The wait is almost over, we have finally reached NFL Draft week.
The first round will kick off Thursday night, and every fan base will be tuning in as all 32 teams currently hold their first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. With the draft so close, rumors are running wild. Some people call this time of year “lying season,” which makes it important to only talk to people around the league you truly trust. I’ve been busy gathering intel, and as a result, here are some insights and opinions I’ve formed for the direction each team could go in the first round.
2025 NFL First Round Intel for all 32 teams
Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images
1. Tennessee Titans
Not much information needed here, the Titans will be selecting Miami QB Cam Ward. Something I find interesting, though, is that I’ve heard from multiple people that the Browns and Giants have continued to try to call the Titans about the possibility of moving up. I’m shocked they haven’t been told flat out, “stop calling, it’s not happening,” by Tennessee yet. I doubt a trade happens, but it makes you wonder if the Browns or Giants were willing to send a king’s ransom for Ward if the Titans would pivot from their current plan.
2. Cleveland Browns
The overwhelming consensus points towards WR/CB Travis Hunter being the Browns’ pick at wo. I agree he is the favorite, but I’ve been told Hunter and Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter are both still very much in consideration.
3. New York Giants
Despite the recent buzz around Shedeur Sanders, most around the league still believe the Giants will select whichever player the Browns do not select between Hunter and Carter. Multiple teams believe the Giants will be one of the more aggressive teams trying to move back into round one to take a QB, though. And I think Shedeur Sanders, Jaxson Dart, and Jalen Milroe would all be in play if they pulled it off.
4. New England Patriots
LSU tackle Will Campbell quickly becomes the chalk pick for the Patriots at four. I do get the sense he is among their top options, but I’ve been told there are people in the building banging the table for Ashton Jeanty and Jalon Walker as well. I think one of those three players will end up being the pick.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars
A lot of Jeanty to the Jaguars buzz as of late, but people I speak to around the league are skeptical that they will go that route. The name I’ve heard the most is Michigan DT Mason Graham, and I’ve also been told they are higher on WR Tetairoa McMillan than most of the league seems to be.
6. Las Vegas Raiders
If he is there, Ashton Jeanty seems to be one of the top options for the Raiders, but I also think corner and defensive line are in play. If Mason Graham gets past the Jaguars, I’m watching him closely for this pick, but if not, I think the pick would end up being Jeanty, a pass rusher, with the sleeper pick here being a corner that I haven’t seen anyone mock to the team yet this cycle.
7. New York Jets
Many in the media believe this is where the draft starts for the top TEs in the class, Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland. I’m sure they are in consideration, but I don’t expect them to end up going that route. I think Missouri’s Armand Membou is their preference if he is available, and if he’s not, I think they stick with the trenches and go offense or defensive line.
8. Carolina Panthers
I think the Panthers are a team that would love to trade back if it’s in the cards. If they have to stay put, I think the defensive line will be their focus. One name I’ve heard repeatedly that they are high on is Jalon Walker, who more and more NFL scouts think will be a full-time edge at the pro level.
9. New Orleans Saints
To draft or not to draft a QB, that is the question. I think the Saints would love to have a QB fall in their lap here that they think is worthy of the ninth pick, but I’m just not sure they will be able to talk themselves into it. After Cam Ward, I’ve been told Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart is the QB that has the most fans inside the Saints building. Though I think the only way they’d take him in the first round now is by trading back from nine or using their second to trade back into the latter half of round one. If they stay at nine, though, I think offensive line or tight end will be their top options.
10. Chicago Bears
The Bears are an interesting spot because they keep coming up in conversations I’ve had about the running backs in this class. I’ve been told the Bears at 10 are the absolute floor for Ashton Jeanty’s draft stock (and there’s a better chance he makes it to 10 than people realize), and if he is off the board, many believe Omarion Hampton and TreVeyon Henderson‘s market begins at pick 10. I wouldn’t rule out a trade back before taking either player if they can find teams interested in moving up.
11. San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers are one of the biggest mysteries for me in this year’s class. They have multiple holes that were created this offseason that they could target with this pick. My gut says they go defensive line here with both edge and defensive tackle being an option. I could also see them being a team that respects Michigan CB Will Johnson‘s game.
12. Dallas Cowboys
I think the Cowboys are going to be targeting offense with this pick. I believe RB, WR, and even TE are on the table. A few players many around the league think could come off the board here to the Cowboys are RB Omarion Hampton, TE Colston Loveland, WR Tetairoa McMillan, and WR Matthew Golden.
13. Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins are another team I’ve struggled to get a strong read on what they will end up doing. Some around the league believe they will take a WR, some think offensive line, and others think they are all in on upgrading their secondary.
14. Indianapolis Colts
The top TEs in this class have been linked to the Colts all offseason long, and I think it’s warranted. I get the sense Tyler Warren is the TE the Colts prefer, but if he were to be off the board, I’ve also been told they are higher on Colston Loveland than most. If they don’t go TE, I think the other option on the table is offensive line, with names like Armand Membou, Tyler Booker, Kelvin Banks, and Will Campbell being players that could make sense for them for their current and long-term needs on the line.
15. Atlanta Falcons
People around the league strongly believe the Falcons will look to upgrade their defensive line at pick 15. But the same thing could have been said over the last few draft cycles, just for Atlanta to end up going offense with their selections. With where their pick fell and the options in this class, though, I think they will do it this time around. If they go edge two players I’m watching are Mike Green and James Pearce.
