The Tennessee Titans are almost on the clock.
Months of anticipation and speculation have led to this moment – draft day. There have been countless mock drafts, smokescreens, lies, rumors, trade talks and so much more that have filled the space since the end of the season.
Before the night is over, the NFL futures of some of the best prospects will be known. Quarterback Cam Ward isn’t expected to wait long to hear his name called, and the same can be said about Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter and Penn State’s Abdul Carter.
But there are still mysteries: Who will select Hunter’s teammate, Shedeur Sanders? Will Ashton Jeanty be a top-10 selection? Which NFL teams hold the power when it comes to trades?
Those questions will be answered, and in total, 257 names will be called across the three days, beginning an NFL journey. Some will eventually make the final roster and play key roles for years to come. Others will fall short, but that is all part of the intrigue of the event.
It is the final marquee event of the offseason, setting the stage for training camps to begin in the summer. Rosters will take shape, lives will be changed and the NFL will never be the same. Before we can welcome that class that alters the course of NFL history, we have some final news, notes and rumors to sift through before commissioner Roger Goodell opens the draft for business.
Here’s a look at the latest before the 2025 NFL Draft gets underway.
Miller mocked Nolen to the Panthers at No. 8 amid “rampant” buzz about Carolina targeting the Ole Miss defensive tackle. Miller acknowledged the Nolen buzz could be a smokescreen, but many notable final mock drafts around the NFL have Nolen as a top-15 or top-20 selection.
The Giants have been connected to Shedeur Sanders at times during the NFL draft process, but McShay believes Dart, the Ole Miss product, is coach Brian Daboll’s top choice at quarterback.
McShay has the Giants trading up to the 28th selection at the end of the first round to pick Dart. Sanders lasted until the Browns’ pick at 33 in McShay’s final mock.
The Jets are widely expected to target an offensive player with the seventh overall pick. Cimini believes it will come down to a choice between offensive tackles Banks and Membou or Penn State tight end Tyler Warren.
Membou has gained a lot of steam as the Raiders‘ option with the sixth overall pick, so the decision may ultimately come down to Banks vs. Warren. Cimini is giving Banks the edge in his draft day mini-mock.
The Broncos are positioned one pick ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who many view as a late-first-round quarterback landing spot. That could position Denver to trade down with a quarterback-needy team, especially if the Broncos plan on targeting a running back early, like most mock drafts have them doing.
Rapoport reported on NFL Network’s “The Insiders” that the Jaguars moving up from the fifth pick to the second pick in the 2025 NFL Draft was “in the realm of conversation.” Pelissero went on to say that such a move was “unlikely,” unless the Jaguars give the Browns a Godfather offer.
The Browns are expected to select Travis Hunter with the second overall pick in the draft.
According to Leonard, the Bears want to be in the trading up business. Luckily for them, Leonard notes that six of the nine teams ahead of them are open to moving back. It’s unclear who the Bears would target in that situation, but speculation has run rampant in recent days that they like Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty.
Johnson played just six games due to a turf toe injury in his final college season and chose not to run a 40-yard dash ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft. Could that cause the Michigan quarterback to slide? Fowler noted one AFC executive found that hard to believe given Johnson’s strong tape.
Johnson generated nine career interceptions across 32 games with the Wolverines.
Graziano reports sources around the league believe it’s “likely” the Cowboys will take a receiver with the 12th overall pick. Texas’ Matthew Golden and Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan are expected to be the top receivers chosen in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Steelers are among the teams expected to be in play for Shedeur Sanders. However, they could also wait on a quarterback and have “done a lot of work” on Howard after he led Ohio State to a national championship in his lone season with the program.
Howard completed 73% of his passes for 4,030 yards, 35 touchdowns and 10 interceptions with the Buckeyes last season. The Steelers could explore taking him in the third or fourth round of the draft.
Sanders was once expected to be a top-three pick in the 2025 NFL Draft but may now slip to the latter half of Round 1. Fowler reports there is “an outside chance” the Colorado quarterback goes third overall to the Giants and there “isn’t much momentum” for the Saints to choose him with the ninth pick.
