17. Cincinnati Bengals - Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
The Cincinnati Bengals could go in a number of directions in the 2025 NFL Draft. This team needs help in all three phases of the defense, and this is being optimistic and suggesting that Trey Hendrickson will be back with the team in 2025. Malaki Starks is their selection in the first round of this mock draft, but if you mocked a DT, EDGE, LB, or CB here, that could be just fine.
We can all agree that the Bengals have to field an average defense at least in 2025. This team had a bottom-5 unit in 2024, and it truly wasted away an MVP-caliber season from Joe Burrow. The Bengals ended up winning five games in a row to end the 2024 NFL Season and still missed the playoffs.
That is insanely hard to do when you think about it… an NFL season is just 17 games, so a team winning five in a row would surely win at least 10 overall and make the playoffs, right? Well, the Bengals have a dysfunctional front office and have to hit on some defensive rookie picks in the 2025 NFL Draft.
18. Seattle Seahawks - Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
Matthew Golden is the most polished wide receiver in the 2025 NFL Draft class. The Seattle Seahawks did overhaul their WR room a bit this offseason when they traded DK Metcalf to the Pittsburgh Steelers and cut Tyler Lockett. They did sign Cooper Kupp in free agency, but a need for another WR is still present.
But this team’s biggest issue right now would probably be them lacking an identity and also missing multiple starting-caliber players along the offensive line. If you think a bout it, taking a WR in the first round with some decent OL prospects still on the board might not be the smartest idea, but there are a lot of viable OL prospects available on Day 2 and even Day 3.
Seattle won 10 games in 2024 with Geno Smith at QB but did not make the playoffs. They were the only team in the NFL that won double-digit games but failed to make the postseason. Perhaps that is a huge reason why this team moved on from Geno Smith.