2025 NFL Mock Draft: Jets trade up for QB to succeed Aaron Rodgers; Browns replace struggling Deshaun Watson

The Pats need O-line help, but they need playmakers, too — and with Hunter, that means on both sides of the ball. He would immediately be the most explosive wide receiver on the roster (even if he’s limited to 10-15 snaps a game), and the secondary becomes one of the best when you pair him with Christian Gonzalez. The Pats can then target offensive line at the top of Round 2.

My comp for Graham this summer was Christian Wilkins. My co-host on the “With the First Pick” podcast, Rick Spielman, took it a step further and said Quinnen Williams. Wherever you land, Graham is a special talent and will almost certainly be a top-5 selection.

The Jags have a lot of needs, and even with Trevor Lawrence struggling, he’s currently making $55 million a year, so he’s not going anywhere. Instead, it makes sense to bolster the offensive line; Cam Robinson is in the final year of his deal, and 2023 first-rounder Anton Harrison has struggled early in 2024. Banks was my No. 1 offensive tackle over the summer, and he’s been really good through the first six weeks of the college football season.

Shedeur Sanders is my QB1 six weeks into the college football season, but — and this is just a hunch — I can’t envision a situation where he green-lights a move to Cleveland, a franchise which seems to find new and exciting ways to redefine dysfunction each and every year. That said, I think Jalen Milroe is better than Anthony Richardson coming out of Florida, and I’m actually intrigued to see how Kevin Stefanski would design an offense around him.

Matthew Stafford’s plans for 2025 will have a lot to do with what the Rams do here, but if he returns, Campbell is an easy choice with Joe Noteboom and Alaric Jackson headed for free agency.

Ward is one of my favorite players in this class. And while he was a fringe Day 2 player back in August, he’s carried the Hurricanes to an undefeated record through the first month-and-a-half of the season. He excels off-platform and has all the arm angles; he just needs to work on getting through his reads and playing from the pocket. But he has all the tools to be special.

Quarterback was a consideration here. But if first-year head coach Brian Callahan thinks he can work with second-year quarterback Will Levis, why not get your young QB arguably the best player in college football? For the last decade or so, running backs were considered fungible, but the pendulum seems to be swinging back the other way. And it’s an easy leap to make when you watch Jeanty carve up whomever lines up across from him every single week.

Johnson was No. 1 on my preseason Big Board, and he lasts till the eighth pick here only because there was a run on quarterbacks, offensive linemen, an all-universe athlete and an all-galaxy RB.

If Aaron Rodgers returns (and I’m not convinced he should), the Jets desperately need playmakers. McMillan is 6-foot-5 but moves like a shifty slot receiver with the benefit of an enormous catch radius and the ability to make contested catches look easy. Think Drake London but a better athlete.

Gardner Minshew was benched against the Broncos in Week 5, and unless you’re of the opinion that Aidan O’Connell is the answer at quarterback, you’d have to imagine the Raiders will be looking for one this offseason. As I mentioned above, Sanders is currently my No. 1 quarterback. He lasts until the 10th pick, and what better landing spot for Coach Prime’s son than Vegas? Sanders is one of the toughest players in the country, consistently shows great touch on intermediate and deep throws, and is a much better athlete than he’s given credit for.

Walker might play with the strongest hands of anyone in this class, consistently wins early in the rep and causes problems as a pass rusher because of his length, power and twitch.

Put aside for the moment that Starks is an elite athlete who can line up anywhere in the secondary; he’s also one of the smartest players on the field, and that combination is what makes him a top-10 talent.

Morrison is listed at 6-foot and 185 pounds but plays longer and more physical than that. He effectively shut down Marvin Harrison Jr. in the Ohio State matchup last season — in seven coverage snaps, he played pressed six times, had two pass breakups and allowed two catches for just 26 yards and no touchdowns. The 49ers have five cornerbacks in the final year of their contracts, so adding depth in the secondary will be an offseason priority.

Big game for Daniel Jones in Seattle, but it’s hard to imagine that’ll change many minds in the front office and on the coaching staff. When Ewers is healthy, he’s shown steady improvement throughout his college career. I think he has a chance to sneak into the first round.

Burden reminds me a lot of Golden Tate in terms of his toughness and yards-after-the-catch ability. He played primarily out of the slot last season and also offers something in the return game. Yes, Philly has A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith, but we’ve seen how disjointed the passing offense becomes when they’re injured.

Derek Carr’s contract runs through 2026, but if the Saints think one of the QBs in this class is worth the investment, I’d imagine they’d draft him. (And I say this with the understanding that one of my favorite players in last year’s class, Spencer Rattler, is on the roster.) I hopped on the Nuss Bus this summer, and I’m still riding shotgun. It may be ambitious to call him a first-rounder, but it’s also early October and we have some 200 days to go until the actual draft.

