At around 7:55 PM EST, it felt as if we were all about to witness a pretty chalky first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Then, at approximately 8:14 PM EST, all hell broke loose when the Cleveland Browns traded the right to draft Colorado wide receiver Travis Hunter to the Jacksonville Jaguars. And while things calmed down quite a bit after the blockbuster trade, there was no shortage of quality picks that could change the immediate and long-term futures of multiple teams. Let’s dive into the best and worst from Night One of the 2025 NFL Draft.
I know a lot of fans were disappointed and ready to stage a mutiny on GM Andrew Berry, but this was a good trade for the Browns. They still had a top-five pick that they used to get defensive tackle Mason Graham, and they now hold two picks in the top 10 of the second round. It may not have resulted in Heisman winner Travis Hunter, but frankly, they were the victors in that trade unless Hunter turns out to be Randy Moss and Deion Sanders rolled into one.
Draft Abdul Carter to give yourselves a front four consisting of Carter, Dexter Lawrence, and Brian Burns? Good. Trade a second-round pick and a pair of third-round picks to move up for Jaxson Dart? Bad. Dart isn’t a guy that was worth taking in the first round, much less trading a horde of picks for the right to do it. If I had to guess, this will be the last first-round pick Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen make in New York.
The Packers had four No. 2 wide receivers, and now they have a No. 1 in Matthew Golden. Don’t be surprised if they try to double-dip and acquire a receiver like George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers, as well, to give themselves a dynamic one-two punch with Jayden Reed as the No. 3.
The Chargers know you have to pass the ball, right? After signing Najee Harris, Jim Harbaugh turned around and drafted running back Omarion Hampton out of North Carolina. Meanwhile, Justin Herbert has no deep threat or threats whatsoever outside of Ladd McConkey. If this were 1958, the Chargers would get a great grade, but it’s 2025, and they have no one to throw to.
The Bills were very slow in the secondary last year and fixed that by adding the fastest prospect in the draft. Maxwell Hairston ran a 4.28 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, and could be the missing piece Buffalo’s defense needs to get over the hump in the AFC.
Drafting Jalon Walker made sense for Atlanta to get a potential star in the middle of their defense. However, giving up a future first-round pick to get back into the first round to draft James Pearce Jr. was a comical overpay, and one that the Los Angeles Rams laughed all the way into the night as their draft day ended with an additional first-rounder in 2026.
This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Grades are in for teams that made bold moves on Day 1 of the NFL Draft
