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The 2025 NFL Draft is loaded with talent, even if it's not necessarily at the game's most important position.
This year's crop of hungry rookies is light on blue chip passers, with Miami's Cam Ward at the top of the heap, Colorado's Shedeur Sanders somewhere in his vicinity and a cache of recognizable-but-flawed gunslingers and dual-threat conductors behind them. Fortunately, that scarcity doesn't apply to the other positions on the board. The 2025 crop is dense with high-impact prospects at defensive tackle, tailback, defensive back and along the offensive line.
LATEST NFL MOCK DRAFT:A Jaguars trade into the top-3, Shedeur Sanders to a surprise team
While the exact outcome of the 2025 draft is impossible to predict, we at least know in which direction teams will be looking. All 32 teams have glaring needs to address with low-cost rookie scale contracts. Let's run down each franchise's biggest needs, starting with the Tennessee Titans at the No. 1 overall pick and ending with the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles at No. 32.
Needs: QB, EDGE, WR, S, LB
The first overall pick appears destined to land on Miami quarterback Cam Ward. From there, the Titans will have to build around their new franchise quarterback -- and punch up a defense that ranked 25th in overall efficiency (and 30th in points allowed) last season.
Needs: QB, OL, WR, RB, DT
Finding low-cost talent to build around Deshaun Watson -- whom the Browns traded for, then gave $230 million guaranteed despite more than 20 accusations of sexual misconduct dating back to his time as a Houston Texan -- and his albatross of a contract is vital to Cleveland's postseason hopes. That could take several different forms, but pairing up an elite pass rusher with Myles Garrett could make the Browns defense terrifying.
Needs: QB, OL, S, TE, RB, LB
The Giants have several holes to fill, making a trade down possible -- especially with a solid 1-2 punch of Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux at pass rush in place. Quarterback remains a pressing concern, but the short-term signings of Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston suggest it could be one the team opts to deal with at the 2026 draft.
Needs: OT, WR, EDGE, OG
New England needs to do whatever it can to juice up Drake Maye. Stefon Diggs was a nice enough start, but there's a long way to go -- especially for a team that allowed more quarterback pressure than anyone else in 2024.
Needs: CB, DL, WR, S
The Jaguars rebuilt a good chunk of their offensive line, but the best gift they could give Trevor Lawrence is a proper WR2 next to Brian Thomas Jr.. Bolstering the secondary is another priority -- though at the fifth overall pick, there may not be an obvious fit for either need.
Needs: CB, RB, LB, WR
Ashton Jeanty may be a natural first round fit in Pete Carroll's debut season in Nevada. However, the Raiders' secondary has been devastated by departures and badly needs fresh young talent if Carroll is going to recreate his 2010s success.
Needs: WR, EDGE, TE, S, QB, OT
There's a lot the Jets need to get right, even after signing Justin Fields at quarterback. Upgrading his target list and giving him a proper young OT combination with 2024 first round-pick Olu Fashanu are foremost among them -- but so is fixing a defense that fell to pieces following Robert Saleh's firing.
Needs: EDGE, LB, WR, CB
Bryce Young began to figure things out after being reinserted in the starting lineup. Giving him a trustworthy WR1 would help push him toward his potential under head coach Dave Canales. Either way, bolstering a weak defense would be a massively valuable contingency plan should he backslide.
Needs: OT, WR, QB, EDGE, TE
Like every year, the Saints need young, inexpensive talent to balance out the "buy now, pay later" salary cap management that worked much, much better when Drew Brees was in town. Will Derek Carr's shoulder injury press them to sacrifice low-cost draft assets in a trade up for a quarterback?
Needs: DT, S, EDGE, WR
The Bears' defense backslid after closing out 2023 on a heater. With an offense capable of thriving under new head coach Ben Johnson -- albeit with a minor need at tailback -- bolstering the defense to compete in a stout NFC North is a priority.
Needs: OT, CB, EDGE, WR, LB
Trent Williams turns 37 in July. Colton McKivitz is a capable player but may have reached his ceiling. Veteran tackle help is expensive, so finding a starter in the draft would help fold Brock Purdy's upcoming extension under the salary cap.
Needs: EDGE, LB, S, OT, WR, RB
The Cowboys badly need an infusion of talent and a mismanaged salary cap situation means they'll have to find low-cost help at the draft. Fortunately, they can afford to take a "best player available" tact at No. 12 or even trade backward rather than feel compelled to sell off assets to make a run at a superstar.
Needs: CB, DT, S, OT, EDGE
Jalen Ramsey is on his way out, leaving some combination of Storm Duck, Cam Smith and... Ethan Bonner(?) as the team's top sideline cornerbacks. Bringing in an elite talent at No. 13 would keep Kader Kohou in the slot while adding badly needed young talent.
