2025 NFL Draft trade targets, top 200 big board, and trap picks | A to Z Sports NFL Newsletter
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Most logical trade targets during the 2025 draft
During the 2025 draft next week (!), we can expect at least one player-for-pick trade to occur, if not more. While some of those trades could involve mid-tier players, there are a few high-profile trade candidates who could be moved. Our writer Ian Valentino threw together a piece highlighting a few of the most logical trade targets during the draft. Let’s take a look:
Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins: “Parting ways with Hill could impact an offense that aimed to recapture the success they had in 2022 and 2023, but the Dolphins should prioritize building a winning team over simply creating an entertaining spectacle. Hill, a future Hall of Famer who just turned 31 in March, still has plenty to offer, allowing Miami to seek a Day 2 pick in return.
“While the Dolphins would incur a $28 million dead cap hit in 2025, they would also free up over $45 million in cap space over the next two years. Given that they can't keep him with a $51 million cap hit in 2026, trading him now benefits everyone involved.”
Trey Hendrickson, EDGE, Cincinnati Bengals: “If Cincinnati isn't planning to extend Hendrickson, they should consider trading him. While this year's rookie class offers some promising pass-rushing options, it lacks elite prospects. The Bengals could potentially acquire a first-round pick for Hendrickson, allowing them to find a suitable replacement immediately.
“At best, Cincinnati might benefit from one more strong season with Hendrickson before he departs via free agency next year. In that case, they would only receive a third-round pick in 2027, which isn’t a sufficient return to justify keeping him unless an extension is on the table.”
James Cook, RB, Buffalo Bills: “Cook hasn't exceeded 54.5% of Buffalo's offensive snaps in any season, making him more of a dynamic, high-impact player rather than a workhorse that the Bills would rely on as a key component. With the 2025 NFL Draft offering a wealth of talent and depth, Buffalo’s most logical approach may be to trade Cook for whatever they can get and draft a rookie to team up with Ray Davis.
“Despite ranking 16th in rushing yards and 19th in carries last season, Cook is undoubtedly talented. However, paying him as the second-best running back in the league would be unreasonable. While a trade for Cook may not yield significant returns, the Bills have the opportunity to restock their backfield during draft weekend.”
Jaire Alexander, CB, Green Bay Packers: “Regrettably, Jaire Alexander's career has been marred by injuries in three of the last four seasons. The standout cornerback has been sidelined for 34 games since the start of 2021, with only one season in that span featuring more than seven games played. While Green Bay might consider giving him another chance, it’s also reasonable to think they may want to move on from a player with a $24.6 million cap hit in 2025.
“The financial relief from freeing him this year wouldn't be significant, and trading him now would mean taking a risk on his ability to stay healthy. Alexander possesses uncommon versatility and ball skills, making it possible that the benefits of keeping him could outweigh the costs. However, given that this year's cornerback draft class is relatively weak, a team in need might be willing to pay a premium for Alexander.”
Tyreek Hill, Trey Hendrickson, and James Cook headline most logical 2025 NFL Draft trade targets
The 2025 NFL Draft will showcase the future stars as they are chosen by their first franchises. While the spotlight is often on the rookies, there's a good chance we'll see a veteran player traded as well. This can happen due to a falling prospect or a front office missing out on a target. Veteran […]
Top 200 big board, mock drafts, and trap picks
More draft content is coming in hot as we inch closer to the big event. Our draft analysts finalized their top 200 big board, assigning grades to each prospect on their list. Take a look here and see if your rankings match up with theirs.
We’ve also had a bunch of mock drafts from various writers — you can check individual team pages on A to Z Sports for team-based mocks. We’ve had quite a few national mocks as well — these are some of the latest:
- A one-round mock by Travis May which sees Shedeur Sanders falling down the board
- A two-rounder from Adam Holt and Rob Gregson which features a few surprise early picks
- A one-rounder from Charles Goldman that sees quite a few trades
- A three-rounder by Tyler Forness and A.J. Schulte that has an interesting quarterback pick in the first round
Lastly, our guy Ian put together an interesting list of potential trap picks in the upcoming draft, highlighting teams that may feel forced to make certain picks instead of finding the best player available. Here’s a look at a few:
Shedeur Sanders to Browns or Giants: “… with ESPN's Adam Schefter reporting that the Browns might be leaning towards Penn State's Abdul Carter instead, it's clear they are exploring different strategies beyond addressing their longstanding need at quarterback. Ignoring Sanders could prove to be a mistake …
“A similar sentiment applies to the New York Giants at pick No. 3. Regardless of how they evaluate Sanders, a front office should never submit a pick they're not completely confident in. This is how players like Zach Wilson, Kenny Pickett, and many other disappointments end up moving to a new team before even finishing their first contracts.”
Any running back to the Cowboys in Round 1: “The 2025 running back class is one of the deepest we’ve seen in years, if not ever. While choosing Ashton Jeanty with the 12th overall pick can be defended, it’s quite likely that a player taken later on Day 2 or Day 3 could provide similar levels of production. Although it might be harder and more nerve-wracking to wait, and Jerry Jones would surely appreciate the excitement of bringing in a star playmaker, the long-term benefits might be greater by pursuing other options.
“Selecting a high-quality receiver like Tetroira McMillan, a tight end such as Tyler Warren, a safety like Nick Emmanwori, or one of the many talented defensive linemen would better address critical positional needs while still ensuring that the rookie contributes significantly in 2025.”
Chiefs adding an offensive lineman: “The Kansas City Chiefs might face similar offensive line challenges in 2025 as they did last year. With Joe Thuney moving on, 2024 second-round pick Kingsley Suamataia will step into the left guard position, while Jaylon Moore, a less-than-stellar backup, has been signed to a surprisingly hefty contract to play left tackle.
“The Chiefs might instead want to pursue a more dynamic tight end or running back or focus on refreshing their aging defensive line. With the 31st overall pick, their decision-making becomes more complex, as the available talent will primarily be the leftovers.”
Why Shedeur Sanders, Ashton Jeanty, and Malaki Starks could be trap picks in 2025 NFL Draft
The buildup to the 2025 NFL mock drafts has led us to anticipate that the three-day event will unfold in a few specific ways. However, teams must avoid the pitfall of feeling compelled to target a particular position or player. While free agency is one aspect that influences the draft's dynamics, it's essential to evaluate […]
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