The 2025 NFL draft is rapidly approaching, and mock drafts are becoming far more common as that happens.
Plenty of NFL analysts and draftniks have been working hard to form opinions about the top prospects in the draft and where they may fit best at the next level. Even so, mocking the draft is often a fruitless endeavor, as one out-of-order pick or a big surprise – like Michael Penix Jr. to the Atlanta Falcons in 2024 – can destroy the mock of even the most studious analysts.
That’s why USA TODAY Sports used the Microsoft Copilot AI chatbot to predict the first round of the 2025 NFL draft a month ahead of the festivities in Green Bay. It’s a worthwhile exercise to see whether relatively new AI tools can mock the draft with any sort of accuracy.
Copilot wasn’t quite up to the task of creating an entire first-round mock by itself. It was able to mock the top 10 selections. Still, after that, it kept struggling to stick to the draft order while also including several players from the 2024 NFL draft in its projections (as much as the Dallas Cowboys might like to draft Malik Nabers in 2025, that simply isn’t allowed).
As such, the chatbot was prompted after the 10th selection for mock draft selections on a pick-by-pick basis. This created a full, 32-pick mock draft containing several surprises.
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Most notably, Copilot did not include Will Campbell within its first 32 selections. It isn’t clear whether the chatbot overlooked and forgot the LSU offensive tackle or if it was concerned about his arm length, which has become a hot topic since the 2025 NFL combine.
There weren’t many surprises in the early stages of the mock, but the Copilot got bolder as the exercise continued. Here’s a look at how its first mock came out and a human analysis of how the AI fared in its mock drafting efforts.
2025 NFL mock draft: First-round AI picks
1. Tennessee Titans: Cam Ward, QB, Miami (FL)
Copilot wanted the Titans to “secure their future with a quarterback.” It ended up giving them Ward, who is seemingly trending toward being the No. 1 overall pick. So far, so good.
2. Cleveland Browns: Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State
The Browns are expected to take either Carter, Shedeur Sanders or Travis Hunter at No. 2, so this is another reasonable selection from Copilot. The chatbot wanted Cleveland to land “a dominant edge rusher to pair with Myles Garrett,” so Carter fits the bill.
3. New York Giants: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
Copilot threw a little shade at New York in its brief analysis of this pick, saying the Giants “finally addressed their quarterback situation.” Jameis Winston and Tommy DeVito are the only quarterbacks presently on New York’s roster despite Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll being on the hot seat, so Sanders is a sensible pick.
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4. New England Patriots: Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado
Here’s another pick that matches many of the mock drafts. The Patriots will almost certainly select either Hunter or Carter if they are on the board here. In this case, Copilot gave New England, “a versatile playmaker who can shine on both sides of the ball.”
5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
Graham to the Jaguars is another popular pick the chatbot targeted for its mock. Copilot wanted to give Jacksonville “a disruptive force” along the defensive line, and the Michigan product qualified.
6. Las Vegas Raiders: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
The Raiders need to add talent at running back. Jeanty is universally regarded as one of the best players in the 2025 NFL draft, so pairing the “powerful runner” with Pete Carroll was a smart move by Copilot.
7. New York Jets: Armand Membou, OT, Missouri
Membou has been gaining steam throughout the draft process, but it isn’t yet clear whether he will go ahead of Will Campbell, who has arm length concerns. Copilot is planting its flag on the Membou hill, calling him a “cornerstone” for the Jets‘ offensive line. This represents the AI’s first warm take, but it’s hard to argue against Membou’s fit with the Jets, who need an upgrade at right tackle.
8. Carolina Panthers: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
Copilot is bucking the trend of giving the Panthers a defensive player at No. 8 overall. Instead, it’s giving McMillan to the Panthers. There’s little doubt that the 6-5 receiver would help “to support their young quarterback” so if the Panthers like the big-bodied wide-out’s skills, they could select him as a long-term partner for Xavier Legette.
9. New Orleans Saints: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
Copilot called Warren a “do-it-all tight end” and noted he would be a big-time upgrade for New Orleans’ offense. No player on the Saints had more than 548 receiving yards last season, so perhaps adding Warren would be a creative way to create more open space for Chris Olave.