Needs: IOL, LB, EDGE, S
Free agency was harsh to the interior of the Colts' line. On the other side of the ball, Zaire Franklin could use a higher ceiling running mate in the middle of the defense.
Needs: EDGE, C, DT, LB, S
Thirty-one sacks. That's what the Falcons had in 2024. No team had fewer.
Needs: WR, DL, CB, OL, S
Calais Campbell and Dalvin Tomlinson are stopgap solutions up front. Marvin Harrison Jr. is a long-term answer at wideout, but he and Trey McBride could use a little more help to push Kyler Murray back to stardom.
Needs: EDGE, IOL, DT, TE
Even if Trey Hendrickson sticks around, the man who had nearly half the team's total sack output in 2024 needs help. Expect Cincinnati to focus on its defensive line, inside and out, in Green Bay.
Needs: WR, TE, EDGE, IOL
DK Metcalf is a Pittsburgh Steeler. Tyler Lockett was released. Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Sam Darnold can't do this on their own.
Needs: EDGE, S, CB, LB
How much does Haason Reddick have left in the tank? What can Logan Hall bring to the table? Either of those guys could be a badly needed edge presence, but bringing a blue chip talent into the fold would be a much more reliable answer.
Needs: WR, EDGE, DL, RB
Bo Nix's unexpected deep ball attack needs more targets who can win one-on-one matchups. Adding a running back who can force safeties toward the line of scrimmage and unlock more play-action bombs wouldn't hurt, either.
Needs: QB, RB, LB, CB, DL
No. 21 is not the place to find a franchise quarterback. But since the presumptive starter at the moment is either Mason Rudolph or a not-yet-signed Aaron Rodgers, welp...
Needs: WR, EDGE, LB, CB
Mike Williams' return probably won't move the needle. Khalil Mack and Bud Dupree are similarly aged on the other side of the ball. L.A.'s revival is ahead of schedule; now it's time to load up and make a run at the Chiefs.
Needs: EDGE, DT, IOL, CB, OT
Lukas Van Ness remains locked in a rotational role, and Devonte Wyatt has been uneven as a pro. General manager Brian Gutekunst could look to patch either of those recent first-round picks with another Day 1 selection in his hometown.
Needs: CB, S, RB, LB
Retaining Byron Murphy was a good start, but Minnesota needs a high-quality secondary to withstand the swings of Brian Flores' blitz-heavy defense. Finding a dynamic off-ball linebacker who can cover and attack the QB would be a boon as well.
Needs: IOL, OT, RB, DT
The Texans traded away 40 percent of last year's starting offensive line, including former franchise cornerstone Laremy Tunsil. Using this draft's tailback depth to find Joe Mixon's replacement is a common sense follow-up.
Needs: OT, TE, LB, S, CB
The Rams fixed a depleted offensive line on the fly last season, but reinforcements -- especially with Rob Havenstein hitting his second decade of pro football -- make sense. Giving Matthew Stafford a high-value tight end behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams would be a nice luxury-ish addition as well.
Needs: G, CB, WR, EDGE
Even with DeAndre Hopkins in tow, Baltimore could afford to add a talented young receiver with sights set on 2026 and beyond. Boosting the pass rush is another priority; Kyle Van Noy probably won't have another career year in his early 30s this winter.
Needs: EDGE, IOL, LB, DT
Aidan Hutchinson could use a running mate up front to harass quarterbacks. A contingency plan in case Christian Mahogany isn't ready for a starting role at right guard wouldn't hurt, either.
Needs: CB, EDGE, TE, LB, OL
The Commanders' rebuild is way ahead of schedule. Bringing in Laremy Tunsil and Deebo Samuel were big moves, but lots more needs to be done -- especially when it comes to the defense that gave up 55 points in the NFC title game.
Needs: CB, WR, S, EDGE
Christian Benford continues to level up. He badly needs reinforcements in the secondary.
Needs: OT, DT, EDGE, CB, S
Maybe Jaylon Moore is the answer to Patrick Mahomes's blindside issues. Even if that bet pays off, Kansas City needs young new talent up front. Same when it comes to the tackle spot next to Chris Jones.
Needs: EDGE, DT, LB, C
Josh Sweat is a Cardinal. Milton Williams is a Patriot. The defending Super Bowl champions remain in good shape, but pass rushing help is a priority.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: NFL Draft: Every team's biggest needs from the Titans to the Eagles
Continue reading...
This year's crop of hungry rookies is light on blue chip passers, with Miami's Cam Ward at the top of the heap, Colorado's Shedeur Sanders somewhere in his vicinity and a cache of recognizable-but-flawed gunslingers and dual-threat conductors behind them. Fortunately, that scarcity doesn't apply to the other positions on the board. The 2025 crop is dense with high-impact prospects at defensive tackle, tailback, defensive back and along the offensive line.
