2025 NFL mock draft: Steelers snag Shedeur Sanders, Cowboys trade into top 5 and NFC contenders add WRs

I can't think of a first round in recent NFL history with more question marks. After the top three players in the draft, the ranges for pretty much everyone else are all over the map. There are prospects that could be top 10 picks or fall out of the first round entirely.

That being said, there are a few trends I feel good about predicting. The first is that the offensive tackles will come off the board early. There's a group of five guys who have all the tools to be long-term starters. After that, there may not be another starter in the entire class. Because the need for offensive line is universal and because it's seen as a higher floor position, expect those five to be in demand.

The other trend is running backs being worthy of first-rounders again. General managers love taking running backs because they are seen as "safe" picks. After Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry's success last season, more teams will be willing to use their top pick on the position.

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. For more draft coverage, check out CBS Sports' "With the First Pick" wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, etc. Listen below!

NFL Mock Draft

Round 1

Round 1 - Pick 1 Cam Ward QB Miami (Fla.) • 6'2" / 219 lbs Projected Team Tennessee PROSPECT RNK 4th POSITION RNK 1st PAYDS 4313 RUYDS 204 INTS 7 TDS 43 It's a foregone conclusion at this point. Now go get him some weapons.

Round 1 - Pick 2 Travis Hunter ATH Colorado • 6'1" / 185 lbs Projected Team Cleveland PROSPECT RNK 1st POSITION RNK 1st REC 96 REYDS 1,258 YDS/REC 13.1 TDS 15 Hunter's two-way ability -- even if it's 80% and 30% -- gives him surplus value that pushes him over the top here for the Browns. Jerry Jeudy alongside Travis Hunter will make life easier for whoever is behind center for the Browns.

Round 1 - Pick 3 Abdul Carter EDGE Penn State • 6'3" / 259 lbs Projected Team N.Y. Giants PROSPECT RNK 2nd POSITION RNK 1st Carter is simply too good to pass up at this spot even if it's not a "need." This will be a defensive line that could quickly usurp the Eagles for tops in the division.

Round 1 - Pick 4 Will Campbell OT LSU • 6'6" / 320 lbs Projected Team New England PROSPECT RNK 6th POSITION RNK 1st Campbell has been battle-tested in the SEC and his tape shows a high floor. He also plays with the kind of nastiness that Mike Vrabel will love.

Mock Trade from Jacksonville Jaguars Round 1 - Pick 5 Ashton Jeanty RB Boise State • 5'8" / 211 lbs Projected Team Dallas PROSPECT RNK 10th POSITION RNK 1st RUYDS 2601 YDS/ATT 7 REYDS 138 TDS 30 Jerry Jones is in the jersey-moving business and you can bet Jeanty will move the needle in that regard. Brian Schottenheimer wants balance offensively and this does just that.

Round 1 - Pick 6 Armand Membou OT Missouri • 6'4" / 332 lbs Projected Team Las Vegas PROSPECT RNK 8th POSITION RNK 2nd If Pete Carroll wants a strong running game, this is as good a pick for the Raiders as Ashton Jeanty. Membou is a real-deal people mover on the right side where the Raiders have a need.

Round 1 - Pick 7 Mason Graham DL Michigan • 6'3" / 320 lbs Projected Team N.Y. Jets PROSPECT RNK 4th POSITION RNK 1st Graham pairing with Quinnen Williams will make sure AFC East quarterbacks never know peace. They are both easy disruptors on the interior.

Round 1 - Pick 8 Jalon Walker LB Georgia • 6'2" / 245 lbs Projected Team Carolina PROSPECT RNK 9th POSITION RNK 2nd Walker is the top 3-4 outside linebacker in the draft going to a team that has a big hole at that position. He's an A+ character pick for a team in need of leaders.

Round 1 - Pick 9 Kelvin Banks Jr. OT Texas • 6'5" / 315 lbs Projected Team New Orleans PROSPECT RNK 9th POSITION RNK 3rd Mickey Loomis loves addressing the trenches and Banks' addition allows them to move one of their lackluster pass-protecting tackles to the interior where they'd be a better fit.

