2025 NFL Mock Draft: Broncos draft Penn State TE Tyler Warren for Bo Nix, 49ers add to outside pass rush

Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos are in the thick of the AFC wild-card race, and the first-round pick has done an admirable job operating Sean Payton's scheme as a rookie quarterback. But something's missing: a premier tight end talent scorching down the seam. 

Payton has made it clear, he wants to utilize a tight end in his offense -- Adam Trautman (51%), Nate Adkins (36.5%) and Lucas Krull (26.1%) have all played over 25% of the snaps in 2024, and while that trio has made some plays, it's only accounted for 40 total receptions entering Week 17. 

And we all remember how tremendous Jimmy Graham was with Payton and Drew Brees in New Orleans. 

That's what I have the Broncos targeting in this mock draft -- a supremely gifted tight end for Year 2 (and beyond) of the Nix era in Denver. it'd be an ideal way to round out the pass-catching contingent for the young quarterback in the Broncos offense. 

And Penn State's Tyler Warren will probably be ahead of Michigan's Colston Loveland on some team boards after the spectacular season he's had for the Nittany Lions. He enters the second round of the College Football Playoff with 92 receptions for 1,095 yards, and six touchdown as the No. 1 target for Drew Allar. 

He has NFL-ready skills galore and would be a go-to option for Nix in Denver instantly. 

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 Cam Ward QB Miami (FL) • Sr • 6'2" / 223 lbs Projected Team N.Y. Giants PROSPECT RNK 4th 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 2 Travis Hunter ATH 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 to give the offense a dynamic receiving option who doubles as a sticky, instinctive cornerback.

Round 1 - Pick 3 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 4 Malaki Starks S Georgia • Jr • 6'1" / 205 lbs Projected Team Tennessee PROSPECT RNK 14th 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 5 Will Campbell OT LSU • Jr • 6'6" / 323 lbs Projected Team Cleveland PROSPECT RNK 12th POSITION RNK 2nd Instead of going quarterback -- they instead go the veteran route for Deshaun Watson competition -- the Browns pick a steady, three-year stud from the SEC to man the left tackle position for the next decade in Cleveland.

Round 1 - Pick 6 Shedeur Sanders QB Colorado • Sr • 6'2" / 215 lbs Projected Team Las Vegas PROSPECT RNK 10th POSITION RNK 2nd PAYDS 3926 RUYDS -16 INTS 8 TDS 39 The Raiders would probably love this scenario playing out, landing Sanders even as the third quarterback off the board. He doesn't have immense upside but is as NFL-ready as they come in this class.

Round 1 - Pick 7 Tetairoa McMillan WR Arizona • Jr • 6'5" / 212 lbs Projected Team Carolina PROSPECT RNK 3rd POSITION RNK 1st 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 8 Kelvin Banks Jr. OT Texas • Jr • 6'4" / 320 lbs Projected Team N.Y. Jets PROSPECT RNK 9th POSITION RNK 1st 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 8th POSITION RNK 2nd 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 Luther Burden III WR Missouri • Jr • 5'11" / 205 lbs Projected Team New Orleans PROSPECT RNK 7th POSITION RNK 2nd REC 65 REYDS 824 YDS/REC 12.7 TDS 9 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 Mason Graham DL Michigan • Jr • 6'3" / 320 lbs Projected Team Miami PROSPECT RNK 6th POSITION RNK 1st The Dolphins add a youthful, three-down disruptor on the interior to fill the void from Christian Wilkins leaving in free agency last year. Graham has looked like a first-round pick for a while at Michigan. Ferocious, high-motor, highly skilled defensive tackle.

Round 1 - Pick 13 Emeka Egbuka WR Ohio State • Sr • 6'1" / 205 lbs Projected Team Indianapolis PROSPECT RNK 24th POSITION RNK 3rd REC 65 REYDS 824 YDS/REC 12.7 TDS 9 Another vertical weapon for Anthony Richardson and Co. in Indianapolis.

