Now that the regular season is over, let’s check back in with the fourth mock draft of this cycle — with QBs going first and second overall.
Fourteen teams have made the playoffs. But 18 have not, and if yours is one of them — or if you’re cheering on a winner and still peeking ahead to the 2025 NFL Draft — then this mock is for you!
Draft order via Tankathon. In this edition, Nate Tice makes the odd-numbered picks and Charles McDonald makes the even.
Previous mock drafts: 1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0
1. Tennessee Titans — Cam Ward, QB, Miami
Well, whoever will be making decisions going forward in Nashville will have the top selection in this year’s draft. (Insert general manager here) decides to hop off the highs and lows of the LevisCoaster and instead reset the quarterback timeline with the ever-calm Ward. The Titans could still stand to add more pieces along their fronts, look to trade back, and possibly enter the Sam Darnold sweepstakes, one of many paths available for (insert general manager). It’s not a great QB class, but Ward definitely stands on top of it. He pushes the ball, can throw off any type of platform, and extend plays as a runner and thrower. Ward can get himself in trouble sometimes, but he has some real stuff to work with and tap into, and his play demeanor is infectious. — Nate Tice
2. Las Vegas Raiders (from Cleveland Browns) — Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
After firing Antonio Pierce, the Raiders trade up to get their hands on a franchise quarterback, which they desperately need. Another season of Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew II isn’t tenable, so the Raiders grab Sanders to lead their franchise for the next few years. — Charles McDonald
3. New York Giants — Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
After seeing QBs get picked off in front of them, the Giants instead veer toward star power. Hunter is an excellent athlete and has a rare feel for the cornerback position. With Malik Nabers already showing off his star potential at receiver, there’s no need to overwhelm Hunter as a two-way player right away. He could instead put a young defensive backfield over the top (Hunter, Dru Phillips and a hopefully reinvigorated Deonte Banks could be something special as a trio) and carve out a role as a package player on offense, bringing even more explosive play ability to a team that — here it comes — would just be a quarterback from being really interesting.
4. New England Patriots — Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
New England will have a new head coach to go with its new quarterback in 2025 and the Patriots could certainly use a new wide receiver to ease in the new era. McMillan has the size, speed and technical skills to be an immediate No. 1 option for QB Drake Maye and whoever is coaching this team in the fall.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars — Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
Front players will be looked at here, but the Jaguars look to build one of the best cornerback duos in football with Will Johnson and Tyson Campbell. Johnson has true lockdown potential and is one of the (few) blue chippers in this year’s class. He has ideal size, is a fluid athlete and already shows off the polish to be a solid starter right away (which is saying something for rookie cornerbacks). He has the potential to be one of the game’s best at his position in a few years. He battled injuries this season, but the flashes were still there of a high-end player.
6. Cleveland Browns (from Raiders) — Will Campbell, OT, LSU
The Browns trade down as they try to accumulate more assets for the remainder of Deshaun Watson’s albatross contract and steady their offensive line at the same time. Campbell has the makings of a long-term starter along the offensive line and would be a nice “safe” hit for the Browns to grab a building block on their offense.
7. New York Jets — Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State
General manager Joe Douglas may be gone, but the Jets continue to take defensive linemen. Carter can be up-and-down against the run, but he has the high-end pass rushing potential and could replenish a once-elite unit that must evolve its cast of characters.
8. Carolina Panthers — Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
Carolina made strides this season on offense, but its defense is still terrible, particularly up front. Grabbing Graham at this point makes a lot of sense, and with the return of Derrick Brown, the Panthers’ defense could have their interior go from a weakness to a strength rather quickly.
9. New Orleans Saints—Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
Tackling has turned into an optional activity in New Orleans this season. The do-everything Starks can help fortify a leaky unit and provide the future Saints play-caller with a fun tool to use in different ways.
10. Chicago Bears — Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon
Caleb Williams and the rest of the Bears’ offense could use some solutions along the offensive line — really at any spot except for right tackle. Conerly is a rising prospect who played some great football for Oregon and projects as a high-upside tackle at the next level.
