With the 2025 NFL Draft inching closer and closer, it’s time to look into the crystal ball and predict how the first round shakes out.
Not only are we predicting some trades involving swapping of first-round picks, but we have a couple of blockbuster deals involving big-name players. So let’s dive right into it!
Who are the top prospects in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft?
1. Tennessee Titans: Cam Ward
If the Titans didn’t want Ward, we feel like they would have either traded the pick or added another veteran QB by now. Neither has happened, so welcome to the Titans, Mr. Ward.
With first-round picks Peter Skoronski and JC Latham on the o-line, and with Calvin Ridley and Tony Pollard leading the way on offense, there’s a solid core in place for Ward to produce right away.
2. Cleveland Browns: Travis Hunter
Cleveland can’t go wrong with Hunter or Abdul Carter. But with Myles Garrett already in place, the Browns should take the two-way phenom who can emerge as their new lead wide receiver….and as a fellow shutdown corner alongside Denzel Ward.
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Receivers are always attractive, but having Hunter on defense to combat against Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow in the AFC North.
3. New York Giants: Abdul Carter
Feels like most people want the Giants to take Shedeur Sanders here, but this would be way too early. New York has issues all over the roster, so they may as well take the best NFL draft prospect available.
Carter has drawn comparisons to Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons, who’s been a nightmare for the Giants in the NFC East. Carter, Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns, and Kayvon Thibodeaux might be even more deadly than the Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora-led Giants’ front seven that helped New York to two Super Bowl wins in the Eli Manning era.
4. New England Patriots: Mason Graham
We keep flipping between Graham and LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell here for New England. The bottom line is that the Patriots will be happy with either guy.
New Pats head coach Mike Vrabel built potent units in the trenches on both sides of the ball in Tennessee. Graham can be the new franchise cornerstone piece on a young Pats’ D that already boasts Christian Gonzalez, Kyle Dugger, and newcomers Harold Landry and Milton Williams.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Will Campbell
The Jaguars traded Cam Robinson ahead of the deadline to Minnesota and moved on from Brandon Scherff. More help on the o-line is necessary, and Trevor Lawrence would love the imposing 6-foot-6, 319-pound Campbell as his blindside protector for years to come.
6. Las Vegas Raiders: Ashton Jeanty
Bringing in Pete Carroll and Geno Smith means the Raiders want to win now. The best win-now move here would be taking running back Ashton Jeanty in the NFL draft, perhaps the best RB prospect since Saquon Barkley.
An offensive nucleus of Smith, Jeanty, Brock Bowers, and Jakobi Meyers would immediately put Vegas in playoff contention. Welcome to four-team chaos in the AFC West, baby!!!
7. Chicago Bears (From New York Jets): Tyler Warren
Projected trade alert! The Bears acquire the No. 7 selection from the New York Jets in exchange for the No. 10 and No. 72 picks.
With the selection, the Bears take Penn State tight end Tyler Warren. Now Caleb Williams has Warren, DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, and D’Andre Swift. Think that’s enough offensive firepower for head coach Ben Johnson?
8. Carolina Panthers: Jalon Walker
We wouldn’t complain if Carolina took a receiver here. But GM Dan Morgan can wait until round two to dip his feet in the receiver-heavy 2025 NFL draft.
The priority has to be to address a defense that allowed the most points in 2024, a ridiculous 31.4 per game. Walker, a do-it-all edge rusher out of Georgia, would immediately bring more juice and toughness to the unit.
9. New Orleans Saints: Shedeur Sanders
Derek Carr’s 2025 season is in jeopardy with a shoulder injury, but he also isn’t the long-term guy with two years remaining on his contract. Take it all into account, and Sanders just makes too much sense for the Saints here.
The long-term outlook for this team is dark, but that could change if they pair Sanders with new head coach Kellen Moore, one of the game’s most brilliant offensive minds who’s worked with Dak Prescott, Justin Herbert, and Jalen Hurts.
10. New York Jets (From Chicago Bears): Tetairoa McMillan
This would be a win-win for the Jets. Trade down a few spots and still nab one of the 2025 NFL draft’s top pass-catchers to pair with Garrett Wilson.
As good as Wilson is, Justin Fields won’t hit his ceiling if the Jets don’t add more weapons. McMillan is a big-bodied receiver and red zone threat who averaged over 15 yards per catch in each of his three years at Arizona.
11. San Francisco 49ers: Will Johnson
The 49ers’ defense has lost Leonard Floyd, Charvarius Ward, Talanoa Hufanga, and Javon Hargrave. One man can’t fill the shoes of four others, but getting the best corner in this class would soften some of the blow on San Fran’s defense.
