2025 NFL draft: Favorite team fits for 20 top prospects

In the NFL draft, sometimes it's all about the team fit. Finding the perfect landing spot can maximize a player's potential.

I took 20 top prospects in the 2025 draft class who are projected to get picked in the first two rounds and found realistic NFL team fits that just make too much sense. I factored in player skill sets, organizational needs, schemes and coaching staff tendencies. The idea was to find spots where players would be put in a position to succeed because of their traits and the team's existing infrastructure.

Which pro teams make the most sense for Shedeur Sanders, Ashton Jeanty and other draft prospects with star potential? Here are 20 ideal player-and-team matches for Rounds 1-2.

QB Shedeur Sanders to the Browns

Height: 6-2 | Weight: 212
College: Colorado

Where Cleveland could get him: Pick No. 2

Sanders is accurate (74% completion rate last season), plays with poise and shows toughness in the pocket, so I see him as a smart fit for Kevin Stefanski's offensive structure. The Browns could mirror their run and pass games to set Sanders up with play-action opportunities -- which in turn create timing throws. That's a foundational part of their offense. The Browns' 155 play-action attempts in 2024 were the fourth most in the league. And with Sanders' processing ability from the pocket, Stefanski could give him leveled reads to distribute the ball.

Sanders doesn't have high-end mobility or arm talent, but he could produce in a Browns system that would maximize his traits.

CB/WR Travis Hunter to the Jaguars

Height: 6-0 | Weight: 188
College: Colorado

Where Jacksonville could get him: Pick No. 5

Hunter would fit as a playmaking option with both the Giants (No. 3) and the Patriots (No. 4). And he might not still be on the board at No. 5. But I like the Heisman Trophy winner in Jacksonville because I see All-Pro upside with Hunter in that secondary. He'd tilt the field on that side of the ball. With his premium ball skills and closing speed, Hunter can cover the deep areas and take the air out underneath. He'd start at corner opposite Tyson Campbell to give the Jags a difference-maker in the secondary. He had four interceptions last season.

New coach Liam Coen could also create packages of plays for Hunter on offense. Hunter would bring juice to the perimeter in the pass game, as his 23 receptions of 20 or more yards last season tied for the second most in the nation.

RB Ashton Jeanty to the Raiders

Height: 5-9 | Weight: 211
College: Boise State

Where Las Vegas could get him: Pick No. 6

Part of the identity of Pete Carroll's past teams has been the run game, and the Raiders have a weakness there. They were last in rushing last season, averaging 79.8 yards. But they could add a No. 1 running back with high-end NFL traits early in Round 1. Jeanty led the nation with 2,601 rushing yards and 126 forced missed tackles in 2024.

Under new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, we'll see gap schemes in Las Vegas, which would allow Jeanty to stay on the run track. Kelly's zone concepts would also give Jeanty an opportunity to press the edges or find cutback lanes. And he could also operate as an underneath outlet in the pass game for quarterback Geno Smith.

OT Armand Membou to the Saints

Height: 6-4 | Weight: 332
College: Missouri

Where New Orleans could get him: Pick No. 9

The Saints could go multiple directions with this pick, but I like the idea of new coach Kellen Moore adding Membou to pair him with 2024 first-rounder Taliese Fuaga. That would give the team two bookend tackles of the future. I see Membou playing at the right tackle spot, where he can use his lower-body balance and foot quickness to handle speed in pass pro, while still displacing defenders in the run game. Moore saw the value of winning the edges in Philadelphia last season, and he could build up front in New Orleans.

TE Tyler Warren to the Colts

Height: 6-6 | Weight: 256
College: Penn State

Where Indianapolis could get him: Pick No. 14

In Indianapolis, Warren would open up the middle of the field in the pass game. He would also give coach Shane Steichen more opportunities to script matchups out of 11 and 12 personnel groupings. Warren had 104 catches for 1,233 yards and eight touchdowns last season.

He reminds me of George Kittle on tape. He can work multiple levels as a receiver, and he's a rugged mover after the catch. Warren will secure the edges as a run blocker, too. He'd be a great fit with Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson.

CB Will Johnson to the Falcons

Height: 6-2 | Weight: 194
College: Michigan

Where Atlanta could get him: Pick No. 15

Johnson is more smooth than sudden, with explosive forward ability. He has the physical traits to play man coverage, but I like him best in a system that allows him to play top-down on the ball. That fits under coach Raheem Morris in an Atlanta defense that played zone coverage -- both split-safety and single-high -- on 61.2% of opponent dropbacks last season (12th in the league).

