Vincent Parise, Bears Wire
Mon, March 31, 2025 at 9:19 AM EDT·
6 min read22
The 2025 NFL Draft is right around the corner, and mock drafts are changing by the week. Are there going to be multiple quarterbacks selected in the top five? Will skill players take a back seat to players on the lines? It seems like anything is possible this year.
The latest wrinkle is that the New York Giants signed veteran and Super Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson. Their quarterback room is crowded after signing Jameis Winston to join Tommy DeVito. It now feels unlikely that the Giants will use the third overall pick on one of the top quarterbacks.
How does that affect the rest of the first round? If a non-quarterback, who was supposed to go third is now falling, that pushes down other quarterbacks and brings up everyone else. With that in mind, here are our updated first-round projections:
1. Tennessee Titans – Cam Ward, QB, Miami
The Tennessee Titans are going to take a swing on Cam Ward to be their new franchise quarterback.
2. Cleveland Browns – Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State
Abdul Carter may be the best player in the 2025 NFL Draft. He isn’t a quarterback, which makes him slightly less valuable than less talented players, but the Cleveland Browns make a smart decision taking him second overall.
3. New York Giants – Mason Graham, DL, Michigan
The New York Giants don’t select a quarterback at third overall. Instead, they take Mason Graham to help strengthen their defensive line.
4. New England Patriots – Armand Membou, OT, Missouri
The New England Patriots select Armand Membou to help them be better on the offensive line.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars – Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
The Jacksonville Jaguars see two-way stud Travis Hunter fall to them at fifth overall, and they don’t waste their time.
6. Las Vegas Raiders – Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
The Las Vegas Raiders may want to turn over a new leaf this offseason. That could mean adding a star running back in Ashton Jeanty to help them score more points.
7. New York Jets – Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
The New York Jets and Aaron Rodgers parted ways, and they signed Justin Fields in free agency. Still, they will select Shedeur Sanders here so he can develop over a few years before turning it completely over to him.
8. Carolina Panthers – Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
Tetairoa McMillan is the pick for the Carolina Panthers so they can get Bryce Young some help after a promising finish the 2024 season.
9. New Orleans Saints – Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
The New Orleans Saints are bad, and they are going to be bad for a long time. They might as well start building their defense with a player like Will Johnson in the secondary.
10. Chicago Bears – Will Campbell, OL, LSU
The Chicago Bears have improved the offensive line this offseason, but they need more. With Caleb Williams looking to take the next step, they can’t have enough offensive linemen, and Will Campbell falling to them would be ideal.
11. San Francisco 49ers – Jalon Walker, LB/EDGE, Georgia
The San Francisco 49ers take edge rusher Jalon Walker to shore up their defense.
12. Dallas Cowboys – Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
The Dallas Cowboys need help in a lot of areas. Here at No. 12, they solidify their secondary with Malaki Starks.
13. Miami Dolphins – Kelvin Banks Jr. OT, Texas
The Miami Dolphins need to protect Tua Tagovailoa as much as they can. Selecting Kelvin Banks Jr. to join their offensive line would be smart.
14. Indianapolis Colts – Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
The Indianapolis Colts have a confusing future, but a tight end like Tyler Warren could help them get better.
15. Atlanta Falcons – Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M
The Atlanta Falcons love using first-round picks on skilled offensive players like wide receivers, tight ends, quarterbacks, and running backs. This time, they go against the norm and select Shemar Stewart.
16. Arizona Cardinals – Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia
The Arizona Cardinals select Mykel Williams to give Kyler Murray the defense he needs to win more games.
17. Cincinnati Bengals – Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
The Cincinnati Bengals should be ashamed of themselves for wasting another year of a top-four quarterback in Joe Burrow. They are hoping that Jihaad Campbell helps change that narrative for them.
18. Seattle Seahawks – Tyler Booker, OL, Alabama
The Seattle Seahawks need to protect Sam Darnold if he is going to succeed, and Tyler Booker would be a great addition.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were changed forever by Tom Brady. They’ve been a respectable organization even since he left. Drafting Mike Green would be another solid decision.
20. Denver Broncos – Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
The Denver Broncos select Omarion Hampton at 20th overall as they land a player to help Bo Nix take the offense to the next level.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers – Kenneth Grant, DL, Michigan
The Pittsburgh Steelers are consistently over .500, but they’ve lost their past five playoff appearances. With the No. 21 pick, they select Kenneth Grant to shore up their defense.
22. Los Angeles Chargers – Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
Jim Harbaugh and Justin Herbert would like to get this offense to another level for the Chargers. A good tight end like Colston Loveland could provide that.
23. Green Bay Packers – Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
The Green Bay Packers select Jahdae Barron with the hope that he can help their defense play better within the division.
24. Minnesota Vikings – Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
The Minnesota Vikings also look to improve their secondary by drafting Nick Emmanwori.
25. Houston Texans – Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
The Houston Texans select Josh Simmons as they’d look to keep CJ Stroud on his feet at a higher rate in 2025.
26. Los Angeles Rams – Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon
The Los Angeles Rams turn everything they do into gold. Josh Conerly would be great for them as they look to revamp the offensive line protecting Matthew Stafford.
27. Baltimore Ravens – Grey Zabel, OL, North Dakota State
The Baltimore Ravens rely a lot on the run game. Between Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, you know that they are coming at you fast on the ground. A good offensive lineman like Grey Zabel could help.
28. Detroit Lions – James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee
The Detroit Lions are so close but so far. With Aidan Hutchinson coming back for an injury, they might be wise to get him some help off the edge with James Pearce Jr.
29. Washington Commanders – Derrick Harmon, DL, Oregon
The Washington Commanders took a big step in 2024, and improving on defense could be the key to going even farther next year. Derrick Harmon would do wonders for their defensive line.
30. Buffalo Bills – Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE, Boston College
The Buffalo Bills are the best team in the NFL without a Super Bowl ring in the last five years. They just need to keep grinding, as we know what Josh Allen can do with that offense. Donovan Exeiruaku could boost their pass rush.
31. Kansas City Chiefs – Aireontae Ersery, OT, Minnesota
The Kansas City Chiefs will be less risky than in years past. In the Super Bowl, some of their flaws showed in a big way. One of those flaws was the offensive line, which they addressed here with Aireontae Ersery.
32. Philadelphia Eagles – Walter Nolen, DL, Ole Miss
The Philadelphia Eagles select Walter Nolen as they look for help anywhere they can get it en route to defending their crown in 2025.
