2025 NFL Draft - Football Thread

[musclestang]

I used to pop in for some fan takes on evaluation, but I don't even really do that anymore. Lost the draft bug a long time ago it seems. Just don't follow college enough to know anything. Even with time, I'm just not digging into it anymore. I still like the draft, it's a time to restock shelves. I like to dive in after we've picked. I try and find out all I can then. Otherwise i'm just wasting too much time.

[Yoop]

I used to pop in for some fan takes on evaluation, but I don't even really do that anymore. Lost the draft bug a long time ago it seems. Just don't follow college enough to know anything. Even with time, I'm just not digging into it anymore. I still like the draft, it's a time to restock shelves. I like to dive in after we've picked. I try and find out all I can then. Otherwise i'm just wasting too much time.

only time my wife allowed me to ogle men running around in shorts so I like the combine. more action, the draft loses interest for me after round two, I tend to check out positions of need and the top prospect at those positions, once there gone, I usually am too.

[wallyuwl]

I used to pop in for some fan takes on evaluation, but I don't even really do that anymore. Lost the draft bug a long time ago it seems. Just don't follow college enough to know anything. Even with time, I'm just not digging into it anymore. I still like the draft, it's a time to restock shelves. I like to dive in after we've picked. I try and find out all I can then. Otherwise i'm just wasting too much time.

I started not following the draft as closely once I had a kid. But I really don't follow it now, and part of it is that I don't follow college as closely. College sports is no fun to watch any longer. The mega-conferences that have no geographical or historical relevance, NIL, and the transfer portal have absolutely ruined D1 college sports.

[lupedafiasco]

The more I do these mocks or look at other mocks o think the Packers strategy in this draft is pretty clear.

R1 you have to take a DT or Edge. Doesn’t really matter which but I would lean DT because it’s deeper in the 1st round and thins out a little later.

R2 you have to get a WR. After the 2nd unless we plan to move up in the 3rd a lot of players that are ready now are gone. If you don’t come out of the first 2 rounds with a WR you are playing a very dangerous game at the position that desperately needs some who can consistently win against DBs.

R3 you just take what you didn’t in the 1st at either DT or Edge. I think Edge here actually has a lot of talent. You probably don’t get a dominant every down Edge but you can get some pass rush productivity with one of the tweeners or take a swing at one of the size/weight freaks. At DT there is still talent that’s fallen because of how deep the position is in the first two rounds.

From there you can just lean into BPA when trying to fill out the depth of this team at CB, LB, and OL.

[go pak go]

The more I do these mocks or look at other mocks o think the Packers strategy in this draft is pretty clear.

R1 you have to take a DT or Edge. Doesn’t really matter which but I would lean DT because it’s deeper in the 1st round and thins out a little later.

R2 you have to get a WR. After the 2nd unless we plan to move up in the 3rd a lot of players that are ready now are gone. If you don’t come out of the first 2 rounds with a WR you are playing a very dangerous game at the position that desperately needs some who can consistently win against DBs.

R3 you just take what you didn’t in the 1st at either DT or Edge. I think Edge here actually has a lot of talent. You probably don’t get a dominant every down Edge but you can get some pass rush productivity with one of the tweeners or take a swing at one of the size/weight freaks. At DT there is still talent that’s fallen because of how deep the position is in the first two rounds.

From there you can just lean into BPA when trying to fill out the depth of this team at CB, LB, and OL.

I tend to agree.

The one concern I have is we see a huge run on WR from picks 28 to like 45 because every other team realizes there isn't much WRs in this class and guys like Bech, Royals, Higgins, etc. go earlier than their big board status.

[lupedafiasco]

Kyron Lacey, LSU WR found dead by suicide. He was already having legal troubles after fleeing a fatal hit and run a few months ago.

Truly a sad story. This was a really special player I thought and would continue the long line of successful LSU players in the league.

[YoHoChecko]

Where the $%@# is @YoHoChecko?

Hi hello!

