NFL Mock Draft - The 18 Non-Playoff Teams are Locked into Position

The NFL Draft positions for the 18 teams not in the playoffs are locked in. We take a look at who they might take.

Cam Ward is the No. 1 overall pick in the latest NFL Mock Draft from Atlanta Falcons on SI. / Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

18 NFL franchises may have missed out on the playoffs, but they can rejoice by being welcomed to NFL Draft season. We take a look at the teams whose draft positions are locked in and what they might do in April's draft.

1) Tennessee Titans - Cam Ward, QB, Miami

Credentials and degrees of study aren’t required to see head coach Brian Callahan does not favor quarterback Will Levis. Being no better than 26th in any statistic while wielding a 13/12 touchdown to interception ratio, it is simple in Nashville: Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders? 

With Ward’s superior arm talent and a franchise seeking to cut out relationship drama, they’ll go Ward over Sanders.

2) Cleveland Browns - Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado

Adamant to play on both sides of the ball, imagine the Heisman-winning Hunter opposite of Denzel Ward in a Jim Schwartz defense and paired with the ascending Jerry Jeudy? 

The dismay of Haslem's ownership and Deshaun Watson’s contract don’t equip this team to draft a rookie quarterback, particularly Sanders and his dad. Instead, they opt for a veteran bridge similar to Jameis Winston in 2024. A team that could use “feel-good” media and positive PR with their fans and NFL fans takes the most popular and polarizing prospect in years.

3) New York Giants - Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado

Owner John Mara confirmed on Black Monday that he is retaining general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll. Still, it was not a pretty endorsement, “I've just about run out of patience,” Mara said on Monday.  

It only takes one team. The Giants and Sanders seem fond of each other. Can you imagine the Sanders family in the New York media as the Giants starting quarterback? Prime Time indeed.

4) New England Patriots - Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State

The draft feels like it’s playing second fiddle after the Patriots turned first-year head coach Jerod Mayo into a Black Monday victim. What now? Pencil in former Patriot and ex-Titans head coach Mike Vrabel as a lock to be the replacement.  The media narrative is understandably to support young franchise quarterback Drake Maye, but Abdul Carter has 1st overall pick potential. Paired with Patriots star Keion White, that is a diabolical pass-rush duo for a defense starving to add talent to a young core (White, Christian Gonzalez, Christian Barmore). 

5) Jacksonville Jaguars - Will Johnson, CB, Michigan

A Patrick Surtain Jr. comp is an excellent perspective for Johnson’s talent level. A five-star All-American legacy from Michigan, Johnson squeezes routes with exceptional navigation, featuring remarkable fluid athleticism. Although he primarily excels in off-coverage zones, his skills in press-man coverage position him as a potential top-five pick. Teaming up with the talented Tyson Campbell, they create an exciting young duo for the new Jaguars coach.

6) Las Vegas Raiders - Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State

Mark Davis’s Raiders urgently need to improve at starting quarterback, but their standing in the draft makes Ward or Sanders unlikely. A more likely approach is targeting a veteran like Sam Darnold to start in 2025. Jeanty adds a shot of adrenaline to a thread-bare running back room. 

7) New York Jets - Mason Graham, DT, Michigan

The Jets are in an awkward position without a general manager, a head coach, and with Woody Johnson as the owner. Additionally, there's uncertainty surrounding Aaron Rodgers’s future with the team. While the  Jets have relied on a strong defensive reputation for the past few years, there are enough core players intact for the new staff to try to hit the ground running. Graham is plug-and-play day one next to Quinnen Williams for a freight train interior. Graham possesses exceptional skills and gameplay instincts beyond a typical rookie.

8) Carolina Panthers - Jalon Walker, LB/Edge, Georgia

The Panthers were ranked No. 32 by some distance in scoring defense in 2024, expect them to go defense early and often. Jalon Walker to Carolina is the best fit featured here. Head coach Dave Canales pulled five wins out of this team while shifting the culture and reenergizing Bryce Young. Now, add defensive talent. The Butkus Award Winner has a similar feel of Thomas Davis going to Carolina—a Georgia Bulldog who plays two positions in college and settles in Charlotte as a distinguished leader for a decade.

9) New Orleans Saints - Malaki Starks, S, Georgia

This is the second consecutive top-tier NFC South selection featuring another familiar Georgia Bulldog. Starks, a three-year starting All-American and National Champion under head coach Kirby Smart, brings versatility as both a nickel corner and safety. He’s also been a leader in the Georgia program, along with Walker. 

