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NFL–DRAFT DAY”
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It is here, it starts within hours.
The rumors won’t stop.
Who goes up? Who goes down?
Who makes a trade that shakes up the first round?
Who do the Chargers-Rams-Raiders select.
Here’s a last minute look at the NFL-Beat Writers Draft courtesy of ‘The Athletic’.
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1. Tennessee Titans: Cam Ward, QB, Miami
The Titans have their pick between Ward and Shedeur Sanders, but Ward’s measurables are more impressive, and the impact he made at Washington State and Miami looks a lot like what Jayden Daniels did for LSU. Ward may be slightly less accurate than Sanders, but he’s a better processor and a much better athlete with a much stronger arm. Travis Hunter is the best prospect in this draft, but an elite quarterback can singlehandedly change the trajectory of a franchise. Ward is the best bet in this draft to become one. — David Ubben
2. Cleveland Browns: Abdul Carter, DE, Penn State
The Browns need a quarterback, but with Myles Garrett’s future with the organization uncertain it’s hard to pass on a future superstar like Carter. Even if Garrett stays in Cleveland, the Browns shouldn’t pass on Carter; they would terrify offenses as a pair. And if Garrett does get traded, Carter would be the franchise’s next All-Pro edge rusher. — Cameron Teague Robinson
3. New York Giants: Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
The Giants also need a quarterback, but Hunter is the best prospect in the draft and one of the most exciting playmakers of the 21st century. He may already be an All-Pro caliber player. If New York’s quarterback situation doesn’t improve in 2025, Texas’ Arch Manning and Penn State’s Drew Allar will be waiting in 2026. — Grace Raynor
4. New England: Will Campbell, OT, LSU
The Patriots loved what they saw from Drake Maye in Year 1. Now the task is getting him help. He’ll need actual receivers at some point, but he has to stay healthy. Campbell is the best offensive lineman in this draft, with prototypical size (6 foot 6, 320 pounds) and three years of experience blocking SEC edge rushers like Will Anderson and Dallas Turner. He once went 24 games without giving up a sack and gave up just five in his entire college career. — Ubben
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5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Jalon Walker, LB/Edge, Georgia
The Jags have to beef up a defense that was one of the worst in the league last year. They used a second-round pick on a defensive tackle last year (LSU’s Maason Smith), so we’ll address their needs elsewhere with Walker, who won the Butkus Award as the nation’s top linebacker and led the Bulldogs with 10 1/2 tackles for loss. He’d have a chance to disrupt offenses alongside another former Georgia defender, 2022 No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker. — Matt Baker
6. Las Vegas Raiders: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
It wouldn’t be a total shock if the Raiders went defense here — it’s Pete Carroll, after all — but Vegas has to address the long-term outlook at quarterback at some point, and it might not get a better chance to do so than right now. Sanders was one of the most prolific and accurate passers in the nation last season and would be another building block for a unit that doesn’t have much going on outside of Brock Bowers. — Antonio Morales
7. New York Jets: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
I’m going to roll with the epic cliché that defensive guys take defensive guys. New head coach Aaron Glenn pieced together one of the best defenses in the NFL as Detroit’s defensive coordinator, and if the Super Bowl was any indication, you can never have too many very good disruptors on the line. Graham is one of the few players in this draft expected to be an instant impact player on Day 1. Glenn goes with the best player available on his side of the ball, something that the former Jets regime under head coach Robert Saleh didn’t do with their first pick when they reached for BYU quarterback Zach Wilson at No. 2 back in 2021. — Kamrani
8. Carolina Panthers: Mike Green, Edge, Marshall
The Panthers gave up a league-high 404.5 yards per game in 2024 and had the NFL’s worst run defense. Carolina needs help up front, and Green can provide just that. Questions about his size (6 foot 3 and just 251 pounds) may make this a risky pick, but did you see him at the Senior Bowl against some of the best Power 4 offensive linemen in the country? The Marshall product, who led the FBS with 17 sacks, can put his head down, go to work and fit in nicely on a small-market team with plenty to prove. — Raynor
9. New Orleans Saints: Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia
The Saints should count their blessings if Williams falls to them. He’s a physical freak from a program that just keeps churning more out at the position under Kirby Smart, using his 265-pound frame and 4.6 speed to overwhelm offensive linemen. Guys with his combination of size and speed are rare. His mild production in college (15 TFLs in his last two seasons) shouldn’t be a concern. He faced consistent double teams, and offenses that knew they couldn’t block Georgia’s front made sure to get the ball out of quarterbacks’ hands in a hurry. — Ubben
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10. Chicago Bears: Armand Membou, OT, Missouri
Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was sacked 68 times as a rookie, which makes the offensive line a priority with a top-10 selection. Pro Football Focus ranked him the nation’s fifth-ranked offensive tackle this season and No. 7 overall in run blocking. Membou was a bulldozer at right tackle for the Tigers, and if left tackle Braxton Jones’ recovery from an ankle injury complicates his future, Membou could line up inside or at tackle for Chicago. No matter where he plays, he’s an upgrade for new coach Ben Johnson. — Scott Dochterman
