2025 NFL mock draft: Tennessee Titans pick becomes clearer following NFL combine

Posted by author March 3, 2025 NFL

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The NFL combine has come and gone. Let’s get to the mock draft.

The Tennessee Titans still own the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and just a week out from the start of free agency, trends are starting to take shape ahead of April’s proceedings.

Based on conversations and interviews conducted in Indianapolis, where the scouting combine was held, and with information from workouts and some of the happenings around the league, here is The Tennessean’s latest 2025 first-round NFL mock draft.

2025 NFL mock draft: Post-NFL combine edition

Don’t rule out a trade quite yet. But the Titans’ offseason will essentially hinge on this question: How much does being competitive in 2025 matter to this front office? If the answer is “not much,” don’t be shocked to see the Titans trade back or bolster their defense with this pick. But if the goal is to show tangible progress in coach Brian Callahan’s second year, the quarterback options available aren’t as copious as they once seemed. Ward is good enough to start Day 1 and gives the Titans reason for hope — betting on potential rather than a stopgap option that kicks the can down the road.

Put another way: The Titans can either pass on Ward, expecting they’ll be picking this high again next year, or they can pick Ward and hope to goodness they aren’t picking this high again next year.

2. Cleveland Browns: Abdul Carter, OLB, Penn State

Whether the Browns move on from Myles Garrett, Carter is a sound investment. He has the sort of talent that makes him a top-10 pick at his position nearly every year. This year, with the top of the draft a little thinner, that means landing as a top-two pick. A world where Carter and Garrett team up for a season is a scary, scary proposition for opposing play callers and line coaches.

3. New York Giants: Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado

If the reports linking the Giants with Aaron Rodgers are true, that hardly means they have a long-term solution at quarterback. But it does buy a little bit of time, affording the Giants to take a gamble on the best athlete in the class. Given the team’s weaknesses, Hunter can start out on defense and be peppered in as a situational asset on offense, forming a lethal tandem with second-year sensation Malik Nabers for a couple of package plays a game.

4. New England Patriots: Mykel Williams, DE, Georgia

Mike Vrabel kicks off his New England tenure by drafting the position nearest and dearest to his heart. Williams is a sensational talent who — if it can be believed that he played at only 60% health for most of 2024 — is only scratching the surface of his ability. NFL folks rave about him. Maybe picking him in the top-five is a bit of a stretch in a class loaded with edge rushing talent, but Vrabel has never been the type to stick to conventional draft strategies.

This isn’t the most exciting pick in the world, but maybe boring is what the Jaguars need right now. Graham is as solid a prospect as there is in the class, and he anchors the middle of Jacksonville’s defense that so sorely needs help in all phases.

6. Las Vegas Raiders: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado

The Raiders can’t help themselves here. Even in a world where they go get a veteran QB like Sam Darnold or Russell Wilson, bringing in Sanders is an investment in something this franchise hasn’t had in a long time: excitement. He’s not the highest-upside quarterback prospect, but there’s no doubting the attention and optimism he can bring to Vegas.

7. New York Jets: Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss

Nolen says he wants to be the next Aaron Donald. Maybe he’s got a little bit of Jeffery Simmons in him, too. The comparisons are lofty, but Nolen has been dealing with big expectations since being the nation’s No. 1 recruit out of high school. Now he pairs with star Quinnen Williams to face the biggest expectations possible in the nation’s biggest media market.

Stewart vaulted himself back into top-10 consideration with a dazzling performance in combine workouts. He’s always been a better athlete than playmaker, and the Panthers will have to figure out a way to translate one into the other to justify this pick. But the traits are just too tantalizing at a certain point, and the Panthers make the boom-or-bust gamble on a player who, if he can put everything together, might have as much upside as anyone in the draft.

The league shouldn’t overthink things when it comes to Burden. He’s as fluid and dynamic with the ball in his hands as a receiver can be, and the size-to-speed ratio he flashed in combine workouts were impressive. His 2024 wasn’t as dominant as 2023, so he’ll have to answer as to why his production dipped. But new coach Kellen Moore getting to pair Burden with Chris Olave is a massive gift.

10. Chicago Bears: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas

There’s a tendency in draft season to overthink what a “tackle” is. Banks doesn’t have the prototypical length of a top-flight tackle, so some might project him as a better fit at guard. Or you can watch the tape, and see that Banks gave up a total of four sacks in roughly 1,500 pass snaps playing left tackle across his entire career at the highest levels of college football. Maybe he’s just good at this, and quarterback Caleb Williams will have a little more time to do his thing.

The 49ers aren’t just drafting Trent Williams’ eventual successor here. This offensive line needs help now, and Campbell will get to take some time early in his career playing guard or right tackle before transitioning into his natural spot. San Francisco’s offensive line is surprisingly lacking in star power relative to the rest of the roster. Campbell is a step toward changing that.

12. Dallas Cowboys: Malaki Starks, SAF, Georgia

Starks is the kind of safety that makes teams reconsider the “safeties aren’t that valuable” discussion. There isn’t a hole in his game, and he looked remarkable during the combine field drills. His instincts and natural fluidity mean he might not be the fastest player in a track meet but he’ll play faster than just about anyone in the league.

13. Miami Dolphins: Nick Emmanwori, SAF, South Carolina

No one helped his draft stock this week quite like Emmanwori. He’s a safety. He’s a cornerback. He’s a linebacker. He’s just about the perfect athlete on the football field. The Dolphins will be able to get creative with how they use him, and that freedom will help him stand out in a defense already loaded with top-level stars. Maybe this is recency bias talking, and his stock falls back down as the combine gets further away, but it’s hard to see Emmanwori dropping much further than this.

