The 2025 NFL Draft is one of the most intriguing drafts of the last decade. The draft combined a mix of unknowns at the QB position alongside stud linemen and RBs.
- Tennessee Titans — Cam Ward, QB, Miami (FL)
Probably the only lock of the entire draft. Ward was an exciting and flashy quarterback for Washington State and Miami. He has all the natural talent and traits to translate at the next level, though concerns about holding the ball too long or hunting the big play loom. Regardless, the Titans grab their future signal caller to replace the disappointing Will Levis.
- Jacksonville Jaguars (Trade from CLE) — Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado
In one of the biggest draft trades of the last decade, the Jaguars went all-in on Travis Hunter, the best receiver and corner in the class. Hunter is one of the most unique players the draft has seen, and early interviews and reports indicate that his primary focus will be at receiver, but still see significant snaps on the defensive side of the ball.
- New York Giants — Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State
The Giants opt to push QB down the road (more on that later), and grab Abdul Carter, who projects as Micah Parsons 2.0. Carter dominated this year at Penn State, and is the finishing touch on one the best d-lines in the league. Dexter Lawrence, Burns, and Carter make for a truly unbelievable trio that has the potential to carry the Giants next season.
- New England Patriots – Will Campbell, LT, LSU
The Patriots settle for Campbell with Hunter off the board. Will Campbell produced some of the best tape in college, and stuffed many elite rushers. His only concern is his shorter arms, but the Patriots desperate need at O-line allows them to overlook those concerns and plug him in as their tackle of the future.
- Cleveland Browns (via JAX) — Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
The trade down was simply too good to pass up for Cleveland, who gave up Hunter in exchange for a plethora of premium draft capital. With their new picks, they start to work on their many roster holes with Graham. Graham was a Unanimous All-American his final season at Michigan, being the bedrock of the team’s dominant D-Line. He’s incredibly quick off the line for his size, and has the versatility to both rush the passer and stuff the run. Interior D-linemen who can do both are always highly valuable, thus landing him in the top 5 as a potential game-wrecker on the Browns defensive front.
- Las Vegas Raiders — Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
New HC Pete Carroll has found the team their new starting QB in Geno, so they pair him with the best RB prospect of the last few years in Jeanty. Jeanty ran for over 2600 this season with Boise State at nearly 7 yards a carry. The only concern is his level of competition—he dominated bad teams, but struggled against Penn State in the playoffs. Carroll teams have always been focused on the run—from USC to Seattle—so he gets his guy.
- New York Jets — Armand Membou, OT, Missouri
Membou is the biggest riser of any player in the first round, and the Jets grab him after Carter and Hunter are off the board. Membou is a very safe pick who had a near-perfect combine and projects as a plug-and-play tackle to protect the Jets’ right side for years to come.
- Carolina Panthers — Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
Following the resurgence of Bryce Young late last season, the Panthers finally get him a young threat on the outside in McMillan to help him develop further. McMillan has freak size and catch ability, but his speed leaves a lot to be desired, causing him to fall out of the Top 5.
- New Orleans Saints — Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
The Saints surprised many people by not going QB in spite of the many injury concerns around starting QB Derrick Carr, and instead bolster the O-line. Their tackle play has taken a huge hit with the injuries and eventual medical retirement of star tackle Ryan Ramczyk Banks projects to be his replacement.
- Chicago Bears — Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
The board shook out in the worst possible way for Chicago, with Jeanty and all of the major tackles gone. Forced to pivot, they grab Loveland, who was a beast at Michigan until getting injured. Loveland is the opposite of Tyler Warren, trading versatility and playmaking ability for near perfect fundamentals in blocking and catching. He joins a stacked receiving core with DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, and rookie Luther Burden.
- San Francisco 49ers — Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia
At only 20 years old, Georgia superstar Mykel Williams is one of the highest-upside picks in this entire draft. His physical traits, aggression, and motor are off the charts, and his ability to stuff the run was phenomenal. He played last year through a high ankle sprain, which limited his production. He joins a starved d-line featuring Nick Bosa and not much else outside of other rookies. He and Bosa serve as perfect complements to each other, with Mykel’s ability to set the edge and contain the run and Bosa’s relentless ability to rush the passer.
