Every year, mock drafts are all the rage across the NFL community. There's only one problem: They almost always predate free agency, which doesn't make all that much sense. Why? Because the veteran market is where most clubs start when it comes to plugging immediate roster holes.
Yes, the draft is designed for the long term, which is why the smartest teams actually live out the notion of selecting the "best player available" rather than zeroing in on obvious positions of need. Yet in reality, teams always blend both need and talent evaluation when making picks in April. Which is all the more reason to wait for veteran free agency to kick off, to further inform teams' actual draft-day needs.
On a related note, what if we just applied the mock draft format to free agency?
Good news: We've done just that, imagining where some of the best available veterans would end up if all 32 teams were allowed to "sign" them -- not in order of lowest NFL standing, like the draft, but rather in projected salary cap space (via Over the Cap, as of Wednesday morning).
The exercise serves a dual purpose, much like actual mock drafts: showcasing the top available "prospects," plus logical team fits based on need and resources.
We included all unrestricted free agents except for the following franchise-tagged players:
Without further ado, our 2025 NFL free agency mock draft:
| 1 |  |
| OT Ronnie Stanley: It's all about protecting Drake Maye. A playmaker would be nice, but with Tee Higgins tied to Cincinnati, Stanley at least offers All-Pro-level upside as a blind-side blocker. | |
| 2 |  |
| WR Chris Godwin: The Raiders could use help at basically every position. Where better to start than with an old Tom Brady friend, whose reliability could make him any quarterback's best friend? | |
| 3 |  |
| DT Milton Williams: Arizona is apparently ready to spend big, and Jonathan Gannon needs a pile-pusher up front. Fortunately, his old Eagles understudy is ripe for a payday after a Super Bowl run. | |
| 4 |  |
| DE Josh Sweat: The Bears got a good return on their T.J. Edwards investment. By plucking from the Eagles again, they could give Montez Sweat an appropriately named running mate off the edge. | |
| 5 |  |
| WR Davante Adams: The Chargers could really use a new anchor for their front under old-school Jim Harbaugh, but Adams' polished pass catching would complement Ladd McConkey well. | |
| 6 |  |
| DE Khalil Mack: The one thing Washington really needs after adding Deebo Samuel out wide? A proven pass rusher for Dan Quinn. Mack is older, but the Commanders are in it to win it now. | |
| 7 |  |
| OG Will Fries: Addressing the secondary will be key, given their plethora of internal free agents there, but Fries has the makings of a Pro Bowl guard, even coming off injury. The trenches are vital. | |
| 8 |  |
| QB Justin Fields: Could they prioritize a veteran corner? Or new playmakers? Sure. But who's throwing the ball? Fields still offers upside at 25, and he has experience in the system after 2024. | |
| 9 |  |
| S Jevon Holland: A reunion with Sam Darnold might be fun, and the O-line needs help (again). But Aaron Glenn values the secondary. And Holland could bring big-play ability to a thin group. | |
| 10 |  |
| CB Byron Murphy Jr.: The Rams surged late in 2024 in large part due to their young defense. Murphy has the ball-hawking tools to be another building block on the back end. | |
| 11 |  |
| CB Charvarius Ward: The Lions drafted Terrion Arnold early in 2024, but with veteran Carlton Davis due for free agency, they could shoot for a mild upgrade in the battle-tested 49ers veteran. | |
| 12 |  |
| OG Mekhi Becton: It's very possible Becton benefited from the Eagles' all-world front, but he's now logged meaningful reps at both guard and tackle. His size could help restore Tennessee's line. | |
| 13 |  |
| QB Sam Darnold: The Giants watched Darnold shred their defense in one of his first starts with the Vikings. They also badly need help under center. Say hello to East Rutherford (again), Sam. | |