14. Indianapolis Colts: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State

Warren does a little bit of everything for his offense, and he helps the Colts develop from an offense almost entirely built around vertical strikes to one that can take advantage more of the middle of the field. Quarterback Anthony Richardson will need to get better to make the most of Warren, but Warren should also help Richardson develop some confidence on the timing throws.

15. Atlanta Falcons: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan

After years of bolstering the offense, the Falcons turn to defense in the middle of the first round. Johnson is generally regarded as a top-10 talent, but injuries and regression derailed his 2024 season enough that it’s plausible he can fall this far. The Falcons bet on skill and slot Johnson in as a starter immediately.

16. Arizona Cardinals: Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia

For a moment, let’s not focus on Walker’s size (6-foot-1, 243 pounds). Whether he ends up playing inside or off the edge shouldn’t be a huge factor. Talent is talent, and Walker has more than his share. The Cardinals find a place for him and let him loose, getting something out of him wherever he lines up.

While the Bengals figure out how to make their finances work to keep all their veterans, they reinvest in some youth on the defensive front, too. Scourton knows a thing or two about playing with some talented teammates on the front, and now he gets to pair with Trey Hendrickson to play second fiddle to one of the league’s most productive rushers.

18. Seattle Seahawks: Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State

As Simmons gets healthier, it’ll be interesting to see how he has recovered from the knee injury that ended his 2024 season prematurely. Until then, he’s a top-tier offensive line talent who most likely slides in as the Seahawks’ right tackle opposite former first-round pick Charles Cross.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona

Mike Evans isn’t going to be around forever. The Buccaneers invest in Evans’ natural successor with another big-bodied receiver who knows how to make highlight catches. Nabbing McMillan here is good value; early in the draft process, McMillan looked like he’d be a fringe top-five pick.

20. Denver Broncos: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State

Talk to anyone from the combine and there’s a chance you’re talking to someone raving about Egbuka’s intelligence and savvy. He’s an impressive player who might be a bit limited when it comes to top-end potential. No one doubts he’ll be a productive No. 2 option, though, and Denver needs a playmaker like him.

21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike Green, OLB, Marshall

Green makes the short trek north from West Virginia to Pittsburgh to pair as another rusher in the Steelers’ rotation off the edge. The Steelers believe in building through the trenches and they go back to their roots again here.

22. Los Angeles Chargers: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan

Jim Harbaugh drafts from his own tree, picking his former Michigan standout. Loveland gives the Chargers some flexibility in the passing game and makes it even harder for defenses to plan for quarterback Justin Herbert and company.

23. Green Bay Packers: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas

Barron’s athleticism was on display during the combine drills. He doesn’t have the length teams tend to look for from outside corners. But if he ends up playing a little bit of nickel and a little bit of safety in Green Bay’s back end, he’s a productive and speedy player who’ll pack a punch.

24. Minnesota Vikings: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State

Call it a luxury pick. Call it whatever you want. Jeanty is the kind of running back that makes defenses completely reconsider how they line up and attack. Minnesota’s passing attack is plenty lethal, and now Jeanty brings extra defenders into the box to get more one-on-one situations on the outside. This is the kind of pick that gives coach Kevin O’Connell options like few other play callers.

25. Houston Texans: Matthew Golden, WR, Texas

Who knew Golden was Texas’ best speed threat, too? Golden is a receiver who has rapidly ascended draft boards in the pre-draft process and validated that with a good combine. Teams love him, and the Texans bring him in to keep getting younger on the outside after missing out on Deebo Samuel in the trade market.

26. Los Angeles Rams: Armand Membou, OT, Missouri

Matthew Stafford’s coming back, so now the Rams need to continue ensuring he stays upright. They have a few options among the second tier of tackles here, including names like Oregon’s Josh Conerly Jr. But they opt for Membou here instead and try him out at tackle first, with the knowledge he can bump inside if needed.

27. Baltimore Ravens: Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama

As is customary, the Ravens make the kind of pick that makes the rest of the league a little nervous. Whether they use Campbell as a traditional linebacker next to Roquan Smith, or try him out off the edge as a pass rusher, he’s going to make his plays. This is exactly the kind of luxury project Baltimore can take on, and no one will be surprised if Campbell develops into one of the Ravens’ better players.

28. Detroit Lions: Donovan Ezeiruaku, OLB, Boston College

The idea of lining up someone this athletic and productive opposite Aidan Hutchinson is salivation-worthy. Ezeiruaku won’t have to be a superstar with Hutchinson on the other side, but he might develop into one, especially given all the solo blocks he’ll take on with Hutchinson getting so much attention.

29. Washington Commanders: Azareye’h Thomas, CB, Florida State

Thomas has a receiver’s body frame. He might not be the most athletic cornerback prospect in the class, but he’ll more than make up for it with physicality. He’ll be a bit of a project, but the Commanders will be able to let him learn on the fly.

30. Buffalo Bills: Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan

Just what the Bills need: beef. The 331-pound Grant will stack up in the middle of Buffalo’s front and make it even harder for opponents to go up the middle. A player of his size and skill set getting to play in wintry conditions makes too much sense.

31. Kansas City Chiefs: Tyler Booker, OG, Alabama

Maybe it’s an overreaction to the Super Bowl, but the Chiefs need to figure out something up the middle. Booker might be the best interior offensive lineman in this draft class, and the Chiefs figure out a place to plug him in to erase the memories of their last game.

32. Philadelphia Eagles: James Pearce Jr., OLB, Tennessee

Pearce’s stock isn’t where it was a few months ago. But as the Eagles always seem to do, they find a way to snag the talented SEC defender other teams are shying away from. Pearce gets to fit into the rotation with guys like Nolan Smith off the edge and make his bones early in his career as a situational player who can be let loose on third downs.

Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @nicksuss.