Fowler highlighted the Steelers as a potential landing spot for Sanders but noted Pittsburgh may look to draft a defensive lineman or running back instead given their lack of a Round 2 selection.
The Chiefs are looking to add “more explosion” in their backfield, Fowler reports. Henderson is considered “a riser” after totaling 1,016 rushing yards in his fourth and final season with the Buckeyes and averaging a career-best 7.1 yards per carry.
Henderson could be in play for Kansas City’s selection at the end of Round 1, and would slot in alongside Isiah Pacheco to create a dominant one-two punch at running back.
The Falcons are poised to move forward with Michael Penix Jr. as their starting quarterback which has created an awkward situation in which Cousins is the team’s backup signal-caller. Atlanta has been adamant it is comfortable keeping Cousins in that role as he enters the second year of a four-year, $180 million contract, but they could be willing to trade him for the right price.
When might that happen? Garafolo reports Cousins won’t be traded until Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft – if he’s dealt at all.
“Cousins [will] not OK a trade until they got through the first round of the draft with any team, because he didn’t want what happened in Atlanta to happen to him once again,” Garafolo said, referencing the Falcons’ decision to select Penix eighth overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Slater reports Golden, Pearce and Nolen are three players “to keep an eye on” in connection to the Cowboys. All are expected to be first-round picks, so Dallas would likely have to use the 12th overall selection should they want the Texas receiver or either defender.
The Cowboys have often been tied to offensive playmakers in mock drafts leading up to Thursday, so perhaps Golden will end up being their preferred target.
At their pre-draft press conference, the Steelers’ general manager, Omar Khan, and head coach, Mike Tomlin, took the opportunity to address the quarterback situation in the Steel City. Khan noted that the team only has two quarterbacks on the roster right now, but will go into training camp with four in total.
That leaves two more spots to be filled on the roster. The common belief is that one of them will go to Aaron Rodgers, but Pittsburgh isn’t operating their draft plan about what the four-time NFL MVP may, or may not, do. Tomlin said that Rodgers won’t impact those plans, adding a layer of intrigue to the team’s selections.
Schrager reports the Browns and Giants are drawing interest from teams hoping to move up for one of Travis Hunter, Abdul Carter or Ashton Jeanty. He also said the Browns and Giants “are not immediately slamming down the phone,” meaning they may be open to moving down at the right cost.
Schrager did not elaborate on which teams might be interested in moving up or what it might cost for a team to leap into the top three selections.
Dart has been getting buzz as a potential first-round pick and he drew a comparison to the top overall selection in the 2018 NFL draft.
“I wrote down Baker Mayfield watching him,” an AFC coordinator told Breer. “He plays smart, instinctive. The more I watched, I found myself liking him more and more. I don’t think I had a great idea of what to expect, but I kept liking what I was seeing, writing down positives. I think the guy can freaking play.”
Dart won’t go as high as Mayfield and doesn’t have the same arm strength as the Oklahoma product, but the playing styles are viewed similarly.
NFL talent evaluators do not appear to be high on the 2025 quarterback class, as an AFC assistant coach told Breer.
“I don’t think the class is very good,” the assistant coach said. “I think it’s a lot like the 2022 class, with maybe the exception of Cam Ward. But he’s gonna go first overall. And if you put him in last year’s class, he’s sixth or seventh [overall] for me.”
The 2022 NFL draft class saw just one quarterback, Kenny Pickett, selected in the first round. No other signal-caller was chosen until Desmond Ridder in Round 3.
Of the nine quarterbacks selected, only Brock Purdy remains with the team that initially drafted him.
Rapoport reports there was “real trade interest” in the No. 1 pick but the Titans “never opened the door” to trade the pick. Tennessee is expected to stay put and presumably select Miami quarterback Cam Ward.
Ersery had pre-draft visits with the Chiefs, Saints, Jets, Patriots, Panthers, Browns, Bengals, Cardinals, Texans and 49ers, according to Schultz – 10 teams in total. If multiple offensive linemen come off of the board early on Thursday night, the Fox Sports insider writes, the experienced Minnesota tackle could hear his name called in the first round.
