- The Patriots find themselves in a win-win spot: One of Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter seems set to fall to New England, with Hunter being the prize in this mock draft.
- Titans trade back into Round 1 to secure help for Cam Ward: Burden specializes in making big plays with the ball in his hands, and Tennessee ranked 29th in yards after the catch per reception last season.
- 2025 NFL Draft season is here: Try PFF's best-in-class Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2025's top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL team.
Estimated Reading Time: 14 minutes
Just a few short weeks from the 2025 NFL Draft, speculation is rampant about everything from the early selections to potential trades. This may be as unpredictable a draft as we’ve seen in a long time.
Regardless, let’s take another crack at predicting how things could go for the 32 NFL franchises.
1. Tennessee Titans: QB Cam Ward, Miami (FL)
Nothing is set in stone until we see it happen, but it sure feels like Tennessee is locking in on college football’s highest-graded quarterback in 2024, Cam Ward. While the Titans would greatly benefit from selecting Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter, they ranked dead last in PFF passing grade last season and currently carry Will Levis and Brandon Allen on their roster as options.
2. Cleveland Browns: EDGE Abdul Carter, Penn State
The draft begins in earnest here with the Browns. While they do need a franchise quarterback, this team isn’t set up to succeed in 2025, regardless of whom that may be. Instead, they add another premier defensive line talent in Carter, who posted an elite 92.4 PFF pass-rush grade last season and would combine with Myles Garrett to form a fierce edge duo.
3. New York Giants: QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
Some believe signing Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston would preclude the Giants from taking Sanders with this pick. However, those two are guaranteed only a combined $14 million in 2024. New York could still select Sanders with the idea of keeping all three for this season and slowly ushering him into the league. If Sanders proves himself immediately worthy of being the Giants' QB2 or starter, Winston likely becomes a trade target for a team dealing with injury or searching for an experienced backup.
4. New England Patriots: WR/CB Travis Hunter, Colorado
New England can't go wrong with either Hunter or Abdul Carter if they fall here. The only other component of this decision may be the Patriots’ opinion of Hunter as a receiver. He’s certainly proved himself worthy on the offensive side of the ball with a 90.7 PFF receiving grade across his three college seasons. Mike Vrabel and his staff aren’t tied to any of the young receivers on New England’s roster, and Hunter’s talent is too enticing to pass up.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars: DI Mason Graham, Michigan
Assuming Travis Hunter isn’t on the board, this should be a slam-dunk pick for Jacksonville. Graham was the highest-graded defensive tackle in the FBS in 2024. Jacksonville's defensive tackles ranked 28th overall and 31st in PFF pass-rush grade this past season. New general manager James Gladstone and head coach Liam Coen saw firsthand how a dominant interior player, Aaron Donald, could energize a defense. They take Graham here hoping he can have a similar impact.
6. Las Vegas Raiders: WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
Geno Smith has been one of the best vertical passers in the NFL over the past three seasons. Over that span, he ranked 10th in PFF passing grade on 10-plus yard throws and generated the second-most big-time throws in the NFL. McMillan, meanwhile, led the FBS with a 98.6 PFF receiving grade on 10-plus-yard targets over the past two seasons. Smith and McMillan are a terrific match. Ashton Jeanty is tempting, but the Raiders can find other options at running back on Day 2.
7. New York Jets: TE Tyler Warren, Penn State
The Jets feel like the draft's first true wild card, having multiple options to fill needs with this pick. Their tight end room, headlined by Jeremy Ruckert and Stone Smartt, is the biggest weakness, though. Jets tight ends ranked 27th in PFF receiving grade and last in PFF run-blocking grade in 2024. Warren should help in both departments.
*TRADE* 8. San Francisco 49ers: T Armand Membou, Missouri
Trade terms: 49ers receive No. 8 pick; Panthers receive No. 11 pick and No. 100 pick
The 49ers move up three spots to get ahead of New Orleans and take Membou. He’s a perfect scheme fit for Kyle Shanahan’s offense. Membou played the ninth-most outside-zone run snaps at Missouri in 2024 while posting an excellent 80.7 PFF run-blocking grade. He joins Dominick Puni to form a potentially dominant right side of San Francisco’s offensive line.
9. New Orleans Saints: T Will Campbell, LSU
New Orleans, which owned the league’s lowest PFF pass-blocking grade in 2024, heads just up the road to Baton Rouge to select Will Campbell. There will be questions about their offensive line alignment, including for Campbell himself, but he overcame his lack of length to put together an 81.3 PFF pass-blocking grade across three full years as an SEC starter.
