2025 NFL Mock Draft: Raiders move on from Gardner Minshew as 3 QBs go in top 10; Bears, Steelers address WR

A week after they dropped 38 points in a win over the Ravens, reality struck for the Raiders — they need a long-term answer at quarterback. Not that we expected Gardner Minshew to necessarily be that guy before the start of the season, but the dreadful outing against the previously 0-2 Panthers served as a stark reminder of Las Vegas’ ceiling. 

The Raiders were rumored to be interested in Jayden Daniels in the 2024 NFL Draft because of his Arizona State connection to current head coach Antonio Pierce. Of course, Las Vegas was unable to jump all the way to the No. 2 spot to select the dynamic quarterback. Therefore, they have Minshew and second-year pro Aidan O’Connell at the game’s most vital position. 

As for the Jaguars, they have Trevor Lawrence signed through 2030, and although the former No. 1 overall pick needs to play more consistently and much closer to his perceived potential, in Week 3, it wouldn’t have mattered how well Lawrence played given how the Bills shredded Jacksonville’s defense. Sure, there was no Tyson Campbell nor Darnell Savage for the prime-time game in Orchard Park, but this Jaguars secondary needs more top-tier talent. 

And that’s precisely where someone like Michigan’s Will Johnson could step in. The first-team All-American in 2023 already has a pair of pick-sixes, and he’s defended three other passes in the Wolverines’ first four games en route to a 3-1 start. 

Just like Lawrence and the Jaguars’ downward trend began later in the 2023 campaign, the Cowboys have been Swiss cheese against the run for a while now. Against the Ravens at home on Sunday, Baltimore ran for 274 yards at a whopping 6.1 yards per pop. Dallas needs a lot of things, and a top priority is more beef and serious talent on its defensive interior. 

Now, let’s get to the players who heard their names called in this week’s mock draft. 

The draft order below was determined using the current SportsLine consensus Super Bowl odds but in reverse order.

For more draft coverage, you can hear in-depth analysis twice a week on “With the First Pick” — our year-round NFL Draft podcast with NFL Draft analyst Ryan Wilson and former Vikings general manager Rick Spielman. You can find “With the First Pick” wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, etc. Listen below!