🏈 Our Final 2025 NFL Mock Draft 🏈
Will the Chicago Bears land the player of their dreams or the best player available? Or is it the same person?
FOR SOME NFL FRANCHISES, Draft Night is their Super Bowl.
Which sucks for them, because, y’know, the Super Bowl should be their Super Bowl.
For the vast majority of their 105-year history, that’s been the Chicago Bears
The Bears don’t get Super Bowls.
The Bears don’t earn postseason bids.
No, we just enjoy an optimistic weekend in late-April during which we have visions of double-digit win seasons, playoff shockers, and Lombardi Trophies decamping in Lake Forest. Those visions haven’t become a reality since 1985, but we keep dreaming, because, well, we’re sports masochists.
Anyhoobs, NFL Draft Weekend kicks off on Thursday night, and here’s what we might see in the first round.
1) Tennessee Titans
Cam Ward, QB, Miami
Ward isn’t a great choice — right now, it’s fair to say that Jordan Love is his ceiling, not bad, but not great — but it’s a choice that the offensively-challenged Titans all but have to make.
2) Cleveland Browns
Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
If the Titans had a top-shelf (or even medium-shelf) signal caller, the Heisman Trophy winner would be in the conversation as the number one pick. As it is, the charismatic multi-hyphenate goes to a city in crying need of an electric talent.
3) New York Giants
Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
The Baby Prime situation will be among the most interesting of the weekend. He could go here to the QB-starved Jints (which would be perfectly logical). Or he could fall to nine to the QB-starved Saints (logical). Or he could fall to 21 to the QB-starved Steelers (also logical). Or he could fall to the second round (also logical). See? Interesting.
4) New England Patriots
Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State
Here, ladies and gents, is a beast who, in four seasons, could very well be considered the best player of the 2025 draft class. The Pats have needs all over the field, so the Micah Parsons wannabe is a gotsta-have.
5) Jacksonville Jaguars
Mason Graham, DL, Michigan
Up until Monday-ish, Graham-to-Jax was still viewed as a done-deal, but now there are whispers the Jags are eyeballing prized running back Ashton Jeanty, I think that’s some misdirection, because Jacksonville needs a can’t-miss D-lineman more than they need a replacement for their still-relatively-useful RBI, Travis Etienne Jr.
6) Las Vegas Raiders
Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
The Bears want Jeanty, but the Raiders need Jeanty, so the presumptive Offensive Rookie of the Year lands in Vegas, baby.
7) New York Jets
Armand Membou, OT, Missouri
Justin Fields knows how to take a sack — but that doesn’t mean he should take a sack. The Jets grab a plug-and-play tackle who’ll help their new signal caller stay upright and healthy.
8) Carolina Panthers
Jalon Walker, EDGE, Georgia
In an EDGE-heavy draft, Walker is the second-heaviest of the bunch. The ‘Dog isn’t a sexy option, but he’s a safe option, and the volatile Panthers could use a draft win.
TRADE
New Orleans receives
Indianapolis’ 2025 first-round pick (14)
Indianapolis’ 2025 fourth-round pick (117)
Indianapolis’ 2026 fifth-round pick
Indianapolis receives
New Orleans’ 2025 first-round pick (9)
9) Indianapolis Colts (via NO)
Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
It’s no secret that the Colts need a quality tight end, and Warren — who’s been comped to everybody from Zach Ertz to Rob Gronkowski — is just that.
TRADE
Cincinnati Bengals receive
Chicago’s 2025 first round pick (10)
Chicago’s 2025 third round pick (72)
Chicago Bears receive
Cincinnati’s 2025 first-round pick (17)
Cincinnati’s 2026 seventh-round pick
DL Trey Hendrickson
10) Cincinnati Bengals (via CHI)
Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
I’ve been pushing this deal for Chicago since Hendrickson began kvetching about his contract, and I’ll stand by it.
Cincy would be on board with the move because Johnson is a top-five talent, plus they wouldn’t have to deal with potentially contentious negotiations with Hendrickson.
11) San Francisco 49ers
Will Campbell, OL, LSU
Every season, there’s a surprise faller, and this year, it’s the touted trenchman. After the pick, Niners QB Brock Purdy — who, last season, was sacked a career-high 31 times — does a nifty happy dance.
