Tampa Bay Buccaneers News & Rumors

2025 NFL Draft Results By Round

From the No. 1 overall pick to Mr. Irrelevant (No. 257), here are the results from the 2025 NFL Draft:

Round 1

1) Tennessee Titans: Cam Ward (QB, Miami)
2) Jacksonville Jaguars (from Browns): Travis Hunter (WR/CB, Colorado)
3) New York Giants: Abdul Carter (OLB, Penn State)
4) New England Patriots: Will Campbell (T, LSU)
5) Cleveland Browns (from Jaguars): Mason Graham (DT, Michigan)
6) Las Vegas Raiders: Ashton Jeanty (RB, Boise State)
7) New York Jets: Armand Membou (T, Missouri)
8) Carolina Panthers: Tetairoa McMillan (WR, Arizona)
9) New Orleans Saints: Kelvin Banks Jr. (T, Texas)
10) Chicago Bears: Colston Loveland (TE, Michigan)
11) San Francisco 49ers: Mykel Williams (DE, Georgia)
12) Dallas Cowboys: Tyler Booker (G, Alabama)
13) Miami Dolphins: Kenneth Grant (DT, Michigan)
14) Indianapolis Colts: Tyler Warren (TE, Penn State)
15) Atlanta Falcons: Jalon Walker (LB, Georgia)
16) Arizona Cardinals: Walter Nolen (DT, Ole Miss)
17) Cincinnati Bengals: Shemar Stewart (DE, Texas A&M)
18) Seattle Seahawks: Grey Zabel (OL, North Dakota State)
19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Emeka Egbuka (WR, Ohio State)
20) Denver Broncos: Jahdae Barron (CB, Texas)
21) Pittsburgh Steelers: Derrick Harmon (DT, Oregon)
22) Los Angeles Chargers: Omarion Hampton (RB, North Carolina)
23) Green Bay Packers: Matthew Golden (WR, Texas)
24) Minnesota Vikings: Donovan Jackson (G, Ohio State)
25) New York Giants (from Texans): Jaxson Dart, QB (Ole Miss)
26) Atlanta Falcons (from Rams): James Pearce (DE, Tennessee)
27) Baltimore Ravens: Malaki Starks (S, Georgia)
28) Detroit Lions: Tyleik Williams (DT, Ohio State)
29) Washington Commanders: Josh Conerly Jr. (T, Oregon)
30) Buffalo Bills: Maxwell Hairston (CB, Kentucky)
31) Philadelphia Eagles (from Chiefs): Jihaad Campbell (LB, Alabama)
32) Kansas City Chiefs (from Eagles): Josh Simmons (T, Ohio State)

Round 2

33) Cleveland Browns: Carson Schwesinger (LB, UCLA)
34) Houston Texans (from Giants): Jayden Higgins (WR, Iowa State)
35) Seattle Seahawks (from Titans): Nick Emmanwori (S, South Carolina)
36) Cleveland Browns (from Jaguars): Quinshon Judkins (RB, Ohio State)
37) Miami Dolphins (from Raiders): Jonah Savaiinaea (G, Arizona)
38) New England Patriots: TreVeyon Henderson (RB, Ohio State)
39) Chicago Bears (from Panthers): Luther Burden (WR, Missouri)
40) New Orleans Saints: Tyler Shough (QB, Louisville)
41) Buffalo Bills (from Bears): T.J. Sanders (DT, South Carolina)
42) New York Jets: Mason Taylor (TE, LSU)
43) San Francisco 49ers: Alfred Collins (DT, Texas)
44) Dallas Cowboys: Donovan Ezeiruaku (DE, Boston College)
45) Indianapolis Colts: J.T. Tuimoloau (DE, Ohio State)
46) Los Angeles Rams (from Falcons): Terrance Ferguson (TE, Oregon)
47) Arizona Cardinals: Will Johnson (CB, Michigan)
48) Houston Texans (from Dolphins through Raiders): Aireontae Ersery (T, Minnesota)
49) Cincinnati Bengals: Demetrius Knight (LB, South Carolina)
50) Seattle Seahawks: Elijah Arroyo (TE, Miami)
51) Carolina Panthers (from Broncos): Nic Scourton (DE, Texas A&M)
52) Tennessee Titans (from Steelers through Seahawks): Femi Oladejo (OLB, UCLA)
53) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Benjamin Morrison (CB, Notre Dame)
54) Green Bay Packers: Anthony Belton, T (NC State)
55) Los Angeles Chargers: Tre Harris (WR, Ole Miss)
56) Chicago Bears (from Vikings through Texans and Bills): Ozzy Trapilo (T, Boston College)
57) Detroit Lions (from Panthers through Rams and Broncos): Tate Ratledge (G, Georgia)
58) Las Vegas Raiders (from Texans): Jack Bech (WR, TCU)
59) Baltimore Ravens: Mike Green (OLB, Marshall)
60) Denver Broncos (from Lions): R.J. Harvey (RB, Central Florida)
61) Washington Commanders: Trey Amos (CB, Ole Miss)
62) Chicago Bears (from Bills): Shemar Turner (DT, Texas A&M)
63) Kansas City Chiefs: Omarr Norman-Lott (DT, Tennessee)
64) Philadelphia Eagles: Andrew Mukuba (S, Texas)

