Post-Free Agency 2025 NFL Mock Draft

A full week of free agency is in the books and many rosters look significantly different. This is when mock drafts can really start to nail down specific team fits with more certainty, as money moves tell a lot about what teams are thinking.

There are four trades in this mock. There isn’t an obvious top-of-draft trade candidate this year, but there will inevitably be some movement on draft night, and I tried to capture what that might look like in this mock.

As always, stay tuned for more draft coverage, as we’ll have a lot to cover over the next six weeks! 

Updated Top 100 Big Board

Updated Position Rankings:

• Quarterbacks
• Running Backs
• Wide Receivers
• Tight Ends
• Offensive Tackles
• Interior Offensive Line
• Edge Rushers
• Defensive Tackles
• Linebackers
• Cornerbacks
• Safeties

1: Tennessee Titans — Miami QB Cam Ward

As the dust settles after free agency, this is looking more and more like the most probable scenario. The Titans made no moves of note at quarterback, paving the way for a selection at the top of the draft. League consensus seems to be on Ward as the draft’s top passer, and he’d start right away in Tennessee.

2: Cleveland Browns — Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter

After handing star ED Myles Garrett the biggest non-quarterback contract in NFL history, the Browns can go ahead and draft the player they claim is at the top of their board. Cleveland is one of the only potential landing spots where Hunter would project to play receiver instead of cornerback, though he is championing to be given the chance to play both.

3: New York Giants — Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders

The Giants really painted themselves into a corner with how free agency played out. They need a quarterback that HC Brian Daboll and GM Joe Schoen feel gives them the best chance to save their jobs. Sanders is the only quarterback left on the board who could start for an NFL team right away, so he hears his name called early due to New York’s desperation.

TRADE: 4: Carolina Panthers (via NE) — Penn State ED Abdul Carter

Projected Compensation: New England receives No. 8, No. 74, and a 2026 second. Carolina receives No. 8, No. 144, and a 2026 fourth.

Carolina takes advantage of Carter’s little slide to jump up the board and draft a defensive cornerstone. A couple of Day 2 selections should do the trick. Carter is a premier pass rusher with all the tools to be a star in this league.

5: Jacksonville Jaguars — Michigan DT Mason Graham

Nothing Jacksonville did in free agency changes this pick. They’ve begun a roster reset, cleaning out some unwieldy contracts and bringing in cheaper veterans to fill roles. The Jaguars need talent, and Graham is a blue-chip prospect at a position of need. He measured a little smaller than expected at the Combine, but his tape speaks for itself.

6: Las Vegas Raiders — Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty

Some sneaky-good free agency maneuvering has put the Raiders in fantastic position. Acquiring Geno Smith in a trade from the Seahawks fixes their immediate quarterback need and lets them turn their attention elsewhere. Jeanty is the best player available and would be an instant force behind a good Vegas line.

7: New York Jets — Missouri OT Armand Membou

The Jets just took a tackle in the first round last year, but they don’t have much of a choice here. With RT Morgan Moses heading to New England, New York has a big hole at right tackle. Membou would pair with Olu Fashanu to give the Jets the most athletic tackle duo in the league.

8: New England Patriots (via CAR) — LSU OL Will Campbell

The Patriots trade down a few spots, pick up some extra assets for the rebuild, and get the player they probably wanted all along. Whether Campbell plays tackle or guard for this team, he’ll be a massive upgrade. After spending big on defense in free agency, it’s time the league’s worst offense last year got some attention.

9: New Orleans Saints — Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan

New Orleans could go in a lot of different directions with this pick. This was a potential tight end pick until they resigned Juwan Johnson to a two-year deal with significant guarantees in the second year. With Chris Olave’s concussion concerns, receiver is a need for this team, and McMillan is sitting right there. He adds a body type this offense doesn’t have, winning on the outside through physicality and craftiness.

10: Chicago Bears — Marshall ED Mike Green

The Bears put themselves in great position, completely revamping their interior offensive line to solve last season’s biggest weakness. They could go in a lot of directions with this pick, but here they choose to dip into this talented defensive line group. Green brings a lot of juice off the edge as a refined pass rusher with some grit to his game.

