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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
11) San Francisco 49ers — DT Derrick Harmon, Oregon
San Francisco could go a couple different directions here. I could make arguments for defensive end, offensive tackle, and cornerback, but the interior D-line seems the most devoid of talent. While Colton McKivitz isn’t a sexy name to bookend with an aging Trent Williams, the 49ers’ right tackle was serviceable as a starter on the right side in 2024. Williams also played elite ball as usual before missing the final seven games of the season with an ankle injury. The 49ers can survive another season without drafting a tackle of the future, though they should absolutely take some stabs in later rounds of the draft. Aside from Nick Bosa, the DE and CB positions are both lacking in top-end talent, but they’re in much better positions than the D-tackles.
The 49ers are no strangers to drafting Ducks to the defensive line — see Armstead and DeForest Buckner in back-to-back first rounds in 2015-16. The team goes back to the well here, and Harmon immediately becomes an impact player for the group. Right now, the room includes Jordan Elliott, Kevin Givens, Evan Anderson, and Kalia Davis. Injecting Harmon here gives San Francisco a chance to field a defensive line that isn’t solely dependent on Bosa in 2025.
There’s an argument to be made here for an offensive tackle. I think the signing of Saahdiq Charles allows Tyler Smith to bump back out to left tackle, and Terence Steele is serviceable, though not ideal, at right tackle. If a Smith return to LT is not in the cards, the Cowboys did use a first-round pick on a tackle (Tyler Guyton) last year. Also, with Campbell and Membou off the board here, other top tackle options, like Ohio State’s Josh Simmons or Oregon’s Josh Conerly, feel like a reach.
Running back would be a thought if Jeanty were still around, but adding Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders to a position group housing Deuce Vaughn feels adequate for now. Addressing the secondary is another option, but it feels like a bigger need at receiver exists.
McMillan should slot in here as WR2 behind CeeDee Lamb, providing Dallas with a big-bodied, sure-handed pass catcher that can dominate in red zone and jump-ball scenarios. The team lost Brandin Cooks in free agency and has been searching for a true No. 2 since trading Amari Cooper. McMillan would fit in well in the Cowboys receiving corps, giving the group a well-rounded nature and allowing the team to oscillate between Jalen Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin at WR3 depending on what the situation calls for.
13) Miami Dolphins — T Kelvin Banks, Texas
Some questions loom in the Dolphins’ secondary, and the team is really relying on former first-rounder Jaelan Phillips to come back from another significant injury, but Terron Armstead‘s retirement places Miami in a tough position. As much as you’d love to solidify those positions on defense, keeping quarterback Tua Tagovailoa upright and healthy is paramount to a successful season.
Drafting Banks here provides potential improvement at two positions. The Longhorns’ starter at left tackle for the past three seasons, Banks projected as an easy first-round pick for much of the year before experiencing a bit of a pre-draft slide in his stock due to lack of ideal length and the likelihood that he’d have to change positions at the next level. Many teams project him as a guard long term. The immediate hope would be Banks staying at tackle and improving on either Austin Jackson or Patrick Paul, who have both failed to impress as recent high draft picks. (To be fair to Paul, he was a rookie backup in 2024.) If not, the Dolphins don’t need to be worried that Banks may need to shift in at guard because then he may be able to serve as an upgrade over Liam Eichenberg, another disappointing (but recently re-signed) high draft pick.
14) Indianapolis Colts — TE Colston Loveland, Michigan
This pick feels like a layup. Besides an obvious question mark with Anthony Richardson‘s future as the leader of the offense, the Colts have weaknesses at the guard and linebacker spots, but the lack of a clear TE1 is glaring. The Colts have been vocal about adding at the position, as well.
With Warren off the board, Loveland is an obvious choice here. The Colts have decent blocking tight ends on staff in Andrew Ogletree and Mo Alie-Cox, but draft investments in pass-catching tight ends like Jelani Woods and Will Mallory have not exactly panned out. The Colts have not seen a tight end eclipse 400 receiving yards in a season this decade. Loveland is a pure pass catcher that should provide Richardson (or Daniel Jones) with the big-bodied target Indianapolis cannot seem to hit on.
15) Atlanta Falcons — DE Mykel Williams, Georgia
While some issues at linebacker and interior defensive line could be improved upon here, the Falcons’ biggest issue in 2024 was glaringly obvious: they could not get to the quarterback — a modern-era Atlanta refrain. The Falcons ranked 31st in the NFL is sacks last season, ahead of only the Patriots, and Matt Judon has left the building for the time being as a free agent. During the Bulldogs’ recent run as a college football powerhouse, the Falcons have mainly ignored them in the draft, reserving a few sixth-rounders for the in-state institution in the last three years. Williams could be the Falcons’ first-ever Round 1 pick out of the school in franchise history.
