3-round mock draft: What the hell are the Browns doing with one month to go?

Cam Ward to the Titans, but who do the Browns land at pick No. 2?

Apr 01, 2025

We are now just a bit over three weeks from the 2025 NFL Draft, making it the perfect time for a new, predictive mock draft.

It seems like it has become a foregone conclusion that the NFL Draft starts at pick No. 2 with the Cleveland Browns. The Tennessee Titans seem locked in on selecting Miami quarterback Cam Ward as we hit the home stretch.

So what will the Browns do? They could address the need at quarterback and just take Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. Or they could focus on the top of the board and land either Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter or Colorado’s hybrid player Travis Hunter.

So let’s find out what the Browns do here and how the rest of this three-round mock draft shakes out after:

1. Tennessee Titans: QB Cam Ward, Miami

This may be the worst-kept secret out there right now. The draft starts with the Browns at pick No. 2.

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

It sure seems like the Browns are going to punt on a quarterback early. If they do, it comes down to Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter or Colorado two-way player Travis Hunter. The Browns had the 32nd-ranked offense in 2024 and have stated they view Hunter as a wide receiver. Carter won’t improve that putrid offense.

3. New York Giants: QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

With Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston inked to a deal in the Big Apple, is the dream of Shedeur Sanders dead? Not so fast. With Winston signing a two-year deal, we work with the idea of Wilson acting as a win-now quarterback (good luck) with Winston as the player to help Sanders transition to the NFL.

4. New England Patriots: EDGE Abdul Carter, Penn State

The Patriots need to improve their pass rush after they traded away Matthew Judon last year. While they just signed Harold Landry, that will not stop them from drafting the ultra-talented and violent Carter.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars: DT Mason Graham, Michigan

James Gladstone was a driving force in replacing Aaron Donald with Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske over the last two years. You cannot tell me he isn’t looking at Mason Graham as an immediate playmaker on a team that needs help yesterday along the interior of their defensive line.

6. Las Vegas Raiders: OL Will Campbell, LSU

The Raiders are one of the tougher teams to draft for at the top of the draft. They could opt to run with Ashton Jeanty here. But the oldest head coach in the NFL isn’t signing up for a rebuild, and the quickest way to improve your offense is to improve at quarterback.

They already did that by acquiring Geno Smith from the Seahawks. Now they have to protect him. Will Campbell has been a debated “guard or tackle?” player this cycle. In this case, he can start today at guard and then kick out to tackle next year as Kolton Miller plays out the last year of his contract.

7. New York Jets: OT Armand Membou, Missouri

The Jets lost both Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses in free agency. Here they pair their first round offensive tackle last year, Olu Fashanu, with another one this year. Meet the most athletic offensive tackle in this year’s class who just went through a gauntlet of a schedule without surrendering a pressure. Armand Membou heads to the Jets.

8. Carolina Panthers: TE Tyler Warren, Penn State

The Panthers lack talent in their wide receiver room. And while they don’t draft one here, they add the best pass catcher on the board and another weapon for Bryce Young. The 6-foot-6 and 260-pound Tyler Warren is an absolute unit and a freak athlete to top it off. His tape tells the story of a top-10 player in this class.

9. New Orleans Saints: CB Will Johnson Jr., Michigan

The Saints have a lot of holes to fill. However, cornerback is a premium position, and New Orleans needs a new one after trading away Marshon Lattimore last year and losing Paulson Adebo in free agency. Alontae Taylor played much better in the slot, and the only other one they added in free agency was Isaac Yiadom.

Will Johnson Jr. is a case of prospect fatigue, is a true top-10 player in this class, and lands as one here to the Saints to play opposite of Kool-Aid McKinstry.

10. Chicago Bears: RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State

The Bears did an excellent job of putting themselves in a position to take a luxury here. They traded for two starting guards and signed center Drew Dalman in free agency. They like Braxton Jones and likely pass on the offensive line in the first round.

Pass rusher would be the other need for the Bears, but they gave Dayo Odeyingbo starter money to play opposite Montez Sweat in free agency. Why not get the best overall player on the board here?

Heisman-finalist Ashton Jeanty is here to take a massive workload off of the shoulders of Caleb Williams. No more need to play hero-ball in the Windy City.

11. San Francisco 49ers: EDGE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M

Nick Bosa needs a new running mate, and the 49ers do not have that player on their roster currently. Getting a high-end player to add to their measly defensive trenches from a year ago is necessary. Enter the uber-athletic and disruptive Shemar Stewart.

Say what you want about his box score, but Stewart is a freak, has a sky-high ceiling as a run defender, and is already better than any metric says he is as a pass rusher. He deserves to be the second edge defender off the board.

