The 2024 NFL Draft has ended, with teams satisfied with their selections. But that doesn’t mean the draft discussion is over. The 2025 NFL Draft is only a year away, and advanced scouting has already begun. A way-too-early 2025 NFL mock draft serves as an introduction to the top prospects of next year’s draft.
Way-Too-Early 2025 NFL Mock Draft
1 – New York Giants: Shedeur Sanders – Quarterback
The Giants passed on a quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft, opting for LSU’s Malik Nabers. With Jones likely out for a portion of the 2024 NFL season and due to his lackluster play, New York will look to eat Jones’ contact and move on from the Duke product, selecting Colorado’s star passer Shedeur Sanders. Sanders’ athleticism and natural pocket presence will help the former Buffalo be a reliable distributor to Malik Nabers, Darius Slayton, and Devin Singletary.
2 – Las Vegas Raiders: Carson Beck – Quarterback
Neither Aiden O’Connell nor Gardner Minshew seem to be the future for the Raiders, and the organization will look to select the pocket passer they have become accustomed to bringing in talent around. Beck’s powerful arm and natural play-action can elevate the passing and running games for the Raiders offense.
3 – New England Patriots: Will Campbell – Offensive Tackle
With Mike Onwenu locked up long-term, Drake Maye will need a young, top-tier bodyguard at his blindside, which Campbell brings to the table. Campbell allowed Jayden Daniels zero sacks from the left side of the line in 2023.
4 – Minnesota Vikings: Travis Hunter – Cornerback
Sam Darnold will likely start the season for the Vikings, and J.J. McCarthy is inexperienced. Drafting Dallas Turner and his skill set allows for an influx of quarterback pressure and quicker passing for opposing offenses, which Hunter can thrive upon using the ball skills he has honed while playing wide receiver and cornerback for Colorado.
5 – Denver Broncos: James Pearce Jr. – Edge Rusher
The future at quarterback is locked in for Denver with the selection of Bo Nix but only managed 42 quarterback sacks on the defensive side of the ball. Denver will look to score a young, athletic pass rusher in Tennessee’s productive Pearce Jr., who had over nine sacks and forced two fumbles in 2023.
6 – Washington Commanders: J.T. Tuimoloau – Edge Rusher
Montez Sweat and Chase Young are long gone, and Dante Fowler will be 30 by the 2024 preseason. The Commanders take the Ohio State pass rusher to pair with Dorance Armstrong, who signed a three-year deal with the D.C. team this offseason.
7 – Pittsburgh Steelers: Quinn Ewers – Quarterback
Mike Tomlin’s .500 streak ends as Russell Wilson and Justin Fields underperform much worse than the Steelers’ elite defense can help. With a budding receiving threat in George Pickens and 2024 draft pick Roman Wilson likely to see significant reps, Pittsburgh selects the Texas signal caller to turn the franchise’s offense around.
8 – Arizona Cardinals: Mason Graham – Defensive Tackle
The Cardinals have a nice trio in the secondary of Garrett Williams, Sean Murphy-Bunting, and Jalen Thompson. A defensive addition will be welcomed with Budda Baker likely to leave Arizona after the 2024 season. Graham is Michigan’s stalwart tackle and can easily shut down the run game alongside fellow first-rounder Darius Robinson.
9 – Tennessee Titans: Luther Burden III – Wide Receiver
DeAndre Hopkins is aging, and Treylon Burks can be safely written off as a bust. With Calvin Ridley the only wideout the Titans can see as a starter in the foreseeable future, the Titans give Will Levis a new target. Burden III was a First-Team All-SEC player for Missouri and should continue this production for Tennessee.
10 – New Orleans Saints: Deone Walker – Defensive Tackle
Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd won’t cut it as reliable starters, and Cam Jordan’s time left in the league is numbered. The Saints grab Kentucky’s monster interior rusher with the size to disrupt the run and the pass rush skill to get to the quarterback consistently.
11 – Carolina Panthers: Will Johnson – Cornerback
Help is needed in the secondary for Carolina. Donte Jackson was traded to Pittsburgh in exchange for Dionte Johnson, and Jaycee Horn’s elite play is consistently wasted on injured reserve. Will Johnson, who has amassed seven interceptions and passes defended in his two seasons of play for Michigan, would serve as a boundary cornerback opposite the field of Horn with elite size and coverage skills.