That being said, Williams would join Georgia alum Leonard Floyd in the position room in Atlanta with this pick. It’s good that the Falcons already have Floyd and Arnold Ebiketie in place because, while they definitely need help, those two can hold things down as starters while Williams gets up to speed. Williams was expected to produce much more in 2024 than he did, as an ankle injury limited his efforts. Williams has all the tools, though, to be successful and would boost a Falcons pass rush in dire need.
16) Arizona Cardinals — CB Will Johnson, Michigan
The Cardinals made big moves in free agency to address weaknesses in the trenches on both sides of the ball, opening them up to look at what the board is giving them and take the best player available — or at least the best value available. Good players are available here, but I found myself stuck on two defenders who add the most value to this roster: Johnson and Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell. I do believe Campbell could prove an effective Arizona pick, but free agent addition Akeem Davis-Gaither should join Mack Wilson to make a serviceable linebacking corps for the team in 2025.
Johnson, though, adds considerably more value to a cornerback contingent that really only boasts Garrett Williams at nickelback. Sean Murphy-Bunting, Starling Thomas, and Max Melton all return to the fold in 2025, but none of the three had strong performances in 2024. Johnson’s play last year was a rollercoaster that ended up breaking down on the tracks due to injury, but he was so impressive during the Wolverines’ 2023 championship campaign that it would not be a surprise to see him come in and lock down one side of the defense while Thomas and Melton serve as rotation pieces off the bench.
17) Cincinnati Bengals — DE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M
Man, this is a tough pick. The Bengals saw several position groups perform poorly last year, most noticeably on defense, but almost all of those positions feature players who had performed well in the recent past. For instance, the team’s tackles ranked 66th and 67th last year out of 81 graded players, per PFF, but we’ve seen Orlando Brown Jr. play at a Pro Bowl level and Amarius Mims was just a rookie (last year’s first-rounder). Similarly, at safety, Geno Stone is just a year removed from nearly leading the NFL in interceptions while coming off the bench, the same year in which Jordan Battle showed extreme promise as a rookie. There are needs all over the defense (and perhaps the interior offensive line), but one thing is for sure: this defense faces a tall task if enduring trade candidate Trey Hendrickson is out of the picture.
Enter Stewart. If Hendrickson stays, the Bengals will need another effective pass rusher across from him. If Hendrickson leaves, they’re going to need an effective pass rusher period. Stewart never turned in productive numbers during his three years in College Station, totaling only 1.5 sacks in each season, but scouts still seem to be enamored with his build, balance, and bend. If he can learn to finish and develop some effective pass rush moves at the next level, Stewart has a chance to make a major impact and help out a secondary that was run ragged last year. He would help a team that just lost Sam Hubbard to retirement and one that has not seen 2023 first-rounder Myles Murphy show much yet.
18) Seattle Seahawks — G Tyler Booker, Alabama
I was torn between two positions for Seattle: interior offensive line and linebacker. An argument exists for tight end augmentation, as well, but Noah Fant is capable, and it is far too early to be looking into LSU’s Mason Taylor or Miami’s Elijah Arroyo. I also considered sending Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell to Seattle, but the Seahawks are going to want to put new quarterback Sam Darnold in the best position to succeed. Thus, Campbell’s Crimson Tide teammate makes his way northwest.
Booker is a bulldozer and an almost guaranteed starter in Seattle off the bat. Laken Tomlinson is in Houston now, so the Seahawks currently only roster Anthony Bradford (ranked 72nd out of 77 guards in 2024, per PFF), Sataoa Laumea (77th out of 77), and Christian Haynes, a 2024 third-rounder who did not crack the starting lineup as a rookie. The team is going to have to hope that one of those three can man one guard spot effectively while they rely on Booker to secure the other.
19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers — LB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama
Back-to-back Alabama picks, as we do land on Campbell here. There is some need for a guard, and you can copy and paste what I said about the Seahawks’ tight end situation here with Cade Otton. The team also saw a shaky year from its starting safeties in 2024, but we know Antoine Winfield Jr. is capable of so much more.
