It’s NFL draft week, and we have our first anomaly of 2025.
Right here, in our annual rundown of every team’s needs, we’ll have, as usual, all 32 teams listed. Every one of them has a first-round pick. Back in March, this group of 32 became the first in the common draft era (which dates back to 1967) to enter a new league year with every team having its first-round pick still in its original spot. Nearly six weeks later, that remains the case.
Why? The reasons will tell you plenty about this year’s class. And last year’s, too …
• Generally, there’ll be a point in the first round when teams don’t like what they’re looking at—either before the draft or during it—and will look to move picks into future years. Last year, given the strength of the 2024 class, you had a lot less of that. Six quarterbacks went in the top 12, including three widely seen as worthy of going first overall. That pushed quality players at other positions down, and premium spots such as tackle (Joe Alt, JC Latham, Olu Fashanu) and receiver (Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, Rome Odunze) were stocked. And that led to quality edge rushers (Chop Robinson) and corners (Quinyon Mitchell) going in the 20s. So, few teams were actively looking to trade 2024 picks for ’25 first-rounders.
• The one position that usually moves future first-rounders is, obviously, quarterback. But last year, need very much matched up with how the players came off the board. Of the six QBs to go in the top 12, only J.J. McCarthy was landed as part of a trade up, and the Minnesota Vikings only had to go up one spot—from 11 to 10—to get him. So no 2025 first-rounders were moved as part of deals to get ’24 quarterbacks.
• There really weren’t any blockbuster veteran trades in 2024, for one reason or another. Most of the biggest names moved were older, banged-up or third-contract guys such as DeAndre Hopkins, Davante Adams, Amari Cooper and Marshon Lattimore—who no longer merited first-round picks in trade.
• This year, there’s really only one quarterback worth a trade into the top five, and that’s Miami’s Cam Ward (we’ll have more on that in this week’s draft QB column). With the team holding the top pick—the Titans—in need of a quarterback, a trade up to No. 1 has become a nonstarter.
• The makeup of the class is funky. After Ward goes to Tennessee, you’ve got two players, in Colorado’s two-way Heisman winner Travis Hunter and Penn State’s edge rusher Abdul Carter, who are clearly atop the class. After that, everyone has warts, potentially making picks No. 4 through 20 similar, and making some teams value the fourth or fifth pick this year like the 14th or 15th pick last year. So if you’re the New York Giants or Cleveland Browns, going down two or three spots, value-wise, might feel like dropping 10 or 15 spots. So you’re going to want a premium for that pick, and other teams might be hesitant to give one up in a draft with a sweet spot on Day 2.
So this is where we are, with a class, as Daniel Jeremiah and Todd McShay said to us two months ago, more loaded with starters rather than stars, and one built for team-building a lot more than it is built for television.
But one thing it’s not lacking for is intrigue. Picks in the back half of the first round generally don’t get moved in the weeks leading up to the draft, so plenty of trades could come Thursday night. And because of how flat the first round is after Hunter and Carter, there’ll be an unpredictability to that first night that could lead to plenty of curveballs. Then, there’s the Shedeur Sanders story line, which will only grow the longer he lasts.
I can’t wait to see how it plays out.
We’ve got a ton coming to you here. But more leftover from a couple of weeks of phone calls in the takeaways as well. Over there, you’ll find …
• More on the Sanders saga.
• Heat on offensive linemen in the 2025 draft.
• The one guy who could prompt a trade up near the top of the draft.
But we’re starting here, with nuggets to chew on for all 32 teams.
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Just as a note, the idea of this column, over the years, has been to assess team needs through the eyes of scouting departments—so I go to a series of pro scouting directors whose job it is to figure out what the other 31 teams are looking for, to give their teams the best shot to know what’s coming. It’s a good exercise for me not just to look at current needs, but also needs a year ahead that can influence how teams draft.
And with that, let’s not waste any more time …
Tennessee Titans
First round: No. 1.
Total picks: 8.
Needs: QB, edge, WR, LB, S.
What you need to know: You’d be better off listing what the Titans don’t need than what they do. But it’s been clear for a while what Tennessee is doing at No. 1. It’s as clear this year who the first pick will be as it was last year with the Chicago Bears taking Caleb Williams. They’ve rebuffed teams that have called about trading up, signaling it would take a historic offer for them to even think about moving. They cancelled a workout with Sanders, with the agreed-upon premise that the two sides didn’t want to waste each other’s time. They only added journeymen Brandon Allen and Tim Boyle to the roster in March, with 2024 starter Will Levis held over. They sent cavalries to South Florida for Ward’s pro day and a private workout. So now we can start talking about which edge rusher or receiver or lineman they’ll take at No. 35.
