Pro Football Rumors 2025 NFL Mock Draft
The pool of prospects available for teams later this month delivers an interesting challenge for anyone making a mock draft. This year’s crop of players has been viewed as far more deep than it is top-heavy, with only 15-20 players receiving first-round grades in most scouting departments. Because of this, we’re left with a fun uncertainty in which any of several players with second- to third-round grades could hear their names called throughout the back half of the first round.
Here, we’ll make an attempt to identify the best prospects for each team in their draft slot and with their position needs. Because we’re in a rare and fun scenario at the moment in which every team holds its own first-round pick for the first time in a long, long time, we will not be predicting any in-draft trades, but you can read here about the possibilities for such trades happening at the tail-end of the first round.
1) Tennessee Titans — QB Cam Ward, Miami (FL)
Let’s not overthink this one. The Titans have a need at quarterback, unless they’re fully willing to run through the 2025 NFL season with Will Levis as their leader under center. While top-ranked prospects like Colorado’s Travis Hunter and Penn State’s Abdul Carter are certainly worthy picks here, it makes a bit too much sense to just address the most important position in football.
Ward has run away with the honor of being the best quarterback prospect in this year’s class. Year after year, Ward has progressed from Incarnate Word to Washington State to Miami and has played better and better football at each step of his journey. The well-traveled passer has his shortcomings as a prospect, but there is no reason to believe he won’t continue to improve and excel at the next level.
Ward here would give the Hurricanes their first first-round pick on offense since David Njoku in 2017 and their first No. 1 overall pick since the Cowboys took defensive lineman Russell Maryland in 1991. He would be bringing the best arm in the draft to Tennessee to spread the ball out behind a slowly improving offensive line.
2) Cleveland Browns — WR Travis Hunter, Colorado
I was extremely tempted to go with Hunter’s quarterback, Shedeur Sanders, at this pick. Star pass rusher Myles Garrett was a big critic of the team’s chances to contend for a title, largely due to the Browns’ quarterback situation. It felt like the only thing that could convince him to make a hard U-turn on this thinking (besides money) would be if team brass had clued him in to a plan to address the position. At this point, though, Sanders has begun to slide down a lot of boards and could be available via trade from the early second round back into the late first. We’ve also seen the Browns express interest in Alabama passer Jalen Milroe, who could be another candidate to add a fifth-year option to his contract with a trade into the first round.
Instead, we’re going with Hunter. It is strange to think we could have two players going Nos. 1 and 2 who began their collegiate careers at the FCS level, but here we are. Cleveland general manager Andrew Berry reportedly views Hunter primarily as a wide receiver, making him an exciting weapon to pair with Jerry Jeudy.
Strong ball skills combined with explosiveness and an ability to make tacklers miss make Hunter a scary edition to a group that already includes Jeudy and Njoku. While they need a quarterback to distribute the ball, that problem may be addressed later in the round. There’s a chance the Browns try to utilize Hunter’s unicorn ability to play both sides of the ball in the NFL, but we know his offensive abilities are what Cleveland primarily values.
3) New York Giants — OLB Abdul Carter, Penn State
While ultimately an easy decision, it is likely not one the Giants would prefer. Ward, Hunter, and Carter are, by a wide consensus, considered the surefire top three picks of this draft in some order. Though, it’s always possible another quarterback sneaks his way in due to desperation from Cleveland or New York. The Giants would likely love to add Hunter as a shutdown, true No. 1 cornerback, but with the 2024 Heisman winner in Cleveland, Carter is far and away the best prospect left on the board at this point. Any other pick here would be a reach. The only thing to watch out for here is the fact that general manager Joe Schoen was lucky to retain his job this offseason, and he may feel the need to do something bold in order to keep his job like going after Sanders or Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart.
There is not a huge need for Carter in New York. Despite the loss of Azeez Ojulari in free agency, the team still rosters Brian Burns and former top-five pick Kayvon Thibodeaux. The two only combined for 14 sacks in 2024 and only have two double-digit sack seasons between them. That said, the Giants have invested a lot in the pass-rushing duo and likely intend to keep utilizing the pair. Little depth exists behind them and adding Carter to serve as a third edge rusher seems underwhelming for a No. 3 pick. The Giants do have a past of making such moves, as Mathias Kiwanuka (2006) and Jason Pierre-Paul (2010) joined John Mara-run teams that had strong edge-rushing units already. It would be foolhardy for New York to pass up the last elite talent left in this draft.