I'm playing catch-up as I didn't even start draft research until well after the combine this year. I had no early lists. No favorite sleepers. No MY GUYs. But I'm getting there. Dane Brugler's The Beast is out. I've been cramming podcasts in from everywhere from PFF to ESPN to Yahoo football and The Ringer and Brett Kollman's pod and I'm starting to have some solid ideas about who I like.

Below is an image of three 7-round mock draft simulations I did. These ARE NOT REALISTIC DRAFTS. I traded back in excess to allow myself to focus on as many names as possible (but still tried to have variance in each draft; I didn't just do, like, an OL draft and a DB draft).

My goals for the Packers in this year's draft are:
- replace Watson's speed at WR and hopefully get another potential X as well (do not have to be the same guy)
- upgrade EDGE
- make OL a STRENGTH. OTs, OGs, C... all can be brought in; even where we have starters, contracts run out soon
- stockpile CBs--maybe replacing Jaire, maybe need a nickel, definitely need more depth
- get a football savvy ILB on the roster
- replace TJ Slaton
- improve pass rush all around (edge, yes, but DT too)

A few of MY GUYs (where my desire to roster them meets my opinion of draft value)
- Chimere Dike, WR, Florida. Blazing fast, decent size, active in the run game. Needs to vary his tempo and improve route running, but likely has a Mecole Hardman career coming his way.
- Tommi Hill, CB, Nebraska - classic Packers "two years ago was so good that we overlook an injury-reduced last year" player
- Caleb Ransaw, CB, Tulane - solid all-around CB who is a great tackler
- Shaun Dolac, LB, Buffalo and Jay Higgins, LB, Iowa - solid undersized late-round ILBs who will be dependable role players for years with effort and football IQ
- Cameron Williams, OL, Texas - mid-round developmental LT who could play OG if that's where the need arises

The rest of the guys listed below matter. I made no "throw-away" picks where I didn't know the guy and like him. Every pick is a guy whose bio and metrics appealed to me beyond a cursory surface glance. I think Hamilton, the CB from Ohio St, and Landon Jackson, the EDGE from Arkansas are the only two guys I really wanted to get in there but didn't. Also, obviously, the first round options are completely left out as I traded back in all of these drafts. You know first rounders aren't how I roll.

image.png (567.09 KiB) Viewed 146 times

[YoHoChecko]

The more I do these mocks or look at other mocks o think the Packers strategy in this draft is pretty clear.

R1 you have to take a DT or Edge. Doesn’t really matter which but I would lean DT because it’s deeper in the 1st round and thins out a little later.

R2 you have to get a WR. After the 2nd unless we plan to move up in the 3rd a lot of players that are ready now are gone. If you don’t come out of the first 2 rounds with a WR you are playing a very dangerous game at the position that desperately needs some who can consistently win against DBs.

R3 you just take what you didn’t in the 1st at either DT or Edge. I think Edge here actually has a lot of talent. You probably don’t get a dominant every down Edge but you can get some pass rush productivity with one of the tweeners or take a swing at one of the size/weight freaks. At DT there is still talent that’s fallen because of how deep the position is in the first two rounds.

From there you can just lean into BPA when trying to fill out the depth of this team at CB, LB, and OL.

This is so silly. Having round-by-round MUSTS is the best way to absolutely ensure that you will spend draft weekend angry and disappointed. I get what you mean. I have tons of trouble this year finding EDGE sleepers and pass rush outside of the early rounds. But there are dozens of ways to arrange a draft class that fits our needs. Not just one.

[YoHoChecko]

I just found another intriguing late round LB that I'd left out: Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Kentucky. Transferred from Georgia. Interesting bio and prospect.

[Bogey]

Below is an image of three 7-round mock draft simulations I did.

Caleb Ransaw and Logan Brown caught my eyes also.