Round 1 - Pick 14 Nic Scourton EDGE NFL Draft • Jr • 6'4" / 285 lbs Projected Team Cincinnati PROSPECT RNK 16th POSITION RNK 4th 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 15 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 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 16 Derrick Harmon DL Oregon • Jr • 6'5" / 310 lbs Projected Team Arizona PROSPECT RNK 35th POSITION RNK 6th 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 17 LT Overton DL Alabama • Jr • 6'5" / 283 lbs Projected Team Seattle PROSPECT RNK 45th POSITION RNK 9th 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 18 Jalon Walker EDGE Georgia • Jr • 6'2" / 245 lbs Projected Team Tampa Bay PROSPECT RNK 22nd 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 19 Mykel Williams EDGE Georgia • Jr • 6'5" / 265 lbs Projected Team Atlanta PROSPECT RNK 11th POSITION RNK 3rd 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 20 Princely Umanmielen EDGE Ole Miss • Sr • 6'4" / 255 lbs Projected Team L.A. Chargers PROSPECT RNK 18th POSITION RNK 5th 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 21 Tyler Booker IOL Alabama • Jr • 6'5" / 325 lbs Projected Team Houston PROSPECT RNK 25th 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 22 Tyler Warren TE Penn State • Sr • 6'6" / 261 lbs Projected Team Denver PROSPECT RNK 37th POSITION RNK 2nd REC 92 REYDS 1095 YDS/REC 11.9 TDS 10 Sean Payton envisions Jimmy Graham 2.0 in Denver with Warren, who would provide Bo Nix with a serious receiving threat down the seam.

Round 1 - Pick 23 Colston Loveland TE Michigan • Jr • 6'5" / 245 lbs Projected Team L.A. Rams PROSPECT RNK 21st POSITION RNK 1st 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 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 24 Wyatt Milum OT West Virginia • Sr • 6'6" / 317 lbs Projected Team Washington PROSPECT RNK 59th POSITION RNK 6th Milum is NFL-ready, which means he would plug into that LT spot in Washington immediately.

Round 1 - Pick 25 Jahdae Barron CB Texas • Sr • 5'11" / 200 lbs Projected Team Pittsburgh PROSPECT RNK 61st 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 Kenneth Grant DL Michigan • Jr • 6'3" / 339 lbs Projected Team Baltimore PROSPECT RNK 23rd POSITION RNK 3rd The Ravens continue to build their defensive line with Grant, an upfield rusher with power and quality hand work.

Round 1 - Pick 27 Shavon Revel Jr. CB East Carolina • Sr • 6'3" / 193 lbs Projected Team Green Bay PROSPECT RNK 20th POSITION RNK 3rd The Packers could be enticed by the long-term upside of the lengthy and athletic Revel from East Carolina.

Round 1 - Pick 28 Mike Green DL Marshall • Soph • 6'4" / 248 lbs Projected Team Philadelphia PROSPECT RNK 90th 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 Landon Jackson EDGE Arkansas • Sr • 6'7" / 280 lbs Projected Team Buffalo PROSPECT RNK 32nd POSITION RNK 8th Jackson is a colossal human being on the edge, listed at 6-foot-7 and 280 pounds. He's just scratching the surface of his football-playing potential. And the Bills will likely be looking for more long-term answers in the post-Von Miller era starting with the 2025 season.

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 Walter Nolen DL Ole Miss • Jr • 6'3" / 305 lbs Projected Team Detroit PROSPECT RNK 29th POSITION RNK 4th 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 T.J. Sanders DL South Carolina • Jr • 6'4" / 290 lbs Projected Team Kansas City PROSPECT RNK 40th POSITION RNK 7th The Chiefs want to stay sturdy on the interior next to Chris Jones, and Sanders played like a first-round pick all season at South Carolina, stacking and shedding against the run, and routinely disrupting on pass plays with first-step quickness and pass-rush moves.