4) New England Patriots — T Will Campbell, LSU
Here’s where the draft can become really interesting. Now that the top prospects are off the board, we get a little more into speculation on team preference and fit. While New England was dead last in team sacks in 2024, it made strong additions in former Titan Harold Landry and ex-Eagle Milton Williams. Because the Patriots already invested a lot in the defensive line through free agency, they use this draft slot to address another area of weakness: the offensive line.
FA pickup Morgan Moses is set to lock down his side of the line, slotting Michael Onwenu at right guard. Former Vikings center Garrett Bradbury should start, as well, allowing Cole Strange to return to his role as starting left guard with Layden Robinson providing depth on the interior. Vederian Lowe and Caedan Wallace could both receive opportunities to start at left tackle, as each was part of last season’s merry-go-round at the position. But new head coach Mike Vrabel admitted that the draft could be a useful tool to improve at the position.
Campbell started at left tackle for all three of his seasons in Baton Rouge. While analysts criticized Campbell’s lack of length as a detriment to his first-round status, scouts don’t believe it to be an issue that would prevent him from having a successful NFL career at left tackle. He heads north to New England, where Lowe or Wallace would be in place as a stopgap if the seasoned SEC blocker needs any acclimation time. Considering 2025 will be a crucial developmental year for Drake Maye, it would stand to reason Campbell would step in immediately.
5) Jacksonville Jaguars — DT Mason Graham, Michigan
Jacksonville’s biggest holes are at tight end, linebacker, and maybe safety, but none of the top prospects at those positions feel worthy of going fifth overall. The best player on the board at this point is Graham, and while defensive tackle may not be a gaping hole, it’s a spot at which the Jaguars could use an upgrade.
Graham was the top-ranked interior defender in the NCAA last year, per Pro Football Focus, and this was not a breakout year; he ranked fifth in 2023. Graham can be disruptive as an inside pass rusher, totaling nine sacks and 18 tackles for loss in three seasons, but he is an elite run defender — the NCAA’s best, per PFF — and would be pivotal to a unit that finished 25th in run defense in 2024. With Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker in place on the edge, Graham pairs with Arik Armstead to form the team’s most menacing defensive line since its 2017 “Sacksonville” crew.
6) Las Vegas Raiders — RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
There’s work to be done at a number of positions in Las Vegas, but running back seems to have the biggest need for improvement. The other position I considered here was defensive tackle, but Graham is off the board, and I think Jeanty adds more to the running backs group here than Derrick Harmon or Walter Nolen would add to the defensive line. Plus, with a decent O-line and a lack of elite wide receivers in the class, the new brain trust of general manager John Spytek, head coach Pete Carroll, and minority owner Tom Brady will need to find some way to add a weapon for new quarterback Geno Smith.
A lot will be expected of Jeanty in 2025 after he carried the Broncos to the College Football Playoff last year. Hopes that some combination of Alexander Mattison and Zamir White would make for a passable run game proved misplaced as the Raiders finished dead last in rushing in 2024. Vegas added Raheem Mostert to improve the room in free agency, and though he’s only a season removed from a 1,000-yard rushing campaign in which he led the league in rushing touchdowns with 18, the veteran speedster took a backseat last year in Miami. He would do so again here behind Jeanty, whose run at Barry Sanders‘ hallowed single-season Division I-FBS rushing record (2,628) fell just 27 yards short.
7) New York Jets — T Armand Membou, Missouri
It is extremely tempting to go with Jaxson Dart here. Post-Aaron Rodgers, the Jets are once again trying to figure out their future at quarterback. At the moment, though, they seem decently positioned with Justin Fields set to start and experienced backup Tyrod Taylor behind him. New York even rosters former Florida State star Jordan Travis as a potential underrated pick to develop. Ultimately, Dart would feel like a reach, especially if Fields continues to improve as a starter. Instead, the team decides to add a piece to protect its new starting passer.
Membou would enter a really good situation in New York. A combination of center Joe Tippmann, left guard John Simpson, and right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker anchored an impressive interior line in 2024. Olu Fashano, the team’s pick at No. 11 overall last year, should step up at left tackle, where he started five games last year. If Membou is ready, he can step in as the starting right tackle right away. If not, Chukwuma Okorafor is available to fill in until Membou develops.
8) Carolina Panthers — LB Jalon Walker, Georgia
We know that Carolina is likely to focus on defense in this year’s draft, and its biggest weaknesses currently reside in the linebacking corps, where the team has plenty of bodies but lacks elite talent. Safety, wide receiver, and tight end seem to be other positions at which the team could add, but unless the Panthers want Tyler Warren out of Penn State, none of those positions feature prospects that fit at this point of the draft.