Round 3

65) New York Giants: Darius Alexander (DT, Toledo)
66) Kansas City Chiefs (from Titans): Ashton Gillotte (DE, Louisville)
67) Cleveland Browns: Harold Fannin Jr. (TE, Bowling Green)
68) Las Vegas Raiders: Darien Porter (CB, Iowa State)
69) New England Patriots: Kyle Williams (WR, Washington State)
70) Detroit Lions (from Jaguars): Isaac TeSlaa (WR, Arkansas)
71) New Orleans Saints: Vernon Broughton (DT, Texas)
72) Buffalo Bills (from Bears): Landon Jackson (DE, Arkansas)
73) New York Jets: Azareye’h Thomas (CB, Florida State)
74) Denver Broncos (from Panthers): Pat Bryant (WR, Illinois)
75) San Francisco 49ers: Nick Martin (LB, Oklahoma State)
76) Dallas Cowboys: Shavon Revel (CB, East Carolina)
77) Carolina Panthers (from Patriots): Princely Umanmielen (OLB, Ole Miss)
78) Arizona Cardinals: Jordan Burch (OLB, Oregon)
79) Houston Texans (from Dolphins through Eagles via Commanders): Jaylin Noel (WR, Iowa State)
80) Indianapolis Colts: Justin Walley (CB, Minnesota)
81) Cincinnati Bengals: Dylan Fairchild (G, Georgia)
82) Tennessee Titans (from Seahawks): Kevin Winston (S, Penn State)
83) Pittsburgh Steelers: Kaleb Johnson (RB, Iowa)
84) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jacob Parrish (CB, Kansas State)
85) Kansas City Chiefs from Broncos through Panthers and Patriots): Nohl Williams (CB, Cal)
86) Los Angeles Chargers: Jamaree Caldwell (DT, Oregon)
87) Green Bay Packers: Savion Williams (WR, TCU)
88) Jacksonville Jaguars (from Vikings): Caleb Ransaw (CB, Tulane)
89) Jacksonville Jaguars (from Texans): Wyatt Millum (G, West Virginia)
90) Los Angeles Rams: Josaiah Stewart (OLB, Michigan)
91) Baltimore Ravens: Emery Jones (T, LSU)
92) Seattle Seahawks (from Lions through Jets via Raiders): Jalen Milroe (QB, Alabama)
93) New Orleans Saints (from Commanders): Jonas Sanker (S, Virginia)
94) Cleveland Browns (from Bills): Dillon Gabriel (QB, Oregon)
95) New England Patriots (from Chiefs): Jared Wilson (C, Georgia)
96) Atlanta Falcons (from Eagles): Xavier Watts (S, Notre Dame)
97) Houston Texans (from Vikings)*: Jaylin Smith (CB, USC)
98) Las Vegas Raiders (from Dolphins)*: Caleb Rogers (G, Texas Tech)
99) Las Vegas Raiders (from Giants through Texans)*: Charles Grant (T, William & Mary)
100) San Francisco 49ers*: Upton Stout (CB, Western Kentucky)
101) Denver Broncos (from Rams through Falcons and Eagles)*: Sai’Vion Jones (DE, LSU)
102) Minnesota Vikings (from Lions through Jaguars and Texans)*: Tai Felton (WR, Maryland)

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2025 NFL Draft Results: Team By Team

Here is every team’s haul from the 2025 NFL Draft:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Round 1, No. 16: Walter Nolen (DT, Ole Miss)
  • Round 2, No. 47: Will Johnson (CB, Michigan)
  • Round 3, No. 78: Jordan Burch (OLB, Oregon)
  • Round 4, No. 115:
  • Round 5, No. 152:
  • Round 7, No. 225 (from Jets through Chiefs):

Atlanta Falcons

  • Round 1, No. 15: Jalon Walker (LB, Georgia)
  • Round 1, No. 26 (from Rams): James Pearce (DE, Tennessee)
  • Round 3, No. 96 (from Eagles): Xavier Watts (S, Notre Dame)
  • Round 4, No. 118:
  • Round 7, No. 218 (from Browns through Chargers):

Baltimore Ravens

  • Round 1, No. 27: Malaki Starks (S, Georgia)
  • Round 2, No. 59: Mike Green (OLB, Marshall)
  • Round 3, No. 91: Emery Jones (T, LSU)
  • Round 4, No. 129:
  • Round 5, No. 136*:
  • Round 5, No. 176*:
  • Round 6, No. 183 (from Panthers):
  • Round 6, No. 203:
  • Round 6, No. 210*:
  • Round 6, No. 212*:
  • Round 7, No. 243:

Buffalo Bills

  • Round 1, No. 30: Maxwell Hairston (CB, Kentucky)
  • Round 2, No. 41 (from Bears): T.J. Sanders (DT, South Carolina)
  • Round 3, No. 72 (from Bears): Landon Jackson (DE, Arkansas)
  • Round 4, No. 132:
  • Round 5, No. 169*:
  • Round 5, No. 170 (from Cowboys)*:
  • Round 5, No. 173*:
  • Round 6, No. 177 (from Giants):
  • Round 6, No. 206:
  • Round 7, 240 (from Vikings through Browns and Bears):

