Monday Morning Draft – Week 1 – 2025

Race for the No. 1 Pick of the 2026 NFL Draft:

New Orleans Saints:

The Saints are in rebuilding mode, whether they like it or not. While they seem desperate to stay competitive and avoid another era of being the ‘Aints, New Orleans has an aging roster in need of difference makers and long-term starters. The Saints will find out this season if Spencer Rattler or Tyler Shough can be the long-term starter, but if they land the No. 1 pick, they should probably target a franchise quarterback to build around.

Miami Dolphins:

The Dolphins were blown out and embarrassed in Week 1 at Indianapolis. There has been a lot of talk about Miami having problems with its culture in the locker room and organization. That could lead to a toxic environment that leads to losses and trading away veterans during the season. If the Dolphins land the No. 1 pick, they may need to consider drafting a quarterback and starting a rebuild.

New York Giants:

The Giants have some talent on the roster, but they could be among the top contenders for the No. 1 pick for the second straight season. Russell Wilson is a declining veteran, and Jaxson Dart could have growing pains. Depending on how Dart plays when he gets into the lineup this season, New York will have to consider whether he should be the quarterback to build around going forward.

Cleveland Browns:

Even though the Browns have a good defense and some talent on their roster, they could be in the race for the No. 1 pick from their pick, or the one they have from the Jaguars. Cleveland plays in one of the toughest divisions in the NFL, and they have the worst quarterback in the division. The Browns should find out if Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders is capable of being the quarterback going forward. That would give them more clarity for the 2026 NFL Draft.

Carolina Panthers:

The Panthers have some good young talent on offense, but their defense could cost them a lot of games. If Carolina lands the No. 1 pick, they will have to consider whether they should stick with Bryce Young.

Top General Manager Candidates:

• Notre Dame general manager Mike Martin
• Atlanta Falcons vice president of player personnel Kyle Smith
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers senior personnel executive Byron Keifer
• Detroit Lions assistant general manager Ray Agnew
• Detroit Lions director of college scouting Brian Hudspeth
• Houston Texans assistant general manager Chris Blanco
• Former Indianapolis Colts chief personnel executive Morocco Brown
• New England Patriots senior personnel executive Alonzo Highsmith
• Buffalo Bills director of player personnel Terrance Gray
• Las Vegas Raiders vice president of player personnel Brandon Hunt

Top Head Coach Candidates:

• Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman
• Super Bowl-winning head coach Jon Gruden

• Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken
• Green Bay Packers special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia
• Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores
• Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson

Head Coach Hot-Seat Tracker:

• New York Giants: Brian Daboll
• Indianapolis Colts: Shane Steichen
• Dallas Cowboys: Brian Schottenheimer

Let’s Play Matchmaker:

Pittsburgh Steelers: Fernando Carmona, OT, Arkansas

The Steelers won a shootout with the Jets as Aaron Rodgers threw four touchdown passes. Pittsburgh ran for only 53 yards on 20 carries. Pittsburgh also allowed four sacks to the Jets. While the Steelers have drafted a pair of tackles in the first round in recent years, they could stand to improve the interior of their line for 2026.

Carmona (6-5, 322) played well for Arkansas in 2024, showing ability as a run blocker and pass protector at left tackle. He is a solid player with upside to develop for NFL coaches. He was very good against Oklahoma State in Week 2. Carmona played left tackle at San Jose State in 2023 and 2022. Carmona could stay at tackle or be moved inside to guard. He would be a nice fit for the Steelers.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Caleb Banks, DT, Florida

The Jaguars did a nice job of defending Bryce Young and the Panthers’ passing attack, while Travis Etienne ran all over the weak Carolina defense. Jacksonville was without Maason Smith, and the Jaguars could use more young talent for the interior of their defensive line.

Banks didn’t play in the season opener. In his second season with the Gators, Banks (6-6, 325) is a large interior defender who flashed some pass-rush ability in 2024. He recorded 4.5 sacks with 21 tackles, one forced fumble, and one pass defended. He had 19 tackles with a sack in 2023. Prior to that, Banks had two tackles with a sack while playing at Louisville. Banks has a good skill set with upside. He could be an excellent addition for Jacksonville to pair next to Travon Walker.

Las Vegas Raiders: Spencer Fano, OT, Utah

The Raiders got a road win in New England to start the Pete Carroll era in Las Vegas. Geno Smith threw for 362 yards, spreading the ball around. Rookie running back Ashton Jeanty averaged only two yards per carry with 38 yards on 19 attempts. Las Vegas could use more run-blocking talent and protection for Smith. He was sacked four times, led by the Patriots’ Harold Landry, who had 2.5 sacks.

The 6-foot-6, 310-pound Fano has a lot of talent, and has played well at tackle for the Utes. He has been a versatile tackle with 11 starts at left tackle and 13 at right tackle heading into the 2025 season. For the most part, Fano played on the left side in 2023 and on the right side in 2024. Fano is fast, athletic, and plays with a mean streak. A lot of teams could fall in love with his tape. Fano would be a great tandem to pair with Kolton Miller.

Arizona Cardinals: Kayden Proctor, OT, Alabama

The Cardinals got a road win to open the season, but they could use more young offensive line talent. Kyler Murray was sacked five times, and Arizona was unable to establish the run. Adding more blocking talent to go with Paris Johnson would make sense for Arizona.

