2025 NFL Mock Draft, 1.0: Browns replace Watson, Patriots get Drake Maye help, Cowboys luck into Ashton Jeanty

Now that we're approaching the midway point of the regular season and the NFL Trade Deadline nears, it feels appropriate that we really take our first dive into a 2025 NFL Mock Draft. Teams like the New England Patriots, Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns and many others are already thinking about how to build through the NFL Draft for either next year or the long-term future or both.

There are also far more other teams who feel like they are on the brink. A team like the Dallas Cowboys or Denver Broncos feel like they have key pieces in place but that it also might just not be their year just yet. For them, looking toward the draft can still be valuable as fans eye what they can do to improve moving forward.

As for the contenders, well, it's always about how the rich can get richer, right?

We're here to replace some quarterbacks, help and protect some quarterbacks and much more as we dive into our first 2025 NFL Mock Draft of the regular season. There's no turning back now.

Picks 1-6: Browns, Panthers, Titans QB failures get remedied

Make no mistake, the primary need for the New England Patriots is to improve the offensive line in front of Drake Maye. When it comes to the draft, however, they can't be in the business of reaching. That makes the Pats a trade-down candidate but we aren't venturing there yet. So if they stick at No. 1, Travis Hunter has to be the pick.

The dynamic two-way player at Colorado could be an immediate No. 1 weapon for Maye in the offense or could be a vaunted running mate with Christian Gonzalez in the secondary. In any case, though, he's the type of rare talent the Patriots have nowhere on their roster right now. That's especially true when New England has the most cap space in the league to start addressing the O-line.

There's just no world where the Carolina Panthers can turn back to Bryce Young after benching him for Andy Dalton. They may try to convince themselves that they can make that switch again, sure, but the reality of the situation is that there is already too much scar tissue to think that would work out.

So we hit the QB reset button in Charlotte to bring in Cam Ward. The Miami product by way of Washington State and Incarnate Word is a dynamic dual-threat beast of a signal-caller who checks all of the physical boxes. There is a need for development to continue as a decision-maker but the Panthers need his type of talent to inject life into the offense.

Speaking of teams that there's no way they can turn back to their starting quarterback, the Cleveland Browns have to be in that conversation. There's almost no chance that Deshaun Watson would be able to return healthy for the first half of the 2025 season, to be sure, but even if he could, he's been such a poorly performing albatross that it wouldn't make sense anyway.

Shedeur Sanders won't come without some big-time drama given what we've seen his college career but the simplest truth is that he's that damn good. His deep and touch passing is the most polished in this class, he's improved his decision-making and pocket presence and he continues to look like an on-field leader. That would be a stark, positive change for the Browns offense.

Unlike the Panthers and Browns, the Titans are in a less certain position with Will Levis in terms of being ready to move on. At the same time, we can't ignore the fact that what we've seen from the quarterback hasn't been all that impressive. Thus, it should be a consideration for moving on in the draft.

Jalen Milroe is anything but a sure thing. He's made strides under Kalen DeBoer at Alabama this season but his intermediate and short throws remain inconsistent and he can still be too reliant on his legs. With that said, his dual-threat ability is second to none in the class and his arm tools are high-end as well. That's worth taking a gamble on, especially as there might be a drop-off after him at the position.

Based on how poorly the return of Aaron Rodgers has gone for the Jets, who could say what the plan beyond the 2024 season is. They're all-in for now but, considering they're currently projected to pick Top 5 in the 2025 NFL Draft, that means that all-in isn't going all well.

But for now, we keep the QB picture in place and look to Mason Graham. The Jets defense has slipped a bit and the lack of pressure up front has been alarming. Graham might be an interior player but he's as disruptive as they come with the perfect blend of power, explosiveness and polish as a rusher and run defender as well.

Identifying the biggest problem with the New Orleans Saints after their mirage two-week start to the season isn't easy — unfortunately, that's because there are a multitude of issues. However, one thing that's clearly lacking as Cameron Jordan takes a step back is the lack of a game-changer in the front seven.

Mykel Williams might not be that right away but the tools say the Georgia product could absolutely be one of the most dominant edge presences in the league. Players at 6-foot-5, 265 pounds and with his length don't often move the way he does. With the right patience and development, he could be the true force that the Saints currently lack on that side of the ball.

