We made it! The week of the 2025 NFL Draft is finally here. You can watch Yahoo Sports’ NFL Draft Live show starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on Thursday for the first round, and continuing at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on Friday for the second and third rounds.
Nate Tice and Charles McDonald, our two NFL Draft experts, will be delivering pick-by-pick analysis alongside Yahoo Sports fantasy analyst Matt Harmon and NFL host Jason Fitz. Senior NFL Reporters Charles Robinson and Jori Epstein will also be making appearances, and you can hear Tice, McDonald and Harmon every week on Yahoo Sports’ Football 301 show.
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Before those festivities get under way, Nate and Charles bring you their ninth (!) and final NFL mock draft this cycle. The New Orleans Saints stun everyone at No. 9. The Pittsburgh Steelers do the same at No. 21. And a huge name doesn’t even make it into the first round. Off we go!
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In this edition, Nate makes the odd-numbered picks and Charles makes the even.
Previous mock drafts: 1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 7.0 | 8.0
Lock it in. Titans get their QB of the future, a player that has a lot of similarities in play style and build to former Titans great Steve McNair, too. They drop him into a better-than-you’d think ecosystem with an above-average offensive line plus a chance to add to the weapons later in the draft.
Best player in the draft goes to a team that desperately needs talent in just about every single way. Browns general manager Andrew Berry hasn’t been shy about his love for Hunter and that his plan would be for him to be a wide receiver first. Whether or not that’s the best roster-building strategy is another question, but it feels like Hunter is headed to Cleveland right now.
You can’t have too many pass rushers, especially when you have the opportunity to add one as talented as Carter. Carter can bend and fire off the football and will instantly play impactful snaps as a pass rusher as he adds strength and hones other aspects of his game. He could unlock some devastating pass rush fronts on passing downs with Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Dexter Lawrence, and Carter pinning their ears back and getting after the QB.
The Patriots still need tackle help to continue building on offense and get a great prospect up front in LSU’s Will Campbell. Campbell would be a Day 1 starter at left tackle just like he was for LSU.
Why not? The Jaguars could go trenches here, or even take a receiver like Tetairoa McMillan to create a Twin Towers combination with Brian Thomas Jr. Instead, they boost the whole offense by adding the uber-talented Jeanty, significantly upgrading the RB room with someone who is both explosive and can do the little things in the passing game and as a pass protector. No more wasted touches in Jacksonville.
Las Vegas would’ve loved to take Ashton Jeanty here, but he goes one pick earlier. The Raiders need to continue building their offensive line anyway, which they can do here with the selection of Membou. Membou has ideal size at 6-foot-4 and 332 pounds, with athleticism for days.
The Jets’ tight end room in recent years has been a mix of injured and ineffective. Warren will instantly provide an upgrade to the position, help out in the run game as a blocker and also give the Jets another pass catcher to complement Garrett Wilson.
The Panthers need pass rush and front seven talent in general, which makes Jalon Walker an interesting fix for their problems. People are split on what his best position might be in the NFL moving forward, but his ability to create havoc and finish plays in the backfield is going to be appealing for NFL teams.
The Saints could end up drafting any position and it would make sense to me. They might wait until Day 2 to strike on their QB, but in this mock they take their guy right away. Dart has interesting tools to work with, but will need some time to harness them and turn it into more consistency. The Saints, with new head coach Kellen Moore and with Derek Carr potentially missing the season with an injury, have nothing but time.
The Bears have revamped their interior offensive line, but still have a hole at left tackle across from Darnell Wright, who is one of the better offensive tackles in the league. Enter Kelvin Banks Jr., who should be given a chance to play left tackle but can play guard as well if one of their guard investments doesn’t work this year.
Trenches have to be the mandate in the Bay Area, whether it be on offense or defense. I looked at a couple of potential offensive linemen here, and even an edge like Mike Green or Mykel Williams to get a long-term running partner for Nick Bosa. But instead, the 49ers shore up the middle of their defensive line with the explosive Graham, who falls right into their laps. Solidifying the spine of their defense will help keep Fred Warner clean and make everyone’s lives easier.
Dallas gets a home run threat to pair with the steadiness of CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott. Golden is one of the fastest players in the draft who rode an incredible run through the College Football Playoff toward first-round status as a prospect. Jerry Jones hasn’t exactly hid his love for Golden this draft season, so let’s see if this is one we can guess perfectly right.
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Jalen Ramsey might be on the move, the current Dolphins starting safeties are recently signed free agents with no long-term commitments, and slot defender Kader Kohou is a free agent after this year. So no matter where you picture Barron playing in the NFL (I see him as a slot/safety hybrid), he will be able to find a place to play, start, and impact the game somewhere in Miami’s defensive backfield.
Johnson would’ve gone much higher if he didn’t have an injury-plagued season and draft process, but at his best he’s a truly dominant cornerback. That’s someone that the Colts’ defense needs, and he fits the size parameters that they like for their cornerbacks.
The Falcons need someone to sack the quarterback. Mike Green led FBS in sacks in 2024 and has the twitch, bend, and 100 mph play style to import those sacks to the league. It really doesn’t get much less complicated than that.
The Cardinals have some cool defenders and ran just about every style of defense to try and get them moving last year. That fits someone like Mykel Williams, who played up and down Georgia’s defensive line and brought strong run defense, even if he profiles best as a hand-in-the-dirt defensive end.
