In what turned out to be a wild development in the 2024 NFL Draft, the first defender didn't get drafted until the 15th overall pick. The first round was littered with wide receivers, yet faced a shortage of defensive tackles, safeties and other positions. The 2025 NFL Draft initially looks to be the polar opposite to the three-day event fans watched unfold last month. Although very early, we take a look at the names to know and how Las Vegas views each NFL team as the upcoming NFL season approaches.
The draft order used below is the reverse order of Vegas Insiders' aggregate Super Bowl odds.
Without further ado, let's kick this off!
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NFL Mock Draft
Round 1
Round 1 - Pick 1
Mykel Williams is not a finished product, but he has the size, length and skill set to become one of those game-changing pass rushers often taken atop the draft.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
New England drafted its quarterback and then provided him with a few new weapons in the 2024 NFL Draft, but the franchise needs significant help at offensive tackle.
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Round 1 - Pick 3
Will Johnson Jr. has been my favorite prospect to study in the class thus far, but if Mykel Williams can reach his potential, then the edge rusher will go first. Johnson is a really clean cornerback prospect.
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Round 1 - Pick 4
Deone Walker is a unique interior player because of his size (6-foot-6, 340-plus pounds). If he can play with consistency and show his effectiveness as a pass rusher, then it will be hard to keep him from being one of the top 10 prospects taken.
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Round 1 - Pick 5
Tennessee took J.C. Latham No. 7 overall and is initiating a transition from right to left tackle. Kelvin Banks Jr. is a natural left tackle, which would allow Latham to play a more comfortable role.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
Georgia's Carson Beck is the first quarterback off the board. There had been talk that the Giants could take a quarterback in this draft. I do not expect the chatter to be stifled over the next year.
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Round 1 - Pick 7
James Pearce is a twitchy pass rusher who still needs to add some tricks to his bag, but these players traditionally go early in the draft.
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Round 1 - Pick 8
Travis Hunter is a two-way player, but his potential is highest at cornerback. He is a gifted athlete and a building block for a Minnesota defense that just drafted Dallas Turner.
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Round 1 - Pick 9
Las Vegas was not invited to the first-round quarterback party this year, but fans should expect them to try and sneak in again next year unless a veteran of interest becomes available.
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Round 1 - Pick 10
Luther Burden III is dynamic after the catch. As New Orleans looks for skill sets that may complement Chris Olave, Burden may be near the top of the list, especially in a class that does not yet appear to have the type of talent the most recent class produced.
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Round 1 - Pick 11
Seattle signed Tyrel Dodson and Jerome Baker; two castoffs from their previous organizations. The Seahawks could add Harold Perkins with an eye toward the future.
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Round 1 - Pick 12
Cam Ward is one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the country. It will be interesting to see what he is able to show in one season at Miami after transferring in from Washington State.
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Round 1 - Pick 13
Indianapolis did not get its early round cornerback as part of the 2024 NFL Draft so it returns to the well in 2025.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
The Purdue transfer is a powerful pass rusher who should be among the SEC leaders in pressures this season.
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Round 1 - Pick 15
Patrick Payton hit the transfer portal after the season, but then returned to Tallahassee. Similar to Dallas Turner after Will Anderson Jr. left, Payton will have big shoes to fill in the absence of Jared Verse.
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Round 1 - Pick 16
Jacksonville signed Arik Armstead in free agency and then drafted Maason Smith in the second round. Although I am very high on Smith and who he could be at the next level, there is no guarantee. Mason Graham is a disruptive interior rusher.
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Round 1 - Pick 17
Walter Nolen actually transferred to Ole Miss so that is something we will have to fix in our system. But, there is no denying what the former five-star recruit brings to the table in terms of his athletic skill set. As teams look to add interior pass rush, Nolen should be near the top of the list.
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Round 1 - Pick 18
Cleveland will be making its first first-round selection since initiating the Deshaun Watson trade. With that selection, the Browns add a pass catcher for Watson. Evan Stewart is incredibly gifted and has the potential to be the first wide receiver off the board, but he still has work to do.
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Round 1 - Pick 19
Los Angeles added Jared Verse with its first first-round selection since making the Jared Goff trade. The Rams do not have a replacement for Aaron Donald to this point. Bear Alexander could be a part of a very deep, talented interior defensive line class.
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Round 1 - Pick 20
A year after taking Olu Fashanu in the first round, New York takes another offensive tackle, but nine picks later. Emery Jones Jr. would play on the right side, opposite Fashanu.
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Round 1 - Pick 21
Most anticipated the Falcons to select an edge rusher with the No. 8 overall selection, but they threw everyone a curveball with the choice of Michael Penix Jr. A year later, they finally get their pass rusher.
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Round 1 - Pick 22
Miami takes the first tight end off the board with the selection of Colston Loveland at No. 22 overall.
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Round 1 - Pick 23
Malaki Starks is the rare first-round safety selection. Xavier McKinney was the crown jewel of Green Bay's free agent class and now Starks is paired with him.
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Round 1 - Pick 24
Houston continues the run on interior defenders as Tyleik Williams finds his way into the first round. The Texans had expressed interest in Arik Armstead and now have a long-term fixture at the position.
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Round 1 - Pick 25
How long will the second Zeke Elliott-Cowboys union last? Dallas selects a Texas native as his replacement. Will it be looking to replace Dak Prescott as well?
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Round 1 - Pick 26
Philadelphia has invested heavily in the wide receiver position with Devonta Smith and A.J. Brown. At some point, the Eagles will need to move off one of those contracts, and the addition of Emeka Egbuka allows them to do that without suffering a substantial dip in talent.
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Round 1 - Pick 27
Detroit adds more to its front seven. Landon Jackson is a lengthy pass rusher opposite Aidan Hutchinson. The Lions are stout in the middle with D.J. Reader and Alim McNeill.
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Round 1 - Pick 28
Cincinnati added Zack Moss and Chase Brown in the past calendar year. The Bengals also parted ways with Joe Mixon. Ashton Jeanty is a well-rounded, dynamic running back similar to Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who played with Joe Burrow in Baton Rouge.
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Round 1 - Pick 29
Buffalo will have seen significant turnover at edge rusher in a two-to-three-year period. Abdul Carter absorbs some of that loss.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
Tetairoa McMillan gives Baltimore the missing element of size in its wide receiver room. The Ravens have already used first-round selections on Rashod Bateman and Zay Flowers in recent years.
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Round 1 - Pick 31
Jack Sawyer brings the juice that Felix Anudike-Uzomah and George Karlaftis may lack.
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Round 1 - Pick 32
Alabama has had an offensive lineman drafted in the first round in five of the past six years. In the other year, Tyler Steen was taken No. 65 overall. Booker keeps the tradition alive.
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