10. Chicago Bears: Jalon Walker, LB/EDGE, Georgia
Copilot acknowledged this as a potential landing spot for Will Campbell but ultimately opted to go defense after the Bears addressed their offensive line in free agency. The chatbot called Walker “a versatile defender to boost their pass rush.”
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11. San Francisco 49ers: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan.
The 49ers have a lot of needs after free agency and Copilot wanted to give them “a skilled corner to strengthen their secondary.” San Francisco lost Charvarius Ward to the Indianapolis Colts, and Johnson looks like a physical, instinctive replacement.
12. Dallas Cowboys: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
This is the first questionable pick by Copilot. It’s not a bad one, as Banks fits the range and is “a versatile offensive lineman” who could play either guard or tackle. It’s just a matter of whether Dallas would be willing to spend a second consecutive first-round pick on an offensive lineman (and third in four years) after selecting Tyler Guyton last season to be the team’s long-term left tackle.
13. Miami Dolphins: Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
Golden certainly fits the profile of what the Dolphins like in their receivers, as he ran the fastest 40-yard dash at the 2025 NFL combine. Copilot views him as “a polished receiver with excellent route-running skills” who can upgrade Miami’s offense.
That said, the Dolphins probably need offensive line and defensive help with Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine making a solid trio atop the team’s receiver depth chart. As such, this pick seems unlikely.
14. Indianapolis Colts: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
Copilot is high on Emmanwori, who is “a playmaking safety with excellent range and tackling ability.” There may be some sticker shock seeing him mocked ahead of Malaki Starks, but it could happen. Pairing Emmanwori with free agent addition Cam Bynum would undoubtedly change the complexion of Indianapolis’ defense under Lou Anarumo.
15. Atlanta Falcons: Donovan Jackson, OL, Ohio State
Here’s a pick that probably won’t happen, as the Falcons don’t have a true need at guard. Chris Lindstrom was Pro Football Focus‘ No. 1-ranked guard in 2024 and was named an All-Pro second-teamer while Matthew Bergeron ranked 19th among 77 qualified guards, per PFF.
As such, the Falcons don’t need “a powerful guard to solidify their offensive line” – unless Copilot proposes moving a player inside to center to replace Drew Dalman, now with the Bears.
16. Arizona Cardinals: Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
Copilot praised Nolen’s “exceptional strength and quickness.” That sounds like an ideal fit for Jonathan Gannon’s defense, especially after it added Josh Sweat to serve as a top edge rusher.
17. Cincinnati Bengals: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
OK, this seems highly unlikely after the Bengals gave long-term deals to Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Mike Gesicki. They need to focus on their defense. So, as fun as it would be to see Joe Burrow pick up “a reliable tight end with strong hands and blocking ability,” this may be the least likely pick of all in this first-round mock.
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18. Seattle Seahawks: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
Would Seattle really pass on Will Campbell or Tyler Booker here? Copilot believes so, as Starks has “excellent range and instincts” that could upgrade the Seahawks‘ defense. That may be true, but Sam Darnold would be in trouble behind Seattle’s offensive line should this pick come to pass.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
Copilot wanted to give the Buccaneers “a polished receiver to boost their offense.” In its estimation, Egbuka was the best wide-out available, so he was tapped to be insurance as Chris Godwin returns from an ankle injury and the eventual successor to Mike Evans.
20. Denver Broncos: James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee
The Broncos generated a league-high 63 sacks last season, but Copilot still wanted to give the team “a dynamic pass rusher with excellent athleticism and high upside.” Between him, Jonathon Cooper, Nik Bonitto and Dondrea Tillman, Denver would have one of the deepest edge rushing crews in the NFL.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
This is a bit of an odd fit. Linebacker isn’t a major need for the Steelers despite losing Elandon Roberts, and part of the appeal with Campbell is that he can play on the edge. Pittsburgh already has a deep edge rush rotation, so Campbell may not see many snaps there. Copilot highlighted Campbell’s versatility, instincts and athleticism as reasons he would be a good fit in Pittsburgh.
