2025 NFL Mock Draft: Bears get help for Caleb Williams after rocky Year 1, Shedeur Sanders falls out of top 5

If you only look at Caleb Williams' touchdowns and interceptions, you'd think he's having a fine rookie season. He has 19 touchdowns to just six picks entering his final start in 2024, yet he's been sacked a whopping 67 times through 16 games, and his 11.1% sack rate is simply not sustainable if he's going to have a successful pro career in Chicago. 

Now, some of the pressure and sacks Williams has endured this season are on him. His resolution for 2025 should be to get rid of the ball quicker more frequently. 

But it's not as if the Bears offensive line was impenetrable. Upgrades can certainly be made. And that's exactly what Chicago does in this mock draft, snagging another top-10 blocker to fortify the line in front of Williams as he enters a pivotal second season. Getting the five-best blockers on the field should be more important for Chicago than worrying about what selecting another early-round blocker would mean for Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright at left and right tackle, respectively. 

Remember, Teven Jenkins was a tackle at Oklahoma State and has become one of the better, more underrated guards in football. 

The draft order below was determined using the current 2025 NFL Draft order. For more draft coverage, you can hear in-depth analysis twice a week on "With the First Pick" -- our year-round NFL Draft podcast with NFL Draft analyst Ryan Wilson and former Vikings general manager Rick Spielman. You can find "With the First Pick" wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, etc.

NFL Mock Draft

Round 1

Round 1 - Pick 1 Travis Hunter ATH Colorado • Jr • 6'1" / 185 lbs Projected Team New England PROSPECT RNK 1st POSITION RNK 1st REC 96 REYDS 1258 YDS/REC 13.1 TDS 16 After considering trade-down options, the Patriots stay put and pick the most dynamic playmaker in the class.

Round 1 - Pick 2 Tetairoa McMillan WR Arizona • Jr • 6'5" / 212 lbs Projected Team Tennessee PROSPECT RNK 3rd POSITION RNK 1st REC 84 REYDS 1319 YDS/REC 15.7 TDS 8 Regardless of who's throwing the ball in Tennessee next year, the receiver group needs to be upgraded. McMillan has boundary No. 1 written all over him.

Round 1 - Pick 3 Will Campbell OT LSU • Jr • 6'6" / 323 lbs Projected Team Cleveland PROSPECT RNK 12th POSITION RNK 2nd The Browns go the prudent route with Campbell, who's looked like a future first-round pick since his first season at LSU.

Round 1 - Pick 4 Cam Ward QB Miami (FL) • Sr • 6'2" / 223 lbs Projected Team N.Y. Giants PROSPECT RNK 4th POSITION RNK 1st PAYDS 4313 RUYDS 204 INTS 7 TDS 43 The Giants call this pick in instantly. Ward has demonstrated drastic development at three separate schools over the past three years.

Round 1 - Pick 5 Will Johnson CB Michigan • Jr • 6'2" / 202 lbs Projected Team Jacksonville PROSPECT RNK 2nd POSITION RNK 1st The Jaguars have to get more talent into the secondary. Johnson checks the boxes for a lockdown No. 1 cornerback.

Round 1 - Pick 6 Abdul Carter EDGE Penn State • Jr • 6'3" / 252 lbs Projected Team Carolina PROSPECT RNK 8th POSITION RNK 2nd Carter is a freaky specimen around the corner with incredible burst and flexibility. He's precisely what the Panthers need on their defensive line.

Round 1 - Pick 7 Mason Graham DL Michigan • Jr • 6'3" / 320 lbs Projected Team N.Y. Jets PROSPECT RNK 6th POSITION RNK 1st The Jets go defensive line to pair next to Quinnen Williams in Graham, who's been a monster at Michigan the past two seasons.

Round 1 - Pick 8 Shedeur Sanders QB Colorado • Sr • 6'2" / 215 lbs Projected Team Las Vegas PROSPECT RNK 10th POSITION RNK 2nd PAYDS 4134 RUYDS -50 INTS 10 TDS 41 One of the better prospect-team pairings in Round 1, Sanders lands as the clear-cut Day 1 starter in Las Vegas.

