Tennessee Titans News & Rumors

Titans Select QB Cam Ward First Overall

April 24th, 2025 at 7:16pm CST by Adam La Rose

To no surprise, the Titans have used the top pick in tonight’s draft to add their projected franchise quarterback. Cam Ward has come off the board first overall.

Early in the pre-draft process, the possibility of Tennessee trading down was raised. As usual, calls came in for the top selection, with efforts on that front continuing until hours before the start of the draft. New general manager Mike Borgonzi made it clear last month he would not pass up the opportunity to draft a ‘generational talent,’ something many took as a reference to two-way star Travis Hunter. Instead of taking the 2024 Heisman winner, though, selecting Ward has long been viewed as the likely outcome.

Tennessee lined up pre-draft visits with a number of top prospects (including fellow quarterback Shedeur Sanders), but the team did plenty of homework on Ward – including a private workout in late March. The Titans did not go to those lengths in Sanders’ case, and they canceled a workout which had been scheduled with Hunter. Since that point, the expectation has remained that Ward would come off the board first. The consensus All-American will be tasked with handling QB1 duties upon arrival in Nashville.

A zero-star recruit, Ward’s college career began at Incarnate Word before he spent a pair of seasons at Washington State. In 2024, he played at Miami and enjoyed his most accurate campaign to date. Completing 67.2% of his passes, Ward amassed over 4,300 passing yards and a 39:7 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Those figures earned him ACC Player of the Year honors (among others) and – coupled with his athletic upside – made him a logical target for the top pick in a QB class not held in the same regard as those of the recent past.

Ward, 23 next month, represents the first quarterback selected No. 1 overall in Titans/Oilers history (the franchise used the top pick on defensive end John Matuszak in 1973 and running back Earl Campbell in 1978). The post-Ryan Tannehill era under center saw Will Levis take over starting duties, but he has not developed as hoped. The 33rd overall pick in the 2023 draft has two seasons left on his rookie contract and could be dealt this weekend. Ward, meanwhile, joins an offense which saw two free agent investments along the O-line this spring and, yesterday, the addition of veteran wideout Tyler Lockett.

Head coach Brian Callahan was hired last offseason in no small part based on his track record with developing quarterbacks. Moving on from Levis (or at least relegating him to backup duties) would confirm Ward’s position as Tennessee’s investment under center for 2025 and beyond. If the team is to find stability on the sidelines and in the front office moving forward, success on the field will be key. Ward will no doubt be a central figure in that effort.

Giants Still Trying To Trade Up To No. 1; Shedeur Sanders QB2 On Team’s Board?

April 24th, 2025 at 2:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Titans are already believed to have rebuffed multiple Giants offers. A year after a failed Drake Maye trade pursuit — as the Patriots rejected Giants and Vikings proposals for No. 3 overall — New York appears shut out of the Cam Ward draft slot. Drew Lock‘s shootout win over the Colts in Week 17 set this chain of events in motion, bumping the Titans to No. 1 overall.

Although Tennessee has stood firm on No. 1, the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz notes the Giants are expected to make a final push for the pick. This would undoubtedly require a better offer. Thus far, all that has come out indicates a Giants third-round pick is part of the team’s trade package. Tennessee’s Ward interest would certainly require far more than that, and upping the price on a New York team carrying two hot-seated power brokers makes sense for a Titans team with leverage.

The Titans are not expected to go for any offer at this point, being sold on Ward as the player who can turn the team around. The Giants, then, are viewed as likely to have Abdul Carter ticketed for the Big Apple. The Browns (or another team) will have Travis Hunter to add. Positional needs would naturally make the Giants favor Hunter over Carter, but they are believed to view the Penn State linebacker-turned-EDGE as a prospect talented enough to table their QB need to later in the draft. On that note, the Giants have begun charting a potential path back into Round 1 for a passer, joining the Browns and Saints in this mix.

Brian Daboll-Jaxson Dart connections have emerged over the past several days, but Schwartz adds a notable update to the team’s QB hierarchy. Shedeur Sanders is the No. 2 QB on the team’s big board. While we are amid a leaguewide smokescreen avalanche, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler writes that an outside chance exists the Giants take Sanders at No. 3 to check off a box that has defined the Daboll-Joe Schoen regime’s tenure. Though, that is not the expectation for tonight, as Sanders is in danger of falling out of the first round.

