2025 NFL mock draft: Colorado's Travis Hunter rises, Shedeur Sanders falls into bottom of top 10

Round 1 - Pick 1 Cam Ward QB Miami (FL) • Sr • 6'2" / 219 lbs Projected Team Tennessee PROSPECT RNK 3rd POSITION RNK 1st PAYDS 4313 RUYDS 204 INTS 7 TDS 43 The Titans are indicating they are leaning toward selecting Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall pick. They agreed to cancel a private workout with Shedeur Sanders. They made some notable deals in free agency to bolster their offensive line. There's no way head coach Brian Callahan wants to ride the Will Levis roller coaster again in his second season in charge.

Round 1 - Pick 2 Travis Hunter ATH Colorado • Jr • 6'0" / 188 lbs Projected Team Cleveland PROSPECT RNK 1st POSITION RNK 1st The Browns need help at wide receiver with their WR room relatively barren outside of Jerry Jeudy with Amari Cooper no longer in town. So they grab Travis Hunter and make him a full-time receiver, a move that could increase his productivity simply by decreasing the workload of being a two-way player.

Round 1 - Pick 3 Abdul Carter EDGE Penn State • Jr • 6'3" / 250 lbs Projected Team N.Y. Giants PROSPECT RNK 2nd POSITION RNK 1st Yours truly witnessed a lovefest between Shedeur Sanders and the New York Giants at the East-West Shrine Bowl. However, New York opts to not reach for him with the third overall pick and takes the top edge rusher. Some believe Abdul Carter to be the best prospect in the entire class.

Round 1 - Pick 4 Will Campbell OT LSU • Jr • 6'6" / 319 lbs Projected Team New England PROSPECT RNK 4th POSITION RNK 1st The New England Patriots will be saddened by missing out on both Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter, but they will mitigate that by drafting the draft's best left tackle prospect in LSU All-American Will Campbell. New England shored up its right tackle spot for quarterback Drake Maye with the signing of Morgan Moses, and now selects Campbell to do the same at left tackle.

Round 1 - Pick 5 Mason Graham DL Michigan • Jr • 6'3" / 296 lbs Projected Team Jacksonville PROSPECT RNK 5th POSITION RNK 1st The Jaguars defense was one of the worst in football a season ago, ranking bottom five in the league in numerous metrics. Jacksonville has two solid edge rushers in Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker, but it needs a difference-maker in the middle of the defensive line. New general manager James Gladstone knows how crucial that is after coming over from the Los Angeles Rams. That's why unanimous All-America defensive tackle Mason Graham is the pick here.

Round 1 - Pick 6 Ashton Jeanty RB Boise State • Jr • 5'9" / 211 lbs RUYDS 2601 YDS/ATT 7 REYDS 138 TDS 30 New Raiders head coach Pete Carroll is recreating the Seahawks in Las Vegas. Geno Smith is his quarterback once again after the Raiders sent a 2025 third-round pick the Seahawks' way, and the team's new extension for him locks him down in Las Vegas through the 2027 season. Now, Carroll gets his new Marshawn Lynch in Ashton Jeanty, a true bell cow fresh off rushing for the second-most yards in Division I history (2,601, just 28 yards behind Barry Sanders' all-time record).

Round 1 - Pick 7 Armand Membou OT Missouri • Jr • 6'4" / 332 lbs Projected Team N.Y. Jets PROSPECT RNK 7th POSITION RNK 2nd The Jets have an opening at right tackle with Morgan Moses signing with the Patriots in free agency, and they decide to fill it with perhaps the draft's most athletic offensive line prospect in Missouri's Armand Membou. They used their first-round pick last year (11th overall) on Penn State left tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu, but now New York has two bookend tackles to support new starting quarterback Justin Fields.

Round 1 - Pick 8 Jalon Walker EDGE Georgia • Jr • 6'1" / 243 lbs Projected Team Carolina PROSPECT RNK 9th POSITION RNK 2nd The Carolina Panthers were the worst defense in football in 2024. Here, they get the draft's second-best edge rusher in Jalon Walker, who won the 2024 Butkus Award as college football's best linebacker. Head coach Dave Canales said defense would be a priority at the top of the draft, and this pick hammers home that message.