Johnson is arguably a top-5 prospect in this class, but the teams picking in front of San Fran have much greater needs. That works nicely for Kyle Shanahan’s group, giving them an elite shutdown talent to help Nick Bosa and Fred Warner on defense.
12. Miami Dolphins (From Dallas Cowboys): Matthew Golden
Projected trade alert, and you’ll REALLY want to listen to this one. So hear us and hear us well.
The Dolphins trade wide receiver Tyreek Hill and the No. 13 selection to the Cowboys in exchange for the No. 12 and No. 44 picks and a 2026 fifth-round pick.
Bold? Yes. But the Dolphins get rid of the headache that Hill has become and replace him with Texas wideout Matthew Golden, who’s nine years younger and comes on a cheap rookie contract. Miami’s offense will be just fine with Golden and Jaylen Waddle, thank you very much.
13. Dallas Cowboys (From Miami Dolphins): Mykel Williams
With Dallas landing Hill, their search for a potent No. 2 receiver is over. That means they can address their next pressing need in edge rusher by pairing Georgia’s Mykel Williams with Micah Parsons.
As great as Parsons is, he hasn’t had another All-Pro-caliber pass-rusher as a sidekick in Dallas. That changes here with Williams’ arrival via the 2025 NFL Draft.
14. Indianapolis Colts: Colston Loveland
This is a make-or-break year for Anthony Richardson, so the Colts may as well put out the best possible set of playmakers for him. Even if Richardson isn’t the option, the Michigan tight end could be a valuable long-term cornerstone piece alongside Jonathan Taylor and Michael Pittman Jr.
Opposing defenses already have to respect Taylor in the red zone. So let’s give Richardson the 6-foot-5 red-zone weapon who played a big role in the Wolverines’ national championship in 2023.
15. Atlanta Falcons: Mike Green
Signing Leonard Floyd was a nice start to fix the pass-rush, but more is needed. For crying out loud, Atlanta hasn’t had a player hit double-digit sacks in a season since Vic Beasley in 2016!
Hopefully, that changes here with Marshall’s Mike Green, who could form a dynamic pass-rushing tandem with Floyd. Together, these two would help Atlanta close the gap with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South.
16. Arizona Cardinals: Josh Simmons
2023 first-round pick Paris Johnson Jr. locked down one of the o-line in a 2024 breakout year, but the rest of Arizona’s pass protection unit is leaky. Simmons was a rock on the Ohio State Buckeyes’ national championship-winning team, allowing zero sacks and just one hurry on the year, per Pro Football Focus.
A Johnson-Simmons bookend tandem would make Kyler Murray a very happy man.
17. Cincinnati Bengals: Malaki Starks
The Bengals’ defense wasted career years from Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase last year, so we’d be surprised if this pick wasn’t used on defense.
Georgia safety Malaki Starks is a special unicorn who makes plays all over the field, like Baltimore Ravens star Kyle Hamilton. The latter has been a problem for Cincy, so they can return the favor by taking the most well-rounded defensive back in the 2025 NFL Draft.
18. Seattle Seahawks: Armand Membou
The Seahawks allowed Geno Smith to take a career-worst 50 sacks last season. There’s little hope for Sam Darnold to play like his 2024 self if the ‘Hawks don’t offer him better pass protection.
The solution can be Missouri’s Armand Membou, a plug-and-play guy who didn’t allow a single sack or QB hit in 411 pass-blocking snaps, per PFF.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jihaad Campbell
The Bucs’ fierce front seven propelled them to three straight playoff berths and a Super Bowl 55 title in the short-and-sweet Tom Brady era. The unit hasn’t had the same juice since guys like Jason Pierre-Paul, Ndamukong Suh, and Devin White left, though.
After watching Jayden Daniels pick his defense apart in their Wild Card Round loss, Todd Bowles happily adds this do-it-all linebacker out of Alabama to temporarily join forces with Lavante David, who’s nearing the end of his career.
20. Denver Broncos: Emeka Egbuka
The Broncos already added veteran tight end Evan Engram to bolster the Bo Nix and Courtland Sutton-led offense, but getting one more play-making pass-catcher via the NFL draft would take Sean Payton’s group to another level.
Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka is an explosive deep threat and red-zone threat who had 24 touchdowns over his last three years of college ball. Seems like the type of home run guy Nix would embrace!
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Luther Burden III
The Steelers may target a QB if Aaron Rodgers decides to retire or sign elsewhere, but we’re operating under the assumption that the four-time MVP will eventually sign with Pittsburgh.
