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2025 NFL DRAFT PREDICTIONS
1st Round Mock
Draft • 32 Picks
• Needs-Based Selection
My picks may
differ from the idiotic owners draft choices
Pick 1 — Los Angeles Rams (3-14)
Needs: QB, HB (QB is old, RB is
slow)
The Rams went 3-14 and have the first
overall pick, which is the football equivalent of
winning a Darwin Award — congratulations on surviving,
here's your consolation prize. The good news: this
year's prize is outstanding. Jeremiyah Love (HB,
OVR 85) is the highest-rated halfback in this
class — a 93 SPD elusive back who would immediately
inject life into an offense that currently moves at the
pace of continental drift. However, with an aging QB
being the bigger long-term crisis, the Rams must
consider Fernando Mendoza (QB, OVR 77),
the top-rated quarterback in this draft class. A
franchise QB is the harder commodity to find. Los
Angeles takes Mendoza with the first pick and begins the
slow, painful process of rebuilding. The RB can wait.
The QB situation cannot.
Pick 2 — Atlanta Falcons (3-14)
Needs: QB, WR, Multiple LBs, CB,
SS
Atlanta went 3-14 in a tie with the Rams
— a shared achievement in mediocrity that would make any
fan base reconsider their life choices. The Falcons have
so many needs that their draft board probably looks like
the classified ads section of a very sad newspaper. With
the top QB gone, Atlanta looks at Avieon Terrell
(CB, OVR 84), the premier cornerback in this
entire class. A 84 OVR corner at pick 2 is the kind of
value that makes scouts weep happy tears. Atlanta
desperately needs secondary help, and Terrell fills the
biggest defensive hole immediately. They'll find WRs and
linebackers throughout the draft. Elite corners don't
grow on trees — although Atlanta has been composting
enough losing seasons that something should be
growing by now.
Pick 3 — Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-14)
Needs: LB, QB
Three teams went 3-14, which means the
NFC South collectively forgot that winning football
games is the objective. Tampa Bay needs both a QB and
linebacker help. With Mendoza gone at 1 and Terrell at
2, the Buccaneers look to Caleb Downs (SS, OVR
85) — the highest-rated player in this entire
draft class. Wait, but Tampa's needs are LB and QB...
Here's the thing: a 85 OVR safety is a franchise
cornerstone regardless of positional need, and Downs can
play hybrid roles that blur into linebacker territory.
If they want to be strict about it, Dante Moore
(QB, OVR 76) is still on the board and Tampa
needs a quarterback badly. However, Moore vs. an 85 OVR
Caleb Downs is not a close call. Take the generational
talent. Tampa has been 3-14. Generational talents don't
visit twice.
Pick 4 — Seattle Seahawks (4-13)
Needs: QB (should try to get one)
Seattle went 4-13 and desperately needs a
quarterback — the kind of need that turns normally
rational front office executives into people who would
trade their entire draft for a guy who threw for 2,400
yards in a conference that played in the rain every
week. With Mendoza gone, Dante Moore (QB, OVR
76) is the best available — a strong-armed
prospect with Lamar Jackson-style mobility who projects
as a starter. If Moore is somehow gone, Ty
Simpson (QB, OVR 75) is right behind him.
Seattle takes Moore, hopes for the best, and tries not
to think about the Russell Wilson era too hard. Every
Seahawks fan has been through enough. Give them a
quarterback and let them breathe.
Pick 5 — Houston Texans (4-12-1)
Needs: DT
Houston has one primary need — defensive
tackle — and this draft has exactly what they want.
Dontay Corleone (DT, OVR 81) is the
highest-rated defensive tackle in the class. And yes,
that is his actual name. Dontay Corleone. A nose tackle
named after a fictional mob boss. At 335 lbs with elite
strength, Corleone will make opposing offensive lines an
offer they genuinely cannot refuse, because he will
physically push them into the backfield. Houston's
defense has been getting walked over at the line of
scrimmage all season. The solution has arrived, and it
has an absolutely legendary name.
Pick 6 — Cleveland Browns (4-12-1)
Needs: WR, C, FS
Cleveland needs receiver help and a free
safety, and the class still has elite options at both.
