NFL Mock Draft: Where every Heisman Trophy finalist will play in the NFL

Travis Hunter put an exclamation point on one of the most unprecedented seasons in college football history on Saturday night, becoming the first two-way player since Michigan's Charles Woodson to take home the Heisman Trophy. (Though not without a good deal of controversy, thanks to history-making Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty's second-place finish.)

Now that the Heisman horse race has reached its conclusion, though, it's time to pivot to a different kind of prognostication: it's NFL mock draft season, baby. While certain teams are jockeying for playoff position entering Week 15, plenty of others are already on to the offseason, where all four of the Heisman finalists figure to be on teams' radars ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft. Where will the quartet ultimately land? Let's dig in.

CB/WR Travis Hunter: New England Patriots

The Jacksonville Jaguars' upset win in Week 14 might wind up costing the franchise dearly, as it dropped the Jags all the way down to 8th in the latest NFL draft order. The teams currently slated to pick first and second are the New York Giants and the Las Vegas Raiders, each of whom figures to be focused on finding a new franchise quarterback.

That leaves the New England Patriots at No. 3, with holes just about everywhere but quarterback thanks to the emergence of Drake Maye in his rookie season. New England is in desperate need of playmakers at wideout and a cornerback to solidify the spot opposite young star Christian Gonzalez — so why not take a guy who could solve both of those problems at once?

Even if Hunter plays corner full-time while serving as a rotational player on offense, those 30-40 snaps at receiver figure to have more juice than just about anything the Pats gave Maye in 2024, and he's clearly the best cornerback in this draft. New England could also use some athleticism on the edge defensively, which would make Penn State's Abdul Carter a possibility.

RB Ashton Jeanty: Washington Commanders

Maybe this is overestimating Jerry Jones (never a wise bet), but as much as I wanted to, I had a hard time pulling the trigger on Jeanty to the Dallas Cowboys here. There are just too many holes are too many more important positions for Dallas to fill, and it seems like the public pushback to wasting a top-12 pick on a running back (even one as awesome as Jeanty) will eventually steer Jones in a different direction.

So, once the draft gets past Dallas, where's the next natural landing spot for the former Boise State star? How about the same division, where the Commanders have the opportunity to give rookie sensation Jayden Daniels an ideal running mate in the backfield for years to come. It's clear that Austin Ekeler doesn't have a ton left in the tank, and Brian Robinson Jr. lacks much of any big-play juice. Give a home-run threat like Jeanty as much space as Daniels produces, and look out.

Sure, this might not be the most efficient use of Washington's resources, but at this point in the draft (the Commanders are currently slated to pick 21st) there might not be an obvious choice among the available edge rushers and offensive linemen.

QB Cam Ward: Las Vegas Raiders

The Giants currently have the first overall pick, and it's hard to believe New York will let this opportunity pass without trying to find a long-term solution at QB. It's also hard to believe that the stodgy John Mara will take a chance on a free-wheleer like Ward, preferring instead a cleaner pocket passer (with plenty of marketability) in Shedeur Sanders.

And besides: Ward just feels like a Raiders quarterback, doesn't he? For all the understandable concerns about his size and, uh, questionable decision-making, he's a walking, talking explosive play machine, and that should appeal to Mark Davis and a franchise that's been sorely lacking in that department over the last few years. Ward also brings a ton of dual-threat ability to the table, and if Sanders is indeed off the board, he's the only QB option that would make sense at second overall.

QB Dillon Gabriel: San Francisco 49ers

Unlike the other three finalists, Gabriel is unlikely to be selected until Day 2 of the draft at the earliest. But that doesn't mean he won't end up surprising some people as a pro — just ask the San Francisco 49ers, who turned Mr. Irrelevant in Brock Purdy into a Pro Bowler.

Of course, San Francisco wound up getting burned by a lack of investment in Purdy's backup, which could have them looking for a developmental option in the upcoming draft. And Purdy and Gabriel have a fair amount in common: Both started for three-plus years in college, both are undersized without spectacular arm strength, and both are better athletes than you think and bring the sort of poise and toughness that comes with so much experience under center. Kyle Shanahan has done more with less, and Gabriel feels like exactly the kind of point-and-click passer who can pilot this offense in a pinch.