Cleveland Browns
First round: No. 2.
Total picks: 10.
Needs: QB, OT, RB, WR.
What you need to know: The Browns have done their work on the quarterbacks, and the smart money says they’ll take one somewhere on Friday. It would be a stunner for most teams if they took one at No. 2, with their choice of Hunter and Carter. And momentum has built of late for Hunter, perhaps because he’s cleaner than Carter both character-wise and medically. GM Andrew Berry has gone on the record multiple times saying the team views Hunter as a receiver first, where Hunter has drawn comparisons to DeVonta Smith, Stefon Diggs and Garrett Wilson, and Cleveland has the bigger need there. As for the quarterbacks the Browns could look at with the 33rd pick, or even via a trade back into the first round, they’ve done the work on Sanders, Louisville’s Tyler Shough and Ole Miss’s Jaxson Dart, and have the advantage of having the first pick of Friday night. Linebacker is another position to consider, with Cleveland having poked around on vets and some uncertainty surrounding Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah’s status.
New York Giants
First round: No. 3.
Total picks: 8.
Needs: QB, G, RB, DT, LB.
What you need to know: The Giants have done a ton of work on quarterbacks the past two years. They tried to trade up for Drake Maye last year. They took a couple of swings at trading up to No. 1 this year (the Titans rebuffed them quickly). They got multiple live exposures to Ward, Sanders, Dart, Texas’s Quinn Ewers, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, Penn State’s Drew Allar, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier and ex-Georgia QB Carson Beck in the fall. They worked out Dart privately in March, and Sanders, Milroe and Shough last week. And I think, in mid-fall, if you’d presented the circumstance that Ward and Hunter were going Nos. 1 and 2, and the Giants were sitting at No. 3, maybe they’d have taken Sanders. I don’t know if that’s the case anymore, after the coaches and front office have gone through the full process with him. For now, Carter is the chalk pick. Even with concerns over the medical side—his low lean-body-mass number added to foot and shoulder issues has scared some teams—it’d be tough to argue with the pick. And my sense is the presence of Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux will not prevent the team from taking Carter.
New England Patriots
First round: No. 4.
Total picks: 9.
Needs: OT, WR, edge, LB.
What you need to know: If Carter and Hunter are gone, this really is where the draft starts. Like a lot of teams, the Patriots certainly would entertain a trade down, but finding a partner won’t be easy. If they get stuck at No. 4, in that circumstance, my sense is they’ll invest in protecting their young quarterback and LSU’s Will Campbell will be the pick. There are questions on his long-term viability at tackle, but he’s the most pro-ready of the offensive linemen, and has a high floor, in that most believe he could be an All-Pro guard. One GM told me he thinks there are similarities in Campbell to Los Angeles Chargers left tackle Rashawn Slater, who was projected by many to be a guard, but proved athletic and technically sound enough to stay at his college position. Another comped his college tape to Zack Martin’s—Martin played left tackle at Notre Dame and may be a Hall of Famer as an NFL guard. Either way, coach Mike Vrabel has spent a ton of time one-on-one with Campbell, and Campbell knocked his 30 visit in March out of the park. If it’s not Campbell? Georgia hybrid LB/edge Jalon Walker is another “program guy” who’d be a solid fit for the remade Patriots. And if there is no trade down, I think the Patriots will keep looking for ways to build up their war chest of draft picks, maybe even with a trade of a veteran like receiver Kayshon Boutte.
Jacksonville Jaguars
First round: No. 5.
Total picks: 10.
Needs: DT, DE, S, LB, WR.
What you need to know: Most folks I’ve talked to think this is going to be Michigan DT Mason Graham. It makes sense. It’s a need. New coach Liam Coen and GM James Gladstone have Rams roots, and you can see some similarities in play style between Aaron Donald and Graham—and Gladstone was there last year when the Rams traded up for another player, in Braden Fiske, whom I’ve heard Graham comped to. But there are whispers that Coen could eye an offensive weapon here instead, that Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty could be in play (Travis Etienne Jr. could be traded in such a circumstance), and that Campbell is someone that would fit, too. The Jaguars have also signaled to teams that they’d be willing to move down, which, again, will be difficult to do this year. Whether it’s in the first round or not, I’d also look at bigger-bodied receivers for Jacksonville, with Coen having been with Tampa Bay last year, and Trevor Lawrence’s success as a collegian having come with those types of pass catchers. Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan would fit that bill, if the Jags wind up pulling off a trade back.
