May 9th, 2025
On April 24th, 2025, the NFL Draft’s 1st Round was not very entertaining in terms of trades because there were only four trades. However, two of those trades were big and two of the teams, in separate trades, may have given up too much compensation in order to get the players they wanted. It should be noted though that one of the trades involved a potential generational talent in the NFL that would be the equivalent to Designated Hitter/Pitcher Shohei Ohtani in the MLB.
This article focuses on the selections made in the 1st Round and the reasons the team took the player they did. It also considers trades as a factor into how good the selection is. Finally, grades will be shown to indicate whether the draft pick was satisfactory for each team’s best interests.
1. Tennessee Titans - QB Cam Ward, Miami, 6’2” and 219 pounds:Ward presents a massive upgrade at QB for the Titans over current starter Will Levis. While there are other pressing needs for the team, this was the right move. As said in the past, Ward has some attributes reminiscent of Kansas City Chiefs’ QB Patrick Mahomes, one of the most talented QBs in the NFL.
Grade: A+
2. Jacksonville Jaguars - WR/CB Travis Hunter, Colorado, 6’0” and 188 pounds (received this pick from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for pick 5, pick 36, and pick 126 in 2025, including a 2026 1st Round pick): The Jaguars pay a steep price and move up to select Hunter, who could possibly play on both offense and defense. This is definitely a “go big or go home” type of move. If this works out, the Jaguars will come out looking like geniuses.
Grade: A
3. New York Giants - EDGE Abdul Carter, Penn State, 6’3” and 250 pounds: Drafting Carter is definitely a smart decision. It beefs up their pass rush, as the Giants also have Weakside Linebacker Brian Burns and Nose Tackle Dexter Lawrence. Opposing QBs will be scared to face this defense when they fight it out.
Grade: A
4. New England Patriots - OT Will Campbell, LSU, 6’6” and 319 pounds: Will Campbell is the top OT on the board, so they jump at the opportunity to draft him. He will be their cornerstone OT to protect franchise QB Drake Maye, who showed lots of potential last year. Thus, Maye will be able to develop at a faster pace because of the Patriots’ improved offensive line.
Grade: A+
5. Cleveland Browns - DT Mason Graham, Michigan, 6’3½” and 296 pounds (received this pick from the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for pick 2, pick 104 and pick 200 in 2025): Graham adds some juice to Cleveland’s pass rushing abilities, who already have one of the best pass rushers in the game with DE Myles Garrett. They needed to improve their defense, considering the division they play in, the AFC North, is all about defense. Because of their draft choice, this will keep the Browns competitive in more games this year.
Grade: A-
6. Las Vegas Raiders - RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State, 5’8½” and 211 pounds: Jeanty is exactly who the Raiders needed. Raiders’ new head coach, Pete Carroll, is all about the run game setting up his QB for success. Jeanty was a beast in college and that is expected to happen in the NFL too. Jeanty is one of the top RBs in recent memory, with his explosion, speed, and tackle-breaking ability. It should be noted that Raiders’ QB, Geno Smith, is used to playing in this system, as Carroll was his coach in Seattle, so this will make the Raiders much better compared to last year.
Grade: A+
7. New York Jets - OT Armand Membou, Missouri, 6’4” and 332 pounds: Another steal in this draft, OT Membou is one of the most athletic offensive linemen. He is also one of the most consistent OTs in the nation. The Jets drafted him with the expectation that he will provide stability and security for the Jets’ new QB, Justin Fields.
Grade: A+
8. Carolina Panthers - WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona, 6’4” and 219 pounds: McMillan was selected one spot after in the mock draft, but this is still a decent pick. QB Bryce Young now has a big body to throw the ball to, and will potentially be a dangerous weapon, while being a security blanket at the same time. This will let Young prove himself even more after almost being listed as a huge bust last season before his resurgence.
Grade: A-
9. New Orleans Saints - OT Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas, 6’5” and 315 pounds: Considering the fact that OT Ryan Ramczyk recently retired, this is a sneaky selection. However, it is also a questionable move, as they already have two decent OTs. Banks Jr. might have to sit for a year because of the situation, and one of their more pressing needs is at WR, but some teams do not draft for need.
Grade: Grade: B-
10. Chicago Bears - TE Colston Loveland, Michigan, 6’6” and 248 pounds: his decision is very interesting, considering they have TE Cole Kmet already. They have two good TEs, and their offense will be on fire this year, due to all of the talent they have. They should have gone with RB Omarion Hampton (more on him later) because the Bears’ new head coach, Ben Johnson, drafted Detroit Lions’ RB Jahmyr Gibbs and signed RB David Montgomery all in the same offseason when he was with the team as their offensive coordinator. It is shocking that he did not try to copy something like that in the 1st Round.
Grade: C+
11. San Francisco 49ers - EDGE Mykel Williams, Georgia, 6’5” and 260 pounds: Mykel Williams is one of the top talents in this entire draft. However, he played at 60% with an ankle injury the entirety of last season. While this does show his toughness, it does amplify some injury concerns, whether it warrants it or not. However, if he turns out to be a major contributor to their defense, this pick will go from a reach to a steal.
