By BLAKE BEDDINGFIELD, special contributor
NASHVILLE, Tenn., -- The 2025 NFL draft will go down as one of the most unpredictable drafts in recent memory. This is an imperfect draft with a lot of imperfect prospects. The lack of high-end talent will force teams to select need players at positions where they can have a starting role early in Year One like offensive linemen, nickel corners and defensive linemen.
This draft will rival 2022 and 2013 when the top two selections were taken because of need and not overall talent. In 2022, edge rusher Travon Walker was selected over Aidan Hutchinson and Sauce Gardner, and in 2013 we saw the Chiefs take left tackle Eric Fisher who ended with a solid career, but never played up to the talent of a first overall selection.
Lane Johnson was taken fifth overall that year, the third tackle selected. Only Johnson, DeAndre Hopkins, Travis Frederick and Xavier Rhodes had careers worthy of being selected in the first round.
Travis Kelcie, Zach Ertz, Darius Slay, Robert Woods, Le’Veon Bell, Terrion Armstead, Keenan Allen and David Bakhtiari were taken in rounds two to four and had good careers.
The key to success in the 2025 draft will be how teams can find starters and quality depth players on Day Three.
My mock through pick 35: [Unlocked]
1. Tennessee Titans, Cam Ward, QB, Miami
The Titans don't have a starting quarterback on their roster after the failed experiment with Will Levis. The 2025 NFL draft is poor in top-tier talent and without a trade-back partner, they are either forced to take the best player in the draft, Travis Hunter, or a QB. The other two options for the first pick in the draft -- edge rusher Abdul Carter and Hunter -- would be considered, but Carter has foot and shoulder issues that forced him not to work out and is a big gamble with the first overall pick. Hunter is the best athlete and player in the draft, but doesn’t fit an immediate need for the Titans and there is uncertainty from Hunter on which position he wants to play. Ward should be considered in 2025; in most years, he would not be worthy of the first overall selection.
If I were playing GM, I would select Hunter. It is hard to pass up that kind of talent and playmaker. But I am mocking the draft based on what I feel the Titans will do and why.
2. Cleveland Browns, Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
The Browns get the best player and talent in the draft, and he will be an immediate starter for them. The Browns insist that Hunter will be a starting WR for them. I believe Hunter's ceiling as a WR is Desean Jackson, who was a good player and explosive playmaker at times, but not a No. 2 overall pick in the draft. As a CB, Hunter has elite cover skills and athleticism in the mold of Jalen Ramsey.
3. New York Giants, Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
The Giants need a QB, but they can’t select Shedeur Sanders because Sanders doesn’t fit a Brian Daboll offense, and Jeanty and Carter are more enticing. They signed Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston to get them through the year. They need Jeanty to replace Saquan Barkley and add to the talented second-year WR Malik Nabers to improve their offense. The best chance for the Giants' success is to take a bona fide player and not reach for a QB with too many questions.
4. New England Patriots, Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State
The Patriots select the most talented pass rusher in the draft and take a risk with his injured foot and shoulder. Mike Vrabel knows pass rush is key to having an outstanding defense, and New Englands adds Carter to Harold Landry, who was signed in free agency, upgrading a poor unit from 2024.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars, Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
The Jaguars need to continue to build around Trevor Lawrence, who is on his third head coach in five seasons. Warren is a playmaker who can add to second-year WR Brian Thomas and a solid run game with Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby. Good offensive teams in the NFL have good tight ends, and Warren will give the Jags another young playmaker.
6. Las Vegas Raiders, Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
The Raiders can go in a number of directions. If Jeanty is here, they could select the RB. But Graham is a good football player who can combine with Christian Wilkins to form a tough interior duo and line up next to pass rusher Maxx Crosby. Raiders head coach Pete Carroll is 73 years old; they don’t have a lot of time to develop a young QB and wait, so he went out and got Geno Smith in a trade. Graham is a plug-and-play addition.
7. New York Jets, Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
The Jets have a lot of mismatch talent, but have yet to build a winning roster. They would love Warren, but he is gone. They need to add offensive playmakers. The Jets replace Aaron Rodgers' best friend, Allen Lazard with a younger and more talented version of him.
