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USATSI

The With the First Pick RV is back in the garage after making stops at the Shrine and Senior Bowls the last two weeks. It's always good to see these players in person -- and yes, I've been accused (mostly by my podcast co-host Rick Spielman) of falling in love when I finally get eyes on these guys after watching them on tape for the last couple seasons -- and the 2025 draft cycle is no different.

(By the way, check out all our podcasts from both the Shrine Bowl and Senior Bowl here, here or here -- or wherever you get your podcasts.)

There are still just two quarterbacks going in Round 1, but the all-star game circuit confirmed what my eyes saw in the fall: This class is deep along the defensive line, both on the interior and at edge rusher. And while the offensive line looked thin(nish) at times, there are some dudes, especially on the inside.

NFL Draft 2025 big board rankings: Travis Hunter at No. 2 spot, loaded EDGE class in Top 50
Chris Trapasso
NFL Draft 2025 big board rankings: Travis Hunter at No. 2 spot, loaded EDGE class in Top 50

Put another way: Don't be distracted by the "This is a weak class" talk in the coming weeks. It's not "six QBs in the top 12" deep, but there are are some special talents who will hear their names called early, and the depth at certain positions will run well into Day 3. That, in some ways, makes it more exciting as we work our way up to the actual draft on April 24.

OK, let's get to it.

