The 2024 NFL Draft is just barely in the rearview mirror, but it’s never too early to start looking ahead to next year’s draft. I used the PFF Mock Draft Simulator to determine draft order and added in one major trade.
Let’s dive in.
1. New York Giants (via trade with Panthers)
Carson Beck, QB, Georgia
The Giants traded up from No. 5 overall in this scenario to get started with the Daniel Jones exit strategy. At this time last year Carson Beck was not rostered in any of my three Campus-to-Canton leagues (45 man rosters) heading into the UGA spring game and was battling two, five-star blue-chippers for the starting QB job. He proceeded to put forth a virtuoso performance, completing 72% of his passes for 3,949 yards and a 24-to-6 ratio in 2023, solidifying his status as QB Stetson Bennett’s successor and sending Brock Vandagriff scurrying to the portal.
Quarterback evaluation is a decidedly inexact science, so to say that the 2025 QB class is “weak” is extremely premature. By this time next year Beck will have been a top-10 NFL draft selection, and unlike heralded 2024 No. 1 pick Caleb Williams, Beck was completely ignored just one year ago.
2. New England Patriots
Luther Burden, WR, Missouri
Owner Bob Kraft and company sent a clear message that the era of unsexy Belichick-ian drafts are over. The new Pats are going to address their moribund offense and attempt to return to their halcyon days of 2008. For his part, Burden posted an electric 3.29 yards per route, 8.4 YAC and 20 broken tackles in the vaunted SEC last season. His 99.9 PFF deep grade is a near-perfect mark, having reeled in 7-of-11 contested deep targets with a 52% overall deep catch rate.
While New England will evaluate Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker’s viability this year, the Patriots look to Burden here as an all-encompassing weapon in the mold of a Deebo Samuel who can rip off chunk plays from every level of the field.
3. Denver Broncos
Kelvin Banks, OT, Texas
Banks is a 6-foot-4, 324-pound lockdown left tackle who has handled almost every rep at left tackle since arriving on campus two years ago. He allowed just one sack and 12 pressures in 550 pass reps with a 99% pass block efficiency rate and 87th% pass block grade last season. Banks would help to protect QB Bo Nix so he can find WRs Marvin Mims and Troy Franklin downfield.
4. Tennessee Titans
James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee
A terror off the edge who charted 8.5 sacks with a team-leading 4.7% havoc rate and 14.5 tackles for loss (TFL), Pearce recorded the second-highest PFF pass rush grade in the Power 5 (P5) at 92.4 behind only UCLA EDGE Laiatu Latu, who was the first defender selected in the 2024 NFL Draft. Pearce Jr. is a crafty, versatile edge defender with all the physical tools to succeed and the pedigree to revitalize the Titans’ pass rush.
5. Carolina Panthers (via trade with Giants)
Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
Michigan’s CB1 suffocated opponents for a 45% completion rate, 29.1 passer rating and dirt-low 4.6 Raw QBR. Against Washington in the National Championship, he held one of the best WR units in the nation to two receptions on six targets for 11 yards and immediately would give Carolina a menacing corner opposite Jaycee Horn.
6. Washington Commanders
Will Campbell, OT, LSU
Standing 6-6, 324 pounds, Campbell logged 491 pass block reps without allowing a sack last season, to go with a perfect 0% blown run-block rate. This pick would allow Jayden Daniels’ blindside protector in college to reprieve that role in the pros, though Campbell has some work to do with his stance and has room to grow.
7. Arizona Cardinals
Travis Hunter, CB, Colorado
One of the most explosive athletes in college football, Hunter (6-1, 185 pounds) spent 65% of his offensive snaps in the slot, averaging 2.17 yards per route with a 12.6 ADOT and an eye-popping 18 broken tackles on 57 receptions. He then flipped around and played cornerback, holding opponents to a 57% completion rate with five pass breakups (PBU) and three interceptions. Hunter is a dark horse Heisman candidate who has tantalizing athletic traits who could contribute on both sides of the ball.
8. Minnesota Vikings
Mason Graham, DL, Michigan
Graham was a beast on the interior for the Wolverines, generating 36 tackles, 7.5 TFL and 29 pressures while earning 85th+ percentile grades vs. both the run and the pass. With Graham ranking as the highest graded returning DT in the nation, he will be a highly sought after commodity in 2025 and would make an impact in the middle of an NFL defense on day one.
9. Las Vegas Raiders
Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
Sanders showed promise when he wasn’t running for his life behind the struggling Colorado offensive line. He completed 68.5% of his throws with a 27-to-3 ratio and 8.5 yards of ADOT, but was sacked a troubling 25% of the time when pressured. Sanders’ 89th% passing grade and 11-to-1 TD/INT ratio on downfield throws will endear NFL teams to him and likely result in Sanders being a top-15 selection.
10. Seattle Seahawks
Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas
One of the great questions heading into the 2024 college football season is what will become of the Quinn Ewers/Arch Manning QB two-step in Austin? Sure, Ewers is the nominal starting QB, but Manning lit up the spring game after taking a redshirt in 2023. If Ewers can stave off Manning for the starting gig this season, he’s going to have major draft buzz thanks to his big arm and smooth delivery.
