Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft has officially wrapped, which means teams now shift their focus to Rounds 2 and 3. Tons of great names remain on the board, and the Cleveland Browns will kick things off with pick No. 33.
Here are my top remaining prospects as Day 2 of the NFL draft awaits.
SEC schools produced 15 first-round picks Thursday, led by three from Georgia and two from Alabama.
The Big Ten produced 11 picks, four of whom came from the national champion Ohio State Buckeyes. Three Michigan players were taken in the first 13 selections.
The first round of the 2025 NFL Draft has concluded with some stud players like Will Johnson, Mike Green, Shadeur Sanders and others still available.
Round 2 begins Friday at 7 p.m. ET.
Simmons suffered a season-ending knee injury in October. Before that, he was on a trajectory to potentially be the top offensive tackle in this draft. He checks a ton of boxes at the position from a size and athleticism perspective, but the consistency and smoothness on tape were just as good. If teams are comfortable with his pre-draft medical, this ranking on the board is too low.
Campbell is a ball of clay at linebacker. He’s got size and length for the position with speed to cover a ton of ground. When Alabama let him rush off the edge, you can see flashes of his athletic traits as a pass rusher. If the Eagles can be patient with his instincts catching up to his raw ability, he can be a highly impactful player in an NFL front seven.
The Green Bay Packers do not typically select wide receivers, but Mike Florio reacts to the Packers picking a “speedy” WR in Matthew Golden, who can help add “firepower” to the offense.
You’re talking about a guy who can turn and run down anybody. Turn on the Texas film. Watch him with Matthew Golden, Isaiah Bond. He runs them down like they are nothing.
He has speed that jumps off the screen. His speed in every area is elite — acceleration, out of transition, turning his hips. His closing speed when the ball is in the air and he’s beat down the field I think is the best of anybody in this draft. That to me is what you got to have to be that elite island-type of corner.
Conerly, who once upon a time played running back as a freshman in high school, has really light feet and the agility to mirror speed rushers. He needs to get stronger in his lower half to anchor against power, but he took really big strides in 2024.
Mike Florio explains the “luxury pick” the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made at No. 19 by selecting Emeka Egbuka, and how the star wide receiver can help lift up an already electric offense.
Williams’ presence up front forces teams to game plan differently with how and where they run the ball. While that doesn’t show up in the box score, scouts and coaches are going to love it on tape.
The Rams got quite a haul for the 26th pick in the first round, scooping up a 2026 first from the Falcons (while also giving away a 2025 third).
What Los Angeles loses in this year it makes up for greatly with another first next year. And with how good the Rams have been at replenishing the roster with young talent — especially in last year’s draft — if anyone could afford to kick the can down the road for an offseason, it was Los Angeles.
Coming into the 2024 season, some believed James Pearce Jr. could go as high as a top-five pick. And even after a bit of a down year, a massive combine performance reignited the hype and he was regularly mocked in the middle of the first round.
So when Pearce was still available toward the end of the first round, the Falcons pounced.
It makes sense. Pearce dominated the combine with a 4.47 40-yard dash, the fastest of any edge rusher and a time that would have put him in the top 15 of running backs if he played the position (even more impressive considering he weighs 245 lbs).
And Pearce is also prolific at rushing the passer. Per PFF, he had the second-highest pass-rush win rate of all qualifying edge rushers in college football last year.
I thought Starks would create more turnovers in 2024, but that shouldn’t take away from the level of safety prospect he is. He’s a fluid mover who has played free safety, lined up in the box, covered out of the slot, and contributed on special teams. That type of versatile weapon in coverage makes life a lot easier on any defensive coordinator.
Chris Simms, Ahmed Fareed and Connor Rogers explain why they’re not shocked the Steelers didn’t select Shedeur Sanders, outline what Derrick Harmon brings to the table and more.
Pearce is a polarizing prospect in this draft class. He’s explosive with length, but very lean. Over the last two seasons he’s been a pass rush win rate monster (topping 21% each year), but he’s left plenty of plays on the field with missed tackles.
I love how quick he is off the ball, but he is still a work in progress as a speed rusher trying to angle into the pocket. He’ll need to get bigger and stronger to develop into a three-down defender, but his athleticism will get him on the field as a designated pass rusher right away.
The Falcons will pick at No. 26 after making a trade with the Los Angeles Rams, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Per Schefter, the Falcons are also receiving a third-round pick in this draft. In exchange, the Rams will pick 46th in this year’s third round, a 2025 seventh-round pick, plus a 2026 first-rounder.
After a trade back into the first round, the Giants have now selected two players with a chance to make a big impact on either side of the ball.
After snagging edge rusher Abdul Carter third, New York has now also found a possible long-term quarterback in Jaxson Dart.
Dart could be entering an ideal situation.
With the Giants also adding Russell Wilson in the offseason, Dart should have a chance to sit and learn for a year behind a Super Bowl-winning signal caller.
Combine that with Brian Daboll’s reputation for rehabilitating quarterbacks and a young star like Malik Nabers at receiver, Dart should have his best possible chance at reaching the top end of his potential.
Dart was a productive, multi-year starter in Lane Kiffin’s offense. He put some beautiful touch throws on tape and picked up over 60 first downs with his legs the last two seasons. Dart needs a redshirt year in the NFL adjusting to a new system, but he’s a Day 2 quarterback worth developing over time.
The New York Giants grabbed a top pass rusher with their first draft pick of the night, but they weren’t done. They have traded back into the first round to select at No. 25, and in exchange Houston will receive the 34th overall pick, pick No. 99 and a third-rounder in 2026, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Instead of selecting another quarterback, the Falcons pick LB Jalon Walker with the No. 15 in the 2025 NFL Draft — solidifying Michael Penix Jr. as the No. 1 QB in Atlanta.
