Author: Nathan Hott

2025 WR Prospect Top 5

First of all, I’m ranking Travis Hunter as a CB not a WR. He can and will play WR in the NFL but I think his primary position should be CB. Just for argument’s sake, he would maybe be #2 in these rankings, I have a hard time slotting him in. McMillan is the only guy who would have competed for a spot amongst last year’s top 4 guys (Marvin Harrison Jr, Malik Nabers, Rome Odunze, and Brian Thomas Jr.). This group is nowhere near as good at the top as last year’s but there are some good mid-round picks here.

Wide Receivers

1. Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona):  McMillan is a physical freak in terms of his elite size, he’s 6’5 210 lbs. and uses all of it to dominate at the catch point.  He has enough speed to be a deep threat down the field in the mold of Tee Higgins or Mike Evans.  The only worry I have about McMillan is sometimes these big WRs don’t translate to the NFL.  I’m not sure McMillan will ever be Higgins or Evans, those are lofty expectations.  However, he’s not going to be a bust like N’Keal Harry or Laquan Treadwell, he’s a better receiver than those guys. 

2. Luther Burden III (Missouri):  It is absolutely true that Burden had a down year at Missouri as their offense simply wasn’t as good as it had been.  QB Brady Cook had a nagging injury all season and that had an effect.  Burden is still an elite playmaker.  He’s short but well built and his run after the catch ability is elite.  There’s some DJ Moore to his game and maybe some Deebo Samuel after the catch ability. 

3. Emeka Egbuka (Ohio St.): Yep, another Ohio St. guy.  Egbuka has been a prospect for a few years.  Two years ago, he was really good when OSU had Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson, he came back to be the #2 guy to Marvin Harrison Jr. and was banged up that year.  Then he returned and ended up being the #2 guy to Jeremiah Smith and he had a really good year.  Egbuka is a #2 WR in the NFL and that shouldn’t be a problem for him, he’s used to that role.  He’s efficient, effective, and just excellent at everything. 

4. Matthew Golden (Texas):  It was supposed to be Isaiah Bond who had the breakout season at Texas as a WR after he transferred in from Alabama but Golden stole his spotlight.  It’s not a great WR group and Golden isn’t a superstar receiver at this point.  He’s steady and reliable but he’s not going to wow you athletically or with his size.  He’s just a dependable guy who runs his routes well and plays with some passion and fire and will get things done. 

5. Jayden Higgins (Iowa St):  As much as I loathe giving Iowa St. any credit, Higgins is a really talented WR with great size and can line up anywhere.  He has the size and speed you want outside but he’s also good as a big slot receiver if you line him up there.  He will be an affective WR for some team and should go in round two of this draft. 

*Other player to mention: Tez Johnson (Oregon):  Johnson is an extremely small WR who measured in at on 156 lbs. at the Senior Bowl.  That’s tough as he’s even smaller than Tank Dell was coming into the league and Dell was a major outlier.  That would be a huge problem if Johnson did show the elite separation skills, his ridiculous speed, and his natural ability to catch the football.  It’s hard to imagine a guy this small succeeding in the NFL but it’s harder to imagine Tez Johnson not being an awesome slot receiver in the NFL. 

2025 RB Prospects Top 5

This is a deep group of RB prospects and I actually think there are quite a few guys who will become starters or co-starters (for lack of a better term) pretty quickly. I have 6 guys listed here but I didn’t include Dylan Sampson (Tennessee), Cam Skattebo (Arizona St.), Ollie Gordon (Oklahoma St.), RJ Harvey (UCF), or a number of others. It’s a very good RB class. There’s going to be a 5th or 6th round RB in this draft that plays an important role for his team next season.

Running Backs

1. Ashton Jeanty (Boise St.):  I’ll give Jeanty his due as an excellent running back and he earned the distinction as the top RB in this class, but it’s not as big of a gap as a prospect between him and the next two guys as you might think.  Jeanty is on the shorter side being about 5’9 but that gives him his low center of gravity and makes him really hard to take down.  He bounces off of tacklers because he has great contact balance and then can break away.  He has great vision and does pretty much everything you want a RB to do very well.  My biggest concern is the sheer amount of carries he has taken in his college career and if that might come back to haunt him. 

2. Kaleb Johnson (Iowa):  Patience, vision, and speed.  Kaleb Johnson’s calling cards.  He’s about 6’1 and 225 lbs. and yet he can run away from almost everyone.  Johnson’s upright running style seems like it would make him an easy target to take down in traffic but unless you get to him behind the line of scrimmage, his upper body strength and elite stiff arm make him a terror in traffic.  He also has elite and deceptive speed and absolutely crushes pursuit angles making him hard to catch if he gets the corner on an outside run. If he goes to a zone blocking team in the NFL, his patience to let his blocks set up, his vision to find the right hole, and then his elite speed to the edge are going to make him a dangerous weapon. 

3. Omarion Hampton (North Carolina):  Hampton is ranked ahead of Johnson for a lot of people and it’s understandable.  He’s 6’0 220 lbs. and he has speed and plenty of power.  He was a bit of a forgotten man as North Carolina didn’t have a great year and he didn’t have quite as many big plays like Johnson had.  Hampton is going to be a starting RB in the league for quite a long time.  His contact balance is excellent and he is a really tough runner.  He’s got the speed to make you pay if you let him get the corner. 

4. TreVeyon Henderson (Ohio St.):  Speedy, big play weapon.  Henderson isn’t the guy you’re going to hand the ball off to 25 times in a game, but you want him to touch the ball at least 15.  He has electric speed that can change the game for you.  He is at his best in space with the ball in his hands.  He’s going to be compared to Jahmyr Gibbs a thousand times between now and the draft and the team that takes him is hoping he’s exactly that guy. 

5. Quinshon Judkins (Ohio St.): Is there any wonder Ohio St. won the National Championship.  Judkins transferred in this season from Ole Miss to be the power complement to Henderson’s speed demon.  Go watch the National Championship game and you’ll see what it looks like when Judkins takes over.  He’s 5’11 210 lbs. and uses every last ounce of that size to punish teams, oh, and he’s not slow, he has speed too.  He’s quite the consolation prize if you  miss out on one of the top fours players here. 

