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.
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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
Colorado
• Sr
• 6'2"
/ 215 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
Cam Ward
QB
Miami (FL)
• Sr
• 6'2"
/ 223 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 3
Travis Hunter
ATH
Colorado
• Jr
• 6'1"
/ 185 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 4
Will Johnson
CB
Michigan
• Jr
• 6'2"
/ 202 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 5
Arizona
• Jr
• 6'5"
/ 212 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
Georgia
• Jr
• 6'1"
/ 205 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 7
Jalen Milroe
QB
Alabama
• Jr
• 6'2"
/ 225 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 8
Texas
• Jr
• 6'4"
/ 320 lbs
The Jets make the prudent decision to select Banks to build the offensive line with more youthful talent.
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Round 1 - Pick 9
Abdul Carter
EDGE
Penn State
• Jr
• 6'3"
/ 252 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 10
Emeka Egbuka
WR
Ohio State
• Sr
• 6'1"
/ 205 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 11
Wyatt Milum
OT
West Virginia
• Sr
• 6'6"
/ 317 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 12
Missouri
• Jr
• 5'11"
/ 205 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 13
Nic Scourton
EDGE
NFL Draft
• Jr
• 6'4"
/ 285 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
Boise State
• Jr
• 5'9"
/ 215 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 15
James Pearce Jr.
EDGE
Tennessee
• Jr
• 6'5"
/ 243 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 16
Mykel Williams
EDGE
Georgia
• Jr
• 6'5"
/ 265 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 17
Oregon
• Jr
• 6'5"
/ 310 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 18
LT Overton
DL
Alabama
• Jr
• 6'5"
/ 283 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 19
Princely Umanmielen
EDGE
Ole Miss
• Sr
• 6'4"
/ 255 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 20
Jalon Walker
EDGE
Georgia
• Jr
• 6'2"
/ 245 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 21
Michigan
• Jr
• 6'5"
/ 245 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 22
Minnesota
• Sr
• 6'6"
/ 330 lbs
The Commanders get a long-term answer at left tackle for Jayden Daniels.
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Round 1 - Pick 23
Tyler Warren
TE
Penn State
• Sr
• 6'6"
/ 261 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 24
Mason Graham
DL
Michigan
• Jr
• 6'3"
/ 320 lbs
Graham and Nnamdi Madubuike would be quite the ferocious interior tandem on Baltimore's defensive front.
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Round 1 - Pick 25
Tyler Booker
IOL
Alabama
• Jr
• 6'5"
/ 325 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 26
Texas
• Sr
• 5'11"
/ 200 lbs
A cornerback partner for Joey Porter Jr. in Pittsburgh. Barron has excelled on an island this season at Texas.
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Round 1 - Pick 27
East Carolina
• Sr
• 6'3"
/ 193 lbs
The Packers could be enticed by the long-term upside of the lengthy and athletic Revel from East Carolina.
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Round 1 - Pick 28
T.J. Sanders
DL
South Carolina
• Jr
• 6'4"
/ 290 lbs
Sanders has been a havoc-wreaking interior player for South Carolina this season and has an NFL-ready frame.
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Round 1 - Pick 29
Ashton Gillotte
EDGE
Louisville
• Sr
• 6'3"
/ 275 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
Mike Green
DL
Marshall
• Soph
• 6'4"
/ 248 lbs
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Round 1 - Pick 31
Walter Nolen
DL
Ole Miss
• Jr
• 6'3"
/ 305 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 32
Josh Simmons
OT
Ohio State
• Sr
• 6'5"
/ 310 lbs
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.
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