At linebacker, Tampa Bay is returning grizzled veteran Lavonte David and pairing him with free agent addition Anthony Walker. David, 35, is still putting up 100-plus-tackle seasons like it’s nothing, but 12 years removed from a five-interception 2013 campaign, he has become a bit more of a liability in coverage. Walker made memorable contributions (when healthy) in Cleveland for three years, but last year with the Dolphins saw PFF rank him 81st out of 84 off-ball LB regulars.
Campbell may need a bit of time to grow into a starting role, but he was very good in both run defense and coverage at Alabama and could be the future of the position for the Buccaneers, who have always loved to anchor their defense around premier linebackers.
20) Denver Broncos — RB Omarion Hampton, North Carolina
Finally, we get back to a pretty simple pick here. The team could use some help in the receiving corps, but the glaring hole at running back is too much to ignore. Quarterback and offensive line are set, and the Broncos signed Evan Engram to improve their tight end situation. Add in the fact that last year’s top-10 defense did not really lose too many pieces (while adding Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufanga in free agency) and this pick lines up perfectly.
Hampton would step into Denver as an immediate RB1 over Jaleel McLaughlin, Audric Estime, Tyler Badie, and Blake Watson. Thanks to some reliable receiving ability, Hampton can prove to be an everyday back for the Broncos, if needed. Sean Payton has regularly spoken of a need for a pass-catching back; after all, he achieved great success with the likes of Reggie Bush, Darren Sproles and Alvin Kamara in New Orleans. The fit here almost makes too much sense.
21) Pittsburgh Steelers — QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
The first-round slide finally halts for Sanders with Pittsburgh. The Steelers’ defense is predictably pretty set, though it could use some investment in the future via an injection of youth. The offense: messier. The acquisition of D.K. Metcalf should bolster what was a thin receiving corps. The tight ends are fine, but the offensive line is suspect, and the quarterback and running back rooms seem to be full of backups.
The team could really reach here for a running back like Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson or a wide receiver, but the Steelers hang their hats on drafting under-the-radar wide receivers in middle and later rounds, and what does it matter if they don’t have someone throwing to them? Even if Aaron Rodgers eventually signs with Pittsburgh, which is presumed to be the plan, I still think the Steelers take Sanders here and allow him to sit for a year behind a legend like Rodgers.
That is a luxury they did not afford Kenny Pickett, who proved unready fairly quickly to lead the team back to the QB well in the draft. Sanders and/or Rodgers will need to hope the team does a lot of work on the rest of the offense before the season starts, though.
22) Los Angeles Chargers — CB Shavon Revel, East Carolina
An addition at wide receiver or tight end here would be reasonable, but the Chargers’ current weapons may be sufficient without a first-round pick being necessary. In Greg Roman‘s offense, that’s all they need to be. Also, aside from the center spot, Los Angeles’ offensive line is pretty good, so we’ll turn our attention to defense. There’s an argument to be made for adding across the defensive front, but with Teair Tart and Da’Shawn Hand on the interior and Khalil Mack, Bud Dupree, and Tuli Tuipulotu on the edge, they have some solid pieces in place. Where they really seem to lack talent is at cornerback.
Fifth-round rookie Tarheeb Still was a revelation for the team after Asante Samuel Jr. went down with injury, but losing Samuel (who is still unsigned) and Kristian Fulton to free agency hurts. Fellow fifth-round rookie Cam Hart did not fare nearly as well as Still, and free agent addition Donte Jackson is not coming off a strong Pittsburgh season. Still, this group can be a starting cadre, if necessary, which is good because Revel is coming off a torn ACL. His electric 2023 performance holds enough weight to solidify him as a first-round pick here for the Chargers, and he can really improve the group when he’s full-go.
23) Green Bay Packers — DE Mike Green, Marshall
We’re starting to run out of teams with obvious holes to fill. Across the offense, the Packers are in good shape, though some tackle depth could be a valuable add later on in the draft. Safety is set, as well, and the interior line should be fine. At cornerback, Keisean Nixon did not deliver his best work, but we know he can play at an All-Pro level. And the Packers, as they prepare for a likely future without Jaire Alexander, invested big to secure Nate Hobbs to complement Nixon. The team could stand to give Edgerrin Cooper some help at linebacker, and UCLA’s Carson Schwesinger would fit nicely here. Ultimately, adding a pass rusher felt more valuable.
Rashan Gary led the team with 7.5 sacks en route to a Pro Bowl berth last season, but across from him Kingsley Enagbare and Lukas Van Ness did not really inspire much confidence. A first-rounder two years ago, Van Ness has yet to earn a starting role on the Packers’ defense, and it may be time to start thinking of new options for the position. So, what do you give a team that hasn’t seen a player with a double-digit sack season since 2020? The FBS sack leader.