Carolina Panthers

  • Round 1, No. 8: Tetairoa McMillan (WR, Arizona)
  • Round 2, No. 51 (from Broncos): Nic Scourton (DE, Texas A&M)
  • Round 3, No. 77 (from Falcons through Patriots): Princely Umanmielen (OLB, Ole Miss)
  • Round 4, No. 122 (from Broncos):
  • Round 4, No. 114 (from Cowboys):
  • Round 5, No. 140 (from Giants):
  • Round 5, No. 163 (from Ravens):
  • Round 6, No. 208 (from Eagles through Broncos):

Chicago Bears

  • Round 1, No. 10: Colston Loveland (TE, Michigan)
  • Round 2, No. 39 (from Panthers): Luther Burden (WR, Missouri)
  • Round 2, No. 56 (from Vikings through Texans and Bills): Ozzy Trapilo (T, Boston College)
  • Round 2, No. 62: Shemar Turner (DT, Texas A&M)
  • Round 4, No. 109 (from Bears through Bills):
  • Round 5, No. 148:
  • Round 7, No. 233 (from Bengals):

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Round 1, No. 17: Shemar Stewart (DE, Texas A&M)
  • Round 2, No. 49: Demetrius Knight (LB, South Carolina)
  • Round 3, No. 81: Dylan Fairchild (G, Georgia)
  • Round 4, No. 119:
  • Round 5, No. 153:
  • Round 6, No. 193:

Cleveland Browns

  • Round 1, No. 5 (from Jaguars): Mason Graham (DT, Michigan)
  • Round 2, No. 33: Carson Schwesinger (LB, UCLA)
  • Round 2, No. 36 (from Jaguars): Quinshon Judkins (RB, Ohio State)
  • Round 3, No. 67: Harold Fannin Jr. (TE, Bowling Green)
  • Round 3, No. 94 (from Bills): Dillon Gabriel (QB, Oregon)
  • Round 4, No. 126 (from Vikings through Jaguars):
  • Round 5, No. 166 (from Bills through Texans):
  • Round 6, No. 192 (from Dolphins through Bears):

Dallas Cowboys

  • Round 1, No. 12: Tyler Booker (G, Alabama)
  • Round 2, No. 44: Donovan Ezeiruaku (DE, Boston College)
  • Round 3, No. 76: Shavon Revel (CB, East Carolina)
  • Round 5, No. 149:
  • Round 5, 174*:
  • Round 6, No. 204 (from Lions through Browns and Bills):
  • Round 6, No. 211*:
  • Round 7, No. 217 (from Titans through Patriots):
  • Round 7, No. 239 (from Packers through Titans):
  • Round 7, No. 247 (from Chiefs through Panthers):

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Buccaneers Draft Emeka Egbuka At No. 19

A number of defensive prospects were linked to the Buccaneers during the pre-draft process. Tampa Bay has instead added at the receiver position, though, selecting Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka. It’s the second time in as many years that the Bucs have added to the receiving corps with a Day 1 or 2 pick.

Playing alongside such NFL talents as Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Marvin Harrison Jr. during his years in Columbus, it’s impressive that Egbuka shined as much as he did at all for the Buckeyes. The 22-year-old didn’t land in the NFL because of his electric speed, as evidenced by a 4.48-second 40-yard dash at his pro day. Working mostly out of the slot, Egbuka made his impact with savvy route-running and instincts to feel out gaps in coverage.

While lacking elite size and speed, Egbuka still found his way to making impacts in 2022 and 2024. Despite some missed time affecting his 2023 campaign, Egbuka was able to record 1,000-yard, 10-touchdown contributions in the surrounding seasons.

Last season, the Buccaneers utilized Mike Evans and rookie Jalen McMillan on the outsides while working Chris Godwin in the slot for much of the start of the year. Adding Egbuka should give Tampa Bay plenty of flexibility to move Godwin around and work Egbuka as the primary slot wideout. A three wide receiver offense should likely feature Evans, Godwin, and Egbuka more often than McMillan, but the increased number of looks the offense can utilize could be really beneficial for Baker Mayfield and company in 2025.

Ely Allen contributed to this post.

Broncos Looking To Move Up In First Round

While there’s been plenty of talk about teams potentially moving back in the first round, it sounds like one team is actually focused on moving up the draft board. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Broncos “have made inquiries about moving up” in the first round. Albert Breer of SI.com shares that sentiment, noting that Denver is one of the lone teams looking to move up.

[RELATED: Broncos To Make WR Addition]

The Broncos are currently armed with the No. 20 pick in the draft, and they own all of their picks through the first four rounds. The team doesn’t own a fifth- nor seventh-round pick, although GM George Paton and his staff do have three sixth-round selections at their disposal. Denver also has all of their 2026 picks except a sixth-round selection (sent to the Jets in the John Franklin-Myers trade).

After the Broncos made a surprising run at the playoffs behind rookie QB Bo Nix, the organization is obviously looking to take another significant step in 2025. There’s been plenty of speculation that the front office could look to add to Nix’s arsenal, with rumblings surrounding the addition of an early-round running back or receiver. On the flip side, there’s also been a rumor about the Broncos focusing their draft efforts on the defensive side of the ball — even after the Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufanga signings.

In other words, the Broncos’ trade opportunities will likely be dependent on individual players vs. any one overarching position. One thing seems pretty certain: the Broncos won’t be moving back. As our own Sam Robinson noted last week, Sean Payton has never traded down in Round 1 (and probably won’t start now).