11. San Francisco 49ers — Kelvin Banks Jr., OT/OG, Texas
Whether Banks is a guard or tackle at the next level (I see him more as a guard), the 49ers could use it! Banks has a sturdy frame and is explosive. His easy-moving athleticism will translate into Kyle Shanahan’s ever-evolving run game, with his size (6-foot-4, 320 pounds) being a bonus in providing a more solidified pocket.
12. Dallas Cowboys — Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
Something flashy for Dallas. Jeanty might not be the biggest need for the Cowboys, but he’s certainly the best player on the board at this point. Jeanty was one of the best players in college football this season and should immediately be one of the better running backs in the league from Day 1. Running backs still have value early, particularly if they’re as good as Jeanty.
13. Miami Dolphins—Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
The developing Tyreek Hill situation might have Miami address a receiver hole through the draft (leaning into its ever-need for speed). Instead, I see the Dolphins looking to lift the floor up for their offensive line. Simmons put together a strong season before going down with a knee injury. (More players for the Dolphins’ medical staff!) He is a good athlete who is a standout in space and on the backside of runs, something that fits the Dolphins’ ground game quite nicely.
14. Indianapolis Colts — Shavon Revel Jr., CB, East Carolina
Revel may still find himself as a first-round pick this year even though he tore his ACL and missed the 2024 season for ECU. Revel has all the physical traits in the world to end up as a top cornerback in the NFL, and if he gets a clean bill of health, his stock should skyrocket. The Colts have a big need at cornerback and they like taking swings on athletes at that position.
15. Atlanta Falcons — Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia
This might turn out to be one of the better value picks. Williams is still developing, but he came on strong after missing time with an ankle injury earlier in the season. He’s long, can line up across the defensive line and is an effective player against the run and pass. He needs to continue to develop his pass rushing arsenal, but he at the very least can consistently push the pocket and wear on offensive linemen as games go along.
16. Arizona Cardinals — Jalon Walker, Edge/LB, Georgia
A positionless player for a defense that likes to do a little bit of everything, Walker will be productive and should be disruptive as a blitzer and pass rusher early on in the NFL.
17. Cincinnati Bengals — Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
One of my favorite players in the draft, Harmon can do a lot of things effectively up front, including getting pressure on all four downs. Harmon isn’t just a gap-shooting player; he can hold up in the run game, even against double-teams, and effectively perform a lot of roles. Holding up against the run is desperately needed for a Bengals defense that needs help at every position group. Getting someone who can contribute against the run and provide help for Trey Hendrickson is a nice piece to help build a unit.
18. Seattle Seahawks — Tyler Booker, OG, Alabama
Seattle needs an offensive lineman to stabilize the unit for Geno Smith and the next coordinator. Booker makes a lot of sense as a steady, tough player up front to help improve the weakest part of Seattle’s offense.
19. Houston Texans — Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
The Texans absolutely, desperately need offensive line help. But I think stronger coaching at that position will help them get better performances in the near future. With no ideal lineman fit, I instead address the Texans’ pass-catching group that looks more depleted after Tank Dell’s gruesome injury and Stefon Diggs’ upcoming free agency. Dalton Schultz is as solid as they come at tight end, but Warren is a different type of player altogether. He could be a mismatch nightmare with his ability to align across the formation and would give the Texans some fun personnel versatility in the near future. Pairing Warren and Nico Collins together could be an explosive 1-2 combination for C.J. Stroud, with Warren’s potential as a valid in-line blocker also helping out the Texans’ woeful run-blocking situation.
20. Denver Broncos — Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
The Broncos’ main job this offseason is to keep adding players to help Bo Nix get more comfortable in the NFL. One area where they could use an upgrade is at tight end, which has a rather strong class this year. Loveland could be a top TE prospect with his high upside.
21. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
General manager Jason Licht does a great job of addressing current and soon-to-be holes at positions. Lavonte David is a franchise legend, but inside linebacker is looking like one of those positions in Tampa Bay. Campbell has excellent size with real two-way potential. He can get downhill in the run game, but is fluid enough to turn and run in coverage. His experience as a blitzer will also translate nicely in Todd Bowles’ defense.
