B.S. Meter on the Biggest 2025 NFL Draft Rumors with Two Weeks to Go

Free agency opened a month ago, and the 2025 NFL draft is only two weeks away. While we largely know where teams' biggest needs reside heading into draft weekend, we don't quite know how the draft will unfold.

Teams generally don't telegraph what they plan to do in late April. The NFL wants it that way. A sense of intrigue is part of the fun, and some franchises will actively look to cultivate uncertainty to mask their intentions.

That means not all of the buzz that emerges this time of year can be taken at face value. Nuggets of truth may exist, but some rumors are inevitably mere smokescreens or flat-out wrong. The challenge is trying to decipher fact from fiction.

We'll try doing exactly that here by diving into some of the latest predraft rumors. Each rumor will be graded on our B.S. Meter, which goes from 1-10, with 1 being closest to the truth and 10 being complete B.S.

Titans Sold on Cam Ward, Would Need 'Historic Offer' to Trade No. 1 Pick

AP Photo/Adrian Kraus

Cam Ward

Things could certainly change between now and April 24, but it's looking like the Tennessee Titans will take Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall pick.

Pulling the trigger on Ward isn't a cut-and-dried decision. He's the best signal-caller in an underwhelming quarterback class, but he isn't widely viewed as a blue-chip prospect like Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter or Penn State edge-rusher Abdul Carter. However, the Titans reportedly believe that Ward can be their quarterback of the future.

"Is he what Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye were coming out last year? The overwhelming majority would say no," Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer wrote. "But clearly, the Titans are comfortable with where they are."

Breer's belief that the Titans will select Ward stems in part from their decision to cancel a private workout with Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders:

"It’s a powerful sign of the conviction they’ve built in Cam Ward’s worthiness as the first pick in 17 days," Breer wrote. "It also backs up what I’ve heard—that it would take a historic offer to move them to trade the pick and pass on the Miami quarterback."

Tennessee could be leaking its interest in Ward to coax that historic haul out of another quarterback-needy team. However, that feels unlikely. If the Titans are hoping to trade the No. 1 pick and land either Hunter or Carter, they can't afford to move down further than the No. 3 spot. The Cleveland Browns (No. 2 pick) and New York Giants (No. 3) appear likely to scoop up Hunter and Carter if Ward is off the board.

Given Tennessee's overall need for talent, coming out of the draft with one of the top two prospects or a quarterback is a necessity. Positional value should push things in Ward's favor.

B.S. Rating: 2

'Growing Belief' That The Browns Will Take Travis Hunter at No. 2

AP Photo/David Zalubowski

Colorado CB/WR Travis Hunter

The Browns aren't on the clock yet, but it's looking like the draft will get interesting with the No. 2 selection. Cleveland can essentially go in one of four ways with the pick.

The Browns could trade down, although like the Titans, they're too starved for talent to accept anything less than a massive haul. They could take Sanders, who is widely considered the second-best quarterback in this class, or they could pick between Hunter and Carter, who appear to be can't-miss prospects at this point.

According to The Athletic's Jeff Howe, it's starting to look like Hunter will be the pick.

"There’s a growing belief around the league that Hunter is the favorite to go to the Cleveland Browns with the No. 2 pick, according to high-ranking executives and coaches," Howe wrote. "The Browns have been high on Hunter throughout the process, according to sources."

In terms of value, Hunter would be a logical choice at No. 2, especially if the Browns view him as a starting receiver instead of a starting cornerback. Hunter and Jerry Jeudy would form a dangerous receiving duo that could elevate whomever ends up under center for Cleveland in 2025.

Hunter is the top overall prospect on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's latest big board.

However, it's hard to believe that the Browns have already made a decision. They're still working out QB prospects and recently held top-30 visits with three quarterbacks—Mississippi's Jaxson Dart, Alabama's Jalen Milroe and Louisville's Tyler Shough. Cleveland could still decide that taking Sanders at No. 2 is its best way to land a franchise quarterback.

