Mike Randle’s 2025 NFL Mock Draft 4.0 — Final

The 2025 NFL Draft is a day away, and we are starting to finalize team needs and potential landing spots for players. Gathering information and trying to predict the first round is one of my favorite exercises of the sports year. This season brings even more uncertainty, as there now is the possibility of three (or four) quarterbacks going in the first round. What remains surprisingly unclear at this point? Who is getting selected with the third overall pick? 

Thursday, all of the rumors and predictions will become crystal clear as each NFL team will declare their intentions through actions, not words. After analyzing information from beat reporters, coach interviews, and reviewing a myriad of mock drafts, here is my fourth and final projection of Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft.

2025 NFL Mock Draft 4.0 — First Round

1. Tennessee Titans — Cam Ward, QB, Miami

It is becoming abundantly clear that the Titans will select Cam Ward with the first overall pick. He is the top prospect at the sport’s most important position. The Will Levis Experiment has officially ended. 

2. Cleveland Browns — Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado

It appears to be Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett this year, which means the Browns will need to bolster their offensive weapons as much as possible to stay competitive. Could the Browns trade up to the back end of Round 1 to take Jalen Milroe?

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3. New York Giants — Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State

The Giants will use Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston as a bridge quarterback pairing and bolster their defense with an elite pass rusher. The Giants are actively scouting quarterbacks for a late first-round trade, but they will not pass on this draft’s elite pass rusher. 

4. New England Patriots — Will Campbell, OT, LSU

I agree with my colleague Jeff Ratcliffe on the New England selection. Head coach Mike Vrabel believes in building around a strong offensive line, and Campbell is the best comparison to Joe Alt from the 2024 NFL Draft. You can never go wrong selecting an offensive lineman in the first round. 

5. Jacksonville Jaguars — Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona

Ignore the Ashton Jeanty buzz — that is just being floated as trade bait. Assuming they stay in the No. 5 position, I’m not moving off my belief that head coach Liam Coen refuses to pass on this Mike Evans clone. McMillan stands 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, with 26 touchdowns in three college seasons at Arizona. It is logical that an offensive coordinator wants to ensure he has an explosive offense in his first season as head coach. With the ceiling of quarterback Trevor Lawrence now being questioned, Coen enters Week 1 with an incredible pair of young wideouts in McMillan and Brian Thomas Jr. 

6. Las Vegas Raiders — Armand Membou, OL, Missouri

Pete Carroll and John Spytek know that building a team starts with the offensive line. I dropped DT Mason Graham because his upside is dwarfed by the massive (6-foot-4, 334 pounds) Membou. 

7. New York Jets — Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State

With Membou off the board, the Jets are forced to pivot to the athletic tight end. There has been a growing buzz of Warren to New York for the last two weeks.

8. Carolina Panthers — Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia

The Panthers grab the Georgia linebacker who continues to get exponential buzz as we approach draft day. I’ve mocked Walker to the Panthers in each of my four mocks.

9. New Orleans Saints — Jaxson Dart, QB, Mississippi

It’s a long rebuild for new head coach Kellen Moore, who now faces the possibility of being without veteran Derek Carr for some (or all) of the 2025 season. Dart is a more NFL-ready option than Shedeur Sanders. 

10. Chicago Bears — Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State

The Bears are shocked the Boise State-product drops to No. 10 overall and waste no time in pairing Jeanty with franchise quarterback Caleb Williams 

11. San Francisco 49ers — Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas

Kelvin Banks is the Outland Trophy winner and secures an offensive line in front of quarterback Brock Purdy 

12. Dallas Cowboys — Matthew Golden, WR, Texas

Dallas needs a wideout opposite CeeDee Lamb, as their offense has transitioned away from a run-first attack. Jerry Jones falls in love with Golden’s 4.29 speed. 

13. Miami Dolphins — Mason Graham, DT, Michigan

The Dolphins pounce on Graham, after he becomes this year’s surprise faller. 

14. Indianapolis Colts — Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan

I am still convinced that the Colts were targeting Brock Bowers in last year’s draft before watching the Raiders grab the explosive Michigan product at No. 13 overall. 

15. Atlanta Falcons — Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia

Atlanta had the second-lowest pressure rate of any NFL team per FTN StatsHub, only ahead of Carolina. The Falcons grab an elite pass rusher who has been flying up draft boards. 

16. Arizona Cardinals — Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M

Shemar Stewart’s athleticism is incredible, and the Cardinals have been linked to the risky prospect with huge upside. 

17. Cincinnati Bengals — Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall

The popular thought is that the Bengals need to go defense here and take the nation’s sack leader after Loveland goes off the board to the Colts. 

18. Seattle Seahawks — Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State

How about pairing Ohio State’s all-time receptions leader with dynamic wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba and veteran Cooper Kupp? Quarterback Sam Darnold needs a strong supporting cast to mimic his success in Minnesota. 

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Derrick Harmon, DI, Oregon

The Buccaneers have shown a history of stacking strengths and do so again with the disruptive Harmon. 

20. Denver Broncos — Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina

I agree with Jeff again on this pick, with Hampton’s draft prop lurking at 19.5. Sean Payton already unlocked Bo Nix as a rookie, imagine what he can do with the incredibly athletic and versatile Hampton? Payton has historically loved drafting first-round running backs including Reggie Bush (2006) and Mark Ingram (2011). 

21. Pittsburgh Steelers — Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado

This pick makes perfect sense, regardless of any last-minute shenanigans by Aaron Rodgers. Sanders recently praised the Pittsburgh receiving duo of DK Metcalf and George Pickens, and the Pittsburgh buzz grows stronger by the day. 

22. Los Angeles Chargers — Kenneth Grant, DL, Michigan

Instead of Loveland, head coach Jim Harbaugh reunites with former Michigan defensive lineman Kenneth Grant. 

23. Green Bay Packers — Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas

Jahdae Barron fills the Packers’ biggest overall need. They can find a wide receiver later in the draft. 

24. Minnesota Vikings — Grey Zabel, OL, North Dakota State

Vikings fortify the offensive line, a critical need with rookie J.J. McCarthy ready to start under center. Zabel has been tabbed as one of the most “NFL ready” players in the draft. 

25. Houston Texans — Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State

Texans take a chance on Simmons, who is coming off a knee injury. Texans need to give C.J. Stroud more time. 

26. Los Angeles Rams — Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama

Fills a critical need for the Rams, who are focused on one more Super Bowl run. 

27. Baltimore Ravens — Will Johnson, CB, Michigan

Johnson carries injury concerns but is still an elite talent at cornerback. 

28. Detroit Lions — Donovan Ezeiruaku, DT, Boston College

Cheers to the Lions for grabbing the quarterback disruptor from my alma mater. 

29. Washington Commanders —James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee

The Commanders decide to add to their strength with an elite pass rusher in Pearce. Easier to find wide receivers later in the draft or via free agency.

30. Buffalo Bills — Walter Nolen, DI, Ole Miss

The Bills must improve their run defense, which still struggled to stop the Ravens last season. Nolen is 6-foot-3, 305 pounds, and was a key part of Mississippi’s elite run defense. 

31. Kansas City Chiefs —Malaki Starks, S, Georgia

I have mocked cornerback to the Chiefs in my first three mock drafts, but pivot to the huge upside with Starks. 

32. Philadelphia Eagles — Trey Amos, CB, Mississippi

The Eagles success has been predicated on a strong secondary, which is why they add the speedy (4.3) Amos to their pass defense.