2025 NFL Draft Wish List: NFC South

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be hunting for their fifth straight NFC South title this season. Meanwhile, the New Orleans Saints are hoping to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2020. The Atlanta Falcons nor the Carolina Panthers have made an appearance since 2017.

All four teams in the NFC South have a variety of needs on their respective 2025 NFL Draft wish lists. Defense should be a major emphasis across the division. Each team should make impactful additions, of varying levels, to their offense that cannot be overlooked for fantasy football.

(Stay tuned for the full NFL Draft Wish List series: AFC East | NFC East | AFC North | NFC North | AFC South | AFC West | NFC West)

2025 NFL Draft Wish List: NFC South

Carolina Panthers

• First pick: 1st round, 8^th overall’
• Total first-rounders: 1
• Total selections: 9

Bryce Young thankfully finished his 2024 campaign on a high note after a dreadful start in head coach Dave Canales’ first season in Carolina. Otherwise, the Panthers may have been in the mix to select a quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft.

The next step in Young’s development is to supply him with a true alpha wide receiver that takes him (and the Panthers’ offense) to the next level. Canales still touts last year’s first-round pick, Xavier Legette, as that kind of player. If Carolina doesn’t use the eighth or 57^th overall pick on a wide receiver, that would be much more believable.

Tetairoa McMillan makes a lot of sense. He’s 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, and can line up in multiple areas on the field. McMillan is the perfect fit for Young to win in the red zone, contested catch situations, and broken plays if needed. He would immediately dominate the target share on the Panthers’ offense. It’s the best landing spot for the rookie receiver if he were to be a top-10 pick.

Unfortunately, Carolina’s 2024 second-round pick, running back Jonathon Brooks, will probably miss most of the 2025 season with his second season-ending injury, in the same knee, over the last two years. Chuba Hubbard and free agent signing Rico Dowdle should handle most of the 2025 rush share.

The Panthers could look to add a pass-catching running back in the 2025 NFL Draft. Brashard Smith (SMU) is a three-year college wide receiver converted to running back. Considering Dowdle is on a one-year deal and Brooks’ future is very much in question, Smith would be a good fit for the Panthers in 2025 and beyond.

Carolina needs to improve on defense to give Bryce Young and the offense more breathing room. The Panthers allowed the most points (31.4) and yards (404.5) per game in 2024. Most of their 2025 NFL Draft selections will work to rectify a historically bad showing last season.

New Orleans Saints

• First pick: 1st round, 9^th overall
• Total first-rounders: 1
• Total selections: 9

As of now, Derek Carr (34), Taysom Hill (35) and Alvin Kamara (30) account for three of the Saints’ four largest 2025 cap hits. News broke last week that Carr may miss the start, if not all, of the 2025 season with a shoulder injury. Hill is also recovering from an early-December, season-ending ACL injury. The Saints need help just about everywhere. They’re not going to turn years of poor financial decisions around in 2025 alone.

With under 10 days until the 2025 NFL Draft, all eyes are on the Saints and what they may do with the ninth overall pick. It may seem logical for New Orleans to select quarterback Shedeur Sanders (Colorado), if available. There’s a case to be made for the Saints to take the best player available at any other position with their first pick and focus on quarterback near the top of the second round at 40^th overall. New Orleans has enough capital to consider trading up from this pick back into the first, as well.

Whoever is primarily under center for the Saints in 2025 and beyond is going to need playmakers to throw to. Chris Olave has had five concussions since 2020. He has sustained four of these concussions since joining the NFL in 2022. Rashid Shaheed’s 2024 season was cut short by a Week 6 torn meniscus. Brandin Cooks is returning to the Saints, who drafted him in 2014, but he turns 32 in September.

Let’s assume the Saints wait until the third round at the earliest to address the wide receiver position. If Tre Harris (Ole Miss) is available, he is a name that should be on New Orleans’ 2025 NFL Draft wish list. Harris has a pro-ready combination of size and speed. He’s a good route runner that should earn the trust from whoever is playing quarterback to keep drives alive with his ability after the catch.

Despite re-signing tight end Juwan Johnson in free agency, inquiring about Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert should be on the Saints’ 2025 NFL Draft wish list as well. First-time head coach Kellen Moore just won a Super Bowl with Goedert, who is reportedly available via trade. The Saints have five Day 3 picks to negotiate with. That includes two picks in the fourth round.

Alvin Kamara should remain a focal point of the Saints’ backfield for as long as he can in 2025. However, he is a cap cut candidate for the 2026 offense. Behind him are Kendre Miller, Jordan Mims and Velus Jones Jr. on the depth chart. While Miller is turning just 23 years old in June, there’s no allegiance to him with a new coaching staff.

