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John's 2025 NFL Draft team needs for franchises picking early. Picks 1-16 team needs and positional breakdowns for 16 NFL teams.
Having an early pick in the NFL Draft and nailing the selection is the best way to pick up a cornerstone of a franchise for many years to come. Whether it's a franchise quarterback, an elite wide receiver, a highly disruptive pass-rusher, or a highly skilled offensive lineman, talented players are coming out of college that demand early picks.
Those at the very start of the draft have the first choice at quarterback, the most crucial position in football. Still, even after the first 10 picks, there usually remains a handful of players with potentially elite upside at other important positions for teams to get.
Teams with their biggest needs lining up with this fact are in luck this year, and the depth of certain classes is a boon for many teams as well. So let's dive into the biggest NFL team needs for the teams with a top-16 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft ahead of the season and speculate on who they might pick.
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1. Tennessee Titans: Quarterback
There's no surprise here. The Titans are in desperate need of a franchise quarterback. The Will Levis experiment didn't work. He's been mostly terrible and inconsistent, and he's not capable of elevating his offense. Tennessee has telegraphed who they're likely to pick—former Miami Hurricanes QB Cameron Ward. The Titans actually canceled a private workout with former Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders and don't appear to be interested in trading out of the first pick.
Titans canceled Shedeur Sanders' private workout. Was that a bad idea?
Daniel Jeremiah says the Titans have "zeroed in on Cam Ward."@heykayadams | @movethesticks pic.twitter.com/yrugr1x7rZ
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) April 7, 2025
This is the most obvious pick I can think of. Ward should be a Titan.
2. Cleveland Browns: Quarterback
The Browns also need a real quarterback to play for them. Deshaun Watson, who's still under contract through 2026, was one of the worst signal-callers in the league in 2024. He also tore his Achilles tendon in Week 7 and re-tore it while rehabbing the original injury in the offseason. It's unclear when (or if) he'll return to play for the Browns. Given the weakness of this QB class, though, it seems likely that Cleveland could pick defensive end Abdul Carter, formerly of Penn State, or WR/CB Travis Hunter, with the second overall pick.
Schefter: Travis Hunter "the more likely pick" to Browns at No. 2 pick in the draft.
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) April 7, 2025
It would be a wise choice. Both Carter and Hunter are viewed as potentially generational prospects and NFL players, and they could become cornerstones of their franchises moving forward. Taking a risk on someone like Sanders makes little sense.
3. New York Giants: Quarterback
It shouldn't be a surprise that the biggest need for the teams with the top-3 picks in the draft is for QB. Still, the Giants signed quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston in the offseason in what appear to be one-year kick-the-can-down-the-road contracts, so it's likely some combination of them will start for the duration of 2025. The Giants seem poised instead to take whichever of Hunter or Carter falls to them.
The Giants could still draft a quarterback — with pick No. 3, or later.
But what fascinates me is if they pass on Shedeur Sanders early — and the effect it has on the rest of the draft.
More of what I’m hearing, on Scoop City ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/uwCgW2Xpiy
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) April 8, 2025
The Giants will have to decide if they think that Sanders can be a franchise quarterback. I don't think he can be, especially not on a team with a poor offensive line. He's horrible under pressure, and the Giants OL of recent years is famed for allowing a ton of it.
4. New England Patriots - Wide Receiver
There was a time when all was well in the world, and fantasy football managers like myself thought the Patriots would select Travis Hunter. He'd be paired with QB Drake Maye, and we'd have a league winner on our hands. Instead, it looks more like Hunter won't make it out of the top-3 picks. This puts NE in an interesting position. This is a weaker wideout class, and though the fantasy football community is obsessed with former Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan, the NFL isn't relatively so high on him.
I’m okay with the Patriots drafting Will Campbell at 4th overall. pic.twitter.com/CGFPCSeH8E
— Patstradamus 🔮 (@Patstradamus) April 6, 2025
Their second-biggest need is offensive line. That would be the least surprising pick for them to make.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars - Offensive Tackle
It's pretty close for the Jags here. They really need more help along the offensive line at multiple positions. They weren't horrible against the run, allowing 4.4 yards per rush attempt, which ranked 15th in the league. They also have a significant need at cornerback, which is why Hunter could have been such a good pick for them.
In the latest mock from @MelKiperESPN, the Jags select Mason Graham and Emeka Egbuka in the first two rounds pic.twitter.com/QvHWbjOS4C
— SleeperJaguars (@SleeperJaguars) April 8, 2025
It's hard to ascertain who they'll pick here. The OL is the more important position, but given the depth of the defensive linemen in the class, they'd be fine going that way, too. They also are lacking at WR2. The Jags have a lot of needs and plenty of options.
6. Las Vegas Raiders - Running Back
By now, it's a foregone conclusion that the Raiders will be drafting former Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty. Hardly anything needs to be said here. They had the worst run game in the league last year and addressed their quarterback position by trading for Geno Smith.
From The Insiders on @NFLNetwork: The #Raiders are hosting RB prospect Ashton Jeanty this week, a pick their fans would enjoy. pic.twitter.com/WeGtUcB2OR
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 7, 2025
Their offensive line isn't horrible. They have a few needs on defense, but none bigger than their RB need.
7. New York Jets - Quarterback
Yes, they signed QB Justin Fields, and yes, he has a huge legion of fans who have seen a handful of his big runs and throws and are convinced a smattering of highlight-reel plays can make someone a franchise quarterback. But Fields runs himself into sacks and can't progress through his reads or read a defense. He's on a two-year contract, and it's a perfect time for the Jets to take a QB like Jaxson Dart to develop.