The Green Bay Packers decision to pick Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden with the 24rd overall pick marks the first time the team has picked a wide receiver in the first round since 2002 (Golden was born in 2003).
The team has had success finding wide receivers in other rounds (Greg Jennings, Davante Adams, Christian Watson and Jayden Reed were all second round picks), but the refusal by the team to pick a wide receiver in the first round has become a bit of a running joke.
The odds to become the No. 1 pick in any NFL draft are unbelievably long. For Cam Ward, it’s an even more unlikely outcome after he left high school as a zero-star recruit and began his college career at tiny Incarnate Word in San Antonio. Ward then transferred up to Washington State, then Miami. That persistence is central to the player the Titans are drafting, Ward told reporters Thursday.
“They are getting a dog, somebody who is willing to do anything to put the team and themselves in situations to win,” Ward said in the green room after his selection. “And the ultimate goal is to win championships.”
Ward said he believed in himself and his faith on his way to the top pick.
“I had those two things going for me and it worked out in the long run,” he said.
Jackson is a multi-year starter at left guard who had to fill in at left tackle for much of the 2024 season. He’s highly competitive with ideal awareness as a pass protector. His quickness in outside zone was also an asset, where he can get out in front and erase linebackers.
Golden’s calculated footwork in his routes and ball tracking make him one of the more pro ready receivers in this draft. He had eight catches for 162 yards in the conference championship vs. Georgia and then seven catches for 149 yards in the playoff against Arizona State.
When offensive guard Grey Zabel was drafted 18th in the first round by Seattle, it marked the fourth time in the last five years that his college, North Dakota State, produced either a first- or second-round pick.
That’s a feat that even Division I powerhouse programs rarely produce. North Dakota State is a powerhouse in its own right but plays in the Football Championship Subdivision, the second-highest level of NCAA football.
Zabel follows fellow Bison offensive lineman Cody Mauch (second round, 2023); receiver Christian Watson (second round, 2022); and quarterback Trey Lance (first round, No. 3) and offensive lineman Dillon Radunz (second round) in 2021. Of course, quarterback Carson Wentz went second overall in 2016, as well.
A 220-pound running back carved out of stone, Hampton’s physicality in every aspect of the position makes him a rare running back (along with Ashton Jeanty) that justifies spending a first round pick on.
With a gaping hole at quarterback, the Pittsburgh Steelers decided to pick the best defensive tackle on the board, Oregon’s Derrick Harmon.
What are they getting in him? A pass-rush demon. He was the fourth highest-rated defensive end in Pro Football Focus pass-rush grade, an 86.3 out of 100. And he led the NCAA in hurries with 43, 26% more than second-place.
The knock on Harmon is he was far more productive last year than he had been previously. But if he can build on a successful 2024, he just might be a stalwart on the Steeler’s interior for years to come.
The Steelers were widely considered to be a serious candidate for Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, but instead bypassed him for a defensive lineman.
Lots of ripple effects here.
First, what is Pittsburgh’s plan at quarterback? Right now, Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson are the only players on the depth chart there. Will it be Aaron Rodgers?
As for Sanders, the Steelers were the most quarterback-needy team left in the first round. Will he now go in the second?
Matthew Berry looks at Tetairoa McMillan joining the Carolina Panthers and breaks down why the former Arizona receiver is entering a favorable fantasy setup in Dave Canales’ offense.
Harmon was extremely disruptive rushing the passer after transferring to Oregon from Michigan State. He has enough quickness to cross the face of interior blockers while also showing off a pocket-pushing bullrush and a swim move. He has a top-heavy build and needs to improve his balance when trying to finish plays, but he’s been one of the biggest risers since August.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers just took Emeka Egbuka, the latest talented wide receiver to come out of Ohio State, with the 19th overall pick.
This is the fourth straight year that an OSU wide receiver has gone in the first round:
- 2025: Egbuka
- 2024: Marvin Harrison (Arizona Cardinals, 4th overall)
- 2023: Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seattle Seahawks, 20th overall)
- 2022: Garrett Wilson (New York Jets, 10th overall) and Chris Olave (New Orleans Saints, 11th overall)
Barron has played every role in the Longhorns secondary over the last few seasons but enjoyed a 2024 breakout with the majority of his snaps at outside corner. He’s not the biggest or fastest defensive back, but he trusts his eyes to make plays on the ball while also being a reliable tackler.
Mike Florio reacts to the Indianapolis Colts selecting a “versatile” playmaker in TE Tyler Warren, who has the potential to make a big difference at the NFL level.
Some NFL fans may not be familiar with the newest Seattle Seahawk, offensive lineman Grey Zabel. But if NFL Network lead draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah is right, he might catch on quick.
“This is my favorite player in the draft,” Jeremiah said on NFL Network Thursday after the pick was announced, touting Zabel’s “five-position flexibility” along the offensive line and performance during the Senior Bowl, a post-season all-star game.
NFL.com ranked Zabel’s combine performance as the second-best of all offensive tackles in this year’s draft, capped by a 36.5-inch vertical jump (the best of any tackle).
“Sam Darnold is a happy man right now,” Jeremiah said of the Seahawks’ quarterback. “They just got someone who can plug and play.”
Matthew Berry discusses why Ashton Jeanty will get a heavy workload with the Las Vegas Raiders, analyzing why the Boise State product will be a fantasy force early in his career.
By drafting one of the biggest question marks of the 2025 draft, the Bengals didn’t exactly put an end to questions about what they will do with top defensive end Trey Hendrickson.