The team’s weakness in the linebacking corps applies to both the off-ball group and the edge-rushing stable. Josey Jewell, Christian Rozeboom, and Trevin Wallace man the inside linebacker spots, while Jadeveon Clowney, Patrick Jones, D.J. Wonnum, and DJ Johnson comprise the outside linebacker corps. Aside from Clowney, none of the Panthers’ OLBs have proven to be entirely effective as starters. Walker is the perfect addition. Playing 311 snaps as an off-ball linebacker and 249 as an edge rusher in 2024, the Bulldogs standout’s versatility across the defense is reminiscent of Micah Parsons. The Panthers will get to determine at which spot Walker offers the greatest potential to help.
9) New Orleans Saints — QB Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss
Sanders is trending heavily here, especially following the injury update to veteran starter Derek Carr, but hear me out. Dart makes so much more sense here. To get it out of the way: there are weaknesses on New Orleans’ offensive line (namely at guard), cornerback, and defensive tackle, but Carr’s situation makes quarterback a direr need. While initially the team was linked to Day 2 passers like Texas’ Quinn Ewers, the situation seems to necessitate a Day 1 move.
Now, back to the Dart-Sanders argument. This doesn’t boil entirely down to the fact that the two’s draft stocks have been moving drastically in opposite directions for weeks, but that is noteworthy. New head coach Kellen Moore has worked with three quarterbacks in the past three seasons: Dak Prescott, Justin Herbert, and Jalen Hurts. Moore’s experience is with big-bodied passers with deep-ball and rushing abilities, two facets Sanders has seen criticized about his game. Sanders carries only average arm strength and plays conservatively. He also did not inherit his father’s electric speed and finished at Colorado with negative rushing yards (sacks count against rushing yards in college). Dart is a much more willing and accurate deep-ball thrower and has far more ability as a rusher.
If Carr is able to play in 2025, all the better to sit and develop Dart responsibly. If not, Dart stands a much better chance at finding success with a relatively weak offensive line and a bevy of offensive weapons than Sanders.
10) Chicago Bears — TE Tyler Warren, Penn State
Adding center Drew Dalman and guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson to a line bookended by an impressive pair in Darnell Wright and Braxton Jones solidifies a group that was suspect in 2024. Upgrades could be made along the defensive line, but Gervon Dexter and Grady Jarrett are serviceable on the interior while Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo both have more potential than they showed in 2024. It is tempting to go with Georgia’s Mykel Williams or Marshall’s Mike Green here to add more pass-rushing bodies, but the best safety blanket you can provide a young, growing quarterback like Caleb Williams is a talented tight end, and Warren is too good a prospect to fall outside of the top 10.
Now, I know Cole Kmet exists and earned a four-year, $50MM extension after a career year in 2023, but last season brought Kmet’s worst work since his rookie year. His contract includes a potential out following the 2025 season that would allow them to cut him with only $3.2MM in dead cap. Drafting Warren here provides Williams with a top-tier weapon, one coming off a 1,233-yard receiving season, and gives the Bears a chance to determine whether or not they’re able to move on from Kmet should his down 2024 turn out not to be an anomaly.
Combine Meeting, Workouts Sold Titans On QB Cam Ward
There’s plenty to like about projected No. 1 overall 2025 NFL Draft pick Cam Ward. The Hurricanes quarterback led the NCAA in passing touchdowns with 39 while only tossing seven picks and finished second in passing yards with 4,313. His effortless, no-panic playing style and ability to turn disaster plays into big gains is enough to draw the eye of any NFL scout. According to Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com, though, it was the pre-draft process that sold the Titans on the Miami passer. 
Following a rough, 3-14 2024 campaign, head coach Brian Callahan made it known that competition was likely on the way for incumbent starter Will Levis. The team sent staff to the Senior Bowl, where Shedeur Sanders was doing meetings while Jaxson Dart and Tyler Shough competed at practice. They even came away from the event thinking Sanders would be a great fit for Callahan’s system.
Then came the NFL Scouting Combine, at which NFL prospects are given 18 minutes to converse with NFL teams for an initial meeting. Ward’s initial meeting in Indianapolis with the team went so well that Tennessee quickly made sure to schedule him for a top-30 visit, which they would also do with Sanders, Travis Hunter, and Abdul Carter. The Titans made sure to bring the quarterbacks in before the start of free agency, so they could be well-informed on their plan of attack.