11. San Francisco 49ers: Kelvin Banks, OT, Texas
The 49ers need help on both lines of scrimmage. If they’re picking between Josh Simmons and Banks among the available top-tier O-linemen, give me Banks. He was a two-time All-American as the best player on the line of scrimmage at a program loaded with talent on both sides. He battled an ankle injury late this season, and his absence on the Longhorns line was notable when Texas struggled to block Georgia’s front in its SEC title game loss. — Ubben
12. Dallas Cowboys: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
Jeanty, who went to high school in the Metroplex area, gets to come home and be the future face of the franchise as the NFL’s running back revolution continues. Jerry Jones tends to lean toward star power if given the opportunity, and the Boise State star was the most electrifying running back in college football a year ago, finishing second in the Heisman Trophy race. Jeanty brings his unique combination of battering-ram capabilities and breakaway speed to JerryWorld. — Kamrani
13. Miami Dolphins: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
Though Miami’s interior offensive line is probably its biggest weakness, I don’t think there’s a guard in this draft that’s worth a top-15 pick. Trading down isn’t an option, so the Dolphins will address another need at safety with Starks — a 2023 All-American and 2024 Jim Thorpe Award finalist. He can erase a lot of issues elsewhere on a defense. Maybe he wasn’t as good last season as he was the year before, but we don’t need to overthink things. He was a three-year starter on the Georgia defense. That says enough about his ability, production and next-level potential. — Baker
14. Indianapolis Colts: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
Warren was Penn State’s X-factor last fall, whether he was catching the ball, throwing it or running with it. (There was even one punt!) If you’re unsure just how rare of an athlete he is, watch his highlights against USC. During the back half of the season, every one of Penn State’s opponents knew he was getting the ball, and many still couldn’t stop him. — Audrey Snyder
15. Atlanta Falcons: Shemar Stewart, DL, Texas A&M
Don’t be fooled by Stewart’s numbers with the Aggies in 2024: just 1 1/2 sacks and 5 1/2 tackles for loss. He has the size and speed to wreak havoc up front for an Atlanta team that needs to improve its pass rush. The Falcons finished with just 31 sacks in 2024, the second-lowest in the league. — Raynor
16. Arizona Cardinals: Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
We were eyeing Stewart with this pick, but the Falcons took him one pick ahead of us. Regardless, the Cardinals need more difference makers up front. Harmon was one of the most sought-after transfers in the portal a year ago, and he made good on that hype with 10.5 tackles for loss and five sacks for the Big Ten champions. He was one of the most disruptive defensive lineman in the league, and he gives Arizona some explosiveness on the interior defensive line. — Morales
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17. Cincinnati Bengals: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
This feels like a steal for the Bengals, who need help everywhere on defense. Johnson’s eyes and IQ allow him to bait quarterbacks into throwing into nonexistent passing lanes. He missed much of last season due to injury, but his upside could give the Bengals one less thing to worry about on that side of the ball. — Robinson
18. Seattle Seahawks: Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon
When I spoke to Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein before the College Football Playoff, he said Conerly was one of the toughest and most versatile players on his side of the ball. That goes a long way when building an identity in the trenches. In a division that is up for grabs basically every year, being able to invest in a position that will go head-to-head with Nick Bosa and the young Rams D-line should pay dividends. — Kamrani
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Donovan Ezeiruaku, Edge, Boston College
It’d be nice to draft a successor to Lavonte David, but I don’t love any of the inside linebackers at this spot. Instead, I’ll default to the idea that you can never have too many pass rushers. Ezeiruaku was the ACC’s defensive player of the year, his 16 1/2 sacks during the regular season leading the nation and tying a program record. Maybe this is a reach, but I’ll take his productivity over a more highly regarded prospect like Tennessee’s James Pearce Jr. — Baker
20. Denver Broncos: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
Even in an Michigan offense that was woeful through the air, Loveland had more individual receiving yards in 2024 (582 yards in 10 games) than the four Broncos tight ends had combined (483 yards in 17 games) a year ago. And with this pick, Bo Nix smiles his very wide smile. Loveland joins an AFC West tight ends group that includes superstar Travis Kelce and Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers, who broke multiple NFL rookie tight end records a year ago. — Kamrani
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
I can see it now: The 2026 draft is in Pittsburgh, the Steelers are on the clock, and their QB of the future is waiting in the wings. Until then, they need to upgrade the receiving corps for whoever is throwing passes. I think my colleagues made a massive misstep in letting Pittsburgh snag the best receiver in the class. — Snyder