Grade: B-
12. Dallas Cowboys - OG Tyler Booker, Alabama, 6’5” and 321 pounds: One of the Cowboys’ greatest OGs ever, Zack Martin, retired in the offseason, so they grab his replacement, who is ready to rumble against opposing defensive lines. Booker is a good draft pick in the sense that new head coach, Brian Schottenheimer, emphasizes the run game. However, it is baffling why they made the selection they did, as they could have gone RB. They do not have adequate talent for the position and Hampton was still on the board. Not only that, but their only good WR is CeeDee Lamb, so a WR2 could have helped.
Grade: B
UPDATE: The Dallas Cowboys made a trade for WR George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers. More details included on the NFL Trades page.
13. Miami Dolphins - DT Kenneth Grant, Michigan, 6’4” and 331 pounds: The Dolphins should have picked a CB due to the possibility of trading CB Jalen Ramsey, but looking into the pick, it definitely makes sense now. Grant will be a monster to deal with in the middle, and the opposing offense will also have to deal with Weakside Linebacker Jaelen Phillips and Strongside Linebacker Bradley Chubb. Now, that will give the opposition nightmares.
Grade: B+
14. Indianapolis Colts - TE Tyler Warren, Penn State, 6’5½” and 256 pounds: This is a brilliant move by the Indianapolis Colts, who land the top TE in this draft. There is some luck involved though, as the Bears took Loveland. Overall, he can do everything the Colts ask him to do, such as blocking or breaking tackles with the ball in his hands.
Grade: A+
15. Atlanta Falcons - EDGE Jalon Walker, Georgia, 6’1” and 243 pounds: They draft their EDGE rusher opposite Weakside Linebacker Leonard Floyd for the foreseeable future. This provides pass rushing ability for the Falcons, though Walker should have gone much later in Round 1 compared to where he was drafted. Atlanta should have chosen DT Derrick Harmon (more on him later), but it addressed the need for more pass rushers, whether that would be from the DT or EDGE rusher spots. The question is whether Walker is the right choice. Only time will tell.
Grade: B-
16. Arizona Cardinals - DT Walter Nolen, Ole Miss, 6’4” and 296 pounds: This is a good pick for the Cardinals, because they go defense and get a player to pair up with their excellent, new pass rusher in DE Josh Sweat. Nolen is already good as it is, as he stops the run, but can also learn how to pass rush. He is very young and still has the chance to develop into an even better player. While I did have them selecting an offensive lineman, this is still a proficient draft move.
Grade: A-
17. Cincinnati Bengals - EDGE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M, 6’5” and 267 pounds: The Bengals make a very risky pick, taking Stewart, who only had 4.5 sacks in his college career (which was three years). While he is a freak athlete, Stewart barely had any production, as previously stated, and there is a possibility that he may be their second best option if DE Trey Hendrickson gets traded. Stewart is not ready for that role and needs plenty of development before that happens.
Grade: D
18. Seattle Seahawks - OL Grey Zabel, North Dakota State, 6’6” and 312 pounds: The Seahawks go the safe route and upgrade their offensive line with Zabel. Even though new QB Sam Darnold did not get a good, young WR, Seattle gets an offensive lineman to protect him. In fact, Zabel was projected to go one pick before this and is a solid pick for Seattle.
Grade: A-
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - WR Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State, 6’1” and 202 pounds: A surprising pick for many people, Egbuka is a pick for the future. It is very confusing because they re-signed WR Chris Godwin and still have WR Mike Evans, who is one of the most consistent WRs in the league. There must be some circumstances involved, whether it is that they are not feeling good about Godwin’s prospects or they are preparing for life without Evans. Either way, a 1st Round pick is projected to be a WR3 if Godwin recovers from his devastating injury.
Grade: D+
20. Denver Broncos - CB Jahdae Barron, Texas, 5’11” and 194 pounds: While the Broncos improve their top-notch secondary, they only have WR Courtland Sutton as their dependable offensive weapon. The RBs need to improve and show they are capable of playing a good amount of snaps, while the WRs behind Sutton are relatively unproven. Another offensive weapon would have been a great pick here.
Grade: C
21. Pittsburgh Steelers - DT Derrick Harmon, Oregon, 6’4½” and 313 pounds: The Steelers did not take the opportunity to draft a QB to develop for the future. However, they do get a good defensive piece in Harmon. He was projected to go earlier in the 1st Round, but Pittsburgh gets a good value out of the pick. And the division they play in, the AFC North, is all about defense, so this helps them keep games closer with his pass rushing ability. The one question mark about this team is whether they go into the season with QB Mason Rudolph as their starter or somebody else, per se, QB Aaron Rodgers. Otherwise, this is a good selection.
Grade: B-
22. Los Angeles Chargers - RB Omarion Hampton, North Carolina, 6’0” and 221 pounds: This is a puzzling pick, as the team just signed RB Najee Harris in the offseason. Not only that, but Hampton and Harris are very similar RBs. They could have used this pick in a much better way, for example, improving their pass rush. It is a baffling decision.
