Race for the No. 1 Pick of the 2025 NFL Draft:
Tennessee Titans:
The Titans fell to 0-3 with a loss to the Packers. Tennessee is a prime contender for the No. 1 pick with Will Levis at quarterback.
Carolina Panthers:
The Panthers got their first win of the season with Andy Dalton throwing three touchdown passes. Carolina is still rebuilding, and should challenge for the No. 1 pick this year. If they land it, they could take a new quarterback like Shedeur Sanders and move on from Bryce Young.
Top General Manager Candidates:
- Detroit Lions director of scouting development Mike Martin
- Atlanta Falcons vice president of player personnel Kyle Smith
- Indianapolis Colts chief personnel executive Morocco Brown
- Buffalo Bills director of player personnel Terrance Gray
- Tennessee Titans director of pro scouting Brian Gardner
- Philadelphia Eagles director of scouting Brandon Hunt
- Miami Dolphins assistant general manager Marvin Allen
- Washington director of pro scouting Eric Stokes
- New England Patriots executive Alonzo Highsmith
Top Head Coach Candidates:
- Super Bowl-winning head coach Jon Gruden
- Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson
- Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn
- Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Gus Bradley
- Green Bay Packers special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia
Head Coach Hot-Seat Tracker:
- Dallas Cowboys: Mike McCarthy
- New York Giants: Brian Daboll
- New York Jets: Robert Saleh
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Doug Pederson
- Chicago Bears: Matt Eberflus
Let’s Play Matchmaker:
Denver Broncos: Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri 
The Broncos were counted out before the game, but Denver pulled off the biggest upset of Week 3 with a road win at Tampa Bay. The Denver defense shut down Baker Mayfield, and the Bucs managed only seven points. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix ran for a touchdown and moved the ball well on a quality defense. This offseason, Denver could stand to add more playmakers for Nix to help turn field goal drives into touchdowns.
In 2024, Burden has 19 receptions for 257 yards and four touchdowns. Burden played really well as a sophomore in 2023, putting up 86 receptions for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns. As a freshman, he flashed with 45 catches for 375 yards and six scores. He also ran the ball somewhat that season, averaging 4.9 yards per carry and scoring two touchdowns. The 5-foot-11, 208-pound Burden is an explosive playmaker and could be a riser for the 2025 NFL Draft.
Indianapolis Colts: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan 
The Colts won their first game of the season as the Indianapolis defense produced three turnovers and held Chicago to only 16 points. While the Bears had some back-breaking turnovers, Chicago got their rookies going, with Caleb Williams throwing for 363 yards and Rome Odunze catching six passes for 112 yards and a touchdown. Indianapolis also struggled to cover Cole Kmet (10-97-1) and D.J. Moore (8-78). The Colts need more cornerback talent.
In 2024, Johnson has recorded 11 tackles, two interceptions (both returned for touchdowns), and three passes defended. He returned 86 yards for a touchdown. Johnson played really well for the Wolverines in 2023 and provided very good coverage late in the year during their championship run. He totaled 27 tackles, four interceptions and four passes defended. In 2022, he recorded 27 tackles, three interceptions, and three passes broken up. The 6-foot-2, 202-pounder has a good skill set and upside. He would be a superb pick in the first round for Indianapolis.
New York Jets: Kaden Prather, WR, Maryland 
The Jets rolled the Patriots on Thursday night with a dominant defensive performance. They ripped off seven sacks and held New England to only three points. Aaron Rodgers spread the ball around and was surgical with how he diced up the Patriots. Eight different Jets had receptions, but none of the receivers had a big game. Mike Williams (3-34) and Allen Lazard (3-48-1) could suffice this year, but they need a long-term receiver to be a steady No. 2 and playmaker in their offense.
In 2024, Prather has 21 receptions for 203 yards and two touchdowns. During the 2023 season, some team sources said Prather (6-4, 212) was similar to Adonai Mitchell but that Prather is a little faster and stronger. In 2023, Prather caught 41 passes for 609 yards and five touchdowns. He played at West Virginia previously, catching 52 balls for 501 yards and three scores in 2022. Prather has a good skill set with size, speed, and athletic upside. Mike Williams is just a short-term answer, and Prader could be a nice weapon to add to the offense and a long-term complement to Garrett Wilson.
New York Giants: Kelvin Banks, OT, Texas 
New York looked like they would get rolled by the Browns, but the Giants circled the wagons and got their first win of the season in Cleveland. New York’s defensive front seven dominated the Browns’ offensive line, notching seven sacks and had some clutch short-yardage stops late in the fourth quarter. The Giants had issues with the Browns’ defensive line, and improving their blocking is something New York will have to consider in the early rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Banks played well as the starting left tackle for the Longhorns in 2023 and as a freshman in 2022. At 6-foot-4, 324 pounds, Banks has adequate size, but some might view him as having more of a guard-type body – depending on how long his arms are. Banks has blocked well in 2024 and looks like a safe pick to be a solid starter in the NFL.
Carolina Panthers: Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado 
The Panthers got their first win of the season with Andy Dalton replacing Bryce Young. Perhaps Young won’t stick in Carolina, but if he comes back and plays well, the Panthers will have a lot of needs on their roster. They could use more cornerback talent and receiver help.
In 2024, Hunter has 37 receptions for 472 yards with five touchdowns. He has 14 tackles with two interceptions, two passes broken up, and a forced fumble on defense. Hunter flashed dominant cover ability in 2023 with 31 tackles, three interceptions, and five passes defended before getting injured and missing some time. As a receiver, he provided some big plays to the Buffs’ offense, catching 57 passes for 721 yards and five touchdowns. Hunter could be a full-time corner and gadget receiver for Carolina.
