2025 NFL Draft: Pete Prisco, CBS Sports release Mock Draft 2.0 with surprising movement

The 2025 NFL Draft is officially less than two weeks away and NFL pundits everywhere are in the final stages of fine-tuning their own projections about how the Day 1 of the draft could play out.

That now includes CBS Sports senior writer Pete Prisco, who unveiled his 2025 NFL Mock Draft 2.0 on Wednesday, where he predicted a brief slide for Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders and a Top 5 trade that could alter the entire makeup of the first round April 24th.

Given recent news that both the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants — two quarterback-needy teams currently in the Top 3 — are loading up on veteran QBs ahead of the draft, Prisco believes both will ultimately pass on Sanders at 2 and 3, respectively, and instead has Sanders sliding to the New Orleans Saints at No. 9. Prisco also included one mock trade, projecting the Chicago Bears will trade up from 10 to 5 with the Jacksonville Jaguars to land Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, only surrendering the second of their two second-round picks (No. 41) to secure the draft’s top tailback.

Check out Pete Prisco’s 2025 NFL Mock Draft 2.0 for NFL.com here:

1. Tennessee Titans: Cam Ward, QB, Miami

As Prisco points out, “this now looks like it’s happening” after the Titans canceled workouts with Colorado stars Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders last week. All signs point to Tennessee officially moving on from Will Levis as their starting QB and will instead turn the page with Ward behind center.

Ward proved he has what it takes to be a dynamic playmaker during his lone season in Coral Gables, stepping in as a one-year transfer and directing Miami’s NCAA-best offense with a FBS-leading 39 passing touchdowns and 4,313 passing yards in 2024.

2. Cleveland Browns: Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado

Prisco calls Hunter “the best player in the draft” who could provide a needed boost on both sides of the ball for the Browns, who recently re-signed 40-year-old veteran Joe Flacco to compete with former Steelers and Eagles QB Kenny Pickett in 2025.

Hunter, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, would give Cleveland a big-play receiver alongside Jerry Jeudy, and could slide in opposite Denzel Ward at cornerback. Hunter ranked second in the FBS with 15 receiving scores in 2024 and added four interceptions defensively.

3. New York Giants: Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State

Like the Browns, the Giants appear comfortable entering the 2025 season with veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston at quarterback, and instead add Carter to an already fierce pass rush that includes Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Dexter Lawrence upfront.

The 6-foot-3, 250-pound Carter was practically unblockable at times last season, drawing plenty of comps to Dallas Cowboys superstar Micah Parsons after leading the FBS with 23.5 tackles for loss to go along with 12 sacks in 2024.

4. New England Patriots: Will Campbell, OT, LSU

A year after landing franchise QB Drake Maye at No. 3 overall, the new-look Patriots secure his blindside blocker in the 6-foot-6, 320-pound Campbell one pick later.

Prisco isn’t as sold on Campbell, suggesting “he might never be an All-Pro” and might be a better fit at guard. But its hard to argue with Campbell’s results having allowed just two sacks over the past two seasons in Baton Rouge.

5. Chicago Bears (mock trade w/ JAX): Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State

This is the first curveball from Prisco, who believes new Bears coach Ben Johnson will target Jeanty to be the bell-cow runner in his Chicago’s backfield, trading a second-round pick to leapfrog ahead of the Raiders to make the pick.

The powerful 5-foot-8, 210-pound Jeanty came within 30 yards of eclipsing Barry Sanders‘ 1988 NCAA single-season rushing record last season after leading the NCAA with 2,601 rushing yards, 29 touchdowns and 126 missed tackles in 2024.

6. Las Vegas Raiders: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas

With Jeanty off the board, Prisco expects the Raiders to instead look to shore up its beleagured secondary by landing the top-rated cornerback in the class out of Texas.

The 5-foot-11, 195-pound Barron won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back after tying for the SEC-lead with five interceptions last season to go along with 67 total tackles and 11 pass breakups in 2024.

7. New York Jets: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan

Another team with plenty of holes to fill, the Jets hold pat and land the draft’s top interior defensive lineman in Graham to pair alongside All-Pro defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to create a dominating defensive front in Gotham.

The powerful 6-foot-3, 320-pound Graham was the heart of Michigan’s defense the past few seasons, including racking up 52 tackles, 26 pressures, 7.5 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks in 2024.

8. Carolina Panthers: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan

While most draft prognosticators have Penn State‘s Tyler Warren as the first TE off the board, Prisco gives the Panthers “the best pass-catching tight end in the draft” in Loveland instead.

The 6-foot-6, 248-pound Wolverines star led the team with a TE single-season school-record 56 receptions and five touchdowns despite dealing with multiple nagging injuries last season.

9. New Orleans Saints: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado

After being passed over by the Browns and Giants, Sanders’ first-round slide stops at No. 9 as Prisco reads the tea leaves and believes the Saints would jump at the opportunity to land the son of NFL legend Deion Sanders.

Prisco suggests the Saints could sit Sanders behind Derek Carr for a season, allowing the former Colorado star to watch and learn after leading the FBS with a 74-percent completion rate and 4,134 passing yards and 37 touchdowns in 2024.

10. Jacksonville Jaguars (mock trade w/ CHI): Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona

Following their trade down from 5 to 10, Prisco still has the Jaguars taking a physically-gifted receiver in the first round for the second straight season, pairing Brian Thomas Jr. with McMillan to give Trevor Lawrence two elite options on the outside.

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Biletnikoff Award finalist ranked third in the FBS with 1,319 receiving yards in 2024 to go along with 84 receptions and eight touchdowns as Arizona’s unquestioned No. 1 option.

Pete Prisco’s NFL.com 2025 NFL Mock Draft 2.0, pick Nos. 11-32:

11. San Francisco 49ers: Jalon Walker, EDGE/LB, Georgia
12. Dallas Cowboys: Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
13. Miami Dolphins: Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
14. Indianapolis Colts: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
15. Atlanta Falcons: Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M
16. Arizona Cardinals: Armand Membou, OT, Missouri
17. Cincinnati Bengals: Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia
18. Seattle Seahawks: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
20. Denver Broncos: Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss
22. Los Angeles Chargers: Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
23. Green Bay Packers: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
24. Minnesota Vikings: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
25. Houston Texans: Tyler Booker, IOL, Alabama
26. Las Angeles Rams: Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky
27. Baltimore Ravens: Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE, Boston College
28. Detroit Lions: Donovan Jackson, IOL, Ohio State
29. Washington Commanders: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
30. Buffalo Bills: Shavon Revel Jr., CB, East Carolina
31. Kansas City Chiefs: Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
32. Philadelphia Eagles: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina