Ranking each team’s 2025 NFL Draft class: Bills, Raiders, 49ers come up aces; Browns, Bengals raise questions

And that is a wrap on the 2025 NFL Draft. Like most drafts, it’s really hard not to like what almost all of the teams did. Because as long as those teams filled their biggest needs and didn’t grossly overreach to do so, it’s difficult — and silly — to announce one group as obvious losers without any of the 257 players drafted having yet stepped foot on a field during an NFL game. 

Knowing that, I used three categories to break down the team-by-team drafts: “Drafts I Loved,” “Drafts I Liked” and “Drafts That Left Me Wanting More” Within those categories I also assigned team grades (but no grade was lower than a “C” because, again, unless you’re repeatedly selecting long snappers in Rounds 1-7, it’s hard to flunk the draft).

Basically: I would advise you not to get hung up on the labels or grades, but to focus on which picks stood out, which provided the best value and which were most surprising.

Drafts I Loved

Round	Pick	Player
1	30	Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky (CB3)
2	41	T.J. Sanders, DL, South Carolina (DL6)
2	72	Landon Jackson, EDGE, Arkansas (EDGE12)
4	109	Deone Walker, DL, Kentucky (DL13)
5	170	Jordan Hancock, CB, Ohio State (S13)
5	173	Jackson Hawes, TE, Georgia Tech (TE10)
6	177	Dorian Strong, CB, Virginia Tech (CB21)
6	206	Chase Lundt, OT, UCONN (OT18)
7	240	Kaden Prather, WR, Maryland (WR28)

Favorite pick: Maxwell Hairston reminds me of Devon Witherspoon in that he may be undersized, but he plays much bigger than that. He battled a shoulder injury last season, but when he’s healthy he’s as close as you’ll get to a lockdown corner in today’s NFL. Hairston, who ran a 4.28-second (!!) 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, will have a chance to win the Day 1 starting job.

Best value: Ten months ago, we were talking about Deone Walker as a first-round pick, and possibly top-15 talent. He battled a back injury in 2024 and his play suffered. But you’re not going to find a 6-foot-7, 330-pound athletic defensive lineman just walking around looking for work. If Walker is healthy and locked in, we could end up looking back at this being one of the best players in this class.

Most surprising pick: On the surface, you might wonder why the Bills need another tight end, but Jackson Hawes was the best blocking tight end in the class. I had a fifth-round grade on him, so to get him in Round 6 provides some value, too.

Round	Pick	Player
1	1	Cam Ward, QB, Miami (QB1)
2	52	Oluwafemi Oladejo, EDGE, UCLA (EDGE9)
3	82	Kevin Winston Jr., S, Penn State (S4)
4	103	Chimere Dike, WR, Florida (WR15)
4	120	Gunnar Helm, TE, Texas (TE7)
5	136	Elic Ayomanor, WR, Stanford (WR20)
5	167	Jackson Slater, IOL, Sacramento State (OG9)
6	183	Marcus Harris, S, California (CB23)
6	188	Kalel Mullings, RB, Michigan (RB18)

Favorite pick: Cam Ward is an obvious choice, but I’m going with Femi Oladejo. I talked to him at the Senior Bowl and his personality matches his tape. He loves football and is going to be a great locker-room guy. He has confidence for days, even though he just moved to edge rusher in 2024. Prior to that he played off-ball linebacker at both UCLA and Cal. For an idea of what you’ll see in Tennessee, watch Oladejo against the Penn State right tackle, who had one of the longest days of his football life during that matchup.

Best value: I had Elic Ayomanor as a Day 2 pick, so to get him early on Day 3 provides some value, but I love the idea of getting Ward a reliable, big-bodied, sure-handed possession receiver alongside fourth-rounder Chimere Dike, a big slot with 4.3 speed who can stretch the field. 

Most surprising pick: It’s not a shock that the Titans grabbed Gunnar Helm; just that he was available on Day 3, and was the seventh tight end taken in this draft. He was my TE3, and I wouldn’t have been shocked if he heard his name called in Round 2. What he lacks in flash he makes up for in consistency.

Round	Pick	Player
1	6	Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State (RB1)
2	58	Jack Bech, WR, TCU (WR8)
3	68	Darien Porter, CB, Iowa State (CB7)
3	98	Caleb Rogers, OT, Texas Tech (OT10)
3	99	Charles Grant, OT, William & Mary (OT11)
4	108	Dont’e Thornton Jr., WR, Tennessee (WR16)
4	135	Tonka Hemingway, DL, South Carolina (DL16)
6	180	JJ Pegues, DL, Ole Miss (DL24)
6	213	Tommy Mellott, QB, Montana State
6	215	Cam Miller, QB, North Dakota State (QB11)
7	222	Cody Lindenberg, LB, Minnesota (LB19)

Favorite pick: I’ve been talking up Jack Bech since January, and all he did was ball out in the Senior Bowl and solidify my thoughts that he was a second-round pick. The Raiders traded down 10 spots, grabbed Bech at No. 58 and used the additional third-rounder to get the most athletic offensive tackle in this class, William & Mary’s Charles Grant. Bech is going to eat in the slot, in part because he’s a big wideout, great route runner and has a huge catch radius, but also because defenses have to concern themselves with Brock Bowers and first-rounder Ashton Jeanty.

