2025 NFL mock draft: Early predictions for first-round picks - ESPN

Football is back, with the 2024 college season kicking off with Week 0 on Saturday and the NFL season set to follow in a couple of weeks. For us, that means the countdown to next year's NFL draft is on! And I'm not waiting any longer to drop my first 2025 mock draft.

The usual caveats apply. It's early. Just think about what 2024 mock drafts looked like before last college football season began. Jayden Daniels, who ultimately went second overall, was nowhere to be found in the first round. So much can change this season and in the pre-draft process next spring. This is a very preliminary look at Round 1.

This draft order is determined by ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI), which relies on simulations to predict the season and in turn which teams will be picking high in Round 1. No first-round picks have been traded yet, so all 32 teams are set to enter the draft with their own selections. We're selfishly hoping for some fun trades over the next 10 months, and I'm jumping the gun slightly. I've included one projected trade in this scenario.

Lastly, this mock is generally skewed more toward talent than team need — because needs can change dramatically over the course of a season and next year's free agency. Again, it's early. We begin with a big move at the top of the board. (Note: Underclassmen are noted with an asterisk.)

As we know, quarterbacks are almost always gravitating toward the top of the board, as eight of the past 10 first overall picks have been signal-callers. The Patriots just used the No. 3 selection on Drake Maye in April, so chances are they'd be listening on trade offers if they landed the No. 1 pick next year. In this scenario, the Giants come calling for a second straight year and this time get a deal