“Some teams believe he projects better to the NFL than Graham,” Breer writes. “[I]f you have solid infrastructure, as well as locker room and defensive line room, the payoff could be big.”
The Sports Illustrated reporter went on to mention the San Francisco 49ers, who hold the No. 11 overall pick, as a possible fit for Nolen.
Las Vegas’ new regime of general manager John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll followed in the footsteps of the Washington Commanders’ pre-draft strategy last year. Breer reported that among a “big crew” of prospects were quarterbacks Will Howard (Ohio State) and Quinn Ewers (Texas), running back Ashton Jeanty (Boise State) and defensive tackle Mason Graham (Michigan).
Carter’s injuries to his shoulder and foot have hampered some of his pre-draft process, preventing the Penn State edge rusher from working out at the NFL combine and at his pro day. Breer reported that Carter “has a low lean-body-mass number,” something that some teams consider a risk for potential injuries in the future.
Rapoport reported last Monday that Skattebo had two more top-30 visits planned for last week after already visiting with the Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns and New York Giants. This Monday, the NFL Network insider revealed that the two mystery teams were the Detroit Lions and the Tennessee Titans.
The Giants are still seeking a long-term franchise quarterback after signing veterans Jameis Winston and Russell Wilson in free agency. Hughes reported that Giants head coach Brian Daboll is high on Mississippi quarterback Jaxson Dart, so the G-Men could look to trade up back into the first round to draft the young gunslinger.
Jeremiah told reporters on Friday that Taylor is becoming the clear No. 3 tight end option in this draft class behind Penn State’s Tyler Warren and Michigan’s Colston Loveland. The NFL Network insider said he believes Taylor will be selected in the back half of the first round or near the top of the second round.
Jeremiah said Friday that Jacksonville could be in on the Boise State running back as a “statement pick” with the fifth overall pick in the draft.
The ESPN insider is confident that Cleveland will forgo drafting a passer on Thursday, but he also wrote that there is a good chance the Browns draft a quarterback with its second selection.
New York reportedly “recently and quietly” invited the Penn State tight end to a visit. Schefter wrote that some sources believe that members of the Jets’ organization are “enamored” with Warren. If Gang Green decides to upgrade its defense in the first round, Barron could be the target to bolster its secondary.
Schefter wrote that the Arizona wide receiver’s comparisons to Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans could be intriguing to new Jaguars head coach Liam Coen, who just left his role coaching Evans as Tampa Bay’s offensive coordinator.
According to Schefter, “multiple personnel people” envision the Bears drafting Jeanty – if he’s available – with the No. 10 pick. Chicago would pair him with D’Andre Swift for a two-headed backfield similar to the one new head coach Ben Johnson employed in Detroit when he was the Lions’ offensive coordinator.
The Browns, Giants, Saints and Steelers are all in need of quarterback help and could address the position with the Louisville quarterback in one of the early rounds of the draft. Schefter wrote that the Browns’ ownership of the No. 33 overall pick – first in the second round – could mean the Giants or Saints try to trade back into the first round to acquire Shough before he falls to Cleveland.
Shough would be eligible for a fifth-year option if a team drafts him in the first round.
Schefter listed the following players – 13 on rookie deals and six veterans – as ones who could be traded ahead of or during the draft this weekend:
The Jaguars (No. 5 overall pick), Panthers (No. 8), 49ers (No. 11), Falcons (No. 15), Seahawks (No. 18), Buccaneers (No. 19), Steelers (No. 21) and Vikings (No. 24) all made Schefter’s list of teams that may be willing to trade down in the first round.
Denver, which holds the No. 20 pick, was the sole team ESPN’s insider listed as one willing to trade up, and they’ve already asked teams about the possibility, according to Schefter’s sources.
Schefter pointed out that New Orleans did not send head coach Kellen Moore and offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier to Colorado for Sanders’ pro day. The ESPN insider also wrote that one “personnel executive” said, “I don’t think New Orleans is taking Shedeur. I think they’re hot and heavy on Jaxson Dart.”