Green made a huge jump in his second year for the Thundering Herd, leading the nation with 17 sacks. He fell just short of Carter (23.5) for the nation lead in tackles for loss but still came through with 22.5. The Packers did not struggle to bring the quarterback down last year, but adding Green should make it that much easier.
24) Minnesota Vikings — S Malaki Starks, Georgia
This is a tough one, because Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and the Vikings do look at position need, but they tend to value scheme fit over production and potential when drafting. With J.J. McCarthy the hopeful quarterback of the future, the Vikings are seemingly good there. They also appear well positioned at running back, wide receiver, tight end, center, and tackle. On defense, the Vikings have a solid front seven, and they spent a lot in free agency on cornerbacks. Minnesota has two significant holes: guard and safety. Their options at guard here — Arizona’s Jonah Savaiinaea, Georgia’s Tate Ratledge, and maybe Purdue’s Marcus Mbow — are more suited to be Day 2 picks, so they go safety here for better value.
I have South Carolina’s Nick Emmanwori as the top safety option in this class, but again, we are looking at scheme fit. While the Vikings do tend to play one safety as a roamer who plays in the box quite a bit, veteran Harrison Smith has that role in the bag. That’s why we’re going with Starks here.
Unlike Emmanwori, who played more in the box last year for the Gamecocks than in the defensive backfield, Starks spent a lot more time in a true safety role. He would step in here as an immediate starter, replacing Camryn Bynum alongside Smith, allowing Theo Jackson and Jay Ward to remain in backup roles. Keep in mind, the Vikings only have four draft picks this year, so they will likely be trying harder than most to trade back for more picks.
25) Houston Texans — C Grey Zabel, North Dakota State
The Texans have been working diligently to reduce costs and separate from older cogs on the offensive line, trading away Laremy Tunsil and signing multiple free agents. Still, it’s been made pretty clear the team is likely to continue addressing the offensive line in the draft. I did think that some interior D-line options available here — Ole Miss’ Walter Nolen or Michigan’s Kenneth Grant — could be valuable, and some suggest that a starting wide receiver to pair with Nico Collins and Christian Kirk — after losing Stefon Diggs in free agency and potentially Tank Dell to injury — could be the move. Both positions, however, should feature some solid options on Day 2.
I really like Zabel here for the Texans because they don’t seem to be picky about which position they want to address on the line. A left tackle for the Bison in 2024, Zabel started college games at all four guard and tackle spots. Yet, because of his intelligence and versatility, he’s being billed as the class’s top center prospect. That being said, Houston can align Zabel pretty much anywhere. If the Texans want him at center to free up Jarrett Patterson to compete at guard with Juice Scruggs, Laken Tomlinson, and Ed Ingram, he can do it. If they want him at guard so Scruggs can compete with Patterson for the center job, he can do it. While the FCS standout projects best on the interior, if the Texans want him to compete with Cam Robinson, Trent Brown, and Tytus Howard at tackle or be the future of the position, his experience tells them he can probably do it.
26) Los Angeles Rams — CB Jahdae Barron, Texas
This is another team I wanted to link to Schwesinger, a local product for them who could potentially add to a linebacking corps that feels just above average at the moment. The Rams feel good all down the line of scrimmage on offense, though it is certainly time to get serious about the future of the quarterback position post-Matthew Stafford. A very good defensive line is backed up by the above-mentioned linebacking corps and the Kamrens at safety. Cornerback feels like the position that could use help the most.
Enter Barron. The Rams do not really have any glaring holes that need addressing, but Barron has potential to improve the cornerback group in multiple ways. Los Angeles is set to enter the season with Ahkello Witherspoon, Darious Williams, Cobie Durant, Derion Kendrick, and Emmanuel Forbes at corner. Out of 116 players PFF graded at the position, Witherspoon (53) checked in highest, closely followed by Durant (56). Williams ranked at 82nd, while Kendrick missed the season because of an ACL tear, and Forbes, the former first-round pick, did not register enough snaps to qualify. It is hard to say if Barron is ready to start right away for this group, but his versatile usage all over the secondary in Austin ensures that he can try to add value wherever the Rams need him.