22. Los Angeles Chargers: Tyler Booker, G, Alabama
If McMillan would’ve made it here, the Chargers would have stopped his slide; Justin Herbert needs more playmaking targets. But the playoff loss to the Texans exposed the Chargers’ issues up front. The Chargers are set up well at tackle with Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt. It’s the interior that needs to be solidified. The 6-foot-5, 325-pound Booker fits with Jim Harbaugh’s preferred style of play. Even though there were solid receivers like Emeka Egbuka and Luther Burden III still on the board, it’s hard to believe Harbaugh would go receiver when his roster still has needs in the trenches. — Morales
23. Green Bay Packers: JT Tuimoloau, Edge, Ohio State
The highlight reel of JTT completely wrecking Penn State’s upset bid in his breakout game in 2022 is worth a rewatch. The Packers elevate their pass rush here with one of the most disruptive players (12.5 sacks) on the best defense in the county. If the Packers address the pass rush in free agency, I’d break the franchise mold and snag a wide receiver. I know, I know, that’s not what the Packers do. But Matthew Golden or Luther Burden III could be huge assets for Jordan Love. — Snyder
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24. Minnesota Vikings: James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee
The uber-talented Pearce put up 17.5 sacks in the last two years and finished with 43 quarterback hurries last year, according to PFF. He’s long and capable of dropping into coverage when required for a zone blitz. If the Vikings land Pearce and rotate him with Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard, defensive coordinator Brian Flores would have weapons galore in his arsenal. — Dochterman
25. Houston Texans: Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
Simmons is coming off a season-ending knee injury suffered in October and will be one of the more fascinating prospects at the combine. When healthy, he was one of the most impactful offensive linemen in the nation. C.J. Stroud would love to have another Buckeye helping him up front after the Texans gave up 54 sacks in 2024. — Raynor
26. Los Angeles Rams: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
I considered going offensive line here due to the state of the Rams’ tackle positions, but they also need to rebuild the receiving corps. Cooper Kupp is on the way out, and Demarcus Robinson is slated to be a free agent. Even with those two in the fold, it was clear in the back half of last season that the Rams needed more playmaking at the position. So the Rams pair the dependable, productive Egbuka with Puka Nacua. — Morales
27. Baltimore Ravens: Donovan Jackson, OL, Ohio State
Jackson started this season at left guard for Ohio State and moved to tackle once the injuries started piling up, doing so well there that some draft scouts and experts are looking at him as a tackle. He’s versatile enough to move around early if the Ravens get into a pinch. — Robinson
28. Detroit Lions: Nic Scourton, DE, Texas A&M
The Lions have one of the NFL’s top full-service defensive ends in Aidan Hutchinson, whose season-ending injury perhaps cost Detroit its first Super Bowl appearance. Unless the Lions swing a deal for Myles Garrett or Maxx Crosby, they’ll need to grab an edge rusher in this spot. Scourton ended the 2024 season with five sacks and 14 tackles for loss at Texas A&M, but he was more impactful in how teams changed protections with him up front. He proved that he was more than capable of becoming a high-end NFL starter during his 10-sack campaign at Purdue in 2023. — Dochterman
29. Washington Commanders: Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
Former Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels needs more playmakers, and Burden is the best option on the board. The two-time all-SEC selection finished in the top six in Tigers history in yards, receptions and touchdown catches. The fact that his final season wasn’t as good as Year 2 reflects more on Missouri than Burden. He lived up to his hype as one of Mizzou’s top signees of the modern recruiting era. — Baker
30. Buffalo Bills: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
With the Bills officially past the Micah Hyde/Jordan Poyer safety era, they could use a high-energy performer to pair with Damar Hamlin. Emmanwori was all of that and more at South Carolina: This year, he had two pick sixes, and a third was called back because of a penalty away from the ball. Emmanwori led the Gamecocks with 88 tackles, finished with four interceptions and didn’t allow a touchdown in coverage. He’d fit right in on Sean McDermott’s defense. — Dochterman
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31. Kansas City Chiefs: Tyliek Williams, DT, Ohio State
The Super Bowl showed that the Chiefs need some help on the offensive line, but they also need to add depth along the defensive front. Williams’ athleticism and motor can make him a Day 1 impact player, especially against the run, helping free up Chris Jones. — Robinson
32. Philadelphia Eagles: Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
The Super Bowl champions have few holes on the roster, but what happens with linebacker Zack Baun is key. If he returns, the Eagles could add a safety to keep bolstering that young and talented secondary. If Baun gets a huge pay day on the open market — and remember, Nakobe Dean will spend the offseason rehabbing from a torn patellar tendon injury sustained last month — Campbell could be needed next fall. Last season, the New Jersey native recorded 119 tackles, 5 sacks, 11.5 tackles for loss and 2 forced fumbles, leading the Crimson Tide in all categories. — Snyder