Las Vegas Raiders
First round: No. 6.
Total picks: 9.
Needs: OL, DL, CB, WR, RB.
What you need to know: Jeanty has been connected to this team a lot, and it makes sense. Be it Marshawn Lynch, Rashaad Penny or Kenneth Walker III, Pete Carroll invested in backs in Seattle time and again in a way few in this era have. And I do believe that both Carroll and new GM John Spytek have a lot of love for Jeanty. But I’d look at Spytek’s history, and more history on Carroll, and not rule out a linemen here on one side of the ball or the other. Indeed, Spytek’s last five first-round picks in Tampa, and six of the last seven he helped ID under Bucs GM Jason Licht, were line-of-scrimmage players. So I wouldn’t rule out someone like Missouri’s Armand Membou or Texas’s Kelvin Banks Jr., particularly with left tackle Kolton Miller getting a little older and grumbling about his contract situation. And if Graham falls into their laps, he’d fit the football character/competitor part of the new program to a tee.
New York Jets
First round: No. 7.
Total picks: 8.
Needs: TE, RT, DT, S.
What you need to know: The two names that come up most here are Membou, who’d fill a black hole at right tackle after Morgan Moses’s departure, and Penn State TE Tyler Warren, who’d give the team a complement to Wilson and fill another gaping hole. That said, the Jets go into this draft with a pretty talented young core that should make it so they don’t have to reach for needs too often—especially with the likelihood that Membou and/or Warren are there for them at No. 7. If there is a wild card here, I’d say it’d be Graham or Texas DB Jahdae Barron, because of how the two fit how I believe Aaron Glenn will want to build out his defense.
Carolina Panthers
First round: No. 8.
Total picks: 9.
Needs: Edge, S, CB, LB.
What you need to know: The Panthers have more or less put a for sale sign on the eighth pick to try to add to the arsenal they have, with eight picks in the first five rounds (they’ve got two fourth-rounders and three fifth-rounders), to juice a defense that has needs at every level. If they wind up sticking at No. 8, Walker’s name has come up fairly consistent as one to watch as a versatile piece that DC Ejiro Evero could use creatively.
New Orleans Saints
First round: No. 9.
Total picks: 9.
Needs: QB, edge, OL, CB.
What you need to know: The Saints need to get younger across the board and are buoyed this year with the capital they brought home for Lattimore—New Orleans has six of the first 131 picks. And I know there’s been a narrative that, with Derek Carr’s injury, and with Kellen Moore now aboard, that they’d take, or even move up for, Sanders. The reality? They’ve done way more outward work on Dart than they have on Sanders, and I’d think, as it stands, they’d be way more likely to take an edge player or a tackle than they would a quarterback at No. 9. Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart and Georgia’s Mykel Williams are bigger edge players with the sturdiness that Brandon Staley has looked for, which mirror what Cam Jordan has given the Saints over the years. Banks wouldn’t be a shocker either.
Chicago Bears
First round: No. 10.
Total picks: 7.
Needs: OT, edge, RB, DL.
What you need to know: This is another team that’s been connected to Jeanty, but I’d view a long-term left tackle, if one falls to the Bears, and with Braxton Jones going into a contract year, as just as likely. If Campbell, Banks and Membou are all gone, then another player for new DC Dennis Allen’s front might make sense. It could be an edge to play opposite Montez Sweat—with the initial plan being to have free-agent signee Dayo Odeyingbo move inside plenty on passing downs—or an interior guy to play with, and eventually replace, Grady Jarrett.
San Francisco 49ers
First round: No. 11.
Total picks: 11.
Needs: DE, DT, OT, CB.
What you need to know: Depending on what’s available—and in particular if one of the top three tackles makes it here—finding a successor for Trent Williams who could play somewhere else on the offensive line for the time being would seem ideal. But Kyle Shanahan’s always shown a willingness to make it work with less along his offensive front, believing in his own ability to manage that, and Kris Kocurek’s defensive line is losing Leonard Floyd, Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins. One player who’s seen as a particular good fit for their attacking scheme, with Robert Saleh back aboard, is Ole Miss’s Walter Nolen. This would be a bit of a reach, but if they’re O.K. with the football makeup questions (he’s seen as a bit entitled but has done well in his meetings), Nolen is certainly worthy, talent-wise, of going in the same neighborhood as Graham.
Dallas Cowboys
First round: No. 12.
Total picks: 10.