NFL Mock Draft
Round 1
Round 1 - Pick 1
Miami (FL) • Sr • 6'2" / 223 lbs
Projected Team
Tennessee
PROSPECT RNK
4th
POSITION RNK
1st
PAYDS
4313
RUYDS
204
INTS
7
TDS
43
Cam Ward would've likely been no better than QB5 in last year's draft class, but he's QB1 in 2024. Teams had a late Day 2/Day 3 grade on him over the summer, but he's made big strides this season; he's playing more from the pocket, he's getting the ball out on time, and he's doing a better job of getting through his reads. We know about the athleticism and arm strength, but he's gotten better each year he's been in college, too.
Round 1 - Pick 2
Michigan • Jr • 6'3" / 320 lbs
Projected Team
Cleveland
PROSPECT RNK
5th
POSITION RNK
1st
PAYDS
4134
RUYDS
-50
INTS
10
TDS
41
My comp for Mason Graham over the summer was Christian Wilkins. My co-host on the "With the First Pick" podcast, Rick Spielman, took it a step further and said Quinnen Williams. Wherever you land, Graham is a special talent who headlines a deep defensive line class.
Round 1 - Pick 3
Colorado • Sr • 6'2" / 215 lbs
Projected Team
N.Y. Giants
PROSPECT RNK
9th
POSITION RNK
2nd
Good luck finding someone tougher than Sanders. He'll stand in the pocket and take hit (after hit after hit) to make a play downfield. He's not the best athlete and doesn't have the arm strength of Cam Ward, but he does a lot of things really well. Would like to see him play on time more consistently, but part of that has to do with Colorado's inconsistent offensive line.
Round 1 - Pick 4
LSU • Jr • 6'6" / 323 lbs
Projected Team
New England
PROSPECT RNK
7th
POSITION RNK
1st
REC
96
REYDS
1258
YDS/REC
13.1
TDS
16
Campbell has been my OT2 throughout and while he's not as athletic as Kelvin Banks Jr., he's been incredibly consistent throughout his LSU career. He had his struggles with Jared Verse in '23 (who didn't), and the formidable South Carolina front four gave him trouble at times in the fall, but good luck finding a left tackle more reliable play in and play out than Campbell.
Round 1 - Pick 5
Penn State • Jr • 6'3" / 252 lbs
Projected Team
Jacksonville
PROSPECT RNK
3rd
POSITION RNK
1st
A freakish athlete who moved from off-ball linebacker to edge rusher for the 2024 season. Carter is not Micah Parsons -- not yet, anyway -- but he's just scratching the surface on what he can do.
Round 1 - Pick 6
Colorado • Jr • 6'1" / 185 lbs
Projected Team
Las Vegas
PROSPECT RNK
1st
POSITION RNK
1st
REC
96
REYDS
1258
YDS/REC
13.1
TDS
16
Hunter is the best athlete -- and the best player -- in this draft class. We've had otherworldly cornerbacks and wide receivers in previous classes but he's a two-fer, able to dominate on both sides of the ball and take over games. The big question where will the team that drafts him want him to play. And if it's, say, at cornerback, how big will be the package of offensive plays for Hunter. Because lining up for 120 snaps a game, like he's done for the Buffs, isn't sustainable in the NFL.
Round 1 - Pick 7
Arizona • Jr • 6'5" / 212 lbs
Projected Team
N.Y. Jets
PROSPECT RNK
3rd
POSITION RNK
1st
REC
84
REYDS
1319
YDS/REC
15.7
TDS
8
Tetairoa McMillan is 6-foot-5, but he moves like a shifty slot receiver with the benefit of an enormous catch radius and the ability to make contested catches look easy. Think Drake London but a better athlete.
Round 1 - Pick 8
Georgia • Jr • 6'5" / 265 lbs
Projected Team
Carolina
PROSPECT RNK
13th
POSITION RNK
3rd
Georgia has a history of producing insane athletes and Mykel Williams might end up being the best of the group. He's a first-round talent all day long, and he could end up being one of the first defenders off the board in April.
Round 1 - Pick 9
Michigan • Jr • 6'2" / 202 lbs
Projected Team
New Orleans
PROSPECT RNK
2nd
POSITION RNK
1st
Johnson was my No. 1 player over the summer and he remains a top-10 talent. He battled a toe injury that sidelined him for much of the second half of the 2024 season, but when he's healthy, he's one of the best defenders in college football; there's a reason the easy comp for him is Patrick Surtain.
Round 1 - Pick 10
Texas • Jr • 6'4" / 320 lbs
Projected Team
Chicago
PROSPECT RNK
8th
POSITION RNK
2nd
Banks was my OT1 over the summer and nothing's changed. He's athletic, has good feet, plays with balance, power and uses hands well. He's better in pass protection than the run right now, but it's close -- and he's only going to get better.
Round 1 - Pick 11
Alabama • Jr • 6'3" / 244 lbs
Projected Team
San Francisco
PROSPECT RNK
27th
POSITION RNK
1st
Campbell is, in a word, explosive. He can rush the pass from the edge, or play off-ball linebacker and he'll look like the best player on the field from either position. He's one of the best athletes in this class, and the scary part is he's just scratching the surface; he's going to get bigger, stronger and faster -- he won't turn 21 until February.
Round 1 - Pick 12
Boise State • Jr • 5'9" / 215 lbs
Projected Team
Dallas
PROSPECT RNK
10th
POSITION RNK
