Stampede Blue Writers Roundtable: NFL Mock Draft

General managers around the league are switching their attention from free agency to the 2025 NFL draft, which is less than a month away with round 1 beginning on April 24th. The writers here at Stampede Blue are going to pretend they are the GM of all the 32 different teams and make their own picks for the entire first round.

Each writer will be putting themself in the general manager chair for each team and making their own picks. So it’s not necessarily what they are expecting to happen but rather how they would approach the pick for the team whilst also offering their own rationale.

---

1. Tennessee Titans – CB/WR Travis Hunter (Colorado)

With every option on the board, it’s tough to pass on the very best prospect. In the case of the last place Tennessee Titans, the biggest need is discovering a game-changer at quarterback. Last April, Marvin Harrison Jr. was my No. 1 draft prospect, and I won’t shy away from selecting the top prospect heading into the draft. I’m less optimistic on the QBs of this year’s draft class and although it seems as if Cam Ward is the consensus No. 1 pick, Tennessee should not skip over a generational talent. With the first pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, it would behoove the Titans’ war room to consider selecting Colorado’s two-way star and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter.

2. Cleveland Browns — QB Cam Ward (Miami)

Something finally goes right for the Browns as they get QB Cam Ward at the 2nd overall pick. They are desperate for a long term solution at QB and Ward is arguably the best QB in this draft. Best case scenario for Cleveland.

3. New York Giants — QB Shedeur Sanders (Colorado)

New York went out this offseason and added several key additions to an already talented defense, including cornerback Paulson Adebo and safety Javon Holland. While Penn State’s Abdul Carter, the top pass rusher in this class, would give the Giants even more help along an already talented defensive front, the need for a long-term answer at the most important position in sports outweighs taking the talented edge rusher here. Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders can be that long-term answer New York so desperately needs. The rookie could sit and learn behind both Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, two proven veterans who have had success in their respective careers elsewhere.

4. New England Patriots — EDGE Abdul Carter (Penn State)

The Patriots find themselves in a similar boat to the Cleveland Browns situation ahead of the NFL Draft: Address primary need — OT to help protect QB Drake Maye — or take the best player available. In this case, the best player available is many draft analysts and scout’s No. 1 overall player on the board. If New England personnel chief Eliot Wolf is as committed to taking the ‘BPA’ as he says he is, running Carter’s draft card up as soon as the clock starts ticking would make the most sense.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars — DT Mason Graham (Michigan)

The Jaguars have done a nice job rebuilding parts of their defense over the past few seasons, but one area they are still lacking in is the interior defensive line. Mason Graham is a large presence and a true nose tackle that can eat up two gaps. Adding him to the line will allow Josh Hines-Allen, Travon Walker and stud linebacker Devin Lloyd to play more freely.

6. Las Vegas Raiders — WR Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona)

The Raiders need players at pretty much every single position on the roster, so going BPA here seemed like the proper choice. McMillan would give the Raiders a true #1 receiver, with sky high potential, and the opportunity to give either Geno Smith or a future young quarterback two amazing weapons to throw to in him and Brock Bowers. With three seasons of college production, and an impressive blend of size and speed, McMillan is also among the safest picks for a team that desperately needs to start hitting on 1st rounders consistently.

7. New York Jets — OT Armand Membou (Missouri)

After signing Justin Fields in free agency to be the teams franchise QB it’s time to get him some protection up front. The Jets lost RT Morgan Moses in free agency so there is a hole in the right side of their offensive line. Membou is a big powerful tackle with excellent agility and athleticism. Sliding Membou in next to Vera-Tucker will solidify the Jets right side of the offensive line for years to come.

8. Carolina Panthers — LB Jihaad Campbell (Alabama)

The Panthers could absolutely use help on the offensive side of the ball, a target like Tyler Warren would do a lot to help out Bryce Young but ultimately having the 32nd ranked defense by both yards and points allowed outweighs how nice having an elite TE would be. The Panthers added a lot of solid pieces to their defense via free agency but no one with the position flexibility and star potential like Jihaad Campbell. The Panthers will be able to move Campbell around the defense in multiple positions and take advantage of his unique skill set in ways other teams with established starters might not have the same flexibility. In short, the Panthers defense is so bad, it’s uniquely suited to make the absolute most of Campbell’s rookie year while they continue to flesh out the rest of the defense and grow around him.