A Saints’ secondary featuring nearly 33-year-old Tyrann Mathieu and subpar nickel talent is too easy to plug and play Starks for years to come. 

10) Chicago Bears - Kelvin Banks, OT, Texas

It doesn’t matter if the Bears get Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as their next head coach, someone at the helm has to see that outside of Darnell Wright, this offensive line cannot be relied on to support a second-year first-overall pick. Enter unanimous All-American and Outland Trophy winner Kelvin Banks. 

11) San Francisco 49ers - Will Campbell, OT, LSU

The Super Bowl window closed. Does that justify Niners fans calling for Kyle Shanahan’s head? No. Now, start the process of opening it again in the trenches. Projected by many to have a future at guard similar to the Peter Skoronski/Sam Cosmi progression, whether or not that’s the case, a plug-and-play spot is there for Campbell and a soon-to-be wealthy Brock Purdy. 

12) Dallas Cowboys - Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona

There is no joke on Jerry Jones here; the Cowboys need skill players. CeeDee Lamb can’t do it all for mega-millionaire Dak Prescott. Best available, McMillan gives Lamb and Prescott a chance to form a league-noteworthy duo with the comfort of knowing this running back class for an impact rusher on Day 2.

13) Miami Dolphins - Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas

A top 75 player for the 2024 NFL Draft before returning to school, his proven track record of nickel, safety, and boundary corner snaps is a seamless upgrade in a secondary featuring disgruntled Jalen Ramsey, nearly 34-year-old Jordan Poyer, and pending free agent Jevon Holland.

14) Indianapolis Colts - Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State

General Manager Chris Ballard’s reputation for drafting athletic freaks welcomes the 6 feet 6 inch, 257-pound Warren to a tight end room that did not yield a 200+ yard receiver this season for Anthony Richardson despite drafting four tight ends in their last-four drafts. 

With his in-line blocking dominance adding to the running game and opening the middle of the field, Warren’s alignment versatility out wide, similar to Travis Kelce and Sam LaPorta for perspective, is rare enough to go this high. 98 catches, 1,158 yards, and eight touchdowns have powered the Nittany Lions to the Final Four teams of the CFP.

15) Atlanta Falcons - Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama

Troy Andersen’s consistent injury history leaves Pro Bowl alternate Kaden Elliss without much relief. Although the Falcons have maximized the potential of the athletically limited Nate Landman and identified a role for JD Bertrand as a two-down designated pass rusher, addressing the linebacker position remains a top-two need for this Falcons team. 

If you're looking for a starter in a limited linebacker class who can play in space, don't hesitate. Campbell is a former five-star edge offering versatility rushing the passer. He is the needed sideline-to-sideline speed, athleticism, and availability the Falcons aren’t getting out of Andersen in Atlanta. 

16) Arizona Cardinals - James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee

Head coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort know they have to upgrade their front seven personnel from a talent standpoint to continue taking the next step in their rebuild. 17 sacks in the last two seasons jump off the stat sheet about as much as Pearce’s two 1st Team All-SEC nods. He has a burst off the snap, with elite foot speed and production with 28 tackles-for-loss in the last two seasons.He has the athletic ability to create backside stops and bend the corner, sweeping the floor. 

17) Cincinnati Bengals - Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri

In the 2024 preseason, Tee Higgins submitted a trade request with the Bengals, was denied and given the franchise tag. Triple crown winner Ja’Marr Chase has an upcoming payday, and the Bengals are a notoriously cheap franchise. It is hard to project ownership dropping the kind of cash to retain Joe Burrow, Chase, and Higgins, no matter how blatantly Burrow threatens them.

With 10 touchdowns and over 900 yards, Higgins should aim for $20-million annually, according to Spotrac. The 17th overall pick roughly gets a 4-year, $15.5-million contract not including the team’s fifth-year option. Higgins gets the bag in free agency as the class’s crown jewel, and Burden brings his elite yards-after-catch ability to Cincy. 

18) Seattle Seahawks - Aireontae Ersery, OT, Minnesota

Head coach Mike Macdonald has already proven that he will blatantly identify and act on organizational deficiencies in his short tenure. Right tackle Abraham Lucas has struggled to stay on the field following an impressive rookie season, and outside of left tackle Charles Cross, this offensive line is simply insufficient. Ersery brings over 1,500 snaps of experience at offensive tackle and boasts a physically dominating physique at 6 feet 6 inches and 330 pounds, making him a capable option to play guard when necessary.