2025 NFL mock draft: Four QBs come off the board in first round, including Jalen Milroe to NFC contender

We are less than a week away from the 2025 NFL Draft, so I might as well jump into the mock draft fray. While I commend my CBS Sports NFL Draft brethren who give out mock drafts like they are Halloween candy, I'm a one-and-done guy when it comes to this stuff. With that said, I fully expect to get most, if not all, of my picks correct (I'm only half kidding). 

When it comes to this draft, I know there is a growing consensus when it comes to the top three selections, with Tennessee selecting Miami's Cam Ward, Cleveland going with Travis Hunter, and then the Giants following suit with Abdul Carter. Throughout the pre-draft process, however, that hasn't passed the smell test for me, particularly when it comes to the Browns and Giants. 

These two teams have a glaring need at quarterback, and while Shedeur Sanders has some question marks as a prospect, I find it hard to fathom that both clubs will just balk at the chance to roll the dice on him. Specifically for Cleveland, this feels like a perfect opportunity. The club, as owner Jimmy Haslam put it, had "a big swing and miss" on Deshaun Watson, but still needs to pay him $92 million in cash over the next two seasons. With that in mind, I can see Cleveland resetting at the position with Sanders, who they'll have on a rookie deal to alleviate the Watson blunder.  

So, that's why I have the Browns shaking up the consensus and selecting Sanders. And that's not my only bold prediction in this draft as it relates to quarterbacks, as I have FOUR signal callers coming off the board in the first round. To see who they are and where they go, let's dive into the mock. 

For more draft coverage, you can hear in-depth analysis twice a week on "With the First Pick" -- our year-round NFL Draft podcast with NFL Draft analyst Ryan Wilson. You can find "With the First Pick" wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, etc.

NFL Mock Draft

Round 1

Round 1 - Pick 1 Cam Ward QB Miami (FL) • 6'2" / 223 lbs Projected Team Tennessee PROSPECT RNK 3rd POSITION RNK 1st PAYDS 4313 RUYDS 204 INTS 7 TDS 43 We're not going to get cute here. This has been set in stone for weeks, and Tennessee will soon bring in Ward, who they hope will turn the franchise around.

Round 1 - Pick 2 Shedeur Sanders QB Colorado • 6'2" / 215 lbs Projected Team Cleveland PROSPECT RNK 28th POSITION RNK 2nd PAYDS 4134 RUYDS -50 INTS 10 TDS 41 Are there more sure things on the board? Yup. But as I noted in the intro, I just can't imagine the Browns passing up on bringing in a player like Sanders, especially with Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco as the only other quarterbacks on the roster. Given his history with more traditional pocket passers, Sanders should mesh well within Kevin Stefanski's offense.

Round 1 - Pick 3 Travis Hunter ATH Colorado • 6'1" / 185 lbs Projected Team N.Y. Giants PROSPECT RNK 1st POSITION RNK 1st The Giants don't even have the opportunity to discuss taking Sanders with Cleveland taking him off the board and opt for his Heisman Trophy-winning teammate, Travis Hunter. Head coach Brian Daboll raved about Hunter at the Annual Meeting earlier this offseason and he instantly becomes the most fascinating player in the league with his two-way ability. New York could use help in the secondary, but Hunter will also make a lethal receiving duo with Malik Nabers.

Round 1 - Pick 4 Abdul Carter EDGE Penn State • 6'3" / 259 lbs Projected Team New England PROSPECT RNK 2nd POSITION RNK 1st Addressing the offensive line is the more obvious and dire need for the Patriots, but with the board falling in such a way that Carter is looking at them in the face, they pivot to bring in what could be a top-five pass rusher in the league once he enters his prime.

Round 1 - Pick 5 Mason Graham DL Michigan • 6'3" / 320 lbs Projected Team Jacksonville PROSPECT RNK 4th POSITION RNK 1st If you were to ask me which pick I'm most confident in through this mock draft (outside of Ward to Tennessee) this would be it. The Jaguars love Graham and the Michigan defensive tackle fills a major need along the line.

