2025 NFL mock draft: Expert projections for top picks ahead of wild card weekend
There's always next year.
At least that's what 18 NFL teams will be telling themselves heading into the weekend. They were denied entry in the dance, left out in the cold to wonder what went wrong. It was injuries for some and bad luck for others, with a tiny collection that never stood a chance.
The NFL playoffs were out of their league right from the opening kick in training camp. While the remaining group of 14 clash for the chance to become champions, everyone else is thinking about how they can get to the other side of that red velvet rope.
Perhaps this year's bottom dwellers hit the gym in the new year and experience that coveted "glow-up" that so many crave. While free agency steals headlines, those are temporary fixes, like your fad diets. No amount of Ozempic can cure this.
The NFL draft is where lasting change happens, where champions are built. If teams want to earn entry into the cool kids club, they need to make the right picks during the last weekend in April.
Here are what draft experts from USA TODAY Sports, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, NBC Sports and CBS Sports are predicting for each of the 32 first-round picks in the 2025 NFL draft:
2025 NFL DRAFT: Who will be picked first in the 2025 NFL Draft? Odds for college football's top prospects
2025 NFL mock draft roundup
Order is current after Week 18 games.
1. Tennessee Titans
USA TODAY Sports: Cam Ward, QB, Miami (Fla.)
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
NBC Sports: Cam Ward
CBS Sports: Cam Ward
2. Cleveland Browns
USA TODAY Sports: Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Cam Ward, QB, Miami (Fla.)
NBC Sports: Travis Hunter
CBS Sports: Travis Hunter
3. New York Giants
USA TODAY Sports: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
NBC Sports: Shedeur Sanders
CBS Sports: Shedeur Sanders
4. New England Patriots
USA TODAY Sports: Will Campbell, OT, LSU
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Will Campbell
NBC Sports: Will Campbell
CBS Sports: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
5. Jacksonville Jaguars
USA TODAY Sports: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State
NBC Sports: Mason Graham, IDL, Michigan
CBS Sports: Mason Graham
6. Las Vegas Raiders
USA TODAY Sports: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Tetairoa McMillan
NBC Sports: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
CBS Sports: Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State
7. New York Jets
USA TODAY Sports: Mason Graham, IDL, Michigan
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
NBC Sports: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
CBS Sports: Will Campbell, OT, LSU
8. Carolina Panthers
USA TODAY Sports: Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
NBC Sports: Abdul Carter
CBS Sports: Will Johnson
9. New Orleans Saints
USA TODAY Sports: Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
NBC Sports: Armand Membou, OL, Missouri
CBS Sports: Mykel Williams
10. Chicago Bears
USA TODAY Sports: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
NBC Sports: Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
CBS Sports: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
11. San Francisco 49ers
USA TODAY Sports: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia
NBC Sports: Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia
CBS Sports: James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee
12. Dallas Cowboys
USA TODAY Sports: Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
NBC Sports: Nic Scourton, Edge, Texas A&M
CBS Sports: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
13. Miami Dolphins
USA TODAY Sports: Walter Nolen, IDL, Mississippi
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
NBC Sports: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
CBS Sports: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
14. Indianapolis Colts
USA TODAY Sports: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Shavon Revel Jr., CB, East Carolina
NBC Sports: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
CBS Sports: Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame
15. Atlanta Falcons
USA TODAY Sports: James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Nic Scourton, Edge, Texas A&M
NBC Sports: James Pearce Jr.
CBS Sports: Nic Scourton
16. Arizona Cardinals
USA TODAY Sports: Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Mason Graham, IDL, Michigan
NBC Sports: Mike Green, Edge, Marshall
CBS Sports: Shemar Stewart, DL, Texas A&M
17. Cincinnati Bengals
USA TODAY Sports: Shavon Revel Jr., CB, East Carolina
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee
NBC Sports: Kenneth Grant, DL, Michigan
CBS Sports: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
18. Seattle Seahawks
USA TODAY Sports: Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Jonah Savaiinaea, OL, Arizona
NBC Sports: Kelvin Banks Jr., OL, Texas
CBS Sports: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
19. Houston Texans
USA TODAY Sports: Derrick Harmon, IDL, Oregon
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Tyler Booker, OG, Alabama
NBC Sports: Aireontae Ersery, OL, Minnesota
CBS Sports: Walter Nolen, DL, Ole Miss
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
USA TODAY Sports: Shemar Stewart, IDL, Texas A&M
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
NBC Sports: Shavon Revel, CB, East Carolina
CBS Sports: Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
21. Denver Broncos
USA TODAY Sports: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
NBC Sports: Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
CBS Sports: Kenneth Grant, DL, Michigan
22. Pittsburgh Steelers
USA TODAY Sports: Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame
NBC Sports: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
CBS Sports: Emeka Egbuka
23. Los Angeles Rams
USA TODAY Sports: Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia
NBC Sports: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
CBS Sports: Jalon Walker
24. Green Bay Packers
USA TODAY Sports: Landon Jackson, Edge, Arkansas
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Shemar Stewart, Edge, Texas A&M
NBC Sports: Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame
CBS Sports: Tyleik Williams, DL, Ohio State
25. Los Angeles Chargers
USA TODAY Sports: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
NBC Sports: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
CBS Sports: Colston Loveland
26. Washington Commanders
USA TODAY Sports: Nic Scourton, Edge, Texas A&M
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Tre Harris, WR, Mississippi
NBC Sports: Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon
CBS Sports: Tyler Booker, OG, Alabama
27. Baltimore Ravens
USA TODAY Sports: Mike Green, Edge, Marshall
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Kyle Kennard, Edge, South Carolina
NBC Sports: Tyler Booker, OG, Alabama
CBS Sports: JT Tuimoloau, Edge, Ohio State
28. Minnesota Vikings
USA TODAY Sports: Kenneth Grant, IDL, Michigan
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
NBC Sports: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
CBS Sports: Landon Jackson, Edge, Arkansas
29. Buffalo Bills
USA TODAY Sports: J.T. Tuimoloau, Edge, Ohio State
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
NBC Sports: Tyleik Williams, DL, Ohio State
CBS Sports: Derrick Harmon, DL, Oregon
30. Philadelphia Eagles
USA TODAY Sports: Jihaad Campbell, Edge, Alabama
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Cameron Williams, OT, Texas
NBC Sports: Shemar Stewart, DL, Texas A&M
CBS Sports: Donovan Jackson, OG, Ohio State
31. Kansas City Chiefs
USA TODAY Sports: Aireontae Ersery, OT, Minnesota
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Derrick Harmon, IDL, Oregon
NBC Sports: Cameron Williams, OT, Texas
CBS Sports: Deone Walker, DL, Kentucky
32. Detroit Lions
USA TODAY Sports: Tyler Booker, OG, Alabama
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: J.T. Tuimoloau, Edge, Ohio State
NBC Sports: Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia
CBS Sports: Jonah Savaiinaea, OT, Arizona
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL mock draft 2025: Expert predictions for every first-round pick