LATEST NFL MOCK DRAFT:A Jaguars trade into the top-3, Shedeur Sanders to a surprise team
While the exact outcome of the 2025 draft is impossible to predict, we at least know in which direction teams will be looking. All 32 teams have glaring needs to address with low-cost rookie scale contracts. Let's run down each franchise's biggest needs, starting with the Tennessee Titans at the No. 1 overall pick and ending with the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles at No. 32.
1. Tennessee Titans
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Needs: QB, EDGE, WR, S, LB
The first overall pick appears destined to land on Miami quarterback Cam Ward. From there, the Titans will have to build around their new franchise quarterback -- and punch up a defense that ranked 25th in overall efficiency (and 30th in points allowed) last season.
2. Cleveland Browns
Needs: QB, OL, WR, RB, DT
Finding low-cost talent to build around Deshaun Watson -- whom the Browns traded for, then gave $230 million guaranteed despite more than 20 accusations of sexual misconduct dating back to his time as a Houston Texan -- and his albatross of a contract is vital to Cleveland's postseason hopes. That could take several different forms, but pairing up an elite pass rusher with Myles Garrett could make the Browns defense terrifying.
3. New York Giants
Needs: QB, OL, S, TE, RB, LB
The Giants have several holes to fill, making a trade down possible -- especially with a solid 1-2 punch of Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux at pass rush in place. Quarterback remains a pressing concern, but the short-term signings of Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston suggest it could be one the team opts to deal with at the 2026 draft.
4. New England Patriots
Needs: OT, WR, EDGE, OG
New England needs to do whatever it can to juice up Drake Maye. Stefon Diggs was a nice enough start, but there's a long way to go -- especially for a team that allowed more quarterback pressure than anyone else in 2024.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars
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Needs: CB, DL, WR, S
The Jaguars rebuilt a good chunk of their offensive line, but the best gift they could give Trevor Lawrence is a proper WR2 next to Brian Thomas Jr.. Bolstering the secondary is another priority -- though at the fifth overall pick, there may not be an obvious fit for either need.
6. Las Vegas Raiders
Needs: CB, RB, LB, WR
Ashton Jeanty may be a natural first round fit in Pete Carroll's debut season in Nevada. However, the Raiders' secondary has been devastated by departures and badly needs fresh young talent if Carroll is going to recreate his 2010s success.
7. New York Jets
Needs: WR, EDGE, TE, S, QB, OT
There's a lot the Jets need to get right, even after signing Justin Fields at quarterback. Upgrading his target list and giving him a proper young OT combination with 2024 first round-pick Olu Fashanu are foremost among them -- but so is fixing a defense that fell to pieces following Robert Saleh's firing.
8. Carolina Panthers
Needs: EDGE, LB, WR, CB
Bryce Young began to figure things out after being reinserted in the starting lineup. Giving him a trustworthy WR1 would help push him toward his potential under head coach Dave Canales. Either way, bolstering a weak defense would be a massively valuable contingency plan should he backslide.
9. New Orleans Saints
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Needs: OT, WR, QB, EDGE, TE
Like every year, the Saints need young, inexpensive talent to balance out the "buy now, pay later" salary cap management that worked much, much better when Drew Brees was in town. Will Derek Carr's shoulder injury press them to sacrifice low-cost draft assets in a trade up for a quarterback?
10. Chicago Bears
Needs: DT, S, EDGE, WR
The Bears' defense backslid after closing out 2023 on a heater. With an offense capable of thriving under new head coach Ben Johnson -- albeit with a minor need at tailback -- bolstering the defense to compete in a stout NFC North is a priority.
11. San Francisco 49ers
Needs: OT, CB, EDGE, WR, LB
Trent Williams turns 37 in July. Colton McKivitz is a capable player but may have reached his ceiling. Veteran tackle help is expensive, so finding a starter in the draft would help fold Brock Purdy's upcoming extension under the salary cap.
12. Dallas Cowboys
Needs: EDGE, LB, S, OT, WR, RB
The Cowboys badly need an infusion of talent and a mismanaged salary cap situation means they'll have to find low-cost help at the draft. Fortunately, they can afford to take a "best player available" tact at No. 12 or even trade backward rather than feel compelled to sell off assets to make a run at a superstar.
13. Miami Dolphins
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Needs: CB, DT, S, OT, EDGE
Jalen Ramsey is on his way out, leaving some combination of Storm Duck, Cam Smith and... Ethan Bonner(?) as the team's top sideline cornerbacks. Bringing in an elite talent at No. 13 would keep Kader Kohou in the slot while adding badly needed young talent.
14. Indianapolis Colts
Needs: IOL, LB, EDGE, S
Free agency was harsh to the interior of the Colts' line. On the other side of the ball, Zaire Franklin could use a higher ceiling running mate in the middle of the defense.