9. New Orleans Saints — CB Will Johnson (Michigan)

The Saints have a clear need at cornerback and Johnson has great size and versatility to play in most defensive systems. The Saints have one good corner in Kool-Aid McKinstry, but need someone to compliment him and to finish shoring up the back end. New Saints DC Brandon Staley has long championed for physical, versatile cornerbacks and Johnson has the size to be physical with any receiver. Playing both man and zone at Michigan sets him up well for Staley’s likely defense.

10. Chicago Bears — RB Ashton Jeanty (Boise State)

Bears head coach and offensive guru Ben Johnson likely had Dan Campbell serving as his subconscious during this pick — suggesting that his new-look team take a page out of the Lions book and invest in the blindside protector of the future as early as possible — but with a talent like Ashton Jeanty ready for the taking, he had to pounce on the opportunity. Johnson won’t be the one calling the final shot, that would be GM Ryan Poles, but his new role as the face and visionary of the Bears, especially offensively, holds more weight than your typical GM-HC relationship would, and Poles understands that assignment with this pick.

11. San Francisco 49ers — CB Jahdae Barron (Texas)

The 49ers are going to look much different in 2025 than they have over the previous two seasons. That includes the secondary, where San Francisco saw both cornerback Charvarius Ward (Indianapolis) and Talanoa Hufanga (Denver) leave in the offseason. There are other needs for this team that they can address in the later rounds of the draft. With Michigan’s Will Johnson off the board, San Francisco opts for Texas’ Jahdae Barron. Much like Johnson, Barron provides San Francisco with an immediate plug-and-play starter on defense who can match up well with the top wide receivers in the NFC West.

12. Dallas Cowboys — DE Mykel Williams (Georgia)

On its face, this may not seem like the obvious pick but the Cowboys just hired Matt Eberflus as their DC. Williams has prototypical size and the non-stop motor Eberflus loves. He’d be a perfect compliment to Micah Parsons and allow Flus to continue only rushing with the front four.

13. Miami Dolphins — OT Kelvin Banks Jr. (Texas)

The most important factor to the Miami Dolphins snapping the NFL’s longest active drought without a playoff win – at 24 years – is the health of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa throughout the 2025 season. Pairing Texas’ Kelvin Banks Jr. on the offensive line opposite five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Terron Armstead would add an elite pass protector to shield the blindside of Miami’s franchise QB. Banks allowed just two sacks on 1,088 pass-block snaps across the last two seasons. The unanimous All-American posted an 89.9 PFF pass block grade last season for the Longhorns, which was the third-highest score among tackles eligible for the 2025 NFL Draft.

14. Indianapolis Colts — TE Tyler Warren (Penn State)

The Colts offense had zero production from the tight end position last year and is in desperate need for a difference-maker. Tyler Warren is a force at the tight end position and would allow the Colts offense to become what Shane Steichen wants it to be, a multiple-attacking scheme that can hurt a defense in a variety of different ways.

15. Atlanta Falcons — WR Luther Burden III (Missouri)

The Falcons already have two very good tackles in Kaleb McGary and Jake Matthews, so there was no need for Will Campbell even though taking the best player available is usually my favorite strategy in the Draft. That leaves us with Mizzou wide receiver Luther Burden III, the ideal complement to Falcons’ wide receiver Drake London, and yet another playmaker for Michael Penix Jr. to throw to. The Falcons need help on the defensive side of the ball, but a chance to add such a talented playmaker to an impressive core of young offensive players might be too enticing to pass up.