10. Chicago Bears: RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
The Bears could bring a potentially elite offensive line into the 2025 season. While the 2025 running back class is depth-heavy, Jeanty is simply too good to pass up if he is available. His stellar career at Boise State included him posting a perfect 99.9 PFF rushing grade and breaking a ridiculous 325 tackles in three seasons. Chicago shouldn’t pass on a special talent like Jeanty.
*TRADE* 11. Carolina Panthers: LB Jalon Walker, Georgia
Trade terms: Panthers receive No. 11 pick and No. 100 pick; 49ers receive No. 8 pick
Carolina’s edge defenders and linebackers both ranked in the bottom three among NFL teams in PFF overall grade last season. It’s not known whether the Panthers would view Walker as one or both of those things, but they need defensive talent. Walker’s athleticism jumps off the tape, even if he does need a bit more refinement. Adding a premier athlete while picking up the 100th overall pick is a victory for Carolina in this scenario.
12. Dallas Cowboys: LB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama
Dallas desperately needs an alpha presence at linebacker. Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus is a linebackers coach at heart and has always invested in having excellent players at the position. Campbell proved this past season that he can be that player as one of just four Power Four linebackers with 80.0-plus grades in run defense and coverage.
13. Miami Dolphins: T Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas
Similar to San Francisco, Miami needs help on the offensive line. Banks fits as an excellent pass protector and experienced outside-zone blocker. Even if the 49ers believe Patrick Paul is their starting left tackle, Banks can move inside to left guard and still fit in nicely.
14. Indianapolis Colts: TE Colston Loveland, Michigan
The Colts did not have a single tight end last year who compiled either 200 receiving yards or at least a 60.0 PFF receiving grade. Loveland’s 90.8 PFF receiving grade across the past two seasons ranked fourth in the FBS. His ability to win from anywhere in the formation is unique, and his recovery from a shoulder injury should reenergize him as a blocker.
15. Atlanta Falcons: S Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina
Some team in the first round is going to fall in love with Emmanwori’s athletic talent. In this scenario, it’s the Falcons, who also have needs at edge defender and cornerback. Emmanwori’s supersized frame and consistency in run defense could be a nice complement to Jessie Bates III’s elite coverage ability.
16. Arizona Cardinals: CB Jahdae Barron, Texas
The Cardinals improved in coverage at safety and in the slot but struggled on the outside last season. Their outside cornerbacks earned a 52.0 zone PFF coverage grade, the lowest in the NFL. Luckily, Jahdae Barron falls to them here. He won the Jim Thorpe Award — given to the top defensive back in college football — in his final year in Texas, primarily because he led all FBS cornerbacks with a 91.5 zone PFF coverage grade.
17. Cincinnati Bengals: EDGE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M
Stewart has been one of the biggest risers throughout the pre-draft process after a dominant Senior Bowl showing and a historic combine performance. Whether or not the Bengals re-sign Trey Hendrickson, they need help on the edge and should gamble on high-upside talent. Stewart would be a powerful run-defending complement to Hendrickson, even if they have to wait for him to develop as a pass rusher.
18. Seattle Seahawks: EDGE Mykel Williams, Georgia
Seattle’s edge defenders ranked 23rd in PFF run-defense grade last season. While they acquired DeMarcus Lawrence on a sizable contract, the addition of Mykel Williams would further help that cause. Williams’ experience across multiple defensive line positions would also further allow Mike Macdonald to sustain creativity in his fronts.
*TRADE* 19. Buffalo Bills: CB Will Johnson, Michigan
Trade terms: Bills receive No. 19 pick; Buccaneers receive No. 30 pick and No. 62 pick
The Bills have plenty of defensive depth but lack star power and are extremely thin at cornerback. With an extra second-round pick at their disposal, they should trade up and grab a potential star like Johnson. While he’s had some recent injury issues, he earned an elite 91.3 PFF coverage grade during his three seasons at Michigan.
20. Denver Broncos: RB Omarion Hampton, North Carolina
Denver's running backs ranked in the bottom six in PFF rushing grade and yards after contact per attempt among NFL teams in 2024. During his past two seasons in Chapel Hill, Hampton earned an elite 93.9 PFF rushing grade while trailing only Ashton Jeanty in yards after contact. The Broncos could go about improving their offense in several ways in this draft. A workhorse back would fit in nicely behind their excellent offensive line.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: S Malaki Starks, Georgia
Starting safeties Minkah Fitzpatrick and DeShon Elliott earned PFF coverage grades below 65.0 for the Steelers last season. The defense also earned just a 59.2 slot PFF coverage grade. Starks brings extensive experience in multiple roles in the secondary and could give the team more flexibility.
