vike daddy Posted May 2 Share Posted May 2 Here’s our way-too-early mock draft for 2025. The pick order is based on Super Bowl 59 odds. 1. CAROLINA PANTHERS: EDGE JAMES PEARCE JR., TENNESSEE After trading away Brian Burns, the Panthers find their next athletic edge rusher in Pearce. The sophomore’s 21.3% pressure rate ranked third among college football edge defenders, as did his 92.4 pass-rush grade. The scariest part is that he won almost exclusively off athleticism against SEC tackles. If Pearce develops more pass-rushing moves, watch out. 2. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: T WILL CAMPBELL, LSU The Patriots threw multiple darts at the 2024 offensive line class, but they currently lack a franchise left tackle. LSU’s Will Campbell appears fully capable of filling that void. He has posted an 82.2 overall grade across his first two seasons in Baton Rouge. 3. DENVER BRONCOS: DI MASON GRAHAM, MICHIGAN The Broncos need a true difference-maker on their defensive line. Denver’s edge defenders and interior defensive linemen combined for the fifth-lowest grade in the league. Enter Graham. He was one of only two interior defensive linemen in college football to finish with top-10 grades as both a pass rusher and run defender (T'Vondre Sweat was the other). He’s a nearly complete player who could rival Jalen Carter and Quinnen Williams as a prospect next April. 4. TENNESSEE TITANS: CB WILL JOHNSON, MICHIGAN Tennessee selects the top cornerback in the draft, Michigan’s Will Johnson. Johnson has been incredible in Ann Arbor, shutting down some of the best receivers in the country. He has earned a fantastic 86.3 single-coverage grade over the last two years. 5. NEW YORK GIANTS: QB CARSON BECK, GEORGIA The first quarterback comes off the board. Beck's 91.5 grade in 2023 ranked fourth among college football quarterbacks. He plays with precise timing and accuracy and could be New York’s quarterback of the future with Daniel Jones seemingly on his last legs there. 6. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS: T KELVIN BANKS JR., TEXAS Like New England, Washington spent multiple picks in the 2024 NFL Draft in search of solutions on the offensive line. They also kick off their 2025 draft by selecting a franchise left tackle, Kelvin Banks Jr. He allowed just one sack and one quarterback hit en route to an 86.8 pass-blocking grade in 2023. 7. ARIZONA CARDINALS: DI DEONE WALKER, KENTUCKY Walker is a true alien. He is 6-foot-6 and 348 pounds and led all FBS interior defensive linemen in pressures (51) this past season. He is incredibly agile for a player that size and has the sheer strength to ragdoll offensive linemen. The Cardinals didn’t select a true defensive tackle in the 2024 NFL Draft despite that being one of their bigger needs, so Walker makes the most sense here. 8. MINNESOTA VIKINGS: CB BENJAMIN MORRISON, NOTRE DAME Minnesota made nice mid-round cornerback selections over the past two years. Here, they take a top-tier talent in Notre Dame’s Benjamin Morrison. He posted an 84.6 coverage grade in 2023, breaking up eight passes and intercepting three more along the way. 9. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS: QB SHEDEUR SANDERS, COLORADO The Raiders didn’t select a quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft despite having Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell as their current starting options. Here, they go with Sanders, the current favorite (+100) at DraftKings Sportsbook to be the No. 1 overall pick. He is an advanced processor who earned the third-best clean-pocket passing grade (92.9) in college football this past season. The only two who were higher were the first two picks in 2024 — Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels. 10. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS: EDGE NIC SCOURTON, TEXAS A&M Texas A&M’s Nic Scourton is an elite edge-rushing presence that Seattle desperately needs. He finished 2023 inside the top 10 in pass-rush grade (90.9) and pass-rush win rate (21.2%). He is a perfect complement to the Seahawks' 2024 first-round pick, Byron Murphy II. 11. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: WR LUTHER BURDEN III, MISSOURI The Saints were the second-worst team in the league this past season in yards after the catch per reception (4.5 yards). Burden would help fix that immediately. His 725 yards after the catch were the third most among FBS receivers this past season. While many after-the-catch receivers get unfairly compared to Deebo Samuel, Burden may deserve it. 12. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: CB/WR TRAVIS HUNTER, COLORADO The Buccaneers opt for the best player available in Colorado’s Travis Hunter. Hunter is a freak of nature with his ability to play at a near-elite level at wide receiver and cornerback. He earned a 78.9 receiving grade and a 74.7 coverage grade in 2023. 13. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS: S MALAKI STARKS, GEORGIA The Colts entered the 2024 NFL Draft with their biggest need being a secondary player and didn’t select a defensive back until the fifth round. Starks would be a major step in the right direction for the team. He is an outstanding run defender, tackler and coverage player who also boasts elite athleticism for the position. Starks ranked in the top 10 among Power Five safeties in both forced incompletions (tied for sixth) and run-defense grade (seventh) in 2023. 14. PITTSBURGH STEELERS: WR TETAIROA MCMILLAN, ARIZONA Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan could be the best receiver in college football in 2024. He has a Mike Evans-esque frame and finished 2023 with an 89.1 receiving grade and nearly 1,400 receiving yards. McMillan paired with George Pickens and Roman Wilson would create a dynamic receiving corps in Pittsburgh. 15. LOS ANGELES RAMS: S KEVIN WINSTON JR., PENN STATE The Rams selected Kamren Kinchens in the third round, but they could still stand to add another safety, with Kamren Curl on just a two-year contract. Winston is as sure of a tackler as they come, as his 2% missed tackle rate ranked second among all college football safeties. He also was the only FBS safety with 85.0-plus grades in coverage and run defense. 16. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: CB TACARIO DAVIS, ARIZONA Davis is a ballhawk with freakish length who would create an excellent cornerback combo with Tyson Campbell. Davis earned an excellent 85.9 coverage grade in 2023, breaking up 12 passes in the process. He could be the next Tariq Woolen. 17. CLEVELAND BROWNS: LB HAROLD PERKINS, LSU Perkins is going to be a fascinating prospect to follow. While he has elite pass-rushing ability, he is too small to play edge defender full time (6-foot-1 and 220 pounds). As a true off-ball linebacker this past season, he struggled as a run defender but flashed in coverage (81.1 coverage grade). Perkins is more of a defensive chess piece than a pure linebacker, but he could shine in Jim Schwartz’s defense alongside Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, assuming the team retains him once his contract expires. 18. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS: TE COLSTON LOVELAND, MICHIGAN Loveland is TE1 in 2024 and reunites here with Jim Harbaugh in Los Angeles. Loveland finished 2023 with the 10th-best receiving grade and the fifth-most receiving yards in college football. He returns to the Wolverines as their top receiving threat and should see plenty of targets during Michigan’s quest to repeat as national champions. 19. CHICAGO BEARS: EDGE JACK SAWYER, OHIO STATE The Bears’ offense is set for the future after the team selected Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze in the top 10 of the 2024 NFL Draft. Fifth-round pick Austin Booker is an intriguing developmental edge defender, but Chicago should still look to add more talent opposite Montez Sweat. Sawyer is an extremely well-rounded player as the only FBS edge to have earned 85.0-plus grades as a pass rusher and a run defender in 2023. 20. HOUSTON TEXANS: DI KENNETH GRANT, MICHIGAN The Texans aren’t missing much on their defense, but defensive tackle stands out as a potential weakness. Michigan’s Kenneth Grant is a potential solution. He earned an 80.4 overall grade last season. He and Mason Graham could be the best interior pair in college football next season. 21. NEW YORK JETS: WR EMEKA EGBUKA, OHIO STATE Egbuka entered 2023 as the second-best wide receiver draft prospect, behind his teammate Marvin Harrison Jr. While Harrison went wire-to-wire as WR1, Egbuka’s injuries combined with his down season forced him to return for his senior year. He’s a smooth route runner who is excellent at finding the soft spots in zone coverage. New York’s receiver room is set for 2024, but Mike Williams is on only a one-year deal. 22. ATLANTA FALCONS: EDGE ABDUL CARTER, PENN STATE Atlanta took a high-quantity approach to their defensive line in the 2024 NFL Draft. In 2025, they could add a dynamic pass rusher like Penn State’s Abdul Carter. Carter earned a 90.3 pass-rush grade as an off-ball linebacker, but he