Hendrickson led the NFL with 17.5 sacks last season and has sought a contract extension during the offseason much like Cincinnati gave to star wideouts Tee Higgins and JaMarr Chase. But that contract saga remains unresolved, and on Friday the Bengals used the 17th pick on a player, Shemar Stewart, who just so happens to play Hendrickson’s position. Slotting in Stewart as an immediate starter would come with serious concerns given his lack of production while at Texas A&M.
Egbuka is one of my favorite players in this draft. He doesn’t get the hype he deserves, but plays a rugged brand of wide receiver. He’s a refined route runner who understands tempo and spacing. As a bonus that should not be overlooked, he is a tremendous run blocker.
It’s hard to argue there was a bigger winner in the trenches during Senior Bowl week than Grey Zabel, who stonewalled just about everyone in front of him. He played both tackle and guard spots in college, but his long-term NFL home could be center.
Here’s how he fits with the Bengals.
They simply don’t make many guys with the size, length and movement skills that Stewart has. He wrecks run plays and has the agility of a 250-pound edge rusher, yet he plays at over 280 pounds.
Georgia linebacker/edge Jalon Walker was selected in the top 10 of the majority of expert mock drafts, largely to the New York Jets or the Carolina Panthers. So seeing him slide to No. 15 is a bit of a surprise.
But not a massive one, for a handful of reasons. The risk with Carter is the dreaded “tweener” label, a player whose size gets him stuck between being too small to be a true edge and too large to be a linebacker.
But with Carter, the upside is massive.
“What a dream scenario,” NFL Network lead draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said of the pick. “He can play off the ball, he can play on the ball, he was disruptive no matter where [Georgia coach] Kirby Smart decided to line him up.”
We’re now more than halfway through the first round and Shedeur Sanders’s name still hasn’t been called.
The Colorado quarterback is arguably the most polarizing player in this year’s class. He was a key figure in the Buffaloes’ turnaround, though his character has been questioned by anonymous sources.
Keep an eye on the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 21, though. Many mocks have Sanders going to the Steelers, who need a quarterback after parting ways with Russell Wilson this offseason.
If it’s not Pittsburgh, Sanders may not hear his name until the second round.
The former No. 1 high school recruit in the 2022 class, Nolen made a drastic jump during the 2024 season. He’s quick off the ball for a 290-pound player and angles his body to fly through gaps. He’s one of a few top defensive linemen in this class who can produce from multiple alignments.
Tight ends accounted for just 39 catches combined last season for an Indianapolis offense that struggled the pass the ball. Help is on the way in 2025.
The Colts used their first pick of the night to select Penn State tight end Tyler Warren at 14th overall. Warren can do just about everything on offense, and that could make him a quarterback’s best friend during an upcoming season that could be pivotal in the direction of the Colts’ long-term offense.
Quarterback Anthony Richardson is entering his third season yet doesn’t have control of the starting job just yet, and former first-round pick Daniel Jones was signed in the offseason as an insurance policy. Whoever is throwing the ball, they’ll appreciate having Warren as a big-body target.
Walker is a gifted athlete in the front seven who might be more comfortable as an edge player instead of off-ball linebacker. When Georgia used him as a standup rusher, you can see his acceleration and overall speed give trouble to the outside shoulder of pass protectors.
Mike Florio explains how WR Tetairoa McMillan — if he can live up to his promise — can play a major role in helping the Carolina Panthers “become relevant” in the NFC South.
Want to upgrade your run and pass game in one pick? Warren’s size allows him to take on the big dogs in the trenches, but he is a skilled seam runner as a receiver. The former high school quarterback was also a dynamic Wildcat threat in Penn State’s offense, which could make him a tush-push threat in the NFL.
Mike Florio reacts to New York selecting tackle Armand Membou with the No. 7 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft — a player he believes will provide a major boost to the Jets’ offense.
Grant is a colossal, true nose tackle that doesn’t get moved off the line of scrimmage against the run. He has unique athleticism for the mass he carries, but is still rounding out his game as a pass rusher. He has the upside to be a dominant force in the middle of an NFL defense, which he showcased against Ohio State this season.
Just six weeks after the Cowboys said goodbye to an All-Pro interior offensive lineman, they potentially just drafted his successor.
Living up to the success of Zack Martin, a seven-time All-Pro selection in 11 seasons with Dallas, will be extremely difficult, but with the 12th selection, the Cowboys clearly loved guard Tyler Booker out of Alabama’s potential to start from the first game.
Booker was a first-team All-American last season and a team captain at Alabama, where he measured a nearly 35-inch arm length.
Matthew Berry explains why he sees Travis Hunter in the WR40 range in fantasy football, breaking down the former Colorado star’s offensive potential with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
New Dallas Cowboy offensive guard Tyler Booker has at least one thing the Cowboys love in their offensive linemen: The name Tyler.
The Cowboys drafted Tyler Guyton in the first round last year and he’s entrenched as the team’s starting left tackle.
Tyler Smith, their left guard, was their 2022 first round pick.
And Booker, who could slot in at right guard, will join the group.
NFL teams always want to get better on the edge — what better way to keep quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen in check than with a furious pass rush?
This class has a glut of talented edge rushers and it all starts with Penn State’s Abdul Carter, a consensus top-five pick lauded by analysts and team executives who just went third overall to the New York Giants.
Georgia’s Mykel Williams is the newest San Francisco 49er, a toolsy former top 10 prospect who never fully reached his potential, but played through an injured ankle all year.
After that, toolsy prospects like Georgia’s Jalon Walker, Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart, Marshall’s Mike Green, Tennessee’s James Pearce Jr. and Boston College’s Donovan Ezeiruaku fill out a talented legion of players that all could hear their names called tonight.
But all of them come with question marks. How is Carter’s stress fractured foot healing? How can a team best utilize the talented, but undersized, Walker? If Stewart tested so well at the Combine, why was his college production so bad? How will teams handle the sexual assault allegations against Green (which he denies)? Has the wildly athletic Pearce done enough to address the vague questions about his character? And how much of Ezeiruaku’s wildly productive college career can be chalked up to playing some mediocre opponents?
