We're officially three weeks from the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft as free agency has slowed down and most teams are now fully focused on putting the finishing touches on their big boards. This year's NFL Draft is interesting for several reasons, every team still owns their first round pick, there are only two quarterbacks viewed as first round picks, and overall this is seen as a weaker first round class.
The weaker draft class has led to teams being more aggressive whether its in Free Agency or on the trade market where we saw several big trades as teams aren't banking on landing top tier players in the draft. With just three weeks to go until the NFL Draft, here is how we see the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft playing out.
Heading into free agency, all signs pointed toward the Titans passing on a quarterback in favor of the best player available. The Titans then went out and signed Dan Moore at Left Tackle and Kevin Zeitler at Guard building up their offensive line. The Titans offensive line is now set in stone and the team is set to land their quarterback of the future in Cam Ward. The team can either sign a bridge quarterback, let Ward prepare behind Will Levis, or allow him to start immediately on a team that could win the AFC South.
The Cleveland Browns haven't been able to find their answer to their quarterback problems this offseason with Deshaun Watson missing the entire 2025 season. The Browns desperately need to land a quarterback they can build the team around and land one with the second overall pick. Kevin Stefanski has had success with pocket passer quarterbacks similar to Shedeur Sanders and he'll have a solid offensive line in front of him.
The New York Giants didn't get their splash addition at quarterback but, Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston is an upgrade over what they had last season. If Abdul Carter is the constellation prize then sign the Giants up as the team would add another dominant pass rusher to a defensive front with Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns, and Kayvon Thibodeaux. If the Giants are on the clock and both quarterbacks are gone they could trade back adding additional draft capital to land a quarterback later in the draft or in the 2026 draft.
The New England Patriots could address their offensive line with the 4th overall pick but, the best player on the board is Travis Hunter who fits the Patriots needs. The team hasn't been able to sign a top wide receiver to go alongside Drake Maye which makes Travis Hunter a perfect selection. How Mike Vrable would deploy Hunter is the biggest question but, landing a Hunter gives the team a piece that could impact the game in several ways.
The Jacksonville Jaguars could be in play for an offensive lineman at 5th overall but, with all of the investments into their offense, the team should improve on defense. Mason Graham falls into the Jaguars lap and can instantly give the team a presence in the middle on a defensive line with Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker. The team made the AFC Championship with a dominating defense and to get back to that point it starts in the trenches.
After trading for Geno Smith, the Las Vegas Raiders seem set to build a competitive team in the short term. Through Pete Carroll's Seahawks tenure, the team consistently had solid running back play which they'll land by drafting Ashton Jeanty. After letting Josh Jacobs leave in free agency, the offense missed the consistent weapon in the run game and Jeanty can help make up for the team's lack of weapons.
The New York Jets have a ton of holes to fill as they move out of the Aaron Rodgers era with several veterans leaving the team. After finding their cornerstone left tackle last season, the Jets land the best right tackle in the draft nabbing Missouri's Armand Membou who has flown up draft boards. Landing Membou allows the Jets to continue to build through the trenches which will help whoever the long term quarterback is.
The Carolina Panthers are still in the process of building back up their roster after showing promise down the stretch last season. As the team looks to build an identity, drafting Will Johnson would give the Panthers an incredible cornerback duo. Pairing Johnson and Jaycee Horn gives the team its cornerback core for the future while they continue to plug needs on this roster.
There isn't a position you can rule out for the New Orleans Saints in this draft which leaves the team selecting the best player available. Shemar Stewart has flown up draft boards with a solid showing at the Reese's Senior Bowl, and he's the best player to bet on, traits wise. Stewart didn't have the sack production of a top ten pick at the college level but, with time to develop he may end up being the best player in the draft.
The Chicago Bears clearly prioritized building up their offensive line this offseason after Caleb Williams was the most sacked quarterback in the league. While the Bears have done a ton, the team still needs to upgrade at tackle. Ben Johnson knows the importance of offensive tackle play, and here he lands Will Campbell to be a cornerstone for the Bears.