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The Bengals recently drafted Kris Jenkins, brought in T.J. Slaton and brought back B.J. Hill. They could look to add an edge here with the murky Trey Hendrickson situation, or even an offensive lineman. But they continue to add some beef to their defensive line to help shore up the worst run defense in the NFL last season. Harmon will make a living by eating up blocks in the run game, but has the athleticism and flashes to be able to stay on the field on all three downs and rush the passer, too. His versatility along the line should open up things for new defensive coordinator Al Golden.
Seattle has had an interesting offseason, but they still have work to do along the offensive line when it comes to building out players who will still be around for the long term. Grey Zabel profiles as a great fit in Klint Kubiak’s offense and would give them a much-needed boost at wherever they need him to play — anywhere from left guard to right tackle.
One of the cleanest player-team fits of the first round, Campbell has a real four-down skill set to play the run, in coverage, and as a blitzer with equal aplomb, with the size and athleticism that we seldom see at the position these days. Even Campbell’s ability as a blitzer makes sense in Todd Bowles’ aggressive scheme (although he has stated that he wants to dial it back a bit). The Buccaneers have always done a great job of bridging their present roster with future needs. Campbell can be a running mate next to Lavonte David and then take over once the franchise legend finally does retire.
The Broncos had a nice start in their first year with Bo Nix as the starting quarterback, but they could use an “easy button” in the run game to stabilize their offense this season. Enter Hampton, who has the statistical, physical and visual profile to be a long term starting running back in the NFL.
This is very rich for Milroe, and maybe this is just my brain picturing Milroe as this generation’s Kordell Stewart. But the Steelers have to address the QB room this week, whether that’s finally signing Aaron Rodgers or trading for Kirk Cousins or drafting a QB. Even adding a veteran wouldn’t preclude the Steelers from taking Milroe, who has incredible tools and won teams over during the interview process, but needs a lot of time to become even close to a viable NFL passer. Either way, he’s an exciting player and is a theoretical ball of clay that any coach would love to try and develop. He could even be a fun package player for Arthur Smith (much like Justin Fields was last year) to tinker with as he develops.
The Chargers still need some more juice on their offense and they can get it in the form of Colston Loveland, who has incredible upside as a receiving threat as a tight end. It’s another piece of speed and explosion for an offense and team that could really use it.
The Packers don’t historically draft wide receivers in the first round (Javon Walker was their last first-round WR all the way back in 2002), but I think McMillan falling into their laps would change the Packers’ modus operandi. McMillan has the size the Packers covet at the position and would complement their young receiver group nicely. His upside as a true No. 1 would allow the other Packers players to slot into more fitting roles, plus give them someone who can actually beat man coverage on their roster (something that hindered them greatly in 2024). A McMillan-Jayden Reed-Tucker Kraft-Romeo Doubs pass-catching group (with Luke Musgrave, Dontayvion Wicks and an injured Christian Watson on the roster) has great synergy and would be exciting to watch with Jordan Love. I’m trying to manifest this one.
Minnesota added some quality talent to their defensive interior with Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, but they still need another body for the long term. Walter Nolen has the explosion and speed to be a play-making menace for the Vikings’ blitz-happy defense up front.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Conerly ended up going higher on draft night, but he’s here for the Texans to snatch up. Conerly rapidly improved during his final season and has all the makings of a true blindside protector in the NFL. Even with the new free agent additions the Texans have made this offseason, none of them preclude Houston from adding more talent up front. Especially with a potential long-term starter at left tackle sitting there.
Trey Amos is a riser who may find himself being drafted late in the first round. He makes a lot of sense for a team like the Rams that has great, young talent up front, but still needs to add talent to the secondary. Amos is a smooth mover with CB1 upside in the NFL.
The Ravens love their beef up front on their offensive line. Jackson played the second half of the season at left tackle because of Josh Simmons’ knee injury, but his NFL home will be at guard. Jackson has size, length, and athleticism, and got better every year in college. He is a nice mix of power and movement ability that the Ravens will love for their gap-heavy run scheme.
This is a dream scenario for both team and player. Stewart needs to develop and would have the infrastructure to do so with the Lions and the depth they have up front. Stewart could eventually form a hellacious duo with Aidan Hutchinson off of the edge if the Lions can harness his gift.
The Commanders could have a few interesting choices here, but Dan Quinn gets another smart player on the defensive back end who can be used in a variety of ways. Starks has the versatility to line up in the slot, where Noah Igbinoghene currently starts for them. But either way, Starks will bring his football IQ and all-around play and gets with a coach who loves having difference-making safeties on his roster. (Remember Quinn’s background with the Legion of Boom Seahawks, and the Falcons taking Keanu Neal when he was the head coach there.)
A speedy, talented cornerback to add to a defense that still needs some high-end players after the mini teardown they went through last year. Revel didn’t work out this offseason as he comes back from an ACL injury, but his tape suggests he can be a true outside starting cornerback in the NFL, and the Bills could use a young prospect like that.
Simmons unfortunately suffered a knee injury midway through his final season at Ohio State, but he is a very talented left tackle whose film before he got injured showed a player with the talent to go in the top half of the first round. The Chiefs signed free agent Jaylon Moore, who could shore up the position until Simmons is deemed fully healthy. A little bit of patience with Simmons could be very rewarding for a team that has it.
Pass rush for a team that’s never going to turn it down. Ezeiruaku has nailed the draft process with an impressive workout season to go with a productive final season at Boston College. Ezeiruaku would be a nice addition after the loss of Josh Sweat and the potential whiff of Bryce Huff.