Round 1 - Pick 9 Kelvin Banks Jr. OT Texas • Jr • 6'4" / 320 lbs Projected Team Chicago PROSPECT RNK 9th POSITION RNK 1st While some of the sacks are on him, Caleb Williams needs to be better protected in Year 2. Banks looks like the cleanest pure pass-protector in the 2025 class.

Round 1 - Pick 10 Luther Burden III WR Missouri • Jr • 5'11" / 205 lbs Projected Team New Orleans PROSPECT RNK 7th POSITION RNK 2nd REC 61 REYDS 676 YDS/REC 11.1 TDS 8 Burden has some Deebo Samuel to his game. He's a YAC monster, and that's precisely what the Saints need: a receiver who can create extra yardage on easy, schemed-open throws for Derek Carr.

Round 1 - Pick 11 James Pearce Jr. EDGE Tennessee • Jr • 6'5" / 243 lbs Projected Team San Francisco PROSPECT RNK 5th POSITION RNK 1st Pearce looks like a top-15 pick, and the 49ers make him one here. He's long, explosive, deceptively powerful and put together two magnificent seasons in the SEC. He's the running mate Nick Bosa needs.

Round 1 - Pick 12 Nic Scourton EDGE Texas A&M • Jr • 6'4" / 285 lbs Projected Team Indianapolis PROSPECT RNK 16th POSITION RNK 4th The Colts add more outside rush help with Scourton, who also provides a serious interior presence.

Round 1 - Pick 13 Ashton Jeanty RB Boise State • Jr • 5'9" / 215 lbs Projected Team Dallas PROSPECT RNK 13th POSITION RNK 1st RUYDS 2497 YDS/ATT 7.3 REYDS 116 TDS 30 Come on, we all know this is happening. Jerry Jones will get his franchise running back.

Round 1 - Pick 14 Princely Umanmielen EDGE Ole Miss • Sr • 6'4" / 255 lbs Projected Team Arizona PROSPECT RNK 18th POSITION RNK 5th The Cardinals desperately need more juice on the outside of their defensive line, and Umanmielen has looked NFL ready for two seasons now in the SEC.

Round 1 - Pick 15 Jalon Walker EDGE Georgia • Jr • 6'2" / 245 lbs Projected Team Miami PROSPECT RNK 22nd POSITION RNK 6th Walker is a do-everything linebacker/edge hybrid who'd be a welcomed addition to the second level of Miami's defense.

Round 1 - Pick 16 Malaki Starks S Georgia • Jr • 6'1" / 205 lbs Projected Team Cincinnati PROSPECT RNK 14th POSITION RNK 1st Starks can step into any safety role in Cincinnati and thrive right away. He's big, fast and instinctive.

Round 1 - Pick 17 LT Overton DL Alabama • Jr • 6'5" / 283 lbs Projected Team Atlanta PROSPECT RNK 44th POSITION RNK 9th Overton is an oversized edge rusher who burst onto the scene this year at Alabama. He'd give the Falcons the edge-rusher they still clearly need, especially given Matthew Judon's age.

Round 1 - Pick 18 Mykel Williams EDGE Georgia • Jr • 6'5" / 265 lbs Projected Team Seattle PROSPECT RNK 11th POSITION RNK 3rd Williams is too freaky of a specimen for the Seahawks to pass on him here.

Round 1 - Pick 19 Tyler Booker IOL Alabama • Jr • 6'5" / 325 lbs Projected Team Houston PROSPECT RNK 25th POSITION RNK 1st The Texans must prioritize the interior of their offensive line in this draft, and Booker appears to be the most ferocious guard prospect in the class.

Round 1 - Pick 20 Emeka Egbuka WR Ohio State • Sr • 6'1" / 205 lbs Projected Team Denver PROSPECT RNK 24th POSITION RNK 3rd REC 65 REYDS 824 YDS/REC 12.7 TDS 9 Why not more downfield receiving talent for Bo Nix? Egbuka is a sizable vertical weapon with plus ball-tracking skills.