15. Atlanta Falcons
Needs: EDGE, C, DT, LB, S
Thirty-one sacks. That's what the Falcons had in 2024. No team had fewer.
16. Arizona Cardinals
Needs: WR, DL, CB, OL, S
Calais Campbell and Dalvin Tomlinson are stopgap solutions up front. Marvin Harrison Jr. is a long-term answer at wideout, but he and Trey McBride could use a little more help to push Kyler Murray back to stardom.
17. Cincinnati Bengals
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Needs: EDGE, IOL, DT, TE
Even if Trey Hendrickson sticks around, the man who had nearly half the team's total sack output in 2024 needs help. Expect Cincinnati to focus on its defensive line, inside and out, in Green Bay.
18. Seattle Seahawks
Needs: WR, TE, EDGE, IOL
DK Metcalf is a Pittsburgh Steeler. Tyler Lockett was released. Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Sam Darnold can't do this on their own.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Needs: EDGE, S, CB, LB
How much does Haason Reddick have left in the tank? What can Logan Hall bring to the table? Either of those guys could be a badly needed edge presence, but bringing a blue chip talent into the fold would be a much more reliable answer.
20. Denver Broncos
Needs: WR, EDGE, DL, RB
Bo Nix's unexpected deep ball attack needs more targets who can win one-on-one matchups. Adding a running back who can force safeties toward the line of scrimmage and unlock more play-action bombs wouldn't hurt, either.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers
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Needs: QB, RB, LB, CB, DL
No. 21 is not the place to find a franchise quarterback. But since the presumptive starter at the moment is either Mason Rudolph or a not-yet-signed Aaron Rodgers, welp...
22. Los Angeles Chargers
Needs: WR, EDGE, LB, CB
Mike Williams' return probably won't move the needle. Khalil Mack and Bud Dupree are similarly aged on the other side of the ball. L.A.'s revival is ahead of schedule; now it's time to load up and make a run at the Chiefs.
23. Green Bay Packers
Needs: EDGE, DT, IOL, CB, OT
Lukas Van Ness remains locked in a rotational role, and Devonte Wyatt has been uneven as a pro. General manager Brian Gutekunst could look to patch either of those recent first-round picks with another Day 1 selection in his hometown.
24. Minnesota Vikings
Needs: CB, S, RB, LB
Retaining Byron Murphy was a good start, but Minnesota needs a high-quality secondary to withstand the swings of Brian Flores' blitz-heavy defense. Finding a dynamic off-ball linebacker who can cover and attack the QB would be a boon as well.
25. Houston Texans
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Needs: IOL, OT, RB, DT
The Texans traded away 40 percent of last year's starting offensive line, including former franchise cornerstone Laremy Tunsil. Using this draft's tailback depth to find Joe Mixon's replacement is a common sense follow-up.
26. Los Angeles Rams
Needs: OT, TE, LB, S, CB
The Rams fixed a depleted offensive line on the fly last season, but reinforcements -- especially with Rob Havenstein hitting his second decade of pro football -- make sense. Giving Matthew Stafford a high-value tight end behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams would be a nice luxury-ish addition as well.
27. Baltimore Ravens
Needs: G, CB, WR, EDGE
Even with DeAndre Hopkins in tow, Baltimore could afford to add a talented young receiver with sights set on 2026 and beyond. Boosting the pass rush is another priority; Kyle Van Noy probably won't have another career year in his early 30s this winter.
28. Detroit Lions
Needs: EDGE, IOL, LB, DT
Aidan Hutchinson could use a running mate up front to harass quarterbacks. A contingency plan in case Christian Mahogany isn't ready for a starting role at right guard wouldn't hurt, either.
29. Washington Commanders
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Needs: CB, EDGE, TE, LB, OL
The Commanders' rebuild is way ahead of schedule. Bringing in Laremy Tunsil and Deebo Samuel were big moves, but lots more needs to be done -- especially when it comes to the defense that gave up 55 points in the NFC title game.
30. Buffalo Bills
Needs: CB, WR, S, EDGE
Christian Benford continues to level up. He badly needs reinforcements in the secondary.
31. Kansas City Chiefs
Needs: OT, DT, EDGE, CB, S
Maybe Jaylon Moore is the answer to Patrick Mahomes's blindside issues. Even if that bet pays off, Kansas City needs young new talent up front. Same when it comes to the tackle spot next to Chris Jones.
32. Philadelphia Eagles
Needs: EDGE, DT, LB, C
Josh Sweat is a Cardinal. Milton Williams is a Patriot. The defending Super Bowl champions remain in good shape, but pass rushing help is a priority.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: NFL Draft: Every team's biggest needs from the Titans to the Eagles
Continue reading...
