ChatGPT says: Ross Jacobs is a football analyst and mock draft expert associated with Fantasy Football Metrics (FFMetrics). He has produced several NFL mock drafts over the years.
In addition to his mock drafts, Jacobs has contributed scouting reports and analyses on various football prospects. Jacobs is active on social media, sharing his analyses and engaging with the football community. His work is recognized for its depth and insight into player evaluations and draft projections.
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- Tennessee Titans - QB Cam Ward, Miami
After watching all the moves the new Tennessee front office has made in free agency, I have lost all confidence in their decision making process. This looks like a cowardly group that is going to play it safe and follow the consensus at every turn. In this case that means standing pat at #1 and taking the default #1 QB, Cam Ward.
I like Ward well enough (RC and I have been fans of his going back to his Incarnate Word days when the national media didn’t even know who he was) and personally ranked him as QB1 as far back as December, but in the big picture he’s just an “ok” QB prospect. If I were in charge of the Titans, I would trade back to #3 with the Giants, pick up some extra draft capital, and take Travis Hunter.
2. Cleveland Browns - EDGE Abdul Carter, Penn St
Cleveland obviously needs a QB in the worst way, and they might get desperate and take Sanders here, but I think this front office is just savvy enough to pass on him while being just dumb enough to take the edge rushing prospect over the possible two-way star of Hunter. Yes, they just signed Myles Garrett to a monster contract, but NFL teams love having two or even three solid edge rushers. Jim Schwartz, their defensive coordinator, is a Wide-9 aficionado, and Carter is absolutely perfect for that scheme. They’ll sell this pick as “We got the best player in the draft and now we have the best pass rushing tandem in the league.”
3. New York Giants - QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
I have done more research work on Shedeur than any other player in this class because he is the most polarizing player and the biggest wildcard. He could go as high as #2 overall to Cleveland or as low as falling to the 2nd round. Whatever you think of his personality, the reality is he’s not considered a great QB prospect because of his lack of physical attributes. Occasionally similar QBs will go very high in the draft (Baker Mayfield and Bryce Young), but those are special occasions where a particular team fell in love with the intangibles and decided to buck convention.
The more and more I think about it, there may only be one team that is (A) desperate enough for a QB that they will take someone with his physical profile and (B) not only doesn’t care about his outsized personality but even appreciates it…the New York Giants. They were all over Kayvon Thibodeaux and his antics. I don’t think they are suddenly going to care about Shedeur’s.
In addition there are just too many things connecting Sanders to the Giants. There is documented evidence of their interest in him even going back to the 2024 draft (https://giantswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/giants/2025/01/16/new-york-giants-had-day-2-grade-on-shedeur-sanders-last-year-2024-nfl-draft/77741837007/). There is a photo Shedeur posted months ago of some custom Giants-themed cleats (https://x.com/nicekicks/status/1873144250721771916). At the Shrine Bowl Shedeur said he “knew he would be playing against the Cowboys soon” (https://247sports.com/article/shedeur-sanders-hints-at-potential-2025-nfl-draft-destination-during-shrine-bowl-245004440/). And there are reports that he seemed “uninterested” when speaking to a team somewhere in the top 7 (that specific number suggests the Jets). All of this, together with his and Deion’s repeated confidence that Shedeur would go high, all adds together to make me think the Giants have told them he will be their pick at 3.
4. New England Patriots - WR/CB Travis Hunter, Colorado
The Patriots desperately need offensive line help to protect Drake Maye, but I don’t believe they can or will pass up Hunter to take one. If there was a Joe Alt caliber tackle they might, but Hunter is going to grade too highly for them to pass on him. He immediately becomes their #1 receiver (another massive need) and can rotate in at corner without being overused due to the presence of Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars - OT Kelvin Banks, Texas
The consensus pick here is Mason Graham, but Graham has a few issues that will most likely push him down the board a bit. If Hunter was somehow still on the board they would sprint to the podium, but it’s highly unlikely he will be. Where else could they look?