Ward made his way out to Nashville on March 7, five days before the opening of free agency. Per McCormick, Ward “wowed them…with his confident alpha personality…his astute knowledge of the game and his detailed understanding of the QB position.” In his first opportunity to spend significant time with the team picking first overall in late-April and talk in depth about football, Ward seemingly “knocked it out of the park.”
All the while, the quarterback dominos were falling in free agency as Tennessee never really fully committed to pursuing a veteran quarterback market that contained two former Callahan quarterbacks — Matthew Stafford and Derek Carr. Kirk Cousins stayed put in Atlanta, and all of the sudden, the only options left were players like Sam Darnold, Aaron Rodgers, and Russell Wilson, and that felt unappealing to the Titans staff. Still, the team was attracted to the idea of signing a passer like Darnold then being able to add a premier talent like Carter or Hunter at No. 1 overall.
This was the thought process Tennessee brought into Coral Gables as they attended Miami’s pro day on March 24. They sent not only coaches and evaluators but also their team beat writer and video staff to dictate and capture every interaction, including a dinner with the team the night before. Ward followed up being wined and dined with a pro day that showed him make just about every pass necessary for the position, exhibiting himself as a natural thrower of the ball. To quote Ward himself, his performance seemed to “solidify” the Titans decision.
Five days later, Ward participated in a private workout with much of the same team brass. This meeting also saw team owner Amy Adams Strunk appear to meet Ward in person. According to McCormick, the events of that private workout validated to those in attendance “who Ward is as a person and a quarterback,” and it seems that person is the future No. 1 overall pick.
Lots can certainly happen in just over a week, but Ward-to-Nashville seems to be one of the NFL draft’s worst kept secrets. We’ll find out next Thursday if Ward is, indeed, the future of the quarterback position in Tennessee.
Raiders’ Maxx Crosby Named Assistant GM At Eastern Michigan
For a moment this offseason, Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby made news by signing an extension that made him, for a short time, the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. Although Myles Garrett and Ja’Marr Chase have stolen that title since, Crosby is making headlines again, though, in a less lucrative way. Yesterday, Eastern Michigan University announced that Crosby had been named assistant general manager of EMU football. 
First off, there is precedent for this type of situation. Though Crosby is the first active NFL player to man an administrative role for his alma mater, active NBA players Steph Curry (Davidson), Trae Young (Oklahoma), and Terance Mann (Florida State) have all been named to assistant GM roles for their respective alma maters, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Mike Klis of 9NEWS adds that Broncos left tackle Garett Bolles similarly holds a director of player development role for Legend HS in Parker, CO, a nearby suburb of Denver.
Secondly, while the university’s announcement claims that Crosby “will assist with evaluating high school and transfer portal prospects and help manage the team’s NIL/revenue share budget,” serving as well as special assistant to the Athletic Director on fundraising, alumni relations, and student-athlete support, the jobs appear to be fairly nominal.
Likely, instead of performing continuous talent evaluation, fundraising, and accounting tasks, Crosby will be asked to show up for certain events to assist the athletic department. Further supporting this theory, the same announcement informed of a “Maxx Match” program, in which he’ll match donations (up to $100K) made before the end of May to EMU football. They also announced that the weakside defensive end position, traditionally listed on the depth chart as the “LEO” position, has been renamed to the “MAXX” position. Finally, they announced that the team’s top edge rusher each season will wear jersey No. 92 as a tribute to Crosby, who wore the same number when he was an Eagle.
The new title should have no effect on his responsibilities in the NFL. Crosby may be tasked with a few more responsibilities in the NFL’s offseason, but his time remains with the Raiders as he plays out his new contract.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/15/25
Today’s only minor move:
New York Giants
- Released: DT Ross Blacklock
Blacklock’s time with the Giants ends after a few short months. The former second-round pick out of TCU was the Texans first pick in the 2020 NFL Draft as Houston used a pick acquired in the DeAndre Hopkins-David Johnson trade. After two disappointing seasons, Houston traded him to the Vikings with a seventh-rounder in exchange for a sixth-round pick. Since then, he has bounced around, with stops at each of the other three teams in the AFC South. He signed to the Giants’ practice squad in early-December last year, but failed to see any game action. He signed a reserve/futures deal in January, but that deal has been terminated.
Prospect Profile: Nic Scourton
While much of the pre-draft focus coming out of College Station this year has been on likely first-round pass rusher Shemar Stewart, teammate of one year and fellow pass rusher Nic Scourton may quietly sneak into the first round with him. According to sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline, Scourton has been getting some buzz as a potential late first-round pick recently with late-round teams like the Eagles and Ravens showing particular interest. 
