PFF had a mock if everyone in college football was available to draft this year...guess they really dont like Nico cause of the transfer drama but he deserves to be in the first round. Caleb Downs leading our secondary would be a dream, that kid is unreal.
The Titans take a swing on Arch Manning with the first pick. Obviously, he garners a ton of attention due to his last name, but he earned an 88.0 PFF overall grade in limited action last season and should be set up very well for success at Texas after two years as an understudy. If he proves himself consistently against SEC competition, he very well could be the first pick whenever he decides to leave school.
Lagway oozes potential. The true freshman showed why he was the top quarterback recruit in the 2024 cycle by leading the Power Four with an 8.8% big-time throw rate. His 95.6 PFF passing grade on deep throws this past season ranked third in the country.
The Florida quarterback may have more arm talent than anyone else in college football. He just needs to fine-tune his footwork and accuracy to potentially become a prospect whom teams like the Browns trip over themselves to select in a couple of years.
It’s no secret that the Giants would select Cam Ward in this year’s draft if he is still on the
board. They get that chance in this exercise. Ward was the highest-graded quarterback in college football in 2024. His combination of decisive downfield passing and improvisational skills make him the perfect candidate to run New York’s offense. Ward throwing to
Malik Nabers would be thrilling to watch.
The Patriots nab the best player in this year’s class. This past year’s Heisman Trophy winner is a superstar on both sides of the ball, tying for third among FBS cornerbacks in PFF coverage grade (90.3) while tying for the most receiving touchdowns in the Power Four (15). If that two-way stardom continues into the NFL, Hunter will immediately become one of the most valuable non-quarterbacks in the league.
The Jaguars had the lowest-graded safety unit in the NFL last season and lost the best player in that group,
Andre Cisco. Caleb Downs is a truly generational prospect at the position who earned PFF grades above 85.0 as a true freshman and a true sophomore. His ability to morph himself to fit into any role in any defense would completely change the outlook of Jacksonville’s secondary.
Smith already has a couple of connections to the Raiders' organization. He would catch passes from his cousin, Geno Smith, and reunite with Las Vegas’ new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, who coached Smith during his freshman season last year as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator.
Even without those ties, the Raiders would still sprint this card in. Smith was the most valuable receiver in the nation as just a true freshman, according to
PFF’s Wins Above Average metric. He also tied for the Power Four lead in receiving touchdowns (15) while his 1,311 receiving yards trailed only
Tetairoa McMillan in that same group.
Smith is an athletic freak at 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds with an incredibly refined skill set for someone who turned 19 years old in November. He has all the makings of a generational prospect in a couple of years and is already the best active player in college football.
The Jets took a major step back in run defense in 2024, due in large part to the lack of interior production aside from
Quinnen Williams. Mason Graham was the best defensive tackle in the FBS over the past two seasons. He led the FBS with a 91.1 PFF overall grade and a 92.6 PFF run-defense grade in 2024. He and Williams would immediately create one of the NFL’s most dynamic interior duos.
The Panthers desperately need help at edge defender, and they’re lucky enough to have their pick here. Carter was the most valuable edge defender in the nation this past season, according to
PFF’s Wins Above Average metric, while his 92.4 PFF pass-rush grade ranked second. He will likely go
within the first three picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, but Carolina is lucky to grab him here in this mock.
Between the short trip down from Baton Rouge and Doug Nussmeier, Garrett’s father, recently being installed as the Saints’ offensive coordinator, we’re connecting some dots when projecting this pick. That’s not to say Garrett Nussmeier isn’t a first-round talent, though. In his first season as LSU’s starter, he ranked 19th in the nation with an 81.3 PFF passing grade and tied for seventh with 26 big-time throws.
In a selection that
could very well happen in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Bears select Jeanty. His 99.9 career PFF rushing grade is the best in PFF college history, and he also earned an 81.7 career PFF receiving grade. Jeanty is up there with
Bijan Robinson and
Saquon Barkley as the best running back prospects in recent memory.
Stewart made his freakish talent apparent in his very first college game when he racked up six pressures and three sacks on his way to a 94.6 PFF pass-rush grade against
Old Dominion. He kept that momentum going and finished tied for sixth with
Mike Green, among others, in PFF pass-rush grade (91.4) for the season. A classically built 4-3 defensive end, Stewart would be the perfect complement to
Nick Bosa as the 49ers begin their defensive line rebuild.
Dallas selects McMillan here as the perfect complement to
CeeDee Lamb. He led the FBS with 35 contested catches over the past two years and is also more than just a big target, placing second in the nation with 29 forced missed tackles after the catch in 2024. This is another selection that very easily could happen in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Miami picks up the top-ranked 2025 offensive lineman on
PFF's big board in Will Campbell. Whether he plays tackle or guard for the Dolphins, he would certainly fill a need. Campbell earned a career-high 80.6 PFF pass-blocking grade after allowing just two sacks in 2024. His fundamentally sound style of play would significantly raise the floor of the Dolphins’ offensive line.
This is a dream selection for the Colts in the actual 2025 NFL Draft. Warren led all Power Four tight ends in PFF overall grade (91.2), receiving yards (1,230), receiving touchdowns (eight) and yards after the catch (693) in 2024. Last year, the Colts notched the second-fewest receiving yards from tight ends.
Dylan Stewart is the premier defensive end in college football heading into 2025, but Colin Simmons is the best edge rusher from a two-point stance. That fits perfectly with Atlanta’s needs in Raheem Morris’ defense.
Simmons led Texas with an elite 90.0 PFF pass-rush grade in 2024 and tied for the team lead in sacks despite garnering just the fifth-most pass-rush reps. He will be competing to be the first defensive lineman off the board in 2027.
Only one of Arizona’s current cornerbacks placed in the top 75 in PFF overall grade last year, and that was slot man
Garrett Williams. Johnson addresses a desperate need on the outside and has the football IQ to thrive in the Cardinals' heavy off-zone coverage scheme. He earned a 91.3 PFF overall grade across his three years at Michigan.
Through his true freshman and sophomore seasons, Woods has proven himself as an elite run defender while still developing his pass-rush skills. The former is evidenced by his outstanding 89.7 run-defense grade over the past two seasons. His strength is beyond his years, and his potential at such a young age would be welcomed in Cincinnati.
The Seahawks desperately need to address their interior offensive line. Neither of their projected starting guards,
Anthony Bradford and
Sataoa Laumea, were among the 70 highest-graded players at their position last year.
Banks was the Power Four’s most valuable tackle this past season, according to
PFF’s Wins Above Average metric, and has the versatility to play guard. He could also be Seattle’s long-term answer at right tackle if
Abraham Lucas’ injury issues continue.
If all college football players could enter the 2025 NFL Draft, here's what a first round could look like.
www.pff.com
