EAST LANSING- Just like that, the 2024-25 NFL season has come to an end. The Eagles smacked up the Chiefs in the Super Bowl 40-22, and Hailee Steinfeld’s fiancée is your league MVP.
The end of an NFL season is sad for us NFL fans. No more lazy Sundays filled with ten hours of football. No more night games after class. No more supporting our favorite teams.
But it’s a great time to be an NFL Draft fan. Right around this time, the big draft experts drop their first few mock drafts, and the Combine is asleep or two away.
In 3.0, we know our full draft order, and we finally get our first trade. Let’s get into it!
(This mock was written before the NFL Combine, so combine performances are not considered.)
1. Tennessee Titans: Abdul Carter, Penn State, ED, Junior
Unlike in previous years, this number one pick is up in the air. In my eyes, the Titans can go down three separate avenues: Carter, Travis Hunter, or a quarterback. In 3.0, they add to their pass rush by selecting the Penn State product. If everything comes together for Carter, he could legitimately become the best edge in the entire league.
2. TRADE | Las Vegas Raiders: Cam Ward, Miami (FL), QB, Senior
With new head coach, Pete Carroll, and limited owner Tom Brady in town, Vegas rolls the dice and moves up four spots to grab Ward from Miami. I mean no disrespect, but neither Aidan O’Connell nor Gardner Minshew is going to do the job. In a stacked AFC West with QBs like Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, and now Bo Nix, you need a stellar QB to keep up. Ward has all the tools to be just that.
3. New York Giants: Sheduer Sanders, Colorado, QB, Senior
With Ward off the board, the Giants fill their dire need for a QB with the selection of Sanders. It’s no surprise for me to say that after Ward and Sanders, there’s quite a bit of a drop-off from those two to the next QB in this class. The Giants need a QB, and they get one.
4. New England Patriots: Travis Hunter, Colorado, WR/CB, Junior
No one is happier than the Patriots when the 2024 Heisman winner falls into their lap at number four. New England needs help at both CB and WR, and Hunter can help out at both positions. If Hunter can become a lockdown corner and comes in as a WR3 in certain offensive packages, he’ll become the Shohei Ohtani of the NFL and one of the most unique players in NFL history.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Mason Graham, Michigan, DI, Junior
You’re going to see this pairing a lot in the pre-draft process. It makes all the sense in the world for the Jags. They need interior defensive line help, and Graham would fit right in schematically. After Carter, Graham is the best pure defensive player in the draft, so Jacksonville got themselves a good one.
6. TRADE | Cleveland Browns: Ashton Jeanty, Boise State, RB, Junior
Paragraph incoming. Why would the Browns trade back? This question could be floating around your mind right now as you read this. With Carter off the board at number one and the prospect of Myles Garrett being traded, the Browns move back a few spots and accumulate draft capital. For the selection, they picked the 2024 Heisman runner-up, Jeanty. There’s not much going right for the Browns’ offense right now, and that starts with their QB room. Yes, they could’ve selected one with their original pick, but with the combination of this being a relatively weak QB class, a haul of picks, and a sure-fire home-run threat and pick, it’s hard not to like this for Cleveland.
7. New York Jets: Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona, WR, Junior
It’s hard to say what the Jets could do with this pick. With QB Aaron Rodgers soon to be out the door and the arrival of HC Aaron Glenn, the Jets look to upgrade their WR room with the selection of McMillan. If Rodgers is gone, it’s not crazy to say that WR Davante Adams could be gone as well. If true, New York will need a big-body threat to pair with fellow WR Garrett Wilson. McMillan would be just that.
8. Carolina Panthers: James Pearce Jr., Tennessee, ED, Junior
Pearce Jr. is right up there with Carter when it comes to the potential at the edge position. If the pieces fall into their correct places for Pearch Jr., he’ll be a premier pass-rusher in the NFL. The Panthers love the sound of that, so they use their first pick of him.