22. Los Angeles Chargers: Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
The Chargers signed Najee Harris to a one-year deal during the 2025 offseason, but Greg Roman’s run-heavy offense could use a partner for him and a potential long-term star at the position. Copilot views Hampton as the draft’s second-best running back thanks to his “excellent vision and contact balance.”
23. Green Bay Packers: TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State
Copilot has the Packers taking a page out of the Lions’ playbook and adding an explosive running back to pair with their three-down starter, Josh Jacobs. The chatbot likes Henderson’s “exceptional speed and versatility.” However, it’s still hard to imagine the Packers spending a first-round pick on a running back after signing Jacobs to a lucrative four-year contract last offseason.
24. Minnesota Vikings: Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State
Evidently, Copilot loves running backs! That’s three in a row off the board with the Vikings taking the “explosive” Judkins with their first-round pick. Minnesota could certainly use a high-end running back to complement 30-year-old Aaron Jones, but like the Packers, they have more significant needs to address in Round 1 than running back.
25. Houston Texans: Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
At this point, we can safely assume Copilot has simply forgotten about Will Campbell. It’s hard to imagine Houston passing on him despite signing Cam Robinson after trading away Laremy Tunsil. But in this mock, Burden – “a dynamic wide receiver with excellent hands, route-running skills and the ability to create explosive plays” – lands in Houston to work in tandem with Nico Collins.
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26. Los Angeles Rams: Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
The Rams struggled against the run last season and signed Poona Ford to help them on the line of scrimmage. Selecting the “powerful and disruptive” Grant would double down on addressing that weakness and continue to bolster Los Angeles’ defense in the post-Aaron Donald era.
27. Baltimore Ravens: Tyler Booker, G, Alabama
The Ravens retained left tackle Ronnie Stanley ahead of free agency but lost left guard Patrick Mekari to the Jaguars. Copilot likes the “technically sound” Booker to help replace Mekari. This seems like a sensible pick considering Baltimore’s tendency for taking players from Alabama.
28. Detroit Lions: Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame
The Lions spent their 2024 first-round pick on cornerback Terrion Arnold. Could they do so again? Copilot credits Morrison with having “excellent ball skills” that could make him a successful NFL cornerback.
That said, Detroit signed D.J. Reed in free agency to play across from Arnold and still has 2024 second-round pick Ennis Rakestraw in the fold. That could encourage the Lions to look elsewhere on defense.
29. Washington Commanders: Princely Umanmielen, EDGE, Ole Miss
This represents a bit of a reach for Umanmielen, who ranks 59th overall on the Mock Draft Database’s consensus big board. However, Washington does need a high-end pass rusher, and Copilot believes Umanmielen’s “excellent athleticism and versatility” will allow him to become a key player for the Commanders.
Still, Umanmielen going ahead of Mike Green and Donovan Ezeiruaku would qualify as a surprise.
30. Buffalo Bills: Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
Harmon to the Bills has been a popular mock draft selection, as Buffalo could use a second interior pass rusher to pair with Ed Oliver. Copilot agrees that fit is solid and believes Harmon would “provide the Bills with a strong presence on their defensive front.”
31. Kansas City Chiefs: Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon
Here’s more confirmation that Copilot forgot to include Will Campbell in this mock draft. The Chiefs would spring to the podium if the potential top-10 tackle were still on the board.
Instead, Copilot is giving Conerly, who is “a talented and athletic offensive tackle,” to Kansas City. That would address the Chiefs’ big need at left tackle, where free agent signing Jaylon Moore is expected to get the first crack at the starting job.
32. Philadelphia Eagles: Alfred Collins, DT, Texas
The Eagles lost Josh Sweat and Milton Williams in free agency. Here’s a potential replacement for the latter.
Copilot thinks Collins has “the ability to disrupt both the run and pass game” which makes him an ideal fit for Philadelphia, which has loved selecting trench players under Howie Roseman. That said, this may be a slight reach – Collins checks in at 58th on the Mock Draft Database’s consensus big board – especially with edge rushers like Green and Ezeiruaku still on the board.
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