Pre-NFL Combine Mock Draft: Anticipating risers after a week in Indianapolis

With the NFL Scouting Combine one week away, we prep with a little mock draft action

49ers replace Deebo Samuel in this pre-2025 NFL Combine Mock Draft fun!

We are less than a week away from the NFL combine in Indianapolis, Indiana, so let’s project some risers in a new mock draft!

The San Francisco 49ers need to replace Deebo Samuel, the Cleveland Browns need to find a quarterback and potentially replace Myles Garrett, and the Tennessee Titans have various things they could do at the top of the 2025 NFL Draft. This week at the NFL combine, however, should provide some clarity as teams talk over dinner and drinks throughout the week in the Indiana nights.

Some names will solidify what we see on tape at the NFL combine, some will flounder to make a case and cause themselves to drop. Some may even cause us to go back to the tape and see if the athleticism they put on display in underwear translates when the pads come on.

So how does a two-round mock draft sound?

1. Tennessee Titans: EDGE Abdul Carter, Penn State

The Titans say they won’t pass up on a generational talent, and neither of the quarterbacks are that. Here they finally move on from Harold Landry and land the explosive, twitchy, flexible, and well-thought-out pass rusher from Penn State in Abdul Carter.

2. Cleveland Browns: QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

Going back to a wide zone offense, what better quarterback to turn to than one who was coached by the offensive coordinator in Minnesota when Kevin Stefanski was the quarterbacks coach of the Vikings? Shedeur Sanders in the most accurate quarterback in the class and shows the wits to find backside progressions from within structure. Oh yeah, and Deion Sanders raves about Browns quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave.

3. New York Giants: CB/WR Travis Hunter, Colorado

The Giants could be hot after a veteran like Matthew Stafford or Sam Darnold. After all, the jobs of head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen are in jeopardy heading into the season. That’s tough to bank on a rookie quarterback. They take the best player available here.

4. New England Patriots: WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona

This is admittedly my least favorite pick of the entire mock draft. However, with Tee Higgins coming off the market, there are not any sizeable upgrades the Patriots can make to their wide receiver room outside of the 2025 NFL Draft. So they take Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan here in this mock draft.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars: DT Mason Graham, Michigan

The Jaguars have some needs but none of them are quarterback. And that allows them to take the best player off the board here. It just so happens that generating pressure from the interior defensive line is one of their bigger needs. Welcome to Duval, Mason Graham.

6. Las Vegas Raiders: QB Cam Ward, Miami

New head coach, new minority owner (who knows a thing or two about quarterback play at the NFL level), new general manager, new quarterback? After a small fall, Miami’s Cam Ward comes off the board here to the Las Vegas Raiders.

7. New York Jets: S Malaki Starks, Georgia

Missing out on a quarterback, the Jets are one of the tougher teams to draft for in their post-Aaron Rodgers era. However, a three-year starter at Georgia, Malaki Starks can wear a ton of hats from safety to nickel to even outside cornerback. This is another BPA pick here.

8. Carolina Panthers: EDGE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M

There might not be a player in the entire 2025 NFL Draft class with a higher athletic ceiling than Texas A&M pass rusher Shemar Stewart at 6-foot-5 and 280 pounds. Not only is he explosive, more fluid than a man his size should be, and displays heavy hands getting after the quarterback as he continues to refine his pass rush plan, but he’s a Day 1 ready-made run defender.

9. New Orleans Saints: WR Luther Burden III, Missouri

There is no way around it: the New Orleans Saints wide receiver room is a mess with Chris Olave at the top, let alone with the uncertainty of his playing career hanging over the organization’s head. They have to add to that room and they do so here with the YAC-monster Luther Burden III, who is destined for a much larger role than what he was asked to do at Missouri.

10. Chicago Bears: OL Will Campbell, LSU

Rinse, repeat. Will Campbell is the best offensive lineman in the draft and he’s still on the board in this mock draft. The Bears have weapons around Caleb Williams, it’s now their duty to keep him on his feet.

11. San Francisco 49ers: WR Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State

The Deebo Samuel era is over in the Bay Area, and while Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka is not as explosive as Samuel, he has proven to be a consistent playmaker with the ball in his hands after the catch and is as refined of a route runner as you will find. The 49ers just drafted Ricky Pearsall a year ago, but they double-tap here with a more nuanced receiver to add to the room.

12. Dallas Cowboys: RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State

Jerry Jones spoiled that the Cowboys wanted Jonathon Brooks in last year’s draft. The only issue is that he was still on the board and the Panthers nabbed him. He makes sure that doesn’t happen here by taking the Heisman runner-up with pick No. 12 in this pre-NFL combine mock draft.

