Tennessee Titans, Cam Ward: B+
Weak QB year? Sure. But the Titans secured the best in the class while also hitting their biggest position of need.
Ward has exceptional arm talent and supreme self-belief and has shown significant improvement in his play year after year. If he brings this same attitude to the NFL, then the Titans will have their franchise star for the next decade.
Jacksonville Jaguars, Travis Hunter: A-
A potential unicorn for his ability to play on both sides of the ball. If he can provide value as both a receiver and cornerback, then Hunter would be far and away the draft's best value.
While the player is an elite prospect, the Jaguars paid a lot to get him. In moving up three spots, the Jaguars sacrificed a future first-round pick. Now, Travis Hunter will have to outperform the Cleveland Browns' next two first-round picks for this move to be worth its value.
New York Giants, Abdul Carter: A+
The Giants have the best player in the draft fall to them at 3. An explosive pass rusher that will make G-men’s defensive line one of the most feared in the NFL alongside Brian Burns and Dexter Lawrence.
The Giants have a great lineage of pass rushers and Abdul Carter is just the next star in waiting.
New England Patriots, Will Campbell: B
It appears that concerns over Campbell being a guard at the next level fell on deaf ears in Foxborough. Vrabel’s first pick as the head coach of the Patriots prioritises the protection of their Quarterback Drake Maye, so it’s a sensible pick.
However, it remains to be seen if Campbell will perform well as a tackle at the next level. His NFL comp, Peter Skoronski, was drafted by Vrabel’s Titans in 2023 as a tackle but soon found himself starting on the interior.
Cleveland Browns, Mason Graham: A+
The Browns may have left the draft with the best interior defensive lineman, and gotten an extra 1st round pick in doing so. After passing up on a potential haul to sign Myles Garrett to a monster contract, it was refreshing to see the Browns make a move with an eye on the future.
Graham is an undersized but effective pass rusher. He uses his leverage and speed to his advantage and will be a great match-up alongside Garrett on the Brown D-line.
Las Vegas Raiders, Ashton Jeanty: B-
In this new era of the NFL running backs are suddenly valuable. However, the most effective of these running backs play on strong teams behind great offensive lines. The Raiders aren’t that.
Jeanty could well be the best running back to come out since Saquon Barkley, but his team's success may be similar unless the Raiders can get a lot better fast.
New York Jets, Armand Membou: A
Not a flashy pick, but a smart one. For the second year in a row, the Jets have spent their first-round pick on a tackle, and now they have bookended that position. If Justin Fields is to succeed in New York then strong O-line play is a must.
Membou is an incredibly athletic tackle with an anchor that makes him nearly impossible to shift.
Carolina Panther, Tetoria McMillan: B+
The Panthers have gone out and gotten Bryce Young a certified number-one receiver. McMillan is a true ‘X’, boasting an elite wingspan and contested catch ability.
The Panthers have clearly focused on the development of Bryce Young and their offence over their struggling defence which is currently deprived of talent.
New Orleans Saints, Kelvin Banks Jr: A-
The Saints are perhaps the team most in need of a rebuild out of any team in the recent history of the NFL. And when you’re in that position taking a young tackle is the way to do it.
Banks will start opposite Taliese Fuaga who was taken by the Saints in the first round of last year, and the pair will provide a great foundation for the future of their offence.
Chicago Bears, Colston Loveland: B
Ben Johnson's pursuit to rebuild the Lions in Chicago takes another step as they’ve brought in their version of Sam LaPorta. Except he’s a lot bigger and a much better blocker.
Loveland is such a prototypical Tight End that it’s hard to criticise the player. He’s an additional weapon to help Caleb Williams develop and his presence on the line will improve the run game.
However, the 10th overall pick is a steep price to pay for a tight end, especially when there’s already a talented one on the roster in Cole Kmet.
San Francisco 49ers, Mykel Williams: C+
Probably the first reach of the round as the 49ers target a pass-rusher to improve their ailing defensive line.
