What a weekend it was to "begin" the 2024 college football season. And that start means my weekly journey into the mock-draft world has commenced.
What's so fascinating about the 2025 draft class at the outset of the season is -- we really do not have a Caleb Williams or Trevor Lawrence type, nor do we know who is locked into the first round. And there's seemingly 5 to 7 talented quarterbacks all capable of securing that top quarterback spot or climbing into Round 1.
Let's get to mock draft No. 1.
The draft order below was determined using Super Bowl odds but in reverse 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
Pearce has the goods to be a first overall selection as an edge rusher. He's long, super-bendy, and plays with ridiculous burst off the line of scrimmage. Plus, there's clearly room to add weight to his frame and still isn't 21 years old.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
Williams is another built-in-a-lab freak of nature, unsurprisingly churned out by the powerhouse that is Georgia. While he's not incredibly polished, his length and the power exuding from his game are awe-inspiring.
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Round 1 - Pick 3
Surprise in September to start my month-long mock-draft endeavor until late April. Dart is going to be an ultra-experienced former top recruit with multiple years of tutelage under Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss. The physical ability is there and after a mostly sound 2023, he could have a spectacular 2023, catapulting him into the Top 3. Kiffin and Giants head coach Brian Daboll have a connection through their separate time at Alabama under Nick Saban.
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Round 1 - Pick 4
Johnson looks the part of a top-5 cornerback. Length, fluidity, plus instincts, physicality, and speed. He's precisely the type most teams need, and the Commanders especially need.
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Round 1 - Pick 5
Scourton is a wide, girthy rusher with inside-out capabilities and the light feet of a defensive linemen 20 or 30 pounds lighter.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
Match made in football entertainment heaven. Sanders in Las Vegas taking over probably the team with the most clear-cut quarterback need in the NFL. Deion Sanders would likely sign off on this completely.
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Round 1 - Pick 7
Burden has looked like a future top-10 selection for a few years now, and he's likely in for another monstrous season in the SEC. He has enough natural talent -- twitch, ball skills, YAC mastery -- to be selected this high.
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Round 1 - Pick 8
Hunter is another prospect with top-10 physical gifts. The Cardinals could probably use him most at cornerback, yet the start to his 2024 season at Colorado indicated he might be best at receiver in the NFL. We'll see.
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Round 1 - Pick 9
Walker is an absolute force at more than 330 pounds inside on Kentucky's defensive front. He's the exact type of game-wrecker Brian Flores would love to have in Minnesota.
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Round 1 - Pick 10
Beck is such a capable and calm pocket passer who'll enter the 2025 draft with ample big-game experience. The Saints desperately need a jolt at the quarterback spot.
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Round 1 - Pick 11
McMillan went bananas in Arizona's opener with over 300 yards and four touchdowns. While he's not a sudden, Calvin Johnson type athlete, he's a large, intimidating presence on the boundary and is well on his way to another enormous season.
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Round 1 - Pick 12
Morrison will enter the NFL with loads of press coverage experience, and he has the arm length and chiseled frame to specialize as an in-your-face cornerback in the NFL.
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Round 1 - Pick 13
Banks will have earned around 40 starts after his Texas career is complete, and it's a real challenge to shake his equilibrium in pass protection. The Seahawks could go quarterback here, but Banks is too good with too high of a floor for them to pass.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
Allar has all the tools to be a first-round pick, and the Steelers will love that he ticks the physical boxes. This would be more of an upside play than anything else for the Steelers.
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Round 1 - Pick 15
This may be too low for Starks, who seemingly emphatically checks every box. He has size, instincts, speed and coverage skill in spades. Did you see that interception against Clemson? Tremendous vision, body control, and heck, just all-around athleticism.
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Round 1 - Pick 16
The Browns want to maintain their offensive line's elite status and do so here with Campbell to man either tackle spot in 2025 and beyond.
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Round 1 - Pick 17
Egbuka could've been a top-100 pick in the 2024 class and leads another epically deep Ohio State receiver group -- what else is new? -- in Columbus. The Chargers continue their receiver-room rebuild with this selection.
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Round 1 - Pick 18
Carter can play off the ball at linebacker or on the edge to rush the quarterback. He's the exact type of hybrid front-seven player Chicago could use.
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Round 1 - Pick 19
Stutsman has played a lot of football at a high level and is a twitched-up athlete with coverage capabilities. He could sneak into the first round.
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Round 1 - Pick 20
The Rams could use a big-time talent at cornerback to match the opposition's No. 1 receiver each game. The towering Davis has that type of skill set.
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Round 1 - Pick 21
Horn looks like he was shot out of a cannon once the ball is in his hands. If Sanders -- and the Colorado offense -- is more consistent in 2024, much of that will be due to Horn generating splash plays.
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Round 1 - Pick 22
Loveland is the consensus top tight end in the class -- at least now -- and the Jets could've gone Brock Bowers in April to add more firepower to the offense for Aaron Rodgers.
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Round 1 - Pick 23
Nussmeier has the live arm and accuracy to all levels to catapult himself into the first round with a stellar season at LSU. And, of course, this scenario for the Cowboys occurs after they allow Dak Prescott to bolt in free agency.
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Round 1 - Pick 24
Perkins is too inherently talented to go any later than this. Whether he's a blitzing outside linebacker or slot defender in Green Bay, he has the talent to be a fun player in the Packers defense. Any defense, really.
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Round 1 - Pick 25
Judkins could've been a top-100 selection in the 2024 draft, yet he stayed in school and is now part of an absolutely loaded Ohio State club. After what should be a 1,000-plus yard season for the Buckeyes, he'll be on the first-round radar because of his burst and flexibility in the hole.
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Round 1 - Pick 26
Winston looks like a first-round safety off the bus at 6-foot-2 and close to 210 pounds. He runs like he's much smaller, tackles well and reads his keys in the blink of an eye.
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Round 1 - Pick 27
Grant is the other Michigan interior defender with athletic gifts and an always-revving motor who would be a welcomed addition inside in Cincinnati.
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Round 1 - Pick 28
Ratledge is a mauling guard with the measurables to be selected this high at around 6-foot-6 and 320 pounds.
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Round 1 - Pick 29
Walker can do it all in the front seven -- range to the football on an outside run or beat an offensive tackle with speed-to-power conversion around the corner. Feels like a future Philadelphia Eagle.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
Jeanty has first-round talent at the running back position, and he'd be an ideal heir apparent to Derrick Henry in Baltimore.
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Round 1 - Pick 31
Ferguson has an NFL frame and should be in for a sizable season at Oregon as a pass-catcher.
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Round 1 - Pick 32
The Chiefs add more speed and pure athleticism to the linebacker room with the Clemson star.
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