*Other player of note: Damien Martinez (Miami) transferred to Miami after having a pretty good career going at Oregon St.  He’s 6’0 230 lbs. and moves really well for a man that size, actually he moves well for a guy 30 lbs. lighter than that.  He didn’t get off to a great start at Miami as he struggled early but he came on later in the season.  He’s big, powerful, and has enough speed to hurt you.  He went to the Senior Bowl and while there weren’t a lot of standout moments for the RBs down there, Martinez looked good.  One thing he did very well that catches the eye is his pass blocking improvement during practice at the Senior Bowl.  If you’re going to be a mid-round RB with the size Martinez has, teams are going to want you to be a good pass blocker.  Martinez looked good doing that. 

2025 QB Prospects Top 5

I don’t usually do this but this draft is so weird it’s hard to do mock drafts right now.  There are six teams in the top 10 that need a QB and it’s a stretch in my mind to put two in the first round.  I thought I’d do a prospect board with my Top 5 guys at each position and then maybe someone outside the Top 5 worth mentioning.  Let’s take a look at the QB position. 

Quarterbacks

1. Cam Ward (Miami):  Ward is my top player at QB.  He’s a good athlete, great arm, and has mobility in the pocket that comes in quite handy.  His game feels a bit chaotic at times but he’s always in control.  He’s not the tallest guy but it doesn’t hinder him.  He isn’t an elite prospect and he should probably be a mid-first round pick but he’s going in the top three because there are teams desperate for QBs in the top three.  I like Ward, I don’t love Ward.  

2. Shedeur Sanders (Colorado): He’s a good player, he’s not a great one.  He is somewhere between Brock Purdy and Jared Goff as a player.  He’s not a great athlete and his arm is good but nowhere near elite.  He’s started for five years so he has plenty of reps under his belt.  He has the confidence and leadership ability of a starting QB but if he goes to a team with a lesser supporting cast, he isn’t going to raise the play of the guys around him.  His success is completely dependent on fit.  

3. Quinn Ewers (Texas):  I might be the only guy out on this island right now but if I have to take a shot on a QB in this draft not named Cam Ward, I’m taking a day two (round two or three) shot on Ewers.  From a physical talent standpoint, he’s as good as anyone in this class.  When he’s on, he’s awesome, unfortunately, he’s not always on.  His inconsistency is maddening but his upside is tantalizing.  I would much prefer Ewers on day two than taking Sanders in round one, it’s a question of opportunity cost.  He’s falling behind guys like Jalen Milroe and Jaxson Dart in the eyes of a lot of scouts but I’m not sold on those guys either. 

4. Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss):  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and Dart does some good things but there is something lacking in his game.  Lane Kiffin’s offense makes it pretty simple for the QB so I’m not sure Dart reads the field very well.  He’s a really good athlete but is sometimes too quick to pull the ball down and run when his first read isn’t there.  This may also be because he doesn’t really read much beyond the first or second read.  He does have an accurate arm but he doesn’t have elite arm strength. 

5. Jalen Milroe (Alabama):  I have never been overly impressed with him as a QB.  As an athlete, he’s awesome but at this point he’s a lesser man’s Anthony Richardson, and that is not a complement.  Milroe has a rocket for an arm but has absolutely no touch on any of his passes under 20 yards.  There is a big difference between arm strength and arm talent.  Milroe has arm strength, he can throw it a mile, but he doesn’t have the arm talent to put the ball where it needs to be with the right velocity to get it there and make the pass catchable.  He had a rough last season at Alabama and then his Senior Bowl week was not helpful, he was essentially invisible. 

*Other player to note: Will Howard (Ohio St.): Strange to say Will Howard is a little under the radar since he just led Ohio St. to a National Championship but it really wasn’t until the college football playoffs that his draft stock started to tick up.  He has great size at around 6’4 235 lbs. and he’s got some mobility to him.  Howard has a strong arm that needs a little work on the touch passes but he knows how to play QB.  If the choice is taking Quinn Ewers, Jaxson Dart, or Jalen Milroe on day two or taking Howard on day three, I would seriously consider waiting and taking Howard.  The odds of Howard becoming a legitimate starting QB vs. those three doing it, is not that different.  

2025 NFL Mock Draft 1

Pre Senior Bowl and Combine

This season has been all over the place with the draft order, it was like trying to nail Jell-O to a wall.  One week it’s New England, then it’s Jacksonville, then it’s Las Vegas, then it’s the Giants, then back to New England who couldn’t complete the failure and ended up falling from #1 to #4 overall because the Bills were better at tanking a game than the Patriots in week 18.  Of course, the Giants should have the 1st pick in a draft that doesn’t have a good QB crop, that’s what you should get for paying Daniel Jones instead of Saquon Barkley but they blew it too so the Titans get #1 overall.  Going into the season, Carson Beck was my #1 QB and then he pulled a reverse Joe Burrow, he went from possible #1 overall pick to a middle round pick at best. Then he got hurt and ended up taking a massive payday to rehab his elbow and head down to Miami to replace Cam Ward, who may end up being the 1st pick that Beck was supposed to be.  None of this year’s QBs deserve to be even a top 10 pick, spoiler alert, multiple QBs go in the top 10 of this draft.  When you have desperate teams like the Titans, Giants, Raiders, Browns, Jets, and maybe others, the demand outweighs the supply and teams reach for an answer.  Cam Ward and Shadeur Sanders are not great QB prospects, but if you’re looking at starting Tommy DeVito, Aidan O’Connell, a washed-up Aaron Rodgers, a floundering Will Levis, or hoping you don’t have to play an injured Deshaun Watson ever again, anyone looks better.  Quinn Ewers declared for the draft and his stock is all over the place and if you told me he was the best rookie starting QB in 2025, I wouldn’t be completely shocked.  Jalen Milroe is leaving Alabama for an uncertain draft slot and that’s probably best for him and Alabama, I’m not sure he was a great fit for Kalen DeBoer.  What won’t be great is if someone takes Milroe and tries to start him immediately next season in the NFL, that would be ugly.  If you really need a QB, I’m sorry but this just isn’t the draft for you.  Wait until 2026, it should be better.

