NFL Draft Watch: Best bet in first round for each AFC team

After months of mock drafts and mind-numbing speculation, the NFL Draft is upon us.  

The first round is Thursday (8 p.m. ET on NFL Network, ESPN, ABC, ESPN Deportes), followed by rounds 2 and 3 on Friday (7 p.m. ET on NFL Network, ABC, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes). The draft will conclude with the final four rounds on Saturday (noon ET on ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes, NFL Network).

Ahead of the first pick in Green Bay, Yardbarker NFL writers identify the best bet in the first round for each AFC team. (First-round draft position is in parentheses.)

AFC East

BUFFALO BILLS (30) | DT Kenneth Grant, Michigan | A player with Grant’s upside and athleticism would fit the Bills perfectly, especially because defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi, a free-agent signee, received a six-game suspension for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy. The 6-foot-3, 339-pound nose tackle put on a show at Michigan’s pro day with a 5.11 40-yard dash, a 31-inch vertical and an 8-foot-9-inch broad jump. He'd be counted on heavily if the team fails to re-sign veteran tackles Jordan Phillips and Quinton Jefferson.

MIAMI DOLPHINS (13) | OT Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas | Protecting Tua Tagovailoa should be the top priority after their 27-year-old QB missed six games with head and hip injuries last season. Banks earned unanimous All-American honors in 2024 and won the Lombardi Award as college football’s best offensive lineman. At 6-foot-5 and 315 pounds, he’d bring even more size to a line that added 6-foot-7, 331-pound lineman Patrick Paul in the second round of last year’s draft.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS  (4) | OT Will Campbell, LSU | Generally considered the best offensive lineman in the draft, the 6-foot-6, 323-pound tackle gave up just two sacks in 994 pass-blocking snaps over the past two seasons and finished 2024 as a first-team All-American. Pro Football Focus ranks Campbell as the best tackle in the draft, calling him an “offensive lineman's offensive lineman.” While there’s been plenty of talk about his arm length (33 inches at his pro day), he should have no problem protecting second-year QB Drake Maye from either guard or tackle.

NEW YORK JETS (7) | RT Armand Membou, Missouri | After spending the past four years with Detroit, new head coach Aaron Glenn understands the importance of offensive linemen and won’t be bothered that the Jets took left tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu in the first round of last year’s draft. Likewise, a one-year, $1.3M contract for right tackle Chukwuma Okorafor shouldn’t deter the team from adding Membou, a versatile, 6-foot-3, 325-pound prospect who didn’t allow a sack on 411 pass-blocking snaps in 2024. — Bruce Ewing

AFC West

DENVER BRONCOS (20) | RB Omarion Hampton, North Carolina | Denver must find another RB to improve its ground game, which finished 16th in the league in rushing yards (112.2) last season. It'd be a smart move to take a powerful back in Hampton (6-foot, 221 pounds), who rushed for 1,660 yards on 281 carries in 12 games last season.  

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (31) | Offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon | With this pick, the Chiefs should replace guard/tackle Joe Thuney after trading the two-time first-team All-Pro to the Chicago Bears in March. Conerly (6-foot-5, 311 pounds) allowed one sack in 14 games in 2024, per Pro Football Focus.

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (6) | RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State | Teams have recently avoided taking RBs with first-round picks, but that shouldn’t stop Vegas from selecting Jeanty (5-foot-9, 211 pounds) with pick No. 6. Jeanty rushed for 2,601 yards in 14 games last season and would give Vegas’ 32nd-ranked rushing attack (79.8 YPG) a major boost.

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS  (22) | TE Colston Loveland, Michigan | Chargers QB Justin Herbert clearly needs more firepower after averaging a career-low 227.6 passing yards per game in 17 regular-season starts in 2024. Loveland (6-foot-6, 248 pounds) had 117 receptions for 1,466 yards and 11 touchdown catches in three seasons with the Wolverines and should be available for the Chargers at this spot. — Clark Dalton

AFC North

BALTIMORE RAVENS (27) | Safety Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina | The Ravens need a running mate in the back end for Kyle Hamilton, and they have no problem targeting defensive backs early in the draft. Baltimore will love the ability of Emmanwori (6-foot-3, 220 pounds) to play near the line of scrimmage and make plays in the backfield. 

CINCINNATI BENGALS (17) | EDGE Mike Green, Marshall | The Bengals would be wise to grab one of the top pass-rushers in the draft, with Sam Hubbard retiring and Trey Hendrickson still seeking a trade. Green (6-foot-3, 251 pounds) led college football in sacks (17) last season, so he’s ready to contribute to a team that needs more production from the D-line.

CLEVELAND BROWNS (2) | CB/WR Travis Hunter, Colorado | The Browns need blue-chip talent on both sides of the ball, so Hunter (6-foot-0, 188 pounds) would be the ideal first-round pick as the most dynamic athlete in this class. Hunter will improve two position groups at once and inject excitement into a fan base that desperately needs it. 

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (21) | QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado | Rumors and reports indicate some teams have shown interest in trading up in front of Pittsburgh to snag Sanders (6-foot-1, 212 pounds). If the Steelers get their next franchise QB without having to move up in the first round, it would be an A+ night for them. — Jack Dougherty

AFC South

HOUSTON TEXANS (25) | Guard Tyler Booker, Alabama | The Texans need a left tackle after they traded Laremy Tunsil, but they have also parted ways with starting guards Kenyon Green and Shaq Mason. With all of the top tackles potentially off the board by the 25th pick, Booker (6-foot-5, 321 pounds), who faced elite defensive line competition in the SEC, is the best option. 

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (14) | TE Tyler Warren, Penn State | The Colts have not had a great receiving threat at tight end in years, a problem Warren (6-foot-5, 256 pounds) could solve. Warren, who had 104 catches for 1,233 yards and eight touchdown catches last season, regularly makes contested catches and fights for extra yardage, which would make him the perfect safety valve for QBs Daniel Jones and/or Anthony Richardson.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (5) | DL Mason Graham, Michigan | An argument can be made that the Jaguars should trade back, and they might be tempted to take Jeanty at this spot. But they should keep it simple by going with Graham (6-foot-3, 296 pounds), the best interior defensive lineman in the draft and a player who will address a glaring need. Graham has perhaps the best motor in the draft and an elite combination of size and quickness.

TENNESSEE TITANS (1) | QB Cam Ward, Miami | Sometimes the most obvious choice in the draft turns out to be the best one, and the Titans are hoping that will be the case when they select Ward with the first overall pick. Ward (6-foot-2, 219 pounds) threw for 4,313 yards, 39 touchdowns and seven interceptions with the Hurricanes last season. He is viewed by many as the only sure thing at QB in this year’s draft, and Tennessee desperately needs to get that position right. — Steve DelVecchio