2025 NFL Draft News & Rumors

Giants To Host RB Omarion Hampton; Latest On Team’s First-Round Plans

April 10th, 2025 at 1:35pm CST by Adam La Rose

Adding a rookie quarterback is certainly on the table for the Giants; with Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston on the books, though, the team has increasingly been seen as situated to avoid a signal-caller with the No. 3 pick. Signs continue to point in that direction.

Provided the Titans follow through with selecting Cam Ward first overall, the Browns will be left with their choice of top prospects Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter. Whichever member of that pair remains available when New York is on the clock will no doubt receive strong consideration, especially if general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll do not view Shedeur Sanders as being worth a top-three pick.

The Browns have previously been linked to heavy Carter interest, but more recently Hunter has emerged as the favorite to go second overall. Part of determining the Heisman winner’s NFL landing spot will of course be the evaluation of his position at the pro level, and the Giants – who may have shifted their view on that front – are firmly in play to draft him. A move up the board to accomplish that may be on the table.

Sports Illustratred’s Albert Breer writes either Hunter or Carter are likely headed to the Giants later this month, with the team positioned to take a best player available approach at the top of the board. Selecting the latter would add to an edge rush group already featuring Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns, making for what could be a less immediate path to playing time for the Penn State standout. By contrast, Hunter could fill a void at receiver and/or cornerback.

New York’s WR group is headlined by Malik Nabers and includes veteran re-signee Darius Slayton, but room exists for a complementary option. Hunter could meet that requirement on offense, or if deployed on defense he could join a CB depth chart featuring free agent addition Paulson Adebo. 2023 first-rounder Deonte Banks has not developed as hoped, and Hunter could compete for a starting spot right away opposite Adebo on the perimeter. Depending on how the Browns’ evaluations shake out, Breer adds a trade up to the second slot could be in play which would ensure the Giants’ ability to add Hunter.

In other draft news concerning the team, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports Omarion Hampton is visiting today. The North Carolina product is widely seen as the second best member of a very strong running back class and is firmly on the first-round radar. New York’s post-Saquon Barkley era saw veteran Devin Singletary and fifth-round rookie Tyrone Tracy split time in the backfield. Both of them are under contract for next year, but adding further at the RB position could be under consideration.

Barring a move well down the Day 1 order, though, Hampton is unlikely to be in New York’s range. The second-team All-American can likely be projected to hear his name called sometime in the 20s, Breer predicts (video link). A Hampton selection prior to that could be in the cards, although it would still represent a surprise if the Giants were to find themselves as a serious suitor.

Raiders Arrange Visits With Shedeur Sanders, Will Campbell, Mason Graham, Carson Schwesinger

April 10th, 2025 at 11:14am CST by Adam La Rose

Set to select sixth overall, the Raiders find themselves in an interesting position as the countdown to the draft continues. The team could go in several different directions, and a number of first-round options are being examined through pre-draft visits.

Vegas lined up a large number of top-30 visits yesterday, and Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reports the group included LSU tackle Will Campbell and Michigan defensive lineman Mason Graham. Both prospects are viewed in the tier below presumed No. 1 pick Cam Ward and the highly-regarded duo of Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter. Depending on how the Patriots and Jaguars operate with the fourth and fifth selections, though, neither Campbell nor Graham may be available once Vegas is on the clock.

The Raiders’ work also included their previously-reported visit with Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty. The Heisman runner-up has frequently been mentioned as a logical fit for Vegas given the team’s struggles on the ground last season and resultant need to find a long-term Josh Jacobs successor. Selecting Campbell or Graham instead would leave a vacancy in the backfield (at least until later in the draft), but it would help shore up the line of scrimmage for a team looking to rebound from a 4-13 season.

A large part of that effort has been the acquisition of quarterback Geno Smith. The trade sending him to the Raiders was recently followed by a two-year extension putting him on the books through 2027, but the team is still interested in exploring rookie signal-callers. Among those with a visit planned is Shedeur Sanders, per Breer. The Colorado passer’s Vegas meeting will take place on Monday, he adds.