Fortunately for the Broncos, they should have plenty of options if they ultimately decide to pull the trigger on a trade. While there’s been plenty of trade-back speculation regarding a handful of teams, Schefter definitively points to the Jaguars (No. 5), Panthers (No. 8), 49ers (No. 11), Falcons (No. 15), Seahawks (No. 18), and Buccaneers (No. 19) as teams picking before Denver that could be looking to move back.

Pro Football Rumors 2025 NFL Mock Draft

The pool of prospects available for teams later this month delivers an interesting challenge for anyone making a mock draft. This year’s crop of players has been viewed as far more deep than it is top-heavy, with only 15-20 players receiving first-round grades in most scouting departments. Because of this, we’re left with a fun uncertainty in which any of several players with second- to third-round grades could hear their names called throughout the back half of the first round.

Here, we’ll make an attempt to identify the best prospects for each team in their draft slot and with their position needs. Because we’re in a rare and fun scenario at the moment in which every team holds its own first-round pick for the first time in a long, long time, we will not be predicting any in-draft trades, but you can read here about the possibilities for such trades happening at the tail-end of the first round.

1) Tennessee Titans — QB Cam Ward, Miami (FL)

Let’s not overthink this one. The Titans have a need at quarterback, unless they’re fully willing to run through the 2025 NFL season with Will Levis as their leader under center. While top-ranked prospects like Colorado’s Travis Hunter and Penn State’s Abdul Carter are certainly worthy picks here, it makes a bit too much sense to just address the most important position in football.

Ward has run away with the honor of being the best quarterback prospect in this year’s class. Year after year, Ward has progressed from Incarnate Word to Washington State to Miami and has played better and better football at each step of his journey. The well-traveled passer has his shortcomings as a prospect, but there is no reason to believe he won’t continue to improve and excel at the next level.

Ward here would give the Hurricanes their first first-round pick on offense since David Njoku in 2017 and their first No. 1 overall pick since the Cowboys took defensive lineman Russell Maryland in 1991. He would be bringing the best arm in the draft to Tennessee to spread the ball out behind a slowly improving offensive line.

2) Cleveland Browns — WR Travis Hunter, Colorado

I was extremely tempted to go with Hunter’s quarterback, Shedeur Sanders, at this pick. Star pass rusher Myles Garrett was a big critic of the team’s chances to contend for a title, largely due to the Browns’ quarterback situation. It felt like the only thing that could convince him to make a hard U-turn on this thinking (besides money) would be if team brass had clued him in to a plan to address the position. At this point, though, Sanders has begun to slide down a lot of boards and could be available via trade from the early second round back into the late first. We’ve also seen the Browns express interest in Alabama passer Jalen Milroe, who could be another candidate to add a fifth-year option to his contract with a trade into the first round.

Instead, we’re going with Hunter. It is strange to think we could have two players going Nos. 1 and 2 who began their collegiate careers at the FCS level, but here we are. Cleveland general manager Andrew Berry reportedly views Hunter primarily as a wide receiver, making him an exciting weapon to pair with Jerry Jeudy.

Strong ball skills combined with explosiveness and an ability to make tacklers miss make Hunter a scary edition to a group that already includes Jeudy and Njoku. While they need a quarterback to distribute the ball, that problem may be addressed later in the round. There’s a chance the Browns try to utilize Hunter’s unicorn ability to play both sides of the ball in the NFL, but we know his offensive abilities are what Cleveland primarily values.

3) New York Giants — OLB Abdul Carter, Penn State

While ultimately an easy decision, it is likely not one the Giants would prefer. Ward, Hunter, and Carter are, by a wide consensus, considered the surefire top three picks of this draft in some order. Though, it’s always possible another quarterback sneaks his way in due to desperation from Cleveland or New York. The Giants would likely love to add Hunter as a shutdown, true No. 1 cornerback, but with the 2024 Heisman winner in Cleveland, Carter is far and away the best prospect left on the board at this point. Any other pick here would be a reach. The only thing to watch out for here is the fact that general manager Joe Schoen was lucky to retain his job this offseason, and he may feel the need to do something bold in order to keep his job like going after Sanders or Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart.

There is not a huge need for Carter in New York. Despite the loss of Azeez Ojulari in free agency, the team still rosters Brian Burns and former top-five pick Kayvon Thibodeaux. The two only combined for 14 sacks in 2024 and only have two double-digit sack seasons between them. That said, the Giants have invested a lot in the pass-rushing duo and likely intend to keep utilizing the pair. Little depth exists behind them and adding Carter to serve as a third edge rusher seems underwhelming for a No. 3 pick. The Giants do have a past of making such moves, as Mathias Kiwanuka (2006) and Jason Pierre-Paul (2010) joined John Mara-run teams that had strong edge-rushing units already. It would be foolhardy for New York to pass up the last elite talent left in this draft.

4) New England Patriots — T Will Campbell, LSU

Here’s where the draft can become really interesting. Now that the top prospects are off the board, we get a little more into speculation on team preference and fit. While New England was dead last in team sacks in 2024, it made strong additions in former Titan Harold Landry and ex-Eagle Milton Williams. Because the Patriots already invested a lot in the defensive line through free agency, they use this draft slot to address another area of weakness: the offensive line.