New Head Coach Liam Coen wants to run the ball and the Jaguars had a terrible offensive line in 2024. They have made a couple of mid-range signings in free agency to shore up the interior of the line, but they could still use more help. Banks has fallen out of favor in many mock drafts because many theorized he was OT2 behind Will Campbell and might have been jumped by Armand Membou at the combine, but I believe Banks is actually very much in play to be the first tackle taken for a few reasons. First, he has the best combination of size and length (longer arms and wingspan than the others), and more consistent tape than Membou. Is he the caliber of tackle you’d like to be taking at #5? Not really, but he might be the best option in this draft.
6. Las Vegas Raiders - RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise St
I’ve had Jeanty here from the very beginning, and the mainstream media has finally caught up. Jeanty is now the consensus pick to go to the Raiders, and I see no reason to change it. They were never going to take a QB here, and I don’t believe for a second Pete Carroll would take a receiver over a potential superstar RB. He wants to lean on a strong running game as proven by his trade for Marshawn Lynch as well as spending multiple high picks on Rashaad Penny, Kenneth Walker, Zach Charbonnet, and Christine Michael. The wildcard here is how much control Tom Brady will exert. Is he ok with taking a RB this high?
7. New York Jets - OT Will Campbell, LSU
I am struggling to find any information on what the Jets might be thinking here, but they once again need offensive line help with the loss of Morgan Moses and probable loss of Tyron Smith. Campbell makes a lot of sense as a replacement. If not a tackle I could see them going for a big receiver like McMillan to compliment the speed of Garrett Wilson, a playmaking tight end, or a defensive tackle.
8. Carolina Panthers - DT Mason Graham, Michigan
Analysts have ‘tunnel visioned’ the Panthers into being only interested in two positions: edge rusher and wide receiver. This pick could definitely still be an edge rusher, but I think receiver is off the table. GM Dan Morgan is dead set on fixing the league’s worst defense, and I expect nearly all of their picks this year to be spent on that side of the ball.
There are a handful of possible players I could see here: Jihaad Campbell, Will Johnson, Mykel Williams, or even Shemar Stewart. Carolina will debate all of them, but they might ultimately decide on the consensus highest rated defender left, Mason Graham. I do wonder if workout-maniac Morgan will be ok with taking a player known for having work ethic issues and a bad body, but perhaps the coaching staff can convince him they can fix that.
9. New Orleans Saints - WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
One thing you can chisel in stone for the draft every year is that the Saints are going to take a freak athlete in the first round, and while McMillan doesn’t have blazing speed he is still very fast and fluid for an athlete his size. His size, route running skills, and hands will make for a nice compliment for the undersized and speedy Chris Olave.
10. Chicago Bears - RB Omarion Hampton, North Carolina
In my last mock draft for the Bears, I wrote “With Ben Johnson headed to Chicago you have to expect that building a good offensive line will be his primary goal even without factoring Caleb Williams into it.” After seeing them add three new interior offensive linemen in the past week I think that was an accurate call.
That said, it does take offensive line out of consideration for this pick. That leaves two positions that are most likely for them to address early: edge rusher and RB. I don’t believe any of the edge rushers are so good they have to take one here, and I’ve heard too many whispers that Hampton is held in very high regard by many around the league. Remember, Ben Johnson and the Lions were the ones that took Jahmyr Gibbs at 12th overall in a shocking move. I don’t think he’ll have any qualms about taking Hampton if he thinks he’s one of the best players in this draft.
11. San Francisco 49ers - DT Kenneth Grant, Michigan
The 49ers could go a number of different directions with this pick including offensive tackle (which they always ignore) and edge rusher, but I’m going with Grant for a number of reasons. San Francisco’s run defense really suffered after the loss of Arik Armstead last year. This is also the staff that spent first round picks on both Solomon Thomas and Javon Kinlaw and paid Javon Hargrave a huge contract a few years ago. They value the defensive tackle spot highly. Here’s a link to John Lynch talking about the position and what he’s looking for this year.
First and foremost they want an “explosive” player that can “get off and disrupt and make plays.” Nose tackles with Grant’s size (6’3”/325 lbs) aren’t typically explosive athletes, but Grant absolutely fits the bill. He was ranked #3 on Bruce Feldman’s Freak’s list for 2024.
https://collegefootballnetwork.com/michigan-kenneth-grant-feldman-freaks-list/
Running a sub 5.0 40-yard dash at his size is absurd. If he had been able to run at the combine most mocks would not still have him being picked around the 20’s.