11: San Francisco 49ers — Texas A&M ED Shemar Stewart

Niners GM John Lynch is under some pressure to nail this pick after the team lost a lot of talent in free agency. Defensive line is a major need and Stewart can help them in multiple ways. He’s one of the most gifted athletes we’ve ever seen come through the draft, but hasn’t quite put it all together on the field yet. Critically, Stewart can play inside and outside, providing the 49ers’ defense some versatility.

12: Dallas Cowboys — Texas WR Matthew Golden

This is a Cowboys pick through and through. The depth chart at receiver behind CeeDee Lamb is thin, and Golden would complement him perfectly. Golden is a natural route runner with smooth hips and ran a 4.29 40 at the Combine.

TRADE: 13: Arizona Cardinals (via MIA) — Michigan CB Will Johnson

Projected Compensation: Miami receives No. 16, No. 115, and a 2026 fourth. Arizona receives No. 13, No. 224, and a 2026 sixth.

After signing ED Josh Sweat in free agency, the Cardinals’ biggest need becomes cornerback. A few pick swaps are a small price to pay to secure a player with blue-chip talent. Johnson’s injury-riddled 2024 season means he’s likely to come off the board in this range, but he has the size, skill and athleticism to be a stud at the next level.

14: Indianapolis Colts — Penn State TE Tyler Warren

If Johnson is still on the board, I think the Colts would consider him. But their free agent acquisitions point to tight end being the target with this pick. They signed CB Charvarius Ward and S Camryn Bynum to fortify the secondary, and now they add a dynamic weapon in Warren for their young quarterback. Indy tried to trade up for TE Brock Bowers a year ago, this time they get their guy.

15: Atlanta Falcons — Texas CB Jahdae Barron

Barron fills the Falcons’ need for a CB2 and a safety at the same time. He can play in the slot, out wide, in the box, or as a deep-field safety. Running a 4.39 40 at the Combine was unexpected and speaks to his range. Between Barron, CB AJ Terrell, and S Jessie Bates III, Atlanta would have a formidable secondary.

16: Miami Dolphins (via ATL) — South Carolina S Nick Emmanwori

The Dolphins snag one of the freakiest athletes at the Combine. Emmanwori is a safety with the size of a linebacker and the speed of a cornerback. He’s versatile and a playmaker, and Miami could play him closer to the line of scrimmage to maximize his strengths.

17: Cincinnati Bengals — Michigan DT Kenneth Grant

The Bengals nab a badly-needed upgrade in the middle of their defensive line with Grant. At 6-3, 339, Grant is a two-gap run stuffer with unreal burst off the line for his size. There’s untapped pass rush potential here, and he’d play next to the re-signed B.J. Hill to fortify a questionable run defense.

18: Seattle Seahawks — Texas OT Kelvin Banks Jr.

Despite all the roster turnover the Seahawks are going through, the interior of their offensive line is still a massive weakness. Banks is an easy projection to guard, and even though he also projects as a quality tackle, he’s the best offensive lineman on the board and Seattle would play him at guard. Plus, with RT Abraham Lucas’s injury concerns, Banks may well play tackle for this team sooner rather than later anyway.

19: Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Tennessee ED James Pearce Jr.

Pearce is the best speed-rusher in this class. He ran a ridiculous 4.47 40 at 6-5, 243. The Buccaneers need pass rush help badly, and Pearce will provide it. He seems unlikely to be a top-15 pick, which is baffling to me. He’s a borderline top-5 talent in this class.

20: Denver Broncos — Ole Miss DT Walter Nolen

Signing TE Evan Engram to a nice two-year contract might take tight end off the board in the first round. Instead, the Broncos get Nolen as a plug-and-play starter on their defensive line. He’s an immensely talented player who dominated the Senior Bowl with his combination of strength and quickness.

TRADE: 21: Houston Texans (via PIT) — Ohio State OT Josh Simmons

Projected Compensation: Pittsburgh receives No. 25 and No. 89. Houston receives No. 21 and No. 156

The Texans traded away LT Laremy Tunsil and they already had questionable pass protection with Tunsil still in the fold. They can’t afford to hope their guy falls to them — here they jump ahead of a few potential contenders and draft Simmons, a top-15 talent coming off a season-ending knee injury. If Simmons is healthy, he’s an immediate starter.

22: Los Angeles Chargers — Michigan TE Colston Loveland

Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh reunites once again with Loveland, whom he coached for two years at Michigan. There’s a good chance Loveland doesn’t last this long on draft day, but Los Angeles would love to get him. He’s a weapon over the middle of the field and can attack defenses from in-line or slot alignments.