FA pickup Morgan Moses is set to lock down his side of the line, slotting Michael Onwenu at right guard. Former Vikings center Garrett Bradbury should start, as well, allowing Cole Strange to return to his role as starting left guard with Layden Robinson providing depth on the interior. Vederian Lowe and Caedan Wallace could both receive opportunities to start at left tackle, as each was part of last season’s merry-go-round at the position. But new head coach Mike Vrabel admitted that the draft could be a useful tool to improve at the position.

Campbell started at left tackle for all three of his seasons in Baton Rouge. While analysts criticized Campbell’s lack of length as a detriment to his first-round status, scouts don’t believe it to be an issue that would prevent him from having a successful NFL career at left tackle. He heads north to New England, where Lowe or Wallace would be in place as a stopgap if the seasoned SEC blocker needs any acclimation time. Considering 2025 will be a crucial developmental year for Drake Maye, it would stand to reason Campbell would step in immediately.

5) Jacksonville Jaguars — DT Mason Graham, Michigan

Jacksonville’s biggest holes are at tight end, linebacker, and maybe safety, but none of the top prospects at those positions feel worthy of going fifth overall. The best player on the board at this point is Graham, and while defensive tackle may not be a gaping hole, it’s a spot at which the Jaguars could use an upgrade.

Graham was the top-ranked interior defender in the NCAA last year, per Pro Football Focus, and this was not a breakout year; he ranked fifth in 2023. Graham can be disruptive as an inside pass rusher, totaling nine sacks and 18 tackles for loss in three seasons, but he is an elite run defender — the NCAA’s best, per PFF — and would be pivotal to a unit that finished 25th in run defense in 2024. With Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker in place on the edge, Graham pairs with Arik Armstead to form the team’s most menacing defensive line since its 2017 “Sacksonville” crew.

6) Las Vegas Raiders — RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State

There’s work to be done at a number of positions in Las Vegas, but running back seems to have the biggest need for improvement. The other position I considered here was defensive tackle, but Graham is off the board, and I think Jeanty adds more to the running backs group here than Derrick Harmon or Walter Nolen would add to the defensive line. Plus, with a decent O-line and a lack of elite wide receivers in the class, the new brain trust of general manager John Spytek, head coach Pete Carroll, and minority owner Tom Brady will need to find some way to add a weapon for new quarterback Geno Smith.

A lot will be expected of Jeanty in 2025 after he carried the Broncos to the College Football Playoff last year. Hopes that some combination of Alexander Mattison and Zamir White would make for a passable run game proved misplaced as the Raiders finished dead last in rushing in 2024. Vegas added Raheem Mostert to improve the room in free agency, and though he’s only a season removed from a 1,000-yard rushing campaign in which he led the league in rushing touchdowns with 18, the veteran speedster took a backseat last year in Miami. He would do so again here behind Jeanty, whose run at Barry Sanders‘ hallowed single-season Division I-FBS rushing record (2,628) fell just 27 yards short.

7) New York Jets — T Armand Membou, Missouri

It is extremely tempting to go with Jaxson Dart here. Post-Aaron Rodgers, the Jets are once again trying to figure out their future at quarterback. At the moment, though, they seem decently positioned with Justin Fields set to start and experienced backup Tyrod Taylor behind him. New York even rosters former Florida State star Jordan Travis as a potential underrated pick to develop. Ultimately, Dart would feel like a reach, especially if Fields continues to improve as a starter. Instead, the team decides to add a piece to protect its new starting passer.

Membou would enter a really good situation in New York. A combination of center Joe Tippmann, left guard John Simpson, and right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker anchored an impressive interior line in 2024. Olu Fashano, the team’s pick at No. 11 overall last year, should step up at left tackle, where he started five games last year. If Membou is ready, he can step in as the starting right tackle right away. If not, Chukwuma Okorafor is available to fill in until Membou develops.

8) Carolina Panthers — LB Jalon Walker, Georgia

We know that Carolina is likely to focus on defense in this year’s draft, and its biggest weaknesses currently reside in the linebacking corps, where the team has plenty of bodies but lacks elite talent. Safety, wide receiver, and tight end seem to be other positions at which the team could add, but unless the Panthers want Tyler Warren out of Penn State, none of those positions feature prospects that fit at this point of the draft.

The team’s weakness in the linebacking corps applies to both the off-ball group and the edge-rushing stable. Josey JewellChristian Rozeboom, and Trevin Wallace man the inside linebacker spots, while Jadeveon ClowneyPatrick JonesD.J. Wonnum, and DJ Johnson comprise the outside linebacker corps. Aside from Clowney, none of the Panthers’ OLBs have proven to be entirely effective as starters. Walker is the perfect addition. Playing 311 snaps as an off-ball linebacker and 249 as an edge rusher in 2024, the Bulldogs standout’s versatility across the defense is reminiscent of Micah Parsons. The Panthers will get to determine at which spot Walker offers the greatest potential to help.

9) New Orleans Saints — QB Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss

Sanders is trending heavily here, especially following the injury update to veteran starter Derek Carr, but hear me out. Dart makes so much more sense here. To get it out of the way: there are weaknesses on New Orleans’ offensive line (namely at guard), cornerback, and defensive tackle, but Carr’s situation makes quarterback a direr need. While initially the team was linked to Day 2 passers like Texas’ Quinn Ewers, the situation seems to necessitate a Day 1 move.

