Is it ever too early for a mock draft? Alright, yes -- it is. Now is too early for a 2025 NFL mock draft, but that's the business we're in. And we're all curious, right? Some teams are in longer rebuilding projects than others. Some teams still don't have a quarterback moving forward. Some teams might need a new quarterback next offseason.
It's impossible to know how the 2025 NFL Draft order is going to look this far out, and it's impossible to know what players will comprise the top 10 of next year's draft.
But we're going to try and predict it anyway. Let's take a look in the old crystal ball and try to project next year's top 10 NFL Draft picks. As for the order prediction, we'll utilize the reverse order of Sharp Football's post-free agency power rankings to keep the draft order as unbiased as possible.
1. Carolina Panthers: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
The Carolina Panthers having the #1 overall pick yet again in 2025 would be rather disastrous, wouldn't it? You've got to expect some type of progression from Bryce Young this year, but if the Panthers are in this position in 2025, they almost have to take a quarterback and move on from Young, the former Heisman winner who was in a disastrous setup last year.
At this stage, Shedeur Sanders feels like a somewhat underwhelming consensus #1 player, but he's got a lot of traits to like and we'll see what his progression is like this year, his second year playing at Colorado.
2. Denver Broncos: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
The Denver Broncos used their first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on Oregon Ducks quarterback Bo Nix, so he's going to be Plan A for head coach Sean Payton at that position. Unless some other quarterbacks emerge as can't-miss franchise guys between now and then, the Broncos should look to invest around Bo Nix as opposed to replace him here, and Kelvin Banks of Texas is as good of a bet as any.
Garett Bolles has been the Broncos' starting left tackle since he was drafted in 2017 but he's hitting free agency in 2025.
3. New York Giants: Carson Beck, QB, Georgia
If the New York Giants have another top 5-7 pick this coming year, they need to cut their losses with Daniel Jones.
Stop trying to make "fetch" happen.
The Giants have once again put their faith in Daniel Jones, bringing in Malik Nabers with the 6th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. If the team is bad again this coming season, it's just going to be time to move on. Simple as that. There's no guarantee that there will be two quarterbacks worth taking in the top 10 of next year's draft, which is why six of them went in the top 12 of this one, but Carson Beck currently has the third-highest odds to go 1st overall next year and could be a candidate to emerge at the position.
4. Washington Commanders: Will Campbell, OT, LSU
So you took a quarterback in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft? Get that guy some help if you're picking high again in the 2025 NFL Draft.
How much sense does it make for the Washington Commanders to go after a player like LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell a year after picking LSU quarterback and former Heisman trophy winner Jayden Daniels? The Commanders have been reloading their roster under new GM Adam Peters, and this selection would give them a cornerstone at the tackle position.
5. New England Patriots: Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado
I'm not sure where Travis Hunter is going to land position-wise at the NFL level, but he's one of the most fascinating college football prospects I have ever seen. It will be interesting to see if Deion Sanders and Colorado really allow him to settle in at a certain position this coming season, but he's so good playing both ways that it's hard to imagine they won't continue to let him do what he does best.
Which is everything.
Hunter is so dynamic as a playmaker, and whether he lands at receiver or corner, he'd be an intriguing pickup for the Patriots as they continue to reload.
6. Arizona Cardinals: James Pearce, EDGE, Tennessee
One of the most active teams through the first couple of days of the 2024 NFL Draft was the Arizona Cardinals, a team that really did a great job of reloading its roster overall.
The Cardinals have added so many young players to this roster over the last couple of offseasons, and here, they get one of the top breakout players off the edge in all of college football last season. James Pearce racked up 14.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks a season ago and could contend to be the first player off the board depending on how things shake out with the quarterbacks next season.
7. Tennessee Titans: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
The onslaught of Michigan Wolverines coming into the NFL over the last handful of years has been really impressive. Especially in the 2024 NFL Draft, there are so many former Michigan guys who are going to be making an immediate impact at the next level.
That should continue in 2025 even with Jim Harbaugh moved on to the NFL. Michigan's Will Johnson has had seven interceptions in his first two seasons at the collegiate level, and could be the best overall corner in this class. The Titans pair him up with L'Jarius Sneed to solidify an important position.
8. Las Vegas Raiders: Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas
It's going to be fascinating to see how Quinn Ewers handles the 2024 season at Texas. Arch Manning is on the way up, and Ewers has a lot of pressure on him after the season Texas had last year.
The Raiders picking 8th in next year's draft would scream "go after a veteran QB" to me, but if they don't have one by the draft, they'd better hope there's someone there worth taking. Ewers has 37 touchdowns and 12 interceptions over the course of his first two seasons at Texas and needs a really convincing year in 2024 to cement his 2025 NFL Draft status.
9. Minnesota Vikings: Luther Burden, WR, Missouri
The Minnesota Vikings took the Houston Texans' 2023 NFL Draft playbook and just went with a carbon copy for 2024. They moved up and snagged their QB of the future in JJ McCarthy before moving up and getting a premier pass rush talent out of Alabama, Dallas. Turner.
It was a great first round for the Vikings, but it's time to keep the weapons coming. If Minnesota is picking this high next year, it's going to be fascinating to see whether or not they paid Justin Jefferson, and what his future is like with the team. Luther Burden has 17 total touchdowns in his first two years at Missouri and is outstanding after the catch.
Even if Jefferson is back, get this guy in the fold and give JJ McCarthy an elite trio at the position.
10. New Orleans Saints: Earnest Greene III, OT, Georgia
At this point, why should we expect anything but a Georgia player on the offensive line to go high in the first round? They are over there making copies of these guys in Athens.
Greene was a first-team Freshman All-American in 2023 starting at the left tackle position for the Dawgs, and he's got the ability to come into the NFL and start right away. The Saints just used a first-round pick on Taliese Fuaga who will play the right side, and Greene will give them their bookend duo for years to come.