2025 NFL Mock Draft: Former NFL GM selects QB for Panthers at No. 1 and snags pass-catching help for Steelers

Ah, the quarterback position. You either have your guy or you need one. And through two weeks this year, with offenses struggling at unprecedented levels, a lot more NFL teams are in the latter camp then the former. 

This could be a decent year to need a quarterback, but there's a massive emphasis on could because there's still not a clear front-runner ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft. There are, however, a lot of options: Carson Beck, Shedeur Sanders, Quinn Ewers, Garrett Nussmeier, Cam Ward, Miller Moss, Jaxson Dart and others. But until a few start separating themselves, clubs could be hesitant to invest precious capital in one of these players. (See: the Carolina Panthers giving up the farm for recently benched Bryce Young.)

There are just three signal-callers taken in this mock draft, in which "With the First Pick" host Ryan Wilson and former longtime NFL general manager Rick Spielman are joined by CBS Sports NFL analyst Josh Edwards to make all 32 picks. They rotated selections, and no trades were allowed. The draft order below was determined using SportsLine's Super Bowl odds but in reverse order (prior to the Sunday games of Week 2).

So, without further ado, let's get to the "With The First Pick" mock draft 1.0!

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 Quinn Ewers QB Texas • Jr • 6'2" / 210 lbs Projected Team Carolina PROSPECT RNK 25th POSITION RNK 3rd PAYDS 691 RUYDS 1 INTS 2 TDS 8 Rick Spielman -- Spielman called Bryce Young's Week 1 tape "horrendous," so he's giving the Panthers another No. 1 overall QB in Quinn Ewers.

Round 1 - Pick 2 Carson Beck QB Georgia • Sr • 6'4" / 220 lbs Projected Team N.Y. Giants PROSPECT RNK 9th POSITION RNK 1st PAYDS 680 RUYDS 55 INTS 0 TDS 7 Josh Edwards -- "You have to make a change if you're the Giants. Daniel Jones has not inspired confidence within that building, and so it's time for a change." That change is Georgia's Carson Beck with the No. 2 overall pick.

Round 1 - Pick 3 Kelvin Banks Jr. OT Texas • Jr • 6'4" / 320 lbs Projected Team New England PROSPECT RNK 3rd POSITION RNK 1st Ryan Wilson -- "I'm intrigued by [WR] Tetairoa McMillan, but not at No. 3." Wilson watched Kelvin Banks against Michigan and said he got the best of fellow top draft prospect Mason Graham, so that's where Wilson goes for New England.

Round 1 - Pick 4 Mason Graham DL Michigan • Jr • 6'3" / 320 lbs Projected Team Denver PROSPECT RNK 4th POSITION RNK 1st Rick Spielman -- Spielman could see WR here, but he couldn't find anyone to take this high. So, based on a terrible performance against the run in Week 1, the Broncos go with Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham.

Round 1 - Pick 5 Will Campbell OT LSU • Jr • 6'6" / 323 lbs Projected Team Washington PROSPECT RNK 10th POSITION RNK 2nd Josh Edwards -- Will Campbell, Edwards' top-ranked offensive tackle at the moment, comes in to protect his college QB in Jayden Daniels.

Round 1 - Pick 6 Will Johnson CB Michigan • Jr • 6'2" / 202 lbs Projected Team Tennessee PROSPECT RNK 1st POSITION RNK 1st Ryan Wilson -- Offensively, Wilson likes where the Titans are at. So he turns to the defense, deciding between edge rusher and cornerback. Will Johnson, the consensus No. 1 prospect at CBS Sports at the moment, ends up being the pick.

Round 1 - Pick 7 Shedeur Sanders QB Colorado • Sr • 6'2" / 215 lbs Projected Team Las Vegas PROSPECT RNK 15th POSITION RNK 2nd PAYDS 999 RUYDS -16 INTS 2 TDS 9 Rick Spielman -- In what he calls a "no-brainer," the Raiders take Shedeur Sanders to be their next franchise QB. "He plays a little bit of street ball, tries to always look for the downfield shot, but if he can get in rhythm and on time, there's no question about the arm strength and the accuracy when he does have time (to throw)."

Round 1 - Pick 8 James Pearce Jr. EDGE Tennessee • Jr • 6'5" / 243 lbs Projected Team Arizona PROSPECT RNK 5th POSITION RNK 1st Josh Edwards -- The Cardinals invested a lot in the defense in last year's draft, but there's still more to be done on that side of the ball. So, Arizona ends up taking potentially the best edge rusher in the class in James Pearce Jr.

Round 1 - Pick 9 Deone Walker DL Kentucky • Jr • 6'6" / 345 lbs Projected Team Indianapolis PROSPECT RNK 7th POSITION RNK 2nd Ryan Wilson -- After grabbing the first defensive player off the board last year in pass-rusher Laiatu Latu, the Colts stay along the defensive line and snag Kentucky's Deone Walker.