This first round is likely to be more defense heavy after last year’s first round was dominated by offensive players.  If you’re looking for a pass rusher, the good news is there are a lot of them, the bad news is, I’m not sure which one is going to make an immediate impact.  There are one and a half good CB prospects, one didn’t have as good of a year as you would have hoped (Will Johnson) and the other one is both a CB and a WR (Travis Hunter).  The rest of the group all have some issues. WR has a few guys who look like players and RB is absolutely loaded and yet most of them will fall to day two.  TE is solid, offensive line is okay. Defensive line is deep on the edge and pretty good inside.  Just like every recent draft, LB has some good players but you can wait on drafting them.  At safety, if you don’t get Malachi Starks, you can wait on them too.  Nobody likes to wait on QB, on that note, here we go.

1. Tennessee Titans (3-14):  Cam Ward     QB     Miami

I’m not sure Ward is the guy who fits what Brian Callahan wants to do offensively but he’s the best QB prospect in the draft and they can’t do another year with Will Levis.  Ward has gotten better every year of college and he’s been in college a long time.  He’s a bit chaotic and haphazard but he has special ability to move around and make plays.  The Titans hired Mike Borgonzi as their new GM from Kansas City, he’s seen Patrick Mahomes up close for a long time.  Ward isn’t Mahomes but there is a similar improvisation to their games Borgonzi may like.  I’m not certain Borgonzi will be sold on Callahan as his long-term coach so drafting to fit Callahan’s style of offense may not factor in. One thing to keep in mind is the Titans could look for bridge QB and trade out of this pick to get some assets.  After Sam Darnold flamed out in his last two games in Minnesota there’s a chance, he hits the market and Tennessee wouldn’t be a bad landing spot on a short-term deal and they can wait for a QB in 2026 or 2027.  Darnold would fit fine in Callahan’s offense.

2. Las Vegas Raiders (TRADE from Cleveland):  Shadeur Sanders     QB    Colorado

The Browns have the second pick and they could take a QB but Kevin Stefanski needs to win now, not plan for later.  They feel like a team that will sign someone like Kirk Cousins to a minimal contract as he cashes checks from Atlanta.  Also, Deion Sanders has made it clear there are teams he doesn’t want Shedeur to go to, the Browns have been a QB graveyard for forever.  The Raiders need a QB and Tom Brady has a relationship with Shadeur.  Sanders isn’t the big, physical, strong-armed QB and he’s not a great athlete; he’s a guy who can run an offense and get the ball to his playmakers.  Cleveland moves down, gets some assets, signs a veteran QB, and the Raiders move ahead of the Giants to get the QB they need, that’s a win-win situation. 

3. New York Giants (3-14):  Travis Hunter     CB/WR     Colorado

The Giants miss out on the QBs in this draft but I’m not sure that’s a bad thing.  GM Joe Schoen and coach Brian Daboll need to win now and a rookie QB isn’t the answer.  I’m not sure Sam Darnold is a fit since it’s New York, but Kirk Cousins, Russell Wilson, or even Justin Fields, gives them more of a chance at progress then guys in this rookie class.  Hunter is the best overall prospect in the draft if he picks a position.  He can be the CB1 the team was hoping Deonte Banks was going to be a couple years ago but hasn’t become yet.  Hunter would also be a dangerous part-time WR opposite Malik Nabers.  Whoever lines up a QB would appreciate having both of those playmakers around.  They can look at a developmental QB later in the draft if they sign a veteran free agent and try to fix the offensive line with some other resources. 

4. New England Patriots (4-13):  Tetairoa McMillan     WR     Arizona

The Patriots have to get better at WR and LT and while I’m a big Will Campbell fan, for now, I’m betting they sign a LT and look to the draft for a WR.  This all changes if the Bengals mess up the Tee Higgins contract negotiations and the Patriots swoop in with their ridiculous amount of cap space and sign him.  If the Bengals re-sign Higgins and the Patriots can’t pull off a trade for a WR like AJ Brown or even DK Metcalf, then they sign a LT like Alaric Jackson or Cam Robinson, or trade for the Jaguars Walker Little (if he’s made available).  McMillan is basically a cross between Higgins and Mike Evans and with Drake Maye throwing him the ball, this offense could really take off.  I’m hopeful that Josh McDaniels can get the job done and at the very least he gives the Patriots stability and competence on the offensive side of the ball.  McMillan can be the type of playmaker who can raise the play of guys around him by making their jobs easier.   

5. New York Jets (TRADE from Jacksonville):  Mason Graham     DT     Michigan

The Jets defense fell apart this last season just as much, if not more, than their offense.  The defense was good in 2023 and was bad in 2024, the offense was bad both years.  DT Quinnen Williams is still good in the middle but he’s working alone inside.  Javon Kinlaw wasn’t good and he’s a free agent.  The Jets make a small move to go from seven to five move ahead of the Browns to take Mason Graham.  Graham is a stud on the inside and he can change the dynamic up front with this defense.  You will have to pick your poison because you can’t double team Williams and Graham and that means at least one of them is one-on-one.  The Jets defense suffered from bad play up front on defense and Graham fixes a lot of problems and makes life easier for Williams, DE Jermaine Johnson when he comes back from injury, and probably makes Will McDonald a more effective pass rusher because he’ll get plenty of one-on-one matchups outside with Graham in the middle.  They could grab pass rusher Abdul Carter instead but edge rusher is a deeper position in this draft, taking Graham here and getting a pass rusher later makes more sense. 

6. Cleveland Browns (TRADE from Raiders):  Abdul Carter     Edge     Penn St.

The Browns would have loved to take Mason Graham and plug him in at DT next to Dalvin Tomlinson and for him to be Tomlinson’s eventual successor.  They have Shelby Harris who is already 33 and Mike Hall Jr. who is young, inconsistent, and has some off the field baggage.  Graham would have been great lined up with Myles Garrett. They will be equally as excited to get the uber-athletic pass rusher from Penn St. Abdul Carter, he fills a need too.  He becomes the guy opposite Garrett who wreaks havoc because of his blinding speed off the edge and superior athleticism.  He’s still working on refining his pass rush skill but playing with a guy like Myles Garrett who has perfected the pass rushing skill would be great for him.  The pass rush would be outstanding with those two and would really help the secondary out a lot.  Trading down and ending up with either Graham or Carter and signing a veteran QB would be an ideal move for Cleveland. 