While registering as a consensus four-star prospect coming out of Bryan HS (TX), Scourton only ranked as the 22nd best defensive line prospect in his class, per 247Sports. As a result, Scourton wasn’t recruited by many Power 5 schools coming out of high school. His only in-state offers came from SMU, North Texas, and UTSA, and his biggest offers came from Purdue, Colorado State, Memphis, and Marshall. As his only Power 5 offer, the Boilermakers landed his commitment.
Coming off the bench as a true freshman, Scourton still found a way to make an impact. His 22 tackles were the most for a freshman defensive lineman at Purdue since George Karlaftis three years earlier, and he notched two sacks in the team’s last two games of the year. In 2023, Scourton took on a starting role and graded out as the team’s second-best defender that season, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). In only 11 games, he led the Big Ten in sacks (10.0) and was fourth in the conference in tackles for loss (15.0), earning second-team All-Big Ten honors.
Coming off his successful sophomore campaign, Scourton opted to jump into the transfer portal for what would seemingly be his final year of collegiate play. Despite their campus being a mere three miles from his high school, Texas A&M didn’t recruit Scourton out of high school, but he overlooked that fact in favor of a homecoming for his junior year, committing to transfer to the Aggies.
Because Stewart struggled to produce throughout his time in College Station, it’s no surprise that Scourton came in and led the Aggies in sacks (5.0) and tackles for loss (14.0) in 2024. Starting 12 games for Texas A&M, he graded out as the third-best player on the Aggies defense and the 48th-best edge defender in the country, per PFF.
Neither ESPN’s Matt Miller nor Dane Brugler of The Athletic have Scourton ranked as one of their top 10 edge defenders. Brugler slots him in at 12th for the position, citing some bad weight and a lack of ideal length on his frame as some issues limiting his ranking. Still, Scourton’s thick build can be beneficial at the next level, granted he puts on the right kind of weight. The size does help him as an above-average run defender, though he still profiles as a pass rusher who could stand to add some more elegant moves to his arsenal.
As Pauline mentioned above, Scourton received a top-30 visit with the Eagles this past Thursday. ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted his presence with the Browns on Tuesday, and Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 also logged meetings with the Cardinals, Texans, and Patriots.
What most all of these teams have in common is that they reside around the late-first round and early-second round, giving us a good idea of where he could fall in two weeks. While he maybe didn’t capitalize on his lone year back in the College Station area, it seems teams and their scouts are willing to look over this past season to see the potential production he displayed at Purdue in 2023. As a result, he may just find himself being selected in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Raiders Could Both Sign And Draft A WR
While having a record-setter at tight end does kind of mask other shortcomings in the passing game for the Raiders, there still seems to be a noticeable need for help at wide receiver. According to Tashan Reed of The Athletic, help could come through both free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft this offseason. Per Reed, Las Vegas is likely to sign a veteran receiver, but it won’t prevent them from drafting one, as well. 
The Raiders do currently roster starting-caliber wide receivers in Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker, but after the departure of Davante Adams last year, they struggled to find contributions from a supporting cast of DJ Turner, Terrace Marshall, Alex Bachman, and company. Besides Meyers and Tucker, the returning roster in 2025 combined for only 56 total yards with contributions from Bachman (31 yards), Kristian Wilkerson (18), and Ramel Keyton (7). The only addition to the group so far has been former Titans wide receiver Kyle Phillips, who totaled 259 yards over two years in Tennessee and didn’t play last season.
There are a number of impact options the team could sign before or after the draft, depending on the approach they’d like to take. Spending more money on more established veterans by signing Keenan Allen or reuniting with Amari Cooper could allow them to take a later flyer in the draft on a wide receiver who may need time to develop. Otherwise, Las Vegas could fetch a bargain on veterans like Diontae Johnson, Tyler Lockett, Robert Woods, Nelson Agholor, DJ Chark, or Tyler Boyd, which would put more pressure on them to find a more impactful rookie receiver in the draft.
The team isn’t expected to go after a pass catcher in the first round. At No. 6 overall, the team has been linked more to options like Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham, or Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker. More likely, Vegas could attempt to address wide receiver at the top of the second round, should they fail to land Allen or Cooper in free agency. At No. 37 overall, options like Texas’ Matthew Golden, Missouri’s Luther Burden, and Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka could all be around, as they’re all considered to be fringe first-rounders.