Picks 7-12: Jaguars, Dolphins protect QBs, Raiders, Giants get theirs

Whether or not you still believe Trevor Lawrence or not, the Jacksonville Jaguars clearly still do given the investment they've now made in him. They've already made exhaustive efforts to improve the weapons around him, so how about we now invest more heavily in making sure he has time to use those weapons?

Kelvin Banks Jr.'s ascension to being a Top 10 pick has continued this season. While his game against Georgia left a bit to be desired at times, he's been the best tackle in college football from an NFL Draft perspective this season. He could be the easy Day 1 left tackle for the Jaguars and start stabilizing this team in the trenches.

We're not going to belabor the point that the Las Vegas Raiders need a quarterback because it's so obvious. They were shut out, ostensibly, in the 2024 draft from the top players at the position and the combo of Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew isn't the answer.

Quinn Ewers is a divisive prospect with an injury history, some inconsistencies with his deep ball, and now a stinker against Georgia working against him. The talent remains elite, though. And if there's one thing we should always remember about NFL teams, it's that traits will always rein supreme. For a team desperate at quarterback, Ewers will still have plenty of fans.

Telling a New York Giants fan that they would be selecting Carson Beck in the 2025 NFL Draft just in September would've felt quite different than it does now. The Georgia signal-caller has been erratic at best this season and we've seen him look quite frankly lesser than he was a year ago. Yet, the tools and tastes of last year remain, so there is still first-round upset.

That's especially true when it comes to the Giants. This team is in no man's land perhaps more than anyone. Daniel Jones has proven for six seasons he's not a viable franchise quarterback, Drew Lock doesn't seem to be the hopeful answer, and all respect to Tommy Cutlets, but we know what that is. At minimum, taking a swing on someone like Beck is a necessity.

Perhaps no team's draft outlook could change quite like the Miami Dolphins' before we get to April. Tua Tagovailoa is set to return after another scary concussion injury but there are still those questioning the quarterback's long-term health. If that gets called further into question, we could see the Phins explore that market.

As for now, how about protecting Tua better? One of the cheat codes of Mike McDaniel's offense with Tua is that they don't necessarily need great offensive linemen. At the same time, wouldn't life be easier with someone like Will Campbell helping the cause? The LSU product is big but a good mover at his size and could be a great fit for what Miami is looking to do at full strength.

Perhaps this is an overreaction, especially after a Thursday Night Football win, but the rampant Cooper Kupp trade rumors right now do call into question whether or not the Los Angeles Rams will be looking to further upgrade their offensive skill positions in the 2025 NFL Draft.

If so, then someone like Tetairoa McMillan sitting at the 11th pick would be impossible for this organization to pass up. The Arizona product is an elite pass-catcher with a world-class blend of size (6-foot-5, 212 pounds) and movement skills. He has the juice vertically but his change-of-direction is rare for a player with his frame, making him a trump card for Sean McVay's offense.

Based on what we're seeing from the Arizona Cardinals so far this season, it feels absolutely necessary for this franchise to hold their noses and have an "eat your vegetables" type of draft. They need to take care of the dirty work in the trenches and on the defensive side of the ball. So with the investment already in place for Kyler Murray, better protecting him should be a top priority.

We get our second Texas tackle off the board as Cameron Williams comes off the board here. Williams is far more raw than Banks on the opposite side of him, but his 335-pound frame and ability to move at that size make the upside tremendous. It could be a risky pick for the Cardinals but one that would pay off immensely if they hit.

Picks 13-18: Cowboys strike RB gold, Broncos get Bo Nix help

There are a litany of reasons for the Cincinnati Bengals not getting off to a great start but none are greater than the defensive side of the ball. While one could easily make the case for drafting another wide receiver highly with the seemingly iminent departure of Tee Higgins, this defense direly needs some juice and Abdul Carter has that in abundance.

Now in a more prominent role, the Penn State star has already matched his sack total from last year (4) and had an eight-sack season as a freshman in 2022. He has nice size for versatility at a listed 6-foot-3, 252 pounds and is explosive with a growing repetoire of pass-rush moves. The Bengals don't have a player of his caliber an upside on the defensive front, so adding him should be a must.

