The Tennessee Titans‘ disappointing 2024 season earned the franchise the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Will the Titans attempt to solve their quarterback issues by drafting Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders or Miami’s Cam Ward? Would Colorado’s two-way star Travis Hunter be the pick as the best player on the board?
If Tennessee opts against a quarterback, the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants await as QB-needy teams at No. 2 and No. 3 overall.
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With the draft order now set through pick No. 18, here’s how The Tennessean predicts the first round of the 2025 NFL draft will look:
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2025 NFL Mock Draft
1. Tennessee Titans: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
Sanders can thrive in Brian Callahan’s offense. He can create off-platform and has shown toughness in college. He will need to work on pocket presence and quicker decision-making as a pro, but has shown the ability to make vertical throws.
This pick is so critical to the Titans’ future. If they hit on the pick, they will have the star whose likeness will be on the front of the new Nissan Stadium in 2027. If they don’t, there could be multiple top-5 picks in the team’s future.
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LEARN ABOUT THE COLORADO QB: What to know about Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders, a possible Tennessee Titans target in 2025 NFL Draft
2. Cleveland Browns: Cam Ward, QB, Miami (Fla.)
What does a pairing between Ward and Browns coach Kevin Stefanski look like? If they can be on the same page, Ward should be able to thrive behind a veteran offensive line. No matter what the Browns do, Deshaun Watson cannot continue weighing the franchise down by being QB1 in 2025, no matter his contract situation.
LEARN ABOUT THE MIAMI QB: What to know about Miami QB Cam Ward, a possible Tennessee Titans target in 2025 NFL Draft
3. New York Giants: Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
Hunter can be a very good cornerback and a very good wide receiver in the NFL, and it’ll be interesting to see what he ends up playing. He could start both ways for the Giants next season. Malik Nabers and Hunter as a receiver tandem should be a plus for QBs looking for a new home.
4. New England Patriots: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
New England must address the offensive line, too, but giving QB Drake Maye a top weapon is key this offseason. McMillan is a prototypical outside receiver who can win in tight quarters.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
Johnson may be the best player picked at this point of the mock. He’ll instantly become one of the Jaguars’ best defenders and will pair well with Tyson Campbell in the secondary.
6. Las Vegas Raiders: Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State
The Raiders have swung and missed on a lot of edge rusher prospects in the past decade, but Carter is different. The Penn State edge rusher has room to grow despite already showing on film elite explosiveness and speed rush ability.
7. New York Jets: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
The Jets have spent plenty of top-10 draft capital on defensive linemen in the 21st century. Graham is worth adding as an active interior lineman who can play all across the inside of the line of scrimmage. He and Quinnen Williams will cause issues in the AFC East.
8. Carolina Panthers: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
I don’t like the way this has shaken out for the Panthers, who really need a front-seven difference-maker like Carter or Graham. Instead, Carolina adds the draft’s top tight end as a weapon for quarterback Bryce Young, who was very good in the final month of the season.
9. New Orleans Saints: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
New Orleans needs a fairly large rebuild along the offensive and defensive lines, and Banks is a good start as a plug-and-play tackle.
10. Chicago Bears: Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia
We don’t know who will be running the Bears’ defense in 2025, so this is a stretch of a projection. Walker will best fit early in his career as a versatile player who can rush the passer and play downhill more often than not.
11. San Francisco 49ers: Will Campbell, OT, LSU
The 49ers’ weakness the past couple of seasons has been the non-Trent Williams spots on the offensive line. There are questions about Campbell’s true fit as a tackle in the NFL, but I think he can plug-and-play at right tackle as a rookie.
12. Dallas Cowboys: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
Dallas won’t be able to pass up a top-half-of-the-draft skill player, and Jeanty is it. He has home-run potential and can help the Cowboys’ offense find balance. It doesn’t have to be CeeDee Lamb or bust.
13. Miami Dolphins: Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
Simmons’ season-ending injury will make for an interesting pre-draft process, but the Dolphins need help along the offensive line. Maybe Simmons begins his career inside, but Terron Armstead is 33 and costs $22 million against the cap in 2025 and 2026.