7. Jacksonville Jaguars (TRADE from Jets):  Will Johnson     CB     Michigan

The Jaguars move down, pick up some draft capital, and get the guy they really need, this would be good process.  Johnson had a rough year at Michigan, not in terms of his play necessarily though.  He had a shoulder injury and was fighting turf toe all year and he still was fine.  Once he’s healthy, he’s an elite starting CB.  He’s 6’2 200 lbs. and has excellent coverage skills.  Jacksonville started guys like Ronald Darby and Montaric Brown at outside CB this season opposite Tyson Campbell.  Campbell is a good CB but I’ve never been convinced he’s a true CB1 who can handle the best WRs in the league.  I think Johnson can be that guy in the near future.  The team has pass rushers in Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker, and I could make the case they should stay at five and take Graham, but they need more help at CB and a trade down makes sense. 

8. Carolina Panthers (5-12): Jalon Walker     OLB     Georgia

There is a pretty big divide over where Jalon Walker will go in this draft.  He’s either going to go in the top 10 of the round one or the bottom 10, depending on who you ask.  He’s undersized and can’t be a full time DE.  He mostly played off ball LB for Georgia but they used him as a pass rusher and that’s where his athleticism sets him apart.  He’s not a refined pass rusher and while he’s a top-notch athlete, he’s not Abdul Carter level.  He’s a polarizing prospect but beggars can’t be choosers and the Panthers defense was awful.  Jadeveon Clowney is a solid edge player but he’s not an elite pass rusher.  They need someone who can bring some juice off the edge and Walker can do that.  He can also fill in as a LB in regular formations too.  Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero is a far better coach than what his unit played like last season and it’s because he was playing short-handed.  Giving Evero a versatile playmaker like Walker would be an ideal scenario. 

9. New Orleans Saints (5-12):  Mykel Williams     DE     Georgia

Williams didn’t blow up this year from a production standpoint like some thought he might but that’s not going to stop teams from drafting him.  There are only so many 6’5 265 lbs. human beings on the planet that have the athleticism this guy has.  The Saints have Carl Granderson and a very old Cameron Jordan at DE and the rest of the depth chart is heading for free agency.  They love big, powerful DEs in New Orleans and that’s exactly what Williams is.  He’s more potential than production but that has never stopped Mickey Loomis when it comes to drafting defensive linemen.  Williams could become the next Cameron Jordan, of course he could also become the next Payton Turner.  That’s what you get when you draft lottery ticket guys. 

10. Chicago Bears (5-12):  Kelvin Banks Jr.     OL     Texas

There seems to be a split on whether Banks is best suited to staying at LT or moving inside to OG, either way, the Bears need to improve their offensive line and Banks is a good place to start.  I happen to still believe Braxton Jones will be a fine at LT but it would help if the play inside on the offensive line was better.  Banks could be a replacement for Jones but I’m not sure he’s an upgrade, however, he’s a massive upgrade if he’s playing guard.  The Bears are probably letting Teven Jenkins walk in free agency, he’s just too injury prone to pay big money for.  Banks could slot in at LG and having more consistency there could help Jones improve at LT too.  It seems early to take an interior offensive lineman but if you watched the Bears this year, it’s a completely understandable move and a necessary one. This won’t be the Bears only offensive line move this off season. They finally hired Ben Johnson and he’s coming from Detroit where everything on offense is easier because they have an awesome offensive line. 

11. San Francisco 49ers (6-11):  Will Campbell     OL     LSU

It’s generally accepted knowledge that Kyle Shanahan doesn’t like to spend high draft picks on offensive linemen because he believes his scheme makes linemen better than they are otherwise.  He’s also the same guy who has had the best LT in football, Trent Williams, for his entire tenure in San Francisco and that can’t be lost on him.  Williams is 38 and can’t play forever and even if he’s back for the next year or two, Campbell can either play RT or slide inside to LG.  There are many who believe Campbell should be a guard, I would disagree, I think he can play OT.  He’s started at LSU since his true freshman season and is a three-year starter.  Either way, he’s an upgrade to the 49ers offensive line and they need some help as they have a few holes to plug.    

12. Dallas Cowboys (7-10):  Ashton Jeanty     RB     Boise St.

I know, this is the one everyone has in the mock draft so it’s probably wrong, but it shouldn’t be.  I’m not as big of a fan of Jeanty as a prospect as some, trust me, he was amazing in college but I’m not sure it translates as well to the NFL.  My concerns are that Jeanty is about 5’9 so he’s a little on the short side and while he is 215 lbs. I worry about the massive amount of carries he took at Boise St.  That’s a lot of miles on those legs.  He racked up huge numbers in college but he did it mostly against group of five competition and that concerns me.  He does bring a skill set that should translate, he can play all three downs and be effective.  I think he can be a good RB I’m just not sure he’ll be a great NFL RB.  The reason I can see Dallas taking him is I think they hire Kellen Moore as their head coach and he just spent the season working with Saquon Barkley, the ultimate RB weapon.  Jeanty isn’t Saquon but he brings skills that the Cowboys offense simply lacks and I think Moore will want a guy who gives him something to work with in the run game. 

13. Miami Dolphins (8-9):  Luther Burden III     WR     Missouri

The Dolphins need to get some help on the interior of the offensive line as they have a number of free agents coming up there and weren’t great to begin with, so of course they will pass on that and draft a WR.  Tyreek Hill hinted at wanting out of Miami after he had a down year compared to his usual production.  This isn’t just a response to that; the Dolphins don’t have any depth at WR beyond Hill and Jaylen Waddle.  Even if they keep Hill, he’s going to be 31 and just had a down year.  Malik Washington was a rookie last year who had 26 catches and he was basically their next best WR.  If TE Jonnu Smith hadn’t been excellent for them, the passing game would have looked even worse.  Burden is a small, stout pass catcher who does his best work out of the slot.  He’s excellent at the crossers and over middle where Mike McDaniel likes to run his offense through.  If they trade Hill for some draft capital, they could put Burden in and he and Waddle can become a dynamic duo.  I’m not sure if Burden’s 40 time is going to put him on the Dolphins 4 x 100 relay team but he’s a dynamic player with the ball in his hands. 