Meanwhile, taking Carter and pairing him with Myles Garrett would give Cleveland one of the best pass-rushing duos in the league.

Is there a "growing belief" that the Browns want Hunter? Probably. Could Cleveland still pull an audible before or during the draft? Absolutely.

B.S. Rating: 4

Sanders Failed to Make Pro Day Impression, Viewed as 'Fringe Starter'

AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

Colorado QB prospect Shedeur Sanders

The gap between Ward and Sanders has appeared to grow throughout the predraft process, which is why Cleveland and other QB-needy teams may be willing to wait on a signal-caller.

Sanders is now the 23rd-ranked prospect on the latest B/R big board, which is 14 spots lower than Ward. However, he's still 34 spots higher than Dart, the next-highest quarterback in the rankings.

All 32 NFL teams had representatives at Colorado's pro day, but Sanders' performance seemingly didn't solidify him as an elite QB prospect.

"He threw it well, you just don’t have the tight spiral with velocity, but he showed good accuracy, a good deep ball,” one AFC executive told Breer.

Most talent evaluators seemingly view Sanders as a future mid-level starter at best. Ward at least appears to have elite physical upside.

"Fringe starter who makes good decisions and does some good things but won't get you over the top," one unnamed personnel executive told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler about Sanders. Another executive labeled his ceiling as "probably Kirk Cousins or Baker Mayfield with less arm strength."

While Sanders' pro day probably didn't move the needle much, it likely did nothing to hurt his stock. We have to call B.S. on him being considered a "fringe starter" universally.

Cousins and Mayfield have both been above-average starters and Pro Bowl-level talents at their peaks. At least two executives called Sanders a "mid-to-late first-round talent," according to Fowler, and the B/R Scouting Department views him as a high-floor prospect.

Sanders may not develop into a perennial All-Pro, but calling him a "fringe starter" feels unfair. Those comments might be made by someone who's hoping to land him toward the bottom of Round 1.

B.S. Rating: 8

Giants Likely to Take Hunter or Carter at No. 3, 'Whichever One is Available'

AP Photo/Barry Reeger

Penn State Edge prospect Abdul Carter

No team is going to waste a first-round selection on a fringe starter, so we'll almost certainly see Sanders drafted on Day 1. However, he shouldn't be viewed as a top-five lock.

The New England Patriots (No. 4 overall pick) and Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 5) have quarterbacks in place. If Sanders makes it past the Giants at No. 3, he won't go in the top five, barring a trade.

And right now, New York is reportedly more interested in taking either Hunter or Carter at No. 3.

"Talking to people who were at Colorado's Pro Day on Friday, they believe that the Giants will either go Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter, whichever one is available," Fowler said on Sunday's SportsCenter (h/t Bleacher Report's Scott Polacek). They have been linked to Shedeur Sanders as well, they need the quarterback. So, those appear to be their options."

As Fowler noted, Sanders could be an option for New York, but it feels far more likely that the Giants would prefer Hunter or Carter.

Those two and Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham are the only prospects in this year's class graded as top-10 talents by the B/R Scouting Department. Adding Hunter or Carter would also likely have a more immediate impact for New York than Sanders would.

The Giants added Jameis Winston and Russell Wilson in free agency, which should buy them time to develop a rookie. However, head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen also need to yield positive results this season.

"It’d better not take too long because I’ve just about run out of patience," franchise co-owner John Mara said in January, per The Athletic's Charlotte Carroll.

With both Wilson and Winston on the depth chart, Sanders probably wouldn't have an opportunity to help the Giants win anything in 2025. In the short-term, Daboll and Schoen could view selecting him as a wasted pick who would do nothing for their job security.

The Giants would probably prefer Hunter since they already have Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux headlining their pass rush, but they should be happy to take one of the draft's two best prospects at No. 3 regardless.