Pairing Johnson with A.J. Terrell would give the Falcons two long and fluid corners. Johnson has a playmaking element to his game, posting nine interceptions and three defensive scores at Michigan. Atlanta needs that kind of turnover production.

G/C Grey Zabel to the Seahawks

Height: 6-6 | Weight: 312
College: North Dakota State

Where Seattle could get him: Pick No. 18

Zabel would upgrade a Seahawks front that is talent-deficient at the guard position. He has the traits to fit their offensive system -- which is built on outside zone runs -- under new coordinator Klint Kubiak. Zabel was the best player I watched on the practice field at the Senior Bowl; he is a tone-setter with the movement skills to combo and climb, along with the power to hold off interior rushers. He'd help reset the identity of the Seattle offensive line.

WR Tetairoa McMillan to the Broncos

Height: 6-4 | Weight: 219
College: Arizona

Where Denver could get him: Pick No. 20

McMillan fits in Denver as a big slot target for quarterback Bo Nix. It'd be very similar to how coach Sean Payton used receiver Marques Colston in New Orleans. McMillan can stretch the seams, run the deep overs and create interior matchup advantages with his high-rising ability at the catch point and great ball skills. He's a long strider who is more smooth than fast. McMillan caught 174 passes over his final two seasons in Arizona, including 18 touchdowns.

RB Omarion Hampton to the Steelers

Height: 6-0 | Weight: 221
College: North Carolina

Where Pittsburgh could get him: Pick No. 21

Hampton would step in as the lead runner for the Pittsburgh offense, allowing Jaylen Warren to maintain his role as a change-of-pace back. Hampton can play downhill, using his contact balance and lower-body power to drive the pile. I could see him producing as a zone runner for coordinator Arthur Smith, picking his running lanes to get vertical and creating explosive plays. Hampton produced 45 rushes of 10 or more yards last season. He would also give the Steelers a bump in the pass game on swings, screens and unders.

CB Maxwell Hairston to the Packers

Height: 5-11 | Weight: 183
College: Kentucky

Where Green Bay could get him: Pick No. 23

Hairston is a sticky coverage corner who can create on-the-ball production, and I believe the Packers want to play more man coverage under coordinator Jeff Hafley. They played man only 29.2% of the time last season, the second-lowest rate in the league. But they lacked the right personnel. Hairston, though, would give the Packers a perimeter defender who can pattern match down the field with his 4.28 speed.

With the future of Jaire Alexander in Green Bay still unsettled, Hairston would fill a need here. He picked off six passes over the past two seasons at Kentucky.

S Nick Emmanwori to the Vikings

Height: 6-3 | Weight: 220
College: South Carolina

Where Minnesota could get him: Pick No. 24

Emmanwori has great size, 4.38 speed and rare physical tools, so he'd be able to play a disruptive role in Brian Flores' defense, which is built on creating chaos. Emmanwori has the split-field range to play top-down in Cover 2, plus he can spin down to play an enforcer role in the underneath zones. And with the ability to match tight ends in coverage or create pressure out of Flores' multiple blitz packages, Emmanwori would be in a position to make splash plays as a rookie. He had four picks last season, and he returned two for TDs.

Edge Mike Green to the Commanders

Height: 6-3 | Weight: 251
College: Marshall

Where Washington could get him: Pick No. 29

Green is an easy fit for the Commanders because of the schemed defensive fronts we see from coach Dan Quinn. In Washington, Quinn creates one-on-one matchups based off alignment, and that works for Green given his traits as a pass rusher.

Green is a highly skilled prospect with a deep toolbox of counters, speed off the ball and the effort level needed to make plays late in the down. He can rush off the edge, loop inside on stunts and play as a standup 3-technique to work on interior linemen. He had 17 sacks in his final season at Marshall.

S Xavier Watts to the Bills

Height: 6-0 | Weight: 204
College: Notre Dame

Where Buffalo could get him: Pick No. 30

The Bills need to add speed and playmaking ability to their defensive structure, and Watts fits that profile. A safety with range and ball skills, Watts had 13 interceptions over his final two seasons at Notre Dame. He can play in the post to track the ball and close the middle of the field. Plus, he could overlap throws to the boundary or jump in-breakers from split-field alignments in the Bills' foundational zone schemes.