12. Dallas Cowboys: WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona

CeeDee Lamb is so good because he has the free rein to terrorize the middle of the field due to having talent outside of him. He can have the versatility to blaze from the slot or X, but that could become hamstrung if the Cowboys do not add another wide receiver to give him that ability.

Here, the Cowboys add a pure X receiver in Tetairoa McMillan to draw attention from Lamb and give them a two-headed threat.

13. Miami Dolphins: S Malaki Starks, Georgia

After losing Jevon Holland to the Giants in free agency, the Dolphins turn back to the draft board to address their secondary. Don’t overthink Malaki Starks. He’s been elite ever since he stepped on the field in Athens and he’s going to be a stellar pro.

The Dolphins nab him here to raise the roof of the backend of their defense.

14. Indianapolis Colts: LB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama

*insert some blurb about Chris Ballard drafting an elite athlete at a position of need*

15. Atlanta Falcons: EDGE/LB Jalon Walker, Georgia

The Falcons are going to have a heavy defensive draft, so why not keep one of the best defenders in college football in-state? With a need at pass rusher and linebacker, Jalon Walker can do a bit of both for the Falcons here.

16. Arizona Cardinals: OL Donovan Jackson, Ohio State

Make it three years in a row where the Arizona Cardinals have traveled to Columbus, Ohio for their first round pick. Is this too early for Donovan Jackson? Perhaps. But a player who has put out great tape at both tackle and guard is valuable. The Cardinals get a starting guard here who can start at tackle in a pinch if they need him to due to injuries.

17. Cincinnati Bengals: DT Derrick Harmon, Oregon

The Bengals lost D.J. Reader and the interior of their defensive line completely collapsed in 2024. They have not made moves to improve it in free agency either, so adding a young talent like Derrick Harmon in the 2025 NFL Draft would do wonders for new defensive coordinator Al Golden.

Harmon is a stout run defender, strong at the point of attack, and even displays fluid hips and a consistent plan as a pass rusher. The Bengals get a Day 1 starter.

18. Seattle Seahawks: S Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina

Mike MacDonald has likely been daydreaming about Kyle Hamilton since he left Baltimore for Seattle. Here, MacDonald drafts his own version of Hamilton in the form of Nick Emmanwori. An A+ athlete, Emmanwori has been a top-10 player for me going back to the fall.

He can play in the box, in the slot, and over the top. MacDonald is going to love all of the various ways he can get Emmanwori on the field and in a position to make a play.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: WR Luther Burden III, Missouri

The Buccaneers re-signed Chris Godwin in free agency, but there is a chance he may not even be able to play until midseason after suffering a broken ankle in 2024. Mike Evans enters the last year of his contract in Tampa too.

While Evans will never leave the Bucs, they have to get younger and more explosive in the wide receiver room. Luther Burden III is an overthought prospect who can win from both the slot and the Z. He’s the perfect fill-in until Godwin gets healthy, then will demand manufactured touches and give the team alignment versatility once the veteran returns.

Read more: Luther Burden III is still WR1

20. Denver Broncos: RB Kaleb Johnson, Iowa

Sean Payton has been vocal about needing a Joker for his offense. They signed the athletic Evan Engram to take over the big slot/move role and eat targets in space. However, another way to add an instant playmaker is to draft Kaleb Johnson out of Iowa.

Do not be turned off by his mid-4.5 40-yard dash. This is the kind of athlete he is on tape. He’s also one of the more fluid, visually sharp, and complete running backs in this draft class. He’s my RB2, so it only makes sense that he comes off the board here as the second running back to a team that desperately needs one.

21. Pittsburgh Steelers: DT Kenneth Grant, Michigan

Cam Heyward is in the twilight zone of his career, and the Steelers need help next to him regardless. They make that their first round priority in this mock draft, selecting the Michigan big man Kenneth Grant.

While his pass-rush upside didn’t shine through at Michigan, there is reason to believe that it’s in there for Grant. At the very least, he brings a high floor as a stout run defender who can either play nose tackle or three-tech for Mike Tomlin’s team.

22. Los Angeles Chargers: TE Colston Loveland, Michigan

Jim Harbaugh reunites with a player he recruited. This has been a trend. Harbaugh went hard after both Najee Harris and Mekhi Becton out of high school but missed on both as recruits. Instead, he signed both of them in free agency this offseason.

There is a clear desire to bring in players to his locker room that he can predict and has some semblance of familiarity with. Michigan tight end Colston Loveland checks that box while also bringing an immediate threat to rip open the seam from a variety of alignments.

