CLEVELAND, OH — With the 2025 NFL Draft roughly one month away up in Green Bay, NFL teams and scouting departments are pouring their all of their energy evaluating prospects, and planning free agency moves to make.
With that being said, here is my second NFL mock draft, that reflects team’s biggest needs post-first wave free agency.
1.) Tennessee Titans: QB, Cam Ward: Unless one of the top remaining free agent quarterbacks (Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson) decide to bring their talents to Music City, I see Ward going No.1 to the Titans for now.
2.) Cleveland Browns: QB, Shedeur Sanders: This is tricky, as many other mocks have the Browns taking Travis Hunter, Abdul Carter or even an unspecified player to be determined. The Browns need a QB badly, possibly Russell Wilson at this point, and Sanders is the best one on the board here!
3.) New York Giants: DB/WR, Travis Hunter: In this scenario, I have the Giants selecting Hunter, pairing him up with Malik Nebers and possibly Aaron Rodgers as QB1. Suddenly, things don’t look so bad for Big Blue
4.) New England Patriots: OT, Will Campbell: With Drake Maye firmly entrenched as the new franchise QB1, head coach Mike Vrabel gets him some much needed protection up front.
5.) Jacksonville Jaguars: DT, Mason Graham: In a division that has Stroud, Richardson and potentially Ward, getting as much pressure on the QB is vital. Graham makes sense here.
6.) Las Vegas Raiders: WR, Tetairon McMillan: After getting Geno Smith via trade from Seattle and Pete Caroll on the sidelines, adding a freak at WR1 would make Vegas a scary team out west.
7.) New York Jets: DL Shemar Stewart: You have NFL MVP QB Josh Allen two times a year along with Tua in Miami and Maye up in New England. This pick is very logical.
8.) Kansas City Chiefs (via trade with CAR): OT Armand Membou: Do you really want to watch the game tape from Super Bowl LIX? Don’t think so!
9.) Dallas Cowboys (via trade with NOLA): RB Ashton Jeanty: As if passing on Derrick Henry wasn’t enough and watching the hated Eagles win a Super Bowl with Saquon Barkley, Ol’ Jerrah rushes to the podium his own damned self to make this pick!
10.) Chicago Bears: OT Kelvin Banks Jr.: New head coach Ben Johnson is not gonna stand and watch his QB1 Caleb Williams get sacked even more this season, and adds some much needed beef up front.
11.) San Francisco 49ers: DE James Pearce Jr: In a division where you can never have enough pass rushers, Pearce is a perfect fit for the Niners here!
12.) New Orleans Saints: DE Jalon Walker (via trade with DAL): Kellen Moore’s first ever draft mets a quality player on the former Georgia star who gets to hunt Baker Mayfield, Michael Penix and Bryce Young twice a year.
13.) Miami Dolphins: OT Aireontae Ersery: In what may be Mike McDaniel’s last year in South Florida, the Dolphins roll the dice on a promising sleeper in the 6’6, 300-pound former Minnesota standout to protect Tua.
14.) Indianapolis Colts: DB Will Johnson: If the top ranked CB falls to the Colts here, it is an act of the football gods for a team that needs a lockdown corner in the pass-happy AFC South.
15.) Atlanta Falcons: DL Darius Alexander: The Falcons are a team on the verge of something special in the NFC South. After having a good combine, the 6’4 310-pound defensive lineman adds beef and depth on a very good defense.
16.) Arizona Cardinals: DL Kenneth Grant: Addressing another one of their biggest needs, as well as pairing a big body next to Darius Robinson, this is a home run pick for the Cardinals.
17.) Cincinnati Bengals: DE Mike Green: What may either be the biggest reach or the biggest bust in the draft, the Bengals take a chance on the NFL Scouting Combine’s biggest riser in the 6’3 251-pound stud out of Marshall after losing NFL sack leader Trey Hendrickson to free agency.
18.) Seattle Seahawks: IOL Tyler Booker: With Geno Smith now on Las Vegas, and signing former Minnesota Vikings QB Sam Darnold, the Hawks wisely fortify their interior offensive line with positive best IOL player in the massive 6’5 321-pound mauler out of Alabama.
19.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: WR Matthew Golden: A perfect combination of speed, skill and athleticism, the Bucs select their replacement of outgoing Super Bowl champion Chris Godwin here.
20.) Denver Broncos: TE Tyler Warren: If there 6’5 256-pound former Penn State star lands in the Mile High City and into the evil hands of Sean Peyton, there may need to be an FBI investigation into this. In all seriousness, Bo Nix had such a productive rookie season, that adding arguably the TE1 of this draft class in Warren would be a major coup.
21.) Pittsburgh Steelers: QB Jaxson Dart: With former first round pick Kenny Pickett on the turnpike in Cleveland, Russell Wilson on the market and Justin Fields in New York, arguably the draft’s QB3 in the former Ole Miss standout lands in the Steel City.
22.) Los Angeles Chargers: DE Donovan Ezeiruaku: Losing Joey Bosa in free agency is tough, so the Bolts select his replacement in the former Boston College standout.
23.) Green Bay Packers: DB Maxwell Hairston: Taking the possible heir apparent to Zaire Alexander makes perfect since for the Packers here.
24.) Minnesota Vikings: S Nick Emmanwori: As if Brian Flores doesn’t need another big-time baller in his already stellar defense. Adding a 6’3 safety that had the best vertical and broad jump at the combine, to help pilot that Vikings defense is going to be a scary move.
25.) Houston Texans: T Josh Simmons: After failing to keep C.J. Stroud clean and upright, the Texans rectify that error in landing a former Ohio State Buckeye to protect their franchise quarterback.
26.) Los Angeles Rams: TE Colston Loveland: The former Michigan Wolverine lands in L.A! Just with the other SoCal team that doesn’t have his former college head coach. Instead he becomes the Rams new TE1 and a much needed third option for QB in Matthew Stafford.
27.) Baltimore Ravens: DT Derrick Harmon: It seems that the Ravens always draft well from Oregon. And with their need on the DL, landing the former Ducks run stopper is a huge help.
28.) Detroit Lions: EDGE Jack Sawyer: Call this poetic justice that the man forever remember for stopping Michigan from planting a flag in Columbus now plays for the pro team two hours away from Ann Arbor in the Motor City. That being said, Swayer to the Lions is a perfect fit.
29.) Washington Commanders: T Josh Simmons: Continuing the run of Buckeyes of the former Ohio State tackle, who will help in keeping Jayden Daniels upright and offering some much needed protection up front.
30.) Buffalo Bills: DB Trey Amos: In facing and losing to No.15 every postseason, the Bills have learned that you can never not have enough corners in facing the Chiefs.
31.) Carolina Panthers (via trade with KC): WR Emeka Egbuka: Despite trading down and missing out on the top WR1 in this class, the Panthers give Bryce Young a much needed weapon in Egbuka, who shall quickly emerge into a solid WR2 immediately.
32.) Philadelphia Eagles: DT Walter Nolan: After losing two-time Super Bowl champion Brandon Graham to retirement and Josh Sweat to free agent, the Birds add another SEC-bred game-wrecker to pair with Jalen Carter in the defensive line, in the 6’3, 305-pound dynamo out of Ole Miss.