We are officially reaching the peak of NFL Draft season, so there’s no better time to take a look at some of my favorite potential picks in the first round. Last year I discussed a similar topic, and in retrospect I’m pretty stoked to see most of the predictions I made: particularly Quinyon Mitchell going to the Eagles, a pick that ended up contributing considerably to their Super Bowl victory.
This year looks to feature a bit more mystery at the top of the draft, especially considering the lack of blue-chip quarterback prospects. With that being said, let’s take a look at what could potentially play out!
1. Pick 3 New York Giants: Travis Hunter WR/CB, University of Colorado
It seems that the New York Giants have found their (temporary) solution to the quarterback position, having signed Russell Wilson to be their starter for the upcoming season. Both Head Coach Brian Daboll and General Manager Joe Schoen are in the hot seat, and another unsuccessful season could possibly lose them their jobs.
Enter Travis Hunter, the most unique prospect we have seen in the NFL draft perhaps since his own coach at Colorado, Deion Sanders. Hunter is, for all intents and purposes, a unicorn. Playing both wide receiver and cornerback for the Colorado Buffaloes, Hunter put on show some of the most impressive play that we have ever seen from a prospect, in a season that ultimately earned him the Heisman Trophy, college football’s biggest individual award.
There has been no player in the history of the NFL that has dominated on both offense and defense, yet Hunter looks determined to do exactly that, saying that he would “never play football again” if he could only play one position. For a team that is in desperate need of raw talent like the Giants are, this could be a blessing sent down from the gods.
When imagining how Hunter might fit into the team, I can only imagine him lining up on the other side of the field from Malik Nabers, giving nightmares to any defensive backs that have to cover each of them one-on-one. Hunter’s rare jump-ball abilities combined with his elite hands made him virtually impossible to guard with only one player in college, and so it is difficult to imagine a scenario that doesn’t succeed. Not only that, but with the recent signings of Paulson Adebo and Jevon Holland, Hunter would be a scary addition to that defensive backs room.
I believe that the talent is too great — if Hunter is there at pick 3, the Giants have to take him.
2. Pick 8 Carolina Panthers: Mason Graham DT, University of Michigan
One of the biggest surprises of last season was the late turnaround of the Carolina Panthers. For a team that was so atrocious the year prior, and didn’t start off the season any better, the fact that they remained competitive and saw Bryce Young, former first overall pick, take strides was massive.
In order to build on what they already have, I think it’s important that they prioritize the trenches. The front office thought they had done that when they came to an agreement with Milton Williams, however in an embarrassing turn of events, he would ultimately turn his back on Carolina and sign with the New England Patriots instead.
In the absence of Williams, I believe that Mason Graham is the player that the Panthers need to firm up any weaknesses they may have along the defensive line. Graham put together one of the most impressive stretches of collegiate defensive line player during his time at Michigan as one of the driving forces behind their National Championship in 2023.
There are some concerns around Graham’s size and arm length, but even with these he should still find himself comfortably within the first ten selections of the draft. Graham has immense upside as both a pass rusher and a run stopper. A team like the Panthers would be ecstatic to have someone that can immediately clog up opposing teams’ running games and get after the quarterback.
3. Pick 13 Miami Dolphins: Will Campbell OT, Louisiana State University
The Dolphins have sustained a number of critical losses along their offensive line over the last couple of off-seasons: Most notably Robert Hunt signing a five-year deal with the Panthers and Terron Armstead retiring from the NFL. Given that there are significant concerns surrounding their quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s history of concussions, it is imperative that they do everything they can to protect him.
Will Campbell is arguably the most talented offensive lineman in the draft class, and would be an invaluable addition to any offensive line. There are questions surrounding Campbell’s ability to transition as an offensive tackle from the college level to the pros due to his shorter arm length (32 5/8 inches), but I don’t think this should deter the Dolphins.
In the best case scenario, Campbell will be able to successfully make the transition as a tackle, and the Dolphins will have shored up one of the most important positions on an NFL field. Campbell is an elite athlete (outside of arm length), and those traits combined with his great technique could place him as one of the top tackles in the entire league.
However, even in a scenario where Campbell is not able to make it as a tackle, I have a lot of confidence that he could have a long career as an interior offensive lineman. While it’s not necessarily as valuable as having someone on the outside, it would still be a great pick for the Dolphins, and could provide immediate help in making a playoff push.
4. Pick 20 Denver Broncos: Omarion Hampton RB, University of North Carolina
Since hiring Sean Payton, the Broncos have managed to pull off a surprisingly quick rebuild that saw them make the playoffs last season with a rookie quarterback at the helm. There are very few glaring weaknesses on the roster, in large part due to some savvy signings made by the front office this offseason, snagging both Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufanga from the San Francisco 49ers, as well as Evan Engram after he was waived by the Jacksonville Jaguars. This has left Denver in a position where they should be able to take the best player available.
Luckily for the Broncos, this draft class is incredibly deep with talent at positions where the pro team could do with more depth, specifically running back and tight end. This may prompt the Broncos to hold off on selecting a player at one of these positions in the first round, instead electing to wait until their second or third round picks. However, I believe that Hampton is a special enough talent that you can justify the use of valuable draft capital on him.
The biggest remaining weakness on the Broncos’ roster is their running back room. The RB1 last year was Jaleel McLaughlin, an undrafted speed back who couldn’t even accumulate 500 rushing yards for the season. While McLaughlin has the potential to be an effective change of pace for Payton’s offense, I think he fits in better as a complementary piece rather than the bell cow.
Hampton, on the other hand, has a proven record as a guy you can give thirty carries a game. He is incredibly effective as both a runner and receiver, and could slot in immediately as one of the best running backs in the league. During his final year at UNC, Hampton finished second in both yards after contact (1,222) and broken tackles (72), only trailing Ashton Jeanty in both categories. For a team that finished ninth-worst in yards over expected per rush, Hampton would be an immediate improvement and could help take the Broncos offense to new heights in 2025.
5. Pick 28 Detroit Lions: Mike Green EDGE, Marshall University
The Lions had an immensely successful regular season, however they fell short of expectations in a disappointing loss to the Washington Commanders. The biggest reason for the loss was their inability to stop anything on defense, surrendering 45 points in the effort.
Part of the problem with the defense was the injury sustained by superstar defensive end, Aidan Hutchinson, early in the year. Hutchinson looked all but guaranteed to win his first defensive player of the year award when he suffered the devastating injury. Nevertheless, the Lions could make Hutchinson’s life easier by strengthening their defensive line and giving defenses another player to gameplan around.
After Abdul Carter (who is in a league of his own), it is possible that Green could be the best edge rusher in the entire draft class. Green registered 17 sacks in his redshirt sophomore year at Marshall, and was effectively a one-man wrecking crew for a team that went 10 – 3.
Green is an exceptional athlete, blending good size with a great ability to get off the line and use his agility and power to get to the quarterback. He has the potential to be a first option pass rusher, and so to get him at 28 would be immense value, so much so that there is a decent chance that Green is not even available for the Lions at this slot. However, there are concerns about the level of competition he faced at Marshall, as well as potential character issues that may seem him slide into the late first round. In this case, I think Detroit would be the perfect fit for both him and the team.
