Set for April 24 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the first round of the 90th NFL Draft is an oddity at this point. Each of the NFL’s 32 teams still holds its original first-round pick. The league hasn’t gotten this close to a draft with a no-trades first round since 1993.
Will that same type of restraint apply to the selection of quarterbacks? It usually doesn’t. No one expects this year’s draft to continue the 2024 run on first-round QBs that featured six in the first 12 picks. But 2025 easily could end up as the third draft in a row with quarterbacks as the first two picks and maybe there’ll be enough melting of restraint for Ole Miss’ Jasxon Dart and Alabama’s Jalen Milroe to go in the first 32 selections.
Quarterback draft restraint in the first round might have been made a little easier for one team on Tuesday, when the New York Giants signed veteran QB Russell Wilson. Did it mean the Giants are convinced the first two picks in the 2025 draft will be Cam Ward of Miami (Fla.) and Shedeur Sanders of Colorado? Or maybe that Aaron Rodgers was signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers? Or perhaps New York wanted options at No. 3 instead merely fulfilling the many mock drafts that have the Giants taking Sanders?
One of those options could be Sanders’ college teammate, cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter, showing the impact a little QB-restraint could have on the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. A little more could send the draft’s perceived No. 2 quarterback tumbling to who knows where.
The restraint won’t start at the top, though. Instead of Hunter or pass-rusher Abdul Carter, the Tennessee Titans seem headed toward taking Ward at No. 1 – unless they can find a trade partner. So far, there haven’t been any – anywhere.
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Four weeks from now, the first round of the NFL Draft could go like this:
1. Tennessee Titans: Quarterback Cam Ward, Miami (Fla.)
2. Cleveland Browns: Defensive end Abdul Carter, Penn State
3. New York Giants: Cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter, Colorado
4. New England Patriots: Offensive tackle Armand Membou, Missouri
5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Defensive lineman Mason Graham, Michigan
6. Las Vegas Raiders: Running back Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
7. New York Jets: Tight end Tyler Warren, Penn State
8. Carolina Panthers: Outside linebacker Jalon Walker, Georgia
9. New Orleans Saints: Quarterback Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
10. Chicago Bears: Defensive end James Pearce Jr., Tennessee
11. San Francisco 49ers: Cornerback Will Johnson, Michigan
12. Dallas Cowboys: Wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
13. Miami Dolphins: Offensive tackle Will Campbell, LSU
14. Indianapolis Colts: Tight end Colston Loveland, Michigan
15. Atlanta Falcons: Defensive end Mykel Williams, Georgia
16. Arizona Cardinals: Offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas
17. Cincinnati Bengals: Defensive end Mike Green, Marshall
18. Seattle Seahawks: Wide receiver Luther Burden III, Missouri
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Cornerback Jahdae Barron, Texas
20. Denver Broncos: Wide receiver Matthew Golden, Texas
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Ole Miss defensive lineman Walter Nolen
22. Los Angeles Chargers: Texas A&M defensive end Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M
23. Green Bay Packers: Defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College
24. Minnesota Vikings: Offensive tackle Josh Simmons, Ohio State
25. Houston Texans: Safety Malaki Starks, Georgia
26. Los Angeles Rams: Linebacker Jihaad Campbell, Alabama
27. Baltimore Ravens: Offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon
28. Detroit Lions: Defensive end Nic Scourton, Texas A&M
29. Washington Commanders: Wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
30. Buffalo Bills: Defensive lineman Derrick Harmon, Oregon
31. Kansas City Chiefs: Defensive lineman Kenneth Grant, Michigan
32. Philadelphia Eagles: Safety Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina
The mock draft includes 15 players from the SEC and 10 from the Big Ten in the first round. The most first-rounders from the SEC in one draft is 15 in 2020. The mock first round includes four players from Michigan and three apiece from Georgia and Texas.
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.