Vegas has previously been connected to Sanders, whose stock remains a key talking point in advance of the draft. A fall out of the first round is not expected, but the strength of prospects at other positions for teams not immediately in need of a signal-caller could lead them in another direction. Still, the Browns and Giants have been linked to Sanders interest, and his visit with the Steelers (set to select 21st overall) today illustrates the extent of his list of suitors.

Sanders is not the only QB prospect being looked into. As Breer notes, Texas’ Quinn Ewers and Ohio State’s Will Howard were present yesterday, along with Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart. Those three passers face a wide range of draft outcomes, but Dart has gained steam for first-round consideration. Ewers and Howard are more logical targets if Vegas – now led by head coach Pete Carroll, general manager John Spytek and (to a notable extent) minority owner Tom Brady – plans to wait until after Day 1 to add a quarterback .

Also present for Wednesday’s prospect summit was Carson Schwesinger, according to Tashan Reed of The Athletic. The UCLA product is seen as one of the top linebackers in the 2025 class, and he is slated to hear his name called sometime in the second round. Vegas owns pick No. 37, which could be used on Schwesinger based in part on how yesterday’s visit went. With respect to the team’s top selection, though, several options are on the table and are receiving consideration.

NFL Teams Remain Split On Travis Hunter’s Position

April 9th, 2025 at 9:41pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Colorado draft prospect Travis Hunter wants to play both receiver and cornerback full-time in the NFL, but the consensus in league circles is that he will likely focus on one position with a situational role at the other.

Even that would be a physical and mental challenge, not to mention a logistical one, too. Hunter would need to attend meetings for the full offense and defense, plus both of his positions, and he’d have to continue the juggling act during practices. He did it throughout his college career, but the jump in NFL competition and complexity would require even more discipline and time management.

A “slight majority” of teams polled by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler see Hunter as a cornerback. One executive said that he could be among a top-10 receiver, but one of the league’s best corners by the end of his first contract.

If forced to choose, Hunter would prefer to primarily play wide receiver, a sentiment that is shared by some scouts. Among them is ESPN’s Matt Miller, who argued that Hunter’s slender frame would face more wear-and-tear at cornerback and his playmaking ability offers higher upside at receiver.

Miller also noted that Hunter ran routes at Colorado’s pro day but did not participate in any cornerback drills, reinforcing the message that he will be receiver first in the NFL.

A quick comparison of wide receiver and cornerback contracts make it clear why Hunter would want to be classified as a receiver. His ability to play on both sides of the ball will already boost his earning potential, but his official classification is still important. The NFLPA will need to list him at one position, so being a receiver would offer him more money for both his fifth-year option and any potential franchise tags. In the long run, he stands to make significantly more money as a wide receiver who also contributes at corner as opposed to the inverse.

The Giants reportedly view Hunter primarily as a cornerback, but head coach Brian Daboll expressed openness to playing him at wide receiver.

“It’s really remarkable what he has done and the ability to perform at that level, not really getting a rest,” said Daboll (via Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post). “We’ll evaluate him at both spots.’’

Giants Could Aim To Land Both Colorado Stars

April 9th, 2025 at 2:02pm CST by Ely Allen

APRIL 9: Echoing the notion that Carter or Hunter are the team’s likely targets at No. 3, Fowler’s colleague Jordan Raanan reports some see the Giants as not being high on Sanders. If that were to be the case, a quarterback move later in the draft would certainly still be in play, but a package deal of Hunter and Sanders would not be feasible. How New York evaluates the Colorado passer over the coming days will be critical in informing the team’s draft approach.

APRIL 8: For a while, it seemed like there was an obvious path for Colorado quarterback prospect Shedeur Sanders to land with the Giants. Some later acquisitions made it seem likely that New York would go elsewhere in the 2025 NFL Draft, but a recent mock draft by Connor Hughes of SportsNet New York suggested that there’s still a less obvious path that could see Sanders end up with Big Blue.

Initially, it was thought that the Giants would be considering drafting Sanders with the No. 3 overall pick in the draft. A few things have changed that thinking. First, while quarterback was certainly seen as an area in need of improvement initially, the Giants have since added two veterans with starting potential in Jameis Winston and Russell Wilson. Adding two veteran passers doesn’t solve the team’s long-term future at quarterback, but it did make it to where there’s no obligation to address the position in this year’s draft, perhaps delaying to a class with more than one first-round worthy player at the position.

