Whether you’re ready or not, draft season is upon us. Sure, there are still almost five months until the actual event. And, yes, a million things will change between now and late April, including but not limited to: the makeup of several coaching and scouting staffs, the state of post-free-agency rosters and each team’s pressing needs, and the draft eligibility statuses of a handful of marquee prospects, many of whom could choose to go back to school for another year.
But none of those things have ever stopped me, or most of us in the NFL’s draft media apparatus, from putting together a good old-fashioned, way-too-early mock draft. Here’s a look at which prospect might be the best fit for each team next spring. Here’s my mock draft, version 1.0. (Draft order from Tankathon.)
1
Jacksonville Jaguars
WR/CB Travis Hunter, Colorado
Hunter is a rare two-way player who boasts elite playmaking talent at both receiver and corner. It will be up to the Jaguars to determine exactly how the Colorado star splits his time between offense and defense in the pros, but there’s little doubt he’ll make a difference for a franchise that has picked at no. 1 for the third time since 2021. A former national no. 1 recruit, Hunter is a springy, loose athlete with natural instincts in coverage, and he brings a ball-winning mentality when the ball is in the air—whether it’s his guy or the other team’s quarterback throwing the pass.
2
Las Vegas Raiders
QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
The Raiders hit a home run with their first-round pick in the 2024 draft, landing tight end Brock Bowers, and now they need to pair Bowers with a real, long-term answer at quarterback. Sanders doesn’t have eye-popping physical traits, but he is accurate, throws with touch, and is typically poised under pressure. He also takes care of the football. Sanders has completed an FBS-best 74.2 percent of his passes this year, tossing 35 touchdowns and just eight picks while adding four scores with his legs.
3
New York Giants
QB Cam Ward, Miami
After ditching Daniel Jones midway through another disappointing season, the Giants look to the future here with a new potential franchise quarterback in Ward. The Miami star is a dynamic playmaker with a good-sized frame, strong arm, and penchant for the big play. A five-year starter who played two seasons at Incarnate Word, two seasons at Washington State, and his final season at Miami, Ward brings plenty of experience and a dual-threat skill set to New York. If he can feed 2024 first-round pick receiver Malik Nabers and take care of the football better than Jones ever did, Ward will give the Giants a shot at competing in the NFC East once again.
4
New England Patriots
OT Will Campbell, LSU
Drake Maye has shown some excellent flashes this season, and it sure looks like the team has hit on its quarterback of the future. But upgrading the supporting cast around the young signal caller will be critical this offseason—and building out a serviceable offensive line should be the top priority. Campbell is a smooth mover who plays with good balance and strong hands. He’s got multiple years of experience playing at tackle and could be New England’s starter on either the left or right for the long term—but also has the demeanor to play guard if the Patriots need him there early on.
5
Carolina Panthers
WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
Bryce Young’s unexpectedly exciting performance over the past month has given the Panthers new hope that their top pick in the 2023 draft has a future as the team’s starter after all. And with a recent report indicating that the team will not be looking at the quarterback position early in the 2025 NFL draft, the smart move here is to give their young quarterback an elite playmaker at receiver. McMillan is big and explosive with excellent body control that enables him to twist and contort to make tough catches. He’d be the true no. 1 receiver this Carolina offense has been missing and would complement the team’s other promising wideouts, such as Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker.
6
New York Jets
Edge Abdul Carter, Penn State
The Jets could go in just about any direction at this spot, but grabbing an explosive pass rusher like Carter might provide the most upside. Carter is a versatile defender with experience playing both on the edge and off the ball. He’s a bendy athlete with a quick first step and top-tier closing speed, and he will give a talented New York defense yet another playmaker.
7
Tennessee Titans
CB Will Johnson, Michigan
After enduring the Will Levis roller coaster this year, the Titans could be in the market for a quarterback with this pick. But with big question marks around pretty much all of the signal callers still on the board here (and, really, with all the quarterbacks in this class), Tennessee opts instead for a polished, game-ready corner. The Michigan standout has excellent size and quick feet, and he closes on the ball almost instantaneously. He shows great instincts in coverage, and with nine career interceptions, including three pick-sixes, he brings proven ball production to the pros.
8
Cleveland Browns
OT Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas
The Browns could be among the teams looking at quarterbacks with their top pick, but they instead aim to bolster the trenches by picking Banks at this spot. With tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. battling a chronic knee issue and the rest of the team’s line starting to get up there in age, Cleveland invests in its future up front. Banks is a big, barrel-chested blocker who plays with smooth footwork in pass pro. He could be the team’s long-term solution at left tackle.
9
Cincinnati Bengals
Edge Mykel Williams, Georgia
The Bengals, who are currently tied for second to last in the NFL in sacks (just 21 in 12 games), desperately need more help on defense, particularly up front. Here, they address that by selecting Williams, who is relatively raw as a pass rusher but has high upside. The Georgia standout is a well-built defender with good strength and excellent length. He knows how to utilize his long arms to keep defenders at bay, win rushes, and discard blocks. A former five-star prospect, Williams must develop a wider repertoire of pass rush moves to reach his potential in the pros, but he boasts a tantalizing combination of size, length, power, and agility.