Jaxson Dart’s Advanced Analytics:
➖11.9 Average Depth of Target
➖7.1% Big Time Throw Rate
➖10.7 Yards Per AttemptThey were ALL better than Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders
The most impressive part? Jaxson Dart accomplished this while having LESS time to throw (2.77) than them pic.twitter.com/ccWkMBPMGU
— Austin Abbott (@AustinAbbottFF) February 14, 2025
8. Carolina Panthers - Defensive Tackle
After the injury to DT Derrick Brown, the Panthers had zero answers for the run last season. They allowed 5.2 yards per carry to opposing rushers last season, the worst mark in the NFL. They desperately need to shore that up. Brown will return next season, but he's the only thing holding that run defense together. This is a deep DT class, luckily.
9. New Orleans Saints - Offensive Tackle
This team will be in cap hell in perpetuity until they fire their general manager, Mickey Loomis, for constantly kicking the can down the road instead of undergoing a rebuild. Still, their left tackle, Ryan Ramczyk, could retire due to persistent knee problems, leaving the team in dire need of a blind-side blocker for quarterback Derek Carr and whoever they draft. They could go QB, though. Apparently, they like Dart and Sanders quite a bit.
Shedeur Sanders now the favorite by Fan Duel to get drafted by the #Saints. pic.twitter.com/3qTUbLwcVT
— Rod Walker (@RodWalkerNola) April 7, 2025
10. Chicago Bears - Running Back
They already have D'Andre Swift, but he was one of the worst RBs in the NFL regarding rushing yards over expectation per attempt. New head coach Ben Johnson will likely want to bolster his running back room to run the committee system he implemented in Detroit. The team made a slew of moves to bolster the offensive line heavily and has a good defensive roster. They also have DJ Moore and Rome Odunze at WR and Caleb Williams at QB.
Armand Membou (Missouri) is a freak athlete with quick feet who has shown advanced pass sets and hand usage.
The combine further proved his athleticism, as he measured 6’4”, 332 lbs, and ran a 4.91 40-yard dash.#DaBearshttps://t.co/gLHyfV1lDV
— Bears Nation (@BearsNationCHI) April 8, 2025
But there's a ton of talent at RB, and if Jeanty is gone, they could wait until the second or third round to pick one. They have plenty of other targets they're interested in with their first-round pick, notably some OL prospects.
11. San Francisco 49ers - Offensive Tackle
The niners punted bolstering their offensive line as long as possible while OT Trent Williams was still playing at a high level. But he'll be 37 years old before the 2025 season. His career is drawing to a close. OL injuries decimated the niners offense in 2024. They can't let that happen again. They must protect Brock Purdy as much as possible, especially since they'll have to pay him a ton of money very soon.
When will the #49ers address the offensive line in the draft?
Here’s a look at the top 20 OL prospects, based on the consensus big board from https://t.co/3lKX5bKnJ4, along with their combine numbers. Both Will Campbell & Armand Membou tested extremely well. pic.twitter.com/kBNv7y0Mln
— SFdata9ers🏈📊 (@sfdata9ers) April 7, 2025
12. Dallas Cowboys - Running Back
Maybe defensive tackle Mazi Smith, who the Cowboys selected over tight end Sam LaPorta, will finally develop into a consistently good run defender. Dallas is solid at most of its roster spots, but they don't have a real running back. Miles Sanders and Javonte Williams won't cut it.
They also have a huge need for a real WR2 that they could address here. CeeDee Lamb will continue to be the alpha WR1, but taking some coverage away from him would really help Dallas' offense. They could take a WR in the first round since the position is so much more valuable, then pick an RB later.
13. Miami Dolphins - Left Tackle
OT Terron Armstead, one of the best in the NFL when healthy, is retiring. Now, the Dolphins have a massive need at LT, which they must address with the utmost urgency. They've now lost Armstead, center Connor Williams, and guard Robert Hunt in the past two seasons. They have little depth and talent on the offensive line now.
Terron Armstead officially retired over the weekend. He battled through countless injuries — including being told before this past season that he needed a knee replacement… and he still played.
It reminded me of a question I asked him a couple of years ago... pic.twitter.com/nPMh1BRSLo
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) April 7, 2025
14. Indianapolis Colts - Cornerback
The Colts allowed 7.2 yards per pass attempt last season, which is good for fifth-worst in the NFL. Teams that are leaky against the pass generally don't succeed in the regular or postseason. Indy needs to address this issue immediately. CB Will Johnson would be a great fit.
Colts rated as one of the worst 5 teams in 1st round drafting since 2020. https://t.co/NOWERMDXrw
— Landon Oliver (@Landon3MR) April 3, 2025
They also have a starting quarterback that, while immensely physically talented, can't even complete more than 50 percent of his passes, but they'll have to kick that can down the road. They're not great drafters early, though, so count on them to screw it up!
15. Atlanta Falcons - Cornerback, EDGE
The Falcons wouldn't be happy to see Johnson go off the board. They're in equally desperate need of a pass-rusher, so I listed both here because it was tough to pick just one. Atlanta's defense has a long history of being absolutely horrible, so they need to kill two birds with one stone in this year's draft.
New Kiper Two-Round Mock:
Falcons select EDGE Mike Green and CB Benjamin Morrison.
Loading up on defense 👀 pic.twitter.com/i60s3ppJBv
— Rise Up Penix (@RiseUpReader) April 8, 2025
16. Arizona Cardinals - EDGE
No one on the team had more than five sacks last season. The lack of pressure generated on opposing QBs allows the opposite team to dictate much of the game, which just can't happen. Teams that don't pressure and sack the opposing QB much are doomed to fail. This year's pass-rusher class is very, very deep. I'm 100 percent confident they'll pick one in the first round.
Signing defensive end Josh Sweat from the Eagles helps, but they need to build depth here, too.
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