It might be likely that Gutey trades back to get more picks, but absent that, this is my current best shot at what the draft might look like.
1 Tennessee Titans Cam Ward QB
2 Cleveland Browns Abdul Carter EDGE
3 New York Giants Travis Hunter WR
4 New England Patriots Will Campbell OT
5 Jacksonville Jaguars Mason Graham DT
6 Las Vegas Raiders Ashton Jeanty RB
7 New York Jets Will Johnson CB
8 Carolina Panthers Jalon Walker EDGE
9 New Orleans Saints Shedeur Sanders QB
10 Chicago Bears Tyler Warren TE
11 San Francisco 49ers Jahdae Barron CB
12 Dallas Cowboys Tetairoa McMillan WR
13 Miami Dolphins Malaki Starks S
14 Indianapolis Colts Colston Loveland TE
15 Atlanta Falcons Mykel Williams EDGE
16 Arizona Cardinals Armand Membou OT
17 Cincinnati Bengals Shemar Stewart EDGE
18 Seattle Seahawks Grey Zabel OL
19 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Mike Green DT
20 Denver Broncos Omarion Hampton RB
21 Pittsburgh Steelers Jaxson Dart QB
22 Los Angeles Chargers Jihaad Campbell LB
23 Green Bay Packers Derrick Harmon DL
24 Minnesota Vikings Kelvin Banks Jr. OL
25 Houston Texans Matthew Golden WR
26 Los Angeles Rams Kenneth Grant DT
27 Baltimore Ravens James Pearce Jr. EDGE
28 Detroit Lions Donovan Ezeiruaku EDGE
29 Washington Commanders Nic Scourton EDGE
30 Buffalo Bills Walter Nolen DT
31 Kansas City Chiefs Josh Simmons OT
32 Philadelphia Eagles Tyler Booker OL
33 Cleveland Browns Josh Conerly Jr. OT
34 New York Giants Emeka Egbuka WR
35 Tennessee Titans Luther Burden III WR
36 Jacksonville Jaguars Nick Emmanwori S
54 Green Bay Packers Jayden Higgins WR
87 Green Bay Packers Darien Porter CB
124 Green Bay Packers Anthony Belton OL
159 Green Bay Packers Logan Brown OL
198 Green Bay Packers Trevor Etienne RB
237 Green Bay Packers Caleb Ransaw DB
250 Green Bay Packers Brady Cook QB

[YoHoChecko]

Below is an image of three 7-round mock draft simulations I did.

Caleb Ransaw and Logan Brown caught my eyes also.

It might be likely that Gutey trades back to get more picks, but absent that, this is my current best shot at what the draft might look like.

23 Green Bay Packers Derrick Harmon DL

54 Green Bay Packers Jayden Higgins WR
87 Green Bay Packers Darien Porter CB
124 Green Bay Packers Anthony Belton OL
159 Green Bay Packers Logan Brown OL
198 Green Bay Packers Trevor Etienne RB
237 Green Bay Packers Caleb Ransaw DB
250 Green Bay Packers Brady Cook QB

I mean I certainly wouldn't spend a draft pick on Etienne as a RB (I think our RB room is in really good shape for this year, tbh), but overall this outcome would be amazing.

[Bogey]

I mean I certainly wouldn't spend a draft pick on Etienne as a RB (I think our RB room is in really good shape for this year, tbh), but overall this outcome would be amazing.

Yeah, that's true. Maybe instead of Etienne, another OL like John Williams.

[YoHoChecko]

Here are a bunch of OL who seem to fit mostly within our norms. I say "norms" because we've lately gone astray in late rounds in favor of some mammoth humans like Caleb Jones, Kadeem Telfort, and Travis Glover. That's sort of where I could see a Caleb Etienne fitting in.

These types of things--especially the short shuttle when available--are a pretty reliable indicator of who we target prior to the 6th round, though I'm not sure we'll be taking OGs before the 3rd round (so like Savaiinaea and Ratledge aren't uber desirable)

They are in no order (sorry)

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[lupedafiasco]

The more I do these mocks or look at other mocks o think the Packers strategy in this draft is pretty clear.

R1 you have to take a DT or Edge. Doesn’t really matter which but I would lean DT because it’s deeper in the 1st round and thins out a little later.

