2025 NFL Mock Draft: Jack Lawhorne’s Round 1 Pick Predictions

1. Tennessee Titans – Cam Ward, QB, Miami – Cam Ward is the pick here and the next franchise QB for Tennessee. All insiders have him not only penciled in but inked in here, and for good reason. Ward has great physical tools – a legitimately strong arm and very good mobility – both of which he puts to use in an effective way. Ward is an amazing scrambler who makes a living off of extending plays, reminiscent of Patrick Mahomes. He is also a good processor, which is often a weakness that holds physically gifted first-round quarterbacks such as Justin Fields and Mitchell Trubisky from reaching their true potential. Ward will need to clean up his release and his footwork to find success at the next level, and he reminds me of Patriots QB Drake Maye in that aspect.

   
   

2. Cleveland Browns – Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado – The temptation to pair Abdul Carter with Myles Garrett and form what may immediately be the best pass rush in the NFL is extremely intriguing, but the Browns are in dire need of everything BUT pass rushing, and GM Andrew Berry alluded to Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter as the Shohei Ohtani of football. Hunter is the best player in this entire draft, considering his elite athleticism coupled with his ridiculous ball skills, both of which jump off the tape. Hunter is a unicorn – not a jack of all trades but master of none, but rather a genuinely amazing player at both positions. He has the potential to be Pro Bowl level on both sides of the ball, and I see his likely outcome as an all-pro receiver while simultaneously posting multiple interceptions per season and providing lockdown coverage situationally. 

   
   

3. New York Giants – Abdul Carter, ED/LB, Penn State – Travis Hunter is my #1 prospect in the draft, but Abdul Carter is the runaway second. The Giants already have two effective pass rushers in Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns, and the team needs help on offense badly. The offensive line is among the worst in the league, and the receiving room is nothing special after Malik Nabers. They could also use a young QB despite having two solid veterans on the roster, and HC Brian Daboll is rumored to be enamored by Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart. I love the idea of the Giants trading up later in the round and selecting their QB of the future, but again, Abdul Carter is the runaway second-best prospect in the draft, and he plays one of the premier positions in the sport. They can’t pass up on him, and teams would answer the phone about either one of their current pass rushers. 

   
   

4. New England Patriots – Will Campbell, OT, LSU – This pick has quickly become the consensus in the NFL Draft community. I flirted with the idea of New England selecting Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty and forming an elite backfield duo with Rhamondre Stevenson, but there is only so much that running backs can do behind a bad offensive line, and that is exactly what the Patriots have. There are glaring weaknesses at left tackle and left guard, and PFF ranked the Patriots’ offensive front as the 31st pass-blocking unit and the 32nd run-blocking unit out of 32 NFL teams. If Drake Maye was as good as he was in his rookie year with that offensive line, imagine what he will do with the additions of FA RT Morgan Moses and Will Campbell on the left side. Not to mention the addition of Stefon Diggs. 

   
   

5. Chicago Bears (trade with JAX) – Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State – The Bears are one of the few teams in the league who it actually makes sense for to take a running back this early. Chicago has their franchise QB Caleb Williams on a rookie deal, a good defense, a much-improved offensive line, and a solid cast of receivers. The one thing lacking is a reliable running back, and Jeanty is a transcendent talent at the position. 

   
   

6. Las Vegas Raiders – Tet McMillan, WR, Arizona – The Raiders are in desperate need of skill position talent, with Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers being their only receivers most can name, and a running back group that really needs improvement. With Jeanty off the board, T-Mac fits the bill as the best skill-position player that is not a tight end available. RT Armand Membou is also an option here to fill out the offensive line, but the lack of talent at receiver and running back is too much to overlook.

   
   

7. New York Jets– Armand Membou, OT, Missouri – The Jets can go down a plethora of avenues with this selection. They need another receiver to pair with Garrett Wilson, they desperately need a tight end, they need a right tackle, they could use another corner after losing DJ Reed, and Aaron Glenn could look to add another pass rusher despite housing Jermaine Johnson and Will McDonald IV in the building. I elected to give them the arguably best player available at the most important positional unit in the sport – Armand Membou. If they make this pick, their offensive line could all of a sudden be elite.

   
   

8. Carolina Panthers – Jalon Walker, ED/LB, Georgia – This feels like a match made in heaven. The Panthers’ biggest need is pass rush, and Jalon Walker flashes shades of Micah Parsons.

   
   

9. New Orleans Saints – Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas – PFF graded the Saints dead last in pass blocking last season. Trevor Penning has not worked out, and Banks can play either tackle position or even guard. Banks would provide New Orleans with a high-upside upgrade to the most important position group in football. 