12 – Seattle Seahawks: Kelvin Banks Jr. – Offensive Tackle/Guard
Seattle has a history of neglecting the interior offensive line. With current starters in the interior either being a fourth-round rookie or having a Pro Football Focus grade under 60, Geno Smith would greatly benefit from the help Banks Jr. would provide in the pass-blocking department. Banks Jr. has played left tackle for the Texas Longhorns, but a move inside is highly likely.
13 – Cleveland Browns: Ollie Gordon II – Running Back
Nick Chubb has been Cleveland’s universal weapon since the team selected him with the 35th selection in 2018. But Chubb is 28 years old and coming off a significant injury to a knee that already suffered a similar injury. With running back lifespan lowering and Chubb likely returning midseason, the Browns take Oklahoma State’s imposing rusher, who ran for over 1,700 yards with 22 scores and earned the Doak Walker Award, among other collegiate accolades.
14 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Benjamin Morrison – Cornerback
Tampa Bay’s collection of cornerbacks is bottom of the league at worst, with Zyon McCollum slated at the second cornerback spot after recording zero turnovers and allowing nearly 56% of his targets to be corralled in by his assignment. Morrison’s two seasons with Notre Dame so far have shown his incredible play awareness, collecting nine interceptions in his collegiate career and 14 passes defended, 10 of those in 2023.
15 – Indianapolis Colts: Colston Loveland – Tight End
The Colts’ tight end room has been a dry spell since Coby Fleener, with Mo Alie-Cox, Jelani Woods, and Kylen Granson all playing significant reps in the past few seasons. Anthony Richardson would greatly benefit from Loveland’s above-average speed and sharp route running for his position.
16 – Chicago Bears: Abdul Carter – Edge Rusher
Abdul Carter is a true pass-rushing threat. Chicago’s weakest link is the defensive line, and pairing Montez Sweat with a defined edge threat to keep the opposing offense on their toes would strengthen Chicago after their offense-refining 2024 draft class with Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze.
17 – Jacksonville Jaguars: Tacario Davis – Cornerback
The Jaguars are so committed to new defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen’s new man-press style defense that the team released reliable cornerback Darious Williams. With Ronald Darby 30 years old and having one year left on his contract by the 2025 NFL Draft, Arizona’s Tacario Davis fits the mold perfectly with an imposing 6’4” near-200 pound frame with balanced coverage and press abilities.
18 – Los Angeles Rams: Harold Perkins Jr. – Linebacker
Christian Rozeboom is slated to be a starting linebacker for the Rams. Rozeboom is getting older and played less than impressively for the Rams in 2023, recording only 79 total tackles and a single interception. LSU’s Harold Perkins Jr. is an athletic coverage linebacker with the tools to break up the pass and generate pressure on blitz plays, which should give the Rams a much-needed boost in the front seven.
19 – Los Angeles Chargers: Tetairoa McMillan – Wide Receiver
Quentin Johnston’s imperfect rookie play casts a shadow on the legitimacy of the Chargers’ receiving corps. Although the Chargers have Joshua Palmer and Ladd McConkey, Mike Williams and Keenan Allen exited the organization. Justin Herbert will want a true deep threat with secure catching and fluid route running. Tetairoa McMillan does just that, plus the fact that the Arizona prospect is 6’5” and 210 pounds and does more than catch contested passes, running sharp routes mixed with reliable speed.
20 – New York Jets: Malaki Starks – Safety
Chuck Clark is a solid defender in the secondary for New York, but tore his ACL in OTAs and missed the entirety of the 2023 season. With the worry of lingering issues, especially due to Clark’s 29 years of age, the Jets select Georgia’s Malaki Starks. Starks has an incredibly rare mix of elite run defense and top-echelon athleticism and should fill the strong safety role for the Jets immediately.
21 – Houston Texans: Nic Scourton – Edge Rusher
The best teams go best player available, and Houston does just that by selecting Boilermaker edge rusher Nic Scourton. Scourton’s frame, strength, and lanky arm size allow the Purdue product to comfortably line up at any spot on the defensive line but may be a third down substitution only for his rookie year as his run defense is lesser in quality than his violent pass rush.
