Tony Pauline’s NFL Mock Draft 2.0: Shedeur Sanders and Ashton Jeanty head to NFC East, AFC West contenders snag Cam Ward
There’s little more than a month left in the regular season, and already teams as positioning for the top picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. Compared to last April, this is not a good year to have an early pick in the event, as few if any prospects, especially the quarterbacks, have established themselves as “can’t-miss” prospects, if there truly is any sort of thing. So here we go with version 2.0 of our mock draft.
Tony Pauline’s NFL Mock Draft 2.0
1- Jacksonville Jaguars
Travis Hunter/CB-WR/Colorado: It’s hard to believe the Jaguars could end up with the first pick of the draft, again! They need cornerbacks, playmakers and someone to put fannies in the seat. Hunter could do all three.
2- NY Giants
Shedeur Sanders/QB/Colorado: The offseason decisions on the head coach and general manager will be interesting to watch, yet it doesn’t matter who’s running the team; the Giants need a quarterback.
3- Las Vegas Raiders
Cam Ward/QB/Miami: The Raiders wanted a quarterback in last April’s draft, but they may have lucked out, as Ward is higher rated than any quarterback taken after Drake Maye.
4- New England Patriots
Tetairoa McMillan/WR/Arizona: The Patriots need a left tackle, but McMillan is a special receiver prospect who will quickly become Drake Maye’s favorite target.
5- Carolina Panthers
Abdul Carter/OLB/Penn State: Carter is a perfect fit for the Carolina defense as an edge rusher or space player, and he comes with a huge upside.
6- Tennessee Titans
Jalon Walker/OLB/Georgia: Walker is a perfect fit for the Tennessee defense as an edge rusher or space player, and he injects youth into the front seven.
7- NY Jets
Will Johnson/CB/Michigan: Who knows about the Jets? We don’t know who’ll be making the pick or coaching the team and on and on. Right now, they will likely lose D.J. Reed in free agency.
8- Cleveland Browns
Mykel Williams/DE/Georgia: This is a bit earlier than I have Williams rated, but I just don’t see left tackle Will Campbell of LSU as a good fit in Cleveland. Myles Garrett is almost 30 years old, while Ogbo Okoronkwo will be 30 next season.
9- New Orleans Saints
Luther Burden III/WR/Missouri: The Saints need playmakers as well as depth at receiver.
10- Cincinnati Bengals
Mason Graham/DT/Michigan: Veteran B.J. Hill is in the final year of his deal. Graham’s intensity will remind many of former Bengals great Geno Atkins.
11- Dallas Cowboys
Ashton Jeanty/RB/Boise State: The Cowboys need a lot of help at running back, and Jeanty is a special, three-down player at the position.
12- Chicago Bears
Kelvin Banks Jr./T/Texas: The Bears need help on the interior of their offensive line and could use an upgrade at left tackle. Banks will definitely fill the former need and may help with the latter.
13- Indianapolis Colts
Malaki Starks/S/Georgia: A cornerback is preferable at this spot, but Starks is a complete safety who can be used as a nickel.
14- Miami Dolphins
Walter Nolen/DL/Mississippi: Calais Campbell is a free agent after the season, and Nolen would be a terrific fit in the Dolphins’ three-man line.
15- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
James Pearce Jr./Edge/Tennessee: I’m not as high on Pearce as others and the lack of size concerns me, yet he’s an explosive pass rusher who can contribute as a rookie.
16- Los Angeles Rams
Will Campbell/T/LSU: Campbell could be the steal of the steal of the draft if he plays to his potential.
17- San Francisco 49ers
Benjamin Morrison/CB/Notre Dame: Defensive tackle is a consideration here, yet I’m still very high on Benjamin Morrison despite the injury that ended his season.
18- Arizona Cardinals
Kenneth Grant/DT/Michigan: With no edge rusher on the board, the Cardinals go with a potentially dominant interior defensive lineman with pass-rush potential.
19- Atlanta Falcons
Derrick Harmon/DT/Oregon: Another team that could use an edge rusher, the Falcons draft a terrific interior defensive lineman with tremendous upside.
20- Seattle Seahawks
Jalen Milroe/QB/Alabama: The Seahawks will eventually have to address the quarterback position, and with the franchise’s history of developing the position, this can turn out to be an all-time great pick.
21- Washington Commanders
Emery Jones Jr./T/LSU: One of the most underrated tackles in the nation, Jones is a natural fit on the right side for the Commanders.
22- Houston Texans
Josh Conerly Jr./OL/Oregon: Conerly is the highest rated player on my board, and he’s a college tackle with potential at a variety of spots on the offensive line.
23- Denver Broncos
Evan Stewart/WR/Oregon: Many will be surprised by the player, not the position, but they shouldn’t. Stewart has an amazing amount of upside, and at the top of his game, he’s a dominant, game-breaking receiver. It’s a matter of getting him to play at that level all the time.
24- LA Chargers
Colston Loveland/TE/Michigan: Isaiah Bond could be the pick here, but with the need at tight end and Harbaugh’s relationship with Loveland, this makes too much sense.
25- Baltimore Ravens
Josh Simmons/T/Ohio State: Ronnie Stanley is in the final year of his deal, which voids just before the start of the league year, per Spotrac. Simmons was well on his way to being a first-round pick before sustaining a knee injury against Oregon. There’s a bit of risk with this selection, but there’s also a ton of upside.
26- Pittsburgh Steelers
Isaiah Bond/WR/Texas: The Steelers always seem to need receivers. In Bond, they get a legitimate field stretcher.
27- Green Bay Packers
Deone Walker/DT/Kentucky: Walker was highly rated coming into the season, and despite being a slight disappointment this year, he’s still an athletic big man who can plug the middle of the line.
28- Minnesota Vikings
Shavon Revel/CB/East Carolina: Revel is a bit of a risk, as he suffered a season ending knee injury in September, yet his upside is huge and he showed a lot of improvement in his game prior to the injury.
29- Philadelphia Eagles
Nic Scourton/DL/Texas A&M: With no top-rated receiver or offensive tackle available, the Eagles take the best pass rusher still on the board.
30- Buffalo Bills
Tyleik Williams/DT/Ohio State: Ed Oliver has been disappointing, and the Bills need an upgrade at defensive tackle.
31- Kansas City Chiefs
Mansoor Delane/CB/Virginia Tech: The Chiefs often march to the beat of a different drummer on draft day, and it works for them. Delane has incredible upside and could be one of the most underrated cornerbacks in a position group with a ton of questions.
32- Detroit Lions
Landon Jackson/DE/Arkansas: A quarterback at this spot is very enticing, but bringing in a tough, intense defensive end/edge rusher to play opposite Aidan Hutchinson makes too much sense.