Best value: I thought JJ Pegues could’ve gone late Day 2/early Day 3. The Raiders got him in the sixth, and here’s all you need to know about him: he’s a converted tight end who scored seven (SEVEN!) offensive TDs last season for Ole Miss and added four sacks and 28 hurries along the defensive line. 

Most surprising pick: This is one of my favorite drafts (duh), and perhaps the most surprising thing is that all 11 selections have a chance to make the final roster; Darien Porter is a former WR-turned-CB and has obvious ball skills; Dont’e Thornton Jr. is a legit 4.3-40 guy who at 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds can stack defensive backs all day long. Tonka Hemingway is an immediate contributor, and expect Tommy Mellott to be Geno Smith’s Julian Edelman in Vegas.

Round	Pick	Player
1	15	Jalon Walker, EDGE, Georgia (EDGE3)
1	26	James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee (EDGE5)
3	96	Xavier Watts, S, Notre Dame (S6)
4	118	Billy Bowman Jr., S, Oklahoma (S8)
7	218	Jack Nelson, OT, Wisconsin (OT20)

Favorite pick: Jalon Walker is low-hanging fruit, but he’s special, both as a player and a person. He may be undersized by traditional NFL edge-rush standards, but he’s a chess piece for head coach Raheem Morris in that he can line up anywhere.

Best value: Xavier Watts could have gone 30 picks sooner; either way, he’s a tone-setter from deep, both coming downhill vs. the run and making plays on the ball. The converted wide receiver had 13 interceptions the last two seasons for the Fighting Irish.

Most surprising pick: James Pearce Jr. Not so much that the Falcons took him — I’d heard he was on their radar at No. 15 — but that they took him after they drafted Walker, and that they were willing to give up a 2026 first-rounder for him. If you’re OK with the off-field concerns, Pearce is worth future draft picks because on the field he’s a top-10 talent.

Round	Pick	Player
1	11	Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia (EDGE2)
2	43	Alfred Collins, DL, Texas (DL7)
3	75	Nick Martin, LB, Oklahoma State (LB4)
3	100	Upton Stout, CB, Western Kentucky (CB15)
4	113	CJ West, DL, Indiana (DL15)
4	138	Jordan Watkins, WR, Ole Miss (WR21)
5	147	Jordan James, RB, Oregon (RB13)
5	160	Marques Sigle, S, Kansas State (S12)
7	227	Kurtis Rourke, QB, Indiana (QB12)
7	249	Connor Colby, IOL, Iowa (OG15)
7	252	Junior Bergen, WR, Montana (WR31)

Favorite pick: Good luck finding someone who knocks down more passes at the line of scrimmage than Alfred Collins. He’s twitchy for his size and can shoot gaps with a quick first step and great hand usage. He can also win with power, is hard to move off the spot and is a high-motor player who will run sideline-to-sideline to get to the ball.

Best value: CJ West is as juiced-up a defensive lineman as there is in this class. He slipped to the fourth round because he’s just 6-foot-1 and has 31.5-inch arms, but as former Titans general manager Ran Carthon, my co-host on “With the First Pick,” pointed out, West is a carbon copy of DJ Jones.

Most surprising pick: It’s never really a surprise when the 49ers take a flier on a quarterback, and Kurtis Rourke certainly fits the mold of what Kyle Shanahan might be looking for. But they took the Indiana signal-caller in the seventh round, four picks before the Dolphins selected Quinn Ewers.

Round	Pick	Player
1	2	Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado (WR/CB1)
3	88	Caleb Ransaw, CB, Tulane (CB13)
3	89	Wyatt Milum, OT, West Virginia (OG6)
4	104	Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Virginia Tech (RB7)
4	107	Jack Kiser, LB, Notre Dame (LB5)
6	194	Jalen McLeod, LB, Auburn (LB17)
6	200	Rayuan Lane III, S, Navy (S15)
7	221	Jonah Monheim, IOL, USC (OC3)
7	236	LeQuint Allen, RB, Syracuse (RB23)

Favorite pick: Travis Hunter is the obvious one because he’s a legit two-for-one player who very well may end up being well worth the future first-rounder the Jags gave up to get him. 

Best value: I loved LeQuint Allen’s tape and would’ve considered him in the third round. He didn’t run during the pre-draft process, which is usually an indication that you’re slow. But Allen played fast, is only 20 years old and was targeted 83 times last season as a receiver.