Round 1 - Pick 21 Landon Jackson EDGE Arkansas • Sr • 6'7" / 280 lbs Projected Team Tampa Bay PROSPECT RNK 31st POSITION RNK 8th The Buccaneers add an enormous, reasonably athletic, high-motor outside rusher to their defensive front.

Round 1 - Pick 22 Colston Loveland TE Michigan • Jr • 6'5" / 245 lbs Projected Team L.A. Chargers PROSPECT RNK 21st POSITION RNK 1st REC 56 REYDS 582 YDS/REC 10.4 TDS 5 Jim Harbaugh drafts a familiar face in Loveland, who'll instantly boost the Chargers' pass-catching contingent.

Round 1 - Pick 23 Tyler Warren TE Penn State • Sr • 6'6" / 261 lbs Projected Team L.A. Rams PROSPECT RNK 36th POSITION RNK 2nd REC 92 REYDS 1095 YDS/REC 11.9 TDS 10 Even with Tyler Higbee back, the Rams look to the future with the uber-talented receiving-based tight end.

Round 1 - Pick 24 Derrick Harmon DL Oregon • Jr • 6'5" / 310 lbs Projected Team Green Bay PROSPECT RNK 34th POSITION RNK 6th The Packers get one of the breakout defensive stars of the 2024 season in Harmon, who's a wide-bodied upfield rusher who holds his own against the run.

Round 1 - Pick 25 Jahdae Barron CB Texas • Sr • 5'11" / 200 lbs Projected Team Pittsburgh PROSPECT RNK 60th POSITION RNK 6th A cornerback partner for Joey Porter Jr. in Pittsburgh. Barron has excelled on an island this season at Texas.

Round 1 - Pick 26 Ashton Gillotte EDGE Louisville • Sr • 6'3" / 275 lbs Projected Team Washington PROSPECT RNK 56th POSITION RNK 11th Gillotte may not test his way into Round 1, yet his production is absolutely first-round caliber, and the Commanders need more defensive end talent.

Round 1 - Pick 27 Kenneth Grant DL Michigan • Jr • 6'3" / 339 lbs Projected Team Baltimore PROSPECT RNK 23rd POSITION RNK 3rd Grant plays with tenacity against the run and pass, and the Ravens love building the trenches with early selections.

Round 1 - Pick 28 Mike Green DL Marshall • Soph • 6'4" / 248 lbs Projected Team Philadelphia PROSPECT RNK 88th POSITION RNK 17th Green has been ridiculously productive at Marshall the past two seasons after transferring from West Virginia. While he needs to add weight, he has the springy athleticism to be picked this high by a team that loves investing in defensive front players early in the draft.

Round 1 - Pick 29 Andrew Mukuba DB Texas • Sr • 6'0" / 190 lbs Mukuba moves like a safety who'll fly up boards with a tremendous combine, and the Bills look to the future at the safety position. The Clemson-turned-Texas star has 23 pass breakups in his four-year collegiate career and four picks entering the CFP quarterfinals.

Round 1 - Pick 30 Benjamin Morrison CB Notre Dame • Jr • 6'0" / 190 lbs Projected Team Minnesota PROSPECT RNK 17th POSITION RNK 2nd Morrison's (potential) final season at Notre Dame was cut short due to injury. Before he was sidelined, he demonstrated freaky ball skills and super smooth man-coverage ability, perfect for Brian Flores' scheme.

Round 1 - Pick 31 T.J. Sanders DL South Carolina • Jr • 6'4" / 290 lbs Projected Team Detroit PROSPECT RNK 39th POSITION RNK 7th Sanders was a consistent star on South Carolina's stellar defensive line in 2024. He plays with awesome power and can win in passing situations.

Round 1 - Pick 32 Wyatt Milum OT West Virginia • Sr • 6'6" / 317 lbs Projected Team Kansas City PROSPECT RNK 58th POSITION RNK 6th The Chiefs get an NFL-ready offensive tackle in Milum, who can be plugged in at either left or right tackle as a rookie.