The Giants have no choice but to go with a quarterback with this selection, and Ward has demonstrated steady growth as a signal-caller in his long collegiate career.
What a boon this would be for the Patriots, landing Hunter to give the offense a dynamic receiving option who doubles as a sticky, instinctive cornerback.
The Jaguars did extend Tyson Campbell before the season, but this is a defense that needs more talented defensive backs. Johnson has looked like a top-10 type since his early days at Michigan.
This may seem too early for a safety, yet Starks has looked NFL-ready for two full seasons now. If he tests as well as expected, it wouldn’t be nuts for the Titans to select him here.
Milroe goes ahead of Shedeur Sanders, simply because he’s a longer-term developmental type compared to Sanders. The Browns make this selection for 2026.
The Raiders would probably love this scenario playing out, landing Sanders even as the third quarterback off the board. He doesn’t have immense upside but is as NFL-ready as they come in this class.
Back-to-back first-round receivers for Bryce Young. McMillan is a Tee Higgins type with ridiculous above-the-rim ball skills. Plus, he’s sneaky impressive after the catch.
There’s some Micah Parsons to Carter’s game, as he can range toward the sideline on run plays and win around the edge with fierceness at the point of attack or bending/dipping around offensive tackles.
With plenty of uncertainty surrounding the football-playing future of Chris Olave given his vast concussion history, the Saints have to add another high-caliber receiving talent to the offense.
Tennessee
• Jr
• 6’5″
/ 243 lbs
Pearce looks like a top-15 pick, and the 49ers make him one here. He’s long, explosive, deceptively powerful and put together two magnificent seasons in the SEC. He’s the running mate Nick Bosa needs.
The Dolphins add a youthful, three-down disruptor on the interior to fill the void from Christian Wilkins leaving in free agency last year. Graham has looked like a first-round pick for a while at Michigan. Ferocious, high-motor, highly skilled defensive tackle.
While the 2024 season wasn’t as dynamic as expected from Burden, he pieced together three-straight high-caliber seasons as the clear No. 1 receiver for the Tigers offense in the SEC.
The Bengals desperately need more pass-rushing juice beyond Trey Hendrickson. Scourton can play inside and out and win on three downs thanks to his advanced skill set of hand work and power.
No way Jerry Jones will be able to resist selecting Jeanty here, even though Rico Dowdle has been a formidable threat on the ground these last few games.
Harmon has been a colossal disruptor on the Oregon defense this season. Yes, the Cardinals need outside pass-rush help. They also could use more push from the interior.
Overton is an oversized edge rusher who burst onto the scene this year at Alabama. He’d give the Seahawks a true three-down defensive end to what has become a formidable front.
The Buccaneers get a do-everything front seven player who can boost the pass rush and help the off-ball linebacker group play with more speed to the football.
The Falcons stay close to home with this selection, and while Williams never improved his efficiency at Georgia, he is arguably the biggest physical freak on the defensive front in this class.
Ole Miss
• Sr
• 6’4″
/ 255 lbs
Umanmielen is a chiseled but reasonably explosive and bendy rusher who’d be a welcomed addition to the Chargers group that has leaned on veterans Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa for a while now.
This would be the first time the first round featured two tight ends since 2019, and Warren would provide Bo Nix with a serious receiving threat down the seam.
The Rams are a team you can typically count on to make a surprise selection early. Despite being a team that loves utilizing three-receiver sets as much as anyone, Los Angeles picks a high-upside receiving tight end for Matthew Stafford.
Green has been ridiculously productive at Marshall the past two seasons after transferring from West Virginia. While he needs to add weight, he has the springy athleticism to be picked this high by a team that loves investing in defensive front players early in the draft.
Jackson is a colossal human being on the edge, listed at 6-foot-7 and 280 pounds. He’s just scratching the surface of his football-playing potential. And the Bills will likely be looking for more long-term answers in the post-Von Miller era starting with the 2025 season.
