Tag: mock draft

Deion Burks taken in the first in The Athletic’s first mock draft for 2025

In his first mock draft for the 2025 NFL draft, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler projects Deion Burks to go in the first round.

The Oklahoma Sooners have a ton of talent heading into the 2024 season. Especially at wide receiver. The Sooners are loaded with playmakers, which is part of the reason for optimism despite a first year starting quarterback and massive turnover along the offensive line. Nic Anderson is generating early 2025 NFL draft buzz, coming in at No. 5 in Pro Football Network’s wide receiver rankings. But he may not even be Oklahoma’s best wide receiver this fall.

One of the playmakers that will electrify this fall may only be in Norman one year; [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag]. Burks, who came over from Purdue this offseason, put the college football world on notice with his huge performance in the Oklahoma Sooners spring game, racking up five catches for 174 yards and two touchdowns.

Now, he won’t do that every week, but it looks like he’s got a nice rapport with Jackson Arnold, which will lead to some big days this fall. And before he ever plays a down for the Sooners, NFL draft analysts are already taking notice.

In his early 2025 NFL mock draft for The Athletic (subscription required), Dane Brugler sends Deion Burks to Detroit Lions in the first round.

Another Purdue transfer (the poor Boilermakers), Burks is a playmaking athlete with the ball in his hands. The Belleville, Mich., native returns to his home state in this scenario. – Brugler, The Athletic

Burks will get a lot of attention this fall from SEC defenses and NFL scouts alike because of his speed, athleticism, and agility. As teams look to get more explosive, Burks is a player that can take the ball to the house every time he touches it and can threaten a defense deep.

If he has the season that many expect in 2024, teams will have a hard time passing on him in the 2025 NFL draft.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams

Texas QB Quinn Ewers linked to Saints in way-too-early 2025 NFL mock draft

Could the Saints select a quarterback once more in 2025? Texas passer Quinn Ewers was cast as a possibility in this way-too-early mock draft:

The New Orleans Saints have been in something of a state of limbo at the quarterback position since the retirement of Drew Brees. From Taysom Hill to Jameis Winston to Derek Carr, things have not worked out to a point of true satisfaction in the quest to replace an NFL legend — or even have someone consistently competent under center.

Now the Saints have drafted a quarterback for two consecutive seasons, taking Fresno State product Jake Haener last year and South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler in 2024. While Haener has shown promise at times and Rattler provides reason for optimism after the way he turned things around at South Carolina — despite poor pass-protection and a supporting cast that was nothing to write home about — neither of them should keep the Saints from drafting a quarterback high if they’re picking near the top of 2025’s first round.

Until any of these prospects fully prove themselves as the Saints’ signal-caller of the future, the jury is still out. So much so that Draft Wire’s Curt Popejoy has the Saints picking Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers at No. 11 overall in his way-too-early 2025 NFL mock draft.

If the Saints are picking this highly next year, it’s safe to assume things didn’t pan out with Carr at quarterback in 2024, in addition to multiple other areas. Ewers has shown some upside, coming up just short of leading his team to a national title game appearance in December.

Ewers earned praise for his overall accuracy and ball placement, though some scouts have questioned his ability to maintain his mechanics on the run and perform under pressure. How he addresses these things, where his stock ultimately stands on draft day, and if he indeed is a Saint by this time next year will all be things to watch moving forward. There’s a possibility he ends up being a match for New Orleans in 2025.

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Saints pick Colorado superstar Travis Hunter in way-too-soon 2025 mock draft

Way-too-early mock drafts work better as a college football watch list than real predictions for the 2025 NFL draft. But the Saints made hay in this projection:

Way-too-early mock drafts are more useful as a college football watch list than real predictions, and with the 2024 NFL draft behind us a lot of attention is already turning to the 2025 NFL draft — premature as that may seem.

So who is being linked to the New Orleans Saints? We don’t even know where they’ll be picking, but using the latest Super Bowl odds for draft order has them at No. 9 overall. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler shared his one-year-away forecast, which has the Saints picking Colorado two-way superstar Travis Hunter:

Cornerback or wide receiver? Hunter is at his most dangerous with the ball in his hands, so there is a good chance we see him drafted for offense. He routinely turns short catches into long gains.

Hunter is one of the standouts for Deion Sanders’ program along with his son Shedeur Sanders, the team’s starting quarterback (who Brugler has being picked later in the first round next year). There aren’t many players like him who can play both wideout and corner at such a high level. Last year, Sanders recorded 592 snaps on defense and intercepted 3 passes, breaking up 5 more. He also logged 452 snaps on offense and caught 57 passes for 721 yards, scoring 5 touchdowns.

He would be a good get for the Saints no matter where he ultimately lines up, but they do have a greater need at receiver after investing so many resources in the secondary. Hunter is listed at 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds which is comparable to Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, but his playmaking ability overrules any concerns about redundancy with comparable body types.

At the same time… if the Saints are picking high enough to get him next year, there’s a good chance it’s because Derek Carr wasn’t a good fit in Klint Kubiak’s offense, and the team’s season went in the tank because of it. Another talented receiver or corner would be great to have, but if the Saints are picking this high they should look to get a quarterback who can get them back to the playoffs.