Booker is an absolute unit that was a lights-out pass protector all season. It’s a lot of fun watching him drive defenders off the line of scrimmage when the run game is working downhill, where he generates tremendous power from his lower half.
The Bears are now very heavily invested in their targets for quarterback Caleb Williams.
After trading a first-round pick for receiver D.J. Moore two seasons ago, drafting receiver Rome Odunze in the first round last year, and selecting tight end Colston Loveland in the first tonight, Williams is going to be surrounded by a lot of premium talent.
With new head coach Ben Johnson coming over from the Detroit Lions, could the Bears finally have an exciting offense?
Williams won’t turn 21 until the summer and has a prototype NFL build with a thick frame and long arms. He will help against the run early on, but he hasn’t developed as a pass-rushing threat yet, like many expected.
Chris Simms, Ahmed Fareed and Connor Rogers break down how the Jaguars made a bold but calculated move trading up to select Travis Hunter with the No. 2 overall pick.
Michigan tight end Colston Loveland, who the Chicago Bears picked at 10th overall, has been seen as a consensus first round pick. But it’s a slight surprise to see him go over Penn State tight end Tyler Warren.
The vast majority of expert mock drafts had Warren being selected before Loveland. ESPN’s Matt Miller was one of the few to have Loveland selected first. And sportsbooks had Warren as the clear favorite to be the first tight end drafted.
Loveland has been a very productive tight end in Michigan’s offense the last two seasons. He’s a mismatch pass catcher who does a great job shielding defenders with his frame to win the ball. Loveland was especially impressive to me when improvising as his quarterback scrambled.
Mock drafts had the New Orleans Saints’ predicted pick at ninth overall all over the board. But few correctly predicted Kelvin Banks Jr., as NBC Sports’ Connor Rogers did in his final mock draft.
“The Saints continue to build up their line after taking Taliese Fuaga in the first round last year. Banks can play tackle or guard for them in this scenario,” Rogers wrote yesterday.
Carolina’s Bryce Young is tied for the shortest quarterback in the league at 5-foot-10.
His team just picked him a huge weapon in Tetairoa McMillan, a 6-foot-4 wide receiver from Arizona who is tied for the tallest receiver in the draft.
The big winner so far in tonight’s NFL draft? Servite High School in Anaheim, California, where both the No. 5 pick, Mason Graham, and the No. 8 selection, Tetairoa McMillan, both starred.
Both McMillan and Graham were MaxPreps All-Americans as prep seniors.
Mike Florio reacts to New York selecting Abdul Carter with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and predicts how the “sack-machine” will help beef up the Giants’ pass rush.
Banks has put together multiple seasons of excellent pass protection, showing off the ability to halt speed to power by generating strength from his hips throughout his lower half. His run blocking has been inconsistent, but when his hands land right he can be a wrecking ball.
Chris Simms, Ahmed Fareed and Connor Rogers provide instant reaction to the Titans selecting Cam Ward No. 1 overall and shed light on how his mechanics separate him from the rest of his draft class.
McMillan has the desired size for a perimeter receiver and was especially productive in contested-catch situations over the last two seasons. He also runs hard with the ball in his hands, posting over 960 yards after the catch in 2023 and 2024 combined.
With the selection of Ashton Jeanty, the Raiders’ new-look offense is coming into focus.
This offseason, Las Vegas has already traded for Geno Smith, signed guard Alex Cappa and signed veteran back Raheem Mostert. And now Jeanty is in the mix as a workhorse in the running back room.
Pete Carroll is no stranger to a run-first offense. By investing in both the offensive line and the backfield, it’s clear the Raiders seem to be building a little bit of that identity for themselves. With Smith’s downfield passing ability, that could make for a balanced attack.
Las Vegas could probably still use some help at receiver, and the team will have eight more picks to possibly address that position as well.
Last week, the top running back in the 2025 draft class, Ashton Jeanty, published an open letter to NFL general managers in The Players’ Tribune. It was a window into the Heisman Trophy finalist from Boise State’s mindset and it may have won over his new team, the Las Vegas Raiders.
“There’s nothing I want more than to be great at football,” Jeanty wrote.
“I’ve taken the long way,” Jeanty added. “I’m done with that way. If you pick me, it’s simple: I’m coming to your franchise to do what Saquon and the Eagles just did. I’m coming to win, big, soon.”
Newly drafted Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty, who finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting, is a prolific tackle breaker who runs through contact.
How good is he at it? His 1,889 yards after contact last season is more than any college football player and more than 61 full FBS teams, according to the Mountain West Conference. Even more, he faced a box filled with at least seven defenders 266 times, more than any other running back in the league, so he performed at that high level even when defenses were scheming to stop him.
With their pick of Ashton Jeanty, the Las Vegas Raiders just picked a running back at the highest spot since 2018.
That year, the New York Giants picked Saquon Barkley from Penn State 2nd overall. A year prior, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected Leonard Fournette from LSU with the fourth overall pick, one year after the Dallas Cowboys picked Zeke Elliott at four, too.
Membou’s compact build is unorthodox for a tackle, but I think he’ll stick there at the next level. He generates so much explosiveness from his lower half and is excellent at mirroring pass rushers.
Sure, the Browns decision to trade the second overall pick to Jaguars was a big surprise. But until the Browns picked Graham at five, the previous four picks were all chalk.
Virtually every media mock draft — including from draft analysts like The Ringer’s Todd McShay, NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, NBC Sports’ Chris Simms and Connor Rogers, and ESPN’s Matt Miller and Peter Shrager all — all picked the top four player selections correctly.
