2025 NFL Mock Draft: Full first-round mock draft predictions with new playmakers

5. New England Patriots: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona

After a run on three straight quarterbacks, the New England Patriots are on the clock with a chance to upgrade their situation around franchise quarterback Drake Maye. Sure, the Patriots would probably love for there to be a blue-chip offensive tackle prospect available with this selection, but there are no guarantees when it comes to the NFL Draft and they’ve got to do whatever they possibly can to make Maye’s life easier.

That might mean investing in the offensive line in free agency or through a trade, but it also might mean taking a page out of the 2021 Bengals playbook and getting a top-tier playmaker to feature in the offense. And that’s exactly what Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan is. He is unstoppable and unguardable these last couple of years deep downfield and he’s got an elite catch radius at 6-foot-5.

6. New York Jets: Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State

I mean, where do we really even begin with the situation facing the New York Jets right now? This is a team whose future is as clouded as any other in the NFL.

Luckily, the Jets do have a lot of desirable pieces on their roster, but getting the taste of Aaron Rodgers out of this organization’s mouth is going to take some time. I don’t know that Rodgers is guaranteed to come back in 2025 but that will make for absolutely fascinating discourse all offseason no matter what gets decided.

Other than the status of Rodgers, the Jets might be interested in some pass rushers early in the 2025 NFL Draft. Not only is Penn State’s Abdul Carter arguably the best talent on the board here, but the Jets have been dealing with a situation surrounding Haason Reddick all year basically. They can pair up Carter with breakout sophomore Will McDonald IV and be done with it.