Round 1 - Pick 10 Tyler Warren TE Penn State • 6'5" / 256 lbs Projected Team Chicago PROSPECT RNK 30th POSITION RNK 2nd REC 104 REYDS 1233 YDS/REC 11.9 TDS 12 Warren's versatility would be deadly in Ben Johnson's offense. His mismatch ability would give Caleb Williams a lot of layups.

Round 1 - Pick 11 Walter Nolen DL Ole Miss • 6'4" / 296 lbs Projected Team San Francisco PROSPECT RNK 15th POSITION RNK 2nd Nolen has as much talent as any defensive lineman in this draft class, and the 49ers have the elite defensive-line coach in Kris Kocurek to get the most out of him.

Mock Trade from Dallas Cowboys Round 1 - Pick 12 Tetairoa McMillan WR Arizona • 6'5" / 212 lbs Projected Team Jacksonville PROSPECT RNK 5th POSITION RNK 1st REC 84 REYDS 1319 YDS/REC 15.7 TDS 8 If they stood at five, this pick would be a possibility. McMillan is the perfect complement to Brian Thomas Jr. T-Mac is also the perfect fit with Trevor Lawrence because of his massive catch radius.

Round 1 - Pick 13 Josh Simmons OT Ohio State • 6'5" / 310 lbs Projected Team Miami PROSPECT RNK 16th POSITION RNK 4th As long as Simmons gets a doctor's approval pre-draft, he's 100% worthy of this draft capital. His tape was as good as any tackles in this class before tearing his patellar.

Round 1 - Pick 14 Colston Loveland TE Michigan • 6'6" / 248 lbs Projected Team Indianapolis PROSPECT RNK 12th POSITION RNK 1st REC 56 REYDS 582 YDS/REC 10.4 TDS 5 Loveland gives the Colts one of the best receiving corps in the NFL. He's the best route-runner in the tight end class.

Round 1 - Pick 15 Mike Green EDGE Marshall • 6'3" / 248 lbs Projected Team Atlanta PROSPECT RNK 18th POSITION RNK 5th Green was the FBS sack leader a year ago in his first year as a starter. He's got some of the best moves in the class and goes to a defense in desperate need of an immediate impact pass rusher.

Round 1 - Pick 16 Josh Conerly Jr. OT Oregon • 6'4" / 315 lbs Projected Team Arizona PROSPECT RNK 31st POSITION RNK 5th Conerly has all the athletic traits to be a high-end tackle. He could start a guard early for the Cardinals and be the right tackle of the future.

Round 1 - Pick 17 Mykel Williams EDGE Georgia • 6'7" / 265 lbs Projected Team Cincinnati PROSPECT RNK 16th POSITION RNK 4th Williams is definitely the Bengals "type" at defensive end. He's a long and strong edge setter who gives them a transition plan from Trey Hendrickson.

Round 1 - Pick 18 Jahdae Barron CB Texas • 5'11" / 200 lbs Projected Team Seattle PROSPECT RNK 21st POSITION RNK 2nd REC 84 REYDS 1319 YDS/REC 15.7 TDS 8 If the Seahawks loved Devon Witherspoon's tape enough to take him top five, they'll love Barron's tape from Texas last fall enough to take him here. That would be one feisty secondary.

Round 1 - Pick 19 Jihaad Campbell LB Alabama • 6'3" / 244 lbs Projected Team Tampa Bay PROSPECT RNK 13th POSITION RNK 2nd This is a fit that makes too much sense with Campbell's ability to blitz and Todd Bowles' propensity to do so. Factor in that this may be Lavonte David's final season and it's too perfect.

Round 1 - Pick 20 TreVeyon Henderson RB Ohio State • 5'10" / 212 lbs Projected Team Denver PROSPECT RNK 86th POSITION RNK 3rd RUYDS 1016 YDS/ATT 7.1 REYDS 284 TDS 11 Sean Payton has always preferred defined roles for his running backs. In a pass-down role, there's not a better back in this class. Henderson is an absurdly good pass protector who eats up yards in space.

Round 1 - Pick 21 Shedeur Sanders QB Colorado • 6'1" / 212 lbs Projected Team Pittsburgh PROSPECT RNK 28th POSITION RNK 2nd PAYDS 4134 RUYDS -50 INTS 10 TDS 41 The slide stops here as Sanders. The Steelers may be the only team outside of the top 10 that would even take a quarterback in the first round.

