(NEXSTAR) – The 2025 NFL Draft kicks off Thursday at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, as teams vie for the game’s superstars-in-the-making.
When it comes to the top overall draft pick – one of the most highly-anticipated questions leading up to the draft – betting odds favor Miami quarterback Cameron Ward.
“I think a lot us prospects had a big dream and we’re accomplishing it right now,” Ward said. “Not a lot of people get this opportunity and I’m going to make the most of mine.”
The Tennessee Titans, who finished the 2024 season with a 3-14 record, own the rights to the first pick. While the Titans are projected to draft Ward to bolster a vital roster spot, new General Manager Mike Borgonzi would only say “you’ll find out Thursday” when asked about the pick earlier in the week.
If Ward goes first overall, it would mark the seventh time in eight years that a quarterback has been selected with the top pick, with the only exception being the Jaguars’ 2022 selection of then-Georgia defensive end Travon Walker.
Along with Ward, the other projected top picks are two-way phenom and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, along with his quarterback at Colorado, Shedeur Sanders.
Abdul Carter, a premier edge rusher out of Penn State, is a favorite to go third to the New York Giants but that’s not guaranteed.
“Definitely got a good feeling with them,” Carter said about New York. “We’ll see what happens tomorrow.”
Among the running backs garnering attention from NFL teams, Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty and North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton appear poised to go in the first round.
As long as there are no last-minute trades, these teams have the top 10 picks leading up to the draft:
1. Tennessee Titans
2. Cleveland Browns
3. New York Giants
4. New England Patriots
5. Jacksonville Jaguars
6. Las Vegas Raiders
7. New York Jets
8. Carolina Panthers
9. New Orleans Saints
10. Chicago Bears
In Green Bay, festivities started earlier in the week with local Leicht Park hosting a celebration that will include a kids zone, fireworks, and live music from the Riverboat Gamblers and De La Soul, according to Nexstar’s WFRV. Considering the host city, it will likely not surprise anyone that cheese carving will also play a role.
Round 1 of the NFL Draft will start at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, with Rounds 2-3 and Rounds 4-7 kicking off at 7 p.m. ET on Friday and 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, respectively.
