Lou Pickney's Latest Insight
March 23, 2025
If you have any questions/comments, feel free to contact Lou Pickney via X, Bluesky, or email (lou@loupickney.com).
I hadn't planned to bring back the mailbag, not so quickly anyway, but people have questions. And suddenly I'm no longer mysteriously invisible with the new MockDraftNFL brand.
Keep in mind that my focus is primarily on who the picks will be on night one of the draft. With the prospect listings here and the NFLDraftProfiles.com player profiles, you'll notice my layout is geared for casual audiences with easy-to-find info.
MAILBAG
From @chrisgoodman in response to my 3/20/2025 mock draft:
Interesting. QBs and Jeanty going so high would be wild.
The Titans have done everything to draft Ward with the OL.
Lou: There have been hints for some time that Ashton Jeanty has supporters in the Raiders organization.
Once Las Vegas traded for Seattle QB Geno Smith, reuniting him with new Raiders HC Pete Carroll, Jeanty to the Raiders at #6 became a more viable option.
Look at the success that the Lions have had with RB Jahmyr Gibbs, the #12 overall selection in 2023 out of Alabama. Elite speed and great receiving ability. It doesn't matter that Gibbs only weighs ~200 pounds.
The NFL keeps tilting in favor of the passing game, largely due to rule changes made for safety reasons. Go back to those drafts 20-25 years ago and notice how comparatively large most of the top-drafted RBs were in that era.
As for Cam Ward, the closer we get to April 24, the more likely it appears the Titans will select him with the #1 overall pick.
Zany things like the 2001 San Diego/Atlanta trade for the #1 pick the night before the draft don't happen anymore in the NFL, for a number of reasons.
What's also of interest is the fate of Will Levis. It didn't work out in Nashville, not with so many turnovers. But perhaps in a different system elsewhere with a stronger supporting cast, things might be better.
These safety prospects look promising for the 2025 NFL Draft. Noting their strengths and potential fits for various teams will be key. Which players do you think could make the most immediate impact in the league? — TekChiefKC (@tekchiefkc.bsky.social) March 22, 2025 at 8:45 PM
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From TekChiefKC: These safety prospects look promising for the 2025 NFL Draft. Noting their strengths and potential fits for various teams will be key. Which players do you think could make the most immediate impact in the league?
Lou: One of my favorite prospects in the draft is South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori. 6'3" 227 pounds and he ran a 4.38 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.
And it's not just that Emmanwori is fast, but he's an exceptional tackler. The mentality of a middle linebacker melded with the ultra high-end speed of a cornerback.
Georgia's Malaki Starks might be the best run-stopper at safety in this draft. Positional demand could drop him to night two, but Starks is a legit talent.
Notre Dame's Xavier Watts snagged 13 interceptions over the past two seasons in South Bend. Scouts love his instincts and aggressiveness.
Another interesting prospect is Oklahoma's Billy Bowman Jr., who is similar to Watts as far as his instincts against the passing game.
AFC East: Buffalo Bills | New England Patriots |
New York Jets | Miami Dolphins
AFC North:
Baltimore Ravens | Cincinnati Bengals | Cleveland Browns | Pittsburgh Steelers
AFC South:
Houston Texans | Indianapolis Colts |
Jacksonville Jaguars |
Tennessee Titans
AFC West:
Denver Broncos |
Kansas City Chiefs | Las Vegas Raiders | Los Angeles Chargers
NFC East:
Dallas Cowboys |
New York Giants |
Philadelphia Eagles |
Washington Commanders
NFC North:
Chicago Bears |
Detroit Lions |
Green Bay Packers |
Minnesota Vikings
NFC South:
Atlanta Falcons |
Carolina Panthers |
New Orleans Saints |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NFC West:
Arizona Cardinals |
Los Angeles Rams |
San Francisco 49ers |
Seattle Seahawks