The second thing Lynch mentioned was “hopefully, that is a huge guy” because they would like him to also have the strength to soak up double teams in the middle of their line due to how much space they allow. Grant fits every quality the 49ers are looking for.
12. Dallas Cowboys - CB Will Johnson, Michigan
The Cowboys are another team that could pick from any of several positions. If Hampton or Grant were on the board they would undoubtedly be in consideration here, but as both are gone in this scenario Dallas has to go another direction.
On the surface of it, a cornerback might not make a lot of sense. The team already has two Pro Bowl caliber players in Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland, but Diggs is dealing with some injury concerns and Bland is only under contract for another year. With the team already strapped for cash and still needing to pay Micah Parsons after just handing Osa Odighizuwa a huge contract, they might have to let Bland walk next year. They also just lost their starting nickel corner, Jourdan Lewis, to the Jaguars. They can take Johnson, move Bland back to the slot where he played as a rookie, and protect themselves in case Bland walks in 2026.
13. Miami Dolphins - OT Armand Membou, Missouri
Membou has been rocketing up draft boards since his fantastic combine, but after studying his tape I see why he is only recently getting heat…there are a lot of inconsistencies with his play. One moment he’ll look like a world-beater and the next he’ll get bull rushed back into the QB with ease. He’s on the shorter side for an offensive tackle and doesn’t have very long arms so he’s likely going to struggle with bigger ends in the NFL. That’s not to say he’s not worthy of being selected highly, but his issues are likely to keep him out of the top 10 despite the mainstream hype.
What Membou is particularly well-suited for is run blocking on the move, particularly in a wide zone scheme. His skillset is a perfect fit for Mike McDaniel’s offense and it just so happens that the Dolphins’ biggest weakness is their interior offensive line. Membou would plug in as the starting right guard immediately and perhaps kick out to tackle in a year or two.
14. Indianapolis Colts - TE Tyler Warren, Penn St
Much like the Saints, you can count on the Colts to take a freaky athlete early in the draft. At 6’6”/260 lbs and able to take direct snaps and run the ball like a giant Taysom Hill, Warren definitely qualifies. He’s likely big enough that even inaccurate Anthony Richardson can’t missfire a pass thrown in his direction.
The Colts never got to see what Jelani Woods (another freak athlete) could do as he has never been able to get healthy since being drafted. TE is a huge part of Shane Steichen’s offense, and since the team addressed their secondary needs in free agency they have the freedom to take another weapon for the offense early.
15. Atlanta Falcons - OLB James Pearce, Tennessee
The Falcons are dead last in number of sacks over the past 5 years, and while they added Leonard Floyd on a short deal in free agency, they are undoubtedly looking for more help at the position after passing on Laiatu Latu at the last second for Michael Penix in the 2024 draft.
There have been multiple vague reports of teams having strong character concerns with Pearce, to the point of possibly taking him completely off their draft board, but it’s possible he could assuage those fears with some decent interviews. He’s a player I’m watching closely, but if he checks that box he’ll likely be drafted somewhere around the middle of the first round. Players with his size and speed (a 4.47 40-yd dash) and production don’t last very long.
Another option might be Malaki Starks...who FFM friend and Atlanta insider Jeff Benedict says the team values highly.
16. Arizona Cardinals - OG Tyler Booker, Alabama
This pick will almost certainly be either an offensive or defensive lineman. The team is keen on building up their trenches. I don’t see a defensive tackle likely to go in this range, but Booker fits the bill of a powerful run blocker for James Conner, the “heart and soul” of the offense. Booker is commonly mocked a bit later in the early to mid 20s, but teams love his size, road-grading power, and believe he’s a plug and play starter with the potential to become one of the league’s best guards in short order.