DT Walter Nolen to the Eagles

Height: 6-4 | Weight: 296
College: Ole Miss

Where Philadelphia could get him: Pick No. 32

The Eagles could add more disruptive talent to the defensive front with Nolen, an explosive mover who can create backfield havoc. His tape is loaded with impact plays (6.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss last season), and he'd give coordinator Vic Fangio another interior defender with three-down ability. That's important now that Philly has lost Milton Williams in free agency.

RB Kaleb Johnson to the Bears

Height: 6-1 | Weight: 224
College: Iowa

Where Chicago could get him: Pick Nos. 39 or 41

The Bears could target Johnson early on Day 2 to pair him with D'Andre Swift in the backfield. He's a linear glider with the north/south acceleration to create big plays. Last season at Iowa, he rushed for 21 touchdowns and added 43 carries of 10 or more yards.

Johnson would be a good fit for the outside zone scheme that new coach Ben Johnson has run in the past. And with an uptick in usage in an NFL pass game, he'd produce on screens and backfield releases for Chicago.

TE Mason Taylor to the Jets

Height: 6-5 | Weight: 251
College: LSU

Where New York could get him: Pick No. 42

Tanner Engstrand, the Jets new offensive coordinator, was previously the pass game coordinator with the Lions. That's relevant because I believe Taylor can be schemed in the route tree just like Sam LaPorta has been schemed up in Detroit. Taylor has the three-level ability to run the deep corners and seams, and Engstrand could get him loose on crossers and boot concepts. Taylor -- who had 546 receiving yards last season -- has strong hands and a wide catch radius, so he'd quickly develop into a reliable target for quarterback Justin Fields.

(And yes, this would mean Taylor would be playing for one of the three teams that his father, Jason, played for during his Hall of Fame career.)

CB Darien Porter to the 49ers

Height: 6-3 | Weight: 195
College: Iowa State

Where San Francisco could get him: Pick No. 43

This might be a little sooner than Porter is expected to come off the board, but I see a really good fit here in the 49ers' defense under new coordinator Robert Saleh. Porter has all the tools to play press man. He's long with 33⅛-inch arms and has 4.3 speed. He disrupts receivers' releases, opens and runs with them. But Porter also has the zone vision to sink in the flat or get to depth in the outside third of the field -- along with the closing speed to drive on the ball.

The 49ers would be betting on the traits, but it's a bet that could pay off big time.

RB TreVeyon Henderson to the Cowboys

Height: 5-10 | Weight: 202
College: Ohio State

Where Dallas could get him: Pick No. 44

The Cowboys signed Javonte Williams in free agency, but Henderson would split touches with him. The Cowboys need the help; they had a league-low six rushing touchdowns last season and averaged just 4.0 yards per carry (tied for 27th). Henderson is a slasher in the run game with big-play ability once he gets through the second level.

But Henderson would bring a dynamic element to the Dallas offense with his receiving skills, too. He can operate as a receiver out of the backfield or split out wide to create matchup advantages. Henderson caught 77 passes during his time at Ohio State, and he will see an expanded route tree as a pro, which includes third-down reps thanks to his refined pass blocking.

CB Shavon Revel Jr. to the Buccaneers

Height: 6-2 | Weight: 194
College: East Carolina

Where Tampa Bay could get him: Pick No. 53

With his physical play style, Revel is a strong fit for the Bucs' zone-heavy scheme under coach Todd Bowles. In 2024, Tampa played zone coverage on 71.7% of opponent dropbacks, the most in the NFL. Revel could use his great backfield vision to identify route concepts and break on the ball. Plus, he has the traits to disrupt and challenge wide receivers when the Bucs switch to more man coverage on third down. Revel missed time with a torn ACL in 2024, but he had two interceptions in three games.

WR Jayden Higgins to the Panthers

Height: 6-4 | Weight: 214
College: Iowa State

Where Carolina could get him: Pick No. 57

Adding Higgins to the Carolina offense would give quarterback Bryce Young an inside/outside target with good ball skills and the physicality to play through contact. Higgins could align as a boundary X receiver in 11 personnel, while also occasionally moving inside as a middle-of-the-field stretch option. He can make splash plays on 50-50 throws, which would provide Carolina with some red-zone upside. He caught 87 passes for 1,183 yards and nine scores last season.