27) Baltimore Ravens — S Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina
This is where we really throw out the notion of positions of need. Eric DeCosta and the Ravens famously follow a “best player available” approach to the draft. With the departure of versatile starter Patrick Mekari, Baltimore may want to bring in another competitor at the guard spot, but grabbing anyone at that position would mean passing up much higher value. Similarly, the retirement of Michael Pierce and pending free agency of Travis Jones make defensive tackle prospects like Nolen or Grant super attractive here, but they still are not as valuable as the best player available on the board at this point.
That player would be Emmanwori. The prospect of lining up Emmanwori next to Kyle Hamilton in the defensive backfield feels redundant in a terrifying way. Now, the team is expected to retain free safety Ar’Darius Washington (a tendered restricted free agent) after he excelled in the role next to Hamilton last year, but all three of these players harness incredible versatility that would grant Baltimore excessive freedom.
Washington has bounced back and forth in Baltimore from nickelback to safety, while the team deployed Hamilton all over the defense early last year before he was needed to save the day at safety following the disappointing campaigns of Marcus Williams and Eddie Jackson. The Gamecocks used Emmanwori in a Hamilton-like capacity throughout his collegiate career. After the struggles in pass defense we saw from Baltimore early in 2024, the Ravens shore up their secondary here with a menacing trio.
28) Detroit Lions — G Tate Ratledge, Georgia
Overall, Detroit’s roster stacks up well at most positions. Three could be addressed here: EDGE, cornerback, and guard. The Lions’ outside pass rush was really only an issue last year because of Aidan Hutchinson‘s season-ending injury. Hutchinson is perhaps the best pass rusher in the game when healthy, and focus on him should help free up his teammates to make plays. Some decent pieces — in D.J. Reed, Amik Robertson, Avonte Maddox, and Terrion Arnold — are on the Lions’ roster at corner, and the team started last year’s draft with back-to-back CB investments.
So, we turn to guard, where the departure of Kevin Zeitler in free agency causes some issues. Graham Glasgow is slotted in at left guard, and despite a 2024 step back, he has proven reliable in the past. The other spot is up for competition between Kayode Awosika, Netane Muti, and Christian Mahogany, at the moment. Awosika started two games for the team last year, and Muti has logged only four starts in a five-year career; Mahogany flashed promising form in his one start and across limited backup time as a rookie last season. Still, the team could use a competitor with a higher ceiling here. I was torn between Ratledge and Savaiinaea for this pick, but the Lions really prioritize character when drafting, and Ratledge is a bully and a mauler who describes himself as a “dirtbag.” That feels like just the right fit for Dan Campbell, like a guy who’s going to bite a kneecap off.
29) Washington Commanders — DE Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College
Despite Washington’s trip to the NFC championship game last year, the team could stand to improve in several areas. The offensive skill positions are all pretty good, and the addition of Laremy Tunsil certainly helps, but the offensive line as a whole is just OK. Similarly, the secondary is alright but not great and could use improvements at cornerback, like Kentucky’s Maxwell Hairston or Ole Miss’ Trey Amos. On paper, the defensive line (from left to right, Clelin Ferrell–Daron Payne–Javon Kinlaw–Dorance Armstrong) feels like a strength, but these veterans have lacked consistency over the past few years.
As long as the Commanders, who have just five picks in this draft, don’t trade down to collect more draft capital, Ezeiruaku feels like the player who can add the most value at this point in the draft. A consensus All-American, Ezeiruaku finished a half-sack behind Green for the nation lead last year with 16.5. His 20.5 tackles for loss in 2024 were good for fourth in the country behind Carter (23.5), Green (22.5), and Ohio State’s JT Tuimoloau (21.5). With Dante Fowler and his 10.5 sacks headed back to Dallas, the team’s top returning sack artists at defensive end are Armstrong (five in 2024) and Ferrell (3.5). Ezeiruaku may not start immediately, but he should be able to provide some much-needed production, even if he’s coming in off the bench.
30) Buffalo Bills — CB Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky
The knee-jerk reaction here is to go after Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden to supplement Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, and Josh Palmer, but going pass catcher with your first-round pick three years in a row is not a good look. And there are much bigger issues to deal with on defense. The other knee-jerk reaction is to look at all of the contract years on the defensive line and add an EDGE or tackle, but the talent is in place for 2025, at least. Issues on the interior offensive line and linebacking corps also feel like priorities, but the league’s 24th-ranked pass defense in 2024 could probably use more help in the secondary.