13. Miami Dolphins: OT Armand Membou, Missouri

There may not be a bigger riser down the stretch of the season in this draft class than Missouri offensive tackle Armand Membou. And his hype should only continue to grow after the NFL combine next week where he should perform exceptionally. As the Dolphins navigate an aging and uninspiring roster, offensive tackle has opened as a big need. They address that here and may even plan for life after Terron Armstead.

14. Indianapolis Colts: CB Will Johnson, Michigan

This pick is not Tyler Warren.

Will Johnson isn’t typically on the board this late, but the Michigan cornerback seems to have become a product of prospect fatigue. The Colts are starting an island of misfit toys in their cornerback room and an infusion of top-tier starter talent is needed. Johnson is too good to pass on here.

15. Atlanta Falcons: EDGE Mike Green, Marshall

This is too high for Marshall pass rusher Mike Green. However, the Falcons need a pass rusher and I was given some intel a month or so back that they like Green. After a standout Senior Bowl and what should be an explosive combine performance, the train is off the rails for Green as he continues to skyrocket.

16. Arizona Cardinals: LB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama

I cannot shake the feeling that Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon has Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell circled, starred, and identified with heart eyes on his draft board. The physical gifts that Campbell has at 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds to get depth in coverage, rush off the edge, and fit a gap from the second level make for an incredibly tantalizing prospect.

17. Cincinnati Bengals: OL Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas

Drafting an offensive lineman in Amarius Mims a year ago, the Bengals do not shy away from adding another piece this year. While Kelvin Banks Jr. has a guard grade from me, he has played his entire career at left tackle. Guess what? The Bengals have a need today at guard and could have a need tomorrow at tackle.

18. Seattle Seahawks: S Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina

There is not a better prospect for coaching philosophy fit in this class than South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori and Seahawks’ head coach Mike MacDonald. Missing Kyle Hamilton on his Seattle defense after leaving Baltimore, MacDonald tries to replicate him here with the long and talented Emmanwori.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: LB/EDGE Jalon Walker, Georgia

The Buccaneers prioritize high-character players and Jalon Walker is one of the gold star players in this class. Mix in his explosiveness and instincts (although positionless which makes him a bit risky in the first round) and they take a shot at adding a long-term contributor to their defense. Lavonte David’s time is running low and Devin White was run out of town.

Is this Walker’s defense now?

20. Denver Broncos: TE Tyler Warren, Penn State

Broncos head coach Sean Payton was vocal during Super Bowl week that he needed a joker for his offense. There is no better candidate than Penn State’s Tyler Warren to fill that role. Payton gets his Taysom Hill on Super Soldier Serum.

21. Pittsburgh Steelers: CB Shavon Revel, East Carolina

The Steelers have a type in cornerbacks: long and tall who isn’t afraid to bump and run on the outside. Joey Porter Jr. took a step back this season but is still a part of their plans. They need to get him a running mate though and make a significant upgrade to that room.

Here they land the explosive Shavon Revel Jr. out of East Carolina.

22. Los Angeles Chargers: OL Donovan Jackson, Ohio State

Jim Harbaugh wants to run the ball and needs to add a reinforcement to the interior of his offensive line to do so. They take the Ohio State standout Donovan Jackson here. Given the injury history of Rashawn Slater as well, and the Chargers have a pretty good spot starter at left tackle if needed.

23. Green Bay Packers: EDGE Mykel Williams, Georgia

Mykel Williams is all over the board among draftniks. This is where I feel his draft slot is most appropriate. I am not as sky-high as some that have top-five grades on him, but he is certainly a top-32 pick. The Packers traded Preston Smith this past season and got next to no pass rush production a year ago. While Williams is raw and may take some time in that regard, he possess an alien build, a stout desire to defend the run, and the explosiveness to get there.

24. Minnesota Vikings: DT Derrick Harmon, Oregon

The interior of Minnesota’s defensive line is a bit of a wasteland. So why not load up defensive coordinator Brian Flores with a defensive tackle who is not only a fluid and slippery pass rusher, but who has a tough upper half to control gaps in the run game as well? Welcome to the Vikings, Derrick Harmon.

25. Houston Texans: OG Tyler Booker, Alabama

Over and over and over again.

26. Los Angeles Rams: OT Joshua Simmons, Ohio State

Sliding a bit due to a torn patellar tendon that ended his season at the midway point in 2024, Ohio State offensive tackle Joshua Simmons still has big time tools and just continued to get better with every start. The Rams could very well bring back Alaric Jackson in free agency, but Rob Havenstein is over the hill. They take Simmons here as a tackle stalwart of the future.