Now, back to the Dart-Sanders argument. This doesn’t boil entirely down to the fact that the two’s draft stocks have been moving drastically in opposite directions for weeks, but that is noteworthy. New head coach Kellen Moore has worked with three quarterbacks in the past three seasons: Dak PrescottJustin Herbert, and Jalen Hurts. Moore’s experience is with big-bodied passers with deep-ball and rushing abilities, two facets Sanders has seen criticized about his game. Sanders carries only average arm strength and plays conservatively. He also did not inherit his father’s electric speed and finished at Colorado with negative rushing yards (sacks count against rushing yards in college). Dart is a much more willing and accurate deep-ball thrower and has far more ability as a rusher.

If Carr is able to play in 2025, all the better to sit and develop Dart responsibly. If not, Dart stands a much better chance at finding success with a relatively weak offensive line and a bevy of offensive weapons than Sanders.

10) Chicago Bears — TE Tyler Warren, Penn State

Adding center Drew Dalman and guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson to a line bookended by an impressive pair in Darnell Wright and Braxton Jones solidifies a group that was suspect in 2024. Upgrades could be made along the defensive line, but Gervon Dexter and Grady Jarrett are serviceable on the interior while Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo both have more potential than they showed in 2024. It is tempting to go with Georgia’s Mykel Williams or Marshall’s Mike Green here to add more pass-rushing bodies, but the best safety blanket you can provide a young, growing quarterback like Caleb Williams is a talented tight end, and Warren is too good a prospect to fall outside of the top 10.

Now, I know Cole Kmet exists and earned a four-year, $50MM extension after a career year in 2023, but last season brought Kmet’s worst work since his rookie year. His contract includes a potential out following the 2025 season that would allow them to cut him with only $3.2MM in dead cap. Drafting Warren here provides Williams with a top-tier weapon, one coming off a 1,233-yard receiving season, and gives the Bears a chance to determine whether or not they’re able to move on from Kmet should his down 2024 turn out not to be an anomaly.

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Buccaneers, Cowboys, Jets, Patriots, Seahawks Host EDGE Mykel Williams

Mykel Williams‘ pre-draft itinerary is becoming quite busy. After meetings with the Cardinals, Saints and 49ers surfaced, the Georgia edge defender prospect will run his meeting count toward 10.

The Buccaneers, Cowboys, Jets, Patriots and Seahawks have also brought in the first-round talent for “30” visits, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo reports. Listed as the No. 22 overall prospect on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board, Williams is among the latest in a wave of Georgia defender prospects considered a safe bet to be a first-round pick.

[RELATED: Panthers Showing Interest In Williams]

The Bulldogs sent five defenders (Travon Walker, Jordan Davis, Quay Walker, Devonte Wyatt and Lewis Cine) into the 2022 first round and saw two more (Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith) go in Round 1 in 2023. Both the Bulldogs’ 2024 first-rounders (Brock Bowers, Amarius Mims) came on offense, but this year will introduce another wave of Bulldog defenders to the NFL masses on Day 1 of the draft. Williams joins hybrid linebacker Jalon Walker and safety Malaki Starks as first-round candidates.

Williams spent each of his three years at Georgia, earning second-team All-SEC honors in 2023 and ’24. A former five-star recruit, Williams did not quite live up to expectations in Athens. He did not eclipse five sacks or 10 tackles for loss in a season, though he was a regular on three Georgia defenses — including a national championship-winning 2022 group. An ankle injury hindered Williams’ play in 2024. Still, the 6-foot-5, 260-pound rusher’s size and athleticism has him squarely on the first-round radar. Unlike Walker, Williams is a pure edge rusher who will not enter the NFL with questions about his best positional fit.

The Bucs have been mentioned as a team that could still target an edge rusher despite their Haason Reddick signing. Tampa Bay has needed consistent help from non-edge players to produce sacks in recent years. Barring an unexpected blockbuster trade, Dallas has Micah Parsons anchoring a D-end contingent that houses a returning Sam Williams, 2024 second-rounder Marshawn Kneeland and Dante Fowler, who rejoined the team after a year in Washington. DeMarcus Lawrence left for the Seahawks, who cut Dre’Mont Jones as part of their latest cap purge. The team still rosters Boye Mafe, Derick Hall and Uchenna Nwosu, who has seen back-to-back injury-shortened seasons lead to a reworked contract.

Neither the Jets nor Patriots appear in range for Williams, as the AFC East squads both hold top-10 picks. A trade-up move could conceivably be in play, though both can use these meetings to gather intel on Williams as a potential future opponent as well. The Pats reunited Mike Vrabel with Harold Landry last month but could still use another edge defender. The Jets split with Reddick to wrap a tumultuous partnership but still feature starters Jermaine Johnson and Will McDonald.

Broncos, Buccaneers, Cowboys, Packers Host WR Matthew Golden

Not viewed as one of this decade’s better wide receiver classes, the 2025 crop is still expected to see a few of its best options go off the board in Round 1. Matthew Golden is becoming a player to watch here.

The Texas prospect has assembled a busy pre-draft itinerary after an impressive Combine showing. While he could not quite match 2024 Longhorns WR prospect Xavier Worthy‘s 4.21-second Combine record in the 40-yard dash, Golden blazed to a 4.29 clocking in Indianapolis. Teams are lining up to spend time with the Longhorn one-and-done.

