FOX Sports 2025 NFL mock draft 2.0: Shedeur falls to Raiders, Bears get choice of OL

The NFL is well known as a copycat league and all 30 of the teams that didn't qualify for the Super Bowl will be looking to emulate the brawlers along the line of scrimmage that helped the Philadelphia Eagles dominate the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night.  

Fortunately, while this year's class might lack the sizzle of recent years when it comes to the so-called "skill positions," it is full of bruisers along both the offensive and defensive lines. It is a "meat and potatoes" kind of draft that could be exactly what some "hungry" fan bases need to put their favorite NFL teams over the top. 

How appropriate given that the draft this year is taking place among the Cheeseheads in Green Bay. 

While free agency will surely shake things up, this is my current projection of how things will unfold April 24-26 in the 2025 NFL Draft.

1. Tennessee Titans: Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State

It was notably Titans president of football operations Chad Brinker — and not head coach Brian Callahan or new general manager Mike Borgonzi — who recently shared the opinion that the Titans would not pass up a "generational talent" to force a quarterback at No. 1. Carter is one of a handful of true blue-chip prospects in this class, offering an exceptional upside at a premium position. Carter has 10-plus sack potential as a rookie. 

2. Cleveland Browns: Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado

With Myles Garrett requesting a trade, this is an ideal time to commit to a rebuild. The Browns could go quarterback with Deshaun Watson expected to miss the 2025 season after rupturing his Achilles again, but a better course of action is the Best Player Available route. Cleveland surrendered 26 touchdown passes in 2024 with a league-worst four interceptions. Hunter’s combination of instincts and ball skills rivals some of the greatest I’ve seen at the position, earning comparisons to Charles Woodson and, of course, his college coach, Deion Sanders.

3. New York Giants: Cam Ward, QB, Miami

Like the two previous teams, the Giants have an obvious need at quarterback. Having already released Daniel Jones, however, the Giants are in a strong position to take their pick of this class. Ward isn’t as polished as his Heisman highlights suggest, but his quick release and flair for the dramatic could be big hits on Broadway. Of the quarterbacks available in this class, I like his fit best in Brian Daboll’s offense.

4. New England Patriots: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan

New head coach Mike Vrabel is going to prioritize physicality and nastiness. That is Graham’s game. Inserting the pro-ready Graham alongside blossoming star Keion White and the Patriots could have the makings of a dominant defensive line.

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5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan

While new head coach Liam Coen’s specialty is on offense, the best prospects in this draft play on the other side of the ball and Jacksonville has plenty of concerns there, given that the defense registered an eye-popping 29-6 touchdown to interception ratio in 2024. Johnson struggled with injuries this season, but when healthy, he’s a proven star with plus size, physicality and ball skills, earning comparisons from scouts on the road to Broncos’ star Patrick Surtain Jr. for his pro-readiness.

6. Las Vegas Raiders: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado

The Raiders didn't bring in Pete Carroll just to get conservative on draft day. Scouts are split on Sanders and Cam Ward as the top quarterback in this class, but the former seems especially well-suited to the glitz and expectations that would come from playing in Las Vegas and against all of the other top quarterbacks in the AFC West division. 

7. New York Jets: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State

After opting to move on from Aaron Rodgers, the Jets' top priority is clearly quarterback. After all, the only passers currently on the roster are journeyman Tyrod Taylor and Jordan Travis, a fifth-round pick last spring who spent his entire rookie season on injured reserve while recovering from a gruesome leg injury. But with the top signal-callers off the board and bold moves like the trade for Rodgers and early first-round selections of Sam Darnold (2018) and Zach Wilson (2021) failing in spectacular fashion, the Jets might want to opt for a safer route with Aaron Glenn's first draft pick as head coach. Whoever is taking the snaps would appreciate the sure-handed Warren, the elite pass-catching talent of this class. 

8. Carolina Panthers: Nic Scourton, DE, Texas A&M 

While quarterback Bryce Young took significant strides in 2024, the Panthers’ pass rush took a step back. Veterans A’Shawn Washington and Jadeveon Clowney were their top sackmasters with 5.5 and 4.5 takedowns, respectively. Scourton isn’t talked about enough as a first-round cinch. Stout, powerful and technically refined, he’s a pro-ready bruiser who could help a healthy Derrick Brown turn around this defense quickly next season.

9. New Orleans Saints: Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia

Given the dominant effort from Philadelphia’s defensive front in helping him become a Super Bowl champion as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator, incoming head coach Kellen Moore isn’t likely to need much convincing that his new team should prioritize pass rushers. Williams needs to add some variety to his rush, but his burst and bend suggest that his best football lies ahead of him.

10. Chicago Bears: Will Campbell, OT, LSU

The Bears have invested heavily in offensive linemen in recent years, but with durability concerns across the front, new head coach Ben Johnson might look back at the success he enjoyed in Detroit and push for reinforcements. An immediate standout who earned Second Team All-SEC honors from league coaches as a true freshman, Campbell ascended to First Team honors in 2023, showing off the size, agility and strength to warrant a selection in the top half of the first round. Campbell has the bulk, strength and balance to play tackle or guard and is the top-rated blocker in this class for many.

FOX 32 Chicago's take: Campbell has a chance to get selected well before this. If he falls to the Bears, it would be a win for Chicago and first-year head coach Ben Johnson who would love a building block like Campbell to replicate the offensive line he had in Detroit. Take note of Jacksonville and New England, both have first-year head coaches who have young quarterbacks to protect. That could dictate what offensive line prospects fall to the Bears.