Thursday night, the 2025 NFL Draft will get underway from Green Bay. This year’s board is shaping up to be an interesting one, and ESPN’s Matt Miller released his final mock draft ahead of the first round.
The Tennessee Titans took away all mystery this week when they announced they would stick and pick at No. 1. That bodes well for Miami quarterback Cam Ward to go atop the board, although there are questions farther down – specifically once the top three picks are over. But question marks swirl around names such as Shedeur Sanders and Ashton Jeanty.
Miller noted the lack of chalk in his final 2025 NFL mock draft, which is based on the intel he’s gathering from around the league. Here is how he sees the board shaking out with just over 24 hours to go until Draft Day.
As the pre-draft process went along, it became increasingly clear Cam Ward would be the top quarterback off the board. The question was if the Titans would stay put, and the franchise came out Wednesday confirming it would – meaning Ward is likely to go No. 1 overall.
Ward declared for last year’s draft before transferring to Miami last season. He put together a standout year in Coral Gables, throwing for 4,313 yards and an FBS-leading 39 passing touchdowns while also showcasing his ability to improvise and make plays outside the pocket.
Considered one of the top prospects on the board in the 2025 NFL Draft, Colorado’s Travis Hunter goes No. 2 in ESPN’s final mock. The Cleveland Browns have reportedly been fielding calls for the selection, but Hunter could be the choice if they opt to stay put.
Hunter won the Heisman Trophy in 2024 as he dominated on both sides of the ball at wide receiver and cornerback. He totaled 1,258 yards and a Big 12-leading 15 touchdowns on offense while adding 36 tackles and four interceptions on defense as a cornerback.
The anchor of Penn State’s pass rush this past season, Abdul Carter helped propel the Nittany Lions to a College Football Playoff semifinal appearance despite an injury. Despite another ailment that emerged during the pre-draft process, he – like Hunter – is viewed as a blue-chip prospect, and the New York Giants could be in position to capitalize.
Carter would instantly bolster the Giants’ pass rush after moving to the outside in 2024 at Penn State. He finished his college career on a high note with 68 tackles, a Big Ten-leading 24 tackles for loss and 12.0 sacks to set new career-highs in all three categories.
Despite concern about his arm length following the NFL Scouting Combine, Will Campbell’s tape shows he stacked up well against SEC-caliber talent at left tackle. The Patriots are in a unique spot with the No. 4 overall pick, but ESPN has them selecting the former LSU star.
Campbell won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy for the SEC, given to each conference’s best blocker, as he closed out his decorated career. On the whole, he was a two-time first team All-SEC selection and was named second team All-SEC as a freshman in 2022.
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After finishing as the runner-up in the Heisman Trophy voting, Ashton Jeanty became the consensus top running back in the 2025 NFL Draft. He had a monster year at Boise State in 2024 as he broke tackles and rattled off long runs seemingly every week, and ESPN has the Jacksonville Jaguars selecting him at No. 5 overall.
Jeanty had Barry Sanders’ all-time rushing record in his sights as he totaled 2,641 yards on the ground and 29 touchdowns. He continued to impress throughout the pre-draft process, and interest continues to grow in the electric running back prior to Thursday’s first round.
With Pete Carroll in as head coach and Geno Smith now in at quarterback, the Las Vegas Raiders have options as they enter a new era. ESPN has them opting for an offensive lineman and selecting Kelvin Banks out of Texas at No. 6 overall.
Banks was part of a strong Longhorns offensive line this past season as he became a unanimous All-American. He also won the Outland Trophy and shared the Jacobs Blocking Trophy for the SEC with Will Campbell as he wrapped up his impressive career.
As he looks to become the latest in a line of Georgia defensive stars in the NFL, Jalon Walker continues to generate buzz as a Top-10 pick. ESPN has the New York Jets selecting him at No. 7 overall following a strong close to his college career.
Walker put up the best number of his career in 2024 as he totaled 60 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks as part of Georgia’s vaunted pass rush. He continued to rise up draft boards throughout the offseason and could wind up a Top-10 pick on Thursday.
After transferring from Texas A&M, Walter Nolen became the focal point of the Ole Miss defense. That helped him become one of the top defensive tackles in the 2025 NFL Draft, and ESPN has the Carolina Panthers bolstering their d-line with the No. 8 overall selection in its final mock draft.
Nolen had a monster season under Pete Golding’s watchful eye while setting new career-highs with 48 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. He’ll now look to make a similar impact in the NFL, and he could wind up going in the Top 10 of an interesting draft.
Playing opposite Jalon Walker, Mykel Williams was also a force for Georgia in 2024. He also generated some Top-10 buzz in the lead-up to the draft, which is why ESPN has the New Orleans Saints picking him in its final mock draft.
Williams was a key part of the Georgia national championship team in 2022 and continued to make an impact throughout his career in Athens. He ended his three-year run with 67 tackles, 23 tackles for loss and 14.0 sacks before heading to the NFL Draft.
With new head coach Ben Johnson now in, the Chicago Bears have their options at No. 10. However, ESPN said the franchise is high on Colston Loveland out of Michigan, meaning he could get the call.
Loveland was Michigan’s leading receiver this past season and the second-leading pass-catcher when the Wolverines won the national championship. As a junior in 2024, he had 582 yards and a career-high five touchdowns amid an up-and-down year for the UM offense.
11. San Francisco 49ers – Mason Graham, DL, Michigan
12. Dallas Cowboys – Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
13. Miami Dolphins – Armand Membou, OL, Missouri
14. Indianapolis Colts – Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
15. Atlanta Falcons – James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee
16. Arizona Cardinals – Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
17. Cincinnati Bengals – Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M
18. Seattle Seahawks – Grey Zabel, OL, North Dakota State
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
20. Denver Broncos – Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
21. Pittsburgh Steelers – Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
22. Los Angeles Chargers – Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall
23. Green Bay Packers – Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
24. Minnesota Vikings – Nick Emmanwori, DB, South Carolina
25. Houston Texans – Josh Simmons, OL, Ohio State
26. Los Angeles Rams – Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky
27. Baltimore Ravens – Malaki Starks, DB, Georgia
28. Detroit Lions – Tyler Booker, OL, Alabama
29. Washington Commanders – Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE, Boston College
30. Buffalo Bills – Trey Amos, CB, Ole Miss
31. Kansas City Chiefs – Derrick Harmon, DL, Oregon
32. Philadelphia Eagles – Kenneth Grant, DL, Michigan
The 2025 NFL Draft gets underway Thursday night with Round 1 from Green Bay. Rounds 2 and 3 will take place Friday, and Rounds 4-7 will close things out on Saturday.
