2025 NFL Mock Draft: Browns take chance on QB in top 10; disappointing Bengals and Dolphins address key needs

The Cincinnati Bengals aren't out of the 2024 AFC playoff race yet, but their defense will need to be addressed whenever they're season is over. Now with Sam Hubbard out for the year after suffering an injury in Week 15's win over the Titans, the Bengals have Trey Hendrickson and essentially nothing else in their outside pass rush, as former first-round pick Myles Murphy has failed to progress into a quality contributor. 

The Dolphins are essentially cooked after their eight-point loss in Houston on Sunday. And by now we know Tua Tagovailoa does not handle pressure particularly well. Terron Armstead is a steady option when healthy; it's just at his age, with the rash of injuries he's dealt with to date, he's rarely if ever 100% and misses plenty of games. 

The Bengals should prioritize edge-rushing talent in Round 1, while the Dolphins should be thinking about the future of their offensive line with their first-round pick. That's the direction both of these AFC teams go in this mock draft. 

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. Listen below!

NFL Mock Draft

Round 1

Round 1 - Pick 1 Shedeur Sanders QB Colorado • Sr • 6'2" / 215 lbs Projected Team Las Vegas PROSPECT RNK 9th POSITION RNK 2nd PAYDS 3926 RUYDS -16 INTS 8 TDS 39 The Raiders would probably love this scenario playing out, landing Sanders with the No. 1 pick. And it seems like Sanders would love to start his career in Las Vegas.

Round 1 - Pick 2 Cam Ward QB Miami (FL) • Sr • 6'2" / 223 lbs Projected Team N.Y. Giants PROSPECT RNK 6th POSITION RNK 1st PAYDS 4123 RUYDS 196 INTS 7 TDS 40 The Giants have no choice but to go with a quarterback with this selection, and Ward has demonstrated steady growth as a signal-caller in his long collegiate career.

Round 1 - Pick 3 Travis Hunter WR Colorado • Jr • 6'1" / 185 lbs Projected Team New England PROSPECT RNK 1st POSITION RNK 1st REC 92 REYDS 1152 YDS/REC 12.5 TDS 15 What a boon this would be for the Patriots, landing Hunter at No. 3 overall to give the offense a dynamic receiving option who doubles as a sticky, instinctive cornerback.

Round 1 - Pick 4 Will Johnson CB Michigan • Jr • 6'2" / 202 lbs Projected Team Jacksonville PROSPECT RNK 2nd POSITION RNK 1st The Jaguars did extend Tyson Campbell before the season, but this is a defense that needs more talented defensive backs. Johnson has looked like a top-10 type since his early days at Michigan.

Round 1 - Pick 5 Tetairoa McMillan WR Arizona • Jr • 6'5" / 212 lbs Projected Team Carolina PROSPECT RNK 4th POSITION RNK 2nd REC 84 REYDS 1319 YDS/REC 15.7 TDS 8 Back-to-back first-round receivers for Bryce Young. McMillan is a Tee Higgins type with ridiculous above-the-rim ball skills. Plus, he's sneaky impressive after the catch.

Round 1 - Pick 6 Malaki Starks S Georgia • Jr • 6'1" / 205 lbs Projected Team Tennessee PROSPECT RNK 12th POSITION RNK 1st This may seem too early for a safety, yet Starks has looked NFL-ready for two full seasons now. If he tests as well as expected, it wouldn't be nuts for the Titans to select him here.

Round 1 - Pick 7 Jalen Milroe QB Alabama • Jr • 6'2" / 225 lbs Projected Team Cleveland PROSPECT RNK 26th POSITION RNK 5th PAYDS 2652 RUYDS 719 INTS 10 TDS 35 This would be reasonably bold from the Browns, no doubt, as Milroe isn't close to being a finished product. However, he did demonstrate legitimate progression in his game in each of the last two seasons and has All-Pro upside.

Round 1 - Pick 8 Kelvin Banks Jr. OT Texas • Jr • 6'4" / 320 lbs Projected Team N.Y. Jets PROSPECT RNK 10th POSITION RNK 2nd The Jets make the prudent decision to select Banks to build the offensive line with more youthful talent.