Williams is the next in the long lineage of pass rushers from Georgia, so his pedigree is pure and he fits a need. However, he was selected ahead of pass rushers who were considered stronger prospects and Williams could possibly have been available later in the draft.
Dallas Cowboys, Tyler Booker: B
Potential back-to-back reaches here, but this one feels less egregious. The Cowboys' offence excelled behind a strong line in front of their quarterback and with the retirement of Zach Martin, guard became a necessity.
Booker is a true guard and excels in a phone booth. If he gets his hands on you it’s game over, so if schemed effectively he should become a stalwart in Dallas. However, in the same vein as Williams before, there were other guards who were considered better prospects that were also available.
Miami Dolphins, Kenneth Grant: B+
Probably a little early for this pick, but Kenneth Grant is a massive human being, so the Dolphins get points there. Grant is the quintessential dancing bear, showcasing extremely quick feet for his size.
The Dolphins did make this selection in the face of a glaring need at offensive line which has become even more clear following the retirement of Terron Armstead. But whatever, Grant is going to torment offensive lines in the NFC East for years to come.
Indianapolis Colts, Tyler Warren: A
Before the draft, this would've been a dream selection for the Colts who appeared nailed on for a tight end. With the Bears taking Loveland, this gave the Colts the chance to take the player at the top of their draft board.
Warren is a physical weapon that can be used to great effect in a non-traditional offence such as the Colts. He’s a safe weapon for either Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones and can turn a checkdown into a big play.
Atlanta Falcons, Jalon Walker: A-
This will be seen as a steal as Walker was predicted to go in the top 10 to the Carolina Panthers, so the Falcons will feel as if they got themselves a bargain here at 15. Walker is a versatile defender who can drop into coverage as well as rushing the passer.
At only 6 '1, Walker would be undersized as a pass rusher, however he fits well into Raheem Morris’ defensive system who drops linemen into coverage more than anyone else.
Arizona Cardinals, Walter Nolan: A-
It wouldn’t be much of a surprise that in 10 years this will be viewed as the best pick of the 2025 draft. Nolan has an unbelievably high ceiling and will be a force to be reckoned with if he can put all of his talent together.
On top of his high ceiling, he fits a need for the Cardinals, whose defensive line group is amongst one of the oldest units in the league.
Cincinnati Bengals, Shemar Stewart: B+
Now this is a ceiling pick. If Shemar Stewart fulfils his athletic potential then why should he stop at football? Just let him conquer all of the sports. With a physique like this, who could stop them?
Stewart is an uber athlete, but his production in college left a lot to be desired. He’s great at getting pressure, but he struggles to complete the play. If he can become a better finisher then he can be the complete product.
Seattle Seahawks, Grey Zabel: A
The Seahawks had one of the league’s worst offensive lines in front of a Quarterback who struggles behind under pressure. This is the most sensible pick in the draft.
Grey Zabel, aside from having the best name in the draft, is the most meat and potatoes choice the Seahawks could’ve made. His presence could be the difference between Sam Darnold being a productive QB or him being an unmitigated disaster.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Emeka Egbuka: B-
One of the biggest surprises of the first round considering the Buccaneers need defensive help. But Tampa’s strategy is clear. They’ll just score more points than anyone else.
Egbuka is a bit of a luxury pick, but with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin approaching the twilight of their careers the Buccaneers may have had an eye on their future at that position. Egbuka appears to be a direct replacement for Godwin and can deputise next season as the veteran recovers from a severe knee injury.
Denver Broncos, Jahdae Barron: B+
One of the best defences from last season just took one of the best defensive weapons in the class. No Fly Zone 2.0?
Now Barron doesn’t have the athleticism to be a true, outside-man corner, but that’s okay, because the Broncos already have Patrick Surtain II. Barron is a defensive weapon and could be used similarly to a Brian Branch or a Cooper DeJean.
Pittsburgh Steelers, Derrick Harmon: A
This is a grown man right here. Huge, but not out of proportion, and sure to be a force to be reckoned with on the Steelers defensive line.