Overall, Proctor played well in 2023 as a freshman. Except for struggling against Michigan in the college football playoff, Proctor was generally reliable in protecting Jalen Milroe. Proctor (6-7, 360) is a massive left tackle who could also be a right tackle candidate in the NFL. Proctor could be a nice first-round pick for the Cardinals and give them a tackle tandem to protect Murray.

Indianapolis Colts: Drew Shelton, OT, Penn State

The Colts blew out the Dolphins in a game of pure domination. Daniels Jones ran for two short touchdowns and hooked up with Michael Pittman Jr for a score. While Jonathan Taylor ran well, he was held to 71 yards on 18 carries. On top of not a lot of push in the ground game, Daniel Jones took some hits and saw pressure at times. Adding more blocking talent would make sense for Indianapolis.

Shelton saw some action as a freshman, filling in for injured left tackle Olu Fashanu, and then was a rotational contributor who also logged time at guard and center. After Fashanu moved on to the NFL, Shelton took over at left tackle for the Nittany Lions in 2024. The 6-foot-5, 308-pounder had a strong close to the 2024 season and put together some impressive tapes to end the season. Shelton has athletic ability and is technically sound with patience. There could be some debate about whether he should be a guard or tackle in the NFL, depending on how he measures leading up to the draft. Shelton would be a good addition and a plug-and-play guard to go with Quenton Nelson.

Los Angeles Chargers: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU

The Chargers shocked many with a win over the Chiefs in Brazil as Justin Herbert was superb. He carried Los Angeles to a huge win. Pat Mahomes had some success, of course, but Los Angeles has a journeyman secondary, and they could use some long-term starters. In the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, there could be some good options for Los Angeles.

Delane had two tackles with an interception and a pass broken up against Clemson in the 2025 season opener. Delane is an instinctive defender with a quality skill set for the next level. In 2024, he had four interceptions with seven passes defended, two forced fumbles, and 54 tackles with Virginia Tech. In 2023, he had one interception, one pass batted, and 54 tackles. He had eight breakups with an interception in 2022 as a freshman. The 6-foot-1, 188-pounder has good size to him with upside to continue to get better as he gains experience. Delane would be a great fit with the Chargers and a plug-and-play upgrade.

Philadelphia Eagles: Gabe Jacas, DE, Illinois

In the offseason, the Eagles lost some valuable veterans from their defensive line, and they were missed in Philadelphia’s close win over the Cowboys on Thursday night. The day after the game, they brought in veteran edge rusher Za’Darius Smith to help fortify their depth and add a proven rusher to their rotation. After this season, the Eagles could use an early-round pick on a true replacement for Brandon Graham.

To open 2025, Jacas has three sacks, two forced fumbles, and six tackles. Jacas (6-3, 275) played well for the Fighting Illini in 2024, providing an impact at the point of attack. In the ground game, Jacas has functional strength to hold his ground and get in on runs outside of his gap. Jacas is strong and quick in the pass rush, showing the ability to get after the quarterback as a versatile rusher. He had eight sacks, 74 tackles, and three forced fumbles in 2024. Jacas could be a nice pick for the Eagles in the first or second round.

Team Draft Report:

In this section, we take a deeper look at specific teams and where they stand regarding the 2025 NFL Draft.

Kansas City Chiefs:

Former Chiefs general manager John Dorsey set up Kansas City for their dynasty when he drafted Pat Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill, and Chris Jones. Mahomes is an elite player for many years to come. Kansas City is going to need to build up more talent on its roster around Mahomes to get him the support he needs to win them another Lombardi Trophy. With how the 2024 season ended and how the 2025 season started, the Chiefs have some areas of improvement that they need to address.

In my latest mock 2026 NFL Draft, I have the Chiefs taking Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy, and it would make sense for Kansas City to add more coverage talent. Justin Herbert illustrated that in Brazil, and they need more cornerback talent to go with Trent McDuffie. Aside from McCoy, there could be other good cornerback prospects to consider, like LSU’s Mansoor Delane, Clemson’s Avieon Terrell, Texas A&M’s Will Lee, and Texas’ Jaylon Guilbeau.

On the offensive side of the ball, it would make sense to continue to add weapons for Mahomes. Xavier Worthy is a talented young wideout who provides a speed mismatch, but Worthy is small and has durability issues. Kansas City could use more long-term receiving weapons for Mahomes. In the first round, they could consider prospects like South Carolina’s Nyck Harbor, Washington’s Denzel Boston, and Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson. However, that trio is very talented, and they may not make it to the Chiefs’ pick. Some potential late first or day-two prospects include Georgia’s Noah Thomas and LSU’s Aaron Anderson.

Depending on how some young players play this season, the Chiefs could also consider drafting a defensive end in the first round to pair with George Karlaftis. Some edge rush options to consider include Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr., Oregon’s Matayo Uiagalelei, Illinois’ Gabe Jacas, and Ohio State’s Kenyatta Jackson.

A lot can change during the course of the season, and losing in Week 1 did not stop the Chiefs from winning the Super Bowl two years ago. If the Chiefs draft well in 2026, that could help give Mahomes what he needs to produce another championship for Kansas City.