Jordan Katz 2025 NFL Mock Draft 2.0: Post Super Bowl
We are on to the second edition of Mock Draft SZN for 2025! There have been a lot of rumors circulating since Mock Draft 1.0, so this mock has a lot of changes. There have been a lot of risers and fallers since the Senior Bowl, and there will be even more after the NFL Combine in a few weeks. This draft season is going to be wild, so there’s a good chance this mock looks very different than my eventual final version in a few months.
Having said that, there are definitely some trends I feel I am ahead on (Jaxson Dart round one), and that’s why we play the game!
Let’s Mock!
ROUND ONE
1) Tennessee Titans: Abdul Carter, EDGE Penn State- Recently the Titans brass was quoted as saying they will not pass on a generational talent just to select a quarterback first overall. Whether that’s a bluff to up trade value or their actual plan remains to be seen; but if it is true, this selection is either Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter.
Many are leaning toward Carter because his upside as a pass rusher is generational. He has elite athleticism around the edge and multiple moves in his arsenal when rushing the passer.
2) *TRADE* New York Giants (from Browns): Shedeur Sanders, QB Colorado- Giants fans reading this, I can sense your displeasure with this prediction. However, I think it’s time to embrace reality. Brian Daboll has sung Sanders’s praise at every turn during this draft process so far. Sanders was also seen throwing with Malik Nabers on the streets of NYC. I think Sanders will do everything in his power to land in New York or Vegas, and right now, the Giants seem more interested in Sanders than the Raiders…
…unless Matthew Stafford winds up in New York.
The Trade: The New York Giants trade the #3, #34, and a 2026 3rd-round pick to the Cleveland Browns for the #2 overall selection.
3) *TRADE* Cleveland Browns (from Giants): Travis Hunter, WR/DB Colorado- The Browns are a logistical nightmare when it comes to predicting this draft. They might trade Myles Garrett and do a complete rebuild, they might select a QB and figure it out later, or they might try to reload and take the best player available to help them win.
With the issues surrounding their cap, I think it’s unwise to select a rookie QB and “throw him to the wolves,” with a lesser roster. That’s why Hunter is the selection, for now.
The Trade: See pick #2.
4) New England Patriots: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT Texas– Will Campbell is the top offensive lineman according to most, but many also see him as a guard at the next level, which could hurt his draft stock. Banks is viewed by many as a left tackle, which separates him from the majority of this class in terms of upside. If Banks tests well at the combine, he can be a top-five pick.
5) Jacksonville Jaguars: Mason Graham, IDL Michigan- This feels like the easiest pick of the first round. Jacksonville needs help along the interior of their defensive line, and Graham is one of the elite prospects in this draft.
6) Las Vegas Raiders: Cam Ward, QB Miami- The Raiders are the most likely team in this draft to select a quarterback in round one. Whether Ward or Sanders is the target remains to be seen, but expect Vegas to make a big play for a quarterback in this draft.
Editor’s note: Keep an eye on Vegas and Cam Ward moving forward. The rumors have cooled on them and Sanders, and if Vegas gets aggressive and trades up in the draft, I think it’s for Ward.
7) New York Jets: Will Johnson, CB Michigan- This pick stays the same from Mock Draft 1.0, and will continue to stay the same until the Jets offseason plays out in free agency. Having two shutdown corners is such a weapon for a team’s defense. Johnson across from Sauce Gardner makes up for the impending loss of DJ Reed.
8) Carolina Panthers: Jalon Walker, EDGE/LB Georgia- Carolina needs a chess piece on the defensive side of the ball to elevate their defense. Walker can be just that. He lines up everywhere, he makes plays at the second level of the defense, and he can get to the passer.
9) New Orleans Saints: Tetairoa McMillian, WR Arizona- Chris Olave’s injuries have decimated the Saints’ offense in recent years because their receiving core lacks depth. McMillian is the top receiver in the draft, and his “YAC,” ability will make him a very productive pro in today’s NFL.
10) Chicago Bears: Will Campbell, OL LSU- As long as you give the Bears an offensive lineman, you stand a chance in whatever mock draft you are doing. Chicago has to protect Caleb Williams better moving forward. Campbell is the best offensive lineman in the draft (by far, in my opinion), but his draft stock will be determined at the NFL combine because his measurables may put him at guard in the NFL.