Carter moved from off-ball linebacker to edge rusher this season, and at 6-foot-3 and 259 pounds, he certainly looks the part of edge rusher — and his pass-rush snaps from a year ago suggest he’ll be up to the task in 2024. Yes, the Bears just traded for Darrell Taylor and Austin Booker flashed in the preseason, but you can never have enough pass rushers in the NFL.

The Packers drafted offensive lineman Jordan Morgan in Round 1 last spring and Ersery, who plays left tackle for the Gophers, is a mammoth in size but moves extremely well. He’ll pancake you into the turf, but will also get into space and throw you into the bleachers. He gives the Packers more options up front, especially with Zach Tom’s deal currently set to expire after the 2025 season.

Grant is enormous but plays like a twitched-up 280-pound defensive lineman who just so happens to weigh somewhere north of 330. He’s stout against the run, can push the pocket as a pass rusher and gives the Chargers some much-needed depth. Oh, and there’s the Jim Harbaugh connection, too.

I thought long and hard about Carson Beck here, but I need to see more post-Alabama to be convinced he can be a franchise QB and not a game manager. Instead, I’m taking Revel. Yes, he tore his ACL last month, but he should be fully cleared by the summer, and even if he’s not available to start the season, he’ll be worth the wait. His length reminds me of Joey Porter Jr., though I’d like to see him play with a little more physically when coming downhill.

Jones has played right tackle the past two seasons, and he’s a better run blocker than pass blocker right now. That said, he is nimble for his size in the run game, moves well in small areas, makes combo blocks look easy and is a pile-mover in short-yardage situations. And while Abe Lucas has been good when healthy, he’s struggled to stay on the field — and his replacement, Stone Forsythe, is headed for free agency after the season.

Loveland is listed at 6-foot-5 and 237 pounds, and while he runs like he’s 185, he plays like he’s 260. He’ll run through open-field arm tackles all day long, he has an enormous catch radius, and he’s a precise route runner, looking like a receiver at times in his movement skills. He’s a willing blocker, but like most pass-catching tight ends coming into the league, he’ll need to improve in this area.

Scourton, the Purdue transfer, is a power rusher who will long-arm you into the stands. He’ll also flash an inside spin move that puts offensive tackles on their heels. Add the non-stop motor with which he plays, and it’s hard not to love his game, especially on a Cowboys defense that needs to get bigger up front.

Georgia has a history of producing freakish athletes, and Mykel Williams might end up being the best of the group. He’s been banged up for much of the season to date, but his 2024 tape was intriguing enough to still deserve a first-round nod at this point in the process.

Egbuka battled through injuries in 2023 but had 1,151 receiving yards the season before, including 46 catches that went for at least 10 yards. Through five games this season, he has 433 receiving yards and five touchdowns. The Bills, meanwhile, could be looking to add more young weapons alongside Keon Coleman now that Stefon Diggs is in Houston.

One of the biggest issues facing the Ravens early in the season was the inconsistency along the offensive line. Part of that is due to youth and inexperience, and that unit will improve — but both Ronnie Stanley and Patrick Mekari are in the final year of their current contracts.

Pearce is a twitched-up edge rusher who plays with more power than his size suggests. He’s been inconsistent so far this season. He’ll also need to get stronger — and more consistent against the run — but in terms of getting after the QB, he’s a special talent.

The Lions have Aidan Hutchinson, but there are also a lot of names up and down the defensive line headed for free agency. Sawyer, who is coming off a two-sack effort vs. Iowa, is listed at 6-foot-5, 260 pounds and would be a nice bookend to Hutchinson.

Burke struggled through the 2022 season but bounced back in 2023, making his case as one of the best cornerbacks in this draft class. He’s continued that theme early in 2024, where he already has two interceptions. Burke thrives in man coverage and plays with physicality throughout the route.

Sanders is a twitched-up interior defensive lineman who is effective against both the run and the pass, and he does it all while weighing less than 300 pounds. Instead of winning with size, Sanders wins with a quick first step and strong hands.

The Chiefs would love another wide receiver, but this class isn’t nearly as deep as last year’s. Instead, they bolster the middle of the defense with Harold Perkins Jr., who tore his ACL last week, but was one of the most explosive players in college football the past couple of seasons. And with Nick Bolton in the final year of his deal, Perkins makes even more sense, even if he’s not ready in Week 1.

The Jets get Tetairoa McMillan at No. 9 and trade back into Round 1 (they currently have pick No. 41) to get Carson Beck here.