5. Jacksonville Jaguars - Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
The Jacksonville Jaguars hired Liam Coen to be their new head coach, and there is reason to believe that the Jaguars made the right move, especially for the offensive side of the ball. In my opinion, the offense is actually in better shape than the defense, so at pick five, they jump on Mason Graham from Michigan, who is the best DT prospect in a very deep class.
The Jags try to get more stout in the trenches in this mock draft. Graham is a great pick for this franchise.
6. Las Vegas Raiders - Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
Pete Carroll loves his running backs, folks. The Las Vegas Raiders use their sixth pick on Ashton Jeanty from Boise State, who is the best RB in an incredibly deep RB class. The Raiders run game was the worst in the NFL in 2024, and Carroll is a coach who has always liked running the ball and playing sound defense.
Ashton Jeanty actually makes a lot of sense for the Raiders if you think about it.
7. New York Jets - Will Campbell, OT, LSU
For the second year in a row, the New York Jets will use their first-round pick on an OT prospect. The team is building for the future with Will Campbell. Last year, they picked Olu Fashanu in Round 1. The Jets may end up blowing it up a bit and moving on from both Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams. They do have a ton of talent on the roster already, as GM Joe Douglas was a sharp mind in the NFL Draft.
It will be interesting to see what avenue the team takes in 2025. In any situation, though, getting better in the trenches is a great idea.
8. Carolina Panthers - Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
The Carolina Panthers are an under-the-radar breakout team for 2025. Bryce Young played well after his benching in 2024, and one of the things that the Panthers are missing is a legitimate no. 1 wide receiver, so that's my logic for them taking Tetairoa McMillan from Arizona at pick eight in this NFL mock draft.
Do not sleep on the Carolina Panthers.