Las Vegas has nine draft picks this year, so they should have plenty of other options throughout the three-day event. Meyers, 6-foot-2, is effective as a reliable possession receiver who excels at getting open in the slot, and Tucker, at 5-foot-9, is a more dynamic speedster with some deep ball potential.
With that in mind, the team could opt to add a big-bodied red-zone target. Players like TCU’s Savion Williams (just under 6-foot-4), Tennessee’s Dont’e Thornton (6-foot-4.5), or Arkansas’ Isaac TeSlaa (6-foot-3.5) could all be sizeable options as Day 3 picks. More versatile, mid-size options could be another area to look at for the Raiders. Prospects like TCU’s Jack Bech and Stanford’s Elic Ayomanor could be solid Day 2 options, while SEC pass catchers like Keandre Lambert-Smith (Auburn), Chimere Dike (Florida), and Arian Smith (Georgia) could be names to watch on Day 3.
However they choose to go about it, Las Vegas has plenty of options on the table for addressing their receiving corps. Whether they choose to bring in a big-name veteran and take a later flyer in the draft or sign a solid role-player and go after one of the draft’s better receiving prospects, there’s no shortage of possible combinations that we could see in silver and black next year.
Panthers To Focus On Defense In Draft
We are only five years removed from the 2020 NFL Draft, when then-head coach Matt Rhule and the Panthers went defense with all seven of their draft picks. New head coach Dave Canales seems more willing to let general manager Dan Morgan run the show, but the 2025 NFL Draft may look go similarly. With nine picks, it’s unreasonable to expect all defensive selections, but per ESPN’s David Newton, Carolina has needs all over the defense that could be addressed in two weeks. 
While his play has been up-and-down over his first two years, Bryce Young seemingly did enough down the stretch in 2024 to secure another year as the starting quarterback. At running back, the Panthers have two backs who delivered 1,000-yard rushing seasons last year in Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle, and Dowdle provides a bit more receiving potential.
They fully return their offensive line from last year in (from left to right) tackle Ikem Ekwonu, guard Damien Lewis, center Austin Corbett, guard Robert Hunt, and tackle Taylor Moton. They even displayed impressive depth with Cade Mays stepping in at center admirably last season when Corbett went down with injury. Other strong depth pieces on the line include Yosh Nijman, Chandler Zavala, and Brady Christensen, but aside from Corbett, the Panthers only saw seven missed starts along the offensive line in 2024, and Hunt even earned a Pro Bowl bid.
The holes on offense come at wide receiver and tight end. Despite being 34 years old, Adam Thielen hardly showed his age in his starts last season. Unfortunately, injury held him out of seven straight games in the middle of the year. After Diontae Johnson departed on bad terms, Carolina was left to depend on first-round rookie Xavier Legette and undrafted rookie Jalen Coker to lead the receiving corps. At tight end, Tommy Tremble has never really impressed in his receiving or blocking responsibilities since getting drafted in the third round in 2021, but fourth-round rookie Ja’Tavion Sanders struggled to really take the job from Tremble last year, only producing more because Tremble missed five games.
On defense, the Panthers don’t necessarily have holes, but each position either lacks top-end talent or depth. The position in best standing right now is the interior line, where Derrick Brown is set to return as one of the league’s best defensive tackles. He’s been reinforced by two newcomers in Bobby Brown III and Tershawn Wharton who graded out respectably (47th and 49th, respectively, out of 118 players graded by Pro Football Focus) last year with the Rams and Chiefs. While they didn’t grade out very well, A’Shawn Robinson, Shy Tuttle, and LaBryan Ray all add depth to the line.
Cornerback is probably the team’s second-best position right now. Michael Jackson has proven to be a reliable, if unexciting, starter over the past two years, while Jaycee Horn earned a Pro Bowl berth in his first healthy season, though he did miss 29 games in his first three years. Chau Smith-Wade established himself as a serviceable nickelback as a rookie, but besides those three, the Panthers only have unproven corners in Akayleb Evans and Shemar Bartholomew on the roster. Quality depth is desperately needed.
At safety, Carolina sees new starters with Tre’von Moehrig and Nick Scott potentially stepping in in place of Xavier Woods and Jordan Fuller. On paper, these are improvements, and second-year safety Demani Richardson returns after getting some starting experience last year. Once again, though, there is zero depth behind those three, and bodies could be added in the later rounds of the draft for both secondary positions.
Both linebacker positions have plenty of depth but lack top-end talent. Shaq Thompson is still a free agent, so Josey Jewell and Trevin Wallace are the top returners at a position that also added Christian Rozeboom in free agency. There’s plenty of depth pieces behind them, as well. Unfortunately, according to PFF, none of those starters graded better than 67th out of 84 players at the position last year. Jewell (67) and Wallace (69) faired only slightly better than newcomer Rozeboom (72). 