14. Indianapolis Colts (8-9): Malaki Starks     S     Georgia

The Colts defense was really bad last season and they fired defensive coordinator Gus Bradley and hired former Bengals DC Lou Anarumo.  S Julian Blackmon is set to be a free agent and even if they re-sign him, they can use more talent in the secondary.  Anarumo’s best defenses in Cincinnati had good safety combinations.  Starks is a multifaceted safety who can make plays all over the field.  At this point in the draft, Starks is a really good value pick too.  The team could also use some help at interior offensive line if they can’t re-sign C Ryan Kelly and G Will Fries.  There aren’t any centers worth taking this high but they could look to get a good young guard.

15. Atlanta Falcons (8-9):  James Pearce Jr.     DE     Tennessee

The Falcons offense shouldn’t be the problem going forward now that they replaced Kirk Cousins with Michael Penix Jr.  Drake London proved he’s a legit WR1, Bijan Robinson is an excellent RB and the offensive line is solid.  The defense on the other hand was atrocious.  They tried to find a pass rusher when they traded for Matthew Judon and he looked washed once he started to play.  The Falcon’s haven’t had a great pass rusher since John Abraham a million years ago so they need to start there on defense.  New defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich worked with some good undersized pass rushers when he was DC for the Jets; Bryce Huff and Will McDonald IV to name a couple.  James Pearce Jr. is undersized at 6’5 245 lbs. but Ulbrich should be able to make him a useful player as a rookie and develop him over time.  This defense needs a playmaker up front, Pearce can be one. 

16. Arizona Cardinals (8-9):  Kenneth Grant     DT     Michigan

Grant isn’t much of a pass rusher from the interior of the defensive line but he’s an immovable object against the run.  The Cardinals have been running a 3-4 defense with some undersized ILB and having a man of Grant’s size 6’3 340 lbs. manning the nose tackle position would make life easier for them.  He’s a pretty athletic guy for such a huge individual but what you want is him planting himself in the middle and occupying two blockers on every play.  They drafted Darius Robinson at DE last year and he would also be far more effective on their three-man front if they had more size at NT.  Roy Lopez did fine this year but he’s undersized for the role and he’s a free agent.  The Cardinals have to address their defense and if there was a CB who I like here that would be the pick.  However, the next best CBs are Shavon Revel Jr. and Benjamin Morrison and both are coming off season ending injuries, not a great investment in the middle of round 1.

17. Cincinnati Bengals (9-8):  Derrick Harmon     DT     Oregon

The Bengals defense wasn’t very good and while they fired Lou Anarumo, their defensive coordinator, it wasn’t his fault so many of their moves on defense failed.  Draft picks like Myles Murphy, Joseph Ossai, Dax Hill and DJ Turner haven’t worked and free agents like Sheldon Rankins and Geno Stone have failed to replace the talent they have lost.  The interior defensive line was especially poor after looking DJ Reader this last season and Sheldon Rankins was awful.  Harmon is a disruptive force inside even if his stats aren’t great.  They need him to pair with Kris Jenkins Jr. to give them something on the inside.  There isn’t a great edge bending pass rusher left on the board so I would go inside instead of repeating the Myles Murphy mistake by taking a guy like Nic Scourton or Shemar Stewart at this point.  This might come down to who the new DC is in Cincinnati and what they prefer.  They could take a shot on one of the injured CBs but there are plenty of options on defensive line and they need a lot of help there. 

18. Seattle Seahawks (10-7):  Connor Williams     OT     Texas

The Seahawks need to fix their offensive line and while the interior seems to be the biggest issue, RT Abe Lucas hasn’t stayed healthy much in his career and they could use a option to replace him.  Williams is a RT only type of player if he stays outside.  He’s 6’5 335 lbs. and is just a massive man.  He can handle the RT spot and on the off-chance Lucas gets healthy and can actually play RT, Williams could slide inside.  He’s not the most refined player, he doesn’t even have a full season of starting experience in college but you can’t teach a guy to be the size and have the power and athleticism Williams possesses.  He upgrades the Seahawks line just by showing up and they can use all the help they can get.  This shouldn’t be the only offensive lineman they draft in this draft. 

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7):  Mike Green     Edge     Marshall

There’s often that one guy in round one that makes everyone ask, WHO?  Mike Green can be that guy.  He’s a highly productive edge rusher from Marshall who is a redshirt sophomore that not a lot of people have heard of.  Also, his name is Mike Green so even if you heard someone mention him, it’s such a non-descript name that you probably wouldn’t remember it.  He’s a bit undersized but if he plays OLB in a 3-4 that won’t be a problem and that’s exactly where the Bucs need help.  Joe Tryon-Shoyinka has never been able to put it together and he’s about to be a free agent.  They signed Shaq Barrett late in the year out of desperation and he didn’t do anything and Anthony Nelson is also a free agent.  They need help and Green may not be the biggest name but he’s a great fit for their defense and he’ll be a good pass rusher for a team that needs one. 

20. Denver Broncos (10-7):  Tyler Warren     TE     Penn St.

There have been a lot of names thrown out there for coach of the year but Sean Payton isn’t getting enough love.  I’ve never liked the Broncos but you have to give Payton credit, he’s a great coach.  Last year everyone thought the Brocos would take Brock Bowers but Payton took a chance and took Bo Nix to be his QB, that worked out as well as anyone could reasonably expect.  Now, Payton gets the TE he wants for his offense and Tyler Warren might actually be the upgraded version of Tysom Hill.  Warren can line up at QB, he did it at Penn St.  He’s an excellent pass catcher and he can block.  If Payton designs some short-yardage running plays for Warren, he’ll be good at that too.  He gives Nix another weapon in the passing game and he’ll be a reliable target over the middle.  There is no downside to taking Warren, maybe he never becomes the high-volume target guy Bowers is but that’s a pretty high bar to clear. 

21. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7):  Emeka Egbuka     WR     Ohio St. 

