2025 NFL (Post-Combine) Mock Draft 3.0: The Truth No One Wants to Hear
The Combine is over. The tests have been taken, the interviews conducted, the tape pored over—and yet, nothing in the dust has settled. Not really. The 40-yard dashes have been run, the verticals have been measured, and the hand sizes have been debated into oblivion. And yet—what did we really learn? That some scouts will overthink greatness? That some front offices will fall in love with a workout warrior and ignore three years of tape? That history repeats itself, and the league’s power brokers will once again convince themselves they’re smarter than the game itself?
The NFL Draft is the last great hustle.
Every year, the same script plays out. The Combine ends, the numbers roll in, and suddenly, we forget what we already knew. A quarterback who dominated on Saturdays suddenly gets questioned because his hand size is an eighth of an inch too small. A defensive end who wrecked entire game plans now looks “stiff in drills.” And some 6’5” receiver who never put up a 1,000-yard season is skyrocketing up draft boards because he ran a 4.3 in compression shorts.
Every year, teams tell themselves the same lies. They sit in their war rooms, surrounded by a million dollars’ worth of analytics, scouts, and tape, and yet—when the moment comes, most of them will still blow the opportunity… yet again.
They’ll convince themselves that a 40-yard dash means more than three years of game tape. That a vertical leap somehow translates to third-and-long in the fourth quarter. That hand size is more important than pocket presence.
They’ll chase numbers over instincts. They’ll pick tools over tape.
And they’ll wonder why they’re drafting in the top five again in two years.
Because here’s the truth no one wants to admit: some teams aren’t built to win this thing.
Some franchises are forever doomed to chase ghosts—suckered by Combine warriors, hypnotized by workout metrics, falling for the same smokescreens, year after year. The NFL Draft isn’t just a talent grab. It’s a chess match where half the league is playing checkers.
The great teams—the ones that know what they’re doing—they don’t get lost in the noise. They trust what they’ve seen on the field, not what an agent is whispering in their ear. They don’t get distracted by one bad drill or one freak performance in shorts. They don’t fall for the illusion.
Because that’s what the Draft is—an illusion.
A front office can convince itself of anything. It’s the art of self-deception, fueled by desperation, by hope, by the fear that one bad pick could set a franchise back for a decade.
And that’s what separates the contenders from the pretenders.
This is where legacies are built.
This is where careers are made—or ruined.
Get it right?
You’re the next Kingmaker.
Get it wrong?
You’re back on the clock in three years, selling hope to the same fanbase you just let down.
Now that the numbers are in, the smokescreens are back up. And the war rooms are running out of time.
Just the brutal truth.
Welcome to the NFL Draft Season: Act Two. This is where front offices start to panic. Where smokescreens become reality. Where careers—both players and general managers alike—are made or destroyed on a single decision.
This is where GMs start second-guessing their scouts. Where agents spread half-truths like gospel. Where a bad workout suddenly carries more weight than three years of dominant game tape.
And this is where teams win or lose the next decade.
The Second Guessing Era Begins.
Because this isn’t about who ran the fastest or jumped the highest. It’s about who actually knows what they’re looking at. It’s about the difference between talent and illusion, between a can’t-miss prospect and a guy who just looked good running around in tights.
Somewhere, right now, an NFL front office is talking itself into the wrong quarterback. Somewhere, a head coach is watching a guy crush the three-cone drill and convincing himself that he can fix everything the tape says is broken.
Get It Right?
You’ve got a dynasty in the making.
Get It Wrong?
You’re back here next year picking early, praying for a do-over.
And make no mistake—most of these teams are already kneeling to the football gods for repentance.
This is where legends are found. This is where mistakes are permanent.
So let’s stop pretending. Let’s strip away the nonsense, the media hype, the agent-fed storylines, and just get to the truth.
This is prime NFL Draft Season, where everything you thought you knew before the Combine is suddenly thrown into chaos. What separates the contenders from the pretenders isn’t just talent, it’s vision. Can your franchise see through the smokescreens? Can they recognize football players instead of track stars?
Not likely… but hey, stranger things have happened.
We’ll sit back, watch it unfold, and see who’s got it figured out—and who’s just cosplaying as an NFL GM.
So, here we go—Joseph Angel’s 2025 Post-Combine Mock Draft 2.0.
No hype. No fluff. Just football.
1. Tennessee Titans (3–14) | Biggest Needs: QB, OT, EDGE
The Pick: Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State
Let’s start with the lie. The Titans need a quarterback. Badly. But there isn’t a generational quarterback in this class. There’s no clear-cut “savior.” So Tennessee pivots.