Dillon Thieneman (FS, OVR 83) is the
second-best safety in the draft — a run-support free
safety with outstanding athleticism and awareness who
would transform the Browns' secondary. However, if
Cleveland prioritizes the skill position,
Antonio Williams (WR, OVR 77) is a deep threat
wide receiver with genuine big-play ability. Given that
FS at 83 OVR is rarer than a quality WR at this stage,
Cleveland takes Thieneman and addresses the wide
receiver room in rounds two and three. The Browns have
been bad long enough that they've developed a sort of
zen acceptance of suffering. Thieneman won't end the
suffering, but he'll make it more comfortable.
Pick 7 — Minnesota Vikings (5-12)
Needs: LB (big need)
Minnesota needs a linebacker so badly
they've probably been Googling "can a safety play
linebacker in a pinch" at 2 AM. The good news: this
draft is absolutely loaded at linebacker, and at pick 7,
the best ones are still there. Arvell Reese (MLB,
OVR 81) is the top middle linebacker in the
class — a run-stopper with 91 ACC and 86 awareness who
would immediately upgrade Minnesota's defense. An 81 OVR
middle linebacker at pick 7 is outstanding value. The
Vikings take Reese and finally have someone reliable
patrolling the middle. Their fans deserve this.
Pick 8 — Dallas Cowboys (5-12)
Needs: QB, HB, RE, Multiple LBs
America's Team is picking 8th after a
5-12 season, which is either humbling or on-brand
depending on how long you've been watching. Dallas needs
a quarterback, but with Moore gone at 4, they look at
Ty Simpson (QB, OVR 75) — a pocket
passer with a strong arm who fits a vertical scheme.
Alternatively, with multiple LB needs and
Deontae Lawson (LOLB, OVR 79) available, the
Cowboys could take the linebacker and address QB later.
However: the Cowboys haven't had a reliable franchise QB
in years, and at 75 OVR with college development upside,
Simpson represents real potential. Dallas takes Simpson
and gives him time to grow. Or they panic and trade the
pick. Because Dallas.
Pick 9 — Washington Commanders (6-11)
Needs: HB, TE, RE, Multiple LBs
Washington has numerous needs and the
draft is still delivering. With multiple LB needs atop
the priority list, Deontae Lawson (LOLB, OVR 79)
is a versatile run-stopper with outstanding instincts
who would anchor the linebacker corps immediately.
Washington's defense has been a porous mess — the kind
of defense that allows opposing offenses to feel good
about themselves. Lawson changes the culture at
linebacker. They can address the HB and TE in later
rounds. One position at a time, Washington. One position
at a time.
Pick 10 — Jacksonville Jaguars (6-11)
Needs: LG, SS, LB (big need)
Jacksonville needs linebacker help
desperately, and at pick 10, there's still quality on
the board. CJ Allen (LOLB, OVR 79) is a
run-stopper with elite strength and football IQ who has
slipped due to the sheer volume of quality linebackers
in this class. He's the kind of player who makes
coordinators smile and opposing running backs reconsider
their career choices. The Jaguars' linebacker room has
been a rotating cast of disappointment. CJ Allen is the
first step toward making it something else — ideally
something that involves fewer pre-snap confusion
moments.
Pick 11 — Denver Broncos (6-11)
Needs: LBs (biggest need)
Denver needs linebackers the way a desert
needs rain — urgently and with consequences if it
doesn't happen. With two excellent linebackers already
off the board, Jaishawn Barham (MLB, OVR 79)
is still available and outstanding. A run-stopper with
83 strength and elite pursuit speed, Barham fits
Denver's defensive system and fills the most pressing
hole on the roster. Denver's defense has been giving up
points faster than their offense can score them, which
is saying something. Barham stabilizes the middle. The
Broncos breathe again. Marginally.
Pick 12 — Detroit Lions (6-10-1)
Needs: RE, LG, LB
Detroit has three needs and picks 12th in
a draft that has been generous. With LG and LB both
addressed heavily in the top picks, the Lions target
their RE need. Keldric Faulk (RE, OVR 79)
is the top-rated right end in this class — a speed
rusher with outstanding athleticism who can also hold
the run. He's exactly what Detroit needs to complete
their defensive front. Lions fans have been through
enough — they deserve a pass rusher who actually gets to
the quarterback without needing three false starts
first.