- Dallas Cowboys — Tyler Booker, G, Alabama
Booker was a two year starter and captain on a very good Alabama O-line. He is a downhill run blocker who can utilize his 6’5” 321 frame and incredible power to stop defensive lineman in their tracks. The Cowboys just lost all-time great Zack Martin to retirement, and immediately drafted his replacement in Booker.
- Miami Dolphins — Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
The Dolphins interior D-line has struggled since the loss of star Christian Wilkins, and they finally address the position this year with Kenneth Grant. Grant from Michigan is a great fit—his 6’ 5”, 340 pound size combined with his freaky athleticism should definitely clog up rushing lanes, making the lives of opposing lineman very difficult.
- Indianapolis Colts — Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
Warren won the Mackey Award for the best TE in College Football last year with 104 catches for 1,233 receiving yards and 12 total touchdowns. The Colts struggled mightily on offense last season, with none of their 4 TEs catching more than 15 passes. With Brock Bowers’ success on the Raiders fresh in the minds of the NFL, the Colts decide to not pass on another generational TE prospect and add a tremendous receiver and blocker to help Anthony Richardson develop.
- Atlanta Falcons – Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia
Walker is a beast, both as an off-ball-linebacker and edge rusher. In 2024, he recorded 6.5 sacks and 61 total tackles, earning the Butkus Award as the nation’s top linebacker. Although his versatility makes him a formidable opponent, size concerns may limit potential at edge in NFL as he lines up against much larger offensive lineman. The Falcons lack at both ILB and Edge, so they opt to take a chance on this dynamic playmaker from Georgia.
- Arizona Cardinals — Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
Nolen was a force on the interior, and reminds many of Chiefs Chris Jones at his best. But, he possesses problems in stuffing the run and has character concerns regarding his work ethic. The Cardinals still take him, who need interior defensive lineman and a star along their young defense.
- Cincinnati Bengals — Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M
The Bengals are in the midst of contract extensions with star Edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, and with their record setting contracts of Tee Higgins and Ja’marr Chase, Hendrickson’s status with the team is up in the air. The Bengals thus take a shot at Shemar Stewart, one of the best pure athletes in the draft who had similar measurables and combine results to Myles Garrett, but lacked production in college with a career high of only 3 sacks.
- Seattle Seahawks — Grey Zabel, OT, North Dakota State
With the acquisition of Sam Darnold in Free Agency, Seattle bolsters their o-line. Sam Darnold had an excellent season last year till the final two games where he clearly struggled under immense pressure. Seattle looks to alleviate that and get Darnold back to his form at the beginning of the year. Zabel comes from a smaller school in NDSU, (Niners fans may be familiar with Trey Lance who played there), but his play has been elite. Zabel possesses the ability at every spot of the O-line, but likely will start at guard or center.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
The selection of Egbuka marks 4 straight years with an Ohio State WR going in the 1st round. Egbuka is a phenomenal talent, but he joins a crowded receiver room with future Hall of Famer Mike Evans, Chris Godwin (coming off injury), and Jalen McMillan. Reps will be limited for the rookie, but he’s a good enough player to still create splash plays with reduced opportunity.
- Denver Broncos — Jahdae Barron, DB, Texas
Barron won the Thorpe award for the best defensive back in college football last year over the likes of Caleb Downs and Malachi Starks. His 4 interceptions on the 24-25 season was tied for 4th nationally and his 11 pass break ups was top 15. He stands out for his versatility and ability to play slot corner, outside corner and safety. He is an immediate plug and play for the Broncos, giving them an outstanding CB duo in PS2 and Barron
- Pittsburgh Steelers — Derrick Harmon, DT, Michigan State
Aaron Rodgers to the Steelers looks more likely as the days pass, so the Steelers decide against reaching for their main position of need, QB, here. With star defensive lineman Cameron Heyward aging, the Steelers decide to shore up the trenches and go with what one NFL executive called “a bigger, younger, version” of him. Standing at 6’5” and weighing 310 pounds, the big man should be able to add some much-needed depth and versatility to the Steelers defense.
- Los Angeles Chargers — Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
The Chargers need weapons on offense, and take Hampton to be their RB of the future. Hampton had over 1500 yards in two seasons for UNC and immediately heads to a Charger team with a strong O-line and a run-first coach in Jim Harbaugh. He joins former Steeler Najee Harris, in what should make an excellent one-two punch in LA.