16. Arizona Cardinals — DT Kenneth Grant (Michigan)

The Cardinals lost multiple interior defensive linemen during free agency. They failed to sign anyone to take their place. And to be fair none of those players earned big contracts elsewhere, as they weren’t very good. With that said, Khyiris Tonga and Naquan Jones each played more than 20% of the team’s defensive snaps while Roy Lopez played 43% himself and all three men are now on other teams. The Cardinals highest-paid interior defender, Bilal Nichols, was PFF’s 197th-ranked interior defensive lineman in 2024. These Cardinals need help on the defensive line in the worst way and while Mike Green or James Pierce Jr. would have been good picks for this team too, I couldn’t overlook the physical tools Grant has and how his presence could completely change how the Cardinals play defense.

17. Cincinnati Bengals — OT Will Campbell (LSU)

Although all safeties on the consensus big board remained, the Bengals’ de facto general manager, Director of Player Personnel Duke Tobin, could not let highly regarded LSU OL Will Campbell fall any further. If all else fails in the defensive back department, therein lies a good chance that new Bengals DC Al Golden will be able to reunite with his All-American safety, Notre Dame’s Xavier Watts, in the second round of the NFL Draft. For the foreseeable future, however, Joe Burrow’s high-powered offense is fortified for years to come.

18. Seattle Seahawks — WR Matthew Golden (Texas)

Seattle is in need of some serious help along their offense. While the offensive line could use an upgrade or two, there are options available in the second and third-round that could get the job done quite well. The chance to take perhaps the best wide receiver in this year’s draft in Texas’ Matthew Golden is too enticing for the Seahawks to pass up. The departures of both Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf make wide receiver a top priority for the Seahawks. Despite recently signing former Los Angeles Rams’ wideout Cooper Kupp to go along with Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Golden, who ran a blazing-fast 4.29 at the NFL Combine, is exactly the kind of player who can help take Seattle’s offense to the next level with Darnold and Co.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — EDGE Shemar Stewart (Texas A&M)

Shemar Stewart is a rare blend of size and athleticism. He’ll be a valuable chess piece for the Bucs to move around as a 3-down DL who can stop the run and rush the passer. TB needs to restock their defensive talent and Stewart is a perfect starting piece.

20. Denver Broncos — WR Emeka Egbuka (Ohio State)

Bo Nix had an impressive rookie campaign that featured three comeback wins as he led Denver to its first playoff appearance since 2015. The Broncos could invest in a first-round draft pick to claim another weapon in the slot to complement receiver Courtland Sutton. Ohio State receiver Emeka Egbuka set the program’s all-time record with 205 career receptions. The Buckeyes have produced four first-round receivers across the last three draft classes and Egbuka could become the fifth receiver to get the call on April 24.

21. Pittsburgh Steelers — QB Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss)

The Steelers have added weapons on offense this offseason and have a good lineup front, what there offense is missing is a quarterback to take the reins and have it firing in all cyclinders. The Steelers have not yet been able to replace Ben Roethlisberger who retired in 2021. Dart will be the guy. His pose, arm strength and mobility is exactly what the Steelers need to bring the offense all together finally.

22, Los Angeles Chargers — TE Colston Loveland (Michigan)

Last year the Chargers, under the leadership of head coach (and Colts Ring of Honor member) Jim Harbaugh, went 11-5. A full seven more wins than the team had in 2023 and they did it with Ladd McConkey as Justin Herbert’s best playmaker. The chance for Harbaugh to add Loveland, a player he recruited while at Michigan, is just too great at this point in the draft. Loveland should give Herbert another viable, playmaking target as they chase the Chiefs in the AFC West.

23. Green Bay Packers — LB Jalon Walker (Georgia)

Green Bay had some arguably bigger needs than hybrid defender Jalen Walker. However, he’s insanely talented but dropped in this draft because he doesn’t have a “true” position. His versatility though will be highly valued as a mismatch pass rusher in GB’s defensive system.

24. Minnesota Vikings — S Malaki Starks (Georgia)

It’s back-to-back Georgia Bulldog defensive players off the board. Where have we seen that before? The Vikings made some major upgrades along both the offensive and defensive lines, solidifying each of those position groups, with additions such as right guard Will Fries and defensive tackle Jonathan Allen. With Cam Bynum, a former fourth-round pick, now in Indianapolis, safety is perhaps the biggest need for Minnesota and defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Starks is a ball-hawking safety who possesses the necessary skills to step in and handle a complex defensive scheme like Flores.’ Given his talent, Starks may not make it all the way to the backend of the first round. But if he’s there, the Vikings should run the card up to the podium and begin to celebrate landing one of the best all-around defensive players in this draft class.