Pick 13 — Los Angeles Chargers (7-10)
Needs: RG, DT, LB
The Chargers have interior needs and the
draft still has answers. With Corleone gone early,
A'mauri Washington (DT, OVR 79) is the
next-best defensive tackle — a nose tackle with
outstanding run-stopping ability who fits a 3-4 scheme
beautifully. At pick 13, Washington represents
outstanding value and fills the DT need immediately. The
Chargers always seem to be a year or two away from
contending. Washington on the interior defensive line
pushes them closer to the "contending" side of that
equation.
Pick 14 — Carolina Panthers (7-10)
Needs: RT, LBs, SS
Carolina desperately needs a right
tackle, and at pick 14, there are still quality options.
Isaiah World (RT, OVR 78) is a College
Star prospect — a 6'8" power tackle who projects as a
long-term starter. Alternatively, Jennings
Dunker (RT, OVR 77) is right behind him. World
gets the edge based on development designation and
physical upside. Carolina's offensive line has been a
liability, and the right side has been the worst part of
a bad thing. World shores it up immediately, and their
quarterback will likely send him a fruit basket.
Pick 15 — Buffalo Bills (7-9-1)
Needs: WR, C, LB, LG (biggest
need)
Buffalo's biggest need is left guard, and
at pick 15, they can get a good one. Olavaga
Ioane (LG, OVR 83) is the highest-rated left
guard in this class — a powerful run-blocker at 331 lbs
with elite strength and pass protection ability. An 83
OVR guard at pick 15 is outstanding value in a draft
where the top positions went early. Buffalo's offensive
line has been inconsistent; Ioane fixes the most
critical gap. The Bills have been good enough to be
frustrating and not good enough to be satisfying. A
dominant left guard won't fix everything, but it fixes
the one thing they keep listing first.
Pick 16 — Pittsburgh Steelers (8-9)
Needs: QB
Pittsburgh needs a quarterback and at
pick 16, the class is thinning but still has options.
Ty Simpson (QB, OVR 75) may already be
gone, which means the Steelers look at Garrett
Nussmeier (QB, OVR 75) — a pocket passer with
strong arm ratings and solid awareness who has the
football IQ Pittsburgh's system demands. If both are
gone, Diego Pavia (QB, OVR 73) is a
scrambler with exceptional athleticism who would be an
intriguing developmental option. The Steelers have been
cycling through quarterbacks with the enthusiasm of
someone trying different coffee brands after their
favorite was discontinued. It's time to commit to
someone.
Pick 17 — Kansas City Chiefs (9-8)
Needs: TE (weak at tight end)
Kansas City has been built around tight
end as a position of offensive identity. When that
position weakens, the Chiefs feel it immediately — like
a jazz band losing its bassist. With the first round of
tight ends potentially starting to thin, Kenyon
Sadiq (TE, OVR 76) is an outstanding vertical
threat who can stretch the field and create matchup
nightmares. Joe Royer (TE, OVR 75) is
right there too. Sadiq gets the nod for his big-play
upside and physical tools. Kansas City knows exactly
what a good tight end looks like. They've had a few.
It's time to get another one.
Pick 18 — Cincinnati Bengals (9-8)
Needs: C, FB, RG
Cincinnati has specific interior needs,
and the class delivers. Jake Slawter (C, OVR 80)
is the top center in this draft — a powerful snapper
with exceptional toughness and long-snapping ability who
would anchor the middle of the Bengals' line
immediately. A center is the intellectual hub of the
offensive line — the person responsible for making the
pre-snap calls that keep everyone from colliding with
each other. Cincinnati's version of this hub has
apparently been miscommunicating. Slawter fixes that.
The Bengals take him and don't look back.
Pick 19 — San Francisco 49ers (8-9)
Needs: Huge need at OL, LB help
also needed
San Francisco has massive offensive line
needs, and at pick 19, the class still has quality
blockers available. Kadyn Proctor (LT, OVR 80)
is a 6'7" left tackle with outstanding power ratings and
college impact development who fills the most premium OL
position on the market. Alternatively, Jaeden
Roberts (LG, OVR 80) is an elite guard who also
grades at 80 OVR. Given that LT is the more premium and
harder-to-replace position, Proctor gets the call. The
49ers' offensive line has been a mess — the kind of mess
that makes a good quarterback look like a mediocre one.