Schefter also noted that the Saints may wait to take Dart in the second round and that they’ve already made calls about trading up early on Day 2.
The uncertainty of where the Colorado quarterback could land continues to be a big narrative three days before the draft begins. Schefter reported that not only are league opinions split on whether the Giants pass on Sanders with pick No. 3, there are dissenting opinions on Sanders’ fit within the New York organization.
“Sanders wants to be in a place where he has the full support of an organization, and there are questions about whether the Giants fit into that category,” Schefter wrote.
The ESPN insider also declared that the Giants’ private workout with Sanders on Thursday “was not as big (a deal) as it seemed,” pointing out that the G-Men also worked out top quarterbacks in last year’s class before ultimately drafting wide receiver Malik Nabers.
Atlanta currently owns five picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, including their first-round pick at No. 15. The team is expected to use its first-rounder to improve its pass rush, Schefter wrote, but “if they can find a trade partner, they’d be willing to move back to stockpile extra picks.”
According to Schefter, the Falcons have established an asking price for veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins, which includes an expectation that the “acquiring team” pays $20 million of the $45 million left in guarantees on his contract. The ESPN insider also named the Steelers and Vikings – Cousins’ previous team – as potential suitors for the veteran, willing to pay as much as $10 million of those guarantees.
Miller listed the Panthers and Vikings as the top trade-back candidates in the first round of this year’s draft. Why? Carolina would like to add more Day 2 picks given the depth the 2025 NFL draft class has on the defensive line and at receiver.
Meanwhile, the Vikings have just four picks in the 2025 NFL draft. Their selection at 24 could be a sweet spot for a quarterback-needy team to move up while allowing them to move down and acquire more draft assets.
The Chiefs have the 31st pick in the first round but could move up if an offensive tackle they like remains on the board, Miller reports. Kansas City signed Jaylon Moore in free agency but needs competition for him, as he has just 12 career starts.
Miller listed the Houston Texans (No. 25) and Los Angeles Rams (No. 26) as teams the Chiefs may need to jump to land a top tackle.
Yates noted he doesn’t believe the Saints will use the No. 9 pick on a quarterback, but he said that some evaluators believe Dart and Shough will be “legitimate targets for the Saints over the course of the draft.”
Dart and Shough are both considered fringe first-round selections, so the Saints may target either passer with the second-round pick (No. 40 overall) in the draft. New Orleans could also trade up into the first round if it is worried about both passers coming off the board before its selection.
Payton is taking note of the Broncos’ weakness at the running back position, saying that will be a focus during the draft. At his pre-draft press conference, the head coach pointed out that it’s a good class of running backs. It would be a boost to Denver’s offense, which was mostly forced to be one-dimensional with Bo Nix in his rookie year.
“There are two great allies that I think to help quarterback play. It’s really good defense and obviously a really good running game,” Payton said.
The Chargers draft plans are coming into focus and Hortiz has reason for optimism as the roster fills out. He was pleased with the team’s work in free agency and now believes that gives the Chargers the chance to go in a variety of directions.
“You let the board come to you,” Hortiz said. “You don’t feel the pressure, so to speak, that, ‘Oh we got to address this player, we have to take this position.”
“I just don’t feel that way because of the way we have spread ourselves out in free agency and adding to the roster and really completing the roster,” Hortiz said. “I think that’s the goal. You want to put yourself in a position to be go to draft day and say, ‘We can literally let the board come to us. We can take the best player.'”
The Giants quarterback situation remains a mystery. Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston aren’t long term answers, but maybe Milroe is. Raanan said he’s heard that Milroe has his supporters within the Giants’ building, suggesting he could be the quarterback the team targets. Fifth-year options make for an interesting dynamic at the end of the first round. The Giants have the 34th pick and could be a trade-up candidate if they want to take the Alabama prospect.