The Saints could add anyone from the deep 2025 rookie running back class. Tahj Brooks (Texas Tech) would be a fun pairing. He boasts back-to-back seasons of at least 300 touches, 1,600 all-purpose yards and 10 total touchdowns. He may not be an obvious 2025 NFL Draft winner landing in New Orleans but could emerge sooner than later given the current situation of their backfield.

Atlanta Falcons

• First pick: 1st round, 15^th overall
• Total first-rounders: 1
• Total selections: 5

It’s easy to think of the Falcons offense as complete. They have spent their last four first-round draft picks on offensive playmakers, all top-eight picks. They are Kyle Pitts (2021, fourth overall), Drake London (2022, eighth), Bijan Robinson (2023, eighth) and Michael Penix Jr. (2024, eighth). As of now, they have an expensive backup to Penix in Kirk Cousins, while Tyler Allgeier shares the backfield with Robinson.

Darnell Mooney and Ray-Ray McCloud are the only true notable wide receivers on Atlanta’s depth chart aside from London. Mooney posted a 64/992/5 receiving line in 2024. McCloud caught 62 of his 87 targets, but for just 686 yards and one touchdown. He’s set to be a free agent in 2026. Mooney could join him as his release would save Atlanta $11.9 million toward the cap with just $5 million in dead money.

Targeting a top slot receiver like Jaylin Noel (Iowa State) from the 2025 class would be a great benefit to the Falcons. Noel is on the smaller side regarding arm length and hand size. However, he has a muscular build, ran a sub-4.4 in the 40-yard dash, and has proven production including an 80/1,194/8 receiving line in 2024. He would be a serious mismatch for opposing defenses already worrying about Drake London on the outside.

If the Falcons are going to target a position on offense, it’s likely wide receiver, but tight end could be in play especially if Kyle Pitts is part of a surprise mid-draft trade heading into the final year of his rookie contract.

The Falcons have just five picks to work with, unfortunately. Their 2025 NFL Draft wish list should mostly consist of defensive playmakers with an emphasis on the pass rush. Atlanta’s 31 sacks in 2024 are the second fewest behind only the New England Patriots (28).

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• First pick: 1st round, 19^th overall
• Total first-rounders: 1
• Total selections: 6

Since winning the Super Bowl in 2020 as a Wild Card team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have won each of the four NFC South titles. Signing quarterback Baker Mayfield ahead of the 2023 season is a huge reason for their continued success. Mayfield has played in all 17 games in back-to-back seasons, with over 4,000 passing yards in each. Tampa Bay could sign an undrafted free agent rookie, but it appears Kyle Trask will continue to assume the backup role.

Heading into his third year in Tampa Bay, Mayfield and the Buccaneers will have a different offensive coordinator for the third straight season. There is a strong familiarity, however, as Josh Grizzard served directly under Liam Coen last season as the passing game coordinator.

For their 2025 NFL Draft wish list, the Buccaneers should be focusing on defense. Among the 14 playoff teams, they allowed the third-most yards and points per game during the 2024 regular season. Tampa Bay then lost in the Wild Card Round at home to rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders. Selecting any of LB Jihad Campbell (Alabama), EDGE Jalon Walker (Georgia) or S Nick Emmanwori (South Carolina) would be the most impactful pieces to Tampa’s defense.

On offense, Mike Evans (32) is entering the final year of his contract, Chris Godwin is returning on a three-year extension, and Jalen McMillan is entering the second year of his rookie deal. When healthy, Evans and Godwin are both a threat to finish as top-15 fantasy wide receivers. At the end of his rookie campaign, McMillan averaged 19.8 points per game in Weeks 14-18. He will remain a high-quality depth piece behind Evans and Godwin who have each played just one full season over their last four.

The Buccaneers have six total picks. It would be surprising if they used any of their top three selections on a wide receiver. If they do, it would likely be a depth piece similar to Evans that could potentially replace him next season. Elic Ayomanor (Stanford) is an outside receiver that can stretch the field, tracks the ball well, and fits as a 2025 NFL Draft wish list player in this regard. If by chance Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona) is available with the 19^th pick, the Buccaneers would have to seriously consider.

Tampa Bay will likely run it back in 2025 with their 2024 running backs. Bucky Irving has earned the right to lead the group of him, Rachaad White and Sean Tucker. It’s worth noting that both White and Tucker are set to be free agents in 2026. Drafting a running back with solid size and pass-catching upside could be in play in next week’s draft. Cam Skattebo (Arizona State) and LeQuint Allen (Syracuse) come to mind as good fits for what the Buccaneers may need moving forward.