Nailing each decide within the first spherical of the NFL Draft is unattainable. The occasion is commonly full of surprises, and the 2025 draft was no totally different. Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders plummeted to the fifth spherical, the place the Cleveland Browns took him with decide No. 144.
Sanders’ slide reminded followers how unpredictable the occasion could be. The mock drafts from many “specialists” mirrored that. This is a have a look at how 4 of the highest analysts fared of their first-round predictions:
Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN | Link to final mock draft
Variety of picks appropriate: 10
- Titans, QB Cam Ward
- Giants, EDGE Abdul Carter
- Patriots, OT Will Campbell
- Raiders, RB Ashton Jeanty
- Jets, OT Armand Membou
- Steelers, DT Derrick Harmon
- Vikings, Guard Donovan Jackson
- Ravens, Security Malaki Starks
- Payments, CB Maxwell Hairston
- Chiefs, OT Josh Simmons (did not embrace commerce down to choose No. 32)
Kiper — who has served as a draft analyst for ESPN since 1984 — has been criticized for the accuracy of his mock drafts all through his profession. In 2023, he correctly predicted solely three first-round picks.
This, nevertheless, was one in all his extra correct mocks. He did not predict the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs would commerce down from No. 31 to No. 32, however they nonetheless took Simmons, so we counted it.
However when Kiper missed, he missed huge. In his last mock, he had the New Orleans Saints taking Sanders with decide No. 9. He was manner off on that selection. | Grade: B-
Daniel Jeremiah, NFL Media | Link to final mock draft
Variety of appropriate picks: six
- Titans, Ward
- Giants, Carter
- Patriots, Campbell
- Jets, Membou
- Giants, QB Jaxson Dart (commerce with Seattle, not Houston)
- Eagles, Jihaad Campbell (did not embrace commerce as much as decide No. 31)
Jeremiah nailed three of the primary 4 picks, however he had the Jacksonville Jaguars taking Jeanty with decide No. 5, which derailed his mock.
Jacksonville traded four picks to the Cleveland Browns to maneuver as much as No. 2 and take Hunter. The Las Vegas Raiders, in the meantime, chosen Jeanty with decide No. 6.
Jeremiah believed groups could be aggressive, which is one cause he forecasted the Giants buying and selling again into Spherical 1 to pick Dart. However that is additionally one cause his mock had a decrease hit price. | Grade: C
Todd McShay, The Ringer | Link to final mock draft
Variety of appropriate picks: 10
- Titans, Ward
- Giants, Carter
- Patriots, Campbell
- Colts, TE Tyler Warren
- Falcons, EDGE James Pearce Jr. (did not embrace commerce with Rams)
- Seahawks, Guard Gray Zabel
- Steelers, Harmon
- Ravens, Starks
- Giants, Dart (commerce with Detroit, not Houston)
- Chiefs, Simmons (did not embrace commerce down to choose No. 32)
McShay was one of many few draftniks who understood the league wasn’t excessive on Sanders. Of the 4 mocks we chosen, his was the one one that did not have Sanders going within the first spherical.
Nonetheless, he was removed from excellent. In his mock, the Arizona Cardinals took Campbell with decide No. 16. The previous Crimson Tide star fell to the Philadelphia Eagles at decide No. 31.
One other puzzling selection in McShay’s mock was the Buffalo Payments deciding on East Carolina cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. with decide No. 30. Be mindful he suffered a season-ending left ACL tear in 2024. The Dallas Cowboys took the CB with decide No. 76 in Spherical 3. | Grade: B-
Dane Brugler, The Athletic | Link to final mock draft
Variety of appropriate picks: six
- Titans, Ward
- Giants, Carter
- Patriots, Campbell
- Jets, Membou
- Seahawks, Zabel
- Chiefs, Simmons (did not embrace commerce down to choose No. 32)
Brugler believed groups ought to emphasize wants quite than going with one of the best participant obtainable.
With decide No. 20, he had the Denver Broncos taking North Carolina RB Omarion Hampton to enhance their Sixteenth-ranked speeding assault (112.2 YPG). They took Texas’ Jahdae Barron, who received the 2024 Jim Thorpe Award as one of the best defensive again in school soccer.
He additionally appears extra prepared to guess on boom-or-bust prospects, like Texas A&M edge-rusher Shemar Stewart. The 6-foot-5, 267-pounder ran a 4.59 40-yard sprint on the 2025 NFL Scouting Mix however had simply 4.5 sacks in three seasons with the Aggies.
The San Francisco 49ers took Stewart with No. 11 in his last mock, however he went No. 17 general to the Cincinnati Bengals in the actual draft. | Grade: C
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