The Broncos, Buccaneers, Cowboys and Packers have brought the former Houston recruit in on “30” visits. Golden met with the Bucs on Monday, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets, and stopped through Denver on Wednesday, 9News’ Mike Klis adds. He met with the Cowboys on Thursday, per Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz, with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein reporting the 2024 SEC standout’s Packers meeting occurred before these summits.

A Houston native, Golden spent his college career in Texas and is coming up as a Cowboys fit. Dallas is looking into receivers, with Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline indicating the team is viewed as a prime landing spot (at No. 12 overall) for a player NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah slots as his top wideout in this class. The Cowboys are targeting a receiver pick early, per Pauline, with Stephen Jones confirming the team is interested in augmenting its WR situation. They have met with Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka as well. While they have shown interest in Travis Hunter, Golden is a more realistic target.

The Packers (No. 23) have met with Egbuka and one-year Golden teammate Isaiah Bond. The team has long resisted calls to draft a receiver in the first round; it has still been since 2002 (Javon Walker) since such a move transpired. Green Bay has four rookie-deal receivers of note on its roster, but Christian Watson is expected to miss significant time due to a January ACL tear. Romeo Doubs joins Watson in a contract year.

Denver (No. 20) looked into Cooper Kupp and Stefon Diggs, and while Amari Cooper and Keenan Allen are among the vets who remain available, the Broncos are doing work on complementing Courtland Sutton with another young player. The team drafted Marvin Mims, Troy Franklin and Devaughn Vele over the past two years but has now hosted Golden and Missouri’s Luther Burden. Running back remains an area the Broncos are focusing on, but a receiver addition makes sense as well. Sutton is entering his age-30 season.

A Bucs receiver move early would be rather interesting, considering the resources the team has devoted to this position. Tampa Bay (No. 19) drafted Jalen McMillan in last year’s third round and gave Chris Godwin a three-year, $66MM deal a year after re-signing Mike Evans. The latter is back in a contract year, though Tampa Bay has obviously made it a high priority to keep its all-time receiving leader a one-team player.

Golden is viewed as one of this draft’s fastest-rising players, Pauline adds, and he made an impression in Quinn Ewers‘ final season in Austin. Averaging 17 yards per catch, Golden went 58-987-9 for the Longhorns in 2025. While he did not put together a season like that in Houston, The 5-foot-11 prospect did combine for 13 TDs with the Cougars. With Tetairoa McMillan‘s grip on the top WR slot slipping, Golden could be poised to swoop in.

Buccaneers Targeting CB Draft Addition; Team Open To Adding Rookie Edge Rusher

The Buccaneers were not among the teams which made a major free agent splash at the cornerback spot. That position thus represents one to watch on the draft front.

“We don’t have a lot of depth,” head coach Todd Bowles said during the league meetings (via NFL.com). “That’s crystal clear — we don’t have a lot of depth. We hope to address that at some point in the draft, as well. We didn’t sign many [corners] in free agency… We’re going to address that in the draft.”

Jamel Dean and Zyon McCollum represent the top options on Tampa Bay’s depth chart, although Bowles noted Dean’s injury history is a concern. The 28-year-old has yet to handle a full campaign during his six seasons in Tampa Bay, and he was limited to a career-low 12 games in 2024. A fifth-round pick in 2022, McCollum is entering his walk year as things stand but he is a core member of the team’s secondary after handling over 1,000 defensive snaps last season.

While it would come as no surprise if McCollum were to receive a new deal this offseason as a result, he and Dean (on the books for two more years) will likely soon have company on the depth chart. The Bucs added Kindle Vildor from the Lions in free agency while losing special teamer Tavierre Thomas. Tampa Bay also re-signed Bryce Hall after he was limited to just one game in 2024. Defensive depth (or, potentially, competition for a starting gig) would be welcomed during this month’s draft.

Tampa Bay’s offseason has also included a one-year deal for Haason Reddick. The two-time Pro Bowler’s Jets tenure consisted a lengthy holdout and, ultimately, 10 largely ineffective games to close out the campaign. As one would expect, the Reddick addition will not drastically alter the Buccaneers’ draft strategy. General manager Jason Licht said the team could still select an edge rusher despite Reddick’s presence (video link via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times).

Shaquil Barrett intends to play in 2025, and another Tampa stint could give the team a veteran presence on the edge. A rookie could also be in play early in the draft, though, with Bowles’ comments confirming the same is true at the cornerback position. The Buccaneers will have options to consider at both positions with the No. 19 pick.

2025 NFL Draft Visits: Schwesinger, Cowboys, Nolen, Ezeiruaku, Burden, Turner, Bond, Steelers, Emmanwori

This isn’t exactly a visit in the sense of top-30 visits, like most of the rest of bullets that follow this will be, but UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger held a private pro day earlier this week in Los Angeles and had 30 teams in attendance, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

While, obviously, not a comprehensive list, Schefter specifically mentions the Cowboys, Giants, Saints, Chargers, and Broncos, and notes that the linebackers coaches from Dallas, New York, and New Orleans all met privately with Schwesinger.

Schwesinger is not currently the top-ranked linebacker prospect in most analysts’ eyes, but he often slides in as the second-best off-ball linebacker in the class behind Alabama’s Jihaad Campbell — third if you count Georgia defender Jalon Walker, who has the ability to play every linebacker spot at the next level. Some thought Schwesinger may sneak into the back end of the first round at the end of the month, but more likely is that he hears his name on Day 2. Per Tony Pauline of sportskeeda, it would be surprising to see him fall past the first half of the second round.

