The NFL regular season is done. After 272 football games, we have 14 teams ready for their shot at the Super Bowl. However, the more important thing is that we have 18 teams ready for their shot at revitalizing their franchise via the NFL Draft. The 2025 NFL Draft got a major shakeup on Sunday, with the New England Patriots and Joe Milton (!) beating the Buffalo Bills and losing out on the top pick. This moved the Tennessee Titans up to the top spot, holding the first overall pick for the first time since 2016, when they traded their pick to the Rams (who ended up taking QB Jared Goff). Rounding out the top five are the Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars. We had an insane amount of teams finish below six wins this season, just absolute muckball in 2024.
However, the light at the end of the slop tunnel is here in the form of the 2025 NFL Draft. In this fourth iteration, we have some new faces in new places, with the order being set via Tankathon. So let’s get into it!
Pick | Team | Player | Position | College | Year |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pick | Team | Player | Position | College | Year |
1 | Tennessee Titans | Shedeur Sanders | QB | Colorado | Senior |
2 | Cleveland Browns | Cameron Ward | QB | Miami | Senior |
3 | New York Giants | Travis Hunter | CB | Colorado | Junior |
4 | New England Patriots | Abdul Carter | EDGE | Penn State | Junior |
5 | Jacksonville Jaguars | Will Johnson | CB | Michigan | Junior |
6 | Las Vegas Raiders | Tetairoa McMillan | WR | Arizona | Junior |
7 | New York Jets | Luther Burden III | WR | Missouri | Junior |
8 | Carolina Panthers | Mason Graham | DT | Michigan | Junior |
9 | New Orleans Saints | Shemar Stewart | EDGE | Texas A&M | Junior |
10 | Chicago Bears | Kelvin Banks | OT | Texas | Junior |
11 | San Francisco 49ers | Malaki Starks | S | Georgia | Junior |
12 | Dallas Cowboys | Ashton Jeanty | RB | Boise State | Junior |
13 | Miami Dolphins | Will Campbell | OL | LSU | Junior |
14 | Indianapolis Colts | Shavon Revel Jr | CB | East Carolina | Junior |
15 | Atlanta Falcons | Jalon Walker | EDGE/LB | Georgia | Junior |
16 | Arizona Cardinals | Derrick Harmon | DT | Oregon | Senior |
17 | Cincinnati Bengals | Mykel Williams | EDGE | Georgia | Junior |
18 | Seattle Seahawks | Tyler Warren | TE | Penn State | Junior |
19 | Houston Texans | Tyliek Williams | DT | Ohio State | Senior |
20 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | James Pearce Jr | LB | Tennessee | Junior |
21 | Denver Broncos | Colston Loveland | TE | Michigan | Junior |
22 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Kaleb Johnson | RB | Iowa | Junior |
23 | Los Angeles Rams | Maxwell Hairston | CB | Kentucky | Junior |
24 | Green Bay Packers | Jihaad Campbell | LB | Alabama | Junior |
25 | Los Angeles Chargers | Marcus Mbow | OL | Purdue | Junior |
26 | Washington Commanders | Emeka Egbuka | WR | Ohio State | Senior |
27 | Baltimore Ravens | Michael Green | EDGE | Marshall | Junior |
28 | Minnesota Vikings | Azareye’h Thomas | CB | FSU | Junior |
29 | Buffalo Bills | Kenneth Grant | DT | Michigan | Junior |
30 | Philadelphia Eagles | Landon Jackson | EDGE | Arkansas | Junior |
31 | Kansas City Chiefs | Jahdae Barron | CB | Texas | Junior |
32 | Detroit Lions | Nic Scourton | EDGE | Texas A&M | Junior |
New team, but the same QB still goes. Sanders has his flaws, but I think his playstyle is a much better fit for the Titans than QB Cam Ward’s, which is a bit more chaotic than HC Brian Callahan would like. If they can fix the offensive line up, Sanders can be a quality starting QB.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Cleveland trades out of this pick, but you can’t go into 2025 with Deshaun Watson as your QB. Cleveland’s current options on the roster are…uninspiring, so they pick the Miami gunslinger here. Ward can be a bit reckless in his play, but he has the big play ability and a flexible release to attack downfield in Cleveland.
