Way-Too-Early 2025 NFL Mock Draft 3.0

We’re a month into the college football season and already we’ve seen significant movement on draft boards. Several intriguing quarterbacks have emerged, which is good news for the NFL teams already eyeing their options in the 2025 class. Several key positions have showcased their depth, while others might be looking thinner than expected.

Two highly-touted prospects and likely first-round picks, LSU LB Harold Perkins Jr. and East Carolina CB Shavon Revel, tore their ACLs in the last week and will miss the rest of the season and the pre-draft workout circuit, harming their draft stock and potentially dropping them to Day 2.

There have been a lot of changes since my last mock draft on the eve of the college football season, and there will be plenty more before this is all said and done. Doing a mock draft now is a good way to check the pulse on this draft class, examine some early needs for NFL teams with three weeks of information, and highlight the movement that’s already happened.

Draft order through Week 3 of the NFL season per Tankathon.

Way-Too-Early 2025 NFL Mock Draft 3.0

1: Jacksonville Jaguars — Michigan DT Mason Graham

The Jaguars need help all over this roster, especially on defense and along the offensive line. There isn’t a tackle worthy of this pick, so here Jacksonville adds Graham to the fold. He’s an elite pass rusher from the interior of the defensive line and a significant talent upgrade for a Jaguars defense in desperate need of it.

2: Tennessee Titans — Tennessee ED James Pearce Jr.

Taking a local kid is always a nice story, and the Titans desperately need to add some juice to their pass rush. Pearce is a raw prospect but has the kind of tools teams love to bet on at the top of drafts. He’s showcased improved hand usage and patience so far in 2024, a great sign for his development.

3: Cincinnati Bengals — Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter

The Bengals need reinforcements on their defensive line, but without a top three-worthy prospect at those positions available, they pivot to the most electric player in college football. It’s still unclear where Hunter will play in the NFL, with him excelling at both wide receiver and cornerback during this college season…at the same time. Whether he replaces WR Tee Higgins on offense or boosts this Bengals secondary, he’ll thrive.

4: Indianapolis Colts — Michigan CB Will Johnson

This might be the easiest pick in the entire mock. The Colts need a stud at cornerback, and Johnson is as good as they come. He’s been lockdown through the start of the college football season, stifling opposing receivers and is a force in run support.

5: New England Patriots — Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan

As New England looks to build around first-round QB Drake Maye, they need to overhaul their offensive line and add a stud outside receiver. McMillan is easily the best player on the board that meets those criteria. He’s got a massive frame with unreal quickness and flexibility given his size, and he’d give Maye a go-to guy on the outside to grow with.

6: Cleveland Browns — Miami QB Cam Ward

Browns QB Deshaun Watson’s NFL future is up in the air with another sexual assault lawsuit filed against him in recent weeks. And with QB Bryce Young being benched in Carolina, Watson is the worst starting quarterback in the league. Massive contract or no, the Browns need to go in a different direction, and Ward has been the biggest riser at the position. He’s an athletic, experienced player with a solid arm, and he’s been picking apart defenses all year.

7: Miami Dolphins — Texas OT Kelvin Banks Jr.

Banks has overtaken the top tackle spot in my position rankings, and he adds a much-needed boost to Miami’s offensive line. The Dolphins have ignored the position for too long, and it’s impacting the offense’s ability to function. Banks is strong and mobile, good in space, and can develop into an excellent NFL tackle.

8: Carolina Panthers — Texas QB Quinn Ewers

Ward might be the biggest riser in this quarterback class, but Ewers has done plenty to help himself as well. I was not a big Ewers fan during my summer scouting process, but he looks like a different player so far in 2024. He’s been accurate to all levels of the field, processing well in the pocket, and using his frame to avoid sacks. The Panthers have benched their former No. 1 pick Young, so quarterback is definitely on their shopping list for 2025.

9: Dallas Cowboys — Kentucky DT Deone Walker

The way teams have run on the Cowboys is downright embarrassing. The interior of this Dallas defensive line has a collective run defense grade below 30.0 — a truly shameful level of incompetence that’s difficult to reach in the NFL. Walker is a massive presence in the middle, a great if unrefined pass rusher and a run-stuffer. The way Walker moves at his size is special and adds a different level of talent to this defense.

10: Chicago Bears — LSU OT Will Campbell

The Bears need to reinforce their offensive line and protect QB Caleb Williams better. Campbell hasn’t had the best start to the season, but he has a prototypical tackle build and some project him to playing well inside, if need be. He’s best in pass protection, where can be an eraser on the edge.