10
New Orleans Saints
DT Mason Graham, Michigan
The Saints love to build through the trenches, and they do so here by adding a tenacious interior lineman. The Wolverines star plays with a quick first step and throws heavy hands to shock opponents at the snap. He drives offensive linemen off their spots in a blink, but he also has the lateral agility to shoot through gaps and leave his opponents grasping a cloud of dust. Graham has collected 5 sacks this year, and his 34 pressures are tied for third among interior defensive linemen nationally, per PFF.
11
Chicago Bears
OT Cameron Williams, Texas
The Bears bolster their offensive line with this pick, nabbing a raw blocker with high upside. The Texas standout started for only one season, but he offers a rare combination of length, power, and movement skills at 6-foot-5 and 335 pounds. He’s got the foot quickness and length necessary to develop as a tackle but could start early in his career at guard, where he’d help boost the Bears’ run game before giving Caleb Williams better protection in year two.
12
Miami Dolphins
OT Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota
The Dolphins add some talent to their offensive line with this pick. Ersery is a mountain of a man, boasting immense size and excellent length—traits he knows how to use to direct opponents away from the pocket. He’s got the movement skills to line up at tackle but has the people-moving power to play on the inside if that’s where the Dolphins initially need him.
13
Dallas Cowboys
RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
There will be obvious (and valid) questions about the long-term value of choosing a running back this high in the draft, but Jeanty would provide a much-needed spark for the Cowboys offense, which, outside of wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, has conspicuously lacked difference makers at the skill positions this season. Dallas has to get some help for Dak Prescott if it hopes to get out of its funk in 2025. Jeanty is a special talent; he has gyroscopic balance through contact and home-run-hitting speed, which would give Dallas some juice on the ground.
14
San Francisco 49ers
Edge Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M
The 49ers could add to their pass rush group here by grabbing Stewart, a twitchy defender with excellent size and length at 6-foot-6 and 290 pounds. A former five-star prospect, Stewart is a versatile lineman who can line up all across the defensive front and play on all three downs. He would give defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen another playmaker on the defensive line.
15
Indianapolis Colts
Safety Malaki Starks, Georgia
The Colts pass defense has been middling (or worse) in just about every critical category this season, and the team’s back seven needs an injection of talent. Starks has the potential to make an impact at all three levels of the defense. The versatile safety can line up deep or off the ball or play around the line of scrimmage as a blitzer and stout run defender. He also has instincts in coverage and excellent ball skills.
16
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Edge James Pearce Jr., Tennessee
The Buccaneers love to use early-round picks on trench players, and they can stick with that strategy here. Pearce is a little undersized, but he has great initial burst, and his excellent length keeps opponents off his frame. He can contribute immediately in Tampa Bay’s pass rush rotation and could offer three-down upside if he fills out his body and gets stronger against the run.
17
Los Angeles Rams
OT Josh Simmons, Ohio State
The Rams give their offensive line a nice boost here, grabbing a versatile and athletic tackle in Simmons. The former Buckeyes standout saw his 2024 season end early because of a knee injury. He has experience at both left and right tackle and boasts quick feet and strong hands in pass pro. With both Joe Noteboom and Alaric Jackson due to hit free agency this offseason, Simmons could be the Rams’ long-term answer at left tackle.
18
Arizona Cardinals
DT Deone Walker, Kentucky
The Cardinals add some significant mass to the middle of their defensive line here, with Walker providing a boost to what has been a surprisingly stout defense this year. Walker, who is listed at 6-foot-6 and 345 pounds, is an athletic and versatile big man who has shown the ability to move around the line and rush the passer from different angles. He has surprising quickness and is able to shoot through gaps and rip past opponents, but he also brings the ballast to be a factor in plugging up the middle of the line.
19
Atlanta Falcons
Edge Nic Scourton, Texas A&M
Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but the Falcons could use some help in the pass rush department. Taking Scourton here could be just the thing this chronically deficient defensive front needs. At 6-foot-4 and 280 pounds, the Aggies star boasts a big, burly frame, and he plays with a rugged, tenacious style. He has the versatility to line up across the defensive front and won’t turn 21 until August of next year. The upside is clear.
20
Seattle Seahawks
Edge Jalon Walker, Georgia
The Seahawks should continue to build the talent and depth of their outside linebacker and edge defender group with Walker, a super-high-upside pass rusher. The Georgia standout is a versatile playmaker who can be deployed from multiple alignments; he is able to create impact plays lined up either on the edge or off the ball. His athleticism and top-tier closing speed make him a great fit for Mike Macdonald’s defense, which likes to bring pressure from every conceivable angle.
21
Washington Commanders
WR Luther Burden III, Missouri
The Commanders have a star in quarterback Jayden Daniels, but the team needs to continue to add support for its young franchise player. Washington could do just that here, grabbing an electric playmaker to pair with veteran Terry McLaurin. The Missouri star is a big-play threat down the field and a creator with the ball in his hands, which would give offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury a versatile chess piece that he can deploy from anywhere in the formation.
