Today's the day! The first round of the 2025 NFL Draft kicks off tonight, and the NFL world is abuzz with perhaps the most polarizing draft class maybe ever. Nobody has any idea what will happen tonight and throughout the draft, which only adds to the excitement. 

Based on what I am hearing/am taking a logical guess on, I built out one final mock draft for the first round of the draft, with several trades in mind that affected how the board fell.

*-denotes traded pick

2025 NFL First-Round Mock Draft

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1. Tennessee Titans: Cam Ward, QB, Miami (FL)

There are no surprises here. We've known this will be the pick for weeks (months?). There is no reason to go anywhere else right now. Tennessee gets its quarterback of the future. 

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2. Cleveland Browns: Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado

I do believe that there are teams trying to move up here into this pick, but I don't believe the Browns will ultimately move off of this pick. If/When they do end up sticking here, the obvious pick is Travis Hunter. When the general manager compares a prospect to Shohei Ohtani, you know his interest in that player is serious. Hunter would be a tremendous addition to Cleveland's offense and defense.

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3. New York Giants: Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State

This pick is fairly chalk, but there's no reason to go anywhere else here. I do think the Giants are interested in a quarterback, but I don't think there's a real chance they will take one third overall. 

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4. Chicago Bears*: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State

I fully buy the Bears' interest in Ashton Jeanty, and I also fully believe the Jaguars are interested in Jeanty at 5th overall. With Jacksonville and other teams like the Raiders, Jets, Saints, and an ever-present threat of a trade up ahead of them, Chicago gets froggy and leaps the competition to bring him in.

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5. New Orleans Saints*: Kelvin Banks Jr, OT, Texas

The buzz around Kelvin Banks being potentially the first OT off the board hasn't quieted down and keeps getting stronger. Saints' general manager Mickey Loomis has never met a trade up he wouldn't take, and armed with additional picks after the Marshon Lattimore, gets ahead of OT needy teams like the Jets and Raiders to secure Banks and move Fuaga inside to either guard or back to right tackle. 

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6. Las Vegas Raiders: Armand Membou, OT, Missouri

With Banks, who is reportedly their top OT, off the board, the Raiders turn to another SEC OT in Armand Membou, a more natural right tackle pick who can slide in right away and lock down their starting tackle tandem. 

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7. New York Jets: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State

There's an interesting thought exercise here between Will Campbell and Tyler Warren, but with Fashanu locking down the left tackle spot, I'm not sure the Jets want to take a risk flipping Campbell to a spot he has never played. They are, however, very interested in the tight end class, and it sounds like Tyler Warren will be the first off the board. 

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8. Carolina Panthers: Jalon Walker, OLB, Georgia

Carolina feels like a prime team to trade down here at eight, but the opportunity to add a top-flight pass rushing talent might be too tempting without an offer that completely blows them away. Jalon Walker has the talent to be a premier pass rusher in the NFL, and Ejiro Evero is the right kind of defensive coordinator to capitalize on his talent. 

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9. Jacksonville Jaguars*: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan

Truthfully, it wouldn't surprise me if this was the pick at fifth overall, so the Jaguars end up moving backwards, picking up more capital, and still get their guy here in the top-10. Josh Hines-Allen, Travon Walker, Arik Armstead, and Mason Graham is a devastating front four to harass the elite quarterbacks of the AFC with. 

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10. New England Patriots*: Will Campbell, OT, LSU

I believe that New England is certainly interested in Will Campbell. However, I also feel like that pick has become too chalk since nobody knows, and it's been buttoned up from New England's side. After moving down in the draft here, though, New England still ends up taking the guy many believed they would take at fourth overall. I would also keep an eye on Tetairoa McMillan and Shemar Stewart here, however. 

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11. San Francisco 49ers: Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia

The 49ers haven't hidden their interest in a defensive lineman with this pick, it's just a matter of who that pick will be. General manager John Lynch openly said they wanted an edge rusher who could set the edge in the run game, and nobody in this class does it better than Mykel Williams.

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12. Dallas Cowboys: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona

This pick feels fairly chalk as well, as Dallas's interest in a wide receiver hasn't exactly been quiet. I don't buy the "doesn't like football" stuff with Tetairoa McMillan much, and his skill set is exactly what Dallas's offense is missing. 

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13. Miami Dolphins: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas

This is where the draft starts to split a bit for me, as Miami could truthfully go in any direction here with all of their needs. It does sound like they will take Barron here, but don't be surprised if they move down from 13. 

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14. Indianapolis Colts: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan

Another chalk pick here. The Colts could explore an offensive lineman, but the lack of blue-chip options here probably put paid to that theory, especially over a talent as dynamic as Colston Loveland. 

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15. Atlanta Falcons: Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall

The Falcons have not hidden their interest in adding a pass rusher here, and it sounds like Mike Green will be their top pick if he is still on the board. His explosiveness as a pass rusher is something the Falcons' front desperately needs. 

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16. Arizona Cardinals: Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon

The Cardinals have been a popular offensive tackle spot, and I wouldn't be shocked if they selected another Ohio State OT here in Josh Simmons. However, I do think this defensive front needs a real game-wrecker up front. Harmon can play from the 1-technique to the 5 in Jonathan Gannon's defense, and give the Cardinals an intriguing duo of Harmon and Darius Robinson up front on their defensive line. 