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Broncos select OT Will Campbell in way-too-early 2025 NFL mock draft

With Garett Bolles set to become a free agent, this way-too-early 2025 NFL mock draft has the Broncos picking OT Will Campbell.

The 2024 NFL draft is now in the rearview mirror, which means it’s time for … more mock drafts!

In his way-too-early 2025 NFL mock draft, Curt Popejoy of Draft Wire has the Denver Broncos selecting LSU offensive lineman Will Campbell with the third overall pick. Garett Bolles is scheduled to become a free agent next spring and the Broncos have not drafted an offensive tackle (in any round) in eight-straight years, so landing a top prospect like Campbell is overdue.

Before anyone gets too mad about Popejoy projecting Denver as the third-worst team in the league this fall, that’s not his projection; it’s the Las Vegas prediction. The Broncos are tied with the fourth-worst odds to win the Super Bowl this year. The Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots, who pick first and second in the mock, have the worst Super Bowl odds to win a title in 2024.

So if you don’t like that draft order projection, take it up with the oddsmakers.

For what it’s worth, Popejoy had the Broncos picking USC quarterback Caleb Williams in his way-too-early 2024 NFL draft mock at this time last year. Denver undoubtedly would have loved to pick Williams in this year’s draft, but they didn’t pick until 12th overall after winning eight games last season. Instead, the Broncos picked Oregon’s Bo Nix in the first round.

To view Popejoy’s complete 2025 NFL mock draft, visit Draft Wire.

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Early 2025 mock draft has Panthers taking Shedeur Sanders with No. 1 overall pick

A “way-too-early” 2025 mock draft from CBS Sports has the Panthers selected Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders . . . with the No. 1 overall pick.

The Carolina Panthers weren’t on the list of Deion Sanders’ preferred landing spots for his son Shedeur. But that didn’t stop CBS Sports writer Ryan Wilson from already projecting the University of Colorado star to the Queen City—and with next year’s No. 1 overall pick, no less.

Wilson, in his “way-too-early” 2025 mock draft, explains that a new quarterback may be on the horizon if the Panthers finish with the league’s worst record for the second year in a row:

If nothing else, using the betting odds means that, for the third straight year, the Panthers have the No. 1 overall pick. Hopefully first-year coach Dave Canales can get the most out of Bryce Young, but if that doesn’t happen … you’d have to imagine quarterback at No. 1 (for the second time in three drafts for Carolina) will be a talking point.

And with that pick, Wilson sends Sanders to Carolina:

Shedeur Sanders made huge strides in his first year as an FBS QB and he’ll be in the conversation with several other players to be the first quarterback drafted.

Sanders completed 69.3 percent of his passes for 3,230 yards, 27 touchdowns and just three interceptions in 2023.

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Round 2 mock draft for Cardinals has them landing center

Touchdown Wire’s Round 2 mock draft has the Cardinals taking Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson.

The Arizona Cardinals started the NFL draft with two picks in the first round on Thursday, selecting receiver Marvin Harrison fourth overall and then adding defensive lineman Darius Robinson with the 27th pick in the round.

They now enter Day 2 of the draft with the 35th pick or third of the second round and three selections in the third.

What will they do? Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar mocked the second round of the draft and has the Cardinals taking Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson in the second round.

Powers-Johnson could slide into the starting lineup immediately at center, replacing Hjalte Froholdt, if the team wanted. NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah believed JPJ can be a top-five center in the league, even as a rookie.

He also could play guard if the team wanted to keep Froholdt as the starter for another season. Their starting left guard job is very much up for grabs this offseason.

The Cardinals currently have no interior offensive linemen who have logged at least one NFL game in their career signed beyond 2024.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

2024 NFL mock draft: Last-minute 3-round projections

Check out this updated three-round projection for the 2024 NFL draft just before Thursday night’s action gets underway

We’ve finally made it to the 2024 NFL draft, as the first round of this year’s three-day event is set to get underway Thursday night from Detroit.

This year’s class is loaded with top talent at quarterback and wide receiver, as well as along the offensive line. Those three position groups could drive an active trade market throughout the first round, with multiple blockbuster deals potentially taking place.

As we enjoy the calm before the storm, here’s the final update to our last-minute projections for the first three rounds of this year’s draft:

*projected trade

Only two Duke players drafted in College Sports Wire’s seven-round mock

College Sports Wire’s Ryan Roberts projected all seven rounds of the NFL draft on Thursday, but only two Duke players came off the board.

College Sports Wire’s Ryan Roberts released a full seven-round mock draft on Thursday ahead of the 2024 NFL draft, but he only had two Blue Devils taken among all 257 selections.

Roberts had Graham Barton, the offensive lineman, go 24th overall to the Dallas Cowboys in the opening round. Barton, who played both tackle and center for Duke, would become the program’s eighth first-round NFL draft pick. Roberts thinks he will move back to snapping the ball on Sundays.

“His combination of athleticism and physicality will be a welcomed addition on the inside,” Roberts wrote.