Round 1 - Pick 6 Ashton Jeanty RB Boise State • 5'9" / 215 lbs Projected Team Las Vegas PROSPECT RNK 10th POSITION RNK 1st RUYDS 2601 YDS/ATT 7 REYDS 138 TDS 30 The Raiders were dead last in rushing last season, which Jeanty an obvious choice here. Currently, Las Vegas has 33-year-old Raheem Mostert atop their depth chart, so Jeanty should come in and command a heavy workload within Pete Carroll's offense.

Round 1 - Pick 7 Armand Membou OT Missouri • 6'3" / 325 lbs Projected Team N.Y. Jets PROSPECT RNK 8th POSITION RNK 2nd First-year head coach Aaron Glenn knows how important a sturdy offensive line is to team success coming from Detroit. With the Jets losing Morgan Moses in free agency, they fill that void with Membou, who is a set-and-forget type of talent on the right side. Now, New York is armed with bookend tackles in Membou and 2024 first-rounder Olu Fashanu for the foreseeable future.

Round 1 - Pick 8 Jalon Walker EDGE Georgia • 6'2" / 245 lbs Projected Team Carolina PROSPECT RNK 7th POSITION RNK 2nd Walker checks off a lot boxes that should be appealing to the Panthers. First and foremost, he fills a need as an outside linebacker for a team that was tied for the third-fewest sacks last season. Walker is also a homegrown talent as a South Carolina native, which is a nice touch.

Round 1 - Pick 9 Tetairoa McMillan WR Arizona • 6'5" / 212 lbs Projected Team New Orleans PROSPECT RNK 5th POSITION RNK 1st REC 84 REYDS 1319 YDS/REC 15.7 TDS 8 Quarterback could be an option for the Saints in this spot if Sanders is still on the board next Thursday. If not, New Orleans continues to build around the signal caller position by adding McMillan, who has drawn comparisons to NFC South rival Drake London.

Round 1 - Pick 10 Will Campbell OT LSU • 6'6" / 320 lbs Projected Team Chicago PROSPECT RNK 6th POSITION RNK 1st Chicago should be doing backflips if Campbell falls to them in this spot. Does he have shorter arms than you'd typically want in your blindside tackle? Yes. You know what I put more stock in? The fact that Campbell dominated at left tackle at LSU in the SEC. He slots in as Caleb Williams' blindside protector and Chicago's remodel of its offensive line is complete.

Round 1 - Pick 11 Kelvin Banks Jr. OT Texas • 6'4" / 320 lbs Projected Team San Francisco PROSPECT RNK 9th POSITION RNK 3rd Kelvin Banks has been CBS Sports NFL Draft analyst Ryan Wilson's top-ranked tackle prospect throughout the pre-draft process, so this could be quite the coup for the Niners to scoop him up as the heir apparent to Trent Williams.

Round 1 - Pick 12 Matthew Golden WR Texas • 6'0" / 195 lbs Projected Team Dallas PROSPECT RNK 22nd POSITION RNK 3rd REC 58 REYDS 987 YDS/REC 17 TDS 9 Dallas has been starved of a complementary receiver opposite of CeeDee Lamb for years, and finally address it with the Longhorns star.

Round 1 - Pick 13 Will Johnson CB Michigan • 6'2" / 202 lbs Projected Team Miami PROSPECT RNK 17th POSITION RNK 1st With the top offensive tackles coming off the board, Miami pivots to another growing need in the secondary. Johnson could come in and help cushion the blow of the Dolphins likely moving on from Jalen Ramsey, who they've allowed to seek a trade.

Round 1 - Pick 14 Tyler Warren TE Penn State • 6'6" / 260 lbs Projected Team Indianapolis PROSPECT RNK 30th POSITION RNK 2nd REC 104 REYDS 1233 YDS/REC 11.9 TDS 12 This has been a popular pick in most mock drafts. Sportsbooks also think that Warren will find himself in Indy as the Colts are the betting favorite to select him at +165. Last season, Kylen Granson led the Colts tight end group with 14 catches. That needs to improve and will with the arrival of Warren, who has drawn comparisons to franchise legend Dallas Clark.

Round 1 - Pick 15 Shemar Stewart EDGE Texas A&M • 6'5" / 290 lbs Projected Team Atlanta PROSPECT RNK 32nd POSITION RNK 6th Stewart really came on with an impressive showing at the NFL Scouting Combine, and has the tools to be a dominant pass rusher. Pressuring the quarterback was an Achilles heel for the Falcons last season, registering the second lowest sack total (31) in the league.