Grade: F
23. Green Bay Packers - WR Matthew Golden, Texas, 5’11” and 191 pounds: The Packers went with the perfect pick in the 1st Round. They need a WR to take the top off of defenses, as WR Christian Watson is recovering from a torn ACL. They did exactly that, as Green Bay selected WR Matthew Golden. He ran a 4.29 40-yard dash, the fastest time for a WR in the NFL Scouting Combine. This is why the Packers take a WR in Round 1 for the first time since 2002.
Grade: A+
24. Minnesota Vikings - OG Donovan Jackson, Ohio State, 6’4” and 315 pounds: Minnesota takes Jackson as their future OG, who could also be an immediate contributor. Booker was projected to go to the Vikings, but he was already taken by the Dallas Cowboys. He is the second-best option for the team, and this is a nice selection by the team, as they needed serious help in this area.
Grade: A
25. New York Giants - QB Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss, 6’2” and 223 pounds (received this pick from the Houston Texans in exchange for pick 34 and pick 99 in 2025, along with a 2026 3rd Round pick): The Giants make the right choice and draft Dart, who has lots of potential. He gets to sit behind two veteran QBs named Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, who have been in the league for a very long time. This will give Dart multiple resources to go to about how to improve himself as a player. Dart has an unbelievable arm, but needs seasoning as he played in one of the least friendly pro-style offenses. This is one of the best landing spots for him. Just watch out for the media there.
Grade: A
26. Atlanta Falcons - EDGE James Pearce Jr., Tennessee, 6’5” and 245 pounds (received this pick and pick 101 in 2025 from the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for pick 46 and pick 242 in 2025, in addition to a 2026 1st Round pick): The Falcons trade into the 1st Round and take yet another pass rusher. Now, it is never a bad thing to have too many pass rushers, and Pearce Jr. is one of the best in this draft with his incredible speed. However, they give up too much compensation, despite Pearce Jr.’s status. They must have really liked him to give up that much, but is the compensation really worth it? Who knows.
Grade: B-
27. Baltimore Ravens - Safety Malaki Starks, Georgia, 6’1” and 197 pounds: The Ravens choose Starks to be Safety Kyle Hamilton’s running mate. This is a great selection by the team, as they get the second-best option. In the mock draft, they got Safety Xavier Watts from Notre Dame, but Starks was not available at this point. The Rams were projected to take him, but they traded out of Round 1, so the Ravens had some massive luck when it came to selecting Starks.
Grade: A+
28. Detroit Lions - DT Tyleik Williams, Ohio State, 6’3” and 334 pounds: Tyleik Williams presents the future of the DT position for the Lions, adding some energy to the defensive line while learning from veteran DTs Alim McNeill and DJ Reader. This is a great pick for the upcoming years, but the pick may not help them right away. Despite them being in win-now mode, they decide to look out for the future, which is smart.
Grade: B
29. Washington Commanders - OT Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon, 6’5 and 311 pounds: This move committed by the Commanders is a little bit confusing. They just made a trade for OT Laremy Tunsil, one of the top 10 OTs in the NFL. Now, they could replace OT Andrew Wylie, which is the most likely scenario, but Conerly Jr. is still a rookie, so it might take a while for him to get the starting job. This is a move looking towards the future.
Grade: B
30. Buffalo Bills - CB Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky, 5’11” and 183 pounds: The Bills select Hairston, who will be CB Christian Benford’s running mate. Hairston has much more upside though, as he ran a 4.28 in the NFL Scouting Combine, the fastest amongst all prospects in the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine. He also has great instincts and is very fluid. All of the aforementioned attributes will make a potential CB1 for the Bills. In the mock draft, he was taken 19th overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so the Bills got a massive steal by making this selection.
Grade: A+
31. Philadelphia Eagles - Linebacker Jihaad Campbell, Alabama, 6’3” and 235 pounds (received this pick from the Kansas City Chiefs for pick 164):The Eagles make a huge value pick, picking Jihaad Campbell, who would have gone much higher if not for injury concerns. In the mock draft, he went 7th overall to the New York Jets, and because of this, they won the award for making the steal of the draft. Jihaad Campbell is a versatile player, playing both Linebacker and on the EDGE. And as stated in the mock draft, he scored a RAS of 9.85 out of 10.
Grade: A+
32. Kansas City Chiefs - OT Josh Simmons, Ohio State, 6’5” and 317 pounds (received this pick from Philadelphia Eagles):This an interesting move by Kansas City, as they do not go for a RB to pair with RB Isiah Pacheco. They do not even draft a WR or think about the future of their TE position (though it could be argued that the value was not there at the time of this pick). Instead, they decide to select an OT. Credit to them because Simmons could become an immediate starter on the offensive line. The Chiefs stuck with their guts and decided to protect their future first-ballot Hall of Famer. Admittedly, it is a boring pick, but as said, it is still a good one.
Grade: A-