Five takeaways from NFL.com's first mock draft

With just one game to go in the NFL season and Senior Bowl week underway many fans have turned their attention to draft season.

There's still a lot that can change between now and draft night, but it's never too early to look at mock drafts.

Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com, who is one of the top NFL Draft analysts out there, recently put out his first 2025 NFL mock draft.  Jeremiah's mock draft is something that holds a lot of weight as he is plugged in behind the scenes to how the NFL views these prospects.

Here are five takeaways from the mock draft:

Giants land Cam Ward; Shedeur Sanders goes to Raiders

Out of the many teams with a need at quarterback this offseason, the Giants and Raiders are at the top of the list.

With Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll heading into Year 4, they must find an answer at the position before their time in charge expires. Meanwhile, the Raiders haven't found a long-term solution at quarterback since moving on from Derek Carr after the 2022 season.

Although Ward and Sanders are two prospects that wouldn't come off the board in the top 10 in a more formidable quarterback class, the massive need at the position drives up their draft stock.  

As it stands currently, it would be a surprise if either Ward or Sanders were left waiting very long to hear their name called on draft night.

Tyler Booker goes top 10

Expert mock drafts can be helpful at this point in the process for identifying prospects that the NFL could be higher on than the current media consensus.

That may be the case for Alabama guard Tyler Booker who goes 10th overall to the Bears in Jeremiah's mock draft.

Protection for Caleb Williams has to be a major priority after he was sacked a league-high 68 times in his rookie year. Expect Chicago to invest in their interior offensive line in free agency, but if they strike out, Booker becomes an intriguing option with their first-round pick.

Will Johnson falls to Atlanta

Will Johnson is regarded as one of the top prospects in this class by many draft analysts.  The Michigan cornerback is very instinctive in coverage and has good closing speed and fluid movement skills.

Jeremiah's first mock draft projects Johnson to fall to the Falcons at 15th overall on draft night.

Improving the pass rush is the biggest priority for Atlanta this offseason. However, the opportunity to pair A.J. Terrell Jr. with Johnson would be difficult to pass up.

Azareye'h Thomas is a potential riser

Azareye'h Thomas is one notable player who came off the board earlier in Jeremiah's mock draft than other projections.  Thomas is the 54th-ranked player on the consensus big board, but he goes to the Ravens at 27th overall.

The Florida State cornerback possesses an ideal combination of size and movement skills for the position that will be coveted by NFL teams.

James Pearce Jr. falls to back end of first round

James Pearce Jr. is highly regarded by many draft analysts and for good reason as the Tennessee edge-rusher has two consecutive seasons of elite play in the SEC along with the quickness to wreak havoc in opposing backfields in the NFL.

Jeremiah projects Pearce to come off the board late in the first round to the Chiefs. 

This would be an ideal fit for Kansas City if Charles Omenihu and Josh Uche leave in free agency.