Race for the No. 1 Pick of the 2025 NFL Draft:
New England Patriots:
New England lost in London to the Jaguars to fall to 1-6 on the season. The Patriots are in rebuilding mode and feel the ramifications of years of bad drafting under Bill Belichick. New England has just begun a huge rebuilding project and they will be a real contender to earn the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Tennessee Titans:
The Bills dropped the Titans to 1-5 on the season. Tennessee is a prime contender for the No. 1 pick with Will Levis or Mason Rudolph at quarterback.
Carolina Panthers:
The Panthers were blown out by the Commanders and fell to 1-6 on the season. Carolina is still in their rebuild 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.
Cleveland Browns:
The Browns fell to 1-6 with the Bengals getting a win in Cleveland. If the Browns lands the No. 1 pick, they should look for an upgrade to replace Deshaun Watson. He clearly is not the player he was before his near two-year hiatus from playing football.
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
- Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen
Head Coach Hot-Seat Tracker:
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Doug Pederson
- Dallas Cowboys: Mike McCarthy
- New York Giants: Brian Daboll
- New Orleans Saints: Dennis Allen
Let’s Play Matchmaker:
Cincinnati Bengals: Nick Emmanwori, S, East Carolina 
The Bengals got a much-needed win in Cleveland to improve to 3-4, essentially eliminating the Browns (1-6). Cincinnati has missed Jesse Bates since he left for Atlanta in free agency, and that was felt again with David Njoku (10-76-1) having some success versus the Bengals defense. This offseason, Cincinnati should target a safety upgrade with a difference maker to be a true replacement for Bates.
Emmanwori has 49 tackles with four interceptions and two passes broken up. He had an interception returned for a touchdown against Kentucky and then a 102-yard touchdown pick-six that had the return whipped out on a suspect penalty versus LSU. Emmanwori (6-3, 220) is a huge safety with rare coverage ability for a player that big. He has been a steady contributor for the Gamecocks for the past two seasons. In 2023, he had 71 tackles, 10 passes broken up, and two interceptions in 11 games. The previous season, he totaled 85 tackles as a freshman. Emmanwori is a freak athlete with instincts and speed and can flash some physicality. He would be a fabulous first-round pick for Cincinnati.
Philadelphia Eagles: Kelvin Banks, OT, Texas 
Saquon Barkley (17-176-1) led a blowout of his former team as he dominated the Giants. Philadelphia ran for 269 yards, dominating on the ground, but the Eagles offensive line struggled in pass protection allowing five sacks to New York. Jalen Hurts was only 10-of-14 for 114 yards and a touchdown. The Eagles need to improve their pass protection next offseason.
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. For Philadelphia, Banks could be an upgrade at guard who could also play tackle if they have injuries and be a long-term replacement for Lane Johnson.
Indianapolis Colts: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan 
The Colts passing offense struggled with Anthony Richardson replacing Joe Flacoo, but Indianapolis defense had no problem shutting down Miami quarterbacks Tyler Huntley and Tim Boyle. Surprisingly, Miami ran the ball well on the Colts defense. Indianapolis has some good young talent on the edge, but they could consider adding a defensive tackle to go with Laiatu Latu and DeForest Buckner.
In 2024, Graham has 27 tackles and 3.5 sacks. A former star recruit, Graham flashed as a freshman in 2022, collecting 28 tackles, three sacks, one forced fumble, and a pass batted. He recorded 35 tackles, three sacks, one pass batted, and one forced fumble in 2023. Graham (6-3, 318) has good size and is a disruptive presence. He has serious power to shed blocks, bull into the backfield, and stuff runs at the point of attack. Graham also has the quickness and athleticism to create some interior pass rush. Graham would be a beast between Latu and Buckner.
Seattle Seahawks: Danny Stutsman, LB, Oklahoma 
The Seahawks ended their losing streak with a blowout win at Atlanta. Turnovers by Kirk Cousins were the difference as Atlanta got some good performances out of Bijan Robinson, Kyle Pitts, and Drake London. This offseason, Seattle needs to find a true replacement for Bobby Wagner and improve their defense in the middle of the field.