Round 1 - Pick 9 Abdul Carter EDGE Penn State • Jr • 6'3" / 252 lbs Projected Team Chicago PROSPECT RNK 19th POSITION RNK 4th There's some Micah Parsons to Carter's game, as he can range toward the sideline on run plays and win around the edge with fierceness at the point of attack or bending/dipping around offensive tackles.

Round 1 - Pick 10 Emeka Egbuka WR Ohio State • Sr • 6'1" / 205 lbs Projected Team New Orleans PROSPECT RNK 20th POSITION RNK 4th REC 60 REYDS 743 YDS/REC 12.4 TDS 9 With plenty of uncertainty surrounding the football-playing future of Chris Olave given his vast concussion history, the Saints have to add another high-caliber receiving talent to the offense.

Round 1 - Pick 11 Wyatt Milum OT West Virginia • Sr • 6'6" / 317 lbs Projected Team Miami PROSPECT RNK 47th POSITION RNK 5th The Dolphins know Terron Armstead doesn't have years and years left in his NFL career. Milum looks like an NFL blocker today and, with him and 2024 second-round pick Patrick Paul, they'd have their tackles of the future on offense.

Round 1 - Pick 12 Luther Burden III WR Missouri • Jr • 5'11" / 205 lbs Projected Team Indianapolis PROSPECT RNK 11th POSITION RNK 3rd REC 61 REYDS 676 YDS/REC 11.1 TDS 8 While the 2024 season wasn't as dynamic as expected from Burden, he pieced together three-straight high-caliber seasons as the clear No. 1 receiver for the Tigers offense in the SEC.

Round 1 - Pick 13 Nic Scourton EDGE NFL Draft • Jr • 6'4" / 285 lbs Projected Team Cincinnati PROSPECT RNK 16th POSITION RNK 3rd The Bengals desperately need more pass-rushing juice beyond Trey Hendrickson. Scourton can play inside and out and win on three downs thanks to his advanced skill set of hand work and power.

Round 1 - Pick 14 Ashton Jeanty RB Boise State • Jr • 5'9" / 215 lbs Projected Team Dallas PROSPECT RNK 14th POSITION RNK 1st RUYDS 2497 YDS/ATT 7.3 REYDS 116 TDS 30 No way Jerry Jones will be able to resist selecting Jeanty here, even though Rico Dowdle has been a formidable threat on the ground these last few games.

Round 1 - Pick 15 James Pearce Jr. EDGE Tennessee • Jr • 6'5" / 243 lbs Projected Team San Francisco PROSPECT RNK 13th POSITION RNK 2nd 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 16 Mykel Williams EDGE Georgia • Jr • 6'5" / 265 lbs Projected Team Atlanta PROSPECT RNK 7th POSITION RNK 1st The Falcons stay close to home with this selection, and while Williams never improved his efficiency at Georgia, he is arguably the biggest physical freak on the defensive front in this class.

Round 1 - Pick 17 Derrick Harmon DL Oregon • Jr • 6'5" / 310 lbs Projected Team Arizona PROSPECT RNK 34th POSITION RNK 5th Harmon has been a colossal disruptor on the Oregon defense this season. Yes, the Cardinals need outside pass-rush help. They also could use more push from the interior.

Round 1 - Pick 18 LT Overton DL Alabama • Jr • 6'5" / 283 lbs Projected Team Seattle PROSPECT RNK 52nd POSITION RNK 8th Overton is an oversized edge rusher who burst onto the scene this year at Alabama. He'd give the Seahawks a true three-down defensive end to what has become a formidable front.

Round 1 - Pick 19 Princely Umanmielen EDGE Ole Miss • Sr • 6'4" / 255 lbs Projected Team L.A. Chargers PROSPECT RNK 35th POSITION RNK 7th Umanmielen is a chiseled but reasonably explosive and bendy rusher who'd be a welcomed addition to the Chargers group that has leaned on veterans Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa for a while now.