Detroit Lions: Nic Scourton, DE, Texas A&M 
The Lions defense played really well in a 20-13 win in Arizona. There revamped secondary stepped up in crunch time and Kyler Murray struggled to connect for big plays against Detroit. Marcus Davenport has been solid in the two games he’s played this year, but he is just on a one-year contract. The Lions need another edge rusher to pair with Aidan Hutchinson.
In 2024, Scourton has 10 tackles with a sack in three games. While playing at Purdue in 2023, Scourton broke out with 50 tackles, 10 sacks, one forced fumble and three passes defended. The 6-foot-4, 280-pounder showed impressive quickness and athleticism for a big-bodied defensive lineman. After the season, Scourton transferred to Texas A&M. He is thick bodied lineman that could help the Lions run defense and pass rush across from Hutchinson.
Baltimore Ravens: Josaiah Stewart, OLB, Michigan
The Ravens got a huge win over Dallas to end their losing streak. Dallas almost pulled off a late comeback, but the lead was too large for the Cowboys to overcome. After losing Jadeveon Clowney in free agency, Baltimore could use more pass rush talent to help them close out leads.
In 2024, Stewart has 14 tackles with four sacks and a forced fumble. Stewart has been a dangerous pass rusher for Michigan over the past three seasons. In 2021 he had a breakout season with 12.5 sacks, 43 tackles, and three forced fumbles. In 2022 he had 37 tackles with 3.5 sacks and a forced fumble. As a junior in 2023, Stewart had 38 tackles with 5.5 sacks. Stewart would fit best as a 3-4 outside linebacker edge rusher in the NFL. Stewart does not have size to be a base end in a 4-3 defense. In a 4-3 scheme, he would have to be a Sam linebacker that rushes off the edge in the sub package.
Team Draft Report:
In this section, we take a deeper look at specific teams and where they stand in regards to the 2025 NFL Draft.
Arizona Cardinals:
The Cardinals had a statement win in Week 2 when they blew out the Rams at home. A week earlier, they were up and played well against Buffalo before the Bills could pull off a comeback. While many have not considered Arizona to be a playoff contender, they are a young team that will improve week-by-week as they gain experience. It will not surprise me if the Cardinals emerged as a wild-card contender this season. Arizona could be ready to make some serious noise in the NFC with another good draft and run through free agency.
The Cardinals have a strong nucleus on offense with Kyler Murray, James Conner, Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Wilson, Trey McBride, and Paris Johnson Jr. This talented group should improve as they develop more continuity, and the scoring attack looks very potent for many years to come. Arizona could stand to improve the talent on their defense to help protect leads and avoid shootouts. In my latest mock 2025 NFL Draft, I have Arizona taking Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce Jr, and that would be a great addition. The Cardinals could use an edge rusher to pair with defensive lineman Dorian Robinson and linebacker Zaven Collins.
The Cardinals also consider adding help to the inside of the defensive line, and there should be some excellent options in the first and second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Some candidates include Michigan’s Mason Graham, Kentucky’s Deone Walker, and Ohio State’s Tyleik Williams. Arizona might be able to take an edge rusher or cornerback in the first round and land a good tackle prospect in round two.
Arizona made a nice selection with cornerback Max Melton in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but they might want to add a true No. 1 to pair with Melton. It will depend on where the Cardinals pick, but some high first-round options include Colorado’s Travis Hunter and Michigan’s Will Johnson. Later in the first round, they could target players like Notre Dame’s Benjamin Morrison or East Carolina’s Shavon Revel.
The Cardinals are in good shape to build their roster into a real competitor in the NFC. Another good run in free agency and some more talent through the draft could push Arizona into being a true Super Bowl contender.
New England Patriots:
The Patriots were rolled on Thursday Night Football, proving to New England fans that their rebuild is still a work in progress. Perhaps some thought the Patriots were close to playoff competitors after winning over the Bengals before an overtime loss to the Seahawks, but the Jets ended those aspirations for a quick turnaround under new head coach Jerod Mayo. After years of terrible drafting by Bill Belichick, the Patriots roster has been decimated of talent, and it will take multiple good drafts with successful runs through free agency to rebuild New England into Super Bowl contenders.
In my latest mock 2025 NFL Draft, I have the Patriots taking Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, and that would fill a void of a true No. 1 receiver. Belichick did an abysmal job of drafting receiver talent, and in the passing-driven NFL, that issue must be fixed to give young franchise quarterback Drake Maye a fighting chance. McMillan could pair with Ja’Lynn Polk to give Maye some legit weapons. McMillan is a big receiver that has some similarities to Drake London. Aside from McMillan, they could consider Missouri’s Luther Burden III.
Another route they could consider in the first round is taking an offensive tackle to protect Maye. LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell could be an excellent addition to give the Patriots a blindside protector for Maye. Campbell has been an effective starter in the SEC since 2022 and will enter the pros with a lot of good experience against top competition. If the Patriots take a tackle like Campbell in the first round, they could consider a receiver in the second round, and there should be some good options.
The Patriots are paying the price for years of poor drafts, and it will take a long rebuild to get them back to Super Bowl competitors in a loaded AFC conference filled with talented young quarterbacks. With Maye in place, they must now help and build talent around him. Addressing the offensive line and wide receiver must be the top priorities for the 2025 offseason.