22. Pittsburgh Steelers — Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
Pittsburgh desperately needs more juice for the passing game as it heads into 2025. The Steelers have a high-end player in the group with wide receiver George Pickens, but no one next to him. Burden makes a lot of sense as No. 2 receiver to help move Pittsburgh in the right direction.
23. Los Angeles Rams — Aireontae Ersery, OT, Minnesota
It’s still weird seeing the Rams with selections in these mock drafts. Les Snead and the Rams’ scouting department have been one of the hottest in the NFL in recent years. After restocking the defensive front, this time the Rams’ brass turns their attention to the offensive line. Left tackle Alaric Jackson is an upcoming free agent and battled injuries, like many other Rams offensive players in 2024. Ersery is a big lineman (6-6, 330 pounds) with experience who is a solid mover for his size. He would translate well into the Rams’ now-preferred downhill scheme and his starting experience could help him hit the ground running for a Rams team trying to eke out the last year or two of Matthew Stafford’s window.
24. Green Bay Packers — James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee
The Packers desperately need edge rush to get back to playing the level of defense that they want to, so here’s a pass rusher who most people had getting drafted much higher than this prior to the season. Pearce has a ton of upside as a pure pass rusher, which is what the Packers need to get out of this rut where they’ve struggles to pressure quarterbacks.
25. Los Angeles Chargers — Shemar Stewart, DL, Texas A&M
I expect the Chargers to go somewhere along the interior lines in the draft. What else would you expect out of Jim Harbaugh? Stewart has high-end traits with an explosive get-off. His athleticism and ability to move will translate nicely in Jesse Minter’s defense that asks its linemen to twist and move as often as any other in the NFL.
26. Washington Commanders — Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
Washington is moving in the right direction as a franchise, but the Commanders desperately need to get tougher on defense to keep ascending. Drafting Grant here would mean there’s been a lot of investment made at defensive tackle for this team. He’s a force up front who has the potential to be a Pro Bowl-caliber player.
27. Baltimore Ravens — Mike Green, Edge, Marshall
Green led the FBS in sacks in 2024 and that’s where his value unsurprisingly lies as a prospect. He is all over the place when defending the run, but Green has real twitch and bend and wins instantly against overmatched offensive tackles. He would provide a different type of flavor than the Ravens currently have.
28. Minnesota Vikings — Tyleik Williams, DT, Ohio State
One of the few things that the Vikings’ defense is missing right now is a true butt-kicker on the interior. Williams is the all-around player they need to take this defense to the next level and stabilize some of their issues.
29. Buffalo Bills — Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
The Bills under Sean McDermott and Brandon Beane love to have a deep defensive line rotation. They’ve filled the position over the years with draft picks and vets. Nolen will be more capital spent up front, but being part of a rotation might let him continue to develop more consistency. His high-end flashes are worth honing in on, and could provide a dynamic pairing with Ed Oliver in the coming years.
30 Philadelphia Eagles — Jack Sawyer, Edge, Ohio State
It’s hard to find true needs for this Eagles team right now, but they could definitely stand to give Bryce Huff some competition and can do that by selecting Sawyer. The OSU star is most well-known for his interception against Michigan, but he is a steady player with a high floor who can contribute immediately.
31. Kansas City Chiefs — Armand Membou, OT/OG, Missouri
Membou is explosive but never gets out of whack with his movements. He has light feet and can really get on defenders in a hurry in the run game. His footwork and hands in pass protection are also very consistent for such a young player. I am not exactly sure if Membou is a tackle at the next level, but I would certainly give him a try. At the very least he looks like a potential needle-moving guard, and would be a way for the Chiefs to address a potential Trey Smith departure in free agency.
32. Detroit Lions — Landon Jackson, Edge, Arkansas
A true running mate for Alim McNeill and Aidan Hutchinson when they return from injury, Jackson is a big, physical defensive lineman who fits the style of defense that the Lions have called over the past few years.