23: Green Bay Packers — Georgia ED Mykel Williams

Williams is just such a Packers pick. He’s an elite run defender with the athleticism to be an impact pass rusher, even though the production isn’t there yet. Green Bay would love to upgrade their receiving core or add someone in the secondary, but the board didn’t fall in their favor. Williams would add depth and provide insurance if 2023 first-rounder Lukas Van Ness doesn’t break out.

TRADE: 24: Kansas City Chiefs (via MIN) — Oregon OT Josh Conerly Jr.

Projected Compensation: Minnesota receives No. 31, No. 95, and No. 226. Kansas City receives No. 24 and No. 187.

Much like Houston, Kansas City can’t afford to sit around and hope a tackle makes it to them at No. 31. They signed Jaylon Moore to a two-year deal to hopefully provide competent left tackle play, but RT Jawaan Taylor’s contract is moveable starting next spring. Conerly needs to add some strength in an NFL weight room, but his size and movement skills are tantalizing. He wouldn’t have to start right away and could take over from the underperforming Taylor in 2026.

25: Pittsburgh Steelers (via HOU) — North Carolina RB Omarion Hampton

Steelers’ fans might not be happy with another first-round running back after Najee Harris landed in Las Vegas, but Pittsburgh needs to add someone to their backfield. Hampton isn’t a prospect on Jeanty’s level, but he has an incredible size/speed combination. He forces a ton of missed tackles and is an advanced pass protector, making him ideally-suited to a three-down role.

26: Los Angeles Rams — Ohio State WR Emeka Egbuka

The Rams’ biggest need is at corner and they could add at linebacker as well, but the value here is at receiver. Despite signing Davante Adams to a nice deal, they still need someone to play the Cooper Kupp role in this offense after Kupp was released and landed in Seattle. Egbuka would man the slot while Adams and Puke Nacua play on the outside. He’s a skilled route runner with great size and after-the-catch ability — a perfect fit in HC Sean McVay’s offense.

27: Baltimore Ravens — North Dakota State OL Grey Zabel

Zabel dominated the Senior Bowl and moved himself into the first-round conversation. Though he played tackle for the Bison, he’ll move inside in the NFL, and he’d play guard for Baltimore. The Ravens need to improve their guard play and Zabel is a perfect fit in this outside zone scheme they run, with the speed and flexibility to block in space.

28: Detroit Lions — Alabama G Tyler Booker

Booker is beloved by the league. Despite not having a great Combine, Booker’s intangibles will have coaches fawning over him, and his tape at Alabama is great. He has limitations, but in Detroit’s power scheme he’d be a fantastic fit. Line him up, run duo, and watch the defensive line move backward.

29: Washington Commanders — Texas A&M ED Nic Scourton

I thought about linebacker here for the Commanders, but they need to add an edge rusher and should take one before a lot of the best options left get snapped up in the early parts of the second round. Scourton plays with power and burst, adding scheme versatility and refined moves to his game. How he tests at his pro day will be key, as a strong bounce-back after a middling Combine could see him move back up boards.

30: Buffalo Bills — Alabama LB Jihaad Campbell

Buffalo has tried to cobble together some answers at linebacker in recent years without much luck. When healthy, Matt Milano will lock down one spot, but that’s been infrequent lately. Campbell is gaining a lot of momentum for a first-round selection and might not even last this long, but he’d be a plug-and-play starter for a Bills defense that needs reinforcements.

31: Minnesota Vikings (via KC) — Ole Miss CB Trey Amos

The Vikings are the most obvious trade-down candidate in this draft — they only have four total picks and need to add assets. They manage to swing a trade with the Chiefs in this scenario before selecting Amos, a rangy corner coming off a great season for the Rebels. Amos tested like a great athlete at the combine, which was the main question with him, and he’s put himself in prime position to come of the board in the first round.

32: Philadelphia Eagles — Toledo DT Darius Alexander

The Eagles get their pick of a strong remaining board, with tempting players such as WR Luther Burden III, CB Maxwell Hairston, and ED Landon Jackson still available. But after losing breakout DT Milton Williams in free agency, Philly would love to add some depth behind Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis. Alexander had a phenomenal Combine and has been a steady riser for months, with a nose for the quarterback in his pass rush and strong fundamentals. He’s a Howie Roseman selection through and through.