17. Cincinnati Bengals - DE Mykel Williams, Georgia
The Bengals are a very predictable and boring organization, especially when it comes to the draft. They tend to hyperfocus on one or two positions, don’t hide their interest, and have very specific traits they prefer. This year there is one glaring spot on their depth chart that needs addressing, and that’s even before they trade away Trey Hendrickson (which might not get done because Cincy is notoriously difficult to trade with for other teams because they overvalue their own players and ask for too much compensation). Sam Hubbard already retired and if they trade away Hendrickson the starting defensive ends would be Myles Murphy and Joseph Ossai. That’s not good enough so I fully anticipate this pick being a defensive end and they might double up on the position in the 2nd round, another classic Bengals move.
What do they look for at the position? Big guys, at least 6’4” or 6’5” and weighing north of 265 lbs, bigger if possible. They need to be quick off the ball and also strong. The ability to bend and turn the corner isn’t as vital. They simply want to collapse the pocket around the QB with power. There are a couple of ends that fit their profile in the first round, Shemar Stewart and Mykel Williams. Now Stewart is the heavier of the two and the more athletic, but I suspect he might be a little too raw even for them, at least if the comparatively cleaner Williams is still on the board. Either would make sense.
18. Seattle Seahawks - S Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina
The Seahawks under Pete Carroll were difficult to predict because Pete didn’t care about mainstream evaluations. He was going to do whatever he wanted and that often led to strange first round picks like LJ Collier, Jordyn Brooks, Rashaad Penny, and Bruce Irvin. Since John Schneider gained more power in the organization, they have been much more disciplined and focused on character above all else. Byron Murphy, Devon Witherspoon, and Charles Cross were all known as strong character and work ethic guys. They also haven’t overly worried about position, instead opting to draft the best player available in their estimation.
That means the board is wide open for them. And yet, in almost every mock draft the writer gives them an offensive guard. Do they “need” interior offensive line help? Yes. But part of the reason for that is because they routinely do not draft the position highly, so why should we expect them to suddenly change that pattern?
Instead, maybe they’ll take the hyper athletic Emmanwori, a position they don’t technically need, but I’m sure Mike Macdonald will be able to use in his defense, especially given his familiarity with another giant, athletic safety, Kyle Hamilton, from his time coordinating the Ravens defense. Emmanwori was a Freshman All-American, First-team All American as a senior, and permanent team captain. Sounds like a Seahawks type player.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - LB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama
The Bucs brought back Lavonte David for one more year, but his time is coming to an end soon, possibly next year. They are going to need a new captain in the middle of their defense. What better time to take one than David’s last year. The new guy can learn from an all-time great and take over in year 2. They already addressed their other big need, pass rusher, by bringing in Haason Reddick. A big, athletic inside linebacker is exactly what they want right now…provided he’s still on the board at 19, not a guarantee.
20. Denver Broncos - WR Emeka Egbuka, Ohio St
I’m not sure what to make of the Broncos right now. They have no obvious weaknesses and have brought in free agents to upgrade multiple spots. They can truly go with whatever position they want here.
That said, while their WR room showed definite improvement last year, they could use some more help. Courtland Sutton is about to turn 30, Marvin Mims is mostly a gadget player and hybrid RB right now, Devaughn Vele has only shown occasional flashes, and Troy Franklin is primarily a field stretcher. They could use a guy chain mover type underneath, someone that runs good routes, has strong hands, and is a willing blocker. Who fits that description better than Emeka Egbuka?
21. Pittsburgh Steelers - DT Walter Nolen, Mississippi
Outside of QB, the Steelers had three primary positions they were likely to address in the draft before free agency happened. They needed a receiver, a corner, and a defensive lineman. Well, they traded for DK Metcalf (and I don’t expect George Pickens to be traded) and signed Darius Slay. That leaves the defensive line as their biggest remaining spot to address. They don’t need a starter this year but someone that can rotate in and take over for Cam Heyward when he retires is high on their priority list.
When the Steelers look for defensive linemen they have a very specific body type in mind because of the style of defense they want to play. Ideally that player will be 6’4” to 6’5”, somewhere between 290 and 310 lbs, with 34” arms. There are multiple defensive linemen in this class that fit or come very close to that description, and there is one in particular that is usually mocked around this range in the draft, Walter Nolen.