11: New York Giants — Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders

The Giants won’t run it back with QB Daniel Jones again, and it’s possible this whole staff is gone at the end of the year. Whether it’s a new administration or the old one, they’ll want to select their quarterback. Sanders is mobile, with excellent field vision and pocket movement, and he can make every NFL throw. It’s a reset at quarterback in New York.

12: Baltimore Ravens — Texas A&M ED Nic Scourton

Edge rusher is a sneaky need for the Ravens, and Scourton provides a unique body type for this defensive line. He’s a big-bodied edge with a deep bag of pass-rushing moves, the flexibility to rush from multiple stances and alignments, and can even drop into coverage.

13: Denver Broncos — Missouri WR Luther Burden III

Denver needs to add a weapon to help first-round QB Bo Nix in this offense, and Burden will make Nix’s life so much easier. He can win at all levels of the field and is practically unstoppable after the catch. This offense under HC Sean Payton isn’t all that fast right now, and Burden would fix that in a flash.

14: Los Angeles Rams — Notre Dame CB Benjamin Morrison

It’s a patchwork cornerback room in Los Angeles at the moment, and it’s hurt them early in the 2024 season. Morrison would provide them with a true number one corner, somebody they could stick on the opponent’s top receiver, or they could trust to lock down his side of the field. He’s got good ball skills and stays in phase with the receiver as well as anyone in this class.

15: Arizona Cardinals — Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty

My RB1 entering the season, Jeanty exploded up draft boards after some dominating performances in the opening weeks. He’s a well-rounded back: bursty, with good hands, contact balance, and agility to make moves in the hole. The Cardinals offense is already electric, and Jeanty would give QB Kyler Murray another weapon to attack opposing defenses.

16: San Francisco 49ers — Arizona OT Jonah Savaiinaea

Savaiinaea is one of my favorite players in this draft. He’s an elite pass protector on the left side, with a massive frame and the technique to pay it off. He moves well in space but doesn’t make a huge impact in the run game, something he’ll need to work on. Many project him as comfortably sliding inside to guard, so he can upgrade multiple spots on the San Francisco offensive line, depending on where they need him most.

17: Atlanta Falcons — Penn State ED Abdul Carter

The Falcons need a dominant pass rusher off the edge, and though Carter is still developing, he is an eye-catching, toolsy prospect. He’s played most of his career at off-ball linebacker and is still adjusting to his new position. Still, Carter shows a lot of promise — he’s as bendy as they come, can convert speed to power well, and is a plus run defender already.

18: Green Bay Packers — Minnesota OT Aireontae Ersery

Ersery is a massive presence on the left side of the Golden Gophers’ offensive line. He moves well for his size, operating well in space and punishing defenders in the run game. His best work, however, comes in pass blocking, where his frame and quick feet deter rushers from getting after the quarterback. The Packers have done some work to improve their line in recent years but could still use a quality left tackle. Ersery is the best one on the board.

19: Las Vegas Raiders — Alabama QB Jalen Milroe

Las Vegas won’t be left standing when the music stops this time. Raiders QB Gardner Minshew has struggled to open the season, and though we could see QB Aidan O’Connell under center soon, he’s likely not a long-term answer. This staff wants to take their guy, and Milroe is a riser from the early parts of the college football season. He’s taking fewer sacks and making quicker reads than a year ago, and his physical tools are something to bet on. This weekend’s matchup with the vaunted Georgia defense will be a good early test for Milroe’s growth.

20: Washington Commanders — Texas CB Jahdae Barron

Barron is the biggest riser in this cornerback class. He’s a little undersized but plays with a toughness and tenacity that coaches will adore. He’s got great ball skills and plays sticky in coverage, making every catch a contest. The Commanders are desperate for an upgrade at corner — as much as they might like to help out first-round QB Jayden Daniels with this pick, they truly can’t go into 2025 without a major upgrade in the secondary. Barron is an immediate upgrade for them.

21: Los Angeles Chargers — Michigan DT Kenneth Grant

What a gift for the Chargers. Grant falls right into the lap of a team that needs an upgrade on the interior of their defensive line more than anything else. He has real pass-rushing chops, with a high motor and the hand-fighting skills necessary to win on the interior.