8. Carolina Panthers, Jalon Walker, Edge, Georgia
The Panthers could select a corner like Will Johnson, but they need pass rush after trading Brian Burns a year ago. Walker is a talented edge player who brings versatility with his ability to align on the edge or behind the ball.
9. New Orleans Saints, Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
New head coach Kellen Moore finds a QB who is similar to him when he played -- a short to intermediate passer who lacks arm strength but is accurate. The Saints have a solid offensive line and some talent at WR and RB to help Sanders play in Year One. Sanders is a need pick now that Derek Carr is out for the season with a shoulder issue. If Sanders doesn’t go to the Saints, he may be a Day Two pick. Remember, an imperfect draft with imperfect prospects.
10. Chicago Bears, Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
Johnson is one of the more talented players in this draft but falls to pick 10 because of a 2024 season that saw him play only five full games due to injury. It's hard to pass up a talent like Johnson in a draft that is void of top-level players.
11. San Francisco 49ers, Will Campbell, OL, LSU
The 49ers need to upgrade a roster that is getting old. Left tackle Trent Williams is 37 this season and George Kittle is 32. Christian McCaffrey and Nick Bosa need to stay healthy. The 49ers get a top offensive lineman in Campbell and start replacing some of these aging veterans. Especially with an impending deal with young QB Brock Purdy, they must build around him.
12. Dallas Cowboys, Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
The Cowboys have invested heavily in the offensive line but still have holes. The Cowboys need a complement to CeeDee Lamb, and they need a real RB and not a retread like Ezekiel Elliott. The Cowboys also need help on defense. I am not totally sold on Golden. He has talent and speed, but the playoff game vs. Ohio State still sticks in my mind. He went out with an ankle injury and sat for an entire half before returning in the second half when the team was making a comeback. That situation needs to be investigated.
13. Miami Dolphins, Armand Membou, OL, Missouri
Left tackle Terrion Armstead retired, leaving a hole at left tackle but they drafted Patrick Paul in the second round last year. If the Dolphins feel Paul is ready, they could easily go in another direction like the defensive line with Kenneth Grant or Walter Nolen.
14. Indianapolis Colts, Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
Campbell adds speed to a linebacker group that has productive run-down MLB Zaire Franklin. Campbell fills the WLB spot and adds rush and coverage skills along with speed. Defensive back is another need area for the Colts. They could also select Colston Loveland, the TE from Michigan to add to their offensive weapons of Michael Pittman, Josh Downs and Jonathan Taylor.
15. Atlanta Falcons, Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia
The Falcons need pass rush with pressure off the edge. They also need to replace longtime starter at DT in Grady Jackson. But edge rush has been a need for years.
16. Arizona Cardinals, Jahade Barron, DB, Texas
Versatile player for the Cardinals, who have quietly built a talented roster. They need Kyler Murray to elevate his play, and this could be a team to watch in 2025. Barron is a versatile player who can start immediately at corner, safety and in sub packages. The Cardinals could also select Kelvin Banks at OL or a defensive lineman.
17. Cincinnati Bengals, Kelvin Banks, OL, Texas
The Bengals have tied up their money at QB and WR. Now they must replace Sam Hubbard at DE, who retired. The Bengals need to protect Joe Burrow so he can get the ball off to those high-priced receivers. Banks can play immediately at tackle or guard.
18. Seattle Seahawks, Mike Green, Edge, Marshall
Green fills a need for a team looking for edge rushers. He was a highly productive rusher this season and has more in the tank to continue to improve.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Donovan Ezeiruaku, Edge, Boston College
The run on edge rushers continues -- you can’t have enough pass rushers. The Bucs signed Hassan Reddick in the offseason, but he didn’t produce in his short 2024 season.
20. Denver Broncos, Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
The Broncos need a RB and get a very talented player who is just starting to reach his potential. The need at WR is big as well, but Hampton ranks ahead of the next-best receiver in Luther Burden.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers, Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
The Steelers get the best safety in the class. The urge to take a QB is there, but I don’t see Jaxon Dart as a fit for Mike Tomlin. The Steelers could take a pass rusher or DL, but Starks is one of the best on the board and also fills a need.