22 – Atlanta Falcons: Emeka Egbuka – Wide Receiver
Drake London is the only proven wideout on the roster for Atlanta, with Kyle Pitts’ potential still murky due to mismanagement and Darnell Mooney and Rondale Moore’s relative disappointments regarding productive starters for Chicago and Arizona, respectively. Kirk Cousins or Michael Penix Jr. will need a reliable number two, and drafting Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka and his speedy skill set fits the team’s needs.
23 – Miami Dolphins: Kevin Winston Jr. – Safety
Jordan Poyer’s veteran presence is valuable for the Miami Dolphins secondary, but his contract is only a one-year $2 million deal. Miami’s sixth-round pick, Patrick McMorris, is unlikely to develop into a starting piece, making Kevin Winston Jr. a valuable selection for the Dolphins. With secure tackling and linebacker-like run defense, Winston Jr. will provide nice run support for the Miami front.
24 – Green Bay Packers: Denzel Burke – Cornerback
The secondary outside of Xavier McKinney is questionable in Green Bay. Eric Stokes has been inconsistent and injured, as has Jaire Alexander, and Javon Bullard is a rookie. Drafting Denzel Burke brings the Ohio State prospect’s ball skills and fluidity up to Wisconsin to bring solidity to their defensive back group.
25 – Dallas Cowboys: Jalen Milroe – Quarterback
Jerry Jones seems uncommitted to both Dak Prescott and Mike McCarthy long term. With a new head coach likely, the Cowboys start a new era and bring in Jalen Milroe, whose arm talent and dual-threat ability acquired the Alabama passer 73 Heisman votes in 2023 and is a likely Heisman candidate in 2024.
26 – Philadelphia Eagles: Evan Stewart – Wide Receiver
With A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith locked down for the foreseeable future, a third receiver on a cheap rookie deal makes sense. Philadelphia grabs Jalen Hurts the shifty, speedy Texas A&M product in Evan Stewart, who shows great field awareness and sudden acceleration off the line of scrimmage.
27 – Detroit Lions: Tre Harris – Wide Receiver
Amon-Ra St. Brown is an excellent number one and Kalif Raymond’s skillset in the slot is valuable, but Jameson Williams’ limited playing time leaves a gap at the second receiver spot for the Lions. Selecting Tre Harris provides Jared Goff (or Hendon Hooker depending on Goff’s contact negotiations) with a nasty route runner paired with a solid 6’2” frame.
28 – Cincinnati Bengals: Quinshon Judkins – Running Back
Cincinnati traded away franchise running back Joe Mixon to the Texans and brought in Zack Moss, who had a career year with the Colts in 2023. Still, it is unproven whether Moss or 2023 fifth-rounder Chase Brown can carry the rock for the Bengals. Selecting Judkins allows the Bengals a fresh star in the backfield to lean on during their Super Bowl window.
29 – Buffalo Bills: Xavier Nwankpa – Safety
Taylor Rapp and Mike Edwards both disappointed in 2023, and while the Bills drafted Cole Bishop in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft as a replacement, taking Iowa’s Nwankpa late in the first round gives Buffalo a new safety tandem. Nwankpa is an excellent run defender with the experience to play slot cornerback if needed.
30 – Baltimore Ravens: Kenneth Grant – Defensive Tackle
Baltimore locked in Broderick Washington to a three-year deal in 2023. With Michael Pierce on the wrong side of 30 years old, the Ravens select Kenneth Grant out of Michigan to create a run-stopping wall of Grant, Washington, and Justin Madibuike, who also signed a four-year extension with the team in 2023.
31 – San Francisco 49ers: Jack Sawyer – Edge Rusher
Drake Jackson may be a future starter for San Francisco, but injuries and underwhelming play may stunt this optimism. Selecting Ohio State’s Jack Sawyer brings in a refined run-stopper and pass-rusher who can help Nick Bosa disrupt the offense entirely.
32 – Kansas City Chiefs: Xavier Watts – Safety
Bryan Cook is not the answer long-term for the Chiefs, only recording one interception and two passes defended in 2023. Xavier Watts would bring Kansas City the polar opposite of Cook, having snagged seven interceptions and three passes defended with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in 2023.