Round 1 - Pick 20 Jalon Walker EDGE Georgia • Jr • 6'2" / 245 lbs Projected Team Tampa Bay PROSPECT RNK 31st POSITION RNK 6th The Buccaneers get a do-everything front seven player who can boost the pass rush and help the off-ball linebacker group play with more speed to the football.

Round 1 - Pick 21 Colston Loveland TE Michigan • Jr • 6'5" / 245 lbs Projected Team L.A. Rams PROSPECT RNK 21st POSITION RNK 1st REC 56 REYDS 582 YDS/REC 10.4 TDS 5 The Rams are a team you can typically count on to make a surprise selection early. Despite being a team that loves utilizing three-receiver sets as much as anyone, Los Angeles picks a high-upside receiving tight end for Matthew Stafford.

Round 1 - Pick 22 Aireontae Ersery OT Minnesota • Sr • 6'6" / 330 lbs Projected Team Washington PROSPECT RNK 49th POSITION RNK 6th The Commanders get a long-term answer at left tackle for Jayden Daniels.

Round 1 - Pick 23 Tyler Warren TE Penn State • Sr • 6'6" / 261 lbs Projected Team Denver PROSPECT RNK 85th POSITION RNK 4th REC 88 REYDS 1062 YDS/REC 12.1 TDS 10 This would be the first time the first round featured two tight ends since 2019, and Warren would provide Bo Nix with a serious receiving threat down the seam.

Round 1 - Pick 24 Mason Graham DL Michigan • Jr • 6'3" / 320 lbs Projected Team Baltimore PROSPECT RNK 3rd POSITION RNK 1st Graham and Nnamdi Madubuike would be quite the ferocious interior tandem on Baltimore's defensive front.

Round 1 - Pick 25 Tyler Booker IOL Alabama • Jr • 6'5" / 325 lbs Projected Team Houston PROSPECT RNK 32nd POSITION RNK 1st Watch a Texans game, and you'll first notice how shoddy the interior of the offensive line is. Booker is the best pure offensive guard in this class.

Round 1 - Pick 26 Jahdae Barron CB Texas • Sr • 5'11" / 200 lbs Projected Team Pittsburgh PROSPECT RNK 83rd POSITION RNK 10th A cornerback partner for Joey Porter Jr. in Pittsburgh. Barron has excelled on an island this season at Texas.

Round 1 - Pick 27 Shavon Revel Jr. CB East Carolina • Sr • 6'3" / 193 lbs Projected Team Green Bay PROSPECT RNK 28th POSITION RNK 4th The Packers could be enticed by the long-term upside of the lengthy and athletic Revel from East Carolina.

Round 1 - Pick 28 T.J. Sanders DL South Carolina • Jr • 6'4" / 290 lbs Projected Team Minnesota PROSPECT RNK 43rd POSITION RNK 7th Sanders has been a havoc-wreaking interior player for South Carolina this season and has an NFL-ready frame.

Round 1 - Pick 29 Ashton Gillotte EDGE Louisville • Sr • 6'3" / 275 lbs Projected Team Buffalo PROSPECT RNK 50th POSITION RNK 11th The Bills plan for the future at edge rusher with Gillotte, who's been borderline unblockable around the corner the past two seasons for the Cardinals.

Round 1 - Pick 30 Mike Green DL Marshall • Soph • 6'4" / 248 lbs Projected Team Philadelphia PROSPECT RNK 55th POSITION RNK 10th Green was a ridiculous producer the past two seasons at Marshall, especially in 2024, when he tallied 17 sacks and 23 tackles for loss. The Eagles continue to add to their defensive line, as usual.

Round 1 - Pick 31 Walter Nolen DL Ole Miss • Jr • 6'3" / 305 lbs Projected Team Detroit PROSPECT RNK 39th POSITION RNK 6th The Lions add more beef to the interior of their defensive front with the surging Nolen, who was tremendous inside at Ole Miss in 2024.

Round 1 - Pick 32 Josh Simmons OT Ohio State • Sr • 6'5" / 310 lbs Projected Team Kansas City PROSPECT RNK 30th POSITION RNK 4th At his size, with his length and athletic flashes, Simmons has All-Pro upside, and the Chiefs have had an offensive tackle problem for a while now.