14. Indianapolis Colts: Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
The Colts need a difference-maker up front, and they’ve tried in recent first rounds with Kwity Paye (2021) and Laiatu Latu (2024). But Nolen will make things easier for DeForest Buckner inside with quickness and a growing pass-rush ability.
15. Atlanta Falcons: James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee
The Falcons need explosiveness off the edge, and Pearce will give them that from Day 1. While the overall sack numbers weren’t great in 2024 at Tennessee, he stands out on film as a consistent disruptor.
16. Arizona Cardinals: Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia
Arizona is another team that needs pass-rush help, especially off the edge. Williams has the prototypical frame and just needs to put it all together. He is a high-ceiling player who could easily push into the top 10.
17. Cincinnati Bengals: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
Barron is going to be a good player in the NFL as an inside-out defensive back. Is he going to be able to hold up on the outside? Cincinnati will hope so, but he can shine in the slot, too.
18. Seattle Seahawks: Nic Scourton, EDGE, Texas A&M
Scourton can be an edge setter who could grow into a versatile defensive lineman as a possible difference-maker for a defense that needs one to break out in the front seven.
19. Houston Texans: Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
Tank Dell’s major knee injury in late December likely will require Houston to find someone to pair with Nico Collins at receiver, and the Texans needed a third quality receiving option for C.J. Stroud anyway. Burden can play inside and out, and his explosiveness fits Houston’s offense.
20.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Shavon Revel Jr., CB, East Carolina
Tampa Bay’s secondary struggled throughout the season, and Revel is a long corner who plays a physical brand.
21.) Denver Broncos: Malaki Starks, DB, Georgia
What a fit for the Broncos and for Starks. The Georgia safety is the best player available, and they can mix him in with their current starting secondary as another defensive playmaker.
22.) Pittsburgh Steelers: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
Who knows what becomes of the Steelers quarterback position after the playoffs, but he will need someone other than George Pickens at receiver. Egbuka is an ideal complementary piece who can work through the middle of the field.
23.) Los Angeles Rams: Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame
The Rams continue to strengthen their defense through the draft by selecting Morrison, who could have pushed for the top 10 had he not suffered a season-ending hip injury in mid-October.
24.) Green Bay Packers: Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon
This could be a good value for Green Bay. Conerly’s status as a top prospect has grown through a solid junior season, and he could push Rasheed Walker at left tackle in Year 1.
25.) Los Angeles Chargers: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
Loveland played for Jim Harbaugh at Michigan, and the Chargers were heavy on tight end usage in 2024. Loveland will plug in as a quality receiving option and could push for 50-plus catches as a rookie.
26.) Washington Commanders: Tacario Davis, CB, Arizona
Washington needs to add multiple pieces in the secondary, and Davis is a big corner who should fit well in Dan Quinn’s zone-heavy scheme.
27.) Baltimore Ravens: Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
Campbell is a prototypical Raven, no? He’s a versatile player who could play on the edge or off the ball, but will make plays in either situation.
28.) Philadelphia Eagles: Xavier Watts, DB, Notre Dame
The Eagles have yet to invest in the safety position, and Watts fits as a versatile playmaker who can play up the field and near the line of scrimmage.
29.) Buffalo Bills: Tre Harris, WR, Ole Miss
The Bills’ receiving corps needs youth and some explosiveness. Harris can play inside and out while providing big-play ability for Josh Allen that he really hasn’t had in Buffalo.
30.) Minnesota Vikings: Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
Harmon provides some pass-rush ability as well as stout run defense at 6-foot-5 and 310 pounds. Jerry Tillery and Jonathan Bullard are both free agents at the end of the season, and Harmon provides more upside.
31.) Detroit Lions: Tyleik Williams, DT, Ohio State
Williams can be a quality run-stuffing defensive lineman from Day 1 to help the Lions, who are 22nd in the NFL in yards per rush allowed.
32.) Kansas City Chiefs: Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
Fully understand that the Chiefs’ biggest needs are at cornerback and left tackle, but GM Brett Veach knows not to reach in the first round. Grant won’t be a like-for-like replacement for Tershawn Wharton, should he leave in free agency, but Grant would fortify the Chiefs’ suddenly stout run defense.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: NFL Mock Draft 2025: Expert predictions for every first round pick
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