But only Simms started 5/5.
Jeanty plays with some of the best balance you will ever see at the position and can handle a significant workload on all three downs from day one. He can be the identity of an offense from the first second he steps in the building.
LSU tackle Will Campbell just went fourth overall to the Patriots, but there’s been some consternation among some in the draft community over the pick (which has long been expected) for an odd reason: his arm length.
It’s an odd quirk about the NFL draft process, every measurement is scrutinized. Campbell’s arms measured in at 32 5/8 inches during the Combine, but at 33 inches at LSU’s pro day (multiple prospects were measured smaller at the Combine than at their pro day).
Why is that a potential concern? Per NBCSports Boston, his wingspan is the shortest of any tackle measured at the NFL Combine since 2011, and many NFL scouts believe arm length is important for tackles trying to keep rushing defensive ends at bay.
But NFL Network lead draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said Thursday night he believes Campbell can still be an impact tackle in the NFL, but “at the absolute worst case scenario, you’ve got yourself a Pro Bowl caliber guard down the road.”
Graham is a brick wall when defending the run, showing off the strength to take on double teams and hold the point of attack. As a pass rusher, he plays with violent hands and elite grip strength that comes from his wrestling background.
When Chris Carter, the father of No. 3 pick Abdul Carter, was asked by ABC interviewer Laura Rutledge about his expectations for his son’s rookie year, Carter said Abdul would “without a doubt” become the defensive rookie of the year for the Giants. Here’s the thing: It just might happen.
The Patriots go with a floor selection in Campbell. I think he’s a (very good) long-term NFL guard, but they might let him give left tackle a shot considering the capital spent here.
The Giants have a good edge rush duo in Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux, but Carter is simply too talented to pass up here.
Carter is a missile off the ball who makes it nearly impossible for blockers to match his acceleration and movement skills. Turn on the tape against USC, Ohio State, Washington, Oregon and Notre Dame to see a game-wrecking presence.
What Hunter accomplished in college was historic: he played more than 90% of Colorado’s offensive and defensive snaps, according to the school (excluding injury) — finishing in the top five nationally for receptions and receiving touchdowns, all while cementing his status as a shutdown man-to-man corner (his 11 pass deflections were tied for 14th nationally). That’s why he won the Heisman.
And many analysts believe he’d be a top (if not the top) cornerback or wide receiver in the draft if he played either one exclusively.
It’s clear Hunter is a transcendent talent, but teams and analysts are torn on how they’d use him, and whether it’s worth the injury risk to have him play both sides of the ball.
Colorado receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter defied tradition last fall when he became the first two-way and first defensive player to win college football’s highest individual honor, the Heisman Trophy, since 1997. Yet when he was picked second in tonight’s NFL draft, he continued a different streak.
Hunter is now the seventh consecutive Heisman winner to be drafted in the top 10. The streak dates to Baker Mayfield, in 2018. Before Mayfield, previous winners Lamar Jackson (32nd in 2018) and Derrick Henry (45th in 2016) fell outside, although each has since become an All-Pro talent.
Now that the Jaguars have traded up for the second overall pick, which they used to take two-way weapon and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, it’s worth looking back at what new General Manager James Gladstone said when he joined the team.
“We will prioritize people and players that are intangibly rich, and by doing so, they will elevate our ecosystem by being nothing more than themselves,” he said.
Hunter’s skills are obvious, and possibly transcendent. But draft analysts, teams and former coaches rave about his personality and drive too.
Great intrigue at the top of the NFL draft tonight, with the Jags trading up with the Browns for the No. 2 pick. Some early thoughts for each team…
Browns: This feels like a vote of no confidence in this year’s quarterback class. Cleveland owner Jimmy Haslam said earlier this offseason the Deshaun Watson move was a “big swing and miss.” What Haslam didn’t say is Watson’s contract is too onerous to move off of right now. The Browns seem to know they aren’t a Travis Hunter away, and if they are bad again (seems likely!) they may have a better chance of finding a QB next year while still stocking the team with talent with the fifth pick.
Jaguars: Selecting Travis Hunter could be the shot in the arm this team desperately needs. With a new coach and general manager, Jacksonville clearly wanted to inject new life into the organization this year. Hunter could not only be a weapon for the yet-to-realize-his-potential Trevor Lawrence, he could be an impact defender and maybe even single-handedly draw fans into the stands.
After a trade with the Cleveland Browns, the Jacksonville Jaguars got their guy.
On defense, Hunter is an explosive defender in coverage with high-end ball skills. Those aspects also translate to the offensive side of the ball, where he generates separation but can climb the ladder to make difficult catches.
The Cleveland Browns have traded the No. 2 pick to Jacksonville, which held the fifth overall pick, according to multiple reports. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Browns are trading the No. 2 pick, a fourth-round pick and a sixth-round pick.
The Jaguars are trading No. 5, a second-round pick, a fourth-round pick and a 2026 first-rounder, per Schefter.
We were spoiled with last year’s quarterback class, and it has wrongfully taken some of the shine off of Cam Ward as a prospect. He has the arm, playmaking ability, and demeanor to lead Tennessee for a long time.
Green Bay Packers legend Clay Matthews just took to the stage and told the crowd at the draft: “I just got off the phone with the President, Donald Trump. He asked me to pass a message along to all 32 NFL franchises…My fellow Americans: The Bears still suck!”
It’s unclear whether Matthews was joking; a White House spokesperson didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment from NBC News. But Trump is a longtime sports fan who has been fiercely critical in recent months of the NFL’s new kickoff rules.
You may notice a lot of bicycles at this year’s NFL draft.
That’s because the NFL has adopted a Packers tradition for this year’s draft in Green Bay. Every year, Packers players ride children’s bikes to training camp. So the league had one made for every team this year, and that’s why you saw Roger Goodell on one tonight.