Round 1 - Pick 9 Shedeur Sanders QB Colorado • Sr • 6'2" / 212 lbs Projected Team New Orleans PROSPECT RNK 27th POSITION RNK 2nd PAYDS 4134 RUYDS -50 INTS 10 TDS 41 The New Orleans Saints have plenty of need on the defensive side of the ball, but new head coach Kellen Moore gets a long-term quarterback to develop in Shedeur Sanders. Releasing Derek Carr next offseason would save New Orleans just over $9.5 million in cap space, and perhaps getting a young quarterback like Sanders could help free New Orleans from its hamster wheel of mediocrity.

Round 1 - Pick 10 Kelvin Banks Jr. OT Texas • Jr • 6'5" / 315 lbs Projected Team Chicago PROSPECT RNK 8th POSITION RNK 3rd A key factor of new Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson's success as the Detroit Lions' offensive coordinator was having a dominant offensive line. Bears quarterback Caleb Williams needs help after getting sacked 68 times as a rookie, tied for the third-most sacks taken ever in a single season. That's why the Bears take Kelvin Banks, an All-America offensive tackle who has top-tier technique as a pass protector.

Round 1 - Pick 11 Will Johnson CB Michigan • Jr • 6'2" / 194 lbs Projected Team San Francisco PROSPECT RNK 23rd POSITION RNK 2nd Top cornerback Charvarius Ward signed with the Colts in free agency, so the 49ers need a legit CB1 with all the receiver talent out in the NFC West. Will Johnson, whose 31.0 passer rating when targeted was the second best in college football since 2022 (minimum 100 targets), fills a big need.

Round 1 - Pick 12 Tetairoa McMillan WR Arizona • Jr • 6'4" / 219 lbs Projected Team Dallas PROSPECT RNK 6th POSITION RNK 1st REC 84 REYDS 1319 YDS/REC 15.7 TDS 8 The Cowboys finally spring for a real WR2 for Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb. Tetairoa McMillan led the nation in receiving yards (3,423) and catches of 20 or more air yards (35) over the span of his Arizona career. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones gets a legit weapon for new head coach Brian Schottenheimer.

Round 1 - Pick 13 Tyler Warren TE Penn State • Sr • 6'6" / 256 lbs Projected Team Miami PROSPECT RNK 26th POSITION RNK 2nd REC 104 REYDS 1233 YDS/REC 11.9 TDS 12 Tyler Warren could help boost the Dolphins offense in both the run game as a blocker and in the passing game as a target over the middle for Tua Tagovailoa. He's the 2024 John Mackey Award winner as college football's top tight end, and he is the only college football player since 2017 with at least 30 snaps at tight end, out wide, in the slot, in the backfield and at quarterback in a season, per CBS Sports Research.

Round 1 - Pick 14 Colston Loveland TE Michigan • Jr • 6'6" / 248 lbs Projected Team Indianapolis PROSPECT RNK 11th POSITION RNK 1st REC 56 REYDS 582 YDS/REC 10.4 TDS 5 The Colts need a tight end who can make a real difference in the passing game for Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones in 2025. The franchise hasn't really had a true pass-game weapon at the tight end spot since Jack Doyle retired. Colston Loveland accounted for 34.7% of Michigan's team receiving yards last season, the highest among Power 4 tight ends. He can be that guy for Indianapolis.

Round 1 - Pick 15 Shemar Stewart EDGE Texas A&M • Jr • 6'5" / 267 lbs Projected Team Atlanta PROSPECT RNK 22nd POSITION RNK 3rd Atlanta racked up the second-fewest sacks (31.0) and generated the third-lowest quarterback pressure rate (28.6%) in the entire NFL last season. The acquisition of Matt Judon (5.5 sacks in 17 games) was a bust. Time for the Falcons to shore up their defensive front with Shemar Stewart.