22. Los Angeles Chargers: EDGE Mike Green, Marshall
The Chargers brought back Khalil Mack for another season, but they need more pass-rush help on the edge. Mack is their only returning edge defender who earned at least a 65.0 PFF pass-rush grade last season. Green is fresh off a dominant season at Marshall in which he led the FBS with a 92.4 PFF overall grade and 17 sacks.
23. Green Bay Packers: EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College
Packers edge defenders posted the fifth-lowest PFF pass-rush grade in the NFL last season. The team could opt to wait for their other young players to develop, but things haven’t looked promising so far on that front. Ezeiruaku is familiar with defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley from their days together at Boston College. He also just finished a terrific final college season with a 90.5 PFF pass-rush grade and 14 sacks.
*TRADE* 24. Seattle Seahawks: IOL Grey Zabel, North Dakota State
Trade terms: Seahawks receive No. 24 pick; Vikings receive No. 50 pick, No. 92 pick and 2026 third-round pick
After trading away Geno Smith and D.K. Metcalf for Day 2 picks, the Seahawks have the flexibility to maneuver up for whoever they feel will improve their roster. They are in desperate need of interior offensive line help. Zabel’s athleticism and potential to play guard or center would be a major asset as Klint Kubiak attempts to rebuild this offense in his vision.
25. Houston Texans: WR Matthew Golden, Texas
The Texans do need to add young talent in the trenches, but they also have major questions at wide receiver beyond Nico Collins and Christian Kirk. Golden gives them a legitimate Z receiver who can take the top off a defense and run outstanding routes. With Golden in tow, they can focus on the trenches with their three Day 2 picks.
*TRADE* 26. Chicago Bears: DI Kenneth Grant, Michigan
Trade terms: Bears receive No. 26 pick and No. 127 pick; Rams receive No. 39 pick and No. 72 pick
The Bears enter 2025 with Gervon Dexter Sr. and Grady Jarrett as their starting defensive tackles, both of whom graded in the low 60.0s in run defense last season. Using the flexibility that comes with having an extra second-round pick, they move into the first round to pick up Kenneth Grant. His 340-pound frame and surprising athleticism would be a massive help for Chicago on early downs.
27. Baltimore Ravens: G Tyler Booker, Alabama
The Ravens have done little to address the void remaining at left guard after Patrick Mekari’s departure. Booker would offer them a nice floor in pass protection and a fine fit in their downhill run scheme. His 83.5 true PFF pass-blocking grade ranked fourth among qualified FBS guards in 2024.
28. Detroit Lions: EDGE James Pearce Jr., Tennessee
From Week 7 onward this past season, Detroit ranked 27th in the NFL in PFF pass-rush grade. The Lions retained multiple contributing defensive linemen in free agency, but they need one more star pass rusher to complement Aidan Hutchinson. Pearce has that potential as someone who racked up 107 pressures and an 89.4 PFF pass-rush grade over the past two seasons.
*TRADE* 29. Tennessee Titans: WR Luther Burden III, Missouri
Trade terms: Titans receive No. 29 pick; Commanders receive No. 35 pick and No. 103 pick
Tennessee gives Cam Ward another weapon to work with in Burden. In the vein of Deebo Samuel or DJ Moore, Burden specializes in making big plays with the ball in his hands. Tennessee ranked 29th in yards after the catch per reception last season. Burden’s arrival would significantly improve that ranking.
*TRADE* 30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: CB Trey Amos, Ole Miss
Trade terms: Buccaneers receive No. 30 pick and No. 62 pick; Bills receive No. 19 pick
Tampa Bay ranked 30th in man coverage grade this past season. Amos is a press-man specialist who would allow Todd Bowles to be more aggressive with his coverages. Securing him and acquiring the 62nd pick in the draft would put Tampa Bay in a good position to improve its pass defense.
31. Kansas City Chiefs: DI Walter Nolen, Ole Miss
Nolen’s run-defense prowess and overall upside are too good for Kansas City to pass up here. He trailed only Michigan's Mason Graham in PFF run-defense grade (91.6) in his lone season at Ole Miss. His pass-rush potential started to shine as he generated 35 pressures and six sacks. Kansas City still has three picks on Day 2 to improve a thin offensive line.
32. Philadelphia Eagles: DI Derrick Harmon, Oregon
The Eagles close out the first round with Harmon, who should be a natural replacement for the departed Milton Williams. Harmon led all FBS defensive tackles with 55 pressures this past season. His 86.3 PFF pass-rush grade tied him for third place among that same group.
© 2025 PFF - all rights reserved.