Defensive lineman DeWayne Carter, who joined Barton as a First Team All-ACC selection in 2023, went in the fourth round to the Chicago Bears. In Roberts’ projections, he would join USC quarterback Caleb Williams and LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers in the Windy City.

Jacob Monk, another Duke offensive lineman, has been featured as a day-three pick on multiple seven-round projections during the draft cycle. However, Roberts thinks Monk needs to wait for free agency to find an NFL home.

Packers mock draft 6.0: Final predictions for 2024 draft

Final mock draft predictions for the Packers entering the 2024 NFL draft in this seven-rounder.

We made it! The 2024 NFL Draft has arrived. The Green Bay Packers will start the three-day affair with 11 picks at their disposal. It’s time for my final mock draft of the cycle. In my final mock draft last year, I “correctly” mocked Lukas Van Ness, Jayden Reed and Anders Carlson to the Packers. We won’t talk about the rest of the mock picks.

Let’s take a look at who the Packers landed in my final mock draft of the cycle.

1.25: Cooper DeJean, DB, Iowa

Surprise, surprise. DeJean would give Green Bay’s secondary a much-needed playmaker and he’d bring juice to the special teams unit. DeJean is an outstanding athlete. He has natural ball skills. He’s versatile and he’s an asset in run support.

2.41: Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama

The Alabama product is everything you want in a cornerback. He’s long, plays under control and never gives up the big play. According to Pro Football Focus, McKinstry only gave up two receptions of 30-plus yards over the past two seasons.

2.58: Dominick Puni, OL, Kansas

Puni offers five-position versatility. During his two seasons at Kansas, Puni started 13 games at left guard and 12 games at left tackle. During those two seasons, he gave up zero sacks and 16 pressures.

3. 88: Trevin Wallace, LB, Kentucky

A former track athlete, Wallace is an outstanding athlete with sideline-to-sideline range. He’s light on his feet and has the movement skills to hold up in coverage. At only 21 years old, Wallace has all the tools to develop into a four-down force.

3. 91: Ray Davis, RB, Kentucky

The Temple and Vanderbilt transfer finished his lone season as a Wildcat with 1,129 yards and 14 touchdowns. He runs with good patience and has the contact balance to bounce off defenders. Davis is a well-rounded running back, who could be the long-term running mate for Josh Jacobs.

4. 126: Edefuan Ulofoshio, LB, Washington

Even after adding Wallace, the Packers still need bodies in the linebacker room. The Washington linebacker logged 431 snaps on special teams during his time as a Husky and could be a Day 1 contributor for Rich Bisaccia. He’s a good athlete with the competitive makeup to challenge for snaps on defense.

5. 169: Frank Crum, OT, Wyoming

Crum has experience playing both tackle positions. He finished his career at Wyoming with 36 starts at right tackle and 13 at left tackle. The former two-star recruit is a good-sized athlete with the lateral mobility to shut down the corner and the mobility to get out in space to move people in the ground game.

6. 202: AJ Barner, TE, Michigan

Barner could the ideal No. 3 tight end behind Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft. The Indiana transfer gets after it as a blocker and he’s a good athlete with upside as a pass catcher. Barner has 555 snaps on special teams to his name and could be a hired gun.

6. 219: Tyler Owens, S, Texas Tech

Roll the dice on the Texas Tech defensive back’s athletic profile. The Texas transfer may never develop into an impact player on defense, but give his athletic profile and experience on special teams (546 snaps and 10 tackles) Owens could carve out a long career as a core special teamer.

7. 245: Matt Lee, C, Miami

A UCF transfer, Lee finished his collegiate career with 48 career starts at center under his belt. Lee started 12 games during his lone season at Miami and gave up zero sacks and four pressures.

7. 255: Miles Battle, CB, Utah

Battle started his career at Ole Miss and made the transition from wide receiver to cornerback during the 2020 season. Battle started two games during his lone season at Utah and recorded one interception and four pass deflections. Battle is an outstanding athlete with good size (6-3 and 196 pounds). With his athleticism, Battle is worth the gamble and could make an immediate impact on special teams. The Ole Miss transfer logged 454 snaps on special teams and recorded nine tackles.

Last USA TODAY Sports mock draft pairs Graham Barton with a popular team

There’s a legendary AFC team that needs some help along the offensive line, and one USA TODAY Sports writer thinks they’ll turn to former Blue Devil Graham Barton.

USA TODAY Sports writer Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz released a final mock draft ahead of the NFL draft on Thursday, and he thinks the Pittsburgh Steelers will take a chance on former Duke Blue Devil Graham Barton at 20th overall.

Barton, who stands 6-foot-5 and weighs about 315 pounds, played left tackle over his last three years in college. He started as a center during his freshman season, however, and pundits think he could play anywhere along the line. Middlehurst-Schwartz thinks the legendary AFC franchise slots him at center.

“While Barton doesn’t have the towering build of some of his peers in this class, Pittsburgh likely would value his tenacity and efficiency,” Middlehurst-Schwartz wrote.

The Steelers emerged as a late favorite for Barton over the last week. They took over as his consensus landing spot on Mock Draft Database in the last week, and they’re by far the most popular match for the former Duke lineman in most draft day mock drafts.