11. New Orleans Saints
Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
McMillan (6-5, 205 pounds) built on his impressive freshman campaign to ascend to WR2 status behind only Luther Burden. His 26.5% target share should only go up with the departure of slot WR Jacob Cowing, which means he could even improve on his sensational 46.4% deep catch rate, which is the best mark in FBS among returning wideouts. With advanced length, speed, body control and ball tracking ability, McMillan would give New Orleans a bankable Alpha deep threat opposite Chris Olave.
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame
An impact starter as a true freshman, Morrison (6-0, 185pounds) allowed 25 competitions on 51 targets for a 49% completion rate to go with 10 PBU last season. Outside of a 60-yard bomb to Stanford WR Elic Ayomanor, Morrison allowed a long-reception of just 19 yards on 331 coverage snaps in 2023, to go with his nine interceptions over the past two seasons. He would be an instant upgrade for the Bucs who did not address the position at all in the 2024 NFL Draft.
13. Indianapolis Colts
Deone Walker, DL, Kentucky
Walker is a super-heavyweight (6-6, 348 pounds) who was a true game wrecker on the interior, generating 51 pressures 10.5 TFL, 5.5 sacks and 13 stuffs for the Wildcats. He interestingly lined up over tackle on 230 snaps and in the B Gap 352 times, which shows the confidence head coach Mark Stoops had in his ability to create havoc despite having traditional one-tech proportions. He would provide Indy a block-eating interior presence after the Colts focused on mostly offense the last couple of drafts.
14. Pittsburgh Steelers
Tyleik Williams, DT, Ohio State
Williams (6-2, 290 pounds) is a twitchy three-tech who finished with the second-most stops among Power Five DTs with 33 while plugged into the middle of DC Jim Knowles’ second-ranked FBS scoring defense (11.1 PPG). The 2025 class has a slew of talented big men on the defensive side of the ball, and Williams is among those at the top of the list.
15. Los Angeles Rams
Conner Weigman, QB, Texas A&M
As with Carson Beck, there has to be projection when it comes to most quarterbacks. Weigman (6-3, 215 pounds) is a former five-star signal caller who earned a 92nd% passing grade with a 10.1 ADOT and 7.3% P2S rate before suffering a season-ending ankle injury in the fourth game of the season against Auburn. He would give the Rams a soft exit strategy for when QB Matt Stafford invariably calls it a career.
16. Jacksonville Jaguars
Emery Jones, OT, LSU
Like his LSU contemporary, Will Campbell, Jones (6-6, 315 pounds) didn’t whiff on a single run block all season with two sacks and 18 pressures allowed in 440 pass snaps. He allowed an elevated 3.8% pressure rate in pass pro, but with almost 1,600 reps in two seasons Jones should continue to ascend in 2024 and would serve to protect Jacksonville’s franchise QB Trevor Lawrence.
17. Cleveland Browns
Jack Sawyer, EDGE, Ohio State
A full-grown power edge defender at 6-4, 265 pounds, Sawyer torched Big Ten tackles to the tune of a 12.4% pressure rate, 28 stops and a 7.3% missed tackle rate. He earned 86th% PFF grades versus both the pass and run, which is rarified air and indicative of Sawyer’s all-around menacing profile.
18. Chicago Bears
Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio State
And yet another Ohio State player flies off the board, with Burke allowing a 38% completion rate and forcing incompletions at a 24% clip. Though he was often tested downfield, averaging 14.8 air-yard per target, he still only allowed .75 yards per coverage snap with a 37.8 Raw QBR. With the Bears taking QB Caleb Williams, WR Rome Odunze and OT Darnell Wright with their top selections the last two drafts, they turn the page to the defensive side with Burke.
19. Los Angeles Chargers
Evan Stewart, WR, Oregon
A former five-star uber-prospect who was drastically affected by the injury to aforementioned Texas A&M QB Conner Weigman, as QB2 Max Johnson struggled to deliver the ball the Stewart outside the numbers due to his limited arm strength. Now Stewart’s in the high-octane Oregon offense that made Troy Franklin into a massively-productive college wideout and I expect it can put Stewart on the NFL map in a similar fashion.
20. Houston Texans
Harold Perkins, LB, LSU
Perkins (6-1, 220 pounds) took the SEC by storm as a true freshman in 2022, dialing up blitz pressure from all over the formation recording a 14.9% pressure rate and 4.5% havoc rate while earning a commendable 91st% pass rush grade. He would have a classic EDGE profile if he were a little bigger, but instead he can be a versatile playmaker in the middle to complement EDGE Will Anderson.
21. New York Jets
Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
Egbuka (6-1, 206 pounds) broke out as a sophomore, averaging 3.01 yards per route while running 68% of his routes from the slot and returning punts/kicks. Though he only ran 12% of his routes downfield, Egbuka cashed in 6-of-13 deep targets in 2022 but has yet to score a receiving touchdown of 20+ yards. An injury derailed his 2023 season early-on, but we’ve already seen what Egbuka can do and a reunification with OSU teammate Garrett Wilson would make for an intriguing WR1-2 combo.
