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The first week of the new league year has ended. With its conclusion also came the end of the first wave of free agency signings, many of which made an impact on potential NFL draft outcomes.
In the wake of the first wave of signings, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. and NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah, two of the most well-known NFL draft analysts, have released their updated 2025 mock drafts. Each one reflects the way the NFL landscape has changed after early free agency results.
Here's what every first-round pick in the NFL draft could look like according to Jeremiah and Kiper after the first wave of free agency in 2025:
NFL POWER RANKINGS: Where do all 32 teams stand heading into draft?
2025 NFL DRAFT: Pro days schedule for college football prospects
NFL DRAFT ORDER 2025: Where every team picks over seven rounds, 257 picks
Buzz around the Titans trading back from the No. 1 pick seems to have dissipated, leaving Tennessee squarely in position to draft the consensus top quarterback prospect: Miami's Cam Ward. After that, both Jeremiah and Kiper have the Browns opting to draft a pass-rush partner to Myles Garrett – Penn State's Abdul Carter – rather than selecting a new quarterback of their own. That leaves the Giants the chance to draft QB2 Shedeur Sanders from Colorado in both mocks, and both analysts gave the Patriots versatile cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter (Colorado) as well.
Sanders was the third overall pick in both Jeremiah and Kiper's mock drafts despite rumors that his draft stock fell coming out of the NFL combine. According to NFL Network and ESPN, those whispers were not enough to diminish Sanders' status as the second-best quarterback in the class. With the Giants picking third and the top quarterback off of the board in both mock drafts, the two analysts were in lockstep in sending Sanders to New York.
Not only did the Mississippi quarterback slip into the first round in both mock drafts, but Kiper even had Dart make it into the top 10 (No. 9 overall, Saints). Coming off of a strong outing at the NFL combine, the 21-year-old seems to have done enough to earn first-round status. However, according to Jeremiah and Kiper, he still sits comfortably behind Ward and Sanders as the No. 3 quarterback prospect in the class.
The 2024 Heisman Trophy runner-up established himself as the clear top choice among running back prospects in the 2025 NFL draft class. Both Jeremiah and Kiper had the Raiders select Jeanty with the No. 6 overall pick in their respective mock drafts following Las Vegas' trade for veteran quarterback Geno Smith. Should Jeanty come off of the board with the sixth overall pick, it'd be the earliest a running back has been drafted since the Giants drafted Saquon Barkley with the No. 2 pick in 2019. Atlanta took Bijan Robinson with the No. 8 pick in the 2023 draft.
Before the NFL combine, both Kiper and Jeremiah had Michigan's Campbell as the first offensive tackle taken in their respective mock drafts. Since then, Campbell's less-than-33-inch arms appear to have caused a downturn in draft stock. Membou was the top tackle in both analysts' more recent mock drafts, and Campbell dropped to a bubble top-10 pick.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2025 NFL mock drafts: Daniel Jeremiah, Mel Kiper post-free agency
Continue reading...
In the wake of the first wave of signings, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. and NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah, two of the most well-known NFL draft analysts, have released their updated 2025 mock drafts. Each one reflects the way the NFL landscape has changed after early free agency results.
Here's what every first-round pick in the NFL draft could look like according to Jeremiah and Kiper after the first wave of free agency in 2025:
NFL POWER RANKINGS: Where do all 32 teams stand heading into draft?
