A full first round mock draft with a twist. Each first round pick will be made with the intention of making the teams more exciting. This doesn’t mean there won’t be any linemen taken, but don’t expect teams to make these selections, especially at the top of the draft.
First Round Picks 1-5
Pick 1: Tennessee Titans – Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
Hunter is one of if not the top prospects in the draft. The Titans do need a QB, but the opportunity to pick a generational talent to help on both sides of the ball is too much to pass on. Hunter also has the defensive ability to depend the poor passes inevitably thrown by whoever starts at QB.
Pick 2: Cleveland Browns – Cam Ward, QB, Miami
The consensus no. 1 overall pick slips to two here. Ward’s laid-back attitude would make a poor Brown’s offence much more enjoyable to watch. Add a RB and WR in the second round of the draft and Cleveland could have a much more serviceable offence to keep them in games.
Pick 3: New York Giants – Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State
In a division of explosive offences, the Giants need to stay in games. Adding Carter to their defensive line will help them stop the run and give them their own version of Micah Parsons. They could go QB here, but with a limited O-Line, it would most likely lead to similar results as last year, which was not fun.
Pick 4: New England Patriots – Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
This is where the real fun begins. 2024 saw the resurgence of the RB position with Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs. Here the Patriots take an elite RB prospect to help take the load off of their sophomore QB Drake Maye. Drafting a running back this high in the first round is always rare, but adding a more developed running game, will open up the play-action game for Maye, as well as improve their red-zone offence.
Pick 5: Jacksonville Jaguars – Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
Lots of mocks have the Jags taking Michigan DL prospect Mason Graham here, but new head coach Liam Coen was brought in to develop QB Trevor Lawrence. Putting McMillan opposite second year stud Brian Thomas Jr. give Lawrence two big targets. It also recreates the offence that Coen had in Tampa Bay with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.
First Round Picks 6-10
Pick 6: Las Vegas Raiders – Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
New HC Pete Carroll is a DB specialist. Adding Barron to a secondary that lost their starting slot and safety is a no brainer. Barron’s ability to play inside and outside, as well as a little at safety will give Carroll the opportunity to move around the stud corner.
Pick 7: New York Jets – Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
With the QB position not fully solidified for the future, the Jets pick the best TE in the draft. Warren can become a safety blanket for all future Jets QBs, starting with Justin Fields this year. Warren can also help in the run game, allowing Breece Hall to return to the top of his game.
Pick 8: Carolina Panthers – Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
The Panthers front should improve with the return of Derrick Brown in 2025. The Panthers had the worst run defence in the league in 2025, so adding Campbell who can play LB, as well as rush of the edge will provide a much needed boost to a poor 2024 defence.
Pick 9: New Orleans Saints – Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
Over the last 12 months New Orleans has lost Marshon Lattimore and Paulson Adebo from their secondary. The Saints also need to get younger. They could desperately do with a repeat of their stud 2017 draft class that started with the Lattimore pick. They pick another DB here as they continue to rebuild.
Pick 10: Chicago Bears – Mason Graham, DL, Michigan
I hate how this plays out for the Bears. They get a steak with Graham falling to them at 10 to bolster their interior defensive line. New Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will need a big impact from Graham straight away with the likes of Josh Jacobs, Aaron Jones and Jahmyr Gibbs all in the division.
First Round Picks 11-15
Pick 11: San Francisco 49ers – Will Campbell, OT, LSU
The niners would have loved Graham to slip one more play to them. However, their offence needs to be able to run the ball, especially losing Deebo Samuel via trade this off-season. Picking one of the top tackles in this years draft will surely help them return to the playoffs in 2025.
Pick 12: Dallas Cowboys – Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
They could go RB here, but this is a deep class and Jerry having already signed two RB’s in free-agency, finds a playmaker to distract from CeeDee Lamb. Golden stays in Texas and adds some much needed star power to this now stagnant offence. Golden’s top end speed will give Dak Prescott a deep threat and open up room underneath for Lamb.
Pick 13: Miami Dolphins – Armand Membou, OT, Missouri
Protect Tua. Simple as that. The Dolphins are much better team with him than they are without him, so keeping him upright has to be the priority. With established tackle Terron Armstead retiring over the weekend, this is now an immediate need, and keeping Tua on the field ensures the ‘phins remain exciting.
Pick 14: Indianapolis Colts – Coleston Loveland, TE, Michigan
The Colts desperately need a TE and everyone knows it. Don’t be shocked if someone jumps them on draft night, especially if Tyler Warren slips out the top 10. Whoever is at QB for the Colts will need a safety blanket to keep the offence on the field and prevent costly turnovers that have plagued the team in previous years.
Pick 15: Atlanta Falcons – Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall
The Falcons have neglected their defence in the draft over the last 5 years. They desperately need some youth on the edge, and Green is a perfect prospect to slot straight onto their front. In a division seemingly there for the taking, adding a star edge rusher could propel them to their first division win since 2016 when they made the Super Bowl.
First Round Picks 16-20
Pick 16: Arizona Cardinals – Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
Looking back at the Cardinal teams that made the Super Bowl in the early 2000’s a tandem of WR’s was central to their success. The Cardinals add Egbuka to the their receiving corps that includes last years first round pick Marvin Harrison Jr., who was Egbuka’s teammate in 2023. This would Arizona an elite set of weapons as they recently extended Trey McBride.