At outside linebacker, Jadeveon Clowney is the obvious star of the show, but his resurgent excellence in Baltimore in 2023 didn’t quite continue with the Panthers last year, though he was still the team’s best defender when on the field, slightly edging out Jackson in the secondary. Behind him, D.J. Wonnum, DJ Johnson, and newcomer Patrick Jones follow in the off-ball linebackers’ footsteps, with no one grading better than 94th of 119 players at the position last year, per PFF. Jones last year with the Vikings saw him grade out at 94th, while Wonnum (95) and Johnson (98) weren’t far behind.
The most pressing need for Carolina is probably to add a strong pass rusher across from Clowney. The team may also value a strong addition at inside linebacker or safety. Tight end and wide receiver would likely follow in the order of needs. With the No. 8 overall pick in the draft, the Panthers are in a unique position. They have to keep in mind, though, that their early-second-round pick belongs to the Bears as a result of the D.J. Moore trade from 2023, but they do own the Rams’ second-rounder this year after Los Angeles traded up in the second round last year to select Braden Fiske.
In a perfect world, the Panthers somehow see Georgia’s Jalon Walker fall to them at the eighth spot. The Patriots have been linked to Walker at times, but No. 4 overall may be too high to consider the versatile defender, and New England, like that three teams with picks between it and Carolina, has potentially more pressing needs on offense, so it’s not out of the question that Walker will be available. Walker barely favored an off-ball linebacker role to an edge rusher role about 60:40 in Athens last year. This unique ability to contribute at both spots is reminiscent of Micah Parsons and would give the Panthers an opportunity to play around and figure out where exactly Walker could contribute most to the defense. 
If Walker is unavailable, they could try for Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart, Marshall’s Mike Green, or Walker’s teammate Mykel Williams, but each seems like a bit of a reach at No. 8 overall. Any other linebackers, like Alabama’s Jihaad Campbell or UCLA’s Carson Schwesinger, are fringe first-rounders, and Carolina may be wiser to trade up for them in the second or hope they fall to No. 57 overall. They could also stand pat and select a number of Day 2 receiving options (Iowa State’s Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins, Utah State’s Jalen Royals, Ole Miss’ Tre Harris, TCU’s Jack Bech, Texas’ Isaiah Bond, Stanford’s Elic Ayomanor) in the second or third round.
An interesting scenario could see the Panthers make a move for one of the draft’s two top tight ends: Penn State’s Tyler Warren or Michigan’s Colston Loveland at No. 8 overall. This would be a bit of a shock with so many bigger needs to focus on, but either player paired with Sanders would provide an immediate upgrade over a twosome of Sanders and Tremble. More likely, though, the Panthers stick to defense and choose from one of many impressive tight end options on Day 2 or 3 like LSU’s Mason Taylor, Miami’s Elijah Arroyo, or Bowling Green’s Harold Fannin.
The team could also try to trade down later into the first round if their favorite options aren’t on the table, but they would be one of several teams trying to do so. Without any elite options to trade up for, though, there are few teams interested in trading up into this range of the draft.
Draft Rumors: Dolphins, Johnson, Harmon
The Dolphins are reportedly doing some homework on high-ranked tight end prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft. Though, at No. 13 overall, Miami may be out of range of top tight end prospect Tyler Warren of Penn State, the team took a look at two options that could be around for their second-round pick.
According to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network, LSU’s Mason Taylor was onsite yesterday. Taylor is the son of Dolphins legend Jason Taylor. The younger Taylor is projected to be a fringe first-round prospect, but with tight ends, the ranges can certainly be wider. Taylor did a top-30 visit with the Browns on Monday and has also visited the Seahawks and Chargers.
Earlier this week, the Dolphins also hosted local tight prospect Elijah Arroyo out of Miami (FL), per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Arroyo had a breakout season for the Hurricanes this year and caught lots of attention at the Senior Bowl. After visiting Miami on Monday, Arroyo met with the Browns on Tuesday and Giants on Wednesday. Mike Cugno of CBS Sports adds that teammates Xavier Restrepo and Arroyo have both spent plenty of time around the Dolphins facility in the last couple of days.
Miami saw veteran Jonnu Smith rival Tyreek Hill in the receiving game for the Dolphins last year, but Smith’s contract expires after this season, so Taylor or Arroyo may be viewed as strong TE2 options or potential tight ends of the future.