   
   

10. Jacksonville Jaguars (trade with CHI) – Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan – After departing with Evan Engram, the Jags could look to add a tight end for Trevor Lawrence. Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham has been mocked to Jacksonville for months, and with two great edge rushers in Josh Allen & Travon Walker on the roster, but the lack of an interior presence glaring, I completely understand why. But the Jaguars’ biggest investment is 2021 first overall pick, QB Trevor Lawrence, who has struggled recently after starting his career on a high note. And the franchise just brought in a brilliant young offensive mind in Liam Coen, who worked wonders for Baker Mayfield in Tampa, as their new head coach. New GM James Gladstone has to retrieve a weapon for Lawrence and Coen if it’s not added protection up front. And if it isn’t Tet McMillan or Ashton Jeanty, Loveland brings loads of potential as a versatile pass catcher. 

    
    

11. San Francisco 49ers – Mykel Williams, ED, Georgia – After losing Dre Greenlaw in free agency, Nick Bosa and Fred Warner desperately need help in the front 7. Williams would provide a much-needed pass-rushing boost for San Francisco. 

    
    

12. Dallas Cowboys – Matthew Golden, WR, Texas – The Cowboys need A LOT – especially another receiving option opposite CeeDee Lamb – and who better than Texas speedster Matthew Golden? Not only would Golden add another target for Dak and another guy that defenses have to respect, but his blazing speed (4.29 40) would take the top off of defenses and stretch the field to open things up for CeeDee Lamb.

    
    

13. Miami Dolphins – Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State – Every time I watch the Dolphins, my biggest takeaway is that their offensive line is horrible. PFF supports this notion, ranking the Dolphins as the 20th pass-blocking unit and the 27th run-blocking unit. And with the retirement of LT Terron Armstead, the unit has gotten even worse. Tua desperately needs a good offensive line not only to find success in this league, but to even stay in the league. Despite an ACL injury that has dropped his draft stock, Josh Simmons is still seen by some as the best tackle in this class – he could be the Dolphins’ left tackle of the future. 

    
    

14. Indianapolis Colts – Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State – Indianapolis has an unimpressive group of tight ends – a position that young QB Anthony Richardson loves to throw to. Tyler Warren was a physical specimen at Penn State, and is widely regarded as the best tight end in this class. He would improve an already solid group of weapons for Richardson and HC Shane Steichen to work with, both as a pass catcher and a blocker for a team that wants to run the football.

    
    

15. Atlanta Falcons – Shemar Stewart, ED, Texas A&M – Luther Burden was tempting here – I love his potential, the Falcons’ offense has room for another receiver, and the offense would be loaded for young QB Michael Penix Jr. in his developmental years. However, there is no denying that the Falcons need more help on defense than offense, especially in their front 7. After paying Kirk Cousins $180 million to sit on the bench, they don’t exactly have room to splurge. The Falcons need to play their cards right. Even if he’s raw, Stewart is a high-upside pass rusher who can grow into a game-changing defensive anchor.

    
    

16. Arizona Cardinals – Luther Burden, WR, Missouri – Arizona has needs all over the roster – cornerback, front-seven, guard – and with players like Mason Graham and several talented edge rushers and corners still on the board, a defensive pick would make a lot of sense. But they also need to continue building around Kyler Murray, and that means adding another weapon alongside Marvin Harrison Jr. A year ago, Burden was seen as one of the most electric players in college football. His production dipped this past season, and his draft stock followed suit, especially with some scouts questioning whether he can be a true X receiver. Although I would argue that the decline in production was more a result of Missouri’s coaching and quarterback play. Also, in the modern NFL, the concern about his inability to fill the X role feels a bit outdated. The league is full of creative play-callers who know how to get the ball into their playmakers’ hands, no matter where they line up — just look at how Sean McVay has used Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. And with Harrison already locking down the X role in Arizona, Burden would be free to thrive in space, where he’s at his most dangerous.

    
    

The rest:

17. Cincinnati Bengals – Mason Graham, DL, Michigan

18. Seattle Seahawks – Grey Zabel, OL, NDSU

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama

20. New York Giants (from DEN) – Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss

21. Pittsburgh Steelers – Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado

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

23. Green Bay Packers – James Pearce Jr., ED, Tennessee

24. Buffalo Bills (from MIN) – Will Johnson, CB, Michigan

25. Houston Texans – Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon

26. Los Angeles Rams – Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas

27. Baltimore Ravens – Mike Green, ED, Marshall

28. Detroit Lions – Donovan Ezeiruaku, ED, Boston College

29. Washington Commanders – Omarion Hampton, RB, UNC

30. Minnesota Vikings (from BUF) – Tyler Booker, G, Alabama

31. Kansas City Chiefs – Walter Nolen, DL, Ole Miss

32. Philadelphia Eagles – Malaki Starks, S, Georgia