The Steelers WR corps was abysmal this last season.  Even the human-highlight reel that George Pickens is was underwhelming.  Pickens had 59 catches, was under 1000 yards and only had 3 TDs and managed to be a major pain in the ass for the team all season.  The Steelers may be over dealing with Pickens’ attitude and could look to trade him.  Roman Wilson had a lost season after they had high hopes for the rookie this last year so they need someone reliable.  There is no one more reliable than Egbuka.  He’s the anti-Pickens.  Runs routes like a machine, catches everything, shows up to work and puts in the time.  Whoever plays QB for the Steelers next season will love Egbuka.  He works exceptionally well out of the slot but he can move outside and get deep when needed.  He’s not the explosive playmaker Luther Burden III can be but he’s more reliable when you need to move the chains. 

22. Los Angeles Chargers (11-6):  Shavon Revel Jr.     CB     East Carolina

Someone has to take a chance on one of the injured CBs who would otherwise be first round locks and the Chargers seem like a solid bet to do so.  Both Asante Samuel Jr. and Kristian Fulton, the two starting outside CBs for the Chargers are set to hit free agency.  Revel tore his ACL in September and while that’s never a good thing, the fact it happened in September and seems to be a pretty straight forward ACL repair, he gets the nod over Benjamin Morrison.  Morrison suffered a hip injury in October and underwent surgery, that does not make me feel good about a CB prospect.  Revel is 6’3 193 lbs., he’s long and wiry but he’s a very tough cover guy and Jim Harbaugh will like him a lot.  If by for some reason, Will Johnson falls out of the top 10 and the Chargers could make move up to get him, I think Harbaugh would sign off on that move.  Here he settles for Revel and his upside. 

23. Green Bay Packers (11-6):  Jihaad Campbell     LB     Alabama

The Packers may need to look at CB if they cut Jaire Alexander and let Eric Stokes walk in free agency, the only problem is the next best CB is Benajamin Morrison and I’m not comfortable with his hip injury.  The other problem they may address is LB where Quay Walker hasn’t lived up to his first-round pick status and Isaiah McDuffie and Eric Wilson are free agents.  Edgerrin Cooper looks like a good pickup in last year’s draft but he could use some help.  Campbell is the best pure off ball LB in the draft and he had a very good season at Alabama.  He’s not a guy you’ll hear a lot about because LBs don’t get talked up in the pre-draft process unless they are pass rushers, he’s not that.  He will crush it as a MLB and he’s the kind of guy who will raise the play of his teammates.  Having Campbell to do the dirty work could open up opportunities for Cooper. 

24. Minnesota Vikings (14-3): Shemar Stewart     DE     Texas A&M

I really want to give the Vikings Kaleb Johnson, the RB from Iowa, but I just can’t do it here.  He’s a great fit and Aaron Jones is a 31-year-old free agent so Johnson fills a huge hole.  I’m also punting on a CB again here because there is no guarantee on Morrison.  DEs Jonathan Bullard and Jerry Tillery are free agents and this team needs some youth up front.  Stewart is 6’6 290 lbs. and can be the type of power player on the end that helps Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkle, and Dallas Turner as the pass rushers from the OLB spots.  Stewart is the type of player who won’t get a lot of stats or credit but will be a big part of the defense moving forward because he makes the other guys’ jobs easier. 

25. Houston Texans (10-7):  Josh Simmons     OT     Ohio St.

This feels low for Simmons but I’m still not sure about his knee injury so he falls a bit.  The Texans have to fix the offensive line.  For all the trouble their offense had this year, almost all of it can be traced to the offensive line struggles.  Last year they had a number of injuries and the line still played fine, that was not the case this year.  Simmons is a LT but Laremy Tunsil is still good there so Simmons can slide to the right side.  He can also be an eventual replacement for Tunsil too.  The RT spot was a problem and they tried a number of options, none of them stuck.  Blake Fisher was holding down the spot to end the year and with Simmons around they can move him to OG to fix one of the interior spots.  That would upgrade two positions with one move, always a good idea. 

26. Los Angeles Rams (10-7):  Josh Conerly Jr.     OT     Oregon

Offensive tackles get pushed up the board sometimes because of the need teams have for them.  Conerly is a borderline first round player to some but the Rams may need a new LT if they don’t want to pay Alaric Jackson in free agency.  Even if they bring Jackson back, RT Rob Havenstein is going to be 33, another OT isn’t a bad idea.  Conerly isn’t the biggest OT at 6’4 but he played quite well all season for Oregon.  He has starting ability for an NFL team.  This team has gone with Jackson for a number of years and he was a late round pick who needed to develop, Sean McVay isn’t afraid to let an OT learn a little on the job. 

27. Baltimore Ravens (12-5):  Armand Membou     OT     Missouri

If on the off chance the Ravens lose LT Ronnie Stanley in free agency, they could potentially look to move up to get one but if not Membou isn’t a bad option for them.  He’s probably not a LT but they drafted Roger Rosengarten last year and perhaps he moves to LT where his lack of power wouldn’t be as big of an issue.  Membou is a smaller OT so he could move to guard if need be.  Membou is a solid RT with some size concerns from a height and length perspective but he has plenty of power for the RT spot.  Baltimore also likes to stick to the board and Membou would be a value pick here, he’s a starting RT in the NFL next year. 

28. Detroit Lions (15-2):  Nic Scourton     DE     Texas A&M

The Lions have failed to find an adequate partner for Aidan Hutchinson as a pass rusher and this season was no different.  They signed Marcus Davenport and he was playing pretty well until he got hurt, that was foreseeable.  Hutchinson also got hurt and never made it back before the team go bounced in the playoffs.  He was off to an awesome start and if they get him some edge help he’ll be even better.  Scourton put up better numbers last year at Purdue before he transferred to Texas A&M.  That’s the guy they need him to be to take some pressure off of Hutchinson by bringing pressure off the other side.  There will be a lot of coaching changes for the Lions next season and they need to give their new defensive staff more to work with up front.  Scourton is a big, physical DE who would complement the rest of the defensive line quite well. 