Round 1 - Pick 10 Tetairoa McMillan WR Arizona • Jr • 6'5" / 212 lbs Projected Team Pittsburgh PROSPECT RNK 11th POSITION RNK 2nd REC 23 REYDS 453 YDS/REC 19.7 TDS 4 Rick Spielman -- The Steelers need another WR to pair with George Pickens, so Pittsburgh goes with Tetairoa McMillan out of Arizona to round out the top 10.

Round 1 - Pick 11 Mykel Williams EDGE Georgia • Jr • 6'5" / 265 lbs Projected Team New Orleans PROSPECT RNK 6th POSITION RNK 2nd Josh Edwards -- Looking at New Orleans' tendencies in the past and the 2025 free agency class, Edwards believes defensive front is where the Saints will go with this selection. "For me, Mykel Williams, pound-for-pound, is the most intriguing edge rusher in this draft class."

Round 1 - Pick 12 Travis Hunter CB Colorado • Jr • 6'1" / 185 lbs Projected Team Chicago PROSPECT RNK 2nd POSITION RNK 2nd REC 30 REYDS 342 YDS/REC 11.4 TDS 5 Ryan Wilson -- Wilson goes with who he thinks is the most explosive player: Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter. "I'm not going to overcomplicate it. The defense is really good, but you can create packages for him. On the other side of the ball, they don't necessarily need more wide receivers but you can find places for Travis Hunter to help you. At 12, I feel really good about that."

Round 1 - Pick 13 Benjamin Morrison CB Notre Dame • Jr • 6'0" / 190 lbs Projected Team Minnesota PROSPECT RNK 17th POSITION RNK 3rd Rick Spielman -- For the team Spielman served as the longtime general manager for, he was first looking at defensive tackle. But two of the players he liked were already gone, so he turned his attention to what he thinks will be the Vikings' biggest need: cornerback. He ended up selecting Notre Dame's Benjamin Morrison. "I think he's the best man-cover corner (in the class), really physical, and I think he'd be a great fit in (defensive coordinator Brian) Flores' defense."

Round 1 - Pick 14 Luther Burden III WR Missouri • Jr • 5'11" / 205 lbs Projected Team Tampa Bay PROSPECT RNK 8th POSITION RNK 1st REC 12 REYDS 171 YDS/REC 14.3 TDS 3 Josh Edwards -- After considering a few players, including one who was just picked (Benjamin Morrison), Edwards opted for Luther Burden III to replace impending free agent Chris Godwin.

Round 1 - Pick 15 Jonah Savaiinaea OT Arizona • Jr • 6'5" / 336 lbs Projected Team L.A. Chargers PROSPECT RNK 23rd POSITION RNK 3rd Ryan Wilson -- Jim Harbaugh loves to shore up the trenches, so Wilson gives them offensive tackle Jonah Savaiinaea, who may have to move inside to guard at the next level.

Round 1 - Pick 16 Malaki Starks S Georgia • Jr • 6'1" / 205 lbs Projected Team Jacksonville PROSPECT RNK 16th POSITION RNK 1st Rick Spielman -- Spielman doesn't like their defense, especially on the backend, so he selects someone who reminds him a lot of Lions young standout Brian Branch: Georgia's Malaki Starks. "He can play [nickelback], he can play safety, he can do a lot for them on the defensive side of the ball."

Round 1 - Pick 17 Ashton Jeanty RB Boise State • Jr • 5'9" / 215 lbs Projected Team Cleveland PROSPECT RNK 33rd POSITION RNK 2nd RUYDS 459 YDS/ATT 10.2 REYDS 12 TDS 9 Josh Edwards -- Cleveland may need a new quarterback and it needs a left tackle, but Edwards doesn't feel great about the options available at those positions. "I am surprising myself here, and I'm going to go with Ashton Jeanty, the running back from Boise State. ... When I look at Jeanty, he reminds me a little bit of Jahmyr Gibbs coming out of the draft because of his ability to make an impact in the pass game as well."

Round 1 - Pick 18 Emery Jones Jr. OT LSU • Jr • 6'6" / 315 lbs Projected Team Seattle PROSPECT RNK 28th POSITION RNK 4th Ryan Wilson -- Wilson thinks it's pretty clear the Seahawks needs help along the offensive line, so he goes with tackle Emery Jones Jr. out of LSU.

Round 1 - Pick 19 Denzel Burke CB Ohio State • Sr • 6'1" / 193 lbs Projected Team L.A. Rams PROSPECT RNK 20th POSITION RNK 4th Rick Spielman -- In looking at the depth chart, Spielman believes they need corner help. Enter Denzel Burke from Ohio State.

Round 1 - Pick 20 Abdul Carter EDGE Penn State • Jr • 6'3" / 252 lbs Projected Team Green Bay PROSPECT RNK 14th POSITION RNK 4th Josh Edwards -- Based on the picks ahead of him, Edwards decides to go in a different direction than initially anticipated. That results in him taking Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter.

Round 1 - Pick 21 Harold Perkins Jr. LB LSU • Jr • 6'1" / 225 lbs Projected Team Atlanta PROSPECT RNK 18th POSITION RNK 1st Ryan Wilson -- "Let's take Harold Perkins out of LSU and use him as a chess piece."

Round 1 - Pick 22 Nic Scourton EDGE Texas A&M • Jr • 6'4" / 285 lbs Projected Team Cincinnati PROSPECT RNK 13th POSITION RNK 3rd Rick Spielman -- The Bengals could be in dire need of an edge rusher next season -- Trey Hendrickson asked for a trade this offseason and Sam Hubbard is approaching 30 years old -- so Spielman went with Nic Scourton out of Texas A&M. "That's a no-brainer."

Round 1 - Pick 23 Tyleik Williams DL Ohio State • Sr • 6'3" / 327 lbs Projected Team N.Y. Jets PROSPECT RNK 26th POSITION RNK 3rd Josh Edwards -- Jermaine Johnson suffered a season-ending injury and Haason Reddick is nowhere to be found, so edge rusher was certainly a consideration here. Ultimately, Edwards focused on the interior of the defensive front by taking Ohio State's Tyleik Williams.

Round 1 - Pick 24 Colston Loveland TE Michigan • Jr • 6'5" / 245 lbs Projected Team Miami PROSPECT RNK 19th POSITION RNK 1st REC 19 REYDS 187 YDS/REC 9.8 TDS 1 Ryan Wilson -- The Dolphins have awesome skill players, but the one piece they're missing is a dynamic tight end. That's where Michigan's Colston Loveland comes in.

Round 1 - Pick 25 Tacario Davis DB Arizona • Jr • 6'4" / 190 lbs Projected Team Buffalo PROSPECT RNK 63rd POSITION RNK 2nd Rick Spielman -- "They need to add to their young secondary as they revamp this secondary, so Tacario Davis from Arizona, I think would be the perfect fit."

Round 1 - Pick 26 Tyler Booker IOL Alabama • Jr • 6'5" / 325 lbs Projected Team Baltimore PROSPECT RNK 27th POSITION RNK 1st Josh Edwards -- The Ravens offensive line has been a problem through two weeks, so they address that here with the drafting of Alabama guard Tyler Booker.

Round 1 - Pick 27 Emeka Egbuka WR Ohio State • Sr • 6'1" / 205 lbs Projected Team Dallas PROSPECT RNK 12th POSITION RNK 3rd REC 9 REYDS 149 YDS/REC 16.6 TDS 0 Ryan Wilson -- Even after signing CeeDee Lamb to a massive extension, "they still have a ton of issues at the wide receiver position." Ohio State's Emeka Egbuka could help Dak Prescott in a big way.

Round 1 - Pick 28 Kevin Winston Jr. S Penn State • Jr • 6'2" / 208 lbs Projected Team Houston PROSPECT RNK 37th POSITION RNK 2nd Rick Spielman -- The Texans did a great job addressing needs in free agency and the draft, but they could use depth in the secondary. With the cornerback options underwhelming, Spielman goes with Penn State's Kevin Winston Jr. "Smart, instinctive football player."

Round 1 - Pick 29 Landon Jackson EDGE Arkansas • Sr • 6'7" / 280 lbs Projected Team Philadelphia PROSPECT RNK 29th POSITION RNK 7th Josh Edwards -- To no one's surprise, Edwards is looking at the trenches for future reinforcements. With a lot of offensive linemen having already been taken, the Eagles address the defensive front with Landon Jackson from Arkansas.

Round 1 - Pick 30 Kenneth Grant DL Michigan • Jr • 6'3" / 339 lbs Projected Team Detroit PROSPECT RNK 35th POSITION RNK 4th REC 8 REYDS 112 YDS/REC 14 TDS 1 Ryan Wilson -- Despite being annoyed that the Eagles stole his Landon Jackson pick, Wilson stays with the defensive line and selects Kenneth Grant to help on the interior.

Round 1 - Pick 31 Aireontae Ersery OL Minnesota • Sr • 6'6" / 330 lbs Projected Team San Francisco PROSPECT RNK 65th POSITION RNK 2nd Rick Spielman -- After considering cornerback, Spielman gives the 49ers an offensive lineman in Aireontae Ersery.

Round 1 - Pick 32 Walter Nolen DT Ole Miss • Jr • 6'3" / 305 lbs Projected Team Kansas City PROSPECT RNK POSITION RNK Josh Edwards -- A corner here would be nice to replace L'Jarius Sneed, but Edwards doesn't want to reach to fill a need. "I'm going to take a little bit on the upside and go to the defensive line and take Walter Nolen, defensive tackle, from Ole Miss."