Part of the 2025 NFL Draft puzzle has fallen into place. The majority of the first-round draft order is now known following the conclusion of the regular season, but it is still more than three months away.
Here is an early look at one prospect considered an ideal fit for each non-playoff team:
Some feel as though Ward is the best quarterback eligible for the draft. Some may feel it is Shedeur Sanders or even Drew Allar. There is not a clear favorite. Ward is a personal favorite right now, so that’s why he gets the nod in this spot. Titans head coach Brian Callahan would probably prefer a veteran quarterback going into his second season rather than working with another quarterback on a rookie contract, but options are limited, especially now that it seems Minnesota will work to retain Sam Darnold. The next best opportunity is to draft a rookie quarterback even though they have several other needs.
If Penn State wins another game and Allar continues excelling on the game’s biggest stage, then his stock could rise to a level where he would have to re-consider entering the draft. The other consideration is that he grew up a Browns fan. The team currently needs a quarterback and holds the No. 2 overall selection. If it is his dream to play for Cleveland, there may not be a better time for that to become a reality. At 6-foot-5 and 238 pounds, Allar is a quarterback with a big frame who has shown improved mobility. He has improved every year and is capable of throwing from different arm angles.
3. New York Giants: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
Sanders will probably create the most draft discourse this cycle because he does have his supporters, but there are some much lower on him as well. The son of Deion Sanders is highly competitive and un-phased in big games. The reality is that New York is desperate for a quarterback. It has to find a player who will be entertaining in 2025, at the very least. The Giants have made a public declaration to retain head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen, but next year is almost certainly their last unless there is evidence of team growth.
The idea of Hunter falling to No. 4 overall probably feels like a pipe dream for New England, but it is not impossible. The two-way star could potentially play cornerback at the next level with the occasional appearance in offensive packages OR strictly focus on wide receiver. The Patriots should be focused on adding talent for quarterback Drake Maye. The top contenders would be Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., LSU offensive lineman Will Campbell and Hunter.
Jacksonville has fired head coach Doug Pederson, but retained general manager Trent Baalke — the latter of which was a surprise across the industry. It could have been foreshadowed, however, because ownership made a comment prior to the season that this was the most talented team the Jaguars had assembled. When the results did not align with that belief, it made sense that ownership would place more blame on the coaching staff rather than the personnel department. In this scenario, the best available options are Michigan cornerback Will Johnson, Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter and Graham. Josh Hines-Allen is playing on a lucrative deal and Travon Walker managed 10.5 sacks in 2024, so there are more pressing needs than pass rusher.
Las Vegas is another organization that needs to figure out its quarterback problem this offseason, as it has been wallowing in below-average play over the past few seasons. When a team is in a division with Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Bo Nix, it must find its own field general with which it can go into battle. The problem for the Raiders is that there are multiple teams ahead of them with a similar need at the position. Johnson has the potential to be the best player taken in this draft. He was playing at a level reminiscent of Patrick Surtain II in 2023 before suffering a lingering injury.
7. New York Jets: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
Aaron Rodgers is gone, in all likelihood, which means Davante Adams is unlikely to return as well. One would assume the next head coach and general manager will build around wide receiver Garrett Wilson. New York has a pretty good roster, but the outlook among pass catchers is bleak beyond Wilson. McMillan gives the Jets a tall outlet in the pass game to compliment Wilson. The question persists, who will be their quarterback?
8. Carolina Panthers: Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State
Carolina’s pass rush was among the least productive in football this season, which comes as no surprise. Last offseason, the franchise sunk significant financial resources into its offensive guards, then traded edge rusher Brian Burns and cornerback Donte Jackson for assets used on the offense. With quarterback Bryce Young now able to stand on his own two feet, the Panthers can now divert future draft capital back to the defense.
Edge rusher Chase Young is slated to hit free agency, which will create a hole opposite Cam Jordan. New Orleans has historically favored bigger, more powerful pass rushers — a strategy that has delivered mixed results. The problem with making a projection based on the past is that the Saints are essentially wiping the slate clean this offseason after moving on from head coach Dennis Allen. Scourton has been their type, but perhaps they made a New Year’s resolution to go in another direction.
10. Chicago Bears: Will Campbell, OL, LSU
The Bears ended the season on a positive note with a victory over their division rival Packers. The offseason agenda must include upgrading the offensive and defensive lines, but the priority has to be supporting quarterback Caleb Williams. Campbell played left tackle at LSU but could be projected to another position at the next level.
Banks has played left tackle at Texas but would flip over to the right side unless Trent Williams abruptly retires. San Francisco has a big decision to make with quarterback Brock Purdy, but adding starters through the draft allows it to offset some of the big contracts it has given in recent years. The other consideration for the 49ers would be defensive line, a position they have heavily invested in over the years but has been depleted recently.
12. Dallas Cowboys: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
The hope is that quarterback Dak Prescott returns fully healthy next season. When Prescott was at his best, he had Ezekiel Elliott to take some of the pressure off of him. Ashton Jeanty can be that three-down back. In addition to being a dynamic runner, he is a great pass catcher and a plus pass protector. In his final season at Boise State, he accounted for nearly 2,750 all-purpose yards amidst a College Football Playoff run.
13. Miami Dolphins: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
Miami is bringing head coach Mike McDaniel back for another season. Brock Bowers had an incredible season and, although Warren is not Bowers as a prospect, he does allow the franchise to bridge a gap created by the anticipated loss of Tyreek Hill. Warren has been deployed in a variety of ways this season, but his primary strength is catching the football. He snagged 98 passes for 1,158 yards and eight touchdowns in 2024 alone.
Starks is going to be in higher demand simply because there have not been many safeties of his caliber to enter the draft in recent years. Indianapolis needs to add to the secondary and Starks is among the best. General manager Chris Ballard has always favored the uber-athletic prospects and Starks fits that profile. In his three seasons with the Bulldogs, the Georgia native logged six interceptions.
15. Atlanta Falcons: Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia
Williams would not have to move far in this scenario. Although he’s raw and young, no other pass rusher offers his combination of size and athletic potential. It is a similar conversation that was had when Jacksonville took Travon Walker No. 1 overall a few years ago. Williams has a higher floor as a run defender as he develops more pass-rush moves and a plan to unleash them.
16. Arizona Cardinals: James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee
Arizona head coach Jonathan Gannon set out to improve the defensive roster last year by adding cornerback Max Melton, defensive lineman Darius Robinson, safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson and others. The pass rush has been rather anemic outside of one performance versus the Bears. Pearce was arguably college football’s most effective pass rusher over the last two seasons. He is built more for speed than power, but his presence gives the Cardinals a higher ceiling.
Unless Tee Higgins departs in free agency, Cincinnati almost has to use its first-round pick to address the defense. The offense has been spectacular this season, but the defense prevented them from reaching the playoffs. They can win shoot-outs, but that is not sustainable over a 17-game season. Nolen is an unfinished product, but he is improving. He accumulated 6.5 sacks this season. Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison and Texas A&M defensive tackle Shemar Stewart would be among the other players considered in this scenario.
18. Seattle Seahawks: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
Seattle has a pretty good roster, but it obviously felt change was needed after parting ways with offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb. The offensive line has to play better next season, but Loveland gives it a well-balanced tight end who can serve as an outlet in the pass game. The other consideration would be South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori. Those two players would fulfill important roles on head coach Mike Macdonald’s roster.
The 2025 NFL Draft is to take place from April 24-26 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. More draft coverage can be found at CBSSports.com, including the weekly mock drafts and a regularly available look at the eligible prospects.