The Giants have plenty of familiarity with Sanders. They spoke with the Colorado prospect at the Combine, hosted him on a “30” visit, dined with him before Colorado’s pro day and worked him out in Boulder last week. Darius Slayton‘s sister, Maleika, also serves as Colorado’s director of on-campus recruiting. The team, however, is believed to be split on Sanders after this eventful evaluation.

It should be considered likely he and Dart are the Nos. 2 and 3 options on Big Blue’s board, as the Post’s Ryan Dunleavy views Jalen Milroe as being a lower-ranked player for the team. With multiple Daboll-Dart connections surfacing, the rumor of a Daboll-Schoen schism is again relevant. Schwartz indicates the two decision-makers are aligned. Giants fans had better hope this is the case, as this is a pivotal draft after the team’s Daniel Jones journey lasted six years without much payoff.

Jones came to New York a year after the team chose Saquon Barkley over the likes of Sam Darnold and Josh Allen. It was believed at the time the Giants did not have a consensus on a QB in 2018. Pat Shurmur was believed to be higher on Allen, while Darnold support existed as well. John Mara was also believed to be an Allen fan at the time, according to Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz. While revisionist-history alarm bells may be sounding here — as has been the case with other teams re: Patrick Mahomes‘ 2017 draft journey — Mara being high on the eventual Bills icon at the time and seeing his GM draft Barkley may prove relevant now that his franchise needs a quarterback again.

Mara did not fire his GM and HC, despite a 3-14 season, shouldering some of the blame for Jones’ continued employment. With Schoen and Daboll in-season firing candidates, Mara making an ownership call for a quarterback at No. 3 — or at any point during the early rounds — would be a seismic development, one that would point to little confidence remaining in his current power structure.

The Giants, however, view Carter as a player who would supplement Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux. Packages featuring the trio would be deployed, as Schwartz adds the Giants were intrigued by the ex-Nittany Lion off-ball linebacker’s versatility. Having seen another ex-Penn State pass rusher morph from ILB to dominant edge rusher (Micah Parsons) does not hurt. Barring something unexpected, another sequence in which the Giants strengthen a strength on the edge, reminding of the Mathias Kiwanuka and Jason Pierre-Paul picks, is on tap. What happens next will prove more interesting, as a glaring QB need would remain.

Titans Rejected Giants’ Offer For No. 1 Overall; Cleveland, New York Discussing Trades Back Into Round 1

April 23rd, 2025 at 11:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Giants held the No. 1 overall pick going into Week 17, but a Drew Lock-led upset win over the Colts dropped them out of that slot and vaulted the Titans to pole position. Week 18 did not change Tennessee’s draft position, and the team now appears a day away from adding Cam Ward as its next franchise centerpiece.

Around the Combine, we heard the Giants as a team interested in acquiring the No. 1 pick. Even as Ward-Titans links emerged, the Giants took their shot. They called the Titans multiple times with trade offers for No. 1, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. New GM Mike Borgonzi confirmed Tuesday the Titans are staying at 1, with a Ward pick imminent.

Multiple offers emerged, per Russini, who describes the Giants as being the most aggressive team with regards to acquiring the pick. Although the Giants’ offer included at least their 2025 third-rounder (per ESPN’s Adam Schefter), the full trade package is unknown, but this push — presumably for Ward — reminds of their Drake Maye pursuit last year.

New York made a strong offer for New England’s No. 3 overall pick. The deal would have given the Patriots the Giants’ first- and second-round picks last year and first-rounder this year; instead, the Patriots took Maye. The Giants then passing on J.J. McCarthy, Michael Penix and Bo Nix thrust them into their current predicament, holding a top pick without a quarterback deemed worthy of it.

Strongly linked to passing on a QB at No. 3 to take one of this draft’s top two talents — either Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter — the Giants look to be readying to trade back into Round 1 for a passer. They are in talks with teams with picks near the bottom of the first round, Russini adds. They join the Browns in that effort. Cleveland, New York and New Orleans appear in this boat, as the Saints have also been tied to tabling their QB need beyond their No. 9 overall pick.