23. Green Bay Packers: EDGE Mykel Williams, Georgia

The Packers lacked juice off the edge before trading Preston Smith. That didn’t help. They add one of the younger, more linearly explosive players in the class here in Georgia’s Mykel Williams. While Williams might be a bit stiff coming off of a tightrope surgery, the sky is the limit for him.

He may not be around at pick No. 23, but his tape says he should be. If he is, this feels like a no-brainer for the Packers.

24. Minnesota Vikings: CB Jahdae Barron

The Vikings have done an excellent job of filling team needs like defensive tackle in free agency. This leaves cornerback as a need early on still though. And looking at Byron Murphy and Mekhi Blackmon, the Vikings do not seem to mind slender cornerbacks as long as they are twitchy and will get downhill quickly.

Jahdae Barron fits the bill. He’s explosive, can line up in a variety of looks, and addresses a need on the roster despite the signing of Isaiah Rodgers in free agency. He is known as a leader and high-quality guy as well, so Brian Flores gets a playmaker for his defense here.

25. Houston Texans: WR Matthew Golden, Texas

You might be wondering why I am not writing in an offensive lineman in Sharpie here for the Texans after trading away Laremy Tunsil. And it’s not because I think they’ve done enough to puzzle piece an offensive line together, but because I think they think they’ve done enough.

They signed Cam Williams to starter money for a one-year deal, they still have Tytus Howard and former second round picks Juice Scruggs and Blake Fisher, traded for another former second round pick in Ed Ingram, and signed Trent Brown to a deal worth backup money. They even added Laken Tomlinson to the room as well.

With another injury to Tank Dell, it might be time to think big picture and get a new receiver with slot/Z versatility to pair with Nico Collins. They have Christian Kirk for one year, but that should not stop them from drafting the refined and clean Matthew Golden.

26. Los Angeles Rams: CB Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky

Despite his sub-180-pound frame, Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston is explosive, twitchy, and scheme diverse from his post. The Rams need to get younger in the cornerback room, and that’s the direction they're going here despite a variety of paths they could take.

Darious Williams and Ahkello Witherspoon are a curious starting duo, and the depth behind them raises some eyebrows. Hairston comes in and can either start in the nickel from Day 1 or even take outside corner reps before taking over as a full-time starter out there in 2026.

27. Baltimore Ravens: OL Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas

Unintentionally drafting three Longhorns in a row here, Kelvin Banks Jr. completes the trifecta. The Ravens need a starting left guard today and could need a starting left tackle tomorrow given the injury history of Ronnie Stanley.

Banks Jr. can make an immediate impact inside even if I think his tackle tape was a bit suspect this year. He’s seasoned enough at left tackle, however, to start in a pinch if the contending Ravens need him to.

28. Detroit Lions: EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College

Needing to find a long-term partner in crime for Aidan Hutchinson after releasing Za’Darius Smith, the Lions make a move here for the ultra-productive Donovan Ezeiruaku. His testing matches the tape, and Ezeiruaku has checked just about every box a prospect could check.

He finds a new home in Detroit here.

29. Washington Commanders: EDGE Mike Green, Marshall

Mike Green has come under fire after some off-the-field issues have come to light. However, it does not seem like that is going to keep him completely out of the first round. The Marshall product lands with the Commanders here as they add another pass rusher to the roster.

They signed Javon Kinlaw to pair with Da’Ron Payne in free agency, but are slated with only Clelin Ferrell and Dorance Armstrong as their starting ends. As quality as both of those players are as role players, they need a high-end pass rusher in the room. They give the Green light here.

30. Buffalo Bills: DT Tyleik Williams, Ohio State

The Bills plugged up a need at defensive end with some stop-gap veterans and may buy themselves a year there. This allows them to add another player to the interior instead.

Get somebody to give Ed Oliver more clean looks here. Tyleik Williams is that guy who can take on two blockers, provide stout run defense, and even flash as a pass rusher when given the chance.

31. Kansas City Chiefs: OG Tyler Booker, Alabama

The Chiefs used the franchise tag on Trey Smith and traded away Joe Thuney to the Bears. They are currently slated to start Kingsley Suamataia at left guard, who struggled mightily at tackle as a rookie. That’s not a risk the Chiefs are going to take after a Super Bowl loss in 2024.

Alabama’s Tyler Booker is a Day 1 starter despite what his testing numbers say. He lands with the Chiefs here and goes from a dynasty at the college level to a dynasty at the NFL level.

32. Philadelphia Eagles: DT Walter Nolen, Ole Miss

After losing Milton Williams in free agency, the Eagles immediately replace him with Walter Nolen. Not much of a run defender, Nolen is going to be an early-career pass rushing specialist. But that’s what he thrives at. His flashes are brilliant while the consistency is still lacking.