11) San Francisco 49ers: Walter Nolan, IDL Ole Miss- If Will Johnson goes before the Niners select, look for them to pivot to interior defensive line. What was once a vaunted front four has come back down to earth after the departure of Arik Armstead. Nolan’s quick twitch nature and ability to get to the passer would be explosive alongside Nick Bosa.
12) Dallas Cowboys: Tyler Booker, IOL Alabama- The Cowboys need to continue to revamp their offensive line during this offseason. It’s not the “sexy pick,” so Jerry Jones likely won’t make it, but Booker is so obviously the selection because of his intensity at the point of attack. Plus, Jerry has to do something logical eventually, right?
13) Miami Dolphins: Kenneth Grant, IDL Michigan- The interior of the Dolphins defense was awful in 2024. Grant would change that on day one. He’s a space eater against the run, and he’s athletic enough to shed blocks and make plays.
14) Indianapolis Colts: Grey Zabel, OL North Dakota State- The interior of the Colts line is losing two starters this year, including starting center Ryan Kelly. Zabel had a phenomenal senior bowl week which has catapulted him into the round one conversation. He’s started in a number of spots along the offensive line, and looked very comfortable at center during the Senior Bowl week. If he tests well at the combine, he should be a lock in the middle of round one.
15) Atlanta Falcons: Mike Green, EDGE Marshall- The biggest senior bowl week winner was Mike Green, who dominated reps left and right throughout the week. On tape, he shows elite ability to dip and bend around the edge, but the ability to play with power at the point of attack during senior bowl week elevated him up draft boards.
Even though Atlanta hasn’t taken a first-round edge rusher since Vic Beasley, which was a massive whiff for both them and myself, one of these years they will address the pass rusher position.
16) Arizona Cardinals: Mykal Williams, EDGE Georgia- Speaking of teams that need an elite pass rusher, Arizona is in a perfect position to take one here in the middle of round one. While this is a weaker draft class on tape, there are some players with elite upside because of their immeasurable athleticism.
Mykal Williams is one of those players. His tape was up and down in 2024, but because of his ability to convert speed into power and get around the edge, he can be elite.
17) Cincinnati Bengals: Tyler Warren, TE Penn State- Pass catcher is the top issue for the Bengals this offseason. Should they sign Tee Higgins, that resolves everything.
However, because of the Ja’Marr Chase contract, it makes more sense for them to go in a cheaper direction.
Warren solves two needs at once for the Bengals. He creates a pass-catching threat in the middle of the field, and he adds a threat in the red zone to take coverage away from Chase.
18) Seattle Seahawks: Armand Membou, IOL Missouri- Membou is another offensive tackle prospect in this draft who projects better at guard. He’s at his best when he gets his hands on defenders quickly and uses the power in his strikes and his base to wall off defenders. Seattle needs help along the interior, so the fit makes sense here as well.
19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Emeka Egbuka, WR Ohio State- The Bucs have some hard decisions to make this offseason, and one of those is the contract of Chris Godwin. Godwin’s injury history outweighs the talent he has on the field, which is one of the reasons the Bucs could go in a different direction.
Even after the emergence of Jalen McMillian, a quality route runner like Egbuka still makes sense for the Bucs at this selection.
20) Denver Broncos: Colston Loveland, TE Michigan- Denver needs to continue to add pass-catching weapons to help elevate Bo Nix moving forward. Courtland Sutton emerged as a borderline number-one wide receiver this year, but the Broncos still need a threat in the middle of the field.
Enter Loveland. He understands how to use his size at the top of the route to create separation. His skills in the middle of the field from the slot would be an excellent fit in Head Coach Sean Payton’s offense.
21) *TRADE* New York Jets (from Steelers): Jaxson Dart, QB Ole Miss- There is a lot of buzz at the moment around the Steelers picking Dart at this selection. In my opinion, that’s to spark a trade-down. The Steelers are still in win-now mode, making them a much better fit for a veteran quarterback than a rookie, particularly one who regularly appears on the Pat McAfee Show.
Meanwhile, the Jets, who are moving on from “he who shall not be named” (IYKYK), are still searching for their quarterback savior, making them a logical team to trade up for a quarterback.
