2025 NFL Mock Draft: Full first-round mock with few quarterbacks taken

9. Carolina Panthers - Nic Scourton, EDGE, Texas A&M

The Carolina Panthers took Bryce Young with the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and that investment just has not panned out for them at all.  Some have put most of the blame on the dysfunction of the Panthers, which is valid, but I am not sure Young has done himself any favors out there.

The Panthers are riding a two-game winning streak and have eclipsed their two-win total from the 2023 NFL Season, so perhaps they do have something sustainable here with first-year head coach Dave Canales, who worked wonders with Geno Smith in 2022 and Baker Mayfield in 2023.  Even though the Panthers do need a franchise QB, there won’t be a player high enough on their board when the ninth overall pick rolls around, so they opt to take pass-rusher Nic Scourton.

Carolina most definitely needs some reinforcements on defense, as they are probably missing Brian Burns, who they traded to the New York Giants this past offseason, but the search for a franchise QB remains.

10. Miami Dolphins - Kelvin Banks Jr, OT, Texas

The Miami Dolphins could be a sneaky team in the AFC to make a late-season push for the final Wild Card seed, as their schedule the rest of the way does ease up quite a bit.  However, them making the playoffs in the 2024 NFL Season really doesn’t mean that they don’t have some urgent issues to fix.

Miami feels like a finesse team at best, so getting some beef in the trenches on both sides of the ball would make some sense to me, and in my opinion, the offensive line needs some help, so I went with Kelvin Banks Jr, the talented tackle from Texas.  Some have said that Banks may have to kick inside at the NFL level, but it would not hurt for the Dolphins to try him at one of the tackle spots first or at least find a way to get the best starting-five out there.