22. Atlanta Falcons
Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State
With EDGE’s Adisa Isaac and Chop Robinson off to the NFL, Carter (6-3, 250 pounds) steps into the role for PSU. He lined up in the box for most of his reps last year (470-to-94), creating pressure on 20.7% of his rush snaps with a 5.5% sack rate and 90.3 pass rush grade. Carter’s a strong, impactful hitter who has noticeable flexibility, but flies so fast to the ball he overruns the play and leaves himself vulnerable to cutbacks. Carter would give the Falcons an instant impact defender on the edge, but he needs to clean up the 28% missed tackle rate.
23. Miami Dolphins
Tacario Davis, CB, Arizona
Davis (6-4, 185 pounds) has freaky Sauce Gardner-like length and the production to match with 15 PBU, a 43% catch rate allowed and an 86th% cover grade. His lanky proportions are ideally suited to match up with bigger NFL receivers.
24. Green Bay Packers
Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
Yet another athletic defensive lineman from the defensively-loaded 2025 class, Grant (6-3, 339 pounds) led a top-flight Michigan defense with eight stuffs and was second to slot corner Mike Sainristil with a 3.2% havoc rate. Incredibly agile with Jordan Davis-esque traits, I’m excited to see what Grant can do as a full-time starter this year after rotating in 2023.
25. Dallas Cowboys
Isaiah Bond, WR, Texas
Bond (5-11, 182 pounds) reeled in 49-of-75 targets (65%) for 671 yards and four touchdowns as a sophomore first-year starter last year. He spent 60% of his reps in the slot, averaging 2.02 yards per route with a 12.8 ADOT and 4.6 YAC. Bond will have the advantage of taking over a WR1/2 role in head coach Steve Sarkisian’s potent offense this year and has first-round upside if he can put it all together.
26. Philadelphia Eagles
Earnest Greene III, OT, Georgia
Originally recruited as a guard, Greene (6-4, 320 pounds) redshirted as a freshman in 2022 before starting every game at LT in 2023 and earning First Team Freshman All-American recognition for his standout play. Greene allowed just one sack and 14 pressures over 454 pass block reps last year while starting every game for the Dawgs. He would ideally be able to step right in and contribute alongside the several other ex-Georgia players on Philadelphia’s roster.
27. Detroit Lions
Nic Scourton, EDGE, Texas A&M
Scourton (6-4, 260 pounds) recorded 42 pressures, 32 stops and a laudable 21.3% third-down pressure rate to go with his 10.0 sacks for Purdue. This season he will be taking his 91st% PFF pass rush grade to Texas A&M where he faces off against the best tackles the SEC has to offer. He would give Detroit another monster edge defender opposite Aiden Hutchinson.
28. Cincinnati Bengals
J.T. Tuimoloau, EDGE, Ohio State
Having produced 69 pressures and 42 stops over the last two seasons in Columbus, Tuimoloau (6-4, 270 pounds) cut his missed tackle rate in half from 26%-to-13% and is poised to harass Big Ten QBs on the opposite side of fellow DE Jack Sawyer again in 2024. The former No. 3 overall prospect from the 2021 recruiting class, Tuimoloau would give Cincinnati a credible edge-setter and havoc-maven on the outside for a team that has an already well-established offense.
29. Buffalo Bills
Jonah Savaiinaea, OT, Arizona
Savaiinaea (6-5, 335 pounds) is a plus-sized OT who excels in pass protection, having allowed just one sack in 465 pass block reps with a strong 1.7% pressure rate allowed. Though he sports a solid 82nd% PFF pass block grade, his 2.5% blown run block rate is troublesome. A right tackle last year, he kicks over to LT in place of Jordan Morgan (selected in Round 1 by Packers), and would be a worthwhile selection as a pass blocker for prized QB Josh Allen.
30. Baltimore Ravens
Princely Umanmielen, EDGE, Florida
An older prospect for the 2025 first-round group (will have just turned 23), Umanmielen (6-5, 254 pounds) enters his fifth season and is coming off three straight years with 83rd%+ pass rush grades. In 2023 he posted 45 pressures and an 89th% pass rush grade and enters the season as one of the most-accomplished edge defenders in the SEC.
31. San Francisco 49ers
Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
Another former blue chip, five-star recruit, Nolen (6-4, 290 pounds) charted 8.5 TFL and 12 stuffs for a disappointing Texas A&M team that underperformed, leading to the dismissal of head coach Jimbo Fisher. Having transferred to Ole Miss prior to spring, Nolen will try to repeat his impressive feat of not missing a single tackle opportunity in 2023.
32. Kansas City Chiefs
Dani Dennis-Sutton, EDGE, Penn State
KC takes the second Penn State edge defender of the first-round with Dennis-Sutton. At 6-5, 258 pounds, he’s posted 8.0 TFL, 30 pressures, 16 stops and a strong 8.3% missed tackle rate. His 81st%+ pass rush grade in each of the last two seasons is a rock solid mark and Dennis-Sutton would be a formidable edge defender on the other side of George Karlaftis.