Carter is not just a pass rusher. He’s a problem. The guy who wrecks your offensive game plan before it even gets started. 6’3”, 252 pounds, 4.58 speed, and a violent first step. Tennessee finished 30th in sacks last year. You don’t win in this league without a pass rush.
So while the rest of the league chases quarterbacks they don’t believe in, Tennessee takes the guy who’s going to make sure their division rivals’ quarterbacks don’t last the season.
Let’s make something clear—the Titans need a quarterback. Desperately. But they’re not getting that guy here. There’s no generational quarterback prospect, no sure-thing franchise savior. So instead, they do the next best thing: draft a problem. Abdul Carter is violent. Explosive. An absolute game-wrecker who ran a 4.58 at 252 pounds. Tennessee finished 30th in sacks last year—this is how you fix that.
2. Cleveland Browns (3–14) | Biggest Needs: OT, WR, EDGE
The Pick: Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado
There are football players. There are athletes. And then there’s Travis Hunter.
The Browns have no plan. No identity. But Hunter? He’s a cornerstone. A player you build around while you figure out the rest.
He can lock down an entire side of the field at cornerback.
Or he can torch defenses as a wide receiver.
And he knows he’s the best player on the field.
Cleveland takes the best talent in the draft and figures out the rest later. Because when your roster is this bad, you don’t pass on a Ferrari just because you need new tires.
There are players. There are athletes. And then there’s Travis Hunter. The Browns have no identity, no blueprint for the future. But Hunter? He’s a cornerstone. Put him at corner? Elite. Put him at receiver? Dynamic. He gives the Browns a true blue-chip asset while they figure out who the hell is actually throwing the ball.
3. New York Giants (3–14) | Biggest Needs: QB, OT, DB
The Pick: Cam Ward, QB, Miami
This is the gamble.
Cam Ward is the biggest boom-or-bust quarterback in the draft. The arm talent is undeniable. The improvisation? Elite. But he’s also inconsistent. His mechanics come and go. His decision-making? Shaky.
But the Giants? They don’t have a choice.
Daniel Jones is done. The franchise needs hope. And Ward, at his best, looks like a guy who could change everything.
If they get this right? The Giants are relevant again.
If they get this wrong? They just wasted another three years.
No pick in this draft has bigger boom-or-bust potential. Cam Ward is electric—the biggest arm, the best improvisational skills, and an upside that makes coaches salivate. But he’s also raw. Inconsistent. And with the wrong coaching, he could become another name on the list of “What Could Have Been.” The Giants need a quarterback. And they need to believe they can develop one.
4. New England Patriots (4–13) | Biggest Needs: OT, WR, EDGE
The Pick: Will Campbell, OT, LSU
Drake Maye is the future. So protect him.
Forget the arm-length debate. Campbell is a technician. A mauler. A 10-year starter. The kind of guy who wins games you don’t even notice.
The Patriots need stability. Campbell gives them that.
Drake Maye is the future. So protect him. Campbell has three years of dominant tape at left tackle. Forget the arm-length debate—he’s a technician, a mauler, and exactly the kind of guy you bet on to anchor a line for a decade.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars (4–13) | Biggest Needs: CB, OL, DL
The Pick: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
This is meat and potatoes. No frills. No flash. Just a grown man in the middle of your defense making sure teams don’t run for 150 yards a game.
Jacksonville ranked 28th in sacks. They ranked 30th in run defense. They got bullied up front all year.
Graham fixes that.
This is a meat and potatoes pick. Jacksonville got pushed around last year—ranked 28th in sacks, 30th in run defense. Graham is a monster inside—disruptive, powerful, relentless. He gives the Jags a real presence in the trenches.
6. Las Vegas Raiders (4–13) | Biggest Needs: QB, WR, DB
The Pick: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
The Raiders love quarterbacks with swagger.
And if there’s one thing Shedeur doesn’t lack, it’s presence.
Some will say he’s not an elite athlete. Others will argue his deep ball is average.
But here’s the truth:
• He’s poised.
• He’s efficient.
• He doesn’t make dumb mistakes.
The Raiders need a face of the franchise. Sanders gives them one.
The Raiders love quarterbacks with swagger. And if there’s one thing Shedeur Sanders doesn’t lack, it’s presence. Some will argue he’s not an elite athlete. Others will say his deep ball is average. But here’s the truth: he’s efficient, he’s poised, and he knows how to handle the spotlight. For a franchise that’s spent years searching for an identity, Sanders gives them one.