22. Los Angeles Chargers, Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
Loveland is Jim Harbaugh's former player and fits the offense perfectly. The need for a pass rusher to fill in after Joey Bosa’s departure is there, along with a hole on the defensive line.
23. Green Bay Packers, Luther Burden, WR, Missouri
Burden has talent and has some run-after-the-catch ability that the Packers need. He shows flashes of a No. 1 receiver, but was not consistent in his time at Missouri. He has three-level receiving skills. Can be a deep threat and also a run-after-catch player.
24. Minnesota Vikings, Kenneth Grant, DL, Michigan
Adds to a group with newly acquired Jonathan Allen from the Commanders and Javon Hargrave from the 49ers. Grant is a luxury pick and one of the more talented players left on the board. The Vikings could also go RB, but there isn’t a first-round value RB on the board.
25. Houston Texans, Josh Simmons, OL, Ohio State
Simmons is a versatile guy who can play tackle or guard and is a starter in the NFL. Walter Nolen is an interesting player here for the Texans, but the OL hasn’t been fixed in Houston for years.
26. Los Angeles Rams, Emeka Egubuka, WR, Ohio State
This is a talented roster that could take a young QB like Jaxson Dart, an offensive lineman, or a tight end. The big need positions are corner and inside linebacker, but the value isn’t there.
27. Baltimore Ravens, James Pearce, Edge, Tennessee
A talent who could have been selected earlier,r but off-field issues have him slide. The Ravens have the infrastructure to handle a player like him and usually get them to reach their full talent level. A steal here.
28. Detroit Lions, Grey Zabel, OL, North Dakota State
Can start at guard immediately and fits the profile of the current Lions roster. Zabel can also backup at left tackle, his position in college. Starting left tackle Taylor Decker is going into his 10th season.
29. Washington Commanders, Walter Nolen, DL, Ole Miss
Talented 3-technique who replaces Jonathan Allen, who was traded to the Vikings. He should play early and can impact as a rusher and disrupter.
30. Buffalo Bills, Derrick Harmon, DL, Oregon
It's hard to pass him up at the 30th selection. He's a talented DL who has an upside to him. The Bills need a LB and Edge, but Harmon is the best player on the board and that is a Bills' philosophy.
31. Kansas City Chiefs, Josh Conerley Jr, OL, Oregon
The Chiefs have holes all over this roster, but they are masked by the best QB in the league in Patrick Mahomes. The need for plugging those holes starts now, so the decline is less severe.
32. Philadelphia Eagles, Shemar Stewart, Edge, Texas A&M
When you’re the world champs, you can take risks at a premium position. I can see the Eagles trading out of this spot to a team wanting an edge or QB to lock in that fifth-year option opportunity.
SECOND ROUND
33. Cleveland Browns, Treveyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State
The Browns need a lot; they took Hunter in Round One and select an NFL-ready RB in Round Two. Henderson has had some injuries earlier in his career, but he has size, strength and speed, very similar to Nick Chubb, who is a free agent. The urge to take a QB is there with Joe Flacco penciled in as the starter.
34. New York Giants, Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss
The Giants resisted the temptation to take a QB in Round One and get a talented but less than sure thing in Dart. Dart’s meltdown against Florida late in the season has me concerned about his mental toughness. The club must do its due diligence because that New York fan base will not go easy on him. He has the arm talent, but does he have the mental toughness for the position in the NFL?
35. Tennessee Titans, Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State
The Titans must now build around Ward, and adding a big target with athleticism is a step in the right direction. Calvin Ridley needs a complement and Higgins has size, length, hands and good speed for the position. The Titans are getting a good WR in Higgins, but the debate about taking a tight end or edge rusher will be interesting.
If the Titans can find a trade partner and move down in the second round to acquire a third-rounder, that would be the ideal scenario. There are plenty of players available at tight end, edge rusher and other receivers to select with a move down.