Round 1 - Pick 16 Tyler Booker IOL Alabama • 6'5" / 352 lbs Projected Team Arizona PROSPECT RNK 23rd POSITION RNK 1st Booker may end up dropping due to a lackluster showing at the combine, but this is an interesting spot for him if he were to remain in the first round conversation. The 6-foot-5, 321 pounder logged back-to-back first-team All-SEC nods at Alabama and would provide solid protection for Kyler Murray on the interior.

Round 1 - Pick 17 Mike Green EDGE Marshall • 6'4" / 248 lbs Projected Team Cincinnati PROSPECT RNK 11th POSITION RNK 3rd Trey Hendrickson's future is still in doubt with the Bengals, but regardless of whether they trade or extend him, they need to begin improving on the defensive side of the ball. They managed to keep Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins with extensions, but fixing the defense is what will help avoid them missing the playoffs like they did a season ago. Green gives them another top-tier presence off the edge.

Round 1 - Pick 18 Grey Zabel IOL North Dakota State • 6'6" / 305 lbs Projected Team Seattle PROSPECT RNK 27th POSITION RNK 2nd The Seahawks swapped Geno Smith for Sam Darnold this offseason, and priority No. 1 in this draft should be providing as much protection up front as humanly possible. As we saw down the stretch with the Vikings last season, if Darnold starts to feel pressure, he looks more like the quarterback we saw during the early portions of his career. Zabel can come in and give them versatility along the line.

Round 1 - Pick 19 Jihaad Campbell LB Alabama • 6'3" / 244 lbs Projected Team Tampa Bay PROSPECT RNK 13th POSITION RNK 1st Lavonte David is entering his 14th season in the NFL and will be playing in his age-35 season. With that in mind, the Bucs are proactive and bring in his successor in Campbell while he can still learn from one of the best to do it in franchise history.

Round 1 - Pick 20 Colston Loveland TE Michigan • 6'5" / 245 lbs Projected Team Denver PROSPECT RNK 12th POSITION RNK 1st REC 56 REYDS 582 YDS/REC 10.4 TDS 5 There was some serious debate to go with UNC running back Omarion Hampton, who is a popular selection at this spot. Instead, I have the Broncos doubling down at the tight end position after signing Evan Engram as a free agent. After all, Engram inked a short-term deal and Loveland could give them stability at the position for the long-haul, while being a go-to target for Bo Nix.

Round 1 - Pick 21 Jaxson Dart QB Ole Miss • 6'2" / 220 lbs Projected Team Pittsburgh PROSPECT RNK 50th POSITION RNK 3rd PAYDS 4279 RUYDS 495 INTS 6 TDS 32 We're on Day 10,000 of Aaron Rodgers watch as the veteran quarterback has still not decided on what his next step will be. If you're the Steelers, you have to give yourself some security at the position not just for 2025, but for the years to come. Right now, Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson are the two quarterbacks on the roster. Sorry, but does that get anyone excited? Dart can come in as either a developmental piece behind Rodgers (if he signs) or can be thrown into the fire as the next man up in the Steel City.

Round 1 - Pick 22 Derrick Harmon DL Oregon • 6'5" / 310 lbs Projected Team L.A. Chargers PROSPECT RNK 25th POSITION RNK 3rd L.A. could go in a few directions here, and I probably would've pegged them to land a tight end if one of the top two players fell to them. Here, they address the defensive line by bringing in Harmon, who was a menace for the Ducks last season with five sacks.

Round 1 - Pick 23 Jahdae Barron CB Texas • 5'11" / 200 lbs Projected Team Green Bay PROSPECT RNK 21st POSITION RNK 2nd Green Bay needs to bolster its secondary with Jaire Alexander's future with the organization up in the air and 2021 first-rounder Eric Stokes not exactly picking up the baton. Barron is coming off a first-team All-SEC season last year where he won the Jim Thorpe Ward as college football top defensive back.