Second, Sanders’ draft stock has not exactly been on the rise in recent weeks. Whether a result of one-on-one interviews or his workouts, some teams seem to have fallen out of love with him. As a result, Sanders has seemed to be in danger of sliding down the draft board and, at times, out of the first round altogether.

The third thing to change the potential outcome is the increasingly certain outlook of the Titans’ No. 1 overall pick. While not Sharpied in, there’s growing certainty around the league that Miami quarterback Cam Ward is headed to Tennessee. That leaves the draft’s top two prospects — Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter and Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter — available for Cleveland to decide between, assuming they’re also out on Sanders.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler asserted recently that with the acquisitions of Winston and Wilson lessening the need for a passer, it’s the belief of most teams in the top 10 picks of the draft that the Giants will choose whoever remains out of Carter and Hunter after the Titans and Browns make their picks. He doesn’t abandon quarterback as an option but claims they may defer that position to Days 2 or 3.

Hughes’ mock draft agrees on one hand, showing New York selecting Hunter after Ward and Carter go 1 & 2. Where it disagrees with Fowler’s sentiment comes six picks later, where Hughes doesn’t rule out the possibility of the Giants trading back into the first round to draft Sanders alongside his teammate at No. 9 overall. As Hughes explains, New York has plenty of picks to give up in order to move up; they have two thirds this year and their full cache of picks in 2026.

It would be a bold move for general manager Joe Schoen and company, likely spending a lot of draft capital in order to take the Buffaloes teammates in the top 10, but perhaps a bold move is exactly what is needed in New York. It was news when Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll kept their jobs after Black Monday, so making bold moves to setup up the future of the team may be the all-in action necessary for Schoen to stick around past 2025.

OT Armand Membou To Visit Cowboys

April 9th, 2025 at 1:22pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Cowboys are hosting projected first-rounder Armand Membou on a top-30 visit, per ESPN’s Todd Archer.

The Missouri product is widely considered to be one of the draft’s top-two offensive tackles along with LSU’s Will Campbell. Membou has skyrocketed up draft boards since the Combine, where he ranked among the top four offensive linemen in the 40-yard dash, broad jump, vertical jump, and bench press.

That performance may push him into the top 10 on draft night and out of the range of the Cowboys, who hold the 12th overall pick. Membou, currently the 12th-ranked prospect on Daniel Jeremiah’s big board, has the size and athleticism to start at offensive tackle in the NFL, though it’s unclear if he would have that opportunity in Dallas anytime soon.

The Cowboys signed right tackle Terence Steele to a long-term extension in 2023 and invested a first-round pick in left tackle Tyler Guyton last year, but they may look at Membou as a high-upside guard after the retirement of Zack Martin. The latter enjoyed a stellar career in Dallas, collecting nine total first- or second-team All-Pro nods. Replacing his level of play will be a challenge, and slotting in Membou along the interior could achieve that goal.

The junior took on first-team duties midway through his debut Tigers campaign and continued in that capacity the rest of the way, earning second-team All-SEC honors last season. With 29 starts to his name, Membou could step into a role right away in the NFL, although the fact he played exclusively at right tackle in college means a guard opportunity at the pro level would require a transition phase. Still, Dallas would have a potential successor for Steele (whose contract does not include guaranteed salaries beyond 2025) in place with a Membou selection.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

Steelers Host Derrick Harmon, Omarion Hampton On Top-30 Visits

April 9th, 2025 at 12:27pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Steelers are continuing to assess options for their 2025 draft class by hosting Oregon defensive linemen Derrick Harmon and North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton on top-30 visits, per Ray Fittpaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Both Harmon and Hampton are projected to go in the first round of April’s draft in which the Steelers hold the 21st overall pick. Either player could contribute in Pittsburgh right away with the team needing to add long-term contributors at both positions.

The Steelers released Larry Ogunjobi in March, leaving behind a defensive line that only has one player – 2024 sixth-rounder Logan Lee – signed past the 2026 season. Keeanu Benton could be re-signed as a long-term starter, but Cameron Heyward will be 37 when his contract expires. DeMarvin Leal, Dean Lowry, and Montravius Adams are all entering contract years, further heightening the need to add in the trenches.