Needs: OL, WR, CB, edge.
What you need to know: McMillan and Texas’s Matthew Golden are both names of interest here, and a few people have told me Michigan CB Will Johnson would be a fit—though Johnson’s got a knee issue that, when added to questions on his long speed, is giving some teams pause (and could cause him to slide a bit). The name that a couple of people brought up to me here as a potential curveball is North Dakota State OL Grey Zabel. Yes, this would be a little early for Zabel. But he’s considered a pick that’s safe like Duke C Graham Barton was a year ago, and Barton had a very solid rookie year for the Buccaneers. Everyone seems to like Zabel, and I’d bet he won’t make it out of the teens, so this isn’t too much of a reach.
Miami Dolphins
First round: No. 13.
Total picks: 10.
Needs: DT, OG, OT, CB, S.
What you need to know: The Dolphins have a lot of needs, and have the look of a team in the midst of a soft reset. One area where rival teams have seen Miami doing a lot of work is with the interior defensive linemen, and one name in particular that’s come up for them is Michigan’s mountain of a DT Kenneth Grant. He’s another one you might not see this high in a lot of mock drafts, but is part of the next group after his ex-teammate Graham at the position, along with Nolen and Oregon DT Derrick Harmon.
Indianapolis Colts
First round: No. 14.
Total picks: 7.
Needs: OG, TE, DT, LB.
What you need to know: Indy was linked plenty last year to Brock Bowers—he went two picks before they took Laiatu Latu—and the Colts could be in play for such a player once again. I’ve heard them linked to both Warren and Michigan TE Colston Loveland, whom some teams actually prefer to his Big 10 rival. If it’s not one of those two, the smart bet would be a lineman, either offensive or defensive, with Alabama G Tyler Booker, who was a real alpha inside the Tide program (and helped the coaches get the most out of teammates such as current Titans OT JC Latham) through the transition from Nick Saban to Kalen DeBoer. They could also theoretically take someone like Booker, and double back with a second-round tight end like LSU’s Mason Taylor, since there’s more depth at tight end than there is with offensive linemen.
Atlanta Falcons
First round: No. 15.
Total picks: 5.
Needs: Edge, DT, C.
What you need to know: One of the more widely accepted ideas in the first round is that Atlanta is coming out of the first round with an edge rusher, after trading for Matthew Judon last summer (he’s still a free agent) and signing Leonard Floyd in March. Williams might be a consideration if he makes it here, but the two names I’ve heard more consistently linked to Atlanta in this spot are Marshall’s Mike Green and Tennessee’s James Pearce Jr. Both have character flags that the Falcons have to weigh.
Arizona Cardinals
First round: No. 16.
Total picks: 6.
Needs: Edge, ILB, G, WR.
What you need to know: Alabama’s Jihaad Campbell has come up as an excellent fit for what GM Monti Ossenfort and coach Jonathan Gannon have emphasized in their first two years—he’s tough, smart and versatile, capable of playing off the ball and on the edge. The question with him is medical. He’s considered a bit beat-up in general, and has a shoulder injury that could land him on PUP to start the season, which could cause him to slip a bit. Williams, another Georgia player with strong football makeup who’d fit Arizona, could be considered, too, if the Cardinals do go with an edge rusher here.
Cincinnati Bengals
First round: No. 17.
Total picks: 6.
Needs: Edge, CB, S, IOL.
What you need to know: Defense, defense, defense … with Sam Hubbard’s retirement and Myles Murphy trending toward bust territory, this could be a third straight edge rusher. Campbell would be a fit for new coordinator Al Golden’s scheme, if, again, the team is comfortable with where he is from a character standpoint. The team could also look at someone such as Johnson or Barron, should they slide into this range.
Seattle Seahawks
First round: No. 18.
Total picks: 10.
Needs: Edge, IOL, S.
What you need to know: I’ve heard Zabel’s name connected to the Seahawks a bunch. GM John Schneider, through 15 drafts in Seattle, has taken just one pure interior offensive lineman in the first two rounds (center Ethan Pocic in the second round in 2017). That said, it’s a massive need for Seattle now, and Zabel’s considered rock solid. Another name to consider is South Carolina’s cyborg of a safety, Nick Emmanwori, who could play the Kyle Hamilton role in Mike Macdonald’s defense. Loveland would be another name to watch.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
First round: No. 19.
Total picks: 6.
Needs: Edge, CB, ILB.