The Giants fans are probably HEATED because they missed out on the top two QBs, but they make up for it by drafting the best player in the class. Hunter is a game-changing player who has the instincts and ball skills to be a dominant corner, who can also give you some fun snaps on offense
The Patriots miss out on the first overall pick, but compensate by landing the best EDGE in the class in Abdul Carter. A freak blend of burst and explosiveness, Carter has the fluidity to drop in coverage, or rush the passer, where the Patriots sorely need help. I’m not too high on this OL class, so grabbing the best defender available at a position of need is a boost.
As a Jaguars fan, I’m manifesting this until it happens. The Jaguars secondary depth and talent outside of Tyson Campbell and rookie slot corner Jarrian Jones is terrible, horrible, no good and very bad. Johnson has the disposition, fluidity and instincts to be a star corner at the NFL level.
Be on the lookout for the Raiders attempting to move heaven and Earth to trade up for Sanders, but in my mock with no trades they stick at 6 and draft the big-bodied receiver from Arizona. McMillian is very similar to Atlanta Falcons’ WR Drake London in how they win, being a little more slippery and fluid than his size would tell you. McMillan, TE Brock Bowers and WR Jakobi Meyers? I can get with that.
If the Jets let QB Aaron Rodgers and WR Davante Adams walk, the receiver room for New York outside of Garrett Wilson is not great. Burden is a bit limited to being more useful in the slot, but he’s a nuanced route runner who can also give you a turbo boost offensively.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Carolina goes EDGE here instead of DT, but Graham is simply too good to pass up. He’s got shorter arms, but as quick laterally and disruptive as he is, he would instantly cause havoc next to DT Derrick Brown in Carolina.
Stewart is the classic highly athletic, toolsy EDGE that I’m high on. His production was limited at A&M, but a guy as big as he is (6’6, 290) with the bend that he has, feels like a New Orleans Saints type of defender. Making Stewart the eventual Cameron Jordan successor seems like a solid plan.
Rookie QB Caleb Williams was sacked 68 times in 2024. While some of that can be blamed on him, I don’t trust the Bears’ offensive line in the short or long term. Braxton Jones is going to be out for the forseeable future with a severe ankle injury, but even with him the line was porous. Banks might be better at guard, but Chicago should just get him in the building, where his movement skills and frame would be an instant lift.
Ok hear me out. Niners safety Talanoa Hufanga is an upcoming free agent, and has been up and down this year. Malik Mustapha is a fun player, but is much better coming downhill in the role Hufanga is currently in, and Ji’ayir Brown has fallen down the depth chart. Starks is an instant plug and play impact safety, with the versatility to play on the top of a defense or come off the roof in man coverage.
Mockings will continue until morale improves. I desperately need this to happen, because as well as RB Rico Dowdle played to finish the season, he profiles more as a complementary back than a feature one. Jeanty is a dominant tackle-breaker, who also thrives in pass protection, making him a three-down back.
The Dolphins have been one of the worst short-yardage teams in the NFL ever since HC Mike McDaniel took over. They can’t get much push from their guards, so I’m giving them the best offensive lineman in the draft at 13. Campbell is going to fall due to his below average measurables, but his flexibility and torque is going to do wonders for Miami, who need a bit of physicality on the inside.
A tall, long and fast cornerback? Sign Chris Ballard up! While I wouldn’t be shocked if this ends up being a player like TE Tyler Warren, the Colts’ secondary has been porous for the last two years. Revel is coming off an ACL tear, but should be ready by the NFL Combine, where his speed and explosiveness will wow scouts.
Despite not making the playoffs, I think Atlanta might’ve found something with the simulated pressures they sent in the back half of the season. LB Kaden Elliss is their best pass rusher, but when your off-ball LB is your number one guy, that’s saying something. I’m not sure where Walker plays full time, but I want a guy with his speed and versatility on my defense every day of the week.
The Cardinals lack beef up front and pass rush from their interior guys, so I’m opting to send one of the highest rising prospects from the college football season to the desert in Harmon. He’s a strong player with long arms and an arsenal of pass rush moves, which should shore up the Cardinals’ defense and allow them to play with more freedom at the second level.
Bengals EDGE Trey Hendrickson led the NFL with 16.5 sacks.
The Bengals finished with 36 sacks as a team, per ESPN.
Williams is still a work in progress as a pass rusher, but he’s a monster in the run game (where Cincinnati struggled mightily) and has flashed the upside to be a good pass rusher opposite Hendrickson.
Outside of the offensive line, tight end was the Seahawks’ worst position group this year. TE Noah Fant wasn’t good enough, and when the Seahawks were in 11 personnel, nobody respected their run game. Tyler Warren is an orc disguised as a tight end, with a wide catch radius and a high effort blocker. Warren in the middle of the field opening up lanes for JSN, with DK Metcalf on the outside? I’m in.