Proctor protects the most valuable piece of the puzzle.
Pick 20 — New York Giants (9-8)
Needs: TE, RG, LB
New York has three addressable needs and
picks 20th in a draft that's given generously to the top
picks. With TEs potentially thinning, Eli
Raridan (TE, OVR 75) is a vertical threat with
outstanding athleticism who would immediately upgrade
the Giants' receiving corps. At 6'7" with 86 speed,
Raridan is the kind of tight end who makes safeties look
at their coverage assignment and question their life
choices. The Giants take him, plug in a TE, and address
RG and LB through the later rounds.
Pick 21 — Indianapolis Colts (9-7-1)
Needs: QB, LB
Indianapolis needs a franchise
quarterback with the urgency of someone whose house is
on fire. With multiple QBs already off the board, the
Colts look at Garrett Nussmeier (QB, OVR 75)
or Diego Pavia (QB, OVR 73) — whichever
remains. Nussmeier is a pocket passer with football IQ
and leadership traits that fit Indianapolis's system. If
he's gone, Pavia's athleticism makes him a developmental
wildcard worth the investment. The Colts take whoever is
available at QB and commit. The LB can be addressed in
round two. QB uncertainty is the one thing that poisons
an entire franchise.
Pick 22 — Tennessee Titans (10-7)
Needs: RG, LB
Tennessee is a winning team with specific
needs. With RG and LB on the list, Giovani El-Hadl
(RG, OVR 75) is a pass protector with
outstanding toughness who fills the right guard spot
immediately. He's the kind of player who doesn't get
highlights but gets wins — the offensive line equivalent
of a reliable accountant. Nobody cheers for accountants
until you need one. Tennessee needs this one. Take El-Hadl,
fix the right side, and the offense becomes considerably
more functional.
Pick 23 — Miami Dolphins (10-7)
Needs: TE, LB, SS, K
Miami has multiple needs and picks 23rd,
which is the draft equivalent of arriving at a buffet
after the good stuff is mostly gone but before they
bring out the sad wilted salad. With a TE need and the
class thinning, Max Klare (TE, OVR 74)
is still available and is a legitimate receiving tight
end with good speed and route running. If Klare is gone,
Trey Reveron (TE, OVR 72) is the
fallback. Miami takes their tight end and addresses the
linebacker room through later picks. On the kicker
situation: nobody drafts a kicker in round one unless
they're having some kind of episode.
Pick 24 — Green Bay Packers (11-6)
Needs: None (Best Available)
The Packers pick 24th with no real needs,
which means they get to play the role of the smug friend
who finishes their taxes in January while everyone else
is panicking. Green Bay simply takes the best available
player — which at this stage could be Mansoor
Delane (CB, OVR 83), the second-best cornerback
in the class. An 83 OVR corner at pick 24 is highway
robbery. Green Bay adds elite talent to an already
strong roster. Their opponents will not enjoy this.
Pick 25 — Baltimore Ravens (11-5-1)
Needs: RE
Baltimore is a good team with one
specific defensive weakness — the right end position.
With the top REs gone, the Ravens look at Dani
Dennis-Sutton (RE, OVR 79) or T.J.
Parker (RE, OVR 78) — both are outstanding
prospects with first-round grades. Dennis-Sutton gets
the nod for his power rushing ability and elite jumping
ability that disrupts passing lanes. Baltimore's defense
is already formidable; adding a quality RE turns it into
something opposing offensive coordinators need therapy
to deal with.
Pick 26 — Las Vegas Raiders (12-5)
Needs: QB, LBs, CB (defense is
weak)
The Raiders made the playoffs with a 12-5
record and still have glaring defensive holes —
impressive in the way a house with a beautiful exterior
and no plumbing is impressive. With the top CBs gone
early, Las Vegas looks at Malik Muhammad (CB,
OVR 82) — still available and elite. A 82 OVR
corner at pick 26 is remarkable value. The Raiders'
defense has been described internally as "week" (their
word, not ours), and patching the secondary is the
fastest path to improvement. Muhammad provides immediate
starter-level quality at a position of desperate need.
