2025 NFL Draft: 10 significant questions heading into the draft

College & Draft Sports

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• A fascinating running back class: Running back depth abounds in the 2025 NFL Draft. Now, it’s a matter of how many we’ll see go off the board in the first few rounds.

• Which team will kick off the Day 1 trade movement? As things stand, every NFL team owns its original 2025 draft pick. Surely, that won’t remain the case.

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Four PFF analysts — Trevor Sikkema, Mason Cameron, Dalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick — took on the task of asking, and answering, 10 of the 2025 NFL Draft‘s biggest questions.

Trevor Sikkema

Will the Ravens, 49ers, Chargers, Jaguars, Bills and Seahawks Control Day 2?

It doesn’t feel like many teams in the 2025 NFL Draft will be willing to trade up — there aren’t many prospects who warrant such a move. But the Ravens (11), 49ers (11), Chargers (10), Jaguars (10), Bills (10) and Seahawks (10) each have double-digit picks as we head into draft week, and they are teams to watch for potential move-ups. The Browns and Cowboys also have 10 picks, but most are in Rounds 6 and 7.

Teams likely don’t want double-digit draft picks anyway, as they won’t have the roster/practice squad room to keep them all.

How Early Will Nick Emmanwori Get Selected?

I am fascinated to see where the NFL will draft South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori. At face value, his alien-like build and athleticism could have defensive coaches salivating over his “chess piece” potential at free safety and strong safety, as well as linebacker and slot defender.

One would think that means he will be a first-round pick. But we’ve heard this exact conversation before.

Isaiah Simmons was drafted eighth overall in 2020 and has not lived up to that hype. Obi Melifonwu was of a similar build and athletic ability; he went 56th overall in the second round in 2017 and lasted five years in the NFL. Jeremy Chinn was also talked about similarly pre-draft and was selected 64th overall in 2020. He may have been drafted even earlier had he played at a Power Five school, and while he has been fine in the NFL, he hasn’t found that impactful home base position, now on his third team.

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah has been an impactful, versatile player, but he had more of a linebacker background than Emmanwori. I can’t wait to see how the league prioritizes Emmanwori, given his floor and ceiling.

Is the Running Back, Well, Back?

We know Ashton Jeanty is going in the first round, likely somewhere in the top 10. We’ve also heard there are teams that like Omarion Hampton over Jeanty. Then, there’s everyone saying they can’t wait to draft the Ohio State running backs, Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson, in the second round, which might spark first-round conversations.

Kaleb Johnson, Dylan Sampson — the list goes on and on (I think Cam Skattebo should be in that conversation, but it doesn’t feel like the league agrees with me). How early might these running backs go? Could we see five running backs in the top 60 for the first time since 2020? Could we seven go off the board in the top 60 for the first time since 2018? The position will be one to watch.

Mason Cameron

How will the class’ running back depth affect Ashton Jeanty’s stock? 

Given the sheer depth of running back talent this class has to offer in the later rounds, there has been some sentiment that teams at the top of the order could opt to address other needs at positions that don’t offer nearly as much return on investment further down the board. 

While Jeanty’s ceiling has lingered around the sixth-overall pick to the Raiders (+100 at FanDuel), rumors of Jacksonville shopping running back Travis Etienne have surfaced, potentially opening the door for the Jaguars to scoop up Jeanty at the fifth pick (+270). The Bears (+230) profile as a likely suitor — and the best fit — and the Cowboys (+1900) seem like the next likely spot in the order. However, were both to pass for later-round options, Denver at No. 20 (+1500) may end up as the floor for the talented back, per betting odds.

Could one (or more) teams maneuver back into the first round to snag a quarterback?

The 2025 quarterback class does not profile as highly as the 2024 class, in which six passers were drafted in Round 1. However, some uncertainty at the top of the round, paired with the allure of the fifth-year option awarded to first-round selections, could result in a few names sneaking into the first round. 

With the Titans almost certainly grabbing Cam Ward with the first-overall pick, the draft really starts with the Browns at No. 2. There is some thought that both Cleveland and the Giants could pass on Shedeur Sanders, so there could be a run on signal-callers at the end of Day 1 as teams maneuver back into the first round to select their future quarterback. Pittsburgh remains a likely landing spot at No. 21, but beyond that, some teams could very well move up to acquire either Jaxson Dart or Jalen Milroe.

Dalton Wasserman

When does the run on offensive tackles start? 

One of the more fascinating parts of the first round is the level of urgency for several teams that need to fortify their offensive lines. We’ve seen recent rumors that the Patriots could draft Will Campbell at fourth overall. The Jets, Saints, 49ers, Cowboys, Dolphins and Cardinals could all be angling for an offensive tackle, too. That could lead to a jockeying for position for Campbell, if available, as well as Armand Membou, Kelvin Banks Jr. and Josh Simmons.

There are also teams such as the Texans and Chiefs that desperately need offensive line help but could suffer from an early run of them being selected.

Are rumors of a Tetairoa McMillan slide real?

There seems to be some discrepancy in opinion about the abilities of Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan. He ranks third overall on PFF’s big board and 11th on the consensus board, but many recent mock drafts have him sliding as low as the early 20s. I believe McMillan should be considered as high as New England’s fourth-overall selection, as well as the Raiders, Jets, and Panthers at Nos. 6, 7 and 8, respectively. If he were to slide to the Broncos or Chargers, among others, he would arguably be the biggest steal of the first round, if not the entire draft.

How do the Seahawks approach the draft with five top-100 picks?

The Seahawks lost their quarterback, two receivers and their offensive coordinator this offseason, but I don’t believe they are in a terrible position to recover. They acquired additional second- and third-round picks in exchange for Geno Smith and DK Metcalf, giving them five total selections within the top 92.

Seattle has obvious needs at wide receiver, offensive line and cornerback, and I’m fascinated by what they could do with the 18th overall pick and how it sets them up for Day 2. I could also see them using those extra picks to work their way back into the first round for a second selection. We could be looking at Seattle in a much more optimistic light by the end of draft weekend.

Max Chadwick

How will the quarterback class shake out?

Cam Ward is all but guaranteed to hear his name called first in this year’s draft, but the rest of the quarterback prospects’ outcomes are a complete mystery. Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders is the most interesting, as he seems to have a wide range of landing spots.

Perhaps Sanders will still go in the top 10 to a team like the New Orleans Saints, or maybe he will fall outside of the first round altogether. Some teams could have Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart above Sanders, and Alabama’s Jalen Milroe is a potential surprise first-round selection. 

Which team will be the first to trade up?

Every NFL team owns its original first-round selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. If that holds until draft night, it will be the first time there have been no prior trades involving first-round picks. 

We will likely see some chaos on Thursday night. In fact, there have been 24 straight drafts where a top-15 pick has been traded. A franchise may move up to grab its quarterback of the future in Shedeur Sanders or to select one of the draft’s blue-chip players in Abdul Carter. Regardless, it’ll be fascinating to see which teams knock over the first domino and get the madness started.

This news was originally published on this post .

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