2025 NFL mock draft roundup: Round 1
1. Tennessee Titans
2. Cleveland Browns
- NFL.com: Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State
- ESPN: Abdul Carter
3. New York Giants
- NFL.com: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
- ESPN: Shedeur Sanders
4. New England Patriots
- NFL.com: Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado
- ESPN: Travis Hunter
5. Jacksonville Jaguars
- NFL.com: Jalon Walker, LB/Edge, Georgia
- ESPN: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
6. Las Vegas Raiders
- NFL.com: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
- ESPN: Ashton Jeanty
7. New York Jets
- NFL.com: Armand Membou, OL, Missouri
- ESPN: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
8. Carolina Panthers
- NFL.com: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
- ESPN: Jalon Walker, LB/Edge, Georgia
9. New Orleans Saints
- NFL.com: Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
- ESPN: Jaxson Dart, QB, Mississippi
10. Chicago Bears
- NFL.com: Will Campbell, OL, LSU
- ESPN: Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia
2025 NFL DRAFT: Pro days schedule for college football prospects
11. San Francisco 49ers
- NFL.com: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
- ESPN: Armand Membou, OL, Missouri
12. Dallas Cowboys
- NFL.com: Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
- ESPN: Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
13. Miami Dolphins
- NFL.com: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
- ESPN: Will Campbell, OL, LSU
14. Indianapolis Colts
- NFL.com: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
- ESPN: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
15. Atlanta Falcons
- NFL.com: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
- ESPN: Mike Green, Edge, Marshall
16. Arizona Cardinals
- NFL.com: Grey Zabel, IOL, North Dakota State
- ESPN: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
17. Cincinnati Bengals
- NFL.com: Mike Green, Edge, Marshall
- ESPN: Shemar Stewart, Edge, Texas A&M
18. Seattle Seahawks
- NFL.com: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
- ESPN: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- NFL.com: Donovan Ezeiruaku, Edge, Boston College
- ESPN: Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
20. Denver Broncos
- NFL.com: Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
- ESPN: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
21. Pittsburgh Steelers
- NFL.com: Jaxson Dart, QB, Mississippi
- ESPN: Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
22. Los Angeles Chargers
- NFL.com: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
- ESPN: Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
23. Green Bay Packers
- NFL.com: Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky
- ESPN: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
24. Minnesota Vikings
- NFL.com: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
- ESPN: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
25. Houston Texans
- NFL.com: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
- ESPN: Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
26. Los Angeles Rams
- NFL.com: Trey Amos, CB, Mississippi
- ESPN: Azareye'h Thomas, CB, Florida State
27. Baltimore Ravens
- NFL.com: Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
- ESPN: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
28. Detroit Lions
- NFL.com: Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia
- ESPN: James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee
29. Washington Commanders
- NFL.com: Azareye'h Thomas, CB, Florida State
- ESPN: Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky
30. Buffalo Bills
- NFL.com: Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
- ESPN: Kenneth Grant
31. Kansas City Chiefs
- NFL.com: Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
- ESPN: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
32. Philadelphia Eagles
- NFL.com: Shemar Stewart, Edge, Texas A&M
- ESPN: Walter Nolen, DT, Mississippi
NFL DRAFT ORDER 2025: Where every team picks over seven rounds, 257 picks
Latest mock draft takeaways
Top four picks reaching consensus
Buzz around the Titans trading back from the No. 1 pick seems to have dissipated, leaving Tennessee squarely in position to draft the consensus top quarterback prospect: Miami's Cam Ward. After that, both Jeremiah and Kiper have the Browns opting to draft a pass-rush partner to Myles Garrett – Penn State's Abdul Carter – rather than selecting a new quarterback of their own. That leaves the Giants the chance to draft QB2 Shedeur Sanders from Colorado in both mocks, and both analysts gave the Patriots versatile cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter (Colorado) as well.
Narrative of Shedeur Sanders fall overblown?
Sanders was the third overall pick in both Jeremiah and Kiper's mock drafts despite rumors that his draft stock fell coming out of the NFL combine. According to NFL Network and ESPN, those whispers were not enough to diminish Sanders' status as the second-best quarterback in the class. With the Giants picking third and the top quarterback off of the board in both mock drafts, the two analysts were in lockstep in sending Sanders to New York.
Jaxson Dart will be a first-round pick
Not only did the Mississippi quarterback slip into the first round in both mock drafts, but Kiper even had Dart make it into the top 10 (No. 9 overall, Saints). Coming off of a strong outing at the NFL combine, the 21-year-old seems to have done enough to earn first-round status. However, according to Jeremiah and Kiper, he still sits comfortably behind Ward and Sanders as the No. 3 quarterback prospect in the class.
Ashton Jeanty could be the highest-drafted running back since...
The 2024 Heisman Trophy runner-up established himself as the clear top choice among running back prospects in the 2025 NFL draft class. Both Jeremiah and Kiper had the Raiders select Jeanty with the No. 6 overall pick in their respective mock drafts following Las Vegas' trade for veteran quarterback Geno Smith. Should Jeanty come off of the board with the sixth overall pick, it'd be the earliest a running back has been drafted since the Giants drafted Saquon Barkley with the No. 2 pick in 2019. Atlanta took Bijan Robinson with the No. 8 pick in the 2023 draft.
Armand Membou, not Will Campbell, is OT1
Before the NFL combine, both Kiper and Jeremiah had Michigan's Campbell as the first offensive tackle taken in their respective mock drafts. Since then, Campbell's less-than-33-inch arms appear to have caused a downturn in draft stock. Membou was the top tackle in both analysts' more recent mock drafts, and Campbell dropped to a bubble top-10 pick.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2025 NFL mock drafts: Daniel Jeremiah, Mel Kiper post-free agency
Continue reading...