16. Arizona Cardinals
We could see a run on defensive linemen after the Falcons, with the Cardinals also being rumored to be high on the edge and defensive tackle class. If I had to pick one, I think defensive tackle is the most likely option for pick 16.
17. Cincinnati Bengals
Like the last two picks, I hear the Bengals are major fans of this year’s defensive line class in the 2025 NFL Draft. I think edge and defensive tackle are equally on the table, so it could depend on who goes off the board ahead of them if they stay put at 17.
18. Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks reshaped their offense this offseason, and I think they will continue that trend into the first round of the draft. The two spots I’ve heard the most for their first-round pick are offensive line and wide receivers. They also have a solid amount of picks, which makes me wonder if a certain player high on their board begins to fall, if they would be willing to pull the trigger to package picks to move up and get their guy.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
One of the loudest rumors at the Scouting Combine was that the Buccaneers were infatuated with Alabama LB Jihaad Campbell. Since then, he has had to have surgery on his shoulder, which puts his status for training camp in doubt. So if that news causes the Buccaneers to pivot away from Campbell, I’m not really sure what they would do.
20. Denver Broncos
After the Bears, the Broncos have been the team I have heard linked to the top running backs in this year’s class the most by sources around the league. The two names I’ve heard the most are Omarion Hampton and TreVeyon Henderson. If they elect to pass on adding a new RB, I think TE would be another position they are heavily interested in upgrading early in the 2025 NFL Draft.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers
The talk surrounding the Steelers in recent weeks has been about the top QBs in this class, as they continue to wait for Aaron Rodgers to make a final choice on his future. They may go that route, but I think it’s also possible they add to their offense in another way and wait till day two to add a young QB to develop. Running back is one option that makes sense for them after losing Najee Harris in free agency, and I’ve heard they are a spot to watch for Ohio State’s Quinshon Judkins, who some think could sneak his way into the first round.
22. Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers have often been linked to the top WRs and TEs in the class. I’m not sure which position they would prefer to target, but I was told that the Chargers are one of a few teams that feel comfortable taking LSU TE Mason Taylor in the first round.
23. Green Bay Packers
By far, the position I’ve heard the Packers have done the most work on for round one has been corner. Two players that I think make a lot of sense at the position for the 2025 NFL Draft’s host team are Ole Miss’ Trey Amos and Florida State’s Azareye’h Thomas.
24. Minnesota Vikings
Speaking to reps around the league, most believe the Vikings are going to end up landing on a defender with this pick. I’ve heard they’re one of a few teams that are considering a safety in the first, but I also think they could be a team to watch if any of the Jihaad Campbell’s medicals cause him to fall on draft day
25. Houston Texans
If the Texans don’t end up going offensive line in round one, many around the league will be shocked. Many believe the group already a big disappointment in 2024 got even worse in the offseason. They could look for a high upside option that would sit and learn to start his career, or target a high floor prospect that would upgrade their line immediately. But improvements have to happen, and they have to happen fast.
26. Los Angeles Rams
The Rams were close to hitting the rebuild button this offseason, but they were able to keep Matthew Stafford in Los Angeles and enter 2025 with winning as their top priority. I think that will be reflected in this pick as they look to find a day-one contributor that will help them compete this season. I get a sense that the pick will probably come on the defensive side of the ball, but I think a sleeper option here could be a TE.
27. Baltimore Ravens
In a perfect world, many around the league believe the Ravens would like to see some top-edge rushers fall into their lap here. Recent years tell us all we need to know about the Ravens’ draft strategy; they are known to be a team that goes best player available, and I doubt they stray away from that philosophy this year.
28. Detroit Lions
The Lions watched a promising season go up in smoke due to injuries piling up and finally becoming too much to overcome. Their bad luck on the injury front exposed some defensive line personnel issues on their roster, and many scouts I talk to think that will be the direction they go with this pick. Lions GM Brad Holmes isn’t shy to go against the consensus in the draft, though, and he’s undoubtedly shocked the rest of the league with his choices in the past, and multiple of them have gone on to be fantastic players for the Lions. Moral of the story: Good luck trying to predict what the Lions will do.
29. Washington Commanders
The Commanders are a team that I’ve heard two position groups pretty consistently as their top options for pick 29. The first being corner, and the second being an edge rusher. Both have intriguing players in this class, and they should be in a good spot to land a day one starter at either spot if that’s the route they choose to take.
30. Buffalo Bills
The Bills are a team that I’ve been told has some interest in moving up in the 2025 NFL Draft. If they were to do it, many around the league believe they would be targeting either a corner or a defensive tackle. If they stay put at pick 30 on top of those positions, I would add WR and safety as options they are likely to consider.
31. Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs aren’t a team that will ever pigeonhole themselves into only considering one position group with a pick. But the consensus around the league is that the Chiefs are going to take their top tackle available at pick 31. I’ve been told three names as players to watch here: Oregon’s Josh Conerly Jr., Ohio State’s Josh Simmons, and the versatile North Dakota State lineman Grey Zabel.
32. Philadelphia Eagles
I think we all know the Eagles will end up landing the player that shockingly keeps falling down the board, that every fan base is begging their favorite team to trade up for. In all seriousness, I think TE, WR, and Edge are three positions I expect to be in consideration for this pick. I also wouldn’t rule out the possibility that the Eagles trade out of this pick with a team that wants to cut the expected second-round line for a QB and get the desired fifth-year option.