It's truly a dream come true if you're the San Francisco 49ers in this 2025 NFL Mock Draft to see a player of Will Johnson's caliber fall to them at the 14th pick. Some have the cornerback as one of the three best players in this year's draft class and for good reason given his playmaking and coverage abilities.

San Francisco has continued to piece their secondary together but it seems less effective this year than it has been previously. Adding a stud prospect like Johnson would help stabilize that group for years to come, especially as the 49ers start to get more up against the cap financially and could use a cheaper option at the position.

If Ashton Jeanty is on the board when the Dallas Cowboys, it feels just too perfect for Jerry and Stephen Jones to run the card up to Roger Goodell. The lack of run-game identity with this team is astounding and self-inflicted, but Jeanty could well be the panacea for that, which is even more fitting given the Joneses seeming affinity for Boise State.

The potential Heisman winner, Jeanty is an all-world talent out of the backfield, blessed with patience, vision, burst and just being a true workhorse running back. He'd change the complexion of the Cowboys offense for the better upon his arrival.

As much as Denver Broncos fans (or at least some of them) might push back on this, the franchise isn't 4-3 this season because of rookie quarterback Bo Nix. The defense has buoyed them to this point. However, while I'm not the biggest fan of Nix, he has been fine, which is more than I thought he'd be, and that could be worth investing around him.

Speaking of disappointments, that's been the case for Luther Burden III and Missouri this season. However, the dynamic receiver is the prototype for a No. 1 at the NFL level and could relegate Courtland Sutton into a better-suited WR2 role that could open up this offense in an entirely new way for Nix and Sean Payton.

Despite the addition of Matthew Judon prior to Week 1, it still feels as if the front for the Atlanta Falcons could use some more juice. Maybe that's something the organization aims to address at the trade deadline but a better long-term fix could be to eye someone like Kenneth Grant out of Michigan in the 2025 draft.

Mason Graham gets the majority of the headlines in Ann Arbor but Grant might not be as far removed from his ability and upside as some would have you believe. Grant is a freakish athlete with great size and a true people-mover both as a rusher and run defender. He could be the next interior stud for Atlanta sooner than later.

It's crazy to think given what we've seen the Philadelphia Eagles invest in this capacity but their pass rush just simply hasn't been at the level we're used to seeing from this team. Howie Roseman surely is aware of that, however, which puts someone like Nic Scourton quite clearly in the way of being on his radar.

Scourton was a dominant pass-rusher at Purdue last year and, after a slow start with Texas A&M, he's finding that form again down the stretch. More importantly perhaps, he's also one of the best run defenders among edge players in the class, which is something the Eagles would certainly value in their investment.

Picks 19-25: Bears protect Caleb, Chargers get speedy

While Julian Love has proven to be a great addition for the Seattle Seahawks secondary, they could still very much use higher-end depth and versatility in this group, which Malaki Starks would provide the team. Starks moves all around the Georgia defense as their best overall playmaker in the back seven and could be a stalwart chess piece for Mike Macdonald moving forward. I'm getting tingly just thinking about how he could work with this potential star.

Things are going surprisingly well for the Indianapolis Colts early in the year despite some pretty vast hardships related to injuries. However, this secondary was thin to start the season and has only gotten more so. While Benjamin Morrison is now out for the year due to a hip injury, he should be ready for the draft process and could be the reliable CB1 that this Colts defense sorely lacks with their current roster construction.

You can already see the positive impact that Jim Harbaugh and an entirely new regime have had on the Los Angeles Chargers this season. Having said that, one obvious holdover from the Tom Telesco era is the lack of juice this team can show on offense. Isaiah Bond is Welch's, though — all juice. The Texas product by way of Alabama is well-built but lightning fast to be used as a vertical threat, a gadget weapon and much more in Greg Roman's offense.

Perhaps the best candidate in college football to skyrocket up draft boards right now is Donovan Ezeiruaku out of Boston College, and he'd make a ton of sense with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Ezeiruaku alreayd has six sacks and 17 hurries through 17 games for the Eagles this season. With the Bucs seemingly always eyeing ways to get more from Todd Bowles' defense, a player with his explosiveness and track record would fit like a glove.