Dart has fascinating traits. He makes off-platform throws look easy, he’s a threat with his legs, and he answered the questions about his arm strength during a quality senior bowl week. Dart should be the third quarterback off the board, and look for multiple teams to attempt to move up for him in a few months.
The Trade: The New York Jets trade the #42, a 2026 2nd round pick, and a 2027 3rd round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 21st overall selection and a 2027 4th round pick.
22) Los Angeles Chargers: Ashton Jeanty, RB Boise State- Running backs are abundant in this draft, and they will likely go higher than we are used to seeing. Jeanty had an all-world final campaign at Boise State, breaking records left and right. His feel for finding the lanes to run through and being patient as a runner makes him an elite prospect. Head Coach Jim Harbaugh loves to use the run to set up play-action pass, so having a difference-maker like Jeanty makes perfect sense for the team moving forward.
23) Green Bay Packers: Josh Simmons, OT Ohio State- Simmons is someone I’m keeping an eye on during the draft process. There are not many true left tackle prospects in this draft. Before his knee injury, Simmons was having a phenomenal season at THE Ohio State. His balance and poise when he’s in the vertical set is his best trait, and he has quality power in his strikes as well. Do not be shocked if he goes higher than expected in April.
24) Minnesota Vikings: Jahdae Barron, CB Texas- Even if the Vikings bring back Byron Murphy, they still need help in the secondary. Barron lined up in a number of spots at Texas, but in my opinion, his most impressive work was in the slot. He can blitz, and he can mirror receivers in the short-yardage windows. The fit here makes a ton of sense for the Vikings.
25) Houston Texans: Derrick Harmon, IDL Oregon- Harmon is a similar player to Barron in the sense that he’s solid in a lot of areas but doesn’t have one standout trait. His ability to play the run and control his gap is where he excels the most. Houston needs help along the interior, which will likely be this selection if they are unable to trade down.
26) Los Angeles Rams: Matthew Golden, WR Texas- The amount of question marks around the Rams offseason makes this an impossible selection to call at the moment. However, if we operate under the assumption that they move on from Cooper Kupp, they will need a number two target to go alongside Puka Nacua.
Golden is a darling of many in this draft because of his skills and knowledge as a route runner. He does not possess elite physical traits, but his skill set is perfect for Head Coach Sean McVay.
27) Baltimore Ravens: Shemar Stewart, EDGE/DL Texas A&M- Somehow, Baltimore winds up stealing talented players in the back end of round one every year. Stewart’s production wasn’t spectacular in terms of raw statistics, but he generated a ton of pressures during his final year at A&M. This is a perfect fit.
28) Detroit Lions: Donovan Jackson, IOL Ohio State- Kevin Zietler is likely to leave in free agency, which creates an opening on the Lions’ offensive line unit that they would love to fill with a rookie contract. Jackson’s ability to gain leverage on defenders would make him an excellent fit in the running scheme of Detroit.
29) Washington Commanders: Luther Burden III, WR Missouri- Playmakers are a necessity for the Commanders in the offseason on both sides of the ball. Burden is a “YAC,” monster that fits well opposite Terry McLaurin.
30) Buffalo Bills: Malaki Starks, S Georgia- Damar Hamlin is due for a payday, which likely happens elsewhere. Malaki Starks is a day-one starting safety that can do it all. His willingness to come up and tackle combined with the angles he takes to the football in the secondary should help him at the next level.
31) Kansas City Chiefs: Josh Conerly Jr., OT Oregon- The Chiefs lost the Super Bowl because they allowed too much pressure on Patrick Mahomes. It’s probably time to address that issue that somehow only haunted them once in three seasons.
32) Philadelphia Eagles: TreyVeon Henderson, RB Ohio State- The most controversial pick of round one comes in here at the final first-round selection. Giving the Eagles a running back after Saquon Barkley’s MVP-worthy season seems like lunacy, but let me make my pitch.
Elite organizations have backup plans in place before they need them. For example, the Eagles selected Cam Jurgens well before Jason Kelce was going to retire, and then groomed him for the position. This year Jurgens played at an exceptional level and helped stabilize the interior of the offensive line.
Saquon Barkley is 28 years old with a lot of mileage on his tires, so to speak. He also has two years left on his contract, and running backs rarely get a top-tier third contract even if they are exceptional. In an elite running back class, the idea of the Eagles taking Barkley’s eventual successor makes a ton of sense.
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