The 2024 College Football Playoff is upon us and the NFL season is wrapping up. Thus, we begin the best time of the year: draft season! This class is certainly interesting, and through the 2024 season we’ve seen a lot of risers and fallers throughout the process. I still think this draft class is incredibly strong in places where people have decided there is no value, and it’s reflected in the first round.

There are two running backs and three tight ends in the first round compared to only three receivers and two quarterbacks, possibly a reflection of where the strengths in this class lie. This is a very strong class at running back, with my top two backs having a lot of versatility in various run schemes. In addition, there are some very high quality tight ends, and as the NFL shifts to a 12 personnel world, they become much more valuable.

Conversely, I really like this defensive class. There are a lot of very good trench players, and a versatile group of EDGE defenders throughout. We could see a run on defensive players early in this draft. Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter just won the Heisman, and while we’ve had him go No. 1 overall in previous projections, here he slips a little bit to a team that could desperately use him.

With that being said, here’s the third iteration of the 2025 NFL Mock Draft.

1 . New York Giants — Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado

Sanders gets a lot of flak considering what his last name is, but he’s the best QB in the class to me. He shows good processing, poise and has great touch and accuracy from the pocket. He gives head coach Brian Daboll (or whoever coaches the Giants) a pocket passer they can build around.

2. Las Vegas Raiders — Cameron Ward, QB, Miami

The Raiders need some form of excitement and explosive play from the signal caller position. QBs Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell don’t provide that, and end up wasting what was an outstanding seaosn by Brock Bowers. Enter Ward, who has his warts when it comes to some of the outside the pocket theatrics, but provides a lot of explosives with his arm.

3. New England Patriots — Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado

I think New England would run to the podium if the board fell this way. Hunter is an electrifying talent who would be a good receiver, but could be an incredible cornerback with his instincts and ball skills. A duo of Hunter and Christian Gonzalez would be one of the NFL’s best young duos.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars — Will Johnson, CB, Michigan

According to FTN Fantasy, the Jaguars are sixth in the NFL in DVOA allowed to WR1s. Pretty darn good if you ask me.

Against WR2s, they’re dead last. This is a Tyson Campbell tweet.

Johnson is a sticky defender in coverage who checks every box you want in a shutdown cornerback. A trio of Campbell, Johnson and rookie nickel Jarrian Jones would be pretty darn fun.

5. Carolina Panthers — Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State

Quick, can you name an EDGE defender for the Panthers that isn’t Jadeveon Clowney? Yeah, that’s what I thought. Carter is a terrifying blend of speed and burst that will instantly lift a pass rush, while having the fluid movement skills to drop in coverage in Ejiro Evero’s scheme. Carolina should write this pick in stone.

6. Tennessee Titans — Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona

I wouldn’t be shocked if the Titans took a swing on one of the high-ceiling QB prospects given how QB Will Levis has actively thrown games into the opponents’ hands. However, I’m not too sold on any QB outside the top two prospects and the Titans have a lot more holes to fill, such as receiver. After trading WR Deandre Hopkins, the Titans need another outside receiver. McMillan has some underrated wiggle to his game for a bigger receiver and can be a nice complement to WR Calvin Ridley.

7. Cleveland Browns — Mason Graham, DT, Michigan

Another spot where I wouldn’t be surprised to see a QB come off the board (cough cough Drew Allar), but I chose to give them a top five prospect in this class in Graham. He’s a bowling ball of constant destruction, showing a nice blend of power and technique to be disruptive. Good luck blocking Graham and Myles Garrett on the same defensive line.

8. New York Jets — Shemar Stewart, EDGE, New York Jets

So much about this team remains in flux due to their situation at QB, but if everything remains the same, adding an impact EDGE to help the run game out. Stewart is a massive EDGE defender with long arms, and while his pass rush diet is still slim, he offers more than enough athletic upside and versatility for a team to draft this fast-rising EDGE defender.

9. Chicago Bears — Kelvin Banks, OL, Texas

I’m not sure where Banks plays along the offensive line, considering most franchises might not think he’s a tackle, but he’s in luck because the Bears need help quite literally at every offensive line spot. Banks might not have the arm length to last on the edge, but he has the movement skills and knockout power to be a very good guard if the Bears want to kick him inside.

