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.
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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.
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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
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 2
Travis Hunter
ATH
Colorado
• Jr
• 6'1"
/ 185 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 3
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 4
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 5
LSU
• Jr
• 6'6"
/ 323 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
Colorado
• Sr
• 6'2"
/ 215 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 7
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 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
Missouri
• Jr
• 5'11"
/ 205 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 11
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 12
Mason Graham
DL
Michigan
• Jr
• 6'3"
/ 320 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 13
Emeka Egbuka
WR
Ohio State
• Sr
• 6'1"
/ 205 lbs
Another vertical weapon for Anthony Richardson and Co. in Indianapolis.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
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 15
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 16
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 17
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 18
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 19
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 20
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 21
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 22
Tyler Warren
TE
Penn State
• Sr
• 6'6"
/ 261 lbs
Sean Payton envisions Jimmy Graham 2.0 in Denver with Warren, who would provide Bo Nix with a serious receiving threat down the seam.
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Round 1 - Pick 23
Michigan
• Jr
• 6'5"
/ 245 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 24
Wyatt Milum
OT
West Virginia
• Sr
• 6'6"
/ 317 lbs
Milum is NFL-ready, which means he would plug into that LT spot in Washington immediately.
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Round 1 - Pick 25
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 26
Michigan
• Jr
• 6'3"
/ 339 lbs
The Ravens continue to build their defensive line with Grant, an upfield rusher with power and quality hand work.
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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
Mike Green
DL
Marshall
• Soph
• 6'4"
/ 248 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 29
Landon Jackson
EDGE
Arkansas
• Sr
• 6'7"
/ 280 lbs
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.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
Notre Dame
• Jr
• 6'0"
/ 190 lbs
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.
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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
T.J. Sanders
DL
South Carolina
• Jr
• 6'4"
/ 290 lbs
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.
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