Nolen is something of a love/hate prospect. Some people like his pedigree as a 5-star high school player with elite athletic ability and production, and some feel he never played at a high level consistently, especially during his time at A&M. The Steelers only care about their own evaluation and have already met with Nolen at the combine (they almost always meet their favorites multiple times), so if we see them meet with him at his pro day and bring him in for a top 30 visit we’ll know he’s on their short list.
22. Los Angeles Chargers - CB Jahdae Barron, Texas
I see a lot of mock drafts that want to put an offensive skill position player here, and while I understand the thinking, that seems to go completely against how Jim Harbaugh wants to build his team. Yes, their defense was the #1 scoring defense last year, but there were still multiple ways it could be improved, and Harbaugh is never going to stop adding pieces to his favorite side of the ball.
What qualities does Harbaugh like in his players? Toughness, willingness to tackle and play with physicality, versatility, all qualities that people use to describe Barron. I’ve watched his tape and while he can play outside corner, I much prefer his game in the slot where he can use his instincts and physical game to bully smaller receivers. He also has the versatility to play safety or even outside corner in a pinch. In fact, he reminds me a lot of Jimmie Ward, a tough hybrid nickel corner and safety that Harbaugh drafted in the first round with the 49ers.
23. Green Bay Packers - DE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M
The Packers love them some big, athletic, prototypical edge rushers (Preston Smith, Rashan Gary, Lukas Van Ness), and Stewart certainly fits in that same mold at 6’5”/267 lbs. They will be primarily looking at edge rushers and cornerbacks in the first round this year and if Barron is off the board, Stewart is exactly the kind of player they love on the defensive line.
It’s common to see Stewart mocked in the top 15, often as high as #8 to the Panthers, and while that’s certainly a possibility, Stewart is extremely raw as a player and needs a ton of work before he’ll resemble anything close to a good player. The ceiling is high, but the floor is very, very low, so I imagine he might go a bit later in the first round than is commonly thought. His situation reminds me a bit of Montez Sweat when he came out. Sweat was another freak athlete running an off-the-charts 4.41 40-yard dash at 260 lbs, and yet he lasted until pick 26 because of some kinks in his game that needed to be worked out. Stewart might experience something similar.
24. Minnesota Vikings - S Malaki Starks, Georgia
The Vikings addressed their offensive and defensive lines in a big way during free agency, bringing in multiple high dollar players. They are now free to address future positions of need in the draft, and the most obvious one is safety. They just lost Camryn Bynum to the Colts, Harrison Smith is on his last legs, and the last safety they drafted highly, Lewis Cine, never worked out. Perhaps they will go back to the Georgia well again for their next safety and take Starks, a good player (supposedly an Ed Reed type player according to the Falcons) but one I think may go closer to the back end of the first round, or even second round, than the middle.
25. Houston Texans - OT Josh Simmons, Ohio St
The Texans already needed upgrades along their offensive line before trading Laremy Tunsil to the Commanders, but now they have a glaring hole at left tackle surrounded by flashing neon lights. I’ve seen some people question why they would trade away their best blocker when they already were struggling on the line, but I believe this will be addition by subtraction. Yes, Tunsil was a good pass blocker, but he also committed an astounding number of penalties, false starts and holds. Here the Texans can ditch a big contract, get younger at the position, and clean up a lot of the penalties by drafting Simmons, a solid all-around tackle that also has guard versatility.
26. Los Angeles Rams - TE Elijah Arroyo, Miami
Last year the Rams were trying very hard to trade up and draft Brock Bowers. They couldn’t get it done, but this year they might have a chance at getting a similar version in Arroyo, a very talented and athletic young TE that I firmly believe will go in the first round as long as his medical checks come back clean. Arroyo was hidden for much of his college career due to those injuries and got a slow start as a senior, but by the end of the year he was healthy again and was virtually un-coverable. No player stood out more than him at the Senior Bowl.
Sean McVay hasn’t had a legitimate weapon at the tight end position in years, and Arroyo could take his offense to another level in 2025. Along with all the young defensive talent they have acquired over the last two years, the additions of Davante Adams and Arroyo could make the Rams the favorite to win the NFC this year.