No safeties seem worth the value at this juncture of the first round, so Hairston makes his way to upstate New York here. Christian Benford excelled for Buffalo last year, but players like Rasul Douglas and Kaiir Elam dragged the group down. Both are gone, and the team brought back Dane Jackson after an abysmal year with the Panthers, so Buffalo would love to see some new faces making an impact across from Benford. Hairston put himself on the NFL radar with five interceptions (three returned for touchdowns) in 2023 and solidified himself near the top of the class with a position-best 4.28 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. He has boom-or-bust potential on nearly every play, and the same can probably be said of the potential for his career.
31) Kansas City Chiefs — DT Walter Nolen, Ole Miss
Like a lot of teams in the late first round, the Chiefs are likely going to attempt to trade out of this pick, if they can. After losing the Super Bowl in large part due to losing the trench battle, Kansas City is likely to be locked in on offensive or defensive line. Though, running back and safety could use some attention in the later rounds. Losing Joe Thuney leaves a hole at guard, but there is hope 2024 second-rounder Kingsley Suamataia can help out there. For better or worse, Jawaan Taylor should be back at right tackle, and the team signed 49ers swing tackle Jaylon Moore out of San Francisco to man the left side.
George Karlaftis needs help on the edge, but Chris Jones is entering an age-31 season. He could use a high-end complement, and hitting on this player could provide an eventual replacement. The team also downgraded a bit in free agency next to Jones, swapping out Tershawn Wharton for Jerry Tillery.
Personally, I like Grant over Nolen, but Nolen, with the right mentorship, has the potential to be a perfect long-term replacement for Jones. Nolen is far more disruptive than Grant, outmatching him on career sacks 11.5 to 6.5 and on career tackles for loss 25.0 to 11.5. Nolen may not be as pro-ready as Grant, but if he can mature, his potential upside could match Jones’. In the meantime, he could provide some serious disruption and pressure off the bench behind Jones and Tillery.
32) Philadelphia Eagles — OLB James Pearce, Tennessee
The reigning Super Bowl champs lost plenty of talent in free agency, which has been known to happen, but they were lucky in that the bleeding was mostly contained to the defensive side of the roster. Nearly the entire offense returns from 2024, and the only loss, right guard Mekhi Becton, was potentially filled in the trade that brought Kenyon Green over from Houston or the free agent signing that brought back Matt Pryor from Chicago. Philly’s linebackers and cornerbacks are set, and if Starks or Emmanwori were still available, it would be an easy choice for the Eagles as they try to replace C.J. Gardner-Johnson. The team lost Milton Williams to free agency, as well, but still rosters Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, and Moro Ojomo on the interior.
On the edge, the Eagles replaced Brandon Graham and Josh Sweat with lower-profile options in Azeez Ojulari and Josh Uche in free agency. If neither addition pans out, though, Pearce could provide an important boost. Pearce’s production did not increase with more playing time in Knoxville last year as expected, but he had 17.5 sacks and 27.5 tackles for loss in his two years of serious time with the Volunteers. If he shows up and takes care of business, Pearce could eventually take a starting role across from Nolan Smith. He’d enter camp competing with Ojulari, Uche, Bryce Huff, and Jalyx Hunt for the job. While that seems like a lot of pass rushers on the roster, Philadelphia has been doing its research and reportedly has a lot of interest in Pearce. GM Howie Roseman is also obsessed with bolstering his lines.
Best remaining available: QB Jalen Milroe (Alabama), QB Tyler Shough (Louisville), RB Kaleb Johnson (Iowa), RB TreVeyon Henderson (Ohio State), WR Matthew Golden (Texas), WR Luther Burden (Missouri), WR Emeka Egbuka (Ohio State), TE Mason Taylor (LSU), TE Elijah Arroyo (Miami), C Jared Wilson (Georgia), G Jonah Savaiinaea (Arizona), T Josh Simmons (Ohio State), T Josh Conerly Jr. (Oregon), T Aireontae Ersery (Minnesota), T Donovan Jackson (Ohio State), DT Kenneth Grant (Michigan), DT Tyleik Williams (Ohio State), Edge JT Tuimoloau (Ohio State), EDGE Landon Jackson (Arkansas), EDGE Nic Scourton (Texas A&M), LB Carson Schwesinger (UCLA), CB Trey Amos (Ole Miss), CB Azareye’h Thomas (Florida State), S Xavier Watts (Notre Dame)
Nolen’s explosiveness and physicality give him the potential to be an impactful interior disruptor in the NFL, but he needs to improve the mental aspects of his game to reach that upside. Nolen has character concerns – specifically a perceived sense of entitlement and lack of maturity – but an organization like the 49ers with a strong culture and leaders in their defensive line room could bet on their ability to develop him as a player and a person.
