Even before the 2023 college football season kicked off, there was a fairly clear pecking order among quarterback prospects.
Southern California’s Caleb Williams was the presumptive QB1 and likely first overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft and North Carolina’s Drake Maye was considered the most likely challenger to Williams.
There was one big riser from the QB class in LSU’s Jayden Daniels, who went from potential Day 2 selection to Heisman Trophy winner to No. 2 overall pick.
As we look toward the 2024 college football season and the 2025 NFL draft, the depth of the talent pool looks deep ( thanks, NIL) and unlike this season there should be plenty of defensive players in the first round.
The quarterback pecking order is not so clear. Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, Georgia’s Carson Beck and Texas’ Quinn Ewers enter the season with the most buzz.
That makes trying to project a way-too-early mock draft even more challenging because as this past week showed when a record six quarterbacks were selected in the first 12 picks, it’s all about the quarterbacks on draft day.
But here goes, with draft order taken from BET MGM’s projected NFL win totals.
1. Tennessee (via trade with Carolina)
Carson Beck, QB, Georgia: Teams bail on first-round quarterbacks quicker than ever, but let’s give Bryce Young the benefit of the doubt with the Panthers and pencil in the Titans to make a move up for Beck, who emerges as QB1 in his second season as a starter at Georgia.
2. New England
Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia: The previous time teammates went 1-2 in the draft was in 2000 — Penn State did it (Courtney Brown and LaVar Arrington). Williams is the breakout star of another dominant Georgia defense.
3. Denver
Will Campbell, OT, LSU: Freshman starter to first-round draft pick in three seasons.
4. Washington
Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame: The competition for CB1 should be excellent.
5. Carolina (via trade with Tennessee)
James Pearce, Edge, Tennessee: Long, explosive pass rusher.
6. New York Giants
Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado: Coach Deion Sanders’ son needs some better protection this season.
7. Minnesota
Walter Nolen, DT, Mississippi: This should be a top-notch class of defensive tackles and the former five-star recruit could be the best of the bunch.
8. Las Vegas
Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas: In his third season as a starter, Ewers has a chance to reach the ceiling of his recruiting hype.
9. Arizona
Will Johnson, CB, Michigan: Johnson was the defensive MVP of the national title game for the Wolverines.
10. Tampa Bay
Travis Hunter, CB, Colorado: Spectacular athlete and two-way player for the Buffaloes, but corner is probably his pro home.
11. Seattle
J.T. Tuimoloau, Edge, Ohio State: One of several Buckeyes who passed on the 2024 draft to chase a national title.
12. Pittsburgh
Kelvin Banks, OT, Texas: Another freshman starter to first-round draft pick tackle.
13. New Orleans
Cameron Ward, QB, Miami: Saints finally draft a replacement for Drew Brees.
14. L.A. Rams
Tyler Booker, OT, Alabama: Can there be a first-round of the NFL draft without a Bama offensive tackle?
15. L.A. Chargers
Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan: Not quite Brock Bowers, but Loveland is a fluid athlete at 6-5.
16. Jacksonville
Harold Perkins, OLB, LSU: Perkins has top-10 potential.
17. Indianapolis
Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri: Burden is a yards-after-catch machine.
18. Cleveland
Abdul Carter, OLB, Penn State: He’s not quite Micah Parsons, but Carter will draw some comparisons to the former Nittany Lion and current Cowboys linebacker.
19. Chicago
Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan: At 339 pounds, Grant has a high ceiling.
20. New York Jets
Drew Allar, QB, Penn State: Allar has a lot of work to do to get here.
21. Miami
Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
22. Houston
Dontay Corleone, DT, Cincinnati
23. Green Bay
Jordan Hancock, CB, Ohio State
24. Atlanta
Tyleik Williams, DT, Ohio State
25. Philadelphia
Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
26. Detroit
Nic Scourton, DL, Texas A&M
27. Dallas
Ollie Gordon, RB, Oklahoma State
28. Cincinnati
Patrick Payton, Edge, FSU
29. Buffalo
Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio State
30. Kansas City
Deone Walker, DT, Kentucky
31. San Francisco
Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon
32. Baltimore
Evan Stewart, WR, Oregon
