The 2025 NFL Draft is finally here! Here are some rumors I have heard from sources with the draft just minutes away.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have been a fascinating team in this draft cycle, with them showing interest in adding a defensive lineman, an offensive lineman, and now a running back in the form of Boise State’s Asthon Jeanty. Some in the Jaguars front office would like to use the pick on another position as they feel they have adequate running backs in Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby. However, if Jacksonville follows their board, Jeanty would probably be the pick. In speaking with sources, Jeanty is high on their board with Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter and Colorado cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter. Hunter is expected to go second to the Browns, with Carter expected to go third to the Giants. Thus, if the Jaguars follow their board, they probably will be drafting Jeanty later tonight.
In speaking with sources, it sounds like the Raiders will take Jeanty if he gets to the sixth-overall pick. Las Vegas believes Jacksonville is going to take Jeanty, and if he is off the board, the Raiders are likely to turn towards Missouri offensive tackle Armand Membou with the sixth-overall pick.
Teams picking late in the first round have to keep their options open because it is impossible to predict which surprise players might slide to the late picks. In speaking with sources in Washington, the Commanders love Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston and Alabama guard Tyler Booker. The Commanders could go also go with a defensive lineman or wide receiver as Washington plans on following their board.
There has been a lot of hype and questions about whether the New York Giants will take Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders with the third-overall pick. As we reported months ago, the Giants had Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter at the top of their board and the building expects Carter to be the pick at three. However, New York general manager Joe Schoen has done a ton of work on Sanders, and the Giants do not have a long-term starter. Sources say they think the Giants will not take Sanders at three, but if Sanders gets to the Giants second-round pick, he could be their selection. They also like Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart as a possible second-rounder, and Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough could be a candidate if he gets to their third-round pick, and they took a non-quarterback at 34. Two names to keep an eye on in the second round for the Giants are Miami tight end Elijah Arroyo and Ohio State running back Quinshon Judkins.
Every year in the NFL Draft, there are a lot of teams that would like to trade down but are forced to stick and pick. That is especially the case in the top 10 when it is expensive to trade. The cost gets cheaper in the back half of the first round and is even more reasonable on day two. Sources say two teams that are trade-down candidates are the Atlanta Falcons (15 overall) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (19 overall). Both Atlanta and Tampa Bay could use some young talent on the defensive front. This draft is deep at edge rusher and defensive tackle, so it makes sense why they would like the idea of moving down and getting a similar caliber talent later while building up their resources with more picks.
The Buccaneers have been high on Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell throughout the process, and I have consistently projected Campbell to Tampa Bay in my 2025 NFL Mock Draft. Multiple team sources from around the league say Campbell is a top 10 talent and one of the top 10 best prospects in this draft class, and the only reason why he might slide is because teams downgrade the importance of inside linebackers. There are some teams that could snatch Campbell away in front of Tampa Bay. Arizona, Atlanta, and Seattle are possibilities depending on what else happens in the first round. If the Bucs miss out on Campbell, they could look to move down and take UCLA linebacker Carson Scheswinger. I hear that Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht really likes Schewswinger. If the Buccaneers are successful at trading down, Schewswinger could be a targeted player for Tampa Bay.
The Falcons are sitting at an interesting spot with the 15th pick. Obviously, Atlanta has a need for a young edge rusher. With pass rushers being a premium, there could be a run on the position before their pick and leave Atlanta with less than desirable options. However, this Falcons front office under general manager Terry Fontenot is never afraid to draft the best player available. They proved that with the selections of Bijan Robinson and Kyle Pitts in recent years. If the Falcons get cleaned out on edge rusher, some names to keep an eye on for them include Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks, Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell, and Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston. The Falcons like all three of them.
Veteran right tackle Caleb McGary is in the last year of his contract, so taking a tackle would be a long-term consideration for protecting the blind side of lefty quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The Falcons have some quality linebackers, but Campbell is a top 10 talent who can also rush the passer. Atlanta has a No. 1 corner in A.J. Terrell, and Hairston would give them two-man cover corners. Atlant is probably taking a pass rusher like Georgia’s Mykel Williams, Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart, or Tennessee’s James Pearce. If this trio is off the board before pick 15, some of these other players could be their pick.
There has been a lot of consensus for the Denver Broncos to take North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton later tonight. The Broncos were said to be coveting Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, but in speaking with sources, Denver did as much work on Hampton as they did with Jeanty. Sources say Denver had Hampton just a smidge behind Jeanty, and a year ago, Denver had Bo Nix just a smidge behind Jayden Daniels.
