Draft traps NFL teams must avoid in 2025
From QB reaches to trading up, here are a few traps teams must avoid in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The 2025 NFL Draft is here, and it is expected to be one of the more unpredictable ones in recent memory.
Miami quarterback Cam Ward is essentially locked into the No. 1 overall pick, and a consensus seems to have formed about the top four selections.
However, once the Jacksonville Jaguars are on the clock at No. 5, the draft could get shaken up quickly. The 2025 draft class is considered to be top-light, so there figures to be a wider-than-average variance in how each team’s big board shakes out.
Still, the order in which players will come off the board during the draft should only become clearer with each passing hour ahead of its 8 p.m. ET start. The final rumors of the draft cycle are often the most clairvoyant, as scouts and decision-makers are less close-to-the-vest with critical information.
How will the 2025 NFL Draft shake out? Below is USA TODAY Sports’ live mock draft for 2025, which will be updated with the latest news, rumors, reports and leaks in the hours ahead of the draft..
1. Tennessee Titans: Cam Ward, QB, Miami (FL)
Ward is effectively locked in as the Titans‘ selection at No. 1 overall. Tennessee needs a franchise quarterback and is hoping that Ward’s strong arm and athletic skill set will turn him into a quality NFL starter.
2. Cleveland Browns: Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado
The Browns were increasingly tied to Hunter in the lead-up to the 2025 NFL Draft. General manager Andrew Berry has been candid about his appreciation of the Colorado star’s two-way skill set. Cleveland views Hunter more as a receiver, so he would likely play more on offense with select packages on the defensive side of the ball.
3. New York Giants: Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State
Will the Giants take a quarterback, or go with the best player available? Shedeur Sanders could draw consideration, but Carter may be too good to pass up. Carter had 12 sacks and 24 TFL last season while demonstrating the ability to play both on the edge and as a stand-up linebacker. He has some Micah Parsons in his game and would create an elite pass-rushing trio alongside Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux.
4. New England Patriots: Will Campbell, OT, LSU
The Patriots had one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL last season. They added Morgan Moses to play right tackle but need a long-term solution on the left side. Campbell was a three-year starter at LSU and moves fluidly for a 6-6, 319-pound tackle. His experience on the left side gives him an edge over Armand Membou, who profiles more as a right tackle.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
Mason Graham was long penciled in as the top option here, but there is a lot of smoke surrounding Jeanty and the Jaguars. The fit is sensible, as the Jaguars could use an upgrade over Travis Etienne. Jeanty’s physical, explosive running style would help transform Jacksonville’s running game and take pressure off Trevor Lawrence.
6. Las Vegas Raiders: Armand Membou, OT, Missouri
Offensive tackle may not look like a massive need for the Raiders, but left tackle Kolton Miller is entering the final year of his contract in 2025. He is seeking an extension, but if Las Vegas doesn’t want to give the top tackle one ahead of his age-30 season, they could draft his successor. Membou is supremely athletic and could open his career at guard while waiting to potentially take over for Miller.
7. New York Jets: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
What will the Jets do if both top offensive tackles are off the board? Warren and Mason Graham seem like the top options here, but Warren would provide the bigger upgrade. The Jets currently have Jeremy Ruckert penciled in as their top tight tend, but Warren has the versatility needed to be a threatening, middle-of-the-field playmaker for the Jets.
Don’t sleep on Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. as an option here, either. New York needs to upgrade right tackle after losing Morgan Moses in free agency.
8. Carolina Panthers: Jalon Walker, LB/edge, Georgia
If Walker is on the board for the Panthers, they will probably run their draft card in. The Georgia product has great versatility and is regarded as a smart, high-character player. Carolina desperately needs a top edge rusher, and Walker is a good bet to fill that void.
9. New Orleans Saints: Mykel Williams, edge, Georgia
If Shedeur Sanders makes it past the Saints at No. 9, he could slide down the board. That’s exactly what we’re projecting at present. While New Orleans may need a quarterback amid Derek Carr’s uncertain status, new coach Kellen Moore may prefer to build up the trenches after seeing the Eagles enjoy success with that strategy.
Williams is a high-ceiling prospect who played most of the 2024 season on an injured ankle. If healthy, he could emerge as a 10-sack player thanks to his combination of size, length and athleticism.
