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The 2025 NFL draft is just hours away, but mock drafts and predictions are still rolling in. ESPN has been pumping out mock drafts like a well-oiled machine in the buildup to the draft, and one of their final mock drafts could spell good news for both the Washington Commanders and Buffalo Bills, as he has both playoff contenders landing a steal late in the first round.
The Commanders enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2024 with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels under center, but they still have some holes to address, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. Washington’s front seven was no match for the Philadelphia Eagles rushing attack in their NFC Championship Game matchup, which could lead to them selecting Texas A&M football defensive lineman Shemar Stewart in an effort to shore up their run defense.
“Stewart slipping this far? It could happen. He’d make a lot of sense for the Commanders given how their run defense performed in the NFC Championship Game,” Peter Schrager wrote in his lone mock draft for ESPN.
For the most part, Stewart is believed to be a guy who could get selected midway through the first round, so if he falls to the Commanders at the No. 29 overall pick, that’d be a major win for them. They aren’t alone in getting a steal in Schrager’s mock draft, though, as he has the Bills selecting Georgia football safety Malaki Starks with the No. 30 overall pick.
“Starks played safety and nickel corner for the Bulldogs, and he’d make an immediate impact for Buffalo. Starks is all-ball and one of the safest prospects in this draft,” Schrager wrote.
Similar to Stewart, the expectation among many evaluators is that Starks will be off the board by the time the Bills are on the clock, but if he falls to Buffalo, they’d be wise to pounce and add a potential superstar safety to the back of their secondary. Time will tell whether or not Schrager is right, as the first round of the 2025 NFL draft is set to get underway at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday night.
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