7. New York Jets (5–12) | Biggest Needs: QB, DL, DB
The Pick: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
Aaron Glenn wants a lockdown secondary. He wants to suffocate quarterbacks.
Enter Will Johnson.
• 6’3”
• Elite ball skills
• Plays with an edge
Pair him with Sauce Gardner? You’ve got a no-fly zone.
Aaron Glenn wants a lockdown secondary. He needs a physical, ball-hawking corner to pair with Sauce Gardner. Will Johnson is that guy. Injuries knocked his stock down slightly, but when he’s on the field? He erases one side.
8. Carolina Panthers (5–12) | Biggest Needs: EDGE, DL, CB
The Pick: Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia
When you finish dead last in rushing defense and 30th in sacks, there’s only one solution.
Draft a bully.
Williams is long, powerful, explosive. If he finds consistency, he’s a game-wrecker.
What do you do when you finish dead last in rushing defense and 30th in sacks? You draft a bully. Williams has elite tools—length, power, and an insane first step. If he finds consistency, he’s a game-changer.
9. New Orleans Saints (5–12) | Biggest Needs: EDGE, WR, QB
The Pick: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
Chris Olave is alone out there. The Saints need another target.
McMillan is big, physical, and catches everything. He changes this offense overnight.
Chris Olave can’t do it alone. McMillan is a big-bodied playmaker who wins at the catch point and adds a different dynamic to the Saints’ offense.
10. Chicago Bears (5–12) | Biggest Needs: OL, OT, DL
The Pick: Armand Membou, OT, Missouri
No team gave up more (68) sacks than Chicago. Membou gave up zero. Do the math.
You don’t overthink this.
The offensive line is falling apart in San Francisco. Simmons has elite potential—if his medicals check out, this is a steal.
11. San Francisco 49ers (6-11) | Biggest Needs: CB, DE, OT
The Pick: Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
San Francisco’s offensive line is a crime scene.
Trent Williams is a Hall of Famer, but he’s not immortal. The right tackle spot? An open wound.
Josh Simmons has elite tools. He’s a prototype—long arms, strong base, mean streak. If his knee checks out, this is the steal of the draft.
The offensive line is falling apart in San Francisco. Simmons has elite potential—if his medicals check out, ‘Frisco wins this draft long term.
12. Dallas Cowboys (7–10) | Biggest Needs: RB, DT, WR
The Pick: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
Jerry Jones knows one thing:
The Cowboys’ offense isn’t built for finesse.
They need a battering ram. A guy who runs angry. A workhorse.
Jeanty is all of the above. Over 2,600 yards last season. Can catch. Can pass block. Can carry a team when the lights are brightest.
Dak wants balance? Here it is.
Dak said they need a more consistent run game. Jerry Jones agrees. Jeanty is explosive, a three-down workhorse, and a problem for defenses.
13. Miami Dolphins (8–9) | Biggest Needs: OL, EDGE, DB
The Pick: Jalon Walker, LB/EDGE, Georgia
Miami’s defense? Soft.
The Dolphins finished 27th in sacks. No juice off the edge. No enforcer in the middle.
Jalon Walker fixes both. He’s a hybrid, a heat-seeking missile who can rush the passer or cover tight ends.
If you need a guy to set the tone, he’s it.
Miami’s defense was lifeless up front in 2024—27th in sacks, no real presence off the edge. Walker is versatile, explosive, and relentless. He can rush the passer, cover ground in space, and play anywhere. The Dolphins get an immediate impact defender who fits their aggressive defensive style.
14. Indianapolis Colts (8–9) | Biggest Needs: TE, CB, OL
The Pick: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
Tight ends don’t move the needle in the draft.
But Anthony Richardson needs a security blanket.
And Warren? He’s not just a big target—he’s a weapon.
6’6”, 261 pounds. Soft hands. Red-zone nightmare.
This is how you make life easier for your young QB.
Look, if Anthony Richardson is the future, he needs a security blanket. The Colts’ tight ends combined for fewer yards all season than Warren had in a single game. At 6’6”, 261 pounds, he’s an old-school, hard-nosed playmaker.
15. Atlanta Falcons (8–9) | Biggest Needs: EDGE, CB, S
The Pick: Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall
Let’s be clear: the Falcons’ pass rush was a joke.
31st in sacks.
Atlanta finished 31st in sacks. Jeff Ulbrich’s defense was soft up front, and Green is the fix. 17 sacks, 59 pressures, 32 run stops—no one in college football was more productive off the edge. He’s explosive, mean, and exactly what the Falcons need.
Jeff Ulbrich’s defense preaches violence. Green brings it.
17 sacks. 59 pressures. Motor never stops.