Rodgers made an appearance on the McAfee show Thursday, detailing his frustrations with the Jets and talking about his future. While he said retirement is still a possibility, the future Hall of Fame quarterback appears to be in no rush to make a decision. The Pittsburgh Steelers are seemingly waiting for that to happen, but could end up going into the draft without a clear answer. Rodgers said the draft won’t impact his decision, or if the Steelers were to select a quarterback. In other words, buckle up.
Hunter has been mostly discussed as a cornerback first throughout the draft process, with the idea that he could feature in some packages on offense. The Browns view the dual-threat differently, however.
During a press conference on Thursday, general manager Andrew Berry said the team views Hunter as a receiver first and a defender, second. He likened Hunter to MLB’s Shohei Ohtani, adding that you get a unicorn-type player if he’s used on both sides of the ball.
The Giants are doing a lot of homework on the top quarterback prospects in the 2025 NFL draft. They are set to host three key private workouts in the lead-up to the event as they look to add young talent to their quarterback room.
New York will work out Shedeur Sanders in Boulder on Thursday, Jalen Milroe in Alabama on Friday and Tyler Shough in Louisville on Saturday. All three could be options for the Giants with their early selections in the 2025 NFL draft (Nos. 3 and 34 overall).
The buzz around Shough continues to grow. Days after The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported some teams think the Louisville quarterback could be a first-round pick, Pelissero listed Shough as one of his five potential first-round surprises for the 2025 draft.
Why might Shough be a first-round pick? Pelissero noted the seven-year college veteran has moved ahead of Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart on the boards of certain scouts.
“He might be the readiest of the whole QB group to play in the NFL right now,” Pelissero wrote of Shough. “Does he have a chance to be a bona fide, long-term starter in the pros? All it takes is one team to buy in and take a shot on Shough in Round 1.”
Shough played seven college seasons at Oregon, Texas Tech and Louisville. He completed 62.7% of his passes for 3,195 yards, 23 touchdowns and six interceptions during his lone season with the Cardinals.
Walker and Williams are both projected first-round selections and will work out for NFL teams on Thursday, a week ahead of the 2025 NFL draft. Reid reports the duo will only participate in positional drills.
It isn’t yet clear which teams will be in attendance for the workout.
Miller is entering the last year of his contract and isn’t participating in Las Vegas’ voluntary offseason workouts as he seeks an extension. Fowler reports the Raiders have not yet engaged in contract talks with the 29-year-old left tackle.
That doesn’t necessarily mean the Raiders will trade Miller, but if any sort of stalemate develops, his name will be one to watch on draft night. It could also position Las Vegas to consider a tackle with its top selection at No. 6 overall. Will Campbell and Armand Membou could be on the board at that juncture.
Stewart is one of the best athletes in the 2025 NFL draft and could go early in the first round. The 49ers, who have the 11th pick, brought Stewart in on the final day of pre-draft visits. There are concerns about the Texas A&M product’s production, as he had just 4.5 total sacks across three college seasons, but if San Francisco is sold on his athletic upside, they could select him as a long-term complement to Nick Bosa.
Kiper called Sanders an “old-school” traditional quarterback that reminded him of Drew Brees, in the lack of great arm strength and the importance of destination. He believes that the Saints would be a great spot for Sanders to land, given that he would play home games in a dome while possessing the necessary decision-making, accuracy and toughness. Kiper downplayed size concerns and said his arm strength will get better over time, adding the quarterback can be great with the right offense and the right personnel.
During his pre-draft press conference, the Giants’ general manager said it’s not “mandatory” to take a quarterback in this year’s draft.
He added, “Yeah, if the value matches up with what we have on a player. (But) I’m not going to force it if it’s not the right value. If the board lines up when we’re on the clock, we’ll go with it. I’m not going to be backed into a corner on that.”
The Ohio State running back met with the Pittsburgh Steelers yesterday and meets with another AFC playoff team today on the final day of top-30 visits. Denver is currently slotted to pick No. 20 overall in the first round, one pick ahead of Pittsburgh. Henderson is one of the four best running backs in a very deep class and could be a surprise riser into the first round thanks to his speed, receiving abilities and zero career fumbles.