10. Chicago Bears: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
The Bears upgraded their interior offensive line in free agency. They could add competition for Braxton Jones at left tackle if they can’t land Jeanty or Warren. Banks was a three-year starter at Texas and should be able to quickly find success at the NFL level.
11. San Francisco 49ers: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
Could Graham really fall outside of the top 10? It’s possible. The 2025 NFL Draft is deep on the defensive line, so teams picking in the top 10 may be willing to pass on Graham knowing they can get decent value at defensive tackle later on.
The 49ers won’t allow Graham’s fall to continue. They have a big need on the interior defensive line, and the Michigan product’s relentless motor would make him hard to stop next to Nick Bosa.
12. Dallas Cowboys: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
Most believe the Cowboys will target an offensive weapon at this juncture. It’s just a question of which one. While Matthew Golden will draw consideration, McMillan’s rare combination of size (6-foot-4, 219 pounds) and contested-catch ability makes him a strong complement to CeeDee Lamb.
13. Miami Dolphins: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what the Dolphins will do here. They might like to land a player like Banks, but he’s already off the board. They could add talent to the defensive line here, but they may seek out a do-it-all replacement for Jevon Holland. Starks would qualify and is considered one of the best overall players in the 2025 draft class.
14. Indianapolis Colts: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
The Colts haven’t had a high-end starter at tight end since Dallas Clark. They could use one as Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones battle for the starting job and look to prove themselves as NFL quarterbacks. Loveland fits the draft range and put together well-rounded tape as a blocker and receiver at Michigan.
15. Atlanta Falcons: Donovan Ezeiruaku, edge, Boston College
Would Ezeiruaku really go ahead of Mike Green and Shemar Stewart? Maybe not, but the Boston College product is a pro-ready pass rusher who racked up the second-most sacks in the FBS (16.5) last season. He’s a great fit for Atlanta’s 3-4 defense and would help improve upon a pass rush that produced the second-fewest sacks last season.
Atlanta only has five picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, so it could also look to trade down. If they like Ezeiruaku, they could target him in the early 20s – if they find a willing partner.
16. Arizona Cardinals: Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
The Cardinals reunited Josh Sweat with his former defensive coordinator turned head coach Jonathan Gannon in free agency. Could they target Nolen to serve as a Milton Williams-like complement to Sweat? Nolen plays hard and is quick off the ball with an excellent first step. He has been a “red-hot riser” ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft, according to ESPN’s Matt Miller, so he could go higher than this.
17. Cincinnati Bengals: Mike Green, edge, Marshall
The Bengals had 36 sacks last season, seventh-fewest in the league. A whopping 17.5 of those belongs to one player, Trey Hendrickson, who demanded a trade away from the team during the offseason. Even if Cincinnati keeps Hendrickson, it needs to find him a top-end partner. Green, who led the FBS with 17 sacks last season and starred at the Senior Bowl, would provide that.
18. Seattle Seahawks: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
Johnson has a wide draft range. His tape at Michigan was terrific, as he generated nine interceptions in 32 career games, but speed and injury concerns could cause him to drop out of the top 15 picks of the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Seahawks have two good, young cornerbacks in Riq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon, but it may be hard for Mike Macdonald to pass on Howard, who he coached for two seasons at Michigan.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
The Buccaneers will be very happy if Campbell is on the board at 19. The Alabama linebacker is an intriguing hybrid player who can play on the edge but has the sideline-to-sideline athleticism needed to be a stand-up linebacker. Todd Bowles should get the most out of the quality blitzer, who would be an ideal successor for the 35-year-old Lavonte David.
20. Denver Broncos: Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
The Broncos currently have Jaleel McLaughlin perched atop their running back depth chart. Sean Payton will surely change that at some point during the 2025 NFL Draft. Denver doesn’t have a lot of pressing needs, and Hampton has the breakaway speed needed to add a new dimension to the Broncos’ running game.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter also reports the Broncos are fielding trade calls for the 20th pick. If any team is worried about the Steelers taking a quarterback, perhaps Denver could get a better-than-market-value offer for the selection and target a running back later in the draft.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
Sanders’ fall finally ends. The Colorado quarterback could go in the top 10, but if he falls past the Saints, there are few legitimate landing spots until the Steelers are on the clock at 21.