This is a guy who’s hunting quarterbacks before they finish their dropback.
16. Arizona Cardinals (8–9) | Biggest Needs: EDGE, DL, WR
The Pick: James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee
Arizona’s defense has zero bite.
Pearce fixes that.
He’s fast, twitchy, explosive. The kind of guy who forces offensive coordinators to change their game plan.
Does he need to refine his run defense? Sure.
But you don’t draft him for that. You draft him to destroy offensive tackles.
Arizona’s defense needs teeth. Pearce is fast, twitchy, and violent off the edge. His run defense needs work, but as a pure pass rusher? He’s got the juice.
17. Cincinnati Bengals (9–8) | Biggest Needs: CB, WR, DL
The Pick: Shemar Stewart, DL, Texas A&M
The Bengals’ defense was a punching bag.
25th in sacks. Couldn’t stop the run.
Stewart is a monster.
6’5”, 281 pounds. Strong as an ox. Doesn’t always show up on the stat sheet, but when you watch the tape? He’s causing chaos every snap.
Cincinnati gets tougher.
The Bengals’ defense was bad—25th in sacks, soft against the run. Stewart is massive (6’5”, 281 lbs) and disruptive. His stats don’t pop, but the film? It tells the real story.
18. Seattle Seahawks (10–7) | Biggest Needs: OG, DT, LB
The Pick: Tyler Booker, OG, Alabama
54 sacks allowed. Third-most in the NFL.
That’s how quarterbacks get ruined.
Booker is a mauler. Strong hands, smooth feet, no sacks allowed all year.
Seattle plays tough football. This is a tough football player.
Seattle’s O-line was a mess—54 sacks allowed, third-most in the NFL. Booker is a plug-and-play guard who didn’t allow a sack all year.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10–7) | Biggest Needs: CB, EDGE, OG
The Pick: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
Tampa had the fourth-worst pass defense in the NFL.
Barron? Five picks. Thorpe Award winner. Plays like a veteran.
He’s physical. He’s smart. He doesn’t miss tackles.
Tampa doesn’t just need a corner. They need a leader.
Tampa had the fourth-worst pass defense in the league. Barron is instinctive, physical, and versatile. Five interceptions in 2024, Jim Thorpe Award winner—he’s a day-one starter.
20. Denver Broncos (10–7) | Biggest Needs: TE, RB, LB
The Pick: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
Denver’s tight ends had fewer yards than most WR3s.
Loveland is big. Fast. Reliable.
56 catches, 582 yards, five TDs.
This is a QB-friendly tight end. A guy who extends drives.
Denver’s tight ends barely existed in 2024. Loveland? He’s big, athletic, and ready to be a featured weapon.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers (10–7) | Biggest Needs: WR, CB, QB
The Pick: Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
The Steelers’ WR depth is shallow.
Burden is explosive. A yards-after-catch nightmare.
Physical after the catch. Smart route-runner. This guy gets open.
Pittsburgh just got better overnight.
The Steelers’ WR room is thin. Burden is explosive, tough, and a YAC nightmare. He gives the Steelers an instant playmaker.
22. Los Angeles Chargers (11–6) | Biggest Needs: WR, DL, TE
The Pick: Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
The Chargers need speed.
Golden is fast. Dangerous after the catch.
You give Justin Herbert a guy like this? Defenses are in trouble.
The Chargers need more weapons for Herbert. Golden is fast, elusive, and a playmaker.
23. Green Bay Packers (11–6) | Biggest Needs: CB, OL, EDGE
The Pick: Shavon Revel Jr., CB, East Carolina
Jaire Alexander’s future is a question mark.
Revel? Long. Aggressive. Confident.
If his knee is right? He’s a first-round talent.
Jaire Alexander’s future is uncertain. Revel is long, athletic, and aggressive. If healthy, he’s a steal.
24. Minnesota Vikings (14–3) | Biggest Needs: DB, DT, OL
The Pick: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
The Vikings’ secondary is a mess.
Starks is the best safety in the draft.
Smart. Instinctive. Ballhawk.
Minnesota needed this.
The Vikings’ secondary is falling apart. Starks is the best safety in the draft—rangy, smart, and NFL-ready.
25. Houston Texans (10–7) | Biggest Needs: OL, DL, WR
The Pick: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT/OG, Texas
54 sacks allowed. Unacceptable.
Banks gave up one.
Do the math.
Houston’s O-line gave up 54 sacks. Banks allowed just one. This is an easy call.
26. Los Angeles Rams (10–7) | Biggest Needs: OT, CB, WR
The Pick: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
With Cooper Kupp on the trade block, the Rams need a new WR.