Pick 27 — Chicago Bears (12-5)
Needs: LT, LB, FS
Chicago went 12-5 and still has multiple
needs — testament to either the depth of their
weaknesses or the strength of their strengths
compensating. With LT as a premium need, Spencer
Fano (LT, OVR 81) is still available and
excellent. A powerful left tackle with championship
pedigree, Fano would protect the Bears' quarterback and
unlock the run game simultaneously. At pick 27 with an
81 OVR grade, this is one of the better values in the
draft. The Bears take Fano and reinforce the most
important position on the offensive line. Their
quarterback will stop looking over his shoulder so much.
Pick 28 — Philadelphia Eagles (14-3)
Needs: RT (coach has weaknesses)
The Eagles went 14-3 and need a right
tackle, which is either a small hole in a great team or
evidence that their coach is genuinely bad at evaluating
that position (per the team's own scouting notes,
apparently). Jennings Dunker (RT, OVR 77)
should still be on the board here — a powerful
run-blocker with good technique who fills the right
tackle spot immediately. Philadelphia is a contender. A
quality RT removes the one exploitable weakness. The
Eagles take Dunker and pretend their coach didn't need a
draft article to tell them this.
Pick 29 — New England Patriots (14-3)
Needs: LB
New England drafts linebackers the way
most people buy groceries — reliably, consistently, and
with the conviction that you can never have too many. At
pick 29, the linebacker class has been heavily picked
over, but Landon Barton (MLB, OVR 79)
might still be available — a pass-coverage linebacker
with outstanding size and quickness. If Barton is gone,
David Bailey (LOLB, OVR 75) is a solid
fallback with college elite development. The Patriots
always find a linebacker. It is their gift. It is their
curse. It is their identity.
Pick 30 — New Orleans Saints (15-2)
Needs: WR, LG, LBs
New Orleans went 15-2 — the best record
in the NFC — and still has needs, which is the football
equivalent of having a perfect report card except for
one C in gym class. With LG among the priorities,
Chase Bisontis (LG, OVR 79) is an
outstanding power guard still on the board, offering
immediate starter quality. If they prefer to address the
skill position side, Denzel Boston (WR, OVR 79)
is a physical playmaker wide receiver who would upgrade
the Saints' passing attack. Given that the 49ers took
their LT need and guards last longer in the draft, New
Orleans leans toward Boston — adding a weapon to an
already dangerous offense. The WR is the right call
here. Make opposing defenses suffer more.
Pick 31 — Arizona Cardinals (16-1)
Needs: WR, LB
The Cardinals had the best record in
football at 16-1 and pick second-to-last. This is the
natural order of things. Arizona should simply take the
best remaining player at a position of need.
Carnell Tate (WR, OVR 80) is a physical wide
receiver still on the board — a 6'3" playmaker with
elite catching ability and development upside who would
add another dangerous weapon to an already excellent
Arizona offense. At pick 31, an 80 OVR receiver is a
genuine steal. The Cardinals go from great to greater
and make opponents despair accordingly.
Pick 32 — New York Jets (16-1)
No listed needs — Best Available
The Jets went 16-1, tied for the best
record in the entire league, and pick last. There is a
certain poetic justice here for Jets fans who have spent
decades suffering and can now watch their team pick 32nd
while being excellent. With no listed needs, New York
takes the absolute best available player — which at this
stage might be Sonny Styles (MLB, OVR 80),
an elite middle linebacker with outstanding field
general instincts and awareness. Or it could be
Anthony Hill Jr. (ROLB, OVR 78), a run-stopping
outside linebacker with excellent athleticism. Either
way, the Jets add depth and quality to an already
championship-caliber roster. Jets fans: you've waited
your whole life for this. Enjoy it. You've earned the
right to be smug for at least one offseason.
That's your 2026
PFL Draft first round. From the Rams rebuilding through
the number one pick to the Jets luxuriating at 32nd with
no real needs — this is a class that offers something
for everyone. May your picks develop quickly, your
salary cap survive the contracts, and your quarterbacks
find the open receiver before the fourth quarter.
As always, draft grades will be
available in three to five years, when we discover which
of these prospects became legends, which became
cautionary tales, and which one the Cowboys inexplicably
traded away for a third-round pick and a bag of practice
equipment.
See you at the podium.
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