R2 you have to get a WR. After the 2nd unless we plan to move up in the 3rd a lot of players that are ready now are gone. If you don’t come out of the first 2 rounds with a WR you are playing a very dangerous game at the position that desperately needs some who can consistently win against DBs.

R3 you just take what you didn’t in the 1st at either DT or Edge. I think Edge here actually has a lot of talent. You probably don’t get a dominant every down Edge but you can get some pass rush productivity with one of the tweeners or take a swing at one of the size/weight freaks. At DT there is still talent that’s fallen because of how deep the position is in the first two rounds.

From there you can just lean into BPA when trying to fill out the depth of this team at CB, LB, and OL.

This is so silly. Having round-by-round MUSTS is the best way to absolutely ensure that you will spend draft weekend angry and disappointed. I get what you mean. I have tons of trouble this year finding EDGE sleepers and pass rush outside of the early rounds. But there are dozens of ways to arrange a draft class that fits our needs. Not just one.

Whats silly is saying we will take the BPA and then have that player sit on the bench and play a minimal role for almost their entire rookie contract equating to the same value as taking a bust.

[Yoop]

The more I do these mocks or look at other mocks o think the Packers strategy in this draft is pretty clear.

R1 you have to take a DT or Edge. Doesn’t really matter which but I would lean DT because it’s deeper in the 1st round and thins out a little later.

R2 you have to get a WR. After the 2nd unless we plan to move up in the 3rd a lot of players that are ready now are gone. If you don’t come out of the first 2 rounds with a WR you are playing a very dangerous game at the position that desperately needs some who can consistently win against DBs.

R3 you just take what you didn’t in the 1st at either DT or Edge. I think Edge here actually has a lot of talent. You probably don’t get a dominant every down Edge but you can get some pass rush productivity with one of the tweeners or take a swing at one of the size/weight freaks. At DT there is still talent that’s fallen because of how deep the position is in the first two rounds.

From there you can just lean into BPA when trying to fill out the depth of this team at CB, LB, and OL.

This is so silly. Having round-by-round MUSTS is the best way to absolutely ensure that you will spend draft weekend angry and disappointed. I get what you mean. I have tons of trouble this year finding EDGE sleepers and pass rush outside of the early rounds. But there are dozens of ways to arrange a draft class that fits our needs. Not just one.

Whats silly is saying we will take the BPA and then have that player sit on the bench and play a minimal role for almost their entire rookie contract equating to the same value as taking a bust.

past slot 10 or so GM's draft for positional need, and plenty even top 10, this isn' pre-UFA when teams could actually retain draft picks there entire career, now your lucky to resign the best players to a 2nd contract, so the days of grooming up slot 12 players ended long ago, our GM just never got the memo.

more mocks with us taking another groomer edger in Stewart, who like Gary and LVN will do almost nothing for 2 years, I'd rather use slot 23 on Higgins.

[Labrev]

Stewart has a higher pressure-rate coming out of college than Gary or LVN did.

I have him at ~20 on my Packers board and don't see DE as a big need, but would definitely take a shot on a guy with the tools to be an elite player than reach for a glorified Allen Lazard at 23 (and then cry about how I neither have anything special at WR or DE).

[Yoop]

Stewart has a higher pressure-rate coming out of college than Gary or LVN did.

I have him at ~20 on my Packers board and don't see DE as a big need, but would definitely take a shot on a guy with the tools to be an elite player than reach for a glorified Allen Lazard at 23 (and then cry about how I neither have anything special at WR or DE).

you lost me comparing Allen Lazard a undrafted FA with Higgins who will be off the board top 40.

I saw those total pressure stats from college, you and I are miles apart though, for 1. I consider pass rush improvement a priority, both Gary and Van Ness had high college pressure counts and what has it got us, do I need to dig up their putrid pressure counts last year, again? and stewart is in the same mold, seems like a wasted exercise to keep doing the same thing over and over, especially since we've seen the results of that kind of player twice now, I want someone that actually gets to the QB and college pressures become NFL pressures.

our GM needs to draft production versus raz scores and combine stats, if Ezeriuaka and Stewart are both available, easy choice for me, I'am taking alphabet with his 16 sacks to go with his 60 total pressures over Stewart's 5 sacks and 50 presures every day of the week.

