The 2025 NFL Draft opens for Round 1 on Thursday night. Just ahead of that, the final mock drafts are coming in from around the country, including from ESPN analyst Field Yates.
In his final mock draft, Field Yates broke down who he thinks is going to be selected from around the NFL Draft. That includes a major trade late in Round 1 with massive implications that would rock the entire draft. To get to that point, though, one of the biggest available names will have had to slide down in the first round.
While Yates only predicted one trade in Round 1 of the NFL Draft, there are plenty of interesting other picks and room for movement. With that in mind, here’s a look at how Yates broke down his final mock draft.
There’s no mystery at first overall. After some questions about whether or not the Titans would stick with the pick or trade down, it became clear they were looking at quarterbacks. It also became clear that their top choice was Cam Ward. Then, just a couple of days ago, it was reported that Tennessee will likely select Cam Ward first in the NFL Draft.
After beginning his career at Incarnate Word, Ward made a massive name for himself in the college ranks and finished by leading Miami to a 10-win season in 2024. Along the way, he put up excellent numbers, throwing for 4,313 yards and 39 touchdowns last season.
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One of the most interesting prospects in the NFL Draft, Travis Hunter, won the Heisman Trophy in 2024 as a two-way player. Now, with the Cleveland Browns expected to stick with their pick at second overall in the NFL Draft, Hunter appears to be headed to Ohio. There, he will hope to become one of the NFL’s most unique talents.
The Browns appear to see Hunter as a wide receiver first and foremost, after coming out of high school as a defensive back. However, he is still expected to play both sides of the ball situationally and how the team feels he could best help them to win games. That could mean anything from specific packages to helping out the team’s depth.
Arguably the best pass rusher in the NFL Draft, Abdul Carter was a wrecking ball during his career at Penn State. He missed some time in the pre-draft process working his way back from injury. However, that isn’t stopping Yates from predicting that the New York Giants take him third overall.
In 42 career games at Penn State, Carter had 41 tackles for a loss and 23 sacks. That included 24 tackles for a loss and 12 sacks during the 2024 season. That talent will be too much to ignore for Yates, making them take the edge rusher over another position, like quarterback.
The New England Patriots already have their quarterback of the future in Drake Maye. Now, the task is going to be to build a team around him. Notable issues last season included the offensive line and wide receivers. Both of those are on the board here for New England, but Yates has them going offensive line and taking Will Campbell out of LSU.
There have been some questions about Campbell in the pre-draft process. That includes criticism of his arm length, making some scouts wonder if he’ll be a tackle or a guard at the next level. However, he was excellent against SEC talent and Yates did praise his footwork.
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There can be some concerns about drafting a running back early in the first round of the NFL Draft. However, according to Yates, those potential concerns won’t bother the Jaguars. He has them taking Ashton Jeanty with the fifth overall pick.
A star at Boise State who led the Broncos to the College Football Playoff, Jeanty became a Heisman finalist. He did that on the back of an astounding 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns rushing in 14 games last season. That type of talent should translate to the NFL for Jacksonville.
Field Yates has Kelvin Banks, an offensive lineman from Texas, coming off the board sixth overall. There, he’ll add depth to the Raiders offensive line and become the team’s potential left tackle of the future. He’ll also look to become a staple of the team’s rebuild moving forward.
Yates praised Banks in his mock draft as “one of my favorite prospects throughout the process.” He’ll bring experience while only being 21 years old to the Raiders here. He also has excellent footwork and power to help make his transition to the NFL easier.
The New York Jets are looking to hit the reset button following the end of the Aaron Rodgers era. While there are questions at multiple positions, Yates has the team turning its attention to the defensive line. There, they’re getting mocked to select Mason Graham out of Michigan with the seventh overall pick.
A large part of this pick is the value for Yates. He has Graham third overall on his big board. So, slipping this far would make him hard to overlook, especially for a Jets team that could have an excellent defensive line with his addition.
Field Yates has the Carolina Panthers taking the third offensive lineman in the NFL Draft at eighth overall. There, he will hopefully be able to address one of Carolina’s major issues, the offensive line. As Bryce Young develops, he’ll need more offensive linemen around him, after all, and several of their key offensive linemen are entering the final year of their contracts.
At the same time, Yates did admit that defense is another major issue for Carolina and they could turn their attention to that side of the ball too. So, it will be interesting to see the approach that the Panthers take to their NFL Draft.
Another team with a lot of options in this season’s NFL Draft is the New Orleans Saints. Yates shared that he doesn’t think that direction will be quarterback, though, given what he’s heard from league sources. Instead, he expects them to look for an explosive defensive option, and Jalon Walker will fit that bill.
Last season, in 14 games, Walker had 11 tackles for a loss and 6.5 sacks. He did that as a hybrid player at Georgia. That saw him playing both as an edge rusher and as a stand-up linebacker. That versatility could make him incredibly helpful for the Saints as they rebuild their defense.
Tyler Warren is one of the more interesting players in the NFL Draft. A standout tight end at Penn State, he was a star who would often carry and occasionally throw the ball for the Nittany Lions while still being one of the best tight ends in the country. Now, he looks to become a unique offensive weapon at the next level.
For the Chicago Bears, now amid a coaching change and looking to build around quarterback Caleb Williams, Warren makes plenty of sense. They addressed the offensive line in free agency, which Yates explained gives them options. That includes to take the best player available in Warren at this stage of the draft.
11. San Francisco 49ers – Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia
12. Dallas Cowboys – Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
13. Miami Dolphins – Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
14. Indianapolis Colts – Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
15. Atlanta Falcons – Mike Green, Edge, Marshall
16. Arizona Cardinals – Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
17. Cincinnati Bengals – Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
18. Seattle Seahawks – Grey Zabel, OL, North Dakota State
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
20. Denver Broncos – Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
21. Pittsburgh Steelers – Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
22. Los Angeles Chargers – Tyler Booker, G, Alabama
23. Green Bay Packers – Shemar Stewart, Edge, Texas A&M
24. Minnesota Vikings – Nick Emmanwori, DB, South Carolina
25. Houston Texans – Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon
26. Los Angeles Rams – Carson Schwesinger, LB, UCLA
27. Baltimore Ravens – Malaki Starks, DB, Georgia
28. Detroit Lions – Donovan Jackson, G, Ohio State
29. Cleveland Browns (via trade with Washington) – Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
30. Buffalo Bills – Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky
31. Kansas City Chiefs – Kenneth Grant, DL, Michigan
32. Philadelphia Eagles – Donovan Ezeiruaku, Edge, Boston College
The 2025 NFL Draft gets underway Thursday night with Round 1 from Green Bay. Rounds 2 and 3 will take place Friday, and Rounds 4-7 will close things out on Saturday.
