chiefs are looking for a long term option at left tackle, and Simmons has the experience to hold his own.
32	Detroit Lions	DE Jack Sawyer, Ohio State – 6’5, 260 lbs	53 tackles, 8 sacks	Detroit would love to find a long term bookend along its defensive line, to go along with Aidan Hutchinson. Like JT Tuimoloau, Jack Sawyer is a former top recruit who has really turned things up a notch as a senior. He has not quite matched Tuimoloau’s four sacks through two College Football Playoff games, but he has 3.5 of his own.