[lupedafiasco]

I think some improvement will come from the pass rush this season for a few reasons.

1) we had a really bad DL coach who has been demoted to assisted DL coach for the 4th time in his career. That was just a really bad hire and it’s clear he’s not a very good coach.

2) it’s clear the team is going to add someone in the draft.

3) there’s going to be better coverage. Jaire was in and out of the lineup. Whether he’s back or not we got Hobbs and Valentine and Nixon both got a lot of experience. There’s a chance for possible jumps from Bullard and Williams as well. The biggest one for me though will be having both Quay and Cooper on the field. They rarely got to play together leaving McDuffie to get exposed a lot in coverage.

[Labrev]

Stewart has a higher pressure-rate coming out of college than Gary or LVN did.

I have him at ~20 on my Packers board and don't see DE as a big need, but would definitely take a shot on a guy with the tools to be an elite player than reach for a glorified Allen Lazard at 23 (and then cry about how I neither have anything special at WR or DE).

you lost me comparing Allen Lazard a undrafted FA with Higgins who will be off the board top 40.

Who cares about draft status? Rod Smith was undrafted. So was Wes Welker. Marques Colston was a 7th-rounder, as was Driver. Meanwhile there have been countless WRs taken Top-40, -25, even -10 that amounted to nothing. Troy Williamson. Matt Jones. Charles Rodgers. Mike Williams (DET). Literally it is meaningless. But it is telling that you chose this line of argument because it does not compare them as athletes, the thing that matters.

Higgins is a big possession receiver with decent speed, more wiggle than you would expect of a guy his size but nothing that pro CBs will be unable to cover, so he will mainly need to win with size. Tell me that is not Allen Lazard. Lazard was not a bad player, mind you; he was better than he got credit for and we can use that in our WR room. But to take him at 23 would be a stupid pick.

I saw those total pressure stats from college, you and I are miles apart though, for 1. I consider pass rush improvement a priority, both Gary and Van Ness had high college pressure counts and what has it got us, do I need to dig up their putrid pressure counts last year, again? and stewart is in the same mold, seems like a wasted exercise to keep doing the same thing over and over, especially since we've seen the results of that kind of player twice now, I want someone that actually gets to the QB and college pressures become NFL pressures.

Just like above, your "analysis" is devoid of a comparison of them as athletes. You just think "high-upside great athlete prospect that did not produce" and lump him in with Gary and LVN.

Gary and LVN are similar, but Stewart is not similar to them. He is a more explosive player. Stewart also has rare bend for a man with his big size. Gary and LVN are big, but they have no bend, they live and die by power. Stewart has the talent to do literally everything. Gary more-or-less reached his ceiling, and he's a good player, but not elite. If Stewart hits his ceiling or just comes close, he will be an absolute game-wrecker.

our GM needs to draft production versus raz scores and combine stats, if Ezeriuaka and Stewart are both available, easy choice for me, I'am taking alphabet with his 16 sacks to go with his 60 total pressures over Stewart's 5 sacks and 50 presures every day of the week.

lol

[YoHoChecko]

Instead of arguing the same points about our current EDGE rushers....

which EDGEs do we like this year? I kind of want guys that counter what we have and just are speedier, like Ezeiruaku from BC and Princely Umanmielen from Ole Miss or Pearce from Tennessee.

But do we think the team would stray from the bigger bodies they clearly like drafting?

I'm intrigued by the UCLA guy who switched from off-ball LB for one year and seems to have a natural feel for pass rushing. He's sort of a tweener body in terms of big strong EDGEs and smaller fast EDGEs (in the mid 260s)

Landon Jackson doesn't excite me. JT Tuimoloau didn't have the kind of production I'd have liked to see. Gillotte in the late 2nd or 3rd might be an intriguing addition to the mix,but also might not be an instant-impact type of guy.


How do you all rank the EDGEs for us specifically? Who do you love? Who is garbage juice?