Hopefully we’ll see some of the draftees take them for a spin also.
And the Tennessee Titans are on the clock with the first overall pick. Here we go!
Panthers fans have probably seen Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker paired with their team at the eighth overall pick in every mock draft. This has become chalk for a reason, but even with the money they spent on defensive tackles in free agency, it will be interesting if Michigan DT Mason Graham slides and changes their plans.
Ward to the Titans has been the chalk pick for weeks now, but after that, there’s serious uncertainty as to what other quarterbacks might go in the first round.
That’s because teams and analysts are universally not as high on this crop of quarterbacks than they were last year, when six quarterbacks flew off the board in the first round (tying the NFL record). NFL Network lead draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah, a former pro scout, told reporters his grade for Ward is similar to the one he gave Bo Nix last year, but his grade for Sanders falls behind the six 2024 first-round quarterbacks.
Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart are seen as possibilities to hear their name called tonight, but that would be more of a testament to the dire needs teams like the New York Giants, Cleveland Browns and New Orleans Saints have at the position.
Read more below about the state of the quarterback class heading into draft night.
NBC Sports’ Chris Simms reveals his rankings for the top QBs in the 2025 NFL Draft class and breaks them into different tiers, from Cam Ward to Shedeur Sanders and more.
As the 49ers look to restock their roster after plenty of turnover, their premium first-round asset will most likely be used on the defensive side of the ball. San Francisco needs help on the offensive line, but the belief is they can draft and develop in that area on days two and three of the draft (it worked quite well with Dominick Puni last year). With Robert Saleh back with the organization, he’ll always pound the table for pass rushers.
Everyone is waiting for a big trade to spice up this draft, but the question is consistently who is coming up for what? Assuming the first three players off the board are Miami QB Cam Ward, Colorado WR/DB Travis Hunter, and Penn State Edge Abdul Carter, the question becomes how far would a team move up for Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty?
Yes, he’s a running back, but he’s a special talent in a class lacking game changers. New England would certainly let a team into this spot if the offer was right, but that would cost a lot. Jeanty could go as early as fifth overall (Jaguars) with a potential floor of 10th overall (Bears). It wouldn’t be shocking to see a team come up to grab him in between that range of picks.
Teams get 10 minutes to pick during the first round of the draft. But it begs the question: What happens if a team doesn’t pick in time?
The next team has a chance to jump ahead in line.
It’s happened multiple times — most recently in 2011 (the Baltimore Ravens) and 2003 (the Vikings). Both were reportedly the fault of issues trying to trade the pick and led to other teams jumping ahead of the Ravens and Vikings. The Ravens ultimately picked cornerback Jimmy Smith after one team jumped ahead of them, while the Vikings selected defensive tackle Kevin Williams after two teams skipped them.
Mike Florio and Chris Simms debate how long it will take for six quarterbacks to be selected in the 2025 NFL draft, after six signal callers were taken in the first 12 picks of last year’s draft.
Todd McShay, the veteran draft analyst who now works for The Ringer, is resolute that quarterback Shedeur Sanders is “not in play at three.”
“They’re not taking Shedeur Sanders there, they are not taking Shedeur Sanders at 34, is my understanding,” he said on his pre-draft YouTube show, in reference to the team’s second-round pick at 34th overall.
He added that the team is making “aggressive” calls to move into the later portion of the first round, on top of their third overall pick, possibly to pick quarterback Jaxson Dart from Ole Miss.
And noting that the New Orleans Saints are seen to be eying a similar trade, he said tonight could be a “blind game of chicken” between at least these two teams.
Can you decipher what Carroll means here?
Commanders general manager Adam Peters says he’s open for business on trades, including with the three other teams in the NFC East.
Despite a perception in some circles that a trade with a division rival is risky because it can give an opponent a player who might beat you in the future, Peters said he’s be willing to trade with the Eagles, Cowboys or Giants because he approaches any trade by looking at whether it benefits the Commanders. What the other team might do with a draft pick the Commanders send them isn’t Peters’ concern.
“I don’t personally believe in being scared about trading with a team within the division,” Peters said. “If you think the trade’s a good value for you . . . then definitely consider it.”
Betting lines have consistently had the quarterbacks taken in the first round set at 2.5. Unless there are multiple trade ups back into the end of round one, I don’t expect the over to hit on this number. This class is viewed as Cam Ward and then a lot of Day 2 talents.
Hunter made history at the University of Colorado last season not just for his unicorn role — starting at both cornerback and wide receiver — but for his prolific success doing so. And he has the hardware to show it, having won the prestigious Heisman Trophy, as well as awards for most outstanding receiver and defensive player of the year.
Expected to be one of the first names called by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Hunter has been at the center of a massive debate among football insiders and draft obsessives about how teams should best use his incredible talents while also protecting their significant investment.
To Hunter, the answer is clear, one he has repeated for months whenever he’s asked what position he’ll play in the NFL: “I do both.”
There’s no doubt that evaluators aren’t as high on parts of this draft class, particularly the quarterback class. One reason why might be the NIL landscape in college football.
Now, leaving for the NFL isn’t the only way to guarantee a multi-million dollar deal (we got reminded of this amid the kerfuffle around former Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava’s ultimate transfer to UCLA). For players debating whether to stick around for one more year of seasoning in college, getting that financial security could be a good tipping point.
It’s a dynamic NFL Network lead draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah says has had a “big impact” across multiple positions.
“I think in years past the easiest sell for an agent was to a running back, even if he had middling production, which was to say, Hey, you’ve got to start getting paid for these carries you have in your body as soon as possible,” he told reporters last week.
“Now those kids are getting paid either by their school or somebody else. …It’s kept a lot of those kids in school.”
