We’ve been writing and saying this for months: When it comes to the 2025 NFL Draft class, there will be no consensus. There will be more differing opinions on the top 32 players from the 32 teams in the league than we’re used to seeing, as some teams will have fewer than 10 players with true first-round grades when tonight’s festivities begin.
This idea is firmly present in Dane Brugler’s final first-round mock draft, as late-April buzz has a handful of players rising and falling with regard to where they’ve been slotted publicly in the media. Let’s quickly look at a few of them.
6 – Las Vegas Raiders: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT/G, Texas
There’s been plenty of buzz lately on Banks, a tackle at Texas who many believe will fit better at guard in the NFL, rising up the board after spending most of the spring mocked toward the middle or bottom of round one.
The Raiders, Jets and Saints are all top 10 teams in need of an offensive tackle, so it makes sense to have three of them gone early. For me, Banks would be a top 10 reach for any of those squads. I’ve struggled to get there on any of the OT3 candidates this year, including Ohio State’s Josh Simmons. This, to me, is also part of the reason why we’re seeing so many teams at the top of the draft attempting to trade out. I’d be much more comfortable with Banks in the mid-teens.
11 – San Francisco 49ers: Walter Nolen, OT, Ole Miss
There has been a lot of buzz about both Carolina and San Francisco being fond of Nolen, making him a potential top 10 name despite spending most of the year being mocked outside of round one.
This one is really tricky for me. Nolen is one of the best big-man athletes in this class, no question. The former No. 1-ranked recruit in the country has every tool a versatile defensive tackle could want – but his consistency, both from a technique and effort standpoint, left me wanting a lot during his stops at both Texas A&M and Ole Miss. Nolen and Michigan’s Kenneth Grant are the two biggest flash defenders in this class, as there are moments on tape where they look like potential stars. But you have to hunt for them. I’d have a hard time taking either in front of Oregon’s Derrick Harmon.
13 – Miami Dolphins: Grey Zabel, G/C, North Dakota State
This one I can get on board with. Zabel, for me, has been one of the most underrated prospects in the class since January. His football IQ, character, effort and movement skills inside as a guard or center are outstanding.
There are a bunch of teams in the late teens/20s who have coveted Zabel and I don’t think he’s going to make it that far.
23 – Green Bay Packers: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
This is another that makes sense, as Johnson’s absence throughout the 2024 season and unwillingness to test in public throughout the draft process has absolutely cost him in the eyes of some teams. The other factor working against Johnson is that there many CB-needy teams at the top of the draft this year. When healthy, though, Johnson is an elite player and could be a complete steal for someone – just like Quinyon Mitchell last year.
26 – New York Giants (trade up): Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss
I wrote this in my last mock a few weeks ago and stand by it: Shedeur Sanders is closer to Jaxson Dart on the board than he is to Cam Ward. We’ll see how far Sanders falls, but it’s hard for me to argue he hasn’t cost himself money this year by refusing to test, workout or compete in public outside of his pro day. Pro Days are not The Combine. Part of the deal there is to see who wants to compete and who doesn’t. Dart didn’t hide, Sanders did. When it’s close, these are things that break ties.
It’s not impossible for Sanders to fall out of the first round, something we’ve noted for quite a while.
Final 2025 NFL mock draft by Dane Brugler: Cam Ward to Titans, Shedeur Sanders out of Round 1