It's been remarkable to watch Caleb Williams get his feet under him so quickly with the Chicago Bears, especially with the increased level of difficulty in doing so while the interior of the offensive line has been an issue. Tyler Booker is the type of player that could help remedy that upon his arrival. He's an interior-only prospect with questions about his lateral agility but his prowess as a road-grading and physical force inside is exactly what Chicago should be eyeing at this stage of the draft.

Ronnie Stanley is set to be a free agent after this season and, frankly, the Baltimore Ravens are likely ready to be out from under his contract given his issues with health and ineffectiveness perhaps as a result of some of those injuries. Wyat Milum is another fast-riser in this 2025 draft process to this point and the West Virginia star seems ideal for stepping into this Ravens offense. He moves well, has good size and doesn't have a clear separation in his effectiveness in run or pass sets. For a unique offense in front of Lamar Jackson, he seems like someone who should come right in and help.

Most everyone can agree that the Buffalo Bills are a viable Super Bowl contender, but that might actually be in spite of their edge rusher group. Even when Von Miller returns, the questions about the future are there and Jack Sawyer may have some answers. The Ohio State product isn't a physical marvel but he's well-built, plenty explosive enough and polished as a rusher and run defender. While he might not be a 15-sack player in the NFL, he could give the Bills a cornerstone they lack on the edge.

Picks 26-32: Steelers find their WR, Chiefs' Travis Kelce replacement

Seeing what Jayden Daniels and the Commanders offense has been capable of right out of the gate in the 2023 Heisman winner's career has been a joy to witness. At the same time, they could be even better if the offensive line were addressed more substantially with a player like Aireontae Ersery. Allowing just one sack and five hurries in seven games this season, the 330-plus pound bookend would represent an immediate upgrade in the nation's capital.

Rinse, whiff on a receiver trade pursuit, repeat has been the tough refrain for the Pittsburgh Steelers since the offseason. All signs have pointed to this team being in on the likes of Brandon Aiyuk, Davante Adams and DeAndre Hopkins, which have all come up empty. But I actually might like pairing Emeka Egbuka with George Pickens even better. Egbuka isn't a world-beater with any one trait but he displays high-end route running, great quickness and an uncanny feel for the position that make him an ideal WR2 (or perhaps 1B) for this offense.

Jeff Hafley has undeniably been a shot in the arm for the Green Bay Packers defense but making his job easier with better pieces to work with could only make that more so. The glaring hole for the Pack has been the defensive line with a lack of depth and some underperformance, which is nothing a player like Deone Walker can't fix. The Kentucky product is a well-balanced force who can thrive generating pressure against any set and offense with his power and burst.

Walter Nolen appears to finally be making good on the promise that once made him the top recruit in college football. Now at Ole Miss, we've started to see him come into his own as an elite run defender with pass rushing upside having already notched three sacks and 20 hurries on the year. The Houston Texans behind DeMeco Ryans might see that as even more untapped potential and too great of a value to pass up adding to this still-in-progress defensive build.

Despite a Thursday night loss to the Rams, the Minnesota Vikings have been one of the best stories of the season to this point and, while Sam Darnold deserves plenty of credit, so too does Brian Flores who has been coaching defense on expert mode. Adding a cornerback like Shavon Revel could make that task less cumbersome, however. Revel tore his ACL and is out for the season but all indications are he'll be healthy by Week 1 of the NFL season next year. And his combination of physical fluidity and speed with his ball skills make him a steal at the No. 30 pick.

There was talk coming into the season that James Pearce Jr. could be the top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Despite the success of Tennessee's defense, his stock has taken a hit but that could just mean the Detroit Lions are getting great value. Even when Aidan Hutchinson returns, the Lions could use a complement on the edge and someone with the juice that Pearce has in droves. While he needs to add some weight to an extremely slight frame, the speed is a trump card you can't teach and should pair phenomenally with Hutchinson.

Many (myself included) thought that the Kansas City Chiefs taking Jared Wylie in the mid rounds of the draft a year ago might be a shot at potentially replacing Travis Kelce as Taylor Swift's beau seems to be in the twilight of his career based on age and certainly not efficacy. Colston Loveland, however, is a much better swing to try and make that happen. The Michigan product is saddled with one of the worst quarterback situations in college football right now but he's the complete package as a receiver and, simply, already being a better blocker than Kelce. He could be the next star tight end soon while working with Patrick Mahomes.