Egbuka is technically sound. Reliable. Tough.
Perfect fit.
With the Rams shopping Kupp, they need another WR. Egbuka is a polished, dependable route-runner.
27. Baltimore Ravens (12–5) | Biggest Needs: DL, OT, WR
The Pick: Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
The Ravens need a bully up front.
Nolen is strong, explosive, relentless.
A Day 1 starter.
The Ravens need youth up front. Nolen is strong, explosive, and a disruptor.
28. Detroit Lions (15–2) | Biggest Needs: EDGE, WR, CB
The Pick: Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
Detroit plays violent football.
Harmon is perfect for them.
Detroit needs a defensive anchor. Harmon’s production is elite—43 hurries, 55 pressures.
29. Washington Commanders (12–5) | Biggest Needs: EDGE, WR, OT
The Pick: Jack Sawyer, EDGE, Ohio State
Washington’s defense was soft.
Sawyer plays mean.
Tough. Physical. A tone-setter.
Washington’s defense needs help up front. Sawyer is tough, relentless, and physical.
30. Buffalo Bills (13–4) | Biggest Needs: DL, WR, EDGE
The Pick: Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
Buffalo needs a rock in the trenches.
6’3”, 339 pounds. Nimble, powerful. Elite run stopper.
Buffalo’s defense needs a true interior force. Grant is big, athletic, and dominant against the run.
31. Kansas City Chiefs (15–2) | Biggest Needs: CB, OT, RB
The Pick: Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon
Mahomes was sacked six times in the Super Bowl.
Fix it.
Mahomes was on his back 6 times in the biggest game of the year. The Chiefs can’t let that happen again.
Conerly is athletic, reliable, and a future star.
32. Philadelphia Eagles (14–3) | Biggest Needs: EDGE, S, TE,
The Pick: Nic Scourton, Edge, Texas A&M
The Philadelphia Eagles, fresh off their Super Bowl LIX victory, enter the 2025 NFL Draft with several key positional needs to address.
On the offensive side, the Eagles are expected to seek depth at the tight end position, especially considering Dallas Goedert’s injury history. This draft class offers a strong pool of tight end prospects, presenting an opportunity to secure a reliable complement to Goedert.
Additionally, the anticipated retirement of veteran edge rusher Brandon Graham further underscores the necessity for reinforcements in the pass rush.
Scourton is noted for his strong spin move and solid run defense. His 29 tackles for loss since 2023 rank eighth nationally. Adding a player with his skillset will be crucial for the them as they aim to sustain their championship-caliber performance in the upcoming season.
Final Word: The Draft is a High-Stakes Illusion
You think you know what’s going to happen. You think you’ve seen this story before. A team drafts the can’t-miss quarterback, the next great edge rusher, the generational talent at wide receiver. A dynasty is built. A legacy is written.
But that’s the illusion.
The NFL Draft isn’t about names on a card. It’s about the egos in the war room, the whispers in the scouting meetings, the arrogance of men who think they can outsmart the game itself. It’s about who sees through the lies and who gets played.
Because history tells us something that front offices refuse to accept:
Some teams aren’t built to win this thing.
Some franchises always get in their own way. They’ll overthink the tape, they’ll chase a mirage, they’ll draft a Combine warrior who dazzled in shorts but never made an impact when the lights were brightest. They’ll mortgage their future on a quarterback they don’t even believe in, just because the alternative is admitting they have no plan at all.
The great teams? They don’t fall for the con.
The Bill Walshs, the Belichicks, the Ozzie Newsomes, the Andy Reids—they don’t get distracted by the noise. They see the league for what it is, not what it pretends to be. They draft football players, not athletes. They build dynasties while the rest of the league chases ghosts.
And that’s the difference.
On April 24, some franchises will leave the war room with the next great superstar. Others will leave with a bust, an excuse, and a five-year rebuild they’ll pretend they never saw coming.
Because this is the last honest crime in sports.
The robbery is happening in broad daylight. A bad draft will cost a franchise hundreds of millions of dollars in lost seasons, wasted talent, and fanbases abandoned in mediocrity. But no one gets arrested for it.
No one pays for it—except the team that gets left behind.
Some teams will win the next decade. Others will pray for a do-over.
Because in the NFL, you don’t get second chances.
You either build a dynasty or you watch someone else do it.
The board is set. The smoke is rising.
April 24. The war room is waiting.
The Draft is coming.
And most of these teams are about to get it wrong.
Joseph Angel | Chief NFL Draft Analyst for TheNSR Network