What you need to know: This could be a fourth edge rusher in five picks, and Boston College’s Donovan Ezeiruaku is one to watch right here—the Bucs struck on a “traits” edge rusher four years ago, in taking Joe Tryon-Shoyinka in the first round, and Ezeiruaku is the anthesis of that. He was hyper productive, and a big-time program guy at BC, and is considered relatively safe, even if he’s a bit small for the position. Corner would also be in play here, with Kentucky speedster Maxwell Hairston a potential fit for the Bucs.
Denver Broncos
First round: No. 20.
Total picks: 7.
Needs: RB, WR, TE.
What you need to know: The Broncos have explored both trading up and down—so they’re one of the few that have actually looked at moving north up the board. If they were to trade up, my sense is it’d be for someone they viewed as a special offensive weapon such as, perhaps, Jeanty or Loveland. If they stay at No. 20, Loveland and North Carolina RB Omarion Hampton would be fits. But the one that’s gotten my attention for Denver is Ohio State RB TreVeyon Henderson, as the “joker” that Sean Payton’s looking for. Denver’s nicely positioned at No. 20, where a team could try to jump over the Pittsburgh Steelers for a quarterback, and Henderson could be part of the strategy in a trade down (or they could just take him at No. 20).
Pittsburgh Steelers
First round: No. 21.
Total picks: 6.
Needs: QB, RB, DT, CB.
What you need to know: This is where a lot of folks think Sanders will land—and Mike Tomlin’s relationships could play into that. I don’t think there’s an overwhelming consensus in the building to pick the Colorado star, but perhaps a growing acceptance of the idea. The Steelers have also done a lot of work on Dart. Then, there’s the prospect of what drafting a quarterback at No. 21 could mean for their pursuit of Aaron Rodgers, which still seems to be in a bit of a fragile place. Meanwhile, other teams have noted how deep they’ve dived in on the defensive tackle class, which could put them in play for someone like Grant or Harmon here as a sort of successor for long-time cornerstone Cam Heyward (this could be the floor for Grant). Hampton’s another name to look at, with Najee Harris gone.
Los Angeles Chargers
First round: No. 22.
Total picks: 10.
Needs: DT, WR, TE, RB, edge.
What you need to know: If the Ravens’ old strategy can be a guide for Jim Harbaugh and Joe Hortiz’s approach here, they’ll wait for a really good player to fall to No. 22 and then listen to everyone wonder how that player fell into their laps. I’ve heard, for obvious reasons, both Grant and Loveland connected to their former coach—I’d be surprised if they passed on Grant if he made it to No. 22. Hampton is another stylistic fit for Harbaugh.
Green Bay Packers
First round: No. 23.
Total picks: 8.
Needs: CB, OT, edge, DT.
What you need to know: Corner is the first place to look here, with Jaire Alexander’s place on the team still in flux, and Hairston would be a wheelhouse pick—as a lightning-fast DB out of the SEC—for GM Brian Gutekunst. Ole Miss’s Trey Amos would fit, too. This could also be where the window for the second wave of tackles (Oregon’s Josh Conerly Jr., Ohio State’s Josh Simmons) opens, with Green Bay having a left tackle, in Rasheed Walker, headed into a contract year.
Minnesota Vikings
First round: No. 24.
Total picks: 4.
Needs: G, DT, S, CB.
What you need to know: Georgia S Malaki Starks—another Bulldog defender in this year’s class (joining Walker and Williams) who projects as a future team captain, character-wise—is widely seen as an outstanding fit for Minnesota DC Brian Flores’s scheme. Barron, should he slide, would be another really good fit. But a couple of people who know the organization well expect the effort that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah made to get bigger and tougher up front, with the additions of Ryan Kelly, Will Fries and Jonathan Allen, to continue in the draft. That could put guys like Harmon, Grant, Ohio State G Donovan Jackson or Arizona G Jonah Savaiinaea in play.
Houston Texans
First round: No. 25.
Total picks: 7.
Needs: OT, OG, WR.
What you need to know: Another draft consensus is that Houston will go offensive line here, with the team in the process of rebuilding that room. Former first-rounder Tytus Howard’s versatility gives Houston some flexibility here, in that they could look at Conerly at tackle, or at Jackson or Savaiinaea at guard. One thing that seems certain is that they’re going to want a culture builder after what they dealt with in that room last year, and either of the aforementioned guards would fit that bill (Conerly less so, though he’s not a bad guy).
Los Angeles Rams
First round: No. 26.
Total picks: 8.
Needs: CB, ILB, QB.