Stutsman (6-4, 241) is a tough linebacker for the Sooners, making a lot of tackles and some splash plays for his defense. Thus far in 2024, Stutsman has 62 tackles. In 2023, he totaled 104 tackles, three sacks, an interception, two forced fumbles, and three passes defended. In 2022, he recorded 124 tackles, three sacks, two interceptions, and five passes broken up. Team sources said Stutsman is athletic, quick, and instinctive. They said he has good size and length but lacks ideal strength and physicality. He also has some limitations in coverage. They called Stutsman a less strong, more finesse version of Pete Werner.
Buffalo Bills: Kaden Prather, WR, Maryland
The Bills cruised over the hapless Titans winning by 24. Buffalo enjoyed a breakout game from Keon Coleman (4-125) and enjoyed a touchdown from Amari Cooper (4-66-1) in his Bills debut. Cooper is a free agent after this season, and if Buffalo does not re-sign him, they could use a third receiver to go with Coleman and Khalil Shakir. Here’s a potential day-two sleeper that could be a nice replacement for Cooper.
In 2024, Prather has 43 receptions for 461 yards and three 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 and upside. The Bills could land Prather with one of their second-round picks.
Los Angeles Rams: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
The Rams defense got some timely turnovers, and were able to come up clutch to force the Raiders to settle for five field goals with zero touchdowns. The only consistent problem Las Vegas presented was tight end Brock Bowers, and clearly Los Angeles needs more talent at cornerback. Tre White was just a short-term veteran addition, and the Rams need a true No. 1 corner for their defense.
In 2024, Johnson has recorded 14 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 first-round pick for Los Angeles.
Denver Broncos: Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri 
The Broncos cruised over the Saints on Thursday night as Vance Joseph’s defense dominated the Saints playing without starting quarterback Derek Carr. Aside from Patrick Surtain, Denver’s defense lacks a superstar, but on a weekly basis, Joseph has them playing above their talent level. This offseason, the Broncos need to help young franchise quarterback Bo Nix. They have some big receivers and some speedsters, but they could use a true No. 1 receiver for Nix that can get open quickly.
Denver has already probably won too many games to land Arizona’s Tetairo McMillan, but they could be in position to land Burden. In 2024, Burden has 37 receptions for 447 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 great addition for Denver.
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.
Detroit Lions:
Even with the loss of Aidan Hutchinson, the Lions are a threat to win the NFC and make it to the Super Bowl. They proved it yesterday when they beat the 5-0 Vikings in Minnesota. They have a young, talented roster with an elite offense that can put up a lot of points against good defenses. There has been chatter from fans of the Lions trading for a superstar edge rusher. Still, Detroit has done a great job of drafting under general manager Brad Holmes, so it might best to stick with their strategy of holding onto early-round picks and building through the draft.
Many Lions fans are clamoring for the team to give up multiple first-round picks for a star edge rusher like the Raiders’ Maxx Crosby or Browns’ Myles Garrett. However, first-round picks are gold because you can get a talented starter on a cheap contract for five years. On top of the draft capital, both veteran edge rushers are very expensive, and it does not sound like the Raiders or Browns are interested in dealing their superstar edge rushers. Hutchinson will be due for a mega contract extension soon, and Detroit has already spent heavily to keep the core of their roster intact. This year, they have dished out huge contracts to Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell, Taylor Decker, and Alim McNeil. Adding Hutchinson and Crosby/Garrett would eat up the rest of their room. In speaking with sources, they would have very little salary cap space left after spending heavily on two super-expensive edge rushers. That could easily lead to the Lions losing young stud players like Brian Branch, Kerby Joseph, and Jameson Williams in free agency. Thus trading for Crosby could end up costing the Lions two first-round picks, Branch, Joseph, and Williams. In this draft analyst’s opinion, it makes more sense to stick with the strategies that Holmes and Dan Campbell executed since they have taken over the franchise.