Round 1 - Pick 16 Mike Green EDGE Marshall • Soph • 6'3" / 251 lbs Projected Team Arizona PROSPECT RNK 12th POSITION RNK 3rd The Cardinals need a difference-maker on the front line of their defense, and selecting college football's 2024 sacks leader in Mike Green (17) should help along with the free agency acquisition of Josh Sweat.

Round 1 - Pick 17 Mykel Williams EDGE Georgia • Jr • 6'5" / 260 lbs Projected Team Cincinnati PROSPECT RNK 25th POSITION RNK 5th The Bengals need to address their defensive line with Trey Hendrickson given permission to seek a trade. That's why they beef up that unit with Georgia's two-time second-team All-SEC defensive lineman Mykel Williams.

Round 1 - Pick 18 Matthew Golden WR Texas • Jr • 5'11" / 191 lbs Projected Team Seattle PROSPECT RNK 21st POSITION RNK 3rd REC 58 REYDS 987 YDS/REC 17 TDS 9 The Seattle Seahawks continue to surround new starting quarterback Sam Darnold with talent by selecting a speedy wide receiver who can develop long term alongside Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Matthew Golden led a Texas squad that reached the College Football Playoff's final four in both receiving yards (987) and receiving touchdowns (nine).

Round 1 - Pick 19 Jihaad Campbell LB Alabama • Jr • 6'3" / 235 lbs Projected Team Tampa Bay PROSPECT RNK 16th POSITION RNK 1st Buccaneers defensive pillar Lavonte David is 35 years old. Yes, he did re-sign on a one-year deal, but Tampa Bay drafts his replacement. The 2024 All-SEC linebacker's 117 tackles last season were the most in a season at Alabama since current Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans' 126 in 2003.

Round 1 - Pick 20 Kenneth Grant DL Michigan • Jr • 6'4" / 331 lbs Projected Team Denver PROSPECT RNK 33rd POSITION RNK 5th The selection of Kenneth Grant beefs up what's already a dominant, top-five defense in Denver. He's disruptive as a pass rusher with 10 passes defended across the last two seasons, tied for the most by a collegiate defensive lineman since 2023. This selection allows for the Broncos to even better emulate the Super Bowl LIX champion Philadelphia Eagles' model of building through the trenches.

Round 1 - Pick 21 Omarion Hampton RB North Carolina • Jr • 6'0" / 220 lbs Projected Team Pittsburgh PROSPECT RNK 39th POSITION RNK 2nd RUYDS 1660 YDS/ATT 5.9 REYDS 373 TDS 17 North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton crushed the combine and firmly established himself as this draft's RB2 behind Ashton Jeanty. Pittsburgh let Najee Harris walk in free agency, so it selects Hampton to be the new lead back. That should help out the team's starting QB nicely in 2025.

Round 1 - Pick 22 Emeka Egbuka WR Ohio State • Sr • 6'1" / 202 lbs Projected Team L.A. Chargers PROSPECT RNK 31st POSITION RNK 4th REC 81 REYDS 1011 YDS/REC 12.5 TDS 10 With Josh Palmer joining the Bills, the Chargers replace him with their first-round pick to give quarterback Justin Herbert a trio of young receivers to develop alongside. The Buckeyes' all-time leader in catches (205) has dependable hands and a full route tree, so he should provide another capable pass catcher for a Chargers offense that needs more consistency at the wide receiver position.

Round 1 - Pick 23 Jahdae Barron CB Texas • Sr • 5'11" / 194 lbs Projected Team Green Bay PROSPECT RNK 13th POSITION RNK 1st The Packers need cornerback help. No. 1 corner Jaire Alexander could easily be on another team by either the end of the month or next offseason (check his 2026 cap hit), and 2021 first-round pick corner Eric Stokes didn't pan out and departed in free agency. Barron won the 2024 Jim Thorpe Award as college football's best defensive back, and he had a 91.3 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus, the second best by a cornerback in the nation. He'll help patch up Green Bay's secondary nicely.