Here are some more prospect-NFL team connections we’ve seen recent reports on:

  • The Cowboys have certainly been very busy in the runup to the 2025 NFL Draft. On Friday, the team held their invite-only “Dallas Day,” hosting draft prospects without the visits counting towards their top-30 visits. According to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports, North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton met with the team at “Dallas Day.” The well-balanced rusher continues to skyrocket up draft boards, is likely to join Ashton Jeanty in the first round, and has several other visits lined up.
  • Jeanty was also in attendance on Friday, per ESPN’s Todd Archer. We had relayed that Jeanty would be taking a top-30 visit with the Cowboys, but it’s unclear whether this is what was meant in that original report. Also in attendance for “Dallas Day” were Texas A&M defensive tackle Shemar Turner, Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon, TCU wide receivers Savion Williams and Jack Bech, Texas quarterback and offensive lineman Quinn Ewers and Cameron Williams, and Miami tight end and running back Elijah Arroyo and Damien Martinez.
  • Also in attendance at “Dallas Day” was Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen. Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Nolen will follow up his Dallas visit with a visit with the Panthers on Monday and a visit with the Bengals some other time this week.
  • Joining Nolen in Carolina on Monday will be Boston College pass rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku, per Joe Person of The Athletic. The ACC Defensive Player of the Year has been a hot topic with multiple scouts of late, per ESPN’s Jordan Reid. He’s currently viewed as an early-Day 2 prospect, and his stock continues to rise.
  • Speaking of another “Dallas Day” athlete, Wilson of KPRC 2 provided an updated list of teams that Turner, from Texas A&M, is set to visit with. We already noted his recent visit in New Orleans, but Wilson tells us that Turner has also visited the Texans and plans to visit the Ravens, Rams, Eagles, Dolphins, Colts, Buccaneers, and Cardinals.
  • According to Mike Klis of 9NEWS, the Broncos hosted Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden for a top-30 visit last week. The talented wideout fell off in 2024 after an incredible sophomore campaign with the Tigers, but his high ceiling makes him a borderline first-round prospect. Denver would love to bring in another talented weapon for young quarterback Bo Nix.
  • We already reported recent visits for Texas wide receiver Isaiah Bond in Atlanta, Chicago, Green Bay, and Los Angeles, but we now have a couple sources adding some new locations for the Longhorn. Wilson of KPRC 2 tells us that Bond had dinner with the Bills before a private workout Friday and a top-30 visit as well as visits with the Browns and Packers. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds that Bond has visits scheduled with the Chiefs and Titans, as well.
  • Brooke Pryor of ESPN tells us that the Steelers hosted a full house on Thursday. Prospects on hand last week included Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden, Florida State cornerback Azareye’h Thomas, Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson, and Pittsburgh tight end Gavin Bartholomew.
  • Lastly, Pryor adds that Pittsburgh was one of the recent teams to host South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori. The pre-draft standout had reportedly lined up visits with Atlanta, Carolina, Seattle, Cincinnati, and Miami already. The Steelers’ interest in the Gamecock is no surprise as he’s trending towards being a Day 1 selection at this point.

Veteran OLB Shaquil Barrett To Play In 2025

Last season, we saw 32-year-old veteran pass rusher Shaquil Barrett ride a roller coaster of availability with the Dolphins and Buccaneers. No such uncertainty will accompany Barrett’s 2025 campaign as his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, claimed today that “he’s definitely going to play this year,” per Mike Florio of NBC Sports.

A two-time Pro Bowler during his original five-year stint with the Buccaneers, Barrett was predictably released by Tampa Bay as a cap casualty following the 2023 regular season. Deciding to continue his playing career, Barrett signed with the nearby Dolphins, moving about three hours south. Four months later, though, Barrett changed his mind about playing and announced his retirement from the NFL.

At the time of his announcement, the Dolphins left the door open for a potential return for Barrett, and after losing Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb for parts of the 2024 season, it seemed like Barrett returning to the fold could be a big development for Miami. When Barrett applied for reinstatement in late-November, though, the team opted not to accept his application, keeping him on the reserve/retired list and ensuring he would be ineligible to return for the Dolphins in 2024.

Ultimately, with Barrett making it clear that he had desires to return for the 2024 season, the Dolphins made the move to waive him from the reserve/retired list. This transaction left two possibilities: either Barrett would get claimed by a team forcing him to remain on the reserve/retired list for the remainder of the 2024 season or Barrett would clear waivers and have the ability to sign wherever he prefers. There were fears that teams may claim Barrett simply in an attempt to block rival competitors from enlisting Barrett’s services for the final stretch of the season, but ultimately, Barrett went unclaimed.

He ended up signing back with the Buccaneers with two games left in the season. Taking a week to get his bearings back in Tampa Bay, Barrett appeared in the team’s regular season finale, playing just under 20 percent of the team’s defensive snaps, before contributing on five defensive snaps in the Buccaneers’ playoff loss to the Commanders.

The deal Barrett signed in 2024 made him a free agent at the end of the league year, so if he’s going to play in 2025, Barrett will need to sign with a new team. Tampa Bay seems like a likely destination, due to his familiarity and their willingness to bring him back in 2024. Though the team brought in Haason Reddick to work across from YaYa Diaby, Barrett could be a productive depth piece after a full offseason with the team.