Trading for ex-Seahawks superstar DK Metcalf was a nice start, but let’s not end it there. George Pickens is entering his contract year and could be trade bait, so the Steelers address receiver again by adding the Missouri pass-catcher to the mix.
An offense with Rodgers, Metcalf, Burden AND/OR Pickens would make this team legitimate Super Bowl contenders.
22. Los Angeles Rams (From Los Angeles Chargers): Jaxson Dart
Projected trade! The Rams acquire the No. 22 pick from their AFC counterparts in exchange for the No. 26 and No. 90 selections. Remember, the Rams also have a compensatory pick at No. 101, so it’s a move-up they can very much afford.
And with that, Sean McVay’s Rams take the Ole Miss QB to eventually succeed Matthew Stafford. Dart probably isn’t ready to start, and Stafford is on a year-to-year basis.
This is the ideal place for Dart, who can learn behind the Super Bowl-winning QB for a season or two before taking over the offense.
23. Green Bay Packers: Jahdae Barron
With Jaire Alexander’s departure — be it trade or release — inevitable, the Packers will have a hole in the secondary to fill.
Green Bay already has a top-tier safety in Xavier McKinney, but this secondary would be well-equipped to hold up against the league’s best quarterbacks with the addition of the Texas cornerback.
24. Minnesota Vikings: Josh Conerly Jr.
Conerly is a versatile offensive lineman who may be asked to play guard, depending on where he lands in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Vikings have two rock-solid bookends in Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill, but bringing in Conerly to upgrade the interior o-line would make life much easier for JJ McCarthy.
25. Houston Texans: Kelvin Banks
The Texans’ new-look o-line moved on from Laremy Tunsil and Shaq Mason. Asking the injury-prone Trent Brown and the inconsistent Cam Robinson to suddenly upgrade CJ Stroud’s pass protection is playing with fire.
So let’s address the o-line by taking a day-one starter in Texas’s Kelvin Banks Jr., who allowed just two sacks in 1,088 offensive snaps over the last two years.
26. Los Angeles Chargers (From Los Angeles Rams): Omarion Hampton
We know the Bolts already signed Najee Harris, but he’s only on a one-year deal here. And we all know how much Jim Harbaugh loves to run the ball.
The NFL is a copycat league. Why not follow the Detroit Lions’ playbook and form an explosive running back duo to carry the offense? Harris isn’t much of a pass-catcher anyway, so Hampton can play the Jahmyr Gibbs role for Justin Herbert.
27. Baltimore Ravens: Tyler Booker
The Ravens already have three studs up front: Ronnie Stanley, Roger Rosengarten, and Tyler Linderbaum. But how about “strengthening the strength” by taking Alabama guard Tyler Booker to upgrade the interior o-line?
28. Detroit Lions: Landon Jackson
The Lions’ pass-rush was too often a non-factor after they lost Aidan Hutchinson for the year with a gruesome leg injury. Fortunately, the Lions will have plenty of quality NFL draft prospects to choose from.
The menacing 6-foot-6, 234-pound Arkansas product would fit nicely on Dan Campbell’s “bully ball” defense.
29. Washington Commanders: Shemar Stewart
As fun as their underdog run was last season, the Commanders’ lack of depth in the front seven was exposed big-time in the NFC Championship Game blowout against the Eagles.
Stewart isn’t a fully polished pass-rusher yet, but his elite run defense and fit in Dan Quinn’s system make him the ideal fit here.
30. San Francisco 49ers (From Buffalo Bills): Jayden Higgins
Projected trade alert in the 2025 NFL Draft! And it’s a dandy.
The 49ers receive the No. 30 pick from the Bills in exchange for wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and the No. 138 pick.
Buffalo happily gets the new No. 1 receiver it’s been searching for in the post-Stefon Diggs era. The cap-strapped 49ers get out of Aiyuk’s $120 million deal and select a capable replacement in Iowa State wideout Jayden Higgins.
31. Kansas City Chiefs: Nic Scourton
The Chiefs don’t have any real weaknesses here, so it could be a case of taking the best remaining player. And we’re sure the blitz-happy Steve Spagnuolo would like another disruptive edge rusher to take some of the pressure off Chris Jones and George Karlaftis.
32. Philadelphia Eagles: Grey Zabel
Like the Chiefs, the Eagles are pretty well set at every position. However, with Lane Johnson nearing the end of his career, Philly can draft and mentor his successor by taking the North Dakota State offensive lineman.