22
Houston Texans
DT Kenneth Grant, Michigan
The Texans should look to beef up their defensive line by adding a gargantuan defender in Grant. He’s listed at 6-foot-3 and 339 pounds and is surprisingly nimble at the point of attack, regularly giving opposing linemen fits with his quick first step and immense strength. Grant can shore up the Houston run defense while also providing a boost to edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. by demanding more attention in the interior.
23
Denver Broncos
WR Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
The Broncos should continue to build around Bo Nix, adding a quarterback’s-best-friend type of receiver in Egbuka. The Buckeyes standout would bring size, strong hands, and route-running chops to the Denver offense and give the team a potential successor to Courtland Sutton (who is 29 and heading into the final year of his contract in 2025). Along with Troy Franklin, Marvin Mims, and the surprisingly effective 2024 seventh-round pick Devaughn Vele, Denver should continue to build some depth at receiver.
24
Baltimore Ravens
CB Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame
No team has given up more passing yards this year than the Ravens, and only two teams have given up more passing touchdowns. Baltimore could rectify that issue by grabbing Morrison here. The son of former NFL safety Darryl Morrison, the Notre Dame standout is a smooth mover who has fluid hips that give him the ability to turn and run with opposing receivers. While he can be a risk-taker in his tendency to jump routes, he has plenty of production on his résumé (nine interceptions in his career). A hip injury ended his 2024 season prematurely, but if everything goes smoothly in his recovery, he could be ready to roll early on for the Ravens.
25
Los Angeles Chargers
TE Colston Loveland, Michigan
The Hayden Hurst signing hasn’t really worked out for the Chargers, and while Will Dissly has shown some pass-catching chops, he doesn’t create dynamic mismatches. That's exactly what Loveland could do for Justin Herbert and the L.A. offense. The Wolverines star is a good athlete with excellent body control and some run-after-the-catch ability. Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman has shown a knack for using tight ends in the passing game—see Mark Andrews in Baltimore—and the Jim Harbaugh–Michigan connection makes this an obvious pairing.
26
Pittsburgh Steelers
DT Walter Nolen, Ole Miss
The Steelers add some youth to their aging defensive line here, taking a high-energy defender. The Ole Miss standout has racked up 6.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss this year and ranks eighth among FBS interior linemen in pressures (30), per PFF. He wins using a combination of first-step explosiveness and heavy, active hands to discard blocks or blow right by opponents and into the backfield. Nolan brings the size and athleticism to play multiple spots on the line.
27
Green Bay Packers
DT Tyleik Williams, Ohio State
The Packers are doing that Ocean’s Eleven bit—You think we need one more; all right, we’ll get one more—except with first-round players on their defense. Williams isn’t the most alluring pick, but he’s a stout run defender with the quickness and movement skills to be utilized on stunts and twists, where he shows a knack for slicing into the backfield to rush the passer or disrupt rush lanes. He’s a smart player who anticipates and blows up screens, and he always seems to know where the ball is going.
28
Minnesota Vikings
OL Jonah Savaiinaea, Arizona
The Vikings can add some mass to their offensive line with Savaiinaea, a big, wide-bodied blocker. The Arizona lineman boasts quick feet, good balance, and plenty of versatility and has experience lining up at both guard and tackle. He projects best as an interior lineman in the pros, and that’s where he’d help most on the Vikings line.
29
Philadelphia Eagles
Edge JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State
Building depth in the trenches has long been the cornerstone concept for Eagles general manager Howie Roseman, and he can stick with that strategy here. Tuimoloau is a rough and rugged edge defender who can create disruption as a pass rusher and defeat blocks to help in the run game. With Josh Sweat and Brandon Graham not under contract in 2025, Philly would be able to bolster that critical edge rusher position in the draft.
30
Buffalo Bills
DT Derrick Harmon, Oregon
Outside of Ed Oliver and DeWayne Carter, the Bills interior defensive line group is getting up there in age, with DaQuan Jones, Austin Johnson, Quinton Jefferson, and Jordan Phillips all now north of 30 years old. With that in mind, the Bills can add some youth to that rotation with Harmon, a powerful and long defender out of Oregon. A transfer from Michigan State, he has shown the versatility to line up and penetrate the pocket from multiple angles, and he’s stout enough to be an anchor who can plug gaps in the run game.
31
Kansas City Chiefs
CB Shavon Revel Jr., East Carolina
The Chiefs’ already excellent defense could get a boost here. Revel is a tenacious defender who has rare size and length for a cornerback. He shows instincts for finding the ball when it’s in the air and is physical through the catch point, often knocking passes loose. The East Carolina star suffered a season-ending ACL injury in September, but if his recovery goes smoothly, he could be ready to play early in the 2025 season.
32
Detroit Lions
Edge Landon Jackson, Arkansas
The Lions could add some more talent to their defensive line by selecting Jackson, who offers immense length at a listed 6-foot-7 and 280 pounds. The Razorbacks standout plays with tenacity and a high motor on the edge and uses his long arms to control opponents while swiping, ripping, and dipping to get under and around blocks. This style of play would be a nice fit in Dan Campbell’s defense.
