2025 NFL Mock Draft: Only two QBs go in first round as teams prioritize defensive players in loaded class

It’s very likely the Patriots shop this pick to a quarterback-needy team (Raiders and Giants), even though there are no quarterbacks worth the first pick. Williams lets the Patriots start building on the line of scrimmage, where they desperately need help at multiple spots, and he gives you a premium position with high upside and not a ton of tread on the tires. He’s a twitchy player with length and the ability to bend the corner and be disruptive.

Hunter is the safest bet for a team that would love a redo at quarterback but cannot spend another high pick on an uncertain one just yet. Regardless of which position Hunter plays, he will be a high-ceiling player with the ability to be a Hall of Famer. He has never-before-seen stamina and high football IQ, with the ability to be a game-changer anytime he touches the ball. He’d also inject some much-needed energy into a Panthers franchise that is going to have a tough time filling the stands.

The Browns would love a redo at quarterback and even though Deshaun Watson is an extraordinarily large cap hit, Cleveland has to look at him as a sunk cost come 2025 especially after a ruptured achilles. Ward continues to impress in one of the worst quarterback classes in years. He’s a dual-threat quarterback who is cool under pressure and never panics. Ward has 51 starts under his belt and has protected the ball better this season after being surrounded by better talent. His experience and playmaking ability allows Cleveland to keep a window of contention open.

The Titans could use a right tackle but I think Walker, who’s shooting up draft boards, is a safe pick here. Walker is a versatile hybrid edge/backer who is a talented rusher with speed, power, and excellent quickness. His extreme versatility can make him a matchup nightmare. The Texas game showed what he can do against quality competition, as he absolutely dominated and exposed the Longhorns.

Pearce is starting to heat up as SEC play enters the meat of the schedule. He is a high-value player with the ability to take over a game with excellent speed and power moves off the edge. Pearce has excellent twitch and quickness and will be a difference-maker as a rookie. Haason Reddick is a free agent after the 2025 season, not that he’s done anything this season after just now ending his holdout.

In the current moment, the Saints really need some healthy receivers, but come the offseason, they have needs across the front-seven and in the secondary. LEt’s give them an extremely safe pick and Day 1 starter in Will Johnson. Johnson has an elite skill set on an island, with length and the ability to not only disrupt the ball in the air but also be a ball hawk (his three pick-sixes are the most in Michigan history). Johnson is a multi-year starter and has been exposed to NFL schemes.

It may not be Jacksonville’s biggest need but I love the idea of them taking a Michigan product with a never-ending motor a few seasons after they regretfully passed one up in Aidan Hutchinson. Graham is a dominant interior presence who is powerful and disruptive at the point of attack, with a motor that never stops running. Dominant and disruptive interior players like this are hard to find, especially those who can excel in both phases of the game. He’d lift the floor of the entire defensive line, including former No. 1 pick Travon Walker.

Oh, baby. The Raiders have to go quarterback here and let’s give one of the NFL’s most storied franchises a player who will fit right in as the prince of Las Vegas. Sanders has the ability to be a top quarterback and can layer the ball into all three levels of the field. He is a big-time prospect with all the tools to be a top quarterback. Sanders in the silver and black will be must-see TV.

Back to the offensive tackle in the top 10 well the Giants go. Campbell has excellent feet and the ability to get to his spot quickly with a nice punch. He has some technique issues to clean up but has been an excellent blindside protector for three years in the toughest conference in football.

I’m sure how the Tua experiment will go the rest of the season, but let’s assume he will be OK. Miami really needs a safety and Starks is a top-10-type player with his versatility to play in the box as well as in coverage. Starks has an elite skill set and experience in a pro-style defense, but he plays a position that isn’t overly valued as a high pick. Starks is a ball hawk and playmaker who will be a future All-Pro.

The Rams’ top need is offensive tackle, which makes Kelvin Banks a great fit for them. Banks has been exceptional the last three seasons at Texas. He could project to guard at the next level if needed. Banks is an excellent all-around player with a high ceiling.

Nolen has the ability to dominate inside with exceptional power and is also an excellent pass rusher. Nolen has some of the most disruptive film this season in the country. Expect his stock to only gain steam in his money year.

Carter is starting to flash his massive potential as he settles in at the edge. Carter has the speed to bend the corner as well as the ability to beat tackles inside if they overset. Speed kills, and Carter is only going to get better with more reps as a pass rusher.

San Francisco will be majorly bummed out to be picking here. Don’t panic and do something flashy. Just keep building out the holes on your roster, though, which includes a need at defensive tackle. Williams possesses suddenness, bend, and an exceptional get-off. He is a disruptive force on the Buckeye front, playing with great technique and excelling in movement and games. Williams can also hold the point of attack.