Pick 17: Cincinnati Bengals – Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
The Bengals desperately need some help on defence. Adding Johnson gives them a top DB prospect on the outside. Too often in 2024 the Bengals found themselves in shootouts, so limiting the passing game of the opposing team will be vital if the Bengals are to make it back to the post-season.
Pick 18: Seattle Seahawks – Grey Zabel, OL, North Dakota State
The Seahawks need to protect Sam Darnold in 2025 if they have any hope of winning the division. Adding Zabel, and versatile lineman, will allow them to put him in any position across the line, allowing them to take another lineman later in the draft. The Seahawks also have a good two headed backfield, so running the ball better will allow Darnold more time in the passing game.
Pick 19: Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M
Tampa Bay desperately needs more help of the edge. Taking Stewart who has lots of upside gives them an athlete off the edge, who can help chase down the ever more mobile QB’s of today’s NFL.
Pick 20: Denver Broncos – Kenneth Grant, DL, Michigan
The Eagles showed just how important a good defensive front is in this league. In a division of top level QB’s, an interior disrupter will be key to the Broncos quest to make it back-to-back playoff seasons. They could go RB here, but in such a deep class, defensive minded Sean Payton gets the final say.
First Round Picks 21-25
Pick 21: Pittsburgh Steelers – Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
What could be more exciting than Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf and George Pickens on one team? Adding the most controversial QB prospect in this years draft. Letting Sanders learn behind Rodgers (assuming he signs) would help develop the rookie, rather than throwing him straight into the firing line.
Pick 22: Los Angeles Chargers – James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee
Erin Redwood had Pearce going to Green Bay in her 3-round Packers mock, but here he goes 1 pick sooner. Pearce will fill the hole left by Joey Bosa, and add a fast, fiery rushing style to their front. Similar to the Broncos, they need a way to slow down the other offences in their division, and Pearce is sure to pressure the QB’s into mistakes.
Pick 23: Green Bay Packers – Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
The Packers haven’t drafter a receiver in the first round since 2002, but the need is there, and with the draft in Green Bay, who knows. Burden has the ability to play inside and outside. He had a down year in 2024, but this is partially down to poor QB play. Heading into the season Burden was one of, if not the top rate wideout in this class, and if the Packers believe he can play outside, getting him at 23 could be a steal.
Pick 24: Minnesota Vikings – Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
With effectively a rookie QB it will be important to give him as much time in the pocket as possible, as well as have an effective run game. Adding Banks who has played in an NFL style offence at Texas will be an immediate upgrade to an offensive line that has had a lot of investment already this year.
Pick 25: Houston Texans – Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
It’s a miracle C.J. Stroud wasn’t injured last year with the amount of pressure his offensive line allowed. Adding a versatile linemen to fill in one of the several holes is the first step to ensuring Stroud returns to his elite level he showed in his first year in the league in 2023.
First Round Picks 26-32
Pick 26: Los Angeles Rams – Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia
It’s about time the Rams invested in the linebacker position after constant turnover at the position in recent years. Walker is another of the linebackers that can play off the edge when required and adds an explosive playmaker at the second level of the Rams defence.
Pick 27: Baltimore Ravens – Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia
The Ravens couldn’t stop the Bills last year, and it seems like it has been a while since they last had an elite player on their defensive line. Williams could be just that for a team looking to get to the Super Bowl after several wasted seasons. Williams suffered an injury in 2024 that meant he didn’t pop off the tape as much as expected, but if the Ravens get the 2023 version of the former Bulldog then he could be a real difference maker.
Pick 28: Detroit Lions – Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE, Boston College
The Lions fell apart on defence due to injuries in 2024. Adding depth to the position is important, and Ezeirauku could be a nice piece opposite Aidan Hutchinson. Playing the NFC North twice a year, and playing the AFC North in 2025, the Lions will be facing a lot of top level QB’s so adding another player to create havoc will be vital to retaining the number 1 seed in the NFC.
Pick 29: Washington Commanders – Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
Brian Robinson Jr. is solid NFL back, but adding Hampton to an already explosive offence is sure to have Commanders fans excited for the future of their team. The Eagles showed how effective a good running game can be, especially with a mobile QB, so here the Commanders choose to emulate their NFC East rivals and add a star to their backfield.
Pick 30: Buffalo Bills – Trey Amos, CB, Ole Miss
The Bills need more depth at CB, with Rasul Douglas a free agent, and Kaiir Elam traded away. Stopping the pass will be key in an AFC filled with elite QBs. Amos has a high RAS score, adding some explosiveness to the secondary. They could have done defensive line here, but in a deep class, the Bills choose to go for the DB.
Pick 31: Kansas City Chiefs – Derrick Harmon, DL, Oregon
With Chris Jones getting older the Chiefs will eventually need to replace him. Harmon could have gone to any of the previous 8-10 teams, but he slips to the Chiefs. Harmon will learn from one of the best in the game and add extra pocket pressure along side Jones to help slow down the other elite offences in the AFC West.
Pick 32: Philadelphia Eagles – Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
The Eagles have lost a handful of DB’s in free agency, so look to replace one of those holes here with one of the top safety prospects in the draft. They grabbed two difference makers in the secondary with their first two picks last year, and look to add another with their first round pick of this years draft.