Harmon, the 21st-ranked prospect on Daniel Jeremiah’s big board, could fit the bill. He is a three-year starter who posted career-highs of 5.0 sacks and 11 tackles for loss during his senior year at Oregon after spending his first three college seasons at Michigan State. He has the football I.Q. and competitiveness that defensive line coaches will covet, though he does not profile as an elite athlete compared to the rest of the draft class.

The Steelers will also need to add to their backfield after letting Najee Harris walk in free agency. Pittsburgh retained restricted free agent Jaylen Warren and signed Kenneth Gainwell, but Hampton offers a higher-long term ceiling with his size, athleticism, and three-down ability. He is Jeremiah’s 13th-ranked prospect after two outstanding seasons for the Tar Heels and an excellent showing at the NFL Combine.

Browns Host Several QB Prospects; Raiders To Meet With Jaxson Dart

April 8th, 2025 at 10:36pm CST by Ely Allen

Tuesday was a busy day in Cleveland, where the Browns hosted a number of quarterback prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft. According to a few different sources, Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, and Louisville’s Tyler Shough all were on site for visits in Cleveland today.

Don’t be mistaken, despite recent buzz for Dart and Milroe as potential first-rounders, neither player is likely being considered a target at No. 2 overall. More likely, the Browns are exploring the possibility of utilizing their current first-round pick on one of either Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter or Colorado athlete Travis Hunter then either taking a quarterback at the top of the second round or trading back into the first round for one.

Dart seems like the least likely to land in Cleveland. In order to draft Dart, it’s starting to look like the Browns would need to trade well into the first round. Dart has been noted as a player under consideration as the Saints (No. 9 overall pick) explore their options for a quarterback of the future. If Dart gets passed over in favor of a sliding Shedeur Sanders or some other prospect, the Steelers could move on the Ole Miss product to take over after Aaron Rodgers (or if Rodgers never signs). After visiting with the Browns today, Dart will visit next with the Raiders, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He’s also spent “considerable time” with the Giants and Rams.

If Dart does go to New Orleans or some other team early, the Steelers have also been linked to Milroe. Pittsburgh really likes Milroe due to his elite athleticism. The Alabama product has plenty of shortcomings as a quarterback prospect, but many believe that, if they can coach up some of those areas of concern, his athleticism will be too big of an asset to pass up. According to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports, Milroe had private workouts with both Cleveland and New Orleans that were described as “impressive.” Today’s top-30 visit with the Browns was reported by Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Cabot also reported Shough’s participation.

Shough has not really been the subject of many rumblings about the first round, but as a quarterback, he may just sneak in. Should Cam Ward, Sanders, Dart, and Milroe all come off the board after Pittsburgh is done selecting at No. 21 overall, the Browns may find it safe to trade up a pick or two into the first round to take Shough.

While it would be a safe bet that Shough could fall to them at the top of the second round, moving up slightly likely wouldn’t cost Cleveland too much draft capital. Also, trading into the first round for any of the above prospects would provide Cleveland the luxury of a fifth-year option, giving them more time to develop whatever young passer they may acquire.

Shedeur Sanders To Visit Steelers

April 8th, 2025 at 10:25pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Steelers are hosting Colorado quarterback prospect Shedeur Sanders on a top-30 visit, another indication that the team is considering using a first-round pick on a quarterback in April’s draft.

Sanders will visit Pittsburgh on Thursday, per Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The Steelers currently hold the 21st overall pick, which is considered the floor for Sanders’ draft spot. They have also been linked with Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe, who was invited to attend the first night of the draft in person, indicating that the league believes he will be a first-round pick.

The Steelers’ quarterback room currently consists of Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson, who were both acquired this offseason. Mike Tomlin has said he is comfortable entering the 2025 season with Rudolph as the team’s starter, though he doesn’t profile as a long-term franchise quarterback. Pittsburgh has been looking for such a player since the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger in 2022.