1st
RUYDS
2601
YDS/ATT
7
REYDS
138
TDS
30
Is Jeanty a luxury pick? That depends; is Bijan Robinson or Jahmyr Gibbs luxury picks? Because Jeanty is that type of impact back. He hasn't been used nearly as much in the pass game, but that doesn't mean he can't do it.
Round 1 - Pick 13
Penn State • Sr • 6'6" / 261 lbs
Projected Team
Miami
PROSPECT RNK
18th
POSITION RNK
1st
REC
104
REYDS
1233
YDS/REC
11.9
TDS
12
Tyler Warren has accounted for roughly 75 percent of Penn State's offense (we're ballparking that, don't quote us), as a receiver, passer and runner. No player has done more for his draft stock than Warren, who was a late Day 2/Day 3 pick over the summer.
Round 1 - Pick 14
Georgia • Jr • 6'1" / 205 lbs
Projected Team
Indianapolis
PROSPECT RNK
14th
POSITION RNK
1st
Put aside for the moment that Malaki Starks is an elite athlete who can line up anywhere in the secondary; he's also one of the smartest players on the field, and that combination is what makes him a top-10 talent.
Round 1 - Pick 15
Georgia • Jr • 6'2" / 245 lbs
Projected Team
Atlanta
PROSPECT RNK
25th
POSITION RNK
7th
Walker is listed as an off-ball linebacker, but he can line up anywhere ... and wreak havoc from anywhere. Very interested to see how NFL teams plan to use him at the next level.
Round 1 - Pick 16
Texas A&M • Jr • 6'6" / 290 lbs
Projected Team
Arizona
PROSPECT RNK
33rd
POSITION RNK
5th
For an edge rusher, Stewart is enormous, and he'll play too high at times but he can collapse the pocket with his size/power/strength. A quick first step, even for his size, with the power to shoot gaps. And when the bull rush doesn't get home, his huge frame allows him to knock down passes. He has a hair-on-fire motor who consistently plays with power and athleticism.
Round 1 - Pick 17
Michigan • Jr • 6'5" / 245 lbs
Projected Team
Cincinnati
PROSPECT RNK
21st
POSITION RNK
2nd
REC
56
REYDS
582
YDS/REC
10.4
TDS
5
Loveland is listed at 6-5, 237 pounds, and while he runs like he's 185, he plays like he's 260. He'll run through open-field arm tackles all day long, he has an enormous catch radius and he's a precise route runner, looking like a receiver at times in his movement skills. He's a willing blocker, but like most pass-catching tight ends coming into the league, he'll need to improve in this area.
Round 1 - Pick 18
Missouri • Jr • 6'3" / 325 lbs
Projected Team
Seattle
PROSPECT RNK
22nd
POSITION RNK
4th
REC
66
REYDS
771
YDS/REC
11.1
TDS
8
Membou is just 6-foot-3 ... and I do not care. He was one of the most reliable right tackles in college football in 2024 and while he doesn't have ideal size, based on his tape alone, he's a guy who you put at right tackle until he proves he can't handle it at the next level. Worst case: You have a perennial Pro Bowl guard for the next decade.
Round 1 - Pick 19
Texas A&M • Jr • 6'4" / 285 lbs
Projected Team
Tampa Bay
PROSPECT RNK
15th
POSITION RNK
4th
RUYDS
2601
YDS/ATT
7
REYDS
138
TDS
30
Scourton is a power rusher who will long-arm you into the stands. He'll also flash an inside spin move that puts OTs on their heels. Add the non-stop motor with which he plays and it's hard not to love his game. My podcast co-host, Rick Spielman, calls him a more athletic Keion White.
Round 1 - Pick 20
Ole Miss • Jr • 6'3" / 305 lbs
Projected Team
Denver
PROSPECT RNK
20th
POSITION RNK
2nd
REC
56
REYDS
582
YDS/REC
10.4
TDS
5
This defensive line class is incredibly deep and in previous years Nolen probably goes off the board a little higher. Either way, he explodes off the ball while also being strong as an ox. At 6-foot-4, 290 pounds, he won't be mistaken for, say, Dexter Lawrence, but don't be fooled; he can plays stout against double teams, and is quick to get off blocks and get to the ball.
Round 1 - Pick 21
Missouri • Jr • 5'11" / 205 lbs
Projected Team
Pittsburgh
PROSPECT RNK
12th
POSITION RNK
2nd
REC
61
REYDS
676
YDS/REC
11.1
TDS
8
The numbers don't blow you away (66 catches, 771 yards), but don't be fooled; Burden is a first-round talent and game-changer with the ball in his hands. The QB play at Mizzou was inconsistent in 2024 because Brady Cook was injured for much of the season, but there's a reason he had 86 receptions for 1,212 yards and 9 TDs in 2023.
Round 1 - Pick 22
Tennessee • Jr • 6'5" / 243 lbs
Projected Team
L.A. Chargers
PROSPECT RNK
11th
POSITION RNK
2nd
Pearce is a juiced up, twitchy edge rusher who can win with the bull rush or speed around the edge. He plays with a non-stop motor with the type of freakish athleticism that can match the Jalen Milroe-type QBs in the pocket.
Round 1 - Pick 23
Texas • Sr • 5'11" / 200 lbs
Projected Team
Green Bay
PROSPECT RNK
42nd
POSITION RNK
4th
REC
98
REYDS
1158
YDS/REC
11.8
TDS
12
This may sound rich, but, at times, Barron flashes in a way that reminds me of Brian Branch; he's one of the smartest players on the field, he's always around the ball and if you need a play, he consistently shows up. He can line up in the box, in the slot or outside, is an effective blitzer off the edge and is an asset in the run game.