27. Baltimore Ravens - OL Grey Zabel, North Dakota St
The Ravens partly addressed their biggest issue, offensive line, by re-signing Ronnie Stanley, but they could use more help and depth. One thing you can count on with the Ravens every year is that they are going to be patient and just let a talented player fall to them. In this case that player is Zabel, an athletic and versatile guard that has grown on me the more I’ve studied him. True, he could probably play tackle in a pinch, but his best position is on the interior where I believe he could be a Pro Bowl guard or center very early in his career.
28. Detroit Lions - WR Luther Burden, Missouri
You never know what to expect from the Lions in the draft. They are always threats to trade up or down, and to take players at any position no matter what the mainstream media thinks.
Do they “need” another receiver? No, but Jameson Williams, despite his growth, has had his share of issues over the years and is coming up on the end of his rookie contract. Detroit can protect themselves by taking another talented receiver here.
What traits do the Lions covet in players? Versatility, toughness, and playmaking ability. Burden can line up at every receiver spot, is strong and breaks a lot of tackles after the catch and makes as many big plays as anyone in college football.
29. Washington Commanders - TE Colston Loveland, Michigan
In my last mock draft, I had the Commanders taking Burden, but they filled their wide receiver need with a similar style player when they traded for Deebo Samuel. They also brought in a left tackle, a defensive tackle, and a safety which means all of their positions are filled and they can address future needs early. Zach Ertz was just brought back for one more year, but they will need a future starter at the position and Colston Loveland fits perfectly as a similar style player to Ertz.
30. Buffalo Bills - DT Derrick Harmon, Oregon
The one thing I keep hearing about the Bills is they intend to upgrade their defensive line this off-season, to get bigger and stronger to hold up against all the powerful running games currently in vogue around the league. They have already added two big bodies on the edge in Michael Hoecht and Joey Bosa, but they could still use a bigger player in the middle to rotate in, and eventually replace, Daquan Jones.
Harmon is one of my favorite players in this draft and a guy I believe is very underrated. He’s nearly 6’5”, 313 lbs, with long arms, ran a 4.95 at that size, and his tape is littered with him making big plays. He reminds me of a young Cam Heyward, a player he says he models his game after. In addition he’s a hard worker and very down-to-earth, a perfect character guy for the blue-collar Bills.
31. Kansas City Chiefs - DE Landon Jackson, Arkansas
The Chiefs addressed their offensive line in free agency, and I expect they might sign another veteran receiver soon (Cooper Kupp or Amari Cooper?) to protect themselves from a likely suspension for Rashee Rice. That leads me to believe many of their early picks will be spent on the defensive side of the ball. They are in good shape at linebacker and in the secondary, but their defensive line needs reinforcements.
A defensive tackle is certainly on the table, but it’s a ridiculously deep class and they can grab one or more of those later on. Instead, here I have them taking the freakishly athletic end from Arkansas, Landon Jackson, a guy I highlighted as a player likely to rise after the combine. Jackson indeed blew the combine up but was somewhat lost in the mix because the media was too busy fawning over Shemar Stewart. Jackson is a legit 6’6”/260 lbs, jumped 40.5” vertically and ran a very nice 4.68 in the 40. He would make a perfect replacement for Charles Omenihu, another huge defensive end and a player I don’t expect to re-sign with the Chiefs.
32. Philadelphia Eagles - CB Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky
It’s very common to see an edge rusher mocked to the Eagles, and that’s a real possibility here. I also think defensive tackle could be in play as the Eagles are facing a cap crunch and just had to release Milton Williams and might not be able to keep Jordan Davis next year. But here I’m going with yet another corner even though the team just spent their first two picks last year on the position.
Part of my thinking is that Cooper DeJean isn’t really a corner for them. He’s a hybrid safety and nickel player. The team also just lost fan-favorite Darius Slay to the Steelers. Quinyon Mitchell was great as a rookie, but they could stand to upgrade across from him.
Hairston is a very athletic player and a guy on the borderline between the first and second rounds even before his fantastic combine performance. He’s at his best when playing in zone and able to keep his eyes on the backfield before triggering downfield, a perfect fit for the zone heavy defense of Vic Fangio.
