Draft season is basically a fever dream for NFL fans. We spend months arguing over 40-yard dash times and "hand size" like it actually tells us if a kid can play on a freezing Sunday in January. If you’ve been refreshing for the latest pff mock draft 2025, you know the board is absolute chaos this year. There isn’t a clear-cut Trevor Lawrence or Caleb Williams at the top, and that's exactly why Pro Football Focus (PFF) is leaning so heavily into the "best player available" strategy.
Honestly? Most people are looking at the wrong things. They’re obsessed with finding the next Mahomes in a class where the real gold is actually in the trenches or on the perimeter.
The Cam Ward vs. Shedeur Sanders Dilemma
The Tennessee Titans have been at the center of every major pff mock draft 2025 lately. It makes sense. They finished 31st in PFF passing grade without pressure, which is a fancy way of saying Will Levis struggled even when nobody was touching him. PFF's analysts, like Trevor Sikkema and Max Chadwick, have been hammering Cam Ward from Miami as the potential savior.
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Why Ward? He earned the highest clean-pocket passing grade in the 2025 class. He's got that "Houdini" trait where he can extend plays, though he still has those head-scratching moments where he throws the ball into triple coverage.
Then there’s Shedeur Sanders. The Giants are seemingly locked into him in half the mocks you see. He’s arguably the most accurate passer in this group. His 1.6% turnover-worthy play rate is elite. But there’s a vibe that some front offices are hesitant. You've probably seen the videos of him throwing with Malik Nabers—the chemistry is already there. If the Giants pass on a QB at No. 3, their fan base might actually riot.
Travis Hunter is the Only Real "Unicorn"
If we’re being real, Travis Hunter is the best football player in this draft. Period. PFF has him as a top-10 graded receiver and a top-three graded cornerback. That’s just stupid. It shouldn’t be possible.
Most mocks have him going to the Titans or the Jaguars, but here's the catch: where does he play?
- The Case for CB: He’s a lockdown corner with instinctual ball skills.
- The Case for WR: He’s a gazelle with elite hands who scores 15 touchdowns a year.
PFF’s data suggests he might be a full-time corner who gets 10-15 snaps on offense a week. Think of him as a more modern, more athletic Deion Sanders. If your team passes on him for a mediocre QB, you have every right to be annoyed.
The Defensive Trench War
While everyone is busy arguing about quarterbacks, the 2025 class is actually loaded with guys who want to ruin a quarterback's life. Abdul Carter from Penn State is the name you need to know. He wears No. 11, he’s from Penn State, and he plays exactly like Micah Parsons.
He put up a 92.3 pass-rush grade. That’s absurd. In several pff mock draft 2025 iterations, he’s gone as high as No. 1. If he falls to the New England Patriots or the Chicago Bears, he changes those defenses on day one.
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Then there's Mason Graham. He’s 320 pounds of pure problem. PFF grades him as an elite run defender who can also rush the passer from the interior. Teams like the Jaguars, who have been soft in the middle, are basically drooling over his tape.
Surprise Risers and Falling Stars
Check out Ashton Jeanty. A running back in the top 10? In this economy?
Usually, PFF hates taking RBs early because of "positional value," but Jeanty is different. He forced 151 missed tackles. That isn't a typo. He averages over five yards after contact. If Pete Carroll and the Raiders are looking for a physical identity, Jeanty is the pick that makes everyone else in the AFC West nervous.
On the flip side, we’re seeing some "blue chip" tackles like Will Campbell from LSU start to slide in some mocks because of arm length concerns. It's the classic NFL over-scouting move. The guy didn't allow a sack for almost two years, but his arms are a half-inch too short, so he "might be a guard."
Key Prospects by the Numbers
| Player | Position | PFF Grade Highlight | Projected Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cam Ward | QB | 92.9 Overall Grade | Top 5 |
| Travis Hunter | WR/CB | 89.0+ in both roles | Top 3 |
| Abdul Carter | EDGE | 93.0 Pass Rush Grade | Top 5 |
| Ashton Jeanty | RB | 5.3 Yards After Contact | Top 15 |
| Colston Loveland | TE | 90.6 Receiving Grade | Mid-First |
What You Should Actually Look For Next
Stop looking at the team names and start looking at the "Big Board" rankings versus the mock slots. When a guy like Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss) starts climbing into the top three, it’s not because he’s the third-best player; it’s because the NFL is a quarterback-starved league that acts out of desperation.
The real value in the pff mock draft 2025 isn't the first five picks. It's the mid-first round where guys like Tetairoa McMillan or Malaki Starks are sitting. Those are the picks that actually build Super Bowl rosters while the bad teams are reaching for "franchise" QBs who will be out of the league in four years.
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Your Next Steps:
Keep an eye on the "true pass set" grades as we get closer to the combine. If a tackle like Kelvin Banks Jr. or Will Campbell starts lighting up those specific metrics, they’ll lock themselves into the top 10 regardless of what the "arm length" scouts say. Also, watch the trade market—PFF’s simulator shows that the Giants or Browns are the most likely to sell the farm to move up to No. 1.