With Cam Heyward closely approaching the end, Harmon is a perfect long-term replacement.
Los Angeles Chargers, Omari Hampton: B
This feels like a Jim Harbaugh-type pick as he looks to continue to make the Chargers a run first offence.
Hampton is a tall, explosive running back, boasting a similar build to Ezekiel Elliot. He has the potential to be a workhorse back while also providing use in the passing game.
Green Bay Packers, Matthew Golden: B-
Do not scratch your eyes, but the Green Bay Packers have finally gotten a first-round wide receiver.
Despite an impressive 40-time at the combine, Matthew Golden’s speed did not translate into his tape, but he was still a productive player in his final year at Texas. Whether Golden can become an alpha receiver remains to be seen, but he’ll fit in immediately as a role player.
Minnesota Vikings, Donovan Jackson: B
The Vikings continue to invest in the young quarterback, JJ McCarthy, by bringing in the standout guard from Ohio State. Left guard was a glaring need for the team and remained their one weakness on the offensive line.
Now that Jackson has been brought in to fill it McCarthy will have an incredible foundation from which to develop on.
New York Giants, Jaxson Dart: C+
The Giants did in fact trade back up into the first for a quarterback, but it was not for Shedeur Sanders. Instead, it was for the bigger arm, more athletic quarterback out of Ole Miss.
Dart is perhaps better built for playing in the outside elements, but his lack of polish means he will likely be sitting while developing. It’s worth noting that the Rams immediately traded out of the first as soon as the Giants traded up, but it was still a lot to pay to move up a handful of spots.
Atlanta Falcons, James Pearce Jr: C-
Pearce is a projection with high-end physical talents. He was considered a fringe first-round talent so this is a suitable spot to take him. However, to give up a future first-round pick to move into this spot is orginisational malpractice.
This is eerily similar to whenever the Saints moved up to take Marcus Davenport, but on that occasion, they were going after a much better prospect. This move doesn’t make much sense.
Baltimore Ravens, Malakai Starks: A
Everyone likes to make a song and dance about Howie Roseman’s ability to land the best players, but the Ravens have mastered this craft too.
By biding their time they saw the best safety in class fall to them and his addition will allow Kyle Hamilton to play closer to the line of scrimmage and become a versatile chess piece.
Detroit Lions, Tyleik Williams: B+
The Lions are back to reinforcing the trenches and they don’t come much bigger than Ohio State's Tyleik Williams. A true run-stuffer as of now, but he has the athletic potential to become a threat rushing the passer.
With Alim McNeill recovering from an ACL injury, Williams will be able to fill in alongside DJ Reader and strengthen the Lions D-line.
Washington Commanders, Josh Connerly: A-
The Commanders know what they have in Jayden Daniels, and they’re making sure he stays upright, pairing Connerly with Laremy Tunsil in the Commanders offensive line room.
Connerly is a physical run blocker and was former NFL tackle, Mike Tice’s favourite offensive line prospect in the draft.
Buffalo Bills, Maxwell Hairston: B+
The Bills have sought to upgrade their secondary room which has weakened in recent years. Hairston is a true outside cornerback displaying elite speed that will allow him to keep up with the fastest of receivers.
This pick continues the trend of the Bills investing in this position after extending corner Christian Benford earlier in the offseason.
Philadelphia Eagles, Jihaad Campbell: A+
Yet again one of the better players in the draft inexplicably fell to the Eagles. How this keeps happening, I do not know. Howie Roseman’s strategy of auto-drafting appears to be a fool-proof method.
Jihaad Campbell is currently dealing with numerous injuries that may explain his fall, but once he is healthy he will only add to the embarrassment of riches on the Eagles' defence.
Kansas City Chiefs, Josh Simmons: B+
Another player that fell due to injury. Josh Simmons would have likely been taken earlier if not for a torn patellar tendon that he suffered last year.
His addition does fit an immediate need for the Chiefs who would rather not go into the season relying on a former 49ers backup tackle to protect Patrick Mahomes.