Pittsburgh may be holding out hope that Aaron Rodgers will sign with them in free agency, but they can’t count on it. General manager Omar Khan recently said the Steelers still need to add two quarterbacks, so they are likely to draft a quarterback at some point. If they want a potential starter, they may have to use their first-round pick on one after sending the Seahawks their second-round pick in the DK Metcalf trade.
22. Los Angeles Chargers: Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
Perhaps Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers won’t take the “best Wolverine available” approach, but Grant fills a big need for them. They lost run-stuffer Poona Ford in free agency, and the 6-foot-4, 331-pound Grant has the skills and upside needed to become a three-down playmaker in the middle of Los Angeles’ offensive line.
23. Green Bay Packers: Shemar Stewart, edge, Texas A&M
Under GM Brian Gutekunst, the Packers have often taken chances on highly athletic edge rushers. The results have been mixed with Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness, but that isn’t likely to change Green Bay’s playbook at the position.
Stewart is 6-5, 267 pounds, ran the 40-yard dash in an impressive 4.59 seconds and logged a 10-11 broad jump. That should pique Gutekunst’s interest if the top-tier athlete’s lack of production (4.5 sacks across three seasons) causes him to slide.
24. Minnesota Vikings: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
Barron could go a lot higher than this, but Johnson’s fall had a ripple effect on the Texas product. If the Jim Thorpe winner is available for Brian Flores, the Vikings defensive coordinator should pound the table for him.
Barron has great ball skills and instincts that should allow him to be a playmaker at the next level. He can play anywhere in the secondary but may ultimately fit best in the slot, which is becoming an increasingly important position at the NFL level.
25. Houston Texans: Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
The Texans took a chainsaw to their offensive line during the offseason. They added plenty of veterans to it in an effort to rebuild, but they need a left tackle of the future with Cam Robinson only signed to a one-year deal.
Simmons is coming off a torn patellar tendon but was one of the best blockers in college football over the six games he played.
26. Los Angeles Rams: Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
The Rams are good at finding productive receivers outside of the first round, but Golden is too good a value to pass on at this point. The Texas receiver ran the fastest 40-yard dash at the NFL combine and showed great separation skills during his lone season with the Longhorns. He will add a nice pop of speed to Los Angeles’ receiving corps alongside Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.
27. Baltimore Ravens: Grey Zabel, G/C, North Dakota State
Zabel’s stock has steadily risen since the Senior Bowl, as there is belief he will be the top interior lineman in this class. He played tackle in college, so his versatility and toughness should intrigue Baltimore, who lost super-sub turned left guard Patrick Mekari in free agency.
28. Detroit Lions: Tyler Booker, G, Alabama
Speaking of toughness, Booker feels like the type of player who Dan Campbell would love to have on his roster. The Alabama product isn’t the best athlete, but he plays with great physicality, power and toughness. The kneecap-biter could challenge Christian Mahogany for the starting right guard spot with the loser eventually serving as the successor to left guard Graham Glasgow, who is entering his age-33 season.
29. Washington Commanders: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
The Commanders traded for Deebo Samuel during the offseason, but he is only under contract for the 2025 season. Egbuka would provide Washington a longer-term No. 2 receiver for Jayden Daniels and comes with route-running and leadership skills that will quickly endear him to Dan Quinn.
30. Buffalo Bills: Derrick Harmon, DL, Oregon
The Bills could use another interior presence next to Ed Oliver. Larry Ogunjobi was signed during the offseason, but he will be suspended for the first six games of the season. Harmon was disruptive at Oregon and is a great value at this point, as he could ultimately be a top-20 selection.
31. Kansas City Chiefs: Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon
Patrick Mahomes was pressured relentlessly in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl 59 loss to the Eagles. Kansas City figures to address their problematic tackle situation at some point early in the 2025 NFL Draft. Whether Conerly or Aireontae Ersery is the better option at this point can be debated, but Conerly’s steadiness in pass protection gives him the edge over the larger Ersery.
32. Philadelphia Eagles: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
The Eagles may want to add to their defensive line after losing Milton Williams and Josh Sweat in free agency, but Emmanwori is a potential steal at this point. The hyper-athletic safety starred at the NFL combine and has the movement skills needed to be a big-time playmaker at the position. His physicality would help replace the departed CJ Gardner-Johnson, making him an ideal fit for Philadelphia.
All the NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY’s 4th and Monday newsletter.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