What you need to know: The team has significant needs at the three positions listed—and yet very little history of drafting those spots. Since Sean McVay was hired in 2017, the Rams have spent just one top-100 pick on a corner, off-ball linebacker or quarterback. That was on a ’19 third-rounder, who never became a full-time starter for the team. So maybe this is the year? Hairston would be a fit. And if you’re looking for an off-ball linebacker, Campbell is a hybrid who might make sense. But I have my eye on Starks, because of his smarts and the versatility he could bring to Chris Shula’s defense. Another name to watch, and maybe even in a short move up, could be Loveland, a year after the team tried and failed to move up to land Bowers (Taylor could be a Round 2 fit as well).
Baltimore Ravens
First round: No. 27.
Total picks: 11.
Needs: Edge, S, OG.
What you need to know: As we said, Baltimore GM Eric DeCosta’s not going to overreach, and there are a couple of guys, in Starks and Booker, that I think he would happily gobble up if they fell into his range. Both would be great fits for John Harbaugh’s program. And then there’s this idea that someone in the know gave me—that DeCosta and Harbaugh could pair Emmanwori with fellow build-a-player Kyle Hamilton at safety.
Detroit Lions
First round: No. 28.
Total picks: 7.
Needs: Edge, DT, OG.
What you need to know: Obviously, this is a roster that’s in really solid shape, allowing for the Lions to target certain needs, and the defensive line is very much one to keep an eye on. Certainly, finding a bookend for Aidan Hutchinson has been a focus for a while for Dan Campbell and GM Brad Holmes. But I’ve heard more about their search for a defensive tackle, within a deep class that should give them options. It makes sense: Alim McNeill is coming back off a torn ACL, Levi Onwuzurike is on a one-year deal, and D.J. Reader isn’t getting younger. Receiver’s another spot to consider—with a fifth-year option decision coming on Jameson Williams, and some in NFL circles believing he could be traded.
Washington Commanders
First round: No. 29.
Total picks: 5.
Needs: Edge, OL, S, WR.
What you need to know: The Commanders have a lot of needs, with Dan Quinn and Adam Peters having stopgapped a lot of positions last year to get the program up and running—which they did at a ridiculously high level. Getting young talent along the lines of scrimmage figures to be a priority, and finding a young pass rusher would be ideal. But with just five picks as things stand now, it would be no surprise to see Peters seek a trade out of the first round with a team that might be looking to come up for a quarterback.
Buffalo Bills
First round: No. 30.
Total picks: 10.
Needs: CB, edge, DT.
What you need to know: Rival teams have seen the work the Bills have done on defensive tackles and corners as telling. Harmon would be a fit to play next to Ed Oliver, if the Oregon star is there at No. 30. At corner, Florida State’s Azareye’h Thomas is considered a strong-tackling fit for Sean McDermott’s defense—though his 4.6 40-yard dash may give them some pause as they look to get faster on that side of the ball. East Carolina’s Shavon Revel Jr. is intriguing, too, as a guy they could gamble on coming off a torn ACL (he likely won’t be ready until deep into training camp).
Kansas City Chiefs
First round: No. 31.
Total picks: 8.
Needs: OT, OG, CB.
What you need to know: Most folks expect the Chiefs to go in on fixing their offensive line, with a couple of the four picks they have inside the top 100. They’d be well-positioned to take a risk on Simmons, who likely won’t be cleared to practice until after camp starts, and has maturity questions, but would benefit in a big way from going to a program like Kansas City’s. A lot of scouts and coaches believe he’s got the best potential to become a top-shelf left tackle of any player in the draft, though that would be the second year in a row they Chiefs take such a chance on the offensive line, after picking Kingsley Suamataia in the second round last year.
Philadelphia Eagles
First round: No. 32.
Total picks: 8.
Needs: Edge, WR, OL.
What you need to know: The Eagles have the luxury of thinking a year ahead at most positions, so it’s not like they’re going to be dysfunctional if they don’t fill a certain need. That said, one name that’s been raised to me here is Ohio State WR Emeka Egbuka, who could be the team’s slot receiver from the jump, and then give the Eagles a natural replacement for whenever it’s time to say goodbye to A.J. Brown.
So there you have it—a little something on everyone.
And keep it locked here all week with The MMQB team. We’ve got podcasts and videos coming, in addition to a series of “What I’m Hearing” columns, and my one and only mock draft Thursday.
I’ve loved the draft since I was little. And even if we’re lacking a little for starpower in 2025, I can’t wait to see how this one plays out.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as 2025 NFL Draft: Needs for All 32 Teams, According to Rival Scouting Departments.
