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Joel Klatt projects trade, Shedeur Sanders to go No. 1 overall in first mock draft
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Joel Klatt is ready to enter the fray of projections for the 2025 NFL Draft, dropping his mock draft 1.0 for the year on Wednesday. It includes a trade at the top where the Tennessee Titans currently hold the No. 1 overall pick.
The Titans do have a number of needs and have not publicly ruled out selecting a non-quarterback in the draft if they view a player at a different position as a generational prospect. Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter is a player who has already been mocked to Tennessee in various projections.
However, Klatt explained that he sees more depth than elite players available in this draft. He also believes Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders should be the No. 1 pick in this draft above any other player, but that poses some problems for the Titans.
“I don’t think Shedeur Sanders is going to want to play in Tennessee and I do not believe that any other player should be taken No. 1 (overall),” explained Klatt. “To me, Shedeur is the best quarterback, and Tennessee can either not take him and go with Cam Ward at No. 1, or I think they can get some capital, potentially still get Cam Ward (later) and still get some capital later in the draft.”
So, if the Titans do move out of the No. 1 spot, who fills the spot? Klatt is projecting the New York Giants to be the team to grab Sanders, a team that has already checked in on the QB a lot.
“I believe that the Giants jump up to No. 1 — from 3 to 1 — because they do have a great relationship with Shedeur Sanders,” Klatt predicted. “They have vetted him out several times. I believe that it is reciprocal there, and I think the Giants move up to No. 1 and take Shedder Sanders with the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft.”
The odds
Klatt’s prediction is not currently backed up by the odds for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. However, that presents some interesting value if you’re buying what he’s selling.
Miami quarterback Cam Ward is still the favorite to become the No. 1 overall pick at -115 per bet365. The next closest player is Penn State’s Abdul Carter at +200, and fans can get the best offerings with the bet365 TN bonus code.
As for the Colorado duo of Sanders and Travis Hunter, it is the 2-way skill set of Hunter with the better odds to be the No. 1 overall pick at +400. Sanders follows closely behind at +450, the 4th-highest odds to become the top pick in this year’s draft.
With the Senior Bowl and Super Bowl behind us, it will be interesting to see how the NFL Combine shifts the outlook for the draft down the road.
Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.
