Preseason NFL Mock Draft: First Look at the 2025 Class

The NFL Hall of Fame game is upon us, and that means the season is finally here. Thank goodness.

It also means we can start pumping out mock drafts that are rooted in real analysis and evaluation versus the summer mocks based purely on projection. Which teams have needs we didn’t see coming? Which players in the NFL regress? And most importantly, which college players rise to the occasion?

To get there, we need a baseline of analysis. And that’s what this mock draft is.

The draft order is based 100 percent on my personal projections for the season. There are no trades in this mock draft in order to best represent player values and team needs.

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1. Carolina Panthers — James Pearce, Defensive End, Tennessee

The Panthers are set at quarterback, have a few young wide receivers, and have invested in the offensive tackle position. That leaves defensive line as the lone premium position to draft early in the first round. It just so happens that Pearce is worthy of the top spot. He had 9.5 sacks last year and has elite first-step quickness.

2. New England Patriots — Will Campbell, Left Tackle, LSU

New England was criticized pre-draft for not setting the table through free agency before selecting Drake Maye at No. 3 overall. They can correct that here with Campbell as the team’s blindside protector. Campbell has the toughness, movement and strength to be a top five pick. He’s been battle-tested in the SEC.

3. Denver Broncos — Kelvin Banks Jr., Left Tackle, Texas

We can’t forget that left tackle Garret Bolles is on a contract year and the Broncos were widely rumored to be investigating blindside protectors in Round 1 of a loaded draft class. The team instead went for quarterback Bo Nix, which means they could tap back into the offensive line spot in 2025. Banks is an upside player with “wow” factor athletic ability and no sacks allowed in two seasons.