The 49ers are rarely picking in the top half of the NFL Draft, and when they do, they typically nail their picks. The 49ers need to add an edge rusher opposite Nick Bosa after missing out on Joey Bosa in free agency. Here, the 49ers land Mykel Williams, who hasn't had the massive production at Georgia as he dealt with an injury, but he's got all of the traits to be a 10+ sack per year player.
The Dallas Cowboys haven't had an exciting offseason much to the chagrin of their fanbase. After losing Chauncey Golston to the division rival New York Giants and Demarcus Lawrence to the Seahawks the Cowboys need to revamp their defensive front. Nabbing James Pearce Jr out of Tennessee would give the Cowboys one of the top players in the draft who will benefit from the attention that Micah Parsons draws.
The only priority for the Miami Dolphins is protecting Tua Tagovailoa as the injuries continue to stack up. The team has struggled to build an offensive line for the past several years, and they'll need to address it in the first round this year. While Tyler Booker may not be the highest upside lineman, Booker can step in and start for the Dolphins, giving Tua a capable blocker.
The Colts are heading into a year where they're looking to make Anthony Richardson prove he's the guy, which they signaled by signing Daniel Jones. The team has a solid receiving core and a great running back but, they have a hole at tight end which they need to fill. Tyler Warren will help take the Colts to another level, becoming a safety blanket for the quarterbacks and helping open holes in the run game.
While the Atlanta Falcons have developed a reputation for drafting skill players in the first round, here its warranted. The Falcons are now looking to build the offense for Michael Penix and landing the top wide receiver in the class will only help. Adding Tetairoa McMillan to the core of Drake London and Kyle Pitts gives Michael Penix a ton of size to work with, making the team a nightmare in the red zone.
The Arizona Cardinals made some solid under-the-radar moves this offseason to improve the roster but, they'll look to add a blue-chip player in the NFL Draft. Marshall edge rusher Mike Green led college football in sacks this season, and after impressing at the Senior Bowl, he could easily hear his name called in the top ten. Green gives the team a massive talent off the edge, helping the team compete against the offenses in the division.
As the Bengals continue to pour all of their resources into their offense, they'll have to use the NFL Draft to improve on defense. If the team can figure out how to keep Trey Hendrickson on board, the biggest need to address is cornerback. Jahdae Barron instantly upgrades the Bengals' secondary as he brings positional versatility to the secondary with a ton of talent at cornerback.
This offseason saw the Seahawks part ways with Geno Smith, DK Metcalf, and Tyler Lockett, resetting their team. As the Seahawks look to revamp their roster, they need to improve their offensive line, and they do so by taking Kelvin Banks. The Seahawks nab one of the best tackles in the class giving the team a cornerstone offensive tackle duo.
Todd Bowles has made it clear that the Buccaneers need difference makers in the secondary and with their first round pick they add a true chess piece. After solid seasons at South Carolina, Nick Emmanwori proved he has the athletic ability to play in the NFL with an incredible combine. Pairing Antoine Winfield and Nick Emmanwori together gives the Buccaneers a solid safety pairing which should give Bowles the turnovers he's looking to create.
If not for Bo Nix's stellar rookie season, the Broncos offense would've been in serious trouble as they had no rushing attack. The Broncos leading rusher only rushed for 513 yards which has to be improved upon to take some weight off of Nix's shoulders. Sean Payton gets his star running back drafting Omarion Hampton who can be a solid all around back on a young emerging team.
The Pittsburgh Steelers will cycle in another veteran quarterback if Aaron Rodgers signs but, that isn't a long term option this season but, the team needs to find a quarterback they can develop. If the Steelers are going to roll the dice on any of the quarterbacks in the draft, Jaxson Dart may make the most sense. Dart's ability to throw the deep ball aligns perfectly with DK Metcalf and George Pickens while getting a quarterback on a Rookie deal will allow the Steelers to keep their high end pieces in place.