Most surprising pick: Linebackers Jack Kiser and Jalen McLeod, but only because Jacksonville feels like Linebacker U in recent years. That said, the new regime will likely move on from the previously drafted linebackers, so expect Kiser and McLeod to get plenty of run early in their careers.

Round	Pick	Player
1	12	Tyler Booker, IOL, Alabama (OG1)
2	44	Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE, Boston College (EDGE6)
3	76	Shavon Revel Jr., CB, East Carolina (CB9)
5	149	Jaydon Blue, RB, Texas (RB14)
5	152	Shemar James, LB, Florida (LB11)
6	204	Ajani Cornelius, IOL, Oregon (OT17)
7	217	Jay Toia, DL, UCLA (DL28)
7	239	Phil Mafah, RB, Clemson (RB24)
7	247	Tommy Akingbesote, DL, Maryland (DL29)

Favorite pick: Tyler Booker is a tone-setter. I never cared about his 40-yard dash time because unless he’s returning a fumble, he won’t be asked to run 40 yards in a straight line very often. He’s the best guard in this class and one of the best football players.

Best value: Shavon Revel Jr. is long, fast, physical and has ball skills. He suffered an ACL tear last September that robbed him of his season, but he’s a first-round talent.

Most surprising pick: Donovan Ezeiruaku — not the player, but that he was on the board at pick No. 44. Ezeiruaku had first-round buzz, and while I thought he struggled against the run early last season for Boston College, he improved down the stretch. He’s a hair-on-fire designated pass rusher from Day 1.

Round	Pick	Player
1	3	Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State (EDGE1)
1	25	Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss (QB2)
3	65	Darius Alexander, DL, Toledo (DL10)
4	105	Cam Skattebo, RB, Arizona State (RB8)
5	154	Marcus Mbow, OT, Purdue (OT14)
7	219	Thomas Fidone II, TE, Nebraska (TE13)
7	246	Korie Black, CB, Oklahoma State (CB27)

Favorite pick: Cam Skattebo’s playing style might only be conducive to 2-3 years in the league, but they’re going to be two or three of the most exciting years we’ve seen from a running back. He was the toughest person in college football, and I don’t think there was a close second.

Best value: I would’ve taken Fidone early on Day 3 — he’s a really good athlete and long-strider who can get on linebackers’ toes in a hurry, get out of breaks with urgency and has a big catch radius (he only had one drop on 51 targets). He’ll make contested catches look easy, absorb big hits and still get YAC. 

Most surprising pick: Darius Alexander, but only because he was still available in Round 3. He might almost be 25 years old, but he was dominant at Toledo and proved he could dominate Power 4 competition at the Senior Bowl in January.

Round	Pick	Player
1	27	Malaki Starks, S, Georgia (S1)
2	59	Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall (EDGE10)
3	91	Emery Jones Jr., IOL, LSU (OG7)
4	129	Teddye Buchanan, LB, Cal (LB9)
5	141	Carson Vinson, OT, Alabama A&M (OT13)
6	178	Bilhal Kone, CB, Western Michigan (CB22)
6	186	Tyler Loop, K, Arizona (K2)
6	203	LaJohntay Wester, WR, Colorado (WR24)
6	210	Aeneas Peebles, DL, Virginia Tech (DL27)
6	212	Robert Longerbeam, CB, Rutgers (CB24)
7	243	Garrett Dellinger, IOL, LSU (OG14)

Favorite pick: Landing Malaki Starks feels unfair for a defense that already has Kyle Hamilton. Good luck to the rest of the AFC North.

Best value: My comp for Mike Green was Will Anderson Jr. He did have some off-field issues, and that’s why he dropped to the bottom of the second round, but good luck finding someone who plays harder for 60 snaps a game than Green.

Most surprising pick: Teddye Buchanan transferred from UC Davis to play his final season at Cal. He’s an undersized LB who  can stride out in space, especially coming downhill. He will get engulfed by offensive linemen a lot and doesn’t offer much in  coverage. I had a mid-Day 3 grade on him, but the Ravens could envision him as a safety/linebacker hybrid who has a chance to excel with the aforementioned Hamilton and Starks behind him.

Round	Pick	Player
1	32	Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State (OT5)
2	63	Omarr Norman-Lott, DL, Tennessee (DL9)
3	66	Ashton Gillotte, EDGE, Louisville (EDGE11)
3	85	Nohl Williams, CB, California (CB12)
4	133	Jalen Royals, WR, Utah State (WR19)
5	156	Jeffrey Bassa, LB, Oregon (LB12)
7	228	Brashard Smith, RB, SMU (RB21)

Favorite pick: Jalen Royals was a second-round pick for me all day long. He was injured last October and missed the rest of the season, but he’s a playmaker with the ball in his hands. Now imagine him catching passes not from the Utah State quarterback but from Patrick Mahomes.