10. New Orleans Saints — Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia

The Saints might be entering a new era of their team this offseason. With Dennis Allen gone and the head coaching spot in flux, it remains to be seen what happens with aging veterans like LB Demario Davis, EDGE Cameron Jordan and S Tyrann Mathieu. They boost their defense with another EDGE in the Saints mold with Williams, a freakazoid defender with some of the longest arms I’ve seen on a prospect. His pass rush is still coming along, but if you liked Travon Walker, Williams will be for you.

11. Miami Dolphins — Will Campbell, OL, LSU

Campbell might fall due to his arm length and where he plays, but he might be the best lineman in the class. Miami grabs him at 11, where he can use his core strength and flexibility on the inside to help give the Dolphins some physicality up front.

12. Indianapolis Colts — Malaki Starks, S, Georgia

Starks is another one of a very good crop of defenders. He has the versatility to play both in the box and on the roof of a defense, with the range to play in any scheme. The Colts need more from their secondary after a pretty dismal 2024 season, and safeties Julian Blackmon and Nick Cross are free agents in 2024 and 2025, respectively. Starks truly is the best player available, and going to the Colts would be an incredible fit.

13. Cincinnati Bengals — Nic Scourton, EDGE, Texas A&M

Make that two Aggie EDGEs in the first round, with Scourton going to Cincinnati. The Bengals’ inability to get pass rush from anyone not named Trey Hendrickson has been a major problem this year, and Hendrickson might also want out of his deal. Scourton has to get back to the weight he played with at Purdue, but he’s such a great blend of power and burst that it would bring the Bengals a nice complement to Hendrickson or a future building block.

14. Dallas Cowboys — Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State

Yes, Rico Dowdle has played well recently, but I still think he’s more of a complement to an ace running back. With this receiver class being a little weird, I again opted to go best player available and gave the Cowboys a top five player in the draft class with Jeanty. A tackle breaking machine, Jeanty does it in all three facets of being a running back. Jeanty with the Cowboys just makes too much sense.

15. San Francisco 49ers — Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon

What a rise for Harmon, who transferred from Michigan State to Oregon and has played himself into the first round of many mocks, including this one. He’s a disruptive defensive tackle who will fit in with the Niners attacking, downhill style of defense with their lack of interior presence.

16. Atlanta Falcons — James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee

The Falcons pick up one of my favorite players in the draft class in Pearce Jr. with the 16th pick. He’s had a bit of an up and down year due to injury, but when healthy Pearce is a blur off the ball with burst and speed around the edge, something that not many guys have coming out of college nowadays. Atlanta needs any form of pass rush help they can get, and getting a guy like Pearce can instantly lift that portion of their defense.

17. Arizona Cardinals — Tyleik Williams, DT, Ohio State

One of the most powerful linemen in this draft class, Williams packs a punch with really strong hands in the run and pass game. Arizona’s defense has impressed me schematically, but they’re just too small up front. Adding Williams gives them some beef and a guy who can help them be a bit stronger in the run game.

18. Los Angeles Rams — Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State

The Rams were rumored to be one of the teams that wanted to trade up for TE Brock Bowers last year, so this year they get a tight end in the first round. Warren has a massive catch radius, but it’s what he does after the catch and as a blocker that have me excited. The Mackey Award winner paired with WRs Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp? Sign me up.

19. Los Angeles Chargers — Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan

The tight end run continues with Loveland reuniting with Jim Harbaugh in Los Angeles. Before Sunday’s loss, Chargers’ QB Justin Herbert had the 10th most passing attempts to tight ends this season. Loveland might not be as good of a blocker as Warren, but he has nice agility and ability to separate from underneath defenders.

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Jalon Walker, EDGE/LB, Georgia

The Buccaneers are going to need help at linebacker and EDGE in the offseason, with LB Lavonte David potentially entering free agency, in addition to not being able to generate any pass rush without blitzing. So why not give them a guy that can be both? Walker might not have a defined position in the NFL, but I think he has the burst and pass rush chops to be an impact edge defender.

21. Seattle Seahawks — Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama

As much. as Seattle needs help along the interior offensive line, they normally don’t pick for that spot early. So, I’m opting to give head coach Mike MacDonald another freak linebacker in Jihaad Campbell. Campbell does things at 6’3 and 250 pounds that most inside linebackers smaller than him are unable to do. Giving MacDonald Campbell and letting him be another lever to pull in his defensive games would be a major lift to the Seattle defense.