22: New Orleans Saints — Georgia S Malaki Starks

This is a luxury pick for the Saints, but I have a hard time seeing them pass on a talent like Starks if he’s on the board for them. Starks has elite range in coverage, capable of playing in single-high schemes, and can even man the slot at times. Whether he’s playing deep or in the box, he’s a sure tackler in run support. He’s the top safety in this class.

23: New York Jets — Texas WR Isaiah Bond

Jets QB Aaron Rodgers looks excellent to open the season, and based on how he’s playing, it seems likely he’ll return in 2025. Bond would add an explosive element to this offense that’s currently missing. He’s taken a big step forward from his 2023 season at Alabama, adding versatility and improved route-running chops to his game-breaking speed. He’d pair nicely with WR Garrett Wilson in New York.

24: Detroit Lions — Ole Miss ED Princely Umanmielen

Umanmielen has had an excellent start to his season. He needed to show improvement in run defense and the application of his various pass-rush moves, and he’s done exactly that. Burst off the edge was always Umanmielen’s biggest strength, and that’s held true. Detroit could use a proper running mate for ED Aidan Hutchinson, and Umanmielen would help take some heat off the Lions’ star.

25: Houston Texans — Michigan TE Colston Loveland

It’s not strictly a need for the Texans, but with Loveland still on the board, they’ll jump on the chance to provide QB C.J. Stroud with another weapon. Loveland is a true modern tight end, able to play from an inline alignment or in the slot, winning downfield, after the catch, and as a blocker.

26: Philadelphia Eagles — Penn State S Kevin Winston Jr.

The Eagles drafted Cooper DeJean in the second round last year, and he can play cornerback or safety. With CB Darius Slay aging, this pick allows them to slide DeJean down to corner. Winston is a sure tackler on the back end, taking excellent angles and rarely getting outflanked. He plays with good discipline in coverage and can slam shut passing windows with his quickness.

27: Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Ohio State ED Jack Sawyer

Tuimoloau is the bigger name, but Sawyer has been the better Buckeye edge rusher to start the season. Sawyer has a strong build to set a hard edge, shutting down rushing lanes and getting after the passer. He primarily plays with power and profiles best as a team’s number two pass rusher. The Buccaneers need to add bodies at pass rusher, with YaYa Diaby the only major contributor set to return.

28: Buffalo Bills — Stanford WR Elic Ayomanor

The Bills offense started the season with a bang, but Ayomanor adds an element to the wide receiver group that’s currently missing. He’s a true outside, X-receiver who can win down the field and over the middle. Bills QB Josh Allen is elevating this offense, but the Bills don’t want to have to rely on him to do that every year. Ayomanor would be a valuable weapon in this offense, filling the role WR Gabriel Davis played in years prior, but at a higher level.

29: Seattle Seahawks — LSU OT Emery Jones Jr.

Jones is likely looking at a projected move to guard in the NFL, and that’s perfect for the Seahawks. Seattle is off to a 3-0 start, but the interior of this offensive line is a problem. Jones is a road-grader in the run game, with the size and hand usage to be solid in pass protection. He struggles most when asked to deal with quickness on the edge, something that would be less of a concern at guard.

30: Kansas City Chiefs — West Virginia OT Wyatt Milum

Milum is one of my biggest risers from the summer. He’s had an incredible start to the season, as the second-highest graded offensive tackle in PFF’s system through four games. An elite pass protector, Milum is athletic and moves well, and has made strides in his run-blocking this season. The Chiefs have taken project tackles in the second round two years in a row, but they could really use a stalwart to protect QB Patrick Mahomes’ blindside. Milum could be an upgrade on either side of the line, and tackle is not a position you want to be punting on for long.

31: Pittsburgh Steelers — Ole Miss WR Tre Harris

I was not high on Harris entering the year, but boy has he had a great start to the season. Harris has attacked his weaknesses, showcasing much better separation grades and improved tape across the board. He’s a big receiver who can make plays after the catch and in contested situations, two traits the Steelers love. Pittsburgh needs another wide receiver to pair with WR George Pickens, and Harris can be that guy.

32: Minnesota Vikings — Ohio State CB Denzel Burke

Minnesota has exceeded all expectations through three weeks, especially on defense, where DC Brian Flores has this unit stifling some impressive offenses. It’s not a stretch to say they’re overachieving relative to their personnel, and this is especially true at cornerback. Burke is athletic and sticky in coverage. He needs to refine his skillset, but he would be a talent upgrade on the back end of the Vikings’ defense.