Both the Browns and Giants added two veteran QBs apiece, which at least would send a capable starter for both teams into Week 1. But Joe Flacco and Russell Wilson are not enviable options for 2026; they are bottom-half options for 2025. Yet, each team has access to this draft’s best players. It is looking like the Browns and Giants’ trade-up efforts will need to be monitored after Hunter and Carter go off the board. The Giants may be split on Sanders, but more Jaxson Dart–Brian Daboll buzz is circulating. Chatter continues that Daboll likes the Ole Miss QB more than Sanders or any other non-Ward option, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano notes.

Although the Browns have still been linked to Carter in recent days, Hunter looks more likely to be Cleveland-bound. When asked about his potential draft destination, Carter’s reply (via SNY) pointed to a New York landing. The Giants traded for Brian Burns last year and used a top-five pick on Kayvon Thibodeaux in 2022. The latter has not quite justified that investment, though he has not been a bust like 2022 No. 7 overall pick Evan Neal. Carter, however, could displace Thibodeaux in New York’s lineup. Then again, the team has a past (under John Mara) of adding on the edge (Mathias Kiwanuka, Jason Pierre-Paul) when it already possessed a strong group.

The Steelers‘ No. 21 overall pick has come up with regards to a trade-up spot, per Graziano. That information comes after an early-week report indicated Pittsburgh is interested in trading down. This would seemingly add the Steelers to the list of QB-needy teams who do not believe Shedeur Sanders or one of the other second-tier options is worthy of the pick. Mike Tomlin being a Sanders fan would stand to negate a trade-down move, but the Steelers were not originally planning to use No. 21 on a QB. A Sanders fall could change that, and that will be a Day 1 draft subplot to monitor.

Teams are also potentially leery of the Rams at No. 26, Graziano adds, with trade-up discussions appearing to factor Matthew Stafford‘s age into this equation. The Giants pursued Stafford aggressively in February, but the Super Bowl-winning QB regrouped and stayed with the Rams. It would seem unlikely the Rams would use their top draft asset on a QB in a maligned class, but the team is running short on time to add a Stafford heir apparent.

WR Tyler Lockett To Sign With Titans

April 23rd, 2025 at 10:42pm CST by Ely Allen

On the eve of the draft, the Titans have signed a new, veteran weapon for expected No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward. According to a post on X from Tyler Lockett himself, the 10-year veteran will be joining the Titans for the 2025 campaign. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Lockett will play on a one-year, $4MM deal that could be worth up to $6MM with incentives.

Despite playing in the NFL since 2015, this will be only the second team Lockett has played for during his professional tenure. The 32-year-old entered the league as a third-round pick out of Kansas State for the Seahawks and has been in Seattle ever since. In his early years, Lockett was an effective receiver, usually active as a third receiving option behind Doug Baldwin combined with either Jermaine Kearse, Jimmy Graham, or Paul Richardson, but he made his name (as well as his Pro Bowl and three All-Pro selections) as a top return man.

As a rookie, Lockett recorded an impressive 664 yards and six touchdowns receiving, but his return abilities, which resulted in touchdowns both on punt and kickoff returns, were what earned him Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro selections. Similarly, over the next two years, his receiving contributions came second to his return abilities, which garnered second-team All-Pro selections in both seasons. His 2017 campaign saw him lead the NFL with 949 kickoff return yards, as well as another touchdown.

In 2018, Baldwin’s chokehold on the WR1 role finally began to falter, along with his effectiveness, and in the veteran receiver’s final season, Lockett took over the top role as the No. 1 wide receiver for Russell Wilson with 965 yards and 10 touchdowns. This would be the last time Lockett would finish under 1,000 yards receiving until five years later when he would turn 31 years old. It also kicked off a streak of five straight seasons in which he would catch between 8-10 touchdowns. As his receiving role increased, though, his return roles decreased, and by 2020 the veteran was rarely, if ever, returning punts or kickoffs.