22. Washington Commanders — Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri

I could see the Commanders taking a swing on a corner like East Carolina’s Shavon Revel Jr here, but the thought of Luther Burden III in this offense is too good to pass up. Burden is a big play waiting to happen from the slot, where he uses his underrated separation ability underneath on top of his ability after the catch to win. WR Terry McLaurin could use another running mate, and I think Burden could be that guy.

23. Denver Broncos — Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa

Kaleb Johnson runs like those Paul George edits with the Erykah Badu song “Didn’t Cha Know” behind them. He’s such a smooth operator with quick feet and vision to find any hole, and if it weren’t for Ashton Jeanty being incredible he would be my RB1. Denver needs more from their running back room, and Johnson could be a really fun fit in that offense.

24. Baltimore Ravens — Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State

I thought about going receiver here for Baltimore, but opted to go with Ohio State’s Josh Simmons. This tackle class is…weird. Banks and Campbell might be viewed as guards, so the true tackles could be gotten later on in the draft. Simmons is the best true tackle in the class, but is coming off of a season-ending knee injury. If he’s healthy, he’s a big, smooth mover who can fill in for Ronnie Stanley if Stanley decides to walk in free agency.

25. Houston Texans — Marcus Mbow, OL, Purdue

The Texans haven’t been able to protect CJ Stroud at all this season. With the injuries up front and constant inconsistent play, the Texans have to make a change to protect their franchise QB. Mbow can play anywhere along the offensive line, and has powerful grip strength and hands. Get him in the building and find a spot for him to play.

26. Green Bay Packers — Landon Jackson, EDGE, Arkansas

The Packers love their athletic dudes out on the edge, and Jackson fits that mold. A bit of a unique player, he’s tall at 6’7 and has long arms, but has a lot more bend and dip than many would think given his size. He played on the inside for Arkansas’ 3-man front, but I think he could blossom in Green Bay out on the edge.

27. Pittsburgh Steelers — Isaiah Bond, WR, Texas

The Steelers have this issue where outside of George Pickens they don’t have anyone who can create explosive plays anywhere. I considered a running back here given that both Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris are both free agents, but with Johnson gone I decided to give them a receiver. Bond is a little slight of frame, but creates easy separation, a much needed switch up to the receivers in the room for the Steelers.

28. Minnesota Vikings — Shavon Revel Jr., CB, East Carolina

Revel could go much, much higher than this, but I’m going to try and will this into existence. The Vikings are relying on Shaq Griffin and Stephon Gilmore opposite Byron Murhy, and even Murphy is up for an extension. Revel also was lost to a knee injury earlier this season, but if he’s healthy enough to run at the Combine, he’s going to wow teams with his athleticism and ball skills.

29. Buffalo Bills — Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan

The forgotten man among the Wolverine star defenders, Grant is truly an athletic marvel. He was on Bruce Feldman’s freaks list, and if you watch him play, you can see why. He’s got incredible quickness and burst for his size, along with the power to be an impact in the run and passing game. The inconsistency scares me, but I’m sending him to Buffalo, where they could use the size up front.

30. Philadelphia Eagles — Michael Green, EDGE, Marshall

Please go watch Michael Green play if you have to, he’s a delight. Green is a blur off the ball with speed and bend, and despite not having much of a role against the run, he can be an instant boost to any pass rush. Philly grabs him and adds him to their group of freakish edge defenders waiting to roll out at any time.

31. Detroit Lions — LT Overton, EDGE, Alabama

Overton is a guy that fits all the Lions’ athletic measurables they want at EDGE and then some. He’s a massive 6’5 and 283 pounds, but shows some surprising movement skills for a guy that size as well. Detroit needs depth and talent opposite Aidan Hutchinson up front, and while Overton is still figuring out what works as a pass rusher, he’s got all the tools to figure it out.

32. Kansas City Chiefs — Gunnar Helm, TE, Texas

I wouldn’t be shocked here if the Chiefs took a corner to help bolster a room ravaged by injury, but man I just wonder if Travis Kelce is going to keep playing this year. That, combined with how much the Chiefs love to be in 12 and 13 personnel, and I think they could really use an impact tight end. Enter Helm, who is a great receiver after the catch and competes his ass off as a blocker. He would be another easy button for QB Patrick Mahomes.