Round 1 - Pick 24 Nick Emmanwori S South Carolina • Jr • 6'3" / 220 lbs Projected Team Minnesota PROSPECT RNK 20th POSITION RNK 2nd The Vikings need more athleticism on the back end of their defense with Cam Bynum's free agency departure and Harrison Smith being 36 years old, so that's why they select electric South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori.

Round 1 - Pick 25 Josh Simmons OT Ohio State • Sr • 6'5" / 317 lbs Projected Team Houston PROSPECT RNK 19th POSITION RNK 4th The Texans have completely overhauled their offensive line this offseason, but the new additions aren't incredibly inspiring. That's why Houston reunites quarterback C.J. Stroud with one of his Buckeyes teammates in Josh Simmons. Simmons allowed just one QB pressure and no sacks on 152 pass-blocking snaps last season, which was good for the lowest pressure rate allowed (0.7%) by any tackle with at least 100 pass block snaps. The Texans get a steal here.

Round 1 - Pick 26 Maxwell Hairston CB Kentucky • Jr • 5'11" / 183 lbs Projected Team L.A. Rams PROSPECT RNK 32nd POSITION RNK 3rd Maxwell Hairston lit up the combine with a 4.28 40-yard dash and a nearly 40-inch vertical (39.5 inches). He would also fit well in defensive coordinator Chris Shula's scheme. Los Angeles brought back Ahkello Witherspoon on a one-year deal, and the Rams can replace him with more athleticism at the position in 2025 and beyond.

Round 1 - Pick 27 Derrick Harmon DL Oregon • Jr • 6'5" / 310 lbs Projected Team Baltimore PROSPECT RNK 30th POSITION RNK 4th Baltimore upgrades it defensive line to better harass the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Joe Burrow. That's why they select Derrick Harmon, one of the best at pressuring the quarterback from the defensive tackle spot at the FBS level, and he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.95 seconds. That will work alongside Pro Bowl defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike.

Round 1 - Pick 28 Donovan Ezeiruaku EDGE Boston College • Sr • 6'3" / 248 lbs Projected Team Detroit PROSPECT RNK 42nd POSITION RNK 7th The Lions were absolutely decimated by injuries along their defensive line in 2024, so they select Donovan Ezeiruaku, the 2024 ACC Defensive Player of the Year whose 16.5 sacks were the second most in the nation. He showcased a steady dose of explosion off the ball at the combine. The consensus All-American will fit in nicely with the NFC North champs.

Round 1 - Pick 29 James Pearce Jr. EDGE Tennessee • Jr • 6'5" / 245 lbs Projected Team Washington PROSPECT RNK 18th POSITION RNK 4th With Dante Fowler Jr., Washington's 2024 sacks leader with 10.5, returning to the Cowboys, the Commanders need to acquire a young edge rusher. Enter James Pearce. He is a two-time All-SEC player who led the conference in tackles for loss (28) and quarterback pressures (107) across the last two seasons. The reason he falls this low in the draft is because he needs to improve his technique since he plays too stiff and upright at times. Dan Quinn feels he can fix him and selects him here.

Round 1 - Pick 30 Malaki Starks S Georgia • Jr • 6'1" / 197 lbs Projected Team Buffalo PROSPECT RNK 14th POSITION RNK 1st The Bills need more juice on the back end of their defense, so that's why they select Georgia All-America safety Malaki Starks. The Bulldogs lined up Starks in every alignment possible in head coach Kirby Smart's scheme. Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott will appreciate this versatility when moving him around the formation on defense in 2025.

Round 1 - Pick 31 Josh Conerly Jr. OT Oregon • Jr • 6'5" / 311 lbs Projected Team Kansas City PROSPECT RNK 35th POSITION RNK 5th The Eagles exposed the Chiefs' offensive tackles in Super Bowl LIX. The 2024 All-Big Ten left tackle allowed the lowest quarterback pressure rate (1.6%) in the conference in 2024 (minimum 400 snaps) and surrendered just two sacks on 1,032 career pass-block snaps. Kansas City takes care of Patrick Mahomes here.

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