In 2023, two years after the departure of Wilson, Lockett’s effectiveness finally began to fall as he recorded a still impressive 894 yards and five touchdowns. Last year, a breakout season by second-year wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba saw Lockett return to WR3 on the depth chart and record his lowest receiving total (600 yards, two touchdowns) since 2017.

One would think that if Lockett was going to leave Seattle after 10 years and play for a new team, it would be to rejoin his former quarterback in New York or his former head coach in Las Vegas. Instead, he makes his way to Nashville, where he doesn’t appear to have any notable connections (except maybe Dre’Mont Jones?). Instead, it appears that he will join a receiving corps currently manned at the top by Calvin Ridley, Van Jefferson, and Treylon Burks. He’ll add experience, durability, and maturity to a group that will likely be receiving passes from a rookie starter in 2025.

QB Will Levis Could Be On The Move During Draft

April 23rd, 2025 at 6:53pm CST by Ely Allen

It’s the 2025 NFL Draft’s worst-kept secret that the Titans are likely to have a new quarterback in the building soon. With Tennessee expected to use their No. 1 overall draft pick on Miami’s Cam Ward, incumbent passer Will Levis could be expendable. In fact, Dianna Russini of The Athletic seems to believe that he could be traded during this weekend’s draft.

It’s been two years since the Titans drafted Levis out of Kentucky as the first pick in the second round. He took over the starting job in Week 8 of his rookie year, going 3-6 as a starter as he took the job from Ryan Tannehill, though Tannehill continued pushing him for the job near the end of the season.

Levis retained the starting job over Mason Rudolph last year, but a rocky start and a shoulder joint led to Rudolph taking over for a few games. Levis took his job back after recovering, but in the middle of a Week 15 contest with the Bengals, the Titans benched him for Rudolph, who would start the next two games. The two would split time in the team’s season finale.

Levis has shown promise at times in his early career, but ultimately, a 5-16 record over two years, combined with a completion percentage of only 61 percent and 16 interceptions over 21 games, has convinced Tennessee to pursue a quarterback with their top overall pick. That doesn’t mean Levis doesn’t have value in the NFL, though, and plenty have suggested that the 25-year-old holds some trade value as he could contribute to another franchise.

Three and a half weeks ago, Titans president of football operations Chad Brinker refuted reports that trade talks had begun for Levis. With the draft 24 hours away, though, calls — incoming or outgoing — are likely to pick up and could result in a draft-day trade for the former second-rounder.

AFC Draft Rumors: Broncos, Chiefs, Chargers, Bills, Ravens, Titans, Jaguars

April 23rd, 2025 at 4:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos have been connected to trading up, but a year after Sean Payton admitted he participated in a smokescreen operation surrounding a potential first-round move up the board, the team may be content staying at No. 20. A recent report pegged Denver as a team interested in trading up, but The Athletic’s Dianna Russini counters by indicating the team is comfortable staying at 20 or potentially moving back. It is important to note Payton’s teams have never traded back in the first round during his HC tenure, but the Broncos are known to be interested in adding a running back. A potential move down the board could allow the team to draft a starter-level RB while adding assets.

This could effectively serve as an announcement the Broncos’ No. 20 pick could be had by a team aiming to climb back into Round 1 — and there are believed to be many — for a quarterback. Though, ESPN.com’s Matt Miller adds the Broncos are believed to be more interested in adding a wideout or a tight end in Round 1 than addressing their RB need there.

A day out, here is the latest from around the draft:

Denver would be taking a risk by moving out of Round 1 altogether, as this is a loaded running back class. Another team that could be in the mix for a back: the Broncos’ top rival. The three-time reigning AFC champion Chiefs did some late work on TreVeyon Henderson, with ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler noting Andy Reid participated in a video call with the versatile Ohio State RB. The Chiefs hold the No. 31 overall pick and are not planning to extend Isiah Pacheco before the season, as the three-year starter missed much of last season with a broken leg. Henderson’s stock is on the rise, per Fowler, and his floor appears to be early in the second round.
Staying in the AFC West, the Chargers are believed to be eyeing an early-round upgrade to their edge-rushing corps, Miller adds. The Bolts re-signed Khalil Mack, but that came after the Joey Bosa release. Mack is also 34 and on a one-year deal. Bud Dupree is also in a contract year, even as two years remain on Tuli Tuipulotu‘s rookie pact.
Holding the No. 27 overall pick, the Ravens are believed to be interested in adding a safety — after multiple investments backfired at the position. As our Ely Allen pointed out in PFR’s mock draft, the shortcomings of Marcus Williams and Eddie Jackson restricted Kyle Hamilton last season. The Ravens want Hamilton to play a deep safety role, and Georgia’s Malaki Starks excelling in multiple areas would enable that and qualify as Baltimore’s “dream pick” in Round 1.
Bills ties to a first-round defensive tackle pick have emerged, but Miller indicates the five-time reigning AFC East champs have a higher opinion of Ole Miss cornerback Trey Amos than the DTs expected to be available by No. 30 overall. Buffalo re-signed Tre’Davious White, but he profiles as more flier than true Rasul Douglas replacement. Amos would effectively qualify as a make-up call for the team’s Kaiir Elam miss.
Although Mike Borgonzi said the Titans are not planning to move off No. 1, despite some offers (most notably from the Giants), ESPN’s Adam Schefter indicates the team wants to add to its draft arsenal. Specifically, Tennessee wants to add a Day 2 pick. The team traded its third-rounder (No. 66) for L’Jarius Sneed last year, as Borgonzi was working for the Chiefs at that point.
Despite holding the No. 5 overall pick, the Jaguars threw a strange wrinkle into their pre-draft process. They did not conduct any “30” visits, Schultz adds. This has left teams guessing, though the odd plan also would stand to leave Jacksonville’s new regime with less intel on prospects down the board. Indeed, PFR’s Jaguars page lists no “30” visits, adding intrigue to the first Liam Coen–James Gladstone offseason blueprint.

Browns, Giants, Patriots Receiving Calls About 2nd, 3rd Picks; Titans Staying Put

April 23rd, 2025 at 3:45pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

APRIL 23: Teams interested in the Nos. 2, 3 and 4 picks, with the Patriots also receiving calls, are interested in Hunter, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini notes. While the Browns view it as “foolish” not to listen to offers for their No. 3 choice, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler adds that the expectation remains Cleveland will go with the Colorado superstar.

Hunter-to-Cleveland buzz picked up around the Heisman winner’s pro day earlier this month, with Fowler indicating the two-way phenom opted to run routes at the showcase event in part because it would satisfy the Browns. Cleveland views Hunter primarily as a receiver, and while he still wants to play both ways, other teams — the Giants and Titans among them — have pegged Hunter as a cornerback first. Deciding to run routes with an aim to impress Browns brass, after Carter-to-Cleveland rumors had circulated, certainly represents a sign Hunter will be Ohio-bound Thursday.

APRIL 22: The Browns and Giants are both receiving trade interest for the Nos. 2 and 3 selections in Thursday’s draft, according to ESPN’s Peter Schrager.

The months-long pre-draft process has yielded a consensus expectation that Cam Ward, Travis Hunter, and Abdul Carter will be the first three picks, likely in that order. Ward is a virtual lock to be taken by the Titans with the first pick, and Hunter has gained steam as a potential Brown over the last few weeks. That would clear the way for Carter – considered by many to be the best player in the class – falling to the Giants at 3.

However, a last-minute trade involving a top-three pick would be a major last-minute shake-up to the top 10, and potentially beyond.

Such a trade would not involve the Titans, who have listened to offers over the last few months but never seriously entertained moving the draft’s top pick. General manager Mike Borgonzi confirmed that the team rebuffed trade interest and decided on their preferred target.

“We’ve come to a consensus, the entire organization, to stay at that pick,” said Borgonzi (via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer).

That has pushed teams who want to move up to inquire with the Browns and the Giants about the availability of their picks. Targeted players in a trade-up would be Hunter, Carter, and Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, per Schrager.

It’s also worth noting that trade chatter picks up the week of the draft almost every year, as noted by The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson. 49ers general manager John Lynch is not expecting many trades early in the draft because multiple teams want to trade down and target a deep class, per The Athletic’s Matt Barrows.