27. Baltimore Ravens: EDGE Nic Scourton, Texas A&M

Transferring from Purdue to Texas A&M, pass rusher Nic Scourton entered the season as some in the industry’s top graded EDGE player coming out of summer scouting. However, it looked like he put on some bad weight with the Aggies and did not look like the same player. That’s to the benefit of the Ravens as he still has the potential to be the best pass rusher in the class at just 20 years of age.

28. Detroit Lions: OL Marcus Mbow, Purdue

One of the more explosive and versatile offensive linemen in the draft, Purdue’s Marcus Mbow has starting experience at both right guard and right tackle, and some even see him as a center too. With Kevin Zeitler aging out, Graham Glasgow playing at a replaceable level, and with the future of Frank Ragnow forever up in the air, Mbow could wear multiple hats for the Championship-ready Lions.

29. Washington Commanders: EDGE Jordan Burch, Oregon

The Commanders shocked the world going from one of the worst teams in the NFL last season to making the NFC Conference Championship game in just one calendar year. Dan Quinn needs more out of his pass rush, however. Here they take a shot on the massive 290-pound Jordan Burch, a player expected to explode at the NFL combine next week.

30. Buffalo Bills: WR Matthew Golden, Texas

Despite taking Keon Coleman with the 33rd overall pick in last year’s draft, the Bills still have a massive hole at the wide receiver position. Amari Cooper is a free agent and Mack Hollins is the only notable name they could bring back. With Khalil Shakir manning the slot and with Coleman at X, the Bills take a savvy and refined wideout to play Z in Texas’ Matthew Golden.

31. Kansas City Chiefs: OT Josh Conerly, Oregon

Joe Thuney was the Chiefs’ best offensive tackle this season and he is not an offensive tackle. Despite drafting Kingsley Suamataia in the second round last season, Kansas City has to take another tackle this year. They get the ulttra-athletic and high-ceiling of Josh Conerly near the end of the first round of this mock draft.

32. Philadelphia Eagles: EDGE James Pearce Jr., Tennessee

Stop me when you’ve heard this before. Howie Roseman and the Eagles take an SEC player who slipped down the board for non-football reasons to add to his roster. That is the case here with Tennsee edge rusher James Pearce Jr., a player that many had as their top-rated player in the entire class in summer scouting.

Round 2 of 2025 NFL mock draft

33. Cleveland Browns: RB Kaleb Johnson, Iowa

34. New York Giants: OL Jonah Savaiinaea, Arizona

35. Tennessee Titans: CB Jahdae Barron, Texas

36. Jacksonville Jaguars: OL Grey Zabel, North Dakota State

37. Las Vegas Raiders: CB Azareye’h Thomas, Florida State

38. New England Patriots: OT Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota

39. Chicago Bears: RB Omarion Hampton, North Carolina

40. New Orleans Saints: DT Tyleik Williams, Ohio State

41. Chicago Bears (via CAR): EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College

42. New York Jets: QB Jalen Milroe, Alabama

43. San Francisco 49ers: OL Wyatt Milum, West Virginia

44. Dallas Cowboys: TE Colston Loveland, Michigan

45. Indianapolis Colts: TE Gunnar Helm, Texas

46. Atlanta Falcons: WR Tre Harris, Ole Miss

47. Arizona Cardinals: OT Cameron Williams, Texas

48. Miami Dolphins: CB Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky

49. Cincinnati Bengals: DT Kenneth Grant, Michigan

50. Seattle Seahawks: LB Demetrius Knight, South Carolina

51. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: CB Cobee Bryant, Kansas

52. Denver Broncos: LB Carson Schwesinger, UCLA

53. Pittsburgh Steelers: WR Elic Ayomanor, Stanford

54. Los Angeles Chargers: RB TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State

55. Green Bay Packers: CB Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame

56. Buffalo Bills (via MIN): DT Walter Nolen, Ole Miss

57. Houston Texans: WR Jaylin Noel, Iowa State

58. Carolina Panthers (via LA): S Xavier Watts, Notre Dame

59. Baltimore Ravens: WR Jalen Royals, Utah State

60. Detriot Lions: EDGE Jack Sawyer, Ohio State

61. Washington Commanders: WR Jayden Higgins, Iowa State

62. Buffalo Bills: LB Chris Paul II, Ole Miss

63. Kansas City Chiefs: DT Darius Alexander, Toledo

64. Philadelphia Eagles: WR Isaiah Bond, Texas