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17. Cincinnati Bengals: Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss

This pick feels like a defensive lineman the whole way, it just depends on if it's an edge rusher or defensive tackle. The increased surety around Trey Hendrickson sticking around makes me think they'll push edge down a slot in terms of need and go defensive tackle. Nolen's draft stock is all over the place, but his style of play is exactly what the Bengals need up front. 

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18. Seattle Seahawks: Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M

This has been a very popular offensive lineman landing spot, but John Schneider just doesn't believe in drafting interior linemen early on. Schneider constantly thinks about value and premium positions. That could point towards a cornerback, but Demarcus Lawrence has an out after one year on his deal, Boye Mafe has one year left on his deal, and Uchenna Nwosu is coming off a major knee injury. Schneider could see the value in adding a rookie contract here to reset this position, and Shemar Stewart is the exact type of big defensive end Mike MacDonald loves for his scheme. 

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19. Cleveland Browns*: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado

Tampa Bay wants to trade back, and the board fell tremendously for them with their needs. They pass fully out of the first round and load up on capital later in the draft and next year. 

Cleveland needs a quarterback, and Shedeur Sanders is the top guy left on the board and also fits their scheme. They get ahead of teams that might be interested in Pittsburgh and the Los Angeles Rams to go get their guy and re-unite Sanders and Hunter.  

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20. Denver Broncos: TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State

This pick is an open secret. The Broncos have openly coveted Henderson and truly believe he can be a game-changing talent. He won't be available at their next pick. 

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21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan

With Sanders off the board, the Steelers pivot to their next biggest area of need: the defensive line. Grant is more than just a pure nose tackle, in my opinion, and the Steelers feel like a perfect landing spot to develop him with their success here over the years. 

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22. Los Angeles Chargers: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State

With Loveland and Kenneth Grant off the board, the Chargers turn to their offense and add an intriguing playmaker in Emeka Egbuka. His route-running ability and hands gives the Chargers a day one starter in the slot to pair with Ladd McConkey as their passing offense continues to evolve. 

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23. Green Bay Packers: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan

With Jaire Alexander less and less likely to stay as a Packer, Green Bay opts to select his replacement here in the first round in Will Johnson. 

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24. Minnesota Vikings: Malaki Starks, SAF, Georgia

The closer we get to the draft, the more and more likely it seems that the Vikings will take a defensive back if they stick with the 24th overall pick. I think Malaki Starks is the best talent here, and it sounds like the NFL agrees with me here. His skill set with a mind like Brian Flores would be incredibly fun, and gives them the missing piece their defense needs. 

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25. Houston Texans: Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State

Josh Simmons' stock is all over the place with his medicals, and it feels like he could absolutely be taken earlier than this. He falls here, though, and Houston snatches him up before anyone else gets a chance to. Simmons can take over as their left tackle of the future right away. 

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26. New York Giants*: Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss

The Rams have been a popular landing spot, but it doesn't sound like they want to stick at pick 26 and make a deal. With Ward and Sanders off the board, the rest of the quarterbacks are up to the eyes of the beholder, and there's a lot of buzz surrounding the Giants and Dart. A bit of desperation forces their hand here to move up and secure him before anyone else thinks about it. 

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27. Baltimore Ravens: Nick Emmanwori, SAF, South Carolina 

The Ravens always feel like a team that just lands players we look back at and say "Of course the Ravens drafted him", and that player feels like Emmanwori. Emmanwori should move as a deep safety in the NFL, which would allow Kyle Hamilton to go back to his pseudo-linebacker role near the line of scrimmage.  

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28. Detroit Lions: Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE, Boston College

The Lions always beat to the tune of their own drum, but it's hard for me to look at that pass rush room and not feel like they need a massive upgrade there. Ezeiruaku brings fantastic bend and a deep bag of pass rush moves, with the mentality than the Lions will covet. 

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29. Washington Commanders: Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama

Bobby Wagner gets closer and closer to liability territory every year, and between him and Frankie Luvu, the Commanders don't have any linebackers that can cover. Campbell can be the true successor to Wagner and give the Commanders a linebacker with actual range they can play deep.  

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30. Buffalo Bills: Shavon Revel Jr., CB, East Carolina

The Bills feel like a team that could go in any direction, but an outside cornerback feels like a severe need for this team over any of the defensive linemen available here. Buffalo tends to prefer the bigger ballhawk cornerbacks, and Revel's physicality and playmaking are a seamless fit with the Bills. 

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31. Kansas City Chiefs: Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon

The Chiefs could be aggressive and move higher up here for an offensive tackle, but instead, they opt to play the board and still get a 

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32. Philadelphia Eagles: Nic Scourton, EDGE, Texas A&M

There's a decent chance Howie Roseman opts to trade out of the first round with the way this board fell, but I think Scourton checks off too many of their boxes as a pass rusher, and they need to replace Brandon Graham and Josh Sweat if they want to keep their pass rush as strong as it was this season.