Jim Harbaugh loves to build in the trenches, and there’s no better way to add serious size than with Walker. Walker is a massive human with cat-like quickness and power. Big-bodied defensive tackles seem to always fall on draft day, but Walker is the real deal and will be a fixture inside in the trenches.

Dallas needs help at multiple positions, but its running back rotation is embarrassing. Nobody has produced like Jeanty has in 2024. Jeanty has elite contact balance and the ability to not only get the tough yards between the tackles but also the speed to take it the distance.

It may be a little high for a guard, but Booker is an alpha who can step into the interior and make an instant impact. Booker is a powerful road-grading guard who plays through the whistle and has the ability to be a difference-maker at the next level.

Philadelphia just has to add more juice to its pass-rushing unit. Scourton has upside as an edge rusher and the versatility to kick inside in obvious passing situations, too. I’d like to see him expand his pass-rushing repertoire.

The Seahawks have multiple issues on the O-line, and right tackle might be the most glaring. Jones is a physical blocker who gets after defensive linemen and could kick down to guard eventually. He has some excellent tools to work with, but his technique is not there yet.

This is probably not going to profile as a “best player available pick,” but the Colts need cornerback help and Revel is indeed a first-round pick. Revel would have gone much earlier but tore his ACL in practice in late September. Assuming he had surgery in early October, he should be ready to go by the time camp starts. He’s a long and rangy corner with an excellent nose for the ball.

Kennard has a nice toolbox of moves, including a great get-off, speed to power, and a quick inside move. Kennard has consistently affected the quarterback all season and has been one of the nation’s best defensive players.

Does wide receiver over defensive needs make the most sense? Not really, but when did Atlanta’s draft ever make sense? It is indeed a steal to get Burden at No. 22 as the first receiver off the board. Burden is sudden and powerful but has yet to get the targets needed to take over games like he’s fully capable of. Missouri has not utilized his strengths this season, but he’d add value to any team and could be a nice way for Atlanta to eventually move on from any of its first-round pass-catchers it’s picked in recent years to mixed results.

Ivey is the best power-rusher you likely don’t know about. He has five sacks and 24 pressures on the year and abused LSU future first-rounder Emory Jones Jr. last week with elite hand swipes, long arms, and counters all night on the road. Ivey will be a riser with his length and pass-rushing ability.

Baltimore currently seems destined for a Super Bowl run, but the odds at this slot say that eventually a leaky defense is going to catch up with it. Emmanwori is a giant safety who runs like a corner. He’s a ball hawk who can excel in the box with his size and is also excellent in coverage.

Morrison injured his hip a few weeks ago and is out for the season. The severity of his injury is not known, but I would expect him to be fine by the time the season starts. This isn’t a deep corner class for high-end prospects. Morrison fits a need for the Bills and is a proven and productive player.

The 6-foot-5 freak has been dominant as expected and can make the ridiculous catches seem routine. He’s fluid with exceptional length and the ability to dominate not only contested catches but also the ability to take it the distance across the middle. Huge target for Jayden Daniels.

Egbuka has consistently shown up weekly and wears a bunch of different hats for the Buckeye offense, serving not only as one of their top targets in the air but also as a weapon in the run game. He’s a silky-smooth route runner with exceptional hands, situational awareness, and the ability to make a house call anytime he touches the ball. He also would be a good insurance against any looming issues with unhappy wide receiver George Pickens.

A massive and athletic space eater in the middle, Grant has some impressive traits. Disruptive 340-plus-pound nose guards don’t grow on trees, especially ones that can rush the passer and have a motor. Grant is a powerful big man who can not only hold the point but move it backward, penetrate, and stunt well.

A giant left tackle who is probably a better fit at right tackle, Ersery has good feet and has improved every season. He can engulf defenders in the run game, has a nice feel for the game, and has a high ceiling and heavy hands

Savaiinaea is a nimble-footed big man with the versatility and body type to kick inside as well. That works great for a Vikings offense that needs offensive line help already and may lose guard Dalton Risner to free agency in 2025.

Jackson has steadily improved every season and has a giant frame that suits well for the edge but could also kick inside with his versatility. He’s long, with a nice pass-rushing repertoire, and plays with a high motor. He’s tough like the Lions like, fitting their culture.

Harmon has been a disruptive force inside for the Ducks and has excelled in their movement and stunts, generating 29 pressures, three sacks, and 4.5 tackles for loss. With exceptional quickness and a great burst, the former Spartan has been one of the better portal gets in the trenches and a significant factor in why the Ducks are in the driver’s seat in the Big Ten.