9. New Orleans Saints: Luther Burden III, Missouri, WR, Junior
With new HC Kellen Moore, the Saints go offense with his first pick. It’s uncertain who their future QB is going to be in New Orleans, but they’re going to love having Burden and WR Chris Olave to throw to.
10. Chicago Bears: Will Campbell, LSU, T, Junior
There’s an obvious need for the Bears, and it’s to upgrade their offensive line. Seeing how the board fell, no one is happier than QB Caleb Williams and Chicago when they’re able to select Campbell from LSU. On day one, Campbell may just already be the best offensive lineman on the team.
11. San Francisco 49ers: Will Johnson, Michigan, CB, Junior
Back-to-back value picks come off the board when the Niners pick Johnson from Michigan. Before this past season, it wasn’t a far cry to say that Johnson could have been the number one pick. After a relatively underwhelming season and an injury, Johnson falls to 11 in 3.0.
12. Dallas Cowboys: Walter Nolen, Ole Miss, DI, Junior
The weakest spot on this Cowboys team is their interior offensive line. Mazi Smith is in bust territory, and Osa Odigizawa could be on his way out the door, so grabbing help interior help would be best. Nolen is a former five-star coming out of high school and has all the tools to be an absolute force on Dallas’ defensive line.
13. Miami Dolphins: Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas, T, Junior
Another team that desperately needs help along their offensive line is Miami. After Campbell, Banks Jr. would be the best option. I foresee the Phins moving him inside to guard.
14. Indianapolis Colts: Tyler Warren, Penn State, TE, Senior
Another connection you’re going to see many times in this draft process is Warren to Indianapolis. The Colts need another pass-catching threat for their offense, and Warren gives them that threat, along with inside-outside versatility and the ability to block.
15. Atlanta Falcons: Mykel Williams, Georgia, ED, Junior
Williams stays in the state when the Falcons take him at pick 15. The ATL desperately needs edge help, and they have their pick of the litter at this pick. I like Williams, as he fits the most on the Falcons and could be their number one pass-rushing option for years to come.
16. Arizona Cardinals: Kenneth Grant, Michigan, DI, Junior
I don’t say this lightly; Grant has one of the highest ceilings in this draft class. Higher than his teammate Graham and just as high as Carter and even Hunter. The downside is that he doesn’t have the same floor as those three. The Cardinals grab him with their pick to try to develop him to that elite ceiling.
17. Cincinnati Bengals: Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M, ED, Junior
More pass-rushers! This time, the Bengals select Stewart from A&M to add more firepower to their d-line. Considering how amazing their offense is, it’s a testimony to how far away their defense is because of how they missed the playoffs. If they can improve their pass rush, their defense could be much improved in 2025-26.
18. Seattle Seahawks: Mike Green, Marshall, ED, Junior (RS)
Green is the fourth straight pass rusher to come off the board, and how has he flown up the boards? He’s been one of the biggest risers so far in this draft process. He’s a fantastic athlete with a quick twitch first step and an impressive motor. Seattle will love him.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jahdae Barron, Texas, CB, Senior
Barron is another player who has done a lot for his draft stock in a small amount of time. A month or two ago, the Texas product was a fringe first-round talent. Now, Barron will go closer to the top ten. Even at pick 19, where the Bucs select him, he is great value.
20. Denver Broncos: Colston Loveland, Michigan, TE, Junior
This just makes a ton of sense for both parties involved. Coming off an expectation-shattering season with then-rookie QB Bo Nix, it would be smart to give him more weapons. The Broncos don’t have a legitimate TE threat on their team, which would allow Loveland to come in and immediately produce a big slot.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Matthew Golden, Texas, WR, Junior
While I’m not as convinced the Steelers are going to take a WR as once was a month and a half ago, I still have them taking Golden in 3.0. The Texas receiver has great speed on the outside and control of said speed. He can speed up to full speed quickly and be able to modulate that speed to create separation. He will pair well with WR George Pickens in Pittsburgh.