Giants general manager Joe Schoen said last week that he had received calls about the No. 3 selection, but indicated that the team would stick and pick instead. But, after spending plenty of draft capital to acquire starting edge rushers Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux, the Giants could still prefer to trade down instead of taking Carter. That would allow them to get a top quarterback prospect – potentially Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, per Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post – at a better value while adding more picks, either in this year’s draft or the future.

Minor NFL Transactions: 4/18/25

April 18th, 2025 at 6:40pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor moves as we head into the last weekend before the draft:

Arizona Cardinals

Signed RFA tender: WR Greg Dortch

Denver Broncos

Signed ERFA tender: S Devon Key

Houston Texans

Re-signed: TE Irv Smith Jr.

Tennessee Titans

Waived (with NFI designations): DE Khalid Duke, CB Justin Hardee

Dortch has had a couple decent seasons as a depth receiver in Arizona now. The Wake Forest product didn’t have much of a choice but to sign his restricted free agent tender and return for another year.

It’s been about five years since Smith has seen some success in the NFL. He signed late in the season with the Texans after a ton of injuries and did his job as a depth option at tight end. He returns on a one-year deal to serve as an option once again should Brevin Jordan or Cade Stover struggle with injury.

Hardee was re-signed to a one-year deal just over two weeks ago, but it appears the special teams ace won’t be sticking around in Nashville, or if he does, it will be on an injured list.

Titans Waive T Nicholas Petit-Frere, Sign Three O-Linemen

April 17th, 2025 at 6:26pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Titans are making multiple changes to their offensive line by waiving Nicholas Petit-Frere and signing Sam Mustipher, Brenden Jaimes and Oli Udoh Titans senior team writer Jim Wyatt passes along.

A 2022 third-round pick out of Ohio State, Petit-Frere started 16 games at right tackle as a rookie. Viewed temporarily as a player who could help the Titans recover from their historic Isaiah Wilson whiff in the 2020 first round, Petit-Frere was unable to sustain momentum and stick as the team’s RT starter. The Titans have since changed GMs twice since drafting him.

A suspension for violating the league’s gambling policy and a shoulder injury limited Petit-Frere to just three appearances in 2023. After being briefly shifted to LT in 2023, Petit-Frere returned to start at RT to open the 2024 season but lost his starting job after Week 6 due to poor performance. After injuries decimated the Titans’ tackle depth, Petit-Frere started from Weeks 11 to 16, giving him a total of 34 appearances and 28 starts in his career in Tennessee.

As a former Day 2 pick with a prototypical frame for an NFL tackle, Petit-Frere could receive some interest on the waiver wire. However, that would require his new team to take on his 2025 salary, which was bumped to $3.4MM due to the league’s Proven Performance Escalators. Teams may prefer to wait until after the draft to sign Petit-Frere for less money in free agency.

None of the Titans’ new offensive line signings are expected to take over Petit-Frere’s spot at right tackle. Instead, the team plans to move 2024 first-round JC Latham back to his college position, with new free agent signing Dan Moore Jr. taking over Latham’s job at left tackle. This left less use for Petit-Frere, whom the current coaching staff inherited in 2024. The Titans will hope Latham stops a revolving post-Jack Conklin door at RT.

With Kevin Zeitler added to join a line housing former first-round guard Peter Skoronski and high-priced center Lloyd Cushenberry, Mustipher, Udoh and Jaimes are coming in to vie for backup jobs. Udoh and Mustipher held full-season starting roles — both in the NFC North — but each has settled onto the backup level since. The trio joins free agency addition Blake Hance, the recently re-signed Corey Levin and holdover Jaelyn Duncan as potential Tennessee second-string blockers.

Udoh started 16 games as the Vikings’ top right guard in 2021, working almost exclusively as a backup since. He played two more seasons in Minnesota and served as a New Orleans second-stringer last season. The Bears used Mustipher as their primary center from 2021-22 but did not retain him in 2023, leading to one-year Ravens and Chargers stopovers. Mustipher overlapped with Jaimes in L.A. Jaimes played in 46 games with the Bolts, starting three at center in 2023.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

Pro Football Rumors 2025 NFL Mock Draft

April 16th, 2025 at 10:10pm CST by Ely Allen

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.

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.

12) Dallas Cowboys — WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona

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)

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