Here are a few other draft visits we’ve seen reported in recent days:
- All-American running back Kaleb Johnson has been making the rounds lately. After visiting the Steelers last weekend, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 adds that Johnson has visited the Titans, Broncos, Texans, and Bengals. Johnson is widely considered the third-best running back prospect in the class behind Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty and North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton. Based on interest from the Titans, Johnson could go anywhere from the early-second to early-third round.
- Per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon visited the Jets yesterday. He hasn’t often been mocked in range of the Jets‘ No. 7 overall pick so far, but he could certainly be a candidate to find New York early in the second round or perhaps in the late-first, should the Jets opt to trade back up. Garafolo notes that Harmon has also visited the Browns and Steelers this week.
QB Tyler Huntley Works Out For Arizona
After getting a chance to play near his hometown in Miami last year, backup quarterback Tyler Huntley could get a chance to play near his alma mater in 2025. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Huntley worked out for the Cardinals today. 
Originally an undrafted free agent out of Utah, Huntley signed with the Ravens to open his NFL career. Huntley served the next four seasons as the team’s backup to Lamar Jackson. After not seeing much action in his rookie season, Huntley closed out the 2021 and 2022 seasons as a starter for Baltimore as Jackson ended each year injured.
In those two years, Huntley appeared in 13 games, making eight starts. He completed just under two thirds of his pass attempts for five touchdowns and seven interceptions over that time, but his rushing abilities allowed him to continue running a similar style of offense as Jackson. He added 331 rushing yards for three touchdowns over those two years, though he also had seven fumbles. His second stint filling in for Jackson earned him Pro Bowl honors, thanks to in large part to the fan vote and injuries to other candidates.
He signed with the Browns in 2024 and made the 53-man roster, but after Cleveland was unable to muster up any trade interest for Huntley, he was released and signed back with the Ravens‘ practice squad. His 2024 season took a turn when the Dolphins signed him off Baltimore’s taxi squad due to a concussion to starter Tua Tagovailoa. After three starts, Huntley was placed on injured reserve, though he did return to start the final two games of Miami’s season.
In Arizona, Huntley would have some tough competition for the backup job behind Kyler Murray. The Cardinals already roster Jacoby Brissett and Clayton Tune as backups. While Brissett has far more experience than Huntley, Huntley more closely matches Murray’s playing style and could make for a more seamless transition in the case of an injury.
Patriots Rumors: Campbell, Strange, Carter
The Patriots have their right tackle position locked down with Morgan Moses on a three-year deal, despite his advanced age of 34 years old. After uninspiring performances in 2024 from Vederian Lowe and Caedan Wallace, the team still has questions at the left tackle position.
New head coach Mike Vrabel didn’t give up on Lowe and Wallace, claiming both players would get opportunities to win the job, but he noted that the 2025 NFL Draft would “be a good option” to address the position. Per Karen Guregian of Mass Live, Vrabel said that there are players “at a lot of different levels” that the team likes.
With the No. 4 overall pick, New England is going to have their pick of the litter after a presumed 1-2-3 of Cam Ward, Abdul Carter, and Travis Hunter. There’s a chance that Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders sneaks in there and allows Carter or Hunter to fall to the Patriots, but likely, those three will be off the board and New England will make the first unexpected pick of the draft.
They’ve been connected to players like Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker or Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham, but if they decide to use that pick to address the left tackle situation, they reportedly view LSU’s Will Campbell as an option at No. 4 overall. Campbell drew early criticism in the pre-draft process for a lack of length with a below-average 32 5/8-inch arm measurement, but according to Field Yates of ESPN, scouts really don’t view Campbell’s arm length as an issue that could prevent him from becoming a really good left tackle in the NFL.
Here are a few more rumors out of New England concerning the subject:
- Despite watching rookie fourth-round guard Layden Robinson struggle as the team’s starting left guard for much of the 2024 season, the team won’t likely feel the need to address that position in the draft. After only playing in three games last year due to injury, Cole Strange is expected to enter the offseason as the team’s starter at the position, per Christopher Price of The Boston Globe. Strange showed major improvement in 2023 after a rough rookie campaign, but injuries have limited him to only 13 games in the past two seasons.
- While it may end up being for naught, the Patriots are hosting Carter out of Penn State on a top-30 visit this coming Monday, per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. Carter is only taking visits with teams in the top 4 picks (Titans, Browns, Giants, and Patriots), so it stands to reason that if he falls past the first three picks, he’d be an easy selection for New England to make at fourth overall.