The 2024 NFL Draft is now long in the distant past as summer scouting is underway. Why not pop out a 2025 NFL mock draft now as quarterbacks like Georgia’s Carson Beck and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders likely lead the pack of players to watch this upcoming season?
This class is littered with defensive talent while the quarterback class, while not nearly as bad as the 2022 crop, has some work to do to establish themselves as future franchise leaders. That elite defensive talent is reflected in this mock draft as well.
Using PFF’s mock draft simulator, here is a full first round mock draft as NFL teams enter their dead period:
If the Carolina Panthers are picking No. 1 overall again in 2025, then there is a strong chance they are giving up on Bryce Young. However, in a weaker quarterback class (not as bad as 2022 but similar), there is not a name to take at the top. Instead, the Panthers look to replace Brian Burns with the ultra-explosive and bendy James Pearce Jr.
Not the LSU offensive tackle you were expecting, huh? Emery Jones Jr. is the superior LSU offensive tackle and has the athletic prowess, core strength, and flexibility to be a dominant offensive lineman for a long time to come. Needing to protect Drake Maye far into the future, they get him his bodyguard here.
The Broncos’ wide receiver room is in shambles. After trading Jerry Jeudy to the Cleveland Browns, they still have Courtland Sutton. The only issue is he is holding out for a new contract, and the Broncos don’t seem to be budging there. This leaves just Marvin Mims and Troy Franklin as the realistic pass catchers in Denver. A massive move is needed, like taking Arizona’s elite pass catcher Tetairoa McMillan with the third overall pick in this 2025 NFL mock draft.
Carson Beck becomes the first quarterback off the board here as the Tennessee Titans move on from Will Levis. If the Titans are picking here, it’s a sure sign it’s time for a new signal caller. They have spent top picks along their offensive line the past two seasons, so it’s time to get a quarterback who can win. Beck was rock solid in his first season as the starter at the University of Georgia. If he takes even a slight leap forward he will lock himself in as the top quarterback in the draft.
This is a wildcard projection here, but Texas A&M’s Connor Weigman might be the most talented draft-eligible passer in the country. The only issue is he cannot stay healthy. If Weigman has a season of full health for the Aggies, we are talking about a massive leap into QB1 contention by the time next spring rolls around. After missing out on a trade-up for Drake Maye this past April, the Giants get their guy here.
This cornerback class is wicked talented, and sitting at the top of the class is Michigan’s Will Johnson. The Commanders are turning a corner, but still lack talent and depth at a cornerstone position on the defensive side of the ball. They look to rectify that here by selecting the Michigan lockdown cornerback at pick No. 6.
Drawing comparisons to Champ Bailey when he came out of Georgia in 1999, the two-way player from the University of Colorado translates best at the NFL level as a cornerback. The Arizona Cardinals have spent significant assets upgrading the offensive side of the football over the last two drafts, and now it’s time to add Travis Hunter to lock in their secondary as they continue their rebuild.
The Minnesota Vikings are kind of floating in purgatory right now, and failing to land one of the top quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft won’t help their upcoming season. Lacking talent and a long-term future along the interior of their defensive line, they take the best one in the class here in Mason Graham. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores is smiling ear-to-ear as he gets to pair Graham with 2024 first rounder Dallas Turner.
The Davante Adams era has been a bumpy ride. And while the Raiders will likely be aggressive for a quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft, the value does not align with the draft stock of Shedeur Sanders here. Instead, they look to run it back with Gardner Minshew and get him a new toy in Missouri’s lethal wideout Luther Burden.
Despite being the second LSU offensive tackle off the board here, Will Campbell is still just the second offensive tackle as a whole as well. With only 32 inch arms, Campbell might be better suited to play along the interior at the NFL level, however. Guess who may have a need at either tackle or guard next year? The Seattle Seahawks.
The Saints continue to be a tough team to pin down, but their defensive line is aging and lacks depth. Adding the monster who is Kentucky Deone Walker kills two birds with one stone as they continue to navigate their cap situation while looking to keep their championship window open with Derek Carr under center.
Transferring from Purdue to Texas A&M, Nic Scourton is one of the very elite pass rushers in all of college football. He is the second one off the board here as he lands with the Buccaneers. After parting ways with Shaq Barrett this past offseason, the Bucs are set to ride it out with former first rounder Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Yaya Diaby in 2024. Something tells me that won’t be enough.
The Indianapolis Colts have a solid core offensively if quarterback Anthony Richardson can explode onto the scene the way many expect this season. Looking at their secondary, however, there is a massive hole as they are set to start two second-year players in Juju Brents and Jaylon Jones. Assuming that goes as it looks on paper, Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison will come as a huge relief for Indianapolis here.
On a talented Ohio State team, defensive tackle Tyleik Williams rises to the top. Replacing one Buckeye with another, the Steelers plan for life after Cam Heyward with this pick after spending first round picks on the offensive trenches over the last two drafts. Williams is nimble for his size, extremely powerful, and a havoc wrecker. He fits the Yinzer mentality.
I am not as high on Kelvin Banks Jr. as other analysts are, but in a weak tackle class names will still rise into the first round based on the need for the big men at the NFL level. The Los Angeles Rams are one of those teams with a hole at the offensive tackle position. The most stunning thing here, however, is that the Rams actually use their first round pick for the second year in a row.
The Jaguars had a hole at the cornerback position last draft but opted to replace Calvin Ridley with Brian Thomas Jr. instead. With good reason! However, they come back here in this 2025 NFL mock draft to upgrade their secondary with the twitched-up and physical Denzel Burke from Ohio State.
Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (2) catches a pass for the scarlet team during the first half of the LifeSports Spring Game at Ohio Stadium on Saturday. / Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch /
Looking at the roster, it is hard to match fit, need, and value in the middle of the first round. Offensive tackle could be a need, but the top-three are already off the board. Here, they make Emeka Egbuka their newest wide receiver instead. Amari Cooper is in the last year of his deal and holding out, the Browns just traded for and extended Jerry Jeudy. However, after those two names there is not a proven player in the room. They need more offensive firepower that Egbuka can provide.
General manager Ryan Poles has overhauled the Bears’ roster the last two seasons but still has a hole at safety that is currently plugged by veteran Kevin Byard. However, with his two-year deal guaranteed for just one year, the Bears have the chance to plan for life after him with the young and ultra-talented Malaki Starks from Georgia. Safeties tend to get pushed down the board, but Starks has the resume of one of the best players in the entire class.
A Michigan player landing with Jim Harbaugh? No way! The Chargers and quarterback Justin Herbert lack pass catchers in the worst possible way. Quentin Johnston had a rough rookie season and rookie second rounder Ladd McConkey will have a lot on his plate right away. Will Dissly is currently pensiled in as their starting tight end as well in a lack luster room. Why not get the best pass catcher and tight end on the board here in tight end Colston Loveland? An immediate upgrade for Herbert here.
The University of Arizona might have the most talented team they have ever had. Their second first round pick is coming off the board here, following in the footsteps of 2024 first rounder Jordan Morgan. And like Morgan, offensive tackle Jonah Savaiinaea may translate better inside at the NFL level. His foot speed is elite, his punch is undeniable, and Savaiinaea lands with the Texans here to upgrade the interior of their offensive line and protect NFL Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud.
Malaki Starks is the best safety in the nation, but Penn State’s Kevin Winston Jr. is not far behind. The Jets have elite cornerback play with Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed, and now they get those guys some relief over the top in the talented Winston Jr. here.
The Falcons have not had a ton of luck with first round edge rushers. But after passing on Laiatu Latu and Dallas Turner in the 2024 NFL Draft, they still have a need for a dependable and consistent pass rusher. Here they select the converted linebacker and the explosive and athletic Abdul Carter from Penn State (insert something about his similarities to Cowboys’ pass rusher Micah Parsons here).
What do you know? Another Arizona Wildcat off the board here. Never count out the Dolphins adding even more speed to their offense in the first round, but just like they did in this past draft, they use their first rounder on the defensive side of the ball. After moving on from Xavien Howard, the Dolphins need a new long-term body at cornerback. The long and physical Tacario Davis fits the bill here as he travels from Arizona to South Beach.
Oregon’s Josh Conerly Jr. is not there yet. But he has all of the tools and the body type to develop into an elite pass blocker. That is a shot the Packers take here after taking Jordan Morgan just this past year. Right now they are slated to start Rasheed Walker at left tackle, a former seventh round pick. Should that plan bottom out, look for the Packers to be right back in pursuit of another offensive lineman in the 2025 NFL Draft. Conerly’s athleticism and foot speed are up there with the best in the class. He just needs to put it all together in 2024. If he does, he will be a first round pick.
Slipping all the way to the back end of the first round here due to questionable arm talent and sack aviodance ability, the Cowboys pounce on Shedeur Sanders here. The Cowboys are seemingly poised to let a top-10 quarterback walk out the door in Dak Prescott, so they will need to pray for a plan moving forward. Sanders may just give them hope.
LSU’s Harold Perkins, despite some fun reps off the edge, is going to have to play off-ball linebacker at the NFL level. He is 215 pounds soaking wet and lacks the frame to add more weight. His movement skills, however, are top notch and he seemingly grew into the roll of off-ball as the season went on for the Tigers in 2023. Anticipating another step forward this season, Perkins has a chance to be the first linebacker off the board. This is good news for the Eagles here who lack any sort of talent at the second level of their defense.
Ohio State’s JT Tuimoloau is not the premier pass rusher that many thought he would be. He is, however, rock solid and consistent from his post and will do the job asked of him. That makes him the perfect player for the Lions and head coach Dan Campbell. He is a solid run defender who has enough bend to win off the edge as well even if he lacks elite explosiveness.
After signing his franchise tag, the window for wide receiver Tee Higgins and the Bengals to agree to a long-term deal seems to be rapidly closing if it isn’t already shut. They drafted Alabama’s Jermaine Burton to replace Tyler Boyd this year, and now draft the Texas A&M to Oregon transfer wideout Evan Stewart here to replace Higgins long-term. The explosive speedster will look to rebound in Eugene after he had a down season with the Aggies after the season-ending injury to Weigman.
Transferring from Alabama to Texas, wideout Isaiah Bond is one of the more explosive weapons in the country. And now he teams up with Quinn Ewers (who does not make an appearance in this mock draft). Can he help the inaccurate and inconsistent Ewers to elevate his draft stock to meet the expectations of his high school recruiting profile? After the departure of AD Mitchell and Xavier Worthy, the opportunities will not be lacking for Bond in the burnt orange uniform.
Get to know the name now. While he broke his leg after six games a year ago, Purdue’s Marcus Mbow has some of the most fun offensive line tape from a year ago even if he is still a massive sleeper. And with starting experience at both right guard and right tackle, Mbow and his athleticism are the perfect fit with Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers. The talent of Mbow match the urgent need for help up front (either inside or out) in San Francisco here. It helps that he told me he watches a ton of Trent Williams tape as well.
A first round running back! Looking to correct their mistakes from 2020 when they took Clyde Edwards-Helaire with their top pick, the Chiefs take an actual good running back here with pick No. 32. Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty headlines a fun running back class as he turned down suitors in the transfer portal to return to the Broncos as well. Don’t sleep on Jeanty.