If there is one team that has figured out how to consistently get the most out of their players it is the Eagles. This is a stellar fit to end the first round of this mock draft here.

Round 2 of 2025 NFL mock draft

Cleveland Browns: QB Jalen Milroe, Alabama
New York Giants: OL Marcus Mbow, Purdue
Tennessee Titans: WR Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
Jacksonville Jaguars: OL Grey Zabel, North Dakota State
Las Vegas Raiders: CB Shavon Revel Jr., ECU
New England Patriots: OT Josh Simmons, Ohio State
Chicago Bears: TE Mason Taylor, LSU
New Orleans Saints: RB Omarion Hampton, North Carolina
Chicago Bears: S Xavier Watts: Notre Dame
New York Jets: TE Elijah Arroyo, Miami
San Francisco 49ers: WR Jaylin Noel, Iowa State
Dallas Cowboys: EDGE Nic Scourton, Texas A&M
Indianapolis Colts: CB Azareye’h Thomas, Florida State
Atlanta Falcons: DT Darius Alexander, Toledo
Arizona Cardinals: DT Alfred Collins, Texas
Miami Dolphins: OT Josh Conerly, Oregon
Cincinnati Bengals: OT Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota
Seattle Seahawks: OT Cameron Williams, Texas
Denver Broncos: LB Carson Schwesinger, UCLA
Seattle Seahawks: WR Jayden Higgins, Iowa State
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: EDGE Landon Jackson, Arkansas
Green Bay Packers: CB Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame
Los Angeles Chargers: EDGE J.T. Tuimoloau, Ohio State
Carolina Panthers: EDGE Princely Umanmielen, Ole Miss
Buffalo Bills: WR Tre Harris, Ole Miss
Houston Texans: OL Jonah Savaiinaea, Arizona
Baltimore Ravens: EDGE Jack Sawyer, Ohio State
Detroit Lions: OG Tate Ratledge, Georgia
Washington Commanders: S Andrew Mukuba, Texas
Buffalo Bills: CB Jacob Parrish, Kansas State
Kansas City Chiefs: RB TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State
Philadelphia Eagles: EDGE James Pearce Jr., Tennessee

Round 3 of 2025 NFL mock draft

New York Giants: WR Elic Ayomanor, Stanford
Kansas City Chiefs: DL Jordan Burch, Oregon
Cleveland Browns: TE Harold Fannin Jr., Bowling Green
Las Vegas Raiders: RB Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State
New England Patriots: WR Jalen Royals, Utah State
Jacksonville Jaguars: WR Jack Bech, TCU
New Orleans Saints: QB Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss
Chicago Bears: EDGE Femi Oladejo, UCLA
New York Jets: S Kevin Winston Jr., Penn State
Carolina Panthers: WR Savion Williams, TCU
San Francisco 49ers: CB Trey Amos, Ole Miss
Dallas Cowboys: OL Wyatt Milum, West Virginia
New England Patriots: LB Demetrius Knight, South Carolina
Arizona Cardinals: CB Dorian Strong, Virginia Tech
Houston Texans: DT Omarr Norman-Lott, Tennessee
Indianapolis Colts: C Jared Wilson, Georgia
Cincinnati Bengals: CB Darien Porter, Iowa State
Seattle Seahawks: OL Emery Jones Jr., LSU
Pittsburgh Steelers: WR Isaiah Bond, Texas
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: CB Cobee Bryant, Kansas
Denver Broncos: CB Quincy Riley, Louisville
Los Angeles Chargers: DT T.J. Sanders, South Carolina
Green Bay Packers: OT Charles Grant, William and Mary
Jacksonville Jaguars: WR Kyle Williams, Washington State
Houston Texans: RB Dylan Sampson, Tennessee
Los Angeles Rams: OL Anthony Belton, North Carolina State
Baltimore Ravens: DT Joshua Farmer, Florida State
Seattle Seahawks: EDGE Bradyn Swinson, LSU
New Orleans Saints: EDGE Kyle Kennard, South Carolina
Cleveland Browns: RB D.J. Giddens, Kansas State
Kansas City Chiefs: DT Jordan Phillips, Maryland
Philadelphia Eagles: CB Nohl Williams, Cal
Minnesota Vikings: EDGE Josaiah Stewart, Michigan
Miami Dolphins: DT C.J. West, Indiana
New York Giants: LB Chris Paul, Ole Miss
San Francisco 49ers: RB Bhayshul Tuten, Virginia Tech
Los Angeles Rams: LB Barrett Carter, Clemson
Detroit Lions: S Billy Bowman Jr., Oklahoma
Leave a comment