29. Washington Commanders (12-5): Colston Loveland    TE     Michigan

The Commanders played beyond all expectations this year as they have made it all the way to the NFC Championship Game in Dan Quinn’s first year as head coach and Jayden Daniels rookie season.  Quinn, along with OC Kliff Kingsbury and DC Joe Whitt Jr. have gotten more out of this roster than anyone expected and they don’t have a lot of free agents they could lose so it’s full steam ahead.  The offensive line could use some upgrades but Daniels made it work with the guys he has.  The secondary could use some CB help but if Marshon Lattimore and Mike Sanristil keep playing the way they have, it’s not a dire need.  At this point, taking the best talent is a good idea.  Colston Loveland is an excellent TE and while Zach Ertz became one of Daniels’ favorite targets, Ertz will be 35 next year so Loveland would be a good investment in giving Daniels a great pass catching TE into the future. 

30. Buffalo Bills (13-4): Benjamin Morrison     CB    Notre Dame

Morrison had a hip injury that ended his season early.  Where the medical reports come in on that injury will determine Morrison’s eventual place in this draft.  If he’s completely healed and there are no lingering issues, he could be a top 20 pick.  He’s one of the best CB prospects in this draft without the injury but it’s a gamble.  The Bills need secondary help, especially at CB where they’re pretty thin.  If Morrison is healthy to start next season, he could push to be a starter in Buffalo. Christian Benford and Rasul Douglas have done a solid job but Morrison is a real talent that would be hard to keep off the field. 

31. Philadelphia Eagles (14-3): Princely Umanmielen     Edge     Ole Miss

Howie Roseman likes to take linemen early in the draft, that’s been a constant for him.  This team is going to have needs at pass rusher given the free agents they have.  Brandon Graham said before his injury that he was going to retire, even if he changes his mind, he’s a soon to be 37-year-old guy coming off an injury they would have to re-sign.  Josh Sweat is also a free agent and so is Zach Baun.  Baun was their awesome free agent signing from last season they weren’t expecting to be awesome.  It also doesn’t help the pass rushing situation that Bryce Huff, the big free agent they signed last season, was a total bust.  Umanmielen isn’t the biggest player but he’s a terror off the edge.  He would give them another guy opposite Nolan Smith who can get to the QB for Vic Fanigo’s defense.    

32. Kansas City Chiefs (15-2):  Marcus Mbow     OT     Purdue

The Chiefs’ biggest issues are at the OT positions.  At LT they tried rookie Kingsley Suamataia, Wayna Morris, and DJ Humphries before finally moving LG Joe Thuney to the position after he has played his entire career inside.  Thuney was the best of the bunch. RT Jawaan Taylor hasn’t been good either but his issues are more procedural than anything.  Taking another shot on a rookie is questionable but probably necessary unless they find some hidden money to sign a free agent.  I would advise them to move up if guy like Josh Simmons starts to fall a bit but if not, Mbow is a worth a shot.  He’s not the biggest guy but he can hold his own.  If nothing else, he gives them more options and they can let Morris go and maybe move Suamataia to RT or inside.  

2025 Hawkeye Worries

I’m officially worried about the Iowa Hawkeye football program. I feel like I’ve seen this before.  I came to Iowa as a freshman in the fall of 1997 with an Iowa football team that had some exciting players on it and ended that season a disappointing 7-5.  This year’s version of the Hawkeyes feels a bit similar with the way things are going.  Kaleb Johnson was the offense and he was excellent.  While a lot of people compared him to Shonn Greene, there are more similarities to 1997’s Tavian Banks.  Banks was a superstar that season, he was big play waiting to happen and he carried Iowa’s offense.  The Hawkeyes also had one of the most electrifying returners in college football, Tim Dwight.  Punt to him at your own risk.  Dwight was supposed to be a big part of the offense but was largely a decoy and wasn’t nearly as important to the offense as Banks.  Kaden Wetjen isn’t Tim Dwight on offense, but he is a scary returner if you’re the opposing team. Wetjen isn’t anything more than a gadget player on offense, Dwight was more than that for sure but the Iowa passing game wasn’t exactly exciting.  The ’97 Hawkeyes also had WR Damon Gibson, a good player.  The ’24 Hawkeyes have Jacob Gill, a good player.  There were some young, talented WRs in ’97, Kevin Kasper and Tony Collins.  In 2024 we have Jarriett Buie, Reese Vander Zee, and Dayton Howard.  Any of those guys could become Kevin Kasper and have a great Hawkeye career, or they could become Collins, a guy who looked great early and just never put it all together.  The offensive line had some good upperclassmen in Mike Goff and Jeremy McKinney and guys like Derek Rose and Chad Deal were solid.  The 2024 line has been pretty good and has some upperclassmen playing good football, Mason Richman, Connor Colby, and Logan Jones. 

The QB situation is more like 1996 when Matt Sherman was starting but everyone wanted to see Ryan Driscoll and what he could do.  The backup QB being the fan favorite is a tale as old as football.  Cade McNamara wishes he was Matt Sherman, and unfortunately, I don’t think Brendan Sullivan is Driscoll or Sherman.  Once again, an Iowa season is undone by a lack of talent at QB.  McNamara was never the guy he once was at Michigan, you can blame the injuries, you can blame the supporting cast, or you can blame the offensive scheme, but McNamara just wasn’t the same player.  Sullivan is what he is, he’s nice change-of-pace QB who should be used in certain packages, he’s not the full-time starter.   

In 1998 Matt Sherman had graduated and the Hawkeyes had a three-way competition at QB between Kyle McCann, a freshman, and the two returning guys from the depth chart, Randy Reiners and Scott Mullen.  They would eventually all play at some point over the next couple of seasons but they just weren’t good enough.  Brendan Sullivan’s play in the Music City Bowl showed his limitations.   Iowa needs a better passing QB next season because it’s going to be tougher when Kaleb Johnson is in the NFL.  No disrespect to Jaziun Patterson, Kamari Moulton, and the other young backs at Iowa, I really like the talent, but expecting any of them to be Johnson next year is insane.  The passing game has to be better and the Music City Bowl confirmed that it won’t be if Sullivan is running the offense. 