Let’s talk about the draft slots that teams could get back into at the end of Round 1. The Commanders are without both their third- and fifth-round picks in this draft. I don’t think there is a glaring difference of talent if they moved out of No. 29 to pick twice in Round 2.
After their first-round selection at No. 24, the Vikings don’t pick again until the 97th selection (they also don’t have a fourth-round pick). Plus, I’d never rule out Baltimore or Philadelphia moving out with the way they value picks. However, both of those franchises have a lot of assets this year and I think Baltimore is watching closely if one of the pure pass rushers makes it to their slot.
Pro Football Focus dives into Penn State tight end Tyler Warren’s terrific 2024-25 season, where he was the “engine” of the Nittany Lions’ offense.
Here’s what the top prospects are eating tonight.
I don’t sense a fall coming for wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, which would mean logic prevailed. His size and ball skills as a perimeter threat in a wide receiver class lacking true difference makers will be valued. Even if he fell out of the top 12 picks, Seattle at No. 18 seems like his floor.
Texas A&M defensive end Shemar Stewart is 6-foot-5 and 267 pounds. He ran the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine in February in 4.59 seconds to go along with a 40-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot, 11-inch broad jump.
But he also had just 4.5 sacks in 37 career games for the Aggies.
It’s a glaring stat to consider when a major part of a defensive end’s job is to get to the quarterback — Penn State edge Abdul Carter, a consensus top-five pick, had 12 sacks last year alone.
And it’s why NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah calls Stewart, a projected first-round pick in Thursday’s draft, “easily the most polarizing edge rusher.”
It’s not just that Ward began his college career at a lower rung — it’s that he barely had the chance to play college football at all. It’s why many close to Ward believe the biggest question about him was never about his talent, but whether any college program would take the risk to recognize it.
“I’ve had numerous coaches tell me how much they loved him, and they just couldn’t take a chance,” said Eric Morris, who offered Ward his first and only college scholarship when he was the head coach at the University of the Incarnate Word, a private Catholic school in Texas. “I’m like, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah — whatever. Of course you do now that he’s had all that success.’”
The NFL had a bit of a running back renaissance last year with backs like Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs and Derrick Henry finding success with new teams, and young backs like Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs and Kyren Williams shining in the first few years of their career.
And while NFL offenses are still flying high (18 quarterbacks threw for 3,500 yards last season, the most since 2021), teams looking to shore up their running game will have a lot to work with in this year’s draft class.
Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty is a stud, with some experts projecting him going as high as the fifth overall pick. North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton, Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, as well as Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson rounding out a strong top-five in this class.
But there’s a ton of depth to be had too: The Athletic’s Dane Brugler has 16 running backs with fourth-round grades or higher; NFL.com has seven running backs a grade above 6.2 (which translates to “will eventually become an average starter) and another eight backs in the “good backup with the potential to develop into starter” tier; and while Jeanty and Hampton are the only ones who are regularly discussed in first-round mocks, Henderson and Judkins have made some appearances there too.
While Miami’s Cam Ward, a Heisman Trophy finalist, is the overwhelming favorite to go first overall to the Tennessee Titans, the outlook for the rest of the quarterbacks appears muddy. That’s in no small part because quarterback-needy teams spoke with their wallets this offseason, doling out deals to journeymen and late-career veterans instead of creating a drumbeat around drafting a quarterback of the future.
“If you’re a team in need of a quarterback and Cam Ward is the best quarterback on your board, you have to take him whenever you’re picking,” Bucky Brooks, a former player and pro scout-turned-NFL Network analyst, said on the “Move the Sticks” podcast this week. “But in terms of how these guys stack up … I don’t believe anyone in this class is a transcendent quarterback.”
From 2000 to 2015, 15 quarterbacks drafted in the first round became franchise fixtures, starting at least 100 games in their careers. Yet in the same span, just as many first-rounders played fewer than 60 games. As recently as 2023, when four quarterbacks were taken in the first round, one (Houston’s C.J. Stroud) has become a bona fide starter, while three others have struggled to establish themselves.
Some teams lean more heavily on impressions from scouts, while others are driven by analytics departments. Teams can fall into the trap of overanalyzing a player’s performance during the pre-draft process from January to April more than their on-field production. NBC’s Chris Simms believes an overreliance on analytics “has actually confused people more.”
“The great ones have great talent, and they have a charisma about them in the locker room,” Simms said. “We’re talking [John] Elway, [Dan] Marino, Peyton Manning, of course, Tom Brady, [Aaron] Rodgers, to where they can talk to anybody in the locker room and get them to follow and get the energy up on a daily basis in the locker room. And that’s what the great ones have. And I think sometimes that gets lost in translation a little bit with all our other analytical tools we’re talking about.”
It appears not.
NBC Sports’ Kyle Dvorchak, ESPN, The Ringer, Sharp Football Analysis and Yahoo Sports all feature mock drafts with the same player going first overall to the Tennessee Titans: Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward.
While the Titans haven’t confirmed who they’re taking, they have confirmed they’ve made a decision, with Tennessee general manager Mike Borgonzi saying Tuesday the team’s front office had “come to a consensus.”
While Ward was sensational in his lone year with the Hurricanes, his path to being the (potential) No. 1 overall pick was equally unique and unlikely, as NBC News’ Andrew Greif reported this week.
There has been a lot of buzz about the Jets potentially picking a defensive player in the top 10, but that would still surprise me. The offense has multiple glaring holes, notably right tackle and a No. 2 pass catcher. I would have Penn State tight end Tyler Warren as the favorite to go in this slot. It seems like a coin flip (at best) if Armand Membou makes it here and the previously mentioned Kelvin Banks’ range begins at this pick.