| 14 |  |
| CB Carlton Davis: With Eric Stokes headed for free agency and Jaire Alexander also likely to set sail, their secondary is in dire need of cover men. Davis showed lots of grit with the rival Lions. | |
| 15 |  |
| CB D.J. Reed Jr.: With Tee Higgins locked into place under another franchise tag, Cincinnati would do well to attack the perimeter on the other side. Reed has thrived as a starter for two other clubs. | |
| 16 |  |
| WR Amari Cooper: It's time for Sean Payton to surround Bo Nix with legitimate help. Cooper may be aging, but he's a savvy route-runner who could seamlessly step in as a top target out wide. | |
| 17 |  |
| S Tre'von Moehrig: Buccaneers guard Ben Bredeson could be a candidate to follow Liam Coen to Jacksonville. Yet Moehrig would be a better value as a do-it-all leader for their iffy secondary. | |
| 18 |  |
| C Drew Dalman: A new center won't fix their clear lack of reliability at quarterback, but Dalman has flashed rock-steady stuff, and at 26, he could be a long-term replacement for the aging Ryan Kelly. | |
| 19 |  |
| OG Kevin Zeitler: They could use defensive reinforcements for old friend Robert Saleh, who's back on staff, but Brock Purdy also needs solid protection, and the veteran Zeitler is a trusty rental. | |
| 20 |  |
| OLB Chase Young: Getting Bryce Young someone -- anyone -- to throw to would be nice. The defense needs help at every level, though, and Young is still young enough to grow with the club. | |
| 21 |  |
| LB Zack Baun: Sexy? Maybe not. But Baun was a freak at the heart of their Super Bowl-winning defense in 2024, and his mileage is still low thanks to a previously small role with the Saints . | |
| 22 |  |
| RB Aaron Jones: Reinforcing the line after Zack Martin's retirement will be key. So will surrounding Dak Prescott with better multipurpose talent. Jones could be their discount version of the Eagles' Saquon Barkley investment, fresh off a smooth one-year stint with the Vikings. | |
| 23 |  |
| OL Teven Jenkins: As is often the case, Seattle could stand to improve the line. And Jenkins can play basically any spot up front after making starts both inside and at tackle for the Bears. | |
| 24 |  |
| OLB Haason Reddick: If Ronnie Stanley walks, they'll need tackle help. But the once-imposing Reddick could be a sneaky edge-rushing star coming off a lost year with the flailing Jets. | |
| 25 |  |
| LB Dre Greenlaw: Even if longtime leader Lavonte David returns, he'll be 35 in 2025. Greenlaw could be a tenacious successor at the heart of Todd Bowles' defense after a strong 49ers run. | |
| 26 |  |
| DT Javon Hargrave: Set to be cut by the 49ers after an injury-plagued 2024, Hargrave has been a top-tier pocket-pusher when healthy. And DeMeco Ryans could use some strength on the interior. | |
| 27 |  |
| S Camryn Bynum: Almost nothing should take priority over bolstering Tua Tagovailoa's line, but Bynum's splashy range could make him a perfect Jevon Holland replacement on the back end. | |
| 28 |  |
| S Justin Reid: Atlanta needs an edge rusher, as always. With Justin Simmons due for free agency, Raheem Morris could also use another back-end leader. And Reid has been that for multiple teams. | |
| 29 |  |
| CB Asante Samuel Jr.: With Rasul Douglas headed for free agency, Sean McDermott's "D" could use a longer-term option at corner. Samuel's playmaking upside could make him a perfect fit. | |
| 30 |  |
| WR Stefon Diggs: The Chiefs have taken plenty of recent swings at veteran wideout help, but Diggs can still be a Grade-A starter, once healthy. Patrick Mahomes deserves additional outlets. | |
| 31 |  |
| OT Cam Robinson: A cheap quarterback would be great, but they also need to worry about the front that let Deshaun Watson get bulldozed. Robinson could seamlessly replace Jedrick Wills. | |
| 32 |  |
| OLB Azeez Ojulari: New coach Kellen Moore may prefer to build up the offense, but with Cameron Jordan aging, new coordinator Brandon Staley will also be desperate for some edge-rushing juice. | |