The good news in 2024 is the Hawkeyes have something the 1998 Hawkeyes didn’t have, the transfer portal.  You can hate the portal but if used correctly it can change your entire outlook for next season.  There are three things that can hurt Iowa when looking for a QB in the portal.  The first one is, QBs are expensive and while Iowa’s collective has money, they aren’t ever going to compete at the top of the market.  The second issue is the reputation of Iowa’s offense, it’s bad and while I think Tim Lester has done a good job changing the scheme, you have to show players it works before they will believe you.  That’s hard to do with the QB’s Iowa has had lately.  The third thing that could be a problem is Kirk Ferentz’s loyalty to the guys already on his team.  Iowa didn’t get a lot of looks last season from QBs in the portal because Ferentz’s insistence that McNamara was the starting QB regardless of the fact, he had only played four games the previous season and wasn’t all that great in those games.  If QBs thought they would have a chance to compete for the starting job, perhaps Iowa gets a QB transfer at semester instead of having to wait for Sullivan.  He didn’t transfer until the summer after not winning the QB job at Northwestern.  Ferentz needs to stay out of the way this time, let Tim Lester find a QB he likes and get a guy at semester who can beat out the competition for the starting job.  If Sullivan doesn’t like that, he can move on and Iowa can move on with a new transfer QB and Hank Brown, the developmental guy they already got to replace Marco Lainez.  If they don’t get another transfer QB, then every Iowa fan better hope Hank Brown can beat out Brendan Sullivan to be the starter because the Music City Bowl was not a good look for Sullivan. He simply isn’t the passer you need to run an offense effectively.  His reads are too slow, he’s not decisive in his throws, and he lacks the quick trigger it takes to run Tim Lester’s offense.    

Now, let’s look at why I’m even more worried we are looking at a Hayden Fry 1998-like drop off for the Iowa program.  This roster has enjoyed some stability because of the extra Covid year granted to so many players.  That is about to run out for almost everyone and it’s going to hit Iowa hard, especially the defense. The defense was the reason Iowa lost two of its games this season, Michigan St. and UCLA.  They also struggled against Missouri in the bowl game.  The defense got destroyed against MSU and UCLA and that’s not a good sign.  The bigger issue is losing so much talent and experience from this team.  DE Deontae Craig, DT Yahya Black, LB Nick Jackson, LB Jay Higgins, LB Kyler Fisher, FS Quinn Schulte, CB Jermari Harris, and CASH Sebastian Castro, will all be gone next season.  That’s a major mountain to climb.  The top DE, the top DT, all three starting LBs, the top CB, and your best and most versatile defender, Castro.  I usually give Phil Parker the benefit of the doubt, but that’s a whole lot of production to replace with guys who haven’t played much at all.  If the defense falls off to a level closer to the Michigan St/UCLA game defense, Iowa is in trouble, and offense would have to be astronomically better to make up the difference. 

On offense, they will have a stable of RBs to work with (Patterson and Moulton, plus Terrell Washington Jr, Xavier Williams, and Brevin Doll).  Jacob Gill can be a solid WR (the terrible drop against Missouri not withstanding).  Reece Vander Zee has loads of potential and Jarriett Buie and Dayton Howard still have promise.  We can hope Seth Anderson gets healthy but that feels like the hope you get when you buy a lottery ticket, deep down you know it’s not going your way.  Iowa is always good at TE and they still will be with Addison Ostrenga, Zach Ortwerth, and some freshmen coming up.  The offensive line got a boost with C Logan Jones returning for another year.  Jones and RT Gennings Dunker are a good place to start and if LG Beau Stephens can stay healthy, that’s three returning starters.  Kade Pieper should step into Connor Colby’s RG spot and he’s played snaps since he was a true freshman two years ago.  When the coaches use a true freshman on the offensive line, it means they see some real talent.  The team struck out on the LT from Rice the were hoping to get in the portal but Trevor Lauck should be ready to step in after he ascended to be the backup LT this season.  He’s a young guy and doesn’t have playing experience at LT but he was a highly rated recruit coming out of high school and the coaches need to hit on someone at LT or this team will suffer.          

Hayden Fry was in his 19th season at Iowa in 1997 and it was clear the end was near.  Kirk Ferentz is in year 26 and it’s not so clear when the end is coming but it should be sooner than you think if things go the way they could.  In 1998 the bottom dropped out for Hayden and Hawkeyes won 3 games. Fry walked away and Iowa hired Ferentz after they botched the Bob Stoops thing.  In 2025, if the Hawkeyes don’t find a QB they can count on, they could be facing a similar fate.  Are we in for a slow steady decline to the end of the Ferentz era or is next season the cliff? Next year’s schedule has Oregon and Penn St., two of the better teams in the conference. The four rivalry games; Iowa St., Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Nebraska, three of those on the road, and none of those are ever easy.  Indiana might not be as good as they were this year but they won’t be a cupcake.  The Hawkeyes get Michigan St. at Kinnick but they beat the Hawks last season in Jonathan Smith’s first year, something tells me they might be better in his second year.  That leaves road game at USC and at Rutgers, not exactly guaranteed wins.  It’s a good thing Iowa plays Albany and UMass.

The good news is there are still some good QBs in the portal like South Dakota St.’s Mark Gronowski.  The bad news is Iowa isn’t the only team looking for a starting QB and other schools have more to sell a QB on.  There will be more in the portal but are they upgrades over Sullivan or Hank Brown?  That’s hard to say.  Iowa Hawkeye football may be at a crossroads and I’m not sure it’s clear on the direction it’s heading.  Kirk Ferentz isn’t getting fired this off season, his contract is simply too prohibitive for that to happen.  (Thanks again for that Gary Barta.)  An 8-4 season and another trip to the Music City Bowl feels way too optimistic for the 2025 Iowa Hawkeyes, even 7-5 feels pretty tough at the moment.  If the bottom falls out on a 70 year old Kirk Ferentz, does Beth Goetz have the ability to push Kirk into retirement for the overall health of the program?  Would a 3-9 regular season be enough to raise the money to buyout his contract?  Can Kirk Ferentz and Tim Lester work magic in the portal late in process and pull a rabbit out of the hat to save the QB position and the 2025 season?  Can Phil Parker work a miracle to replace about 8 starters on his defense and revamp the unit that let the team down multiple times this season?  There are a lot of questions to be answered in 2025 for Iowa Hawkeyes.  Happy New Year…we hope.