- Green Bay Packers — Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
Golden has seen a meteoric rise up draft boards this year, and many have him as the best receiver in the class. His blazing 4.29 40 yard dash allows him to be a stellar deep threat for QB Jordan Love and finally give the Packers a potential WR 1. This pick also was a mark in history, as this was the 1st receiver the Packers have taken in the first round in the last 23 years, much to the delight of the crowd in Green Bay.
- Minnesota Vikings — Donovan Jackson, OG, Ohio State
A young QBs most important tool is always their O-line, and last year saw their o-line start to collapse at the end of the year. Jackson is a solid guard who should start right away on a revitalized Minnesota O-line.
- New York Giants (via Houston Texans) — Jackson Dart, QB, Ole Miss
The Giants trade up and get their hopeful QB of the future in Jackson Dart. Dart posses many of the physical skills that teams covet in QBs, with a massive arm and solid mobility. Dart is still raw though, and will likely be the backup to Russell Wilson for the start of the year. He’s a boom or bust pick, and his development will likely determine the fates of HC Brian Daboll and GM Joe Schoen.
- Atlanta Falcons (trade via Los Angeles Rams) — James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee
A projected top 5 pick at the start of the year, Pearce Jr. had a down year, only recording 7.5 sacks this season. He’s incredibly explosive, can bend the edge as well as any edge in the draft, and has a wide array of pass rush moves. With Atlanta needing an edge outside of Matthew Judon, they gave up a premium to draft him, including next year’s first. Pearce Jr. has high upside, drawing comparisons to Brian Burns, and has the potential to become one of the league’s top edges.
- Baltimore Ravens — Malachi Starks, S, Georgia
Malachi Starks from Georgia is one of the most well-rounded prospects in this draft, with an impressive football IQ to complement his breakneck speed and aggressive tackling. Unfortunately, the low positional value of safeties in the NFL makes him drop all the way down to #27. The Ravens stop his fall, adding even more talent at Safety and give the Ravens one of the best safety duos in the league with him and Kyle Hamilton.
- Detroit Lions — Tyleik Williams, DT, Ohio State
Tyleik Williams was one of the best run-stuffers at Ohio State, and Detroit plugs their need for interior D-linemen with this pick. Detroit is in the midst of a Super Bowl push, and Williams can give them an instant boost at the position. His ability to stop the run is especially important for Detroit, who will likely have to go through teams such as Philly, Green Bay, and Minesota who have star running backs.
- Washington Commanders — Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon
Coming off their surprise run to the Conference Championship, Washington needed to strength their O-line, and get a quality tackle in Conerly. Washington’s tackles were sup-par last year, and young star QB Jayden Daniels covered up for their flaws up till their championship game against Philly where their weakness really showed.
- Buffalo Bills — Maxwell Harrison, CB, Kentucky
Harrison also rose up draft boards in the combine, showing his blazing speed with a 4.3 40 yard dash. Last year’s AFC Championship Game showed that Buffalo desperately needs an outside corner outside of Christian Benford, and Harrison’s elite coverage skills should help him start day one.
- Philadelphia Eagles (Trade via KC) — Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
Campbell is a slam dunk at the linebacker spot. His athleticism flies off the chart with his 4.5, 40 yard dash and superior tackling ability. His top end coverage skills and ability to rush the passer make him the perfect add for an Eagles team that needs stellar play from their Inside linebackers
- Kansas City Chiefs (via Philly) — Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
Super Bowl 59 exposed the Chiefs flaws at tackle, and with the loss of star lineman Joe Thuney, they opt for Josh Simmons. Simmons would have been a top 5 pick this year had he not torn his patellar tendon midway through the year. Josh has the best tape of any offensive lineman and is elite in the pass and run. If he can come back strong from the tear, he will be the Chiefs Left Tackle for the next decade.
This year’s draft also saw a couple notable fallers this year as well, with Mike Green and Will Johnson falling to the second round. Most notably though, Shedeur Sanders fell to the 5th round. Once thought to be a lock for the 1st round, serious concerns about his character and personality clouded over his talent. He ends up in Cleveland, who had already taken a QB in Dillon Gabriel, and will likely have to fight for a roster spot next year.