B.S. Rating: 1

'Multiple Scouts' Have Maturity Concerns With Walter Nolen

AP Photo/Randy J. Williams

Mississippi DT prospect Walter Nolen

If Hunter and Carter are both off the board by No. 4, LSU Will Campbell could be a logical target for the Patriots. New England needs to improve its offensive line in front of Drake Maye, and Campbell projects as a quality starting guard or tackle.

"He's going to be awesome—All-Pro caliber guard, and if he's a tackle, he will be better than at least half the tackles in the NFL right off the bat," one personnel evaluator told Fowler.

Things get a bit harder to predict after the fourth pick, though. Some teams may already be hoping that a top prospect slides to the back end of Round 1. The B/R Scouting Department has first-round grades on only 24 players in this year's class.

One prospect who might slide is Mississippi defensive tackle Walter Nolen, the 14th-ranked prospect on the latest B/R big board. According to Fowler, "multiple scouts have maturity concerns" about him.

"There are several NFL scouting reports that reflect Nolen's history of walking off the practice field mid-session due to frustration," Fowler added.

Fans should be skeptical of negative reports from unnamed sources that emerge in the weeks leading up to the draft. Might the 21-year-old Nolen need some time to figure out how to be a pro? Possibly. But he isn't the first and certainly won't be the last player to walk off a practice field (assuming that report is even accurate), and his ceiling is incredibly high.

"Nolen has all the tools to be a starter within his first two years in the NFL and has Pro Bowl/All-Pro potential down the line," Matt Holder of the B/R Scouting Report wrote.

And if Nolen has had issues in the past, he appears willing to correct them.

"One NFL personnel executive said Nolen came across as someone who wants to improve and shed bad habits," Fowler wrote.

The idea that a prospect with All-Pro potential has truly raised "maturity concerns" with a few bad practice habits feels about as unlikely as Nolen falling out of the top 20. In fact, it feels more likely that teams are publicly stating those concerns ahead of the draft in an effort to get Nolen to slide to them.

B.S. Rating: 8

Steelers 'Would Like' to Find a Young Quarterback

AP Photo/Gary McCullough

Mississippi QB prospect Jaxson Dart

While Ward and Sanders may be the only quarterbacks with a legitimate first-round grade, there's a good chance that a third signal-caller will be drafted on opening night.

The Browns or Giants could trade back into Round 1 for a signal-caller—and the fifth-year option that comes with a first-round pick—if they pass on one at the beginning of the evening. Other teams could be in the mix before the bottom of the first round.

For example, the Pittsburgh Steelers (21st overall pick) are still waiting on a decision from Aaron Rodgers and need a long-term quarterback plan. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Steelers would prefer to find a young signal-caller.

"I'm not sure they love the idea of doing this veteran quarterback thing year after year," Rapoport said on The Insiders. "They would like to get a young guy. They would like to get someone who is worth it. They would like to get someone they could grow with. The Steelers are among the teams who spent a lot of time with Jaxson Dart."

There have been conflicting reports on just how highly Pittsburgh would be willing to take a signal-caller. Fowler reported last month (h/t B/R's Doric Sam) that the Steelers will draft a quarterback "high" either in 2025 or 2026. However, Mark Kaboly, a Steelers correspondent for The Pat McAfee Show, recently dismissed the idea of taking a first-round QB.

"Everything I heard the week before that is they're not really interested in the quarterback in the first round," Kaboly told 93.7 The Fan (h/t Jack Markowski of SI.com).

Even if the Steelers are interested in drafting a quarterback in the first round, they aren't going to make that obvious ahead of Round 1. It's not hard to envision Pittsburgh making a move for Sanders or taking a prospect like Dart or Milroe on opening night.

The problem for Pittsburgh is that it doesn't have a second-round pick after trading for DK Metcalf. And even if the Steelers eventually land Rodgers, neither he nor Mason Rudolph is a long-term answer. If the right prospect is available in Round 1, the Steelers will almost certainly consider taking him.

B.S. Meter: 1