The first round of the 2025 NFL Draft could be filled with a ton of drama. Let's try to make three bold predictions for the first round. The NFL Draft is now just one month away, so as Pro Days go on and teams finalize their big boards, the start of the first round will be here before you know it.
As we have said, there isn't a ton of QB talent or overall blue-chip talent in this draft, so this could force team to have to change their plans a bit when the first round kicks off. Another neat thing here is that all 32 teams have their own first-round pick in 2025.
Let's try to make three bold predictions for Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft.
2025 NFL Draft: 3 bold predictions for the first round of the NFL Draft
Four running backs go in the first round
With how deep the running back class is, four of them going in the first round would not shock me. While the RB class is deep, there does seem to be a drop-off in talent after Ashton Jeanty, who is locked into being a first-round pick.
But I could also see all of TreVeyon Henderson, Quinshon Judkins, and Omarion Hampton hearing their names called in the first round. There has been a bit of a resurgence by the RB position over the last couple of seasons, and there are a ton of running backs who have RB1 written all over them in the 2025 class.
Four RBs hearing their named all with the first 32 picks may sound like a lot, but do not be surprised if it happens. Kaleb Johnson from Iowa could be another back who could hear his named called in Round 1.
Four quarterbacks go in the first round
Four quarterbacks? Maybe. Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward are going to go in the first round, but who would the other two be? Right now, it seems like both Jaxson Dart and Jalen Milroe seem to be the two other passers who could hear their names called in the first round.
There are mock drafts out there that have Dart sliding up into Round 1. Teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers or Los Angeles Rams could pick Dart and sit him for a year or two, and the same exact thing could be true for Milroe. Even though neither player is a legitimate first-round prospect, the need for a franchise, long-term QB is pretty obvious among certain NFL teams.
A team in the 20s trades into the top 10
The one thing this draft does not have is a ton of high-end, blue-chip talent. This could force some teams to want to trade up a good bit to secure that type of player. There may only truly be 10 prospects who are worth going in the first round. The best value for this class seems to be in the second and third rounds.
However, there is a chance that we see a team picking in the 20s want someone who could go in the top 10. One simple reason why this could happen is that certain teams picking in the 20s might not need a lot roster-wise to take that next step, so them trading up for a blue-chip prospect could put the finishing touches on their roster.
I am not sure which team would do this, but building a winning NFL team is all about being aggressive when it's needed, and this could be the aggressive move that a team attempts.