Sanders could fit the bill. He is widely thought to be the second-best quarterback in his draft class behind Miami’s Cam Ward, who is expected to be drafted by the Titans with the No. 1 pick. However, Sanders could be taken in the first five picks after being frequently linked with the Browns and the Giants, so the Steelers may have to trade up if they want to bring him to Pittsburgh.

Teams also use top-30 visit to scout players they expect to face in the NFL. If the Browns take Sanders, the Steelers will have to play him twice a year for the foreseeable future, so their coaching staff will want as much information about his playing style and tendencies as possible.

Packers Host Emeka Egbuka; WR Visited Cowboys

April 8th, 2025 at 10:20pm CST by Adam La Rose

The top of the 2025 receiver class is not held in the same regard as previous drafts. Nevertheless, teams in need of pass-catching help are doing homework on the best options in this month’s event.

One of those is Emeka Egbuka. The Ohio State product met with the Cowboys recently, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. He adds a visit with the Packers also began yesterday and will continue today. Both teams have been mentioned as potential suitors for an early draft addition, so this news comes as no surprise.

Dallas saw Brandin Cooks depart in free agency, creating a vacancy at the WR2 spot. The Cowboys have CeeDee Lamb atop the depth chart for years to come, but a complementary group featuring Jonathan Mingo, Jalen Tolbert and returner KaVontae Turpin could stand to see an addition. Stephen Jones recently confirmed the Cowboys are in the market for a receiver addition, which could consist of a veteran signing or using an early draft pick at the position.

The Packers have deployed a young array of players at receiver and tight end in recent years. Many observers have called for the arrival of a true No. 1 wideout to allow for Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Bo Melton and Christian Watson to serve in more of a complementary role. The latter’s January ACL tear will lead to missed time in 2025, so a rookie selected early in April could have a path to immediate playing time. Green Bay has not taken a receiver on Day 1 of the draft since 2002.

It remains to be seen if Egbuka will hear his name called in the first round, but he is among the top options at the WR spot in 2025. The senior spent his entire four-year career at Ohio State, setting the school’s all-time record for receptions with 205 and playing a central role in the team’s national title in 2024. The No. 17 prospect on NFL Network Daniel Jeremiah’s board, Egbuka profiles best as a slot receiver at the NFL level. He is joined by Colorado’s Travis Hunter (he if plays on offense upon being drafted), Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan and Texas’ Matthew Golden as a receiver firmly on the first-round radar.

Both the Cowboys (set to select 12th overall) and Packers (23rd) fell short of the top 10 in passing yards last season. Improving in that department could include using a high draft pick on a receiver, and Egbuka will be a name to watch for those teams.

Rams Continuing Year-To-Year Approach With Matthew Stafford

April 8th, 2025 at 4:47pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Rams are continuing a year-to-year approach with Matthew Stafford after signing him to a restructured deal that will keep him in Los Angeles for the 2025 season.

The team is expecting to revisit his contract every year as he considers retiring or returning to the field as one of the league’s longest-tenured players, per Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic.

Rams vice president of football and business administration Tony Pastoors said that Stafford’s annual contract review is a “good problem to have.”

“If you’ve got a quarterback, you’ve got a chance,” said Pastoors (via Rodrigue). “And we’ve got a really good one.”

General manager Les Snead said that retaining Stafford will push the Rams towards a “win-now” approach in April’s draft, making it less likely that the team will use a premium pick on a quarterback.

“Always open to drafting a quarterback,” Snead said, but he added that teams with a more immediate need under center tend to take quarterbacks higher than the Rams value them. He also acknowledged the possibility that another team could trade up to Los Angeles’ first-round pick (No. 26 overall) to draft a quarterback.

Head coach Sean McVay said that drafting a quarterback was “unlikely,” per Sports Illustrated’s Brock Vierra.

“I’ll be honest with you, I haven’t done a whole lot of work on the quarterbacks,” continued McVay. “I feel really good about where our quarterback room is.”

The Rams’ quarterback room currently consists of Stafford, veteran Jimmy Garoppolo and 2023 fourth-rounder Stetson Bennett. Garoppolo is on a one-year deal, while Bennett has two years remaining on his rookie contract. Since Stafford has stated a desire to play beyond 2025, the team doesn’t seem to be in any rush to find his successor.

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