Round 1 - Pick 24
East Carolina • Sr • 6'3" / 193 lbs
Projected Team
Minnesota
PROSPECT RNK
19th
POSITION RNK
2nd
Revel tore his ACL in October and missed the rest of the season. But his tape is a lot of fun; his track background shows up when you watch him, as does his length. He'll play with physicality at the line in man coverage and is a fluid mover in space. He's not the shutdown corner of, say, Sauce Gardner when he came out, or as physical as Joey Porter Jr. (and maybe that's a good thing), but he's a nice mix of both in terms of size and play style.
Round 1 - Pick 25
Michigan • Jr • 6'3" / 339 lbs
Projected Team
Houston
PROSPECT RNK
24th
POSITION RNK
3rd
Grant is a really good athlete for his size -- and he has a knack for getting his hands up in the passing lane and knocking the ball down. He has a surprisingly quick first step, and uses his hands well to shoot gaps and be a disruptive presence in backfield. For me, he's more explosive and consistent than Kris Jenkins, his former teammate and Bengals 2nd-rounder in '24.
Round 1 - Pick 26
North Dakota State • Sr • 6'6" / 305 lbs
Projected Team
L.A. Rams
PROSPECT RNK
90th
POSITION RNK
3rd
No one helped themselves more at the Senior Bowl than Zabel, who played primarily left tackle in 2024 for NDSU, but had experience at guard and center, too. He was used solely on the interior in Mobile and he looked like a 10-year vet no matter where he lined up. Zabel stood out in the Week 1 opener against Colorado and his stock has been on the rise ever sense. Talking to teams at the Senior Bowl, he may be a better leader than football player and that's saying something.
Round 1 - Pick 27
Marshall • Soph • 6'4" / 248 lbs
Projected Team
Baltimore
PROSPECT RNK
71st
POSITION RNK
12th
The former UVA transfer played at Lafayette HS in Williamsburg, VA, the same school that produced Lawrence Taylor. Green, who weighed 251 pounds at the Senior Bowl is incredibly explosive off the snap, plays with surprising power and consistently uses his hands well to get off blocks. He had the 1-on-1 rep of the week down in Mobile, and his tape backs it up.
Round 1 - Pick 28
Ohio State • Sr • 6'5" / 260 lbs
Projected Team
Detroit
PROSPECT RNK
30th
POSITION RNK
8th
Sawyer is listed at 6-foot-5, 260 pounds and is coming off a five-sack 2024 season that includes 28 hurries. Used almost exclusively off the edge for the Buckeyes, he flashes the speed-to-power of a first-round pass rusher who is also stout setting the edge in the run game.
Round 1 - Pick 29
Ohio State • Sr • 6'5" / 310 lbs
Projected Team
Washington
PROSPECT RNK
17th
POSITION RNK
3rd
A San Diego State transfer where he played right tackle, Simmons was a pleasant surprise in Columbus, where he was not only installed at left tackle, but he was playing at a high level before an October knee injury against Oregon ended his season. I thought he might come back to school -- he could probably use the experience -- but instead has declared for the '25 draft. And in a draft light along the offensive line, fully expect Simmons to draw some first-round consideration, even if he might need a year or two of seasoning.
Round 1 - Pick 30
Texas • Jr • 6'0" / 195 lbs
Projected Team
Buffalo
PROSPECT RNK
74th
POSITION RNK
7th
REC
58
REYDS
987
YDS/REC
17
TDS
9
Explosive is the best one-word description for Golden, who reminded me a lot of Jordan Addison coming out of USC. He doesn't have the biggest frame, but he consistently creates separation at the top of his route, he has legit track speed (10.93 in the 100m in high school) and also has return ability. His best football is ahead of him.
Round 1 - Pick 31
Ohio State • Sr • 6'1" / 205 lbs
Projected Team
Philadelphia
PROSPECT RNK
32nd
POSITION RNK
3rd
REC
81
REYDS
1011
YDS/REC
12.5
TDS
10
Big body, fluid mover, natural hands away from body with good contact balance and has the ability to run through arm tackles. He gets in and out of breaks with urgency and YAC ability. He's not a finesse player but more of a bruiser. When you talk about 'big slots,' this is what you mean. I think he has some Amon-Ra St. Brown in his game.
Round 1 - Pick 32
Alabama • Jr • 6'5" / 325 lbs
Projected Team
Kansas City
PROSPECT RNK
29th
POSITION RNK
1st
It's hard to think Booker has flown under the radar given his physical presence and his dominating style of play, but now that we're officially in draft season, expect the Booker Train to pick up steam. He's played mostly left guard at Alabama, and his athleticism and anchor in pass protection coupled with his earth-moving ability in the run game at times defies the laws of physics. He's a plug-and-play starter on Day 1.

The 2025 NFL Draft is to take place from April 24-26 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. More draft coverage can be found at CBSSports.com, including the weekly mock drafts and a regularly available look at the eligible prospects.Â