will move to the edge this season. Comparisons to Micah Parsons will be plentiful over the next year. 23. MIAMI DOLPHINS: DI HOWARD CROSS III, NOTRE DAME After losing Christian Wilkins in free agency, the Dolphins were expected to address the interior defensive line in the 2024 NFL Draft, potentially as early as the first round. Instead, Miami looked elsewhere and went the entire draft without selecting a defensive tackle. Cross is on the smaller side at 6-foot-1 and 284 pounds, and is a sixth-year senior, but he was one of the most productive interior defenders in college football this past season. His 90.8 grade in 2023 trailed only T'Vondre Sweat, Byron Murphy II and Mason Graham among FBS defensive tackles. 24. GREEN BAY PACKERS: CB JABBAR MUHAMMAD, OREGON Muhammad is a feisty ballhawk at cornerback who could be the right player to start opposite Jaire Alexander. He earned an 86.7 coverage grade over the last two seasons, breaking up 21 passes along the way. 25. DALLAS COWBOYS: QB QUINN EWERS, TEXAS Dak Prescott is in the final year of his contract, and all indications are that he’ll play this season without an extension. While still relatively raw, Ewers has a high ceiling and posted an 85.6 passing grade this past season. Jerry Jones finds his quarterback of the future and keeps Ewers in the Lonestar State, where he was born and raised. 26. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: WR EVAN STEWART, OREGON Stewart battled through injuries at Texas A&M last season, but he has a chance to have a huge season at Oregon. The former top-10 recruit earned a 73.7 receiving grade as a sophomore. He is a terrific route runner and, when healthy, has shown an ability to make tacklers miss. The Eagles take a chance on a potentially dynamic weapon to fill out their receiver room. 27. CINCINNATI BENGALS: RB OLLIE GORDON II, OKLAHOMA STATE Cincinnati traded away Joe Mixon, leaving Zack Moss and Chase Brown in the team's running back room. The Bengals dip into what appears to be a loaded 2025 running back class and take the reigning Doak Walker Award winner. Gordon led the nation with 1,732 rushing yards this past season despite receiving only 19 carries in his first three games and running behind the nation’s 103rd-ranked run-blocking offensive line. 28. BUFFALO BILLS: CB DENZEL BURKE, OHIO STATE Buffalo takes a swing on a cornerback with Ohio State’s Denzel Burke. He earned a career-high 81.7 coverage grade in 2023. He plays well in both man and zone coverage and adds solid talent to the Bills' cornerback room after they spent this offseason searching for help at safety. 29. DETROIT LIONS: EDGE JT TUIMOLOAU, OHIO STATE The Lions didn’t select an edge defender in the 2024 NFL Draft even though they can upgrade at the spot opposite of Aidan Hutchinson. Tuimoloau has been frustratingly inconsistent (74.5 grade in 2023) but has first-round tools and flashes dominance (see: 2022 tape against Olu Fashanu and Penn State). 30. BALTIMORE RAVENS: WR TRE HARRIS, OLE MISS Baltimore smartly added Devontez Walker in this year’s draft, but Tre Harris gives them a potentially dominant perimeter weapon. He posted the sixth-best receiving grade in college football last season and finished 10th in yards per route run. He has shown that he can be the best player on the field and would add a vertical element to Baltimore’s offense. 31. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: T JONAH SAVAIINAEA, ARIZONA Even after selecting Dominick Puni in the third round, the 49ers should keep adding to their offensive line. Savaiinaea has work to do as a run blocker, but he has intriguing tools in pass protection. Since 2022, his 80.0 pass-blocking grade on true pass sets places in the 90th percentile among offensive tackles. 32. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: TE MITCHELL EVANS, NOTRE DAME The Chiefs select the heir apparent to Travis Kelce. Evans was dominant in South Bend last season before tearing his ACL, posting an 83.7 receiving grade. If he recovers well from his injury, he could compete with Colston Loveland to be the first tight end off the board. https://www.pff.com/news/draft-way-too-early-2025-nfl-mock-draft-james-pearce-jr-panthers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted May 2 Share Posted May 2 25 minutes ago, SteelKing728 said: Any chance Travis Hunter stays at WR in the NFL instead of CB? I personally think he should move to CB because I think he could be an elite CB, while the WR groups are pretty deep and it'll be hard to crack the top (which was the mistake that Devin Hester made, as he should have stayed at DB), but we'll have to see. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted May 2 Share Posted May 2 Quote The 2025 draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin, is one year away, so there's still a lot to learn about the class. But for now, let's do a quick introduction to what could be a standout group of prospects. Rittenberg: Expect Michigan to have more high-level draft picks in 2025 than in 2024, when it came off a national title. Defensive back Will Johnson and defensive lineman Mason Graham both should hear their names called early in Green Bay. Johnson, the No. 23 recruit in the 2021 ESPN 300, has great length at 6-2 and playmaking skills with four interceptions last season. Graham wasn't a decorated high school player -- he initially committed to Boise State before Michigan -- but became a punishing force in the interior of the nation's best line last fall. He should continue to rise on draft boards. Miller: Kentucky defensive tackle Deone Walker is one of my favorite early watches in preparation for the 2024 college football season. Watching his 2023 tape, I get a Derrick Brown vibe from the 6-6, 348-pounder. Walker posted 7.5 sacks last season, so he's not just a nose tackle but someone who truly impacts the game on three downs. He has a chance to shoot up boards if he builds on his breakout 2023 season. What is the early strength of the class? Miller: Defense! As great as the 2024 draft class was on offense, with a record 23 first-round selections coming from that side of the ball, the 2025 class will be headlined by defense. Cornerbacks Will Johnson, Travis Hunter and Benjamin Morrison (Notre Dame) all look like future top-10 picks. The defensive line is equally loaded with Pearce, Graham, Perkins and Mykel Williams (Georgia) all showing the potential to be superstars at the next level. https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2025/story/_/id/40056651/2025-nfl-draft-qbs-know-top-prospects-sleeper-picks 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vike daddy Posted May 2 Share Posted May 2 (edited) 10 minutes ago, swede700 said: What is the early strength of the class? Miller: Defense! As great as the 2024 draft class was on offense, with a record 23 first-round selections coming from that side of the ball, the 2025 class will be headlined by defense. Cornerbacks Will Johnson, Travis Hunter and Benjamin Morrison (Notre Dame) all look like future top-10 picks. The defensive line is equally loaded with Pearce, Graham, Perkins and Mykel Williams (Georgia) all showing the potential to be superstars at the next level. excellent! Edited May 2 by vike daddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vike daddy Posted May 4 Share Posted May 4 The McCarthy era in Minnesota will begin sometime in 2024 or 2025, and employing Turner on the defensive line only bolsters that side of the ball. But four months before the start of the regular season, the draft community is already peering ahead at next year’s rookies, and for Minnesota, the most explicit need is defensive tackle. For starters, next to Harrison Phillips on the defensive line’s interior, the Vikings will presumably roll with a hodgepodge of Jerry Tillery, Jonah Williams, Jonathan Bullard, Jaquelin Roy, and rookie Levi Drake Rodriguez. That group does not inspire much confidence, at least not on paper. So, it’s no surprise that ESPN’s first 2025 mock draft outfits the purple team with a fancy defensive tackle. Jordan Reid foreshadowed Minnesota picking eighth next April and aligned Kevin O’Connell’s team with Mason Graham, a DT from Michigan, the same school as McCarthy. Reid explained: “Minnesota’s interior defensive line lacks a consistent presence, and Harrison Phillips is entering the final year of his contract. Graham is a rugged, heavy-handed run defender and disruptive pass-rusher. He had 7.5 tackles for loss and three sacks last season, and he’d fit great with defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ scheme.” https://vikingsterritory.com/2024/news/analysis/vikings-main-draft-need-next-year-already-pretty-vivid?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SemperFeist Posted May 4 Share Posted May 4 I love Mason Graham. I just hope the Vikings aren’t picking high enough to draft him. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vike daddy Posted May 4 Share Posted May 4 3 minutes ago, SemperFeist said: I just hope the Vikings aren’t picking high enough to draft him. does it really matter? are we going to make noise in the playoffs this year? are we even going to make it there? get a 2025 pick like #8, trade down a few spots and pick up some of the ones we've traded lately, sign FA's and draft well. contend in 2025. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wcblack34 Posted May 4 Share Posted May 4 2 hours ago, SemperFeist said: I love Mason Graham. I just hope the Vikings aren’t picking high enough to draft him. Will he be available at #32? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SemperFeist Posted May 4 Share Posted May 4 4 hours ago, vike daddy said: does it really matter? are we going to make noise in the playoffs this year? Winning always matters. It’s the only thing that has ever mattered. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Worm Guts Posted May 4 Share Posted May 4 5 hours ago, vike daddy said: does it really matter? are we going to make noise in the playoffs this year? are we even going to make it there? get a 2025 pick like #8, trade down a few spots and pick up some of the ones we've traded lately, sign FA's and draft well. contend in 2025. Given how many of next year’s draft picks we traded away, I hope we have enough talent not to be terrible. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vike daddy Posted May 4 Share Posted May 4 1 hour ago, SemperFeist said: Winning always matters. It’s the only thing that has ever mattered. yeah i get that, and agree. i just see 2024 as a "development" year. with bigger dividends to come. but winning games is good too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted May 4 Share Posted May 4 5 hours ago, SemperFeist said: I love Mason Graham. I just hope the Vikings aren’t picking high enough to draft him. Agreed, but there could be plenty of DTs around if the Vikings pick later. Tyleik Williams I believe could have declared this year and maybe been a 1st rounder, he is a more proven pass rusher already than Byron Murphy II. Nolen could have a breakout year on Ole Miss also and Hutmacher who could be a 2nd round pick could be a great pro, same with Cross or Bear Alexander. Ty Robinson is not bad either same with Black on Iowa. So it is a deep DT class so that is great assuming that is a need for the Viking which it probably will be even more than CB because I assume Jackson, Blackmon or Evans develops enough where it is not as much of an issue as it has been in the past. Deone Walker Kentucky JR Mason Graham Michigan JR Kenneth Grant Michigan JR Tyleik Williams Ohio State RS JR Walter Nolen Ole Miss JR Nash Hutmacher Nebraska Howard Cross III Notre Dame RS Bear Alexander USC JR Ty Robinson Nebraska RS Yahya Black Iowa RS JJ Pegues Ole Miss RS Tim Keenan III Alabama RS JR Jaheim Oatis Alabama JR Shemar Turner Texas A&M Ty Hamilton Ohio State Desmond Watson Florida Cam Jackson Florida RS Alfred Collins Texas Nazir Stackhouse Georgia RS Rylie Mills Notre Dame RS Voi Tunuufi Washington Warren Brinson Georgia RS Tim Smith Alabama RS Octavious Oxendine Kentucky RS Ricky Barber UCF RS Trill Carter Auburn RS Omari Thomas Tennessee RS Jermayne Lole Oklahoma RS 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AP_allday2869 Posted May 4 Share Posted May 4 Give me an elite DT in the draft and sign a top-tier interior OL in free agency while further fortifying the defense with the amount of cap space that we have. I see no reason why this team couldn't be competitive in 2025. I could see them trading their 2026 1st rounder and some change at the deadline to add another elite defensive piece to go on a serious Super Bowl run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wcblack34 Posted May 4 Share Posted May 4 The defensive line is once again the weakest link on this team (well, QB, but we're set for the future). We might see one of the UDFA DTs make the team. Certainly will see one of them on the practice squad. The team can't neglect it next year though. You can only scheme around a weak DL for so long. I think we saw that last season. While our EDGE and LBs will be improved and can cover some of it up, teams will have pretty regular success, especially in short yardage situations. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteelKing728 Posted May 5 Share Posted May 5 I think trading back should be a serious option for us, as I see us finishing with a bottom 10 record in 2024. I say that with the expectation that a very bright future awaits us. Getting a haul in this draft could set us up nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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