25. Houston Texans — OT Josh Simmons (Ohio State)

After the Texans dealt away perennial Pro Bowl LT Laremy Tunsil, a mind-boggling move that sent shockwaves throughout the NFL world, the recoup process begins now. Houston brought in veteran tackle Cam Robinson on a one-year deal to fill the void, and this signing lines up perfectly to bring in their blindside protector of the future. Josh Simmons was the trending as the consensus overall best tackle in the draft class before tearing his patellar tendon in the latter half of his final collegiate season and is now afforded an internship of sorts behind various veterans as he works back to being fully healthy.

26. Los Angeles Rams — LB Demetrius Knight (South Carolina)

The Rams have done a nice job of rebuilding their defensive line over the past two seasons, and now they need to move to their linebackers and rebuild that group too. Demetrius Knight has all the tools (size, athleticism, instincts) to be an impactful day 1 starter and while he might have to carry a bigger load than a typical rookie, he might be well suited for that as a MIKE.

27. Baltimore Ravens — EDGE Mike Green (Marshall)

The Ravens are a team that has featured plenty of elite pass-rushers over the last two decades, and somehow one of the best edge rushers in the draft falls to them at the #27 spot. Green gives the Ravens a weapon to utilize alongside Odafe Oweh, and fits right in the Ravens’ scheme. Although he has just two seasons of starting experience, Green’s last year was something amazing to watch, racking up 17 sacks. Sure, he was not playing against top tier competition, but I don’t think the NFL will make the same mistake it did with Maxx Crosby when such a natural pass-rusher comes along. Just go ahead and look up his tape on YouTube, it is more than dominant.

28. Detroit Lions — EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku (Boston College)

Outside of interior offensive line the biggest need for the Lions is the second edge rusher position. After Hutchinson went down last season the team just couldn’t maintain a consistent pass rush and had to trade for Z’Darius Smith who they released at the start of the offseason. Ezeiruaku is a productive rusher who should compliment Hutchinson well on the defensive line for the Lions.

29. Washington Commanders — EDGE James Pearce Jr. (Tennessee)

The Commanders are building off the franchise’s first NFC Championship appearance in 33 years. With Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce Jr. still available late in the first round, the Commanders could add some muscle and select a two-time First-Team All-SEC pass rusher to strengthen its defensive front. Pearce is a speed rusher who led the Volunteers with 7.5 sacks and his 43 hurries were tied for the third-most by FBS defensive ends in 2024.

30. Buffalo Bills — DT Walter Nolen (Ole Miss)

The Bills need help at every level of the defense. Walter Nolen and Ed Oliver do have some overlap as players but Nolen is too talented to stay off the field in favor of DaQuan Jones especially in passing situations. At this point in the draft Nolen was the most talented defender on the board and for a defense needing an infusion of talent, Nolen had to be the pick.

31. Kansas City Chiefs — OL Grey Zabel (NDSU)

If last Super Bowl showed anything about the Chiefs, is that they need to do a much better job protecting quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who was harassed all game long by a nasty Eagles’ front. Trading guard Joe Thuney is a move I still cannot understand, and their left side is at the most optimistic a gamble. Zabel can play anywhere on the line, having close to 1.000 snaps at both tackle positions, and close to 400 at the left guard spot. He will most likely start his career on the inside of the line, but his versatility gives him a really high floor as he could play either tackle position in case of injury.

32. Philadelphia Eagles — WR Jack Bech (TCU)

The Eagles have two stud receivers in Brown and Smith, but not much behind them and they always need to have a plan for AJ Brown as he can ask for a trade at any time. Insert Jack Bech, a well built athletic receiver with very good toughness might be the perfect short-term #3/#4 for the Eagles and can be someone who can develop into a nice #2. It may not help them in the short-term, but someone like Bech can be a big hit in 2-3 seasons.