I don’t like any of the guards here for the Texans, who had one of the worst offensive line performances of the season, so I boosted a defense that had one big flaw. Houston’s defensive tackle group needs some size up front, with a guy that can play a one technique. Williams is a mammoth DT at almost 330 pounds, but plays with much more agility than a guy his size would give off. He’s still coming along as a pass rusher, but with Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr on the outside you can live with that.
The Buccaneers run so many pressure games, but their inconsistent pass rush is growing into a big problem as they head into the playoffs. I love James Pearce’s game as a pass rusher, winning with burst and bend, which is something Tampa Bay needs in that room.
I could see this being a running back like Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson, but instead I opted to give the Broncos another good receiving option. Loveland has been overshadowed by Tyler Warren being amazing and catching passes from LA Fitness members, but he has such nice wiggle and movement skills as a receiver. He’ll help the timing and underneath aspects of the Broncos offense out a lot.
I know Steelers’ fans are getting flashbacks after drafting another first round RB, but trust me on this one. Johnson is such a smooth operator at the RB spot, with great vision and agility to run the Arthur Smith outside zone-based offense. With RBs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren heading to free agency, the Steelers need someone who can get the singles and doubles in that offense. Johnson can be that guy.
The Rams are currently starting Athkello Witherspoon and Darious Williams at corner, a residual of only spending late day 3 picks on the secondary. It’s time they added an impact player in the secondary with Hairston, who has nice route recognition and instincts from off coverage, something the Rams major in. It might be a little rich, but the fit is much cleaner here.
Man, a LB duo of Jihaad Campbell and Edgerrin Cooper, whew. Campbell is a big, physical linebacker but his movement skills and feel for coverage make him such a seamless fit at any linebacker spot. The Packers have morphed their defense into playing a lot of Cover 2, and having Campbell be that middle runner and let Cooper be the havoc guy in the middle? Against the physicality the NFC North brings? Absolutely.
Mbow is a really interesting eval, but he can truly play all five positions along the offensive line. I think he’s best at center, where the Chargers are going to potentially be missing C Bradley Bozeman. Mbow’s grip strength is incredible, and he can help shore up some of the problems the Chargers had running between the tackles.
The Commanders need a second receiver opposite Terry McLaurin, so the Commanders go back to the Ohio State receiver well. Egbuka is such a smooth and precise route runner, that’ll help open up the passing offense for Washington and make them much more efficient in the short to intermediate areas.
This feels like the typical Ravens’ pass rusher pick that they can just stockpile to boost their pass rush. Kyle Van Noy getting to 11.5 sacks is amazing, but he’s also past 30 and adding more juice to that pass rush is always needed. Green is lightning quick off the ball and around the corner, and is improving as a run defender. Having Green go to Baltimore and be a designated pass rusher while he develops in the run game could be a very prudent plan.
If you want a cornerback who will live or die in man coverage, go turn on Azareye’h Thomas tape. He’s got the intangibles, size (6’2) and speed to live on an island in press or in man coverage. The Vikings can’t keep getting away with Stephon Gilmore at cornerback, and a shot of youth in the secondary could help them get over the hump.
The Bills need some more beef up front, and Grant is a dancing bear at the spot. While he’s inconsistent, Grant being the run-stopping one technique that they’ve been looking for next to Ed Oliver is a major boost for Buffalo. Also, watch this and you’ll understand:
Josh Sweat is an upcoming free agent and Brandon Graham might potentially be out the door, so Howie Roseman does what he does best: draft a defensive lineman in the first round. Jackson might be a weird player to fit in any defense, but his length, bend and physical play against the run gives the Eagles another monster to put along the defensive line.
Honestly, I think Barron might be a little similar to Chiefs’ CB Trent McDuffie when it comes to their playing style. Both were outside corners that might fit a bit better inside, but with the versatility that DC Steve Spagnuolo wants in his secondary, it could be worth it to take Barron here. The long speed is a bit of a question, but his instincts and physicality just scream Kansas City Chief.
I would honestly be surprised if Scourton makes it this far, but if he does the Lions should write his name in sharpie. I think Scourton put on weight to play in a different defense at Texas A&M, but he has the motor and blur of burst and power to be a menace off the edge. Detroit has failed to find a consistent EDGE partner for Aidan Hutchinson, but they get one here in Scourton.
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