On the last day of top-30 visits, Pearce is set to visit the 49ers and Johnson will meet with the Seahawks. San Francisco is slated to pick 11th, while Seattle is slotted in at 18th. Pearce was previously thought of as a top player in this class, but has fallen out of favor over time. Johnson is considered the best cornerback after Travis Hunter, but injury concerns could push his down the board.
Graham was seen wearing a Jacksonville Jaguars shirt in a workout video posted to social media by coach Brandon Jordan. The post was later deleted, but Graham has been commonly linked to the Jaguars throughout the draft process. A California native that played college football at Michigan doesn’t have a direct link to Jacksonville, so perhaps Graham is tipping his hand a bit here.
“I heard at one point they looked into Dallas Goedert,” Raanan said on Giants After Dark. “He sounds like a guy who is going to get traded at some point in this draft.”
Goedert is entering the final season of a four-year, $57 million contract with the Eagles. He has no guaranteed money remaining and carries an $11.7 million cap hit.
New York currently has Theo Johnson, Daniel Bellinger, Chris Manhertz and Greg Dulcich on their tight end depth chart, but none have the experience or production that Goedert offers. Last season, Goedert had one of the least productive years of his career, missing seven regular-season games, finishing with just 496 receiving yards his lowest total since his rookie season.
There are no games this time of year. Well, except “Fortnite,” apparently.
Top NFL draft prospect and presumptive No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward had some downtime to play the popular video game on Tuesday night, and he let out just a little bit of a tell when it comes to where he might land come next Thursday.
The best wide receiver in the game? Calvin Ridley. The best running back? Tony Pollard. A head coach he likes more than any others? Brian Callahan. What do all those have in common? They’re all members of the Tennessee Titans, who, coincidentally, own the No. 1 overall pick.
During an appearance on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, Jones indicated the team doesn’t seem to be in a spot to move up on draft night.
“I don’t necessarily see us moving up, based on the way the board is coming together,” Jones said. “But could see a situation where we move down.”
He highlighted the depth of the draft and added the team has experienced some good fortune just outside the top-10.
Schrager said the Steelers previously met with Sanders for five hours, but suggested the Giants could take Abdul Carter at No. 3 before trading back up for Sanders. He likened the possibility to what the Texans did in 2023, when they drafted C.J. Stroud and traded up for Will Anderson.
Already set to have a workout for Shedeur Sanders, the Giants are adding Milroe and Shough to the list of potential options. New York is leaving no stone unturned in their quest to find a quarterback for the future, especially as it relates to Sanders.
Milroe is the most intriguing player out of that group, however. Head coach Brian Daboll has previously worked with former Alabama head coach, Nick Saban, so the Giants might have some additional information on the Crimson Tide prospects.
Russini has heard Shough’s name a lot more in league circles recently, adding that he could end up in the first round. According to the report, one current NFL head coach told her that they believe Shough is the best quarterback in the class – even better than Cam Ward.
General manager Dan Morgan said the team is open to trading back and acquiring more picks, adding they are open to all possibilities. He didn’t say how far the Panthers would be willing to move back, but it’s clear Carolina would like do some wheeling and dealing.
Whether Sanders makes it to No. 21 is unclear, but McShay said he has heard Tomlin likes the quarterback. The Steelers are in an interesting spot thanks to Aaron Rodgers and currently set to enter the 2025 season without a clear starting quarterback. With Russell Wilson landing with the Giants and Justin Fields signing with the Jets, Pittsburgh seems to be in Rodgers-or-bust territory. The only way out would be through the draft. Sanders might just be the escape hatch.
McShay said people have told him to not close the book on Sanders to the Giants at No. 3, saying it’s either the Colorado quarterback or Abdul Carter for them. With the extensive work New York has done on Sanders, it’s clear that there is plenty of interest from Big Blue.
The NFL draft is set to begin on Thursday, April 24 with the first round. It will resume on Friday, April 25 with the second and third rounds before wrapping up on Saturday, April 25 with the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh rounds.
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2025 NFL draft rumors roundup: Trade rumors, news, updates ahead of first round – USA Today
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