Perhaps the most difficult part of the draft to anticipate is which teams will trade up or down. Is there a prospect someone has fallen in love with and has to go get? Is there a team with too many needs that has to amass picks?
The Browns, for example, have been long connected to Hunter with the second pick, but may also be a trade candidate.
One player who could cause movement alone is Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, who is mocked by many to go early in the first round, but anywhere from five to 10.
Which teams will be aggressive? We’re close to finding out all the answers.
Mike Florio and Chris Simms shed light on why they believe the Steelers will “stay true to their board” during the NFL draft and recall what happened with Kenny Pickett.
Sanders is sure to draw a lot of intrigue and interest wherever he lands. Though he’s seemingly not a sure bet to go in the first round, there is one popular destination for the son of Hall-of-Famer Deion Sanders: the Pittsburgh Steelers.
ESPN and Sharp Football both have the Steelers selecting Sanders with the 21st pick in the first round, though Dvorchak, The Ringer and Yahoo disagree. (Yahoo’s Charles McDonald and Nate Tice notably have Pittsburgh taking Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe.)
The lack of clarity on Sanders is instructive of this draft as a whole. Outside of Ward, there doesn’t seem to be a quarterback that everyone can agree on.
At the same time, teams often get desperate when it comes to finding a player at the sport’s most important position. That means whether it’s Sanders, Milroe or someone else, one organization could be taking a massive swing whenever the second quarterback of the draft is ultimately selected.
Players hoping to hear their name called during the NFL draft understand that a successful fall season is a necessary component. But once the college season ends, another begins: draft season, where running a fast 40-yard dash or nailing an interview with a team at February’s combine can be just as valuable.
Inside the NFL, there is a belief that even though that evaluation process is exhaustive, it’s not perfect. Scott Pioli, an NFL Network analyst and former general manager in Kansas City, said that “we measure and evaluate certain things that aren’t always the right things or the relevant things.”
One longtime NFL executive, who has been involved in player scouting and spoke on the condition of anonymity, agreed with Pioli’s assessment.
“A bad interview of one player will carry weight all the way through the draft,” said the executive.
“Well, anybody can struggle in 15 minutes with people they don’t know. Instead of evaluating the true nature of what makes guys successful — and it’s their grittiness and their toughness and their passion and their competitiveness and how they approach the game mentally — that gets lost a little bit in some of the other stuff all spring.”
The decision to pick Ward with the first pick would likely spell the end for Will Levis, the former second-round pick whose mercurial career hasn’t lived up to expectations.
Once seen as a possible lottery pick, Levis slid into the top of the second round during the 2023 draft. But the Titans traded up to get him, and they were hoping the big-armed former Kentucky Wildcat could solve their issues at the position.
Levis has been injury-plagued in his first two years in the league, showing signs of the strong-armed and deceptively mobile player he was in college, but also struggling mightily with turnovers and accuracy.
It’s unclear whether the Titans plan to trade him, and it’s possible he could benefit from a change of scenery and a step out of the spotlight that comes with being a starting NFL quarterback. But you don’t draft a quarterback first overall without a commitment to making him your franchise quarterback.
And that leaves Levis as the odd man out.
The NFL originally announced 17 prospects would attend the draft in Green Bay. A day later came a report that Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston also would join them.
The final total is 15 prospects on-site.
It previously was reported that Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart and Georgia defensive end Mykel Williams had decided against going. Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons also didn’t end up taking the trip to Wisconsin.
New York seems to be in a bit of a swing position with the third pick of the first round. There’s an overwhelming likelihood Ward and Colorado star Travis Hunter will go with the first two picks.
The Giants, meanwhile, have been a rumored spot for Hunter’s collegiate teammate Shedeur Sanders, who told NBC News earlier this month that no quarterback would be better prepared to handle the New York spotlight than him.
But the Sanders-Giants hype may be more wishful thinking than anything else.
Dvorchak, ESPN, The Ringer, Sharp Football and Yahoo all have New York taking Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter third overall. While the Giants need help all over the roster, New York deciding to forego a quarterback could speak to the lack of faith in passing prospects in this year’s class.
New York is seemingly set at the QB position in the short term after signing Jameis Winston and Russell Wilson this offseason. But as the saying goes, if you have two quarterbacks, then you have none.
Brad Thomas and Vaughn Dalzell break down the Chicago Bears’ first round pick and identify which positions the team should look into to help Caleb Williams, including the tight end market.
The 2024 NFL draft saw a run on quarterbacks during the first round. That isn’t expected to be the case in 2025, in what could be one of the position’s lightest draft classes.
The number of quarterbacks drafted in the first round, since 2000:
2000: 1
2001: 2
2002: 3
2003: 4
2004: 4
2005: 3
2006: 3
2007: 2
2008: 2
2009: 3
2010: 2
2011: 4
2012: 4
2013: 1
2014: 3
2015: 2
2016: 3
2017: 3
2018: 5
2019: 3
2020: 4
2021: 5
2022: 1
2023: 3
2024: 6
For most of the 2024 college football season, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders was the betting favorite to be the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft. Now it appears he could fall all the way to the Steelers at No. 21. Or perhaps even further than that.
The Steelers are now the favorites to draft Sanders at DraftKings, FanDuel and other sports books. And they might not have to trade up to get him, as Sanders is now a +320 underdog to go in the Top 10.
Could Sanders fall even further than No. 21? It’s possible, if the Steelers aren’t high on him. In fact, there’s an increasing number of bets on Sanders falling all the way out of the first round: At ESPN Bet, Sanders’ odds of going in the second round moved to -120 this morning.
Former UNC running back Omarion Hampton joins Chris Simms and Ahmed Fareed to shed light on his draft preparations, what NFL teams like about his game, and how former Tar Heels have acted as mentors for him.