In my latest mock 2025 NFL Draft, I have Lions taking LSU linebacker/edge rusher Harold Perkins Jr, and he would make sense as addressing a few spots. Alex Anzalone will be in the last year of his contract next season, and Derrick Barnes is a free agent after this season. Perkins could be a long-term linebacker to pair with Jack Campbell, and Perkins also is a phenomenal edge rusher. However, Perkins is undersized and Aaron Glenn and Dan Campbell have preferred having big defenders in their front seven. Other edge rushers they could consider include Georgia’s Mykel Williams, Penn State’s Abdul Carter, Texas A&M’s Nic Scourton, and Florida State’s Patrick Payton.
If the Lions miss out on a first-round edge rusher to pair with Hutchinson or fill the need in free agency, they could consider adding some interior talent to their offensive line. Kevin Zeitler only signed a one-year contract and Detroit could use some youth on the interior. Alabama guard Tyler Booker would be a tremendous pick as he is a road-grading run blocker who will make the ground offense even more potent. Having Booker blast open holes would get the Lions even more mileage out of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs.
Another position the Lions could consider on offense would be a wide receiver. Tim Patrick is starting to emerge as a capable replacement for Josh Reynolds, and Jameson Williams is having a breakout season. Patrick is a free agent, so if he isn’t re-signed, adding a big receiver to go with Williams and St. Brown would make sense in the first or second round. That kind of pick would also help them maintain the potency of the passing offense if Williams or St. Brown were to go down with an injury.
The Lions have a talented young core on their roster, so even if they don’t win or get to the Super Bowl this year, they should be right back in Super Bowl contention next year. It could make more sense to look to keep Branch, Joseph, and Williams over putting all of their money and draft capital into acquiring an end like Crosby or Garrett. Detroit has been built well by Holmes and Campbell and it could make more sense to stick with the strategies that have turned them from one of the worst teams in the league to one of the best.
New Orleans Saints:
The Saints were completely overmatched by a young, improving Broncos team on Thursday night. With starting quarterback Derek Carr out with an injury and many others on defense, New Orleans stood no chance. This season got off to such a promising start, with the Saints looking phenomenal in the first two games, but after losing five straight games, New Orleans looks like a team with a lot of needs to address this offseason.
In my latest mock 2025 NFL Draft, I have the Saints taking Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce Jr, and clearly, New Orleans needs to improve their edge rush. They signed Chase Young to a one-year prove-it contract in free agency, but Young has been proving he is an overrated big name and is not a difference maker. Cam Jordan is aging, and New Orleans could use more edge rush across from the underrated Carl Granderson. Pearce would give them a dynamic speed rusher. Other edge rushers they could consider include Georgia’s Mykel Williams, Penn State’s Abdul Carter, Texas A&M’s Nic Scourton, and Florida State’s Patrick Payton.
Another position they could consider would be cornerback. Marshon Lattimore is extremely expensive, oft-injured, and is not great in the locker room, and sources have said Lattimore butts heads with coaches at times. There were trade rumors about Lattimore last offseason, but a very complicated contract made that unfeasible for other teams. It looks like the Saints are planning for life after Lattimore when they drafted Kool-Aid McKinstry. Getting a year deeper in the deal could make Lattimore more available to help get draft picks for rebuilding the Saints roster.
Under general manager Mickey Loomis, the Saints have had some good drafts, so they do not need to rework their front office. I think New Orleans should let Dennis Allen go and hire Jon Gruden as their head coach. He has been phenomenal with Derek Carr, and I think he would get the best out of playmakers like Chris Olave, Rasheed Shaheed, and Alvin Kamara. New Orleans could use another receiver to go with Olave and Shaheed, so in the first round, they could consider receivers like Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan or Missouri’s Luther Burden III. Either one would be a great weapon to pair with Olave and Shaheed.
It will be a fascinating offseason in New Orleans. I think hiring Gruden would be a brilliant move for the Saints. Adding Gruden, upgrading their pass rush, and receiving weapons could make New Orleans a much more dangerous team in 2025.