22. Los Angeles Chargers: Omarion Hampton, North Carolina, RB, Junior
Hello Hamption into the first round. While Jeanty has rightfully garnered tons of praise, don’t sleep on the other RB in this draft class. Hampton is one of those players. Built like an NFL back, Hampton has great speed, burst, and vision for the position.
23. Green Bay Packers: Derrick Harmon, Miami (FL), DI, Junior
If you follow MSU football closely enough, you might recognize this name. Harmon transferred from East Lansing to Coral Gables after the 2023-24 season, and the following year was a big one for him. He showed him consistent pass-rush movement and a strong upper body. Green Bay, needing interior defensive line help, picked him up with the 23rd selection.
24. Minnesota Vikings: Tyler Booker, Alabama, G, Junior
Just like their NFC North counterpart in Illinois, the Vikings need guard help. The best guard still on the board would be Booker from Alabama, so the pick is easy for Minnesota. I initially hesitated on Booker as a first-round pick, but you can’t deny his floor. While maybe not the flashiest of prospects, Booker will do the job.
25. Houston Texans: Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State, WR, Senior
One year ago, the Texans’ WR room looked great. Nico Collins, Tank Dell, and Stefon Diggs, who could ask for more? With the injuries of both Dell and Diggs, their WR room is now marred with question marks. Grabbing Egbuka from OSU reunites him and Stroud in Houston and brings a complementary receiving threat to Collins.
26. Los Angeles Rams: Armand Membou, Missouri, T, Junior
Membou is another one of these prospects that’s had a great last month and a half. You used to never see him in draft talks, now you can’t read a first-round mock without seeing him. The Rams have some aging tackles on their roster, so Membou brings some much-needed youth to LA.
27. Baltimore Ravens: Josh Simmons, Ohio State, T, Junior (RS)
Another tackle comes off the board when the Ravens snag Simmons from OSU. Before his injury in the midseason matchup against Oregon, Simmons was tracking to be one of the first, maybe even the first, tackle off the board. Despite the injury, Simmons holds first-round talent and goes at pick 27.
28. Detroit Lions: Nic Scourton, Texas A&M, ED, Junior
After a disappointing end to their 2024-25 season, another pass rusher is at the top of the Lions’ list. Well, if you haven’t noticed, this draft class is filled with first-round-caliber edge players, and Scourton is one of those guys. His size and physicality while pairing well with fellow pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson in Detroit.
29. Washington Commanders: Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon, T, Junior
The team that knocked off the Lions in the divisional round picks next in the Commanders. What a year it was for Washington. A conference championship round appearance and, even more importantly, they found their franchise. The smart thing would be to build around that newfound franchise and give him some protection, that protection being Conerly Jr. from Oregon.
30. Buffalo Bills: Malaki Starks, Georgia, S, Junior
In what may be the best value pick in the entire draft, the Bills have Starks from Georgia fall right into their laps at pick 30. If Starks wasn’t a safety and played a position with more value, he might be a top-ten pick. He has incredible instincts, which is maybe the most important asset when playing the safety position.
31. Kansas City Chiefs: Grey Zabel, North Dakota State, T, Senior
If you watched that Super Bowl, it’s hard to conclude that this first pick for the Chiefs shouldn’t be used on an offensive lineman. That o-line was demolished and was maybe one of the biggest reasons why the Eagles rolled KC. With their first pick, they grab Zabel out of the Dakotas. Along with a few other players in this first round, Zabel has rocketed up the boards.
32. Philadelphia Eagles: Jalon Walker, Georgia, LB, Junior
The champs end night one by picking up Walker. When evaluating a roster like Philly’s, it’s hard to find a weakness. There might not be a single weakness on this team!? Which is crazy to say. With this pick, they go back to the SEC well and grab the explosive Georgia product.