This offseason saw the Los Angeles Chargers continue to reshape this team as the Jim Harbaugh era enters year two. The biggest area of concern is at defensive tackle where the Chargers lost Poona Ford this offseason. Derrick Harmon can step in right away and fill the void of losing Ford as he'll eat up blocks on the inside while having the ability to be a solid pass rusher with continued development.
As the Green Bay Packers continue to go up against the explosive offenses of the Vikings and Lions, while the Bears are on the rise, Green Bay needs to improve on defense. The team has a solid duo of young pass rushers, but they need to continue adding pieces that can get after the quarterback, which makes Nic Scourton a solid fit. Scourton had massive production in the Big Ten and a solid year in the SEC, which has put him up against NFL-caliber tackles.
The Vikings don't have a ton of needs to address heading into the NFL Draft but, the biggest may be at safety as the team looks to find a player that can play alongside Harrison Smith. The Vikings get lucky here thanks to positional value and Nick Emmanwori's impressive combine as they land Malaki Starks. His Junior season wasn't as great as his Sophomore year but, Starks has still shown a ton for NFL teams to fall in love with especially if he plays within the defense.
This offseason saw the Texans blow up what was an offensive line with a ton of issues, trading away Kenyon Green and Laremy Tunsil. As the Texans rebuild their offensive line to protect CJ Stroud, they bank on Josh Simmons returning to form after his injury as he was a potential top ten pick before injury.
While Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua garner the most attention, the Rams have built an impressive young defense. The one area where the Rams need to add young talent is at linebacker which makes Jalon Walker a solid pick. Walker has a ton of potential whether the team deploys him as a pass rusher or at off ball linebacker giving the team another piece to build around.
The Ravens have a ton of talent on both sides of the football but, the team needs to land some young pieces on the offensive line. Jackson was one of the best guards in college football and when his team needed it he moved out to Left Tackle and gave the team solid play. Jackson can step in right away and play guard for the Ravens with the ability to be the team's swing tackle.
Injuries to the Lions' front seven derailed their season in many ways as the team lost some of their top players to injuries, decimating their depth. The team added some depth to their roster but, they'll need to add a young pass rusher as some of their homegrown pieces start to cash in with big extensions. Landon Jackson has all of the traits to take a jump in production and he'll get the benefit of rushing opposite Aidan Hutchinson.
After Jayden Daniels breakout rookie season, the Commanders have been all about building around Daniels. After trading for Deebo Samuel and Laremy Tunsil, the team has filled some holes but, they could still use a traditional wide receiver that can get open. The second best wide receiver in the class falls to the Commanders here and the team jumps on the opportunity to build around Jayden Daniels getting him a young target he can be paired with for the future.
While the Buffalo Bills addressed some of their needs at wide receiver, it will allow them to address their needs in the defensive backfield. As the Bills' cornerbacks dealt with injuries in the back half of the season, it made it clear the team needed to add a young cornerback and they land one here in Shavon Revel. Revel was a potential top ten pick heading into the season but, with his ACL injury, the Bills may land the best cornerback in the draft at the end of the first round.
While the Kansas City Chiefs have some needs on the offensive line, the team also needs to reinforce on the other side of the trenches. As Walter Nolen falls into the Chiefs lap with the 31st overall pick, the team lands another monster to their defense on the interior next to Chris Jones. Walter Nolen would be a massive piece for the Chiefs as he'd give the team pass rush production on the inside potentially freeing up Chris Jones.
While the Eagles have two outstanding inside linebackers, taking Jihaad Campbell puts the Eagles in a great place for the future. Campbell isn't your typical inside linebacker as he has the ability to also rush off of the edge and could be used as a chess piece in Vic Fangio's defense. If the Eagles move on from Nakobe Dean or Zack Baun, Campbell is the replacement, while he's perfect injury insurance.