NFL Mock Draft: Predicting the top 24 picks after the Wild Card round

The NFL wild card round is completed, meaning another group of teams eliminated from the 2024 season. Now, those teams will have a chance to look ahead at the 2025 NFL draft and see which positions, and prospects they should be targeting.

In a quarterback class that doesn't have any 'can't miss' prospects, we think Cam Ward is the next best thing. His calmness in the pocket stands out when you watch him, and his arm talent is easily up to NFL standards. The Titans need a QB, and Ward is the best available in our eyes.

The Deshaun Watson experiment seems to be over in Cleveland, even if he won't be officially released until 2026 by the looks of things. With a gaping hole at QB, the Browns select Shedeur Sanders from Colorado. Sanders is tough, creative and as competitive as they come. He's not sure thing, but taking a risk at a quarterback that might pay off is sometimes needed.

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After Ward and Sanders, there is not a lot else in this year's quarterback class. Drew Allar doesn't look NFL-ready yet and hasn't declared, while Carson Beck is transferring to Miami for another year in college. Instead of forcing a pick on a quarterback who has no chance of success, the Giants should look to take the best player available. Travis Hunter may be the most talented player in the draft, so there should be no arguments against this selection.

There is some debate between Will Campbell and Kelvin Banks Jr. as to who is the best offensive tackle prospect in the draft. Banks is a better athlete, but Campbell offers a solidity that could appeal to the Patriots early in the draft. Drake Maye deserves better protection, and that is exactly what Campbell offers.

The Jags could go in a few directions here, with Mason Graham, or Abdul Carter also looking like top-10 locks this year. Instead, we have mocked them the best pure defensive back in the draft, who CBS Sports' Ryan Wilson has compared to Pat Surtain II. Johnson is big for a corner, standing 6'2”, 202 lbs and should be a huge upgrade to the Jags' secondary.

Abdul Carter is getting compared to former Penn State, and current Dallas Cowboys, EDGE Micah Parsons due to their unique physical gifts. Carter could become a game-wrecker across from Maxx Crosby in the Raiders' defense.

The Jets might need to accept that 2025 isn't going to be their year and attempt to rebuild from the ground up. Taking the consensus best defensive tackle in football is certainly a good starting point for that.

The Panthers could look at defense here, but instead, we have mocked them as the best wide receiver in the draft. McMillan stands over 6'5” making him a dream target for a young quarterback. Bryce Young has proven he belongs in the NFL now, so why give him a true number one target.

Williams is the latest in a long line of Georgia defensive linemen who will be drafted in the first round. His size and length, combined with rare athletic traits make him the prototypical EDGE in the modern NFL, and given New Orleans struggles in recent times, seems like a perfect fit.

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The Bears need to address the interior of their offensive line, which is why we have mocked them Tate Ratledge from UGA. AtoZ Sports describes Ratledge as, “the cleanest technician in the 2025 NFL Draft, right up there with LSU's Will Campbell,” and is a player we could see getting selected much earlier than expected come draft night.

Ryan Wilson for CBS Sports recently mocked Jalon Walker to the Niners, which is an interesting selection given his talent. We have decided to go in a different direction and send them Kelvin Banks Jr., the offensive lineman with the highest ceiling in the entire draft, in our opinion. Banks should lock down Brock Purdy's blindside for the long term future.

The Cowboys could look to improve their offensive line given their struggles in recent years, and as Yardbarker points out in a recent mock, don't be surprised if they're seduced by Ashton Jeanty either. Instead, we have given them the 6'4, 285 lbs Nic Scourton to give their defensive line some more size and power. Two things it has been missing in recent times.

Tyreek Hill seems to be heading to a nasty divorce with the Dolphins, and Jaylen Waddle struggles to stay healthy. This leaves the Dolphins with a lack of a number one receiver, which they need given Tua Tagovailoa's skill set and Mike McDaniels' offense. Luther Burden is explosive before and after the catch and could light up pre-draft testing.

Laiatu Latu was a hit in his rookie season after being selected in the first round of last season's draft, so why not double down and get another explosive defender. Jalon Walker is a versatile linebacker who is comfortable in space or rushing the passer, he compares to DeMarvion Overshown on the Cowboys, who we think has the potential to be a game wrecker, just like Walker.

Everywhere you look, the Falcons are getting mocked a pass-rusher, with James Pearce Jr. being among the most common picks. It's an obvious match, given Atlanta's complete lack of pass-rush production and Pearce's ability to get after the quarterback.

We could see Jonathan Gannon wanting to focus on his defense again in this year's draft, given the relative lack of talent on that side of the ball. We debated Malaki Starks here, but ultimately went with a player who can play in space or rush the passer. He will be a piece Gannon can use in multiple spots on his defense and will improve the unit as a whole, too.

The Bengals could lose Tee Higgins this offseason and will need to find a way to replace his production. Mike Gesicki had a solid year as TE1 in Cincy, but Warren would enter as an immediate upgrade. Warren has become the key cog in Penn State's offense this season, offering huge upside wherever he lands in the upcoming draft.

The Seahawks need to improve their offensive line, and fortunately in this mock there are a number of options available. We have decided to go with Will Campbell's teammate Emery Jones Jr. for now, but could see them looking at Josh Conerly from Oregon or Minnesota's Aireontae Ersery instead.

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The Broncos should be looking to add more weapons to their offense and in this scenario, Ashton Jeanty has fallen into their laps at 19 overall. We are never too excited by taking a running back in the first round, but Jeanty is a special prospect and should make life easier for Bo Nix in the long run.

Jack Sawyer is coming off a great individual performance in the CFP semi-final against Texas last week, and now we're mocking him to the Bucs in round one. The Bucs need help getting to opposing quarterbacks, and Sawyer could be the best option available. He has improved every year in college and should have an immediate impact once he reaches the NFL.

We're not sure if this is the direction the Steelers will ultimately go in given their penchant for taking receivers in the middle rounds, but if they are sticking with Russell Wilson at quarterback, they need to get him some help. Isaiah Bond is reportedly going to challenge Xavier Worthy's 40-yard dash record at the NFL combine, which should be fun to watch. He could be a game changer for what is a turgid offense.

This pick is contingent on the Rams losing, of course. If they do, Jahdae Barron could be the selection. He has prototypical size for an NFL defensive back and has become an elite playmaker, picking off five passes in 2024 alone, per ESPN. The Rams could look at a few options with this pick, but getting a potentially game-changing defensive back could be too tempting to pass up.

The Chargers skill positions are not up to scratch, apart from the talented Ladd McConkey. Emeka Egbuka is a consistent receiver who knows how to get open and doesn't drop much. He and McConkey share some similarities, which means the Chargers could look elsewhere, but having two QB-friendly options is never a bad thing.

The Packers struggled to get pressure on Jalen Hurts with any consistency in their wild card loss against the Eagles, which suggests pass-rush could be a priority. Green has good size at 6'4", 250lbs and is a freak athlete with incredible burst and bend. If he was at a bigger school, we could see him going much higher than 24.

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