Round 1 - Pick 22 Derrick Harmon DL Oregon • 6'4" / 313 lbs Projected Team L.A. Chargers PROSPECT RNK 25th POSITION RNK 3rd Even with supposed injury concerns, Harmon's tape is too powerful for Jim Harbaugh to pass on. They have a desperate need at defensive tackle while Harmon has the prototypical length and strength for Jesse Minter's scheme.

Round 1 - Pick 23 Shemar Stewart EDGE Texas A&M • 6'5" / 290 lbs Projected Team Green Bay PROSPECT RNK 32nd POSITION RNK 5th Brian Gutekunst is addicted to freak athletes at defensive end. You won't find a freakier one in this draft class than Stewart. The Packers defensive line may not be dominant, but they'll certainly look good coming off the bus.

Mock Trade from Minnesota Vikings Round 1 - Pick 24 Omarion Hampton RB North Carolina • 6'0" / 220 lbs Projected Team Las Vegas PROSPECT RNK 38th POSITION RNK 2nd RUYDS 1660 YDS/ATT 5.9 REYDS 373 TDS 17 This is how the run is established. Hampton is outstanding at churning positive gains and he'll be running behind one of the league's best offensive lines with the previous addition of Armand Membou.

Round 1 - Pick 25 Tyler Booker IOL Alabama • 6'4" / 321 lbs Projected Team Houston PROSPECT RNK 23rd POSITION RNK 1st At some point, the Texans need to throw C.J. Stroud a bone after trading away his blindside protector in Laremy Tunsil. Booker is an NFL-ready guard who can provide stability on the interior.

Round 1 - Pick 26 Will Johnson CB Michigan • 6'2" / 194 lbs Projected Team L.A. Rams PROSPECT RNK 17th POSITION RNK 1st A lackluster junior campaign and unimpressive pre-draft testing drops Johnson to here. The Rams aren't interested in pre-draft testing anyways.

Round 1 - Pick 27 Nick Emmanwori S South Carolina • 6'3" / 220 lbs Projected Team Baltimore PROSPECT RNK 19th POSITION RNK 2nd If one Kyle Hamilton is good, two is better. Emmanwori may not be Hamilton just yet, but his insane physical tools in a linebacker frame are reminiscent of the Ravens safety.

Round 1 - Pick 28 Matthew Golden WR Texas • 6'0" / 195 lbs Projected Team Detroit PROSPECT RNK 22nd POSITION RNK 3rd REC 58 REYDS 987 YDS/REC 17 TDS 9 With Jameson Williams' future with the Lions up in the air, Detroit may opt to find his field-stretching replacement in the first-round. Golden is an ascending player with versatile route-running ability.

Round 1 - Pick 29 Emeka Egbuka WR Ohio State • 6'0" / 202 lbs Projected Team Washington PROSPECT RNK 29th POSITION RNK 4th REC 81 REYDS 1011 YDS/REC 12.5 TDS 10 Egbuka's reliability and ability in the run game would play perfectly as the No. 2 in that offense. It's almost unfair how many weapons the Commanders could amass in this draft.

Round 1 - Pick 30 Maxwell Hairston CB Kentucky • 6'1" / 186 lbs Projected Team Buffalo PROSPECT RNK 26th POSITION RNK 3rd The Bills' biggest need is at cornerback. Hairston is the best athlete in this corner class with elite recovery speed.

Round 1 - Pick 31 Grey Zabel IOL North Dakota State • 6'6" / 316 lbs Projected Team Kansas City PROSPECT RNK 27th POSITION RNK 2nd The Chiefs have now had two Super Bowls sacrificed by a porous offensive line. Brett Veach may very well opt to never have that happen again. They could go to the well here numerous times to make sure last year doesn't happen again.

Round 1 - Pick 32 Mason Taylor TE LSU • 6'5" / 255 lbs Projected Team Philadelphia PROSPECT RNK 60th POSITION RNK 4th REC 55 REYDS 546 YDS/REC 9.9 TDS 2 With Dallas Goedert hitting 30 and the Eagles using so many two tight end sets, they may opt for the athletic LSU tight end. Taylor has great hands and speed to stretch the seam.

Check out all the other latest NFL mock drafts from CBS Sports experts along with full coverage of the 2025 NFL Draft.