The 2025 NFL Draft is fast approaching, and there’s a general consensus about a few prospects at the top of the order: Most anticipate Cam Ward going No. 1 overall to the Tennessee Titans, and just as many, if not more, expect star athletes Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter to be the next off the board. Beyond those three, however, it’s anyone’s guess how the rest of the first round — and the entire draft — will unfold.
This isn’t entirely dissimilar to other drafts. Every year, mock drafts are thrown into a tizzy by the real-time decisions of actual NFL teams, who don’t always prioritize their most urgent needs with their earliest picks. Still, some experts see the 2025 class of incoming rookies as especially ripe with comparable talents, at least after the initial drop-off from freak standouts like Carter and Hunter.
With that in mind, what are some of our unconventional takes on the upcoming first round of action? We collected unpopular Day 1 opinions from some of our own NFL experts, including on some of the big names and teams set to shake up the opening night of the event:
A Day 2 QB will end up as the cream of the crop
There will be a quarterback taken in the second or third round who outplays those taken in the first round. One example: Kyle McCord, from Syracuse. Another possibility is Quinn Ewers, from Texas. I just don’t love this quarterback class at the top like most do. — Pete Prisco
Sanders is most pro-ready QB since Andrew Luck
Shedeur Sanders is actually the most pro-ready quarterback to hit the draft since Andrew Luck. That’s pro-ready in the sense of how he plays the position from the pocket, how he’s weathered beatings, but also in how he’s been tutored by former pros (i.e. Tom Brady, Jeff Blake), how he’s been in the spotlight from day one … starting at Jackson State, going to the worst FBS team in Colorado, and succeeding in both, all the while being Deion Sanders’ son. — Emory Hunt
Cam Ward is a no-brainer No. 1 pick
I’m not sure how unpopular this is, but Cam Ward isn’t just the best quarterback in a bad class; he’s No. 1 pick-worthy on his own merits. His best traits (arm strength, quick-game accuracy, out-of-structure playmaking) align with those of the best quarterbacks and his weaknesses (bouts of over-aggressiveness, occasional drifting in the pocket) are on the more easily-fixable side. The Titans are (presumably) making the right choice. — Jared Dubin
The Browns and/or Giants are pulling our leg
Both of these teams have massive long-term needs at quarterback and they’re going to pass one up inside the top three? The Shedeur Sanders slander has the stench of a pre-draft smokescreen. The tell, in my mind, was Browns owner Jimmy Haslam attending the Colorado pro day. NFL owners don’t show up to scout non-quarterbacks. — Tyler Sullivan
Matthew Golden is WR1
The Texas product is capable of playing all over the field and creating matchup advantages, and his flaws are largely correctable by a good pro staff. Tetaiora McMillan has the size to win one-on-one, but I worry that better NFL cornerbacks will be more physical with him, not worrying about beating them with his speed. I’d be more comfortable with McMillan as a WR2 and red-zone threat on my team matching up against CB2s, while Golden has more of an ability to be the go-to receiver in an offense. — R.J. White
The Rams are a legitimate threat to swipe a QB
Everyone and their brother is circling the New Orleans Saints as a candidate to swoop up or stop the slide of a top quarterback like Shedeur Sanders. That goes for the Pittsburgh Steelers as well, especially if Aaron Rodgers remains off the grid. Are we forgetting that Matthew Stafford is 37 years old and now perennially weighing retirement? Yes, the Rams are back into all-in mode, in some effect, adding Davante Adams for another playoff push. Sean McVay will need a new arm someday, though. — Cody Benjamin
The Packers won’t take a first-round wide receiver
Yes, they need one. And yes, they are in the sweet spot for the position. Still, it’s not happening. The Packers haven’t selected a first-round wide receiver since taking Javon Walker at No. 20 all the way back in 2002. Expect Green Bay to address another position on night one and then grab a pass-catcher in either Rounds 2 or 3. — Kyle Stackpole
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