TRADE
Dallas Cowboys receive
Buffalo’s 2025 first-round pick (30)
Buffalo’s 2025 second-round pick (62)
Buffalo’s 2025 fourth-round pick (109, via CHI)
Buffalo receives
Dallas’ 2025 first-round pick (12)
12) Buffalo Bills (via DAL)
Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
With holes all over the turf, the Cowboys decide to look for their offensive playmakers later in the draft — a logical idea, as RB is one of the classes’ deepest positions — while acquiring a heap of extra picks.
For their part, the Bills fill a need with day-one-starting D-back.
13) Miami Dolphins
Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia
2024’s fifth-worst sacking D needs an EDGE, and they decide the shifty chip-on-the-shoulder monster is the best one still on the board.
14) New Orleans Saints
Jaxson Dart, QB, Mississippi
The evening ends well for New Orleans, who land their quarterback and a couple of extra picks in the process
15) Atlanta Falcons
Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall
A draft-board riser, Green fills a huge need for a team that racked up a paltry 31 sacks in 2024.
16) Arizona Cardinals
Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
Highly-touted WR Marvin Harrison Jr. was somewhat of a disappointment during his 2024 rookie season, in part because his QB, Kyler Murray, didn’t have super-awesome protection. Banks may not be headed to the Pro Bowl anytime soon, but he’ll contribute quickly.
17) Chicago Bears (via CIN)
Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
GM Ryan Poles hopes that the scouts who have Hampton ranked higher than Jeanty are right. Regardless, the former Tar Heel should solve Chicago’s rushing issues — which is crucial, because D’Andre Swift sure won’t.
18) Seattle Seahawks
Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
This is probably too early for Golden, but he’s my guy. Day one starter, Offensive Rookie of the Year contender, boom.
19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
Campbell could go as early as 11, so the LB-hungry Bucs are pleased as punch the athletic tackle machine is still the board.
20) Denver Broncos
Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
After missing out on Jeanty and Hampton, Sean Payton settles for one of the two top receivers on the board.
21) Pittsburgh Steelers
Kenneth Grant, DL, Michigan
With Sanders and Dart having found homes, the Steelers kick their quarterback can down the road (Tyler Slough in round three, maybe?) and roll with a polished defensive brute who will look smashing in black and gold.
22) Los Angeles Chargers
Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
Loveland has been one of the draft’s biggest climbers, so the Bolts — who are desperate for a longterm answer at the tight end position — are ecstatic the flexible Wolverine will land in Cali.
23) Green Bay Packers
Luther Burden, WR, Missouri
The cheeseheads need a clear-cut WR1. Right now, Burden isn’t that. But that’s right now. Talk to us about it in 2027.
24) Minnesota Vikings
Derrick Harmon, DL, Oregon
Another player who could go much earlier in the evening, the Vikes give DC Brian Flores a ready-to-go near-stud.
25) Houston Texans
Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon
Texans QB C.J. Stroud was dumped behind the line 52 times in 2024. Conerly will help cure that sickly situation.
26) Los Angeles Rams
Trey Amos, CB, Mississippi
The Rams — who managed just 13 interceptions in 2024 — are hurtin’ for a corner, and since this is a relatively shallow position this weekend, they check the position off their tote board on day one.
27) Baltimore Ravens
James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee
Will the multi-tooled 6’5”, 243-pounder be this year’s version of Jared Verse, i.e., the surprise faller who nabs Defensive Rookie of the Year? The Birds sure hope so.
28) Detroit Lions
Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
The Lions are loaded on both sides of the ball, and have the luxury to snatch they guy they feel is the best player available.
29) Washington Commanders
Malaki Sparks, S, Georgia
Washington is in great shape on the offensive side of the field, so snarfing up one of the draft’s top safeties just makes too much sense.
30) Dallas Cowboys (via BUF)
Walter Nolen, DL, Mississippi
The ‘Boys will view it a hugely successful weekend if they land Nolen and a day two running back like, say, TreVeyon Henderson. The fact that in this scenario, they’d have 11 more picks (!) isn’t a terrible thing.
31) Kansas City Chiefs
Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M
Stewart’s consistently been mocked in the top-15, and would be a massive get for the 2024 NFL runner-ups this late in the evening.
32) Philadelphia Eagles
Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE, Boston College
The Super Bowl champs’ D-front was decimated during free agency, so it’s all but a given they’ll grab the best beast available.