Round 1 - Pick 24 Malaki Starks S Georgia • 6'1" / 197 lbs Projected Team Minnesota PROSPECT RNK 18th POSITION RNK 1st The Vikings lost Cam Bynum in free agency and Harrison Smith is entering his age-36 season, so they need some new life on the back end of the secondary. Starks is a smart player who should mesh well with what Brian Flores wants to do defensively.

Round 1 - Pick 25 Josh Simmons OT Ohio State • 6'5" / 310 lbs Projected Team Houston PROSPECT RNK 16th POSITION RNK 4th The Texans completely overhauled their offensive line this offseason, moving on from the likes of Laremy Tunsil, Kenyon Green and Shaq Mason. As part of this new-look line, Houston opts for Josh Simmons, who is coming off an injury but provides tantalizing upside at this point in the draft.

Round 1 - Pick 26 Jalen Milroe QB Alabama • 6'2" / 220 lbs Projected Team L.A. Rams PROSPECT RNK 94th POSITION RNK 4th PAYDS 2844 RUYDS 726 INTS 11 TDS 36 My antenna was raised when I saw that Jalen Milroe was invited to Green Bay for Day 1 of the draft. They don't do that unless they have it on pretty good authority that there's a possibility he comes off the board, right? Given that he's more of a project, I think that makes him a fascinating prospect for the Rams to target as Matthew Stafford continues to go year-to-year with the organization. Sean McVay could have his cake by contending with Stafford in the immediate and eat it too by developing Milroe as a dual threat star in the shadows.

Round 1 - Pick 27 Mykel Williams EDGE Georgia • 6'5" / 265 lbs Projected Team Baltimore PROSPECT RNK 24th POSITION RNK 5th The Baltimore Ravens draft and develop defensive players into stars, and I expect Williams to be the latest if he falls to them. The Georgia product has the size -- 6-foot-5, 267 pounds -- and demeanor that fits the DNA of classic Ravens defenses that opposing offenses have come to know and fear.

Round 1 - Pick 28 Donovan Ezeiruaku EDGE Boston College • 6'2" / 251 lbs Projected Team Detroit PROSPECT RNK 40th POSITION RNK 8th Even with Aidan Hutchinson coming back from injury, the Lions need to add another pass-rushing piece opposite of him. Ezeiruaku is coming off a final collegiate season at Boston College where he tallied 16.5 sacks and three forced fumbles.

Round 1 - Pick 29 Nick Emmanwori S South Carolina • 6'3" / 220 lbs Projected Team Washington PROSPECT RNK 19th POSITION RNK 2nd Washington was one of the top stories from last season, advancing all the way to the NFC Championship in Year 1 with Jayden Daniels. While they could stand to build even more of the offense out around their young QB, Adam Peters gives Dan Quinn a versatile safety in Ezeiruaku to improve the defensive side of the ball.

Round 1 - Pick 30 Walter Nolen DL Ole Miss • 6'3" / 305 lbs Projected Team Buffalo PROSPECT RNK 15th POSITION RNK 2nd I hope the Bills were paying attention during Super Bowl LIX because the Eagles gave them a blueprint of how to take down the Chiefs. Buffalo should look to build up its defensive line and be impeccable at applying pressure up the middle. Nolen -- who had 6.5 sacks at Ole Miss last season -- paired with Ed Oliver should give Patrick Mahomes fits as they look to finally get over their AFC rival in the playoffs.

Round 1 - Pick 31 Josh Conerly Jr. OT Oregon • 6'4" / 315 lbs Projected Team Kansas City PROSPECT RNK 31st POSITION RNK 5th Speaking of the Chiefs, they certainly saw that their offensive line needs some touching up after Mahomes was mauled in the Super Bowl. To do that, they bring in Conerly, who fared well as Oregon's left tackle, allowing just two sacks over his final two collegiate seasons.

Round 1 - Pick 32 James Pearce Jr. EDGE Tennessee • 6'5" / 242 lbs Projected Team Philadelphia PROSPECT RNK 20th POSITION RNK 4th After losing Josh Sweat in free agency, the Eagles help fill that hole of his departure with Pearce, who was an explosive pass rusher for the Vols throughout his tenure.

The 2025 NFL Draft is to take place from April 24-26 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. More draft coverage can be found at CBSSports.com, including the weekly mock drafts and a regularly available look at the eligible prospects.