Best value: I’ve been talking about Brashard Smith for five months now, and I loved him in Round 3. He’s still learning the running back position after playing wide receiver for three seasons at Miami before transferring. He’s electric in both small spaces and the open field, and he’s the best receiving back in the class.

Most surprising pick: I was surprised that Josh Simmons was still on the board, because if he’s healthy, he’s probably a top-10 pick. The Chiefs have to figure out their tackle situation, and Simmons could finally be the guy to do it.

Round	Pick	Player
1	8	Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona (WR2)
2	51	Nic Scourton, EDGE, Texas A&M (EDGE8)
3	77	Princely Umanmielen, EDGE, Ole Miss (EDGE13)
4	114	Trevor Etienne, RB, Georgia (RB9)
4	122	Lathan Ransom, S, Ohio State (S9)
5	140	Cam Jackson, DL, Florida (DL19)
5	163	Mitchell Evans, TE, Notre Dame (TE8)
6	208	Jimmy Horn Jr., WR, Colorado (WR25)

Favorite pick: Tet McMillan is all about surrounding Bryce Young with dudes. Last year it was Xavier Legette and Ja’Tavion Sanders, and now it’s another big, physical, playmaking WR.

Best value: I had Latham Ransom as a late Day 2 player, and he went around that range, but I think when it’s all said and done, he could end up being way better than that. He might be the smartest player in the 2025 draft class, and he got better each week for Ohio State.

Most surprising pick: It’s hard to believe that Nic Scourton was still available at No. 51; I know he wasn’t that productive in 2024 at Texas A&M, but he was exactly who we thought he was in 2023 for Purdue. Oh, and he’s only 20 years old.

Round	Pick	Player
1	19	Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State (WR3)
2	53	Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame (CB5)
3	84	Jacob Parrish, CB, Kansas State (CB11)
4	121	David Walker, EDGE, Central Arkansas (EDGE17)
5	157	Elijah Roberts, EDGE, SMU (EDGE23)
7	235	Tez Johnson, WR, Oregon (WR26)

Favorite pick: Emeka Egbuka, professional receiver. Those four words might be the best scouting report you’ll read, because it basically encapsulates who he is — from a great route runner who catches everything thrown in his direction to a willing blocker who’ll be an asset in the run game.

Best value: Elijah Roberts was dominant for SMU and could’ve gone a couple rounds higher than he did. At 285 pounds, he can line up anywhere along the defensive line, and the 4.78 40 gives you a hint at his athleticism. He’ll consistently win with power, and while he can play a little stiff at times, he’s a steal in Round 3.

Most surprising pick: Tez Johnson weighs 155 pounds, but how was he still on the board in Round 7? He dominated the Senior Bowl because no one could cover him, and if you get him a free release off the line of scrimmage in the NFL, he’ll remain impossible to cover.

Round	Pick	Player
2	34	Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State (WR5)
2	48	Aireontae Ersery, OT, Minnesota (OT7)
3	79	Jaylin Noel, WR, Iowa State (WR12)
3	97	Jaylin Smith, CB, USC (CB14)
6	116	Woody Marks, RB, USC (RB10)
6	187	Jaylen Reed, S, Penn State (S14)
6	197	Graham Mertz, QB, Florida (QB10)
7	224	Kyonte Hamilton, DL, Rutgers (OT22)
7	255	Luke Lachey, TE, Iowa (TE16)

Favorite pick: I know the Texans gave up a 2026 third-rounder to move up and take Woody Marks, but he stops on a dime better than anyone in this class, plays with good vision behind the line of scrimmage, runs with a low center of gravity and was a big part of the passing game as a receiver out of the backfield. And he also has return ability.

Best value: Jaylen Reed reminded me of Bryan Cook coming out of Cincinnati. Reed is better coming downhill than in coverage, but he is consistently all over the field making plays. And his 4.49 40 time matches his play speed.

Most surprising pick: Graham Mertz. And not because the Texans don’t need to develop a young quarterback, but because Mertz missed the last half of the season with an ACL injury and because they took him ahead of Quinn Ewers.

Round	Pick	Player
1	4	Will Campbell, OT, LSU (OT1)
2	38	TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State (RB4)
3	69	Kyle Williams, WR, Washington State (WR9)
3	95	Jared Wilson, IOL, Georgia (OC1)
4	106	Craig Woodson, S, Cal (S7)
5	137	Joshua Farmer, DL, Florida State (DL17)
5	146	Bradyn Swinson, EDGE, LSU (EDGE22)
6	182	Andres Borregales, K, Miami (K1)
7	220	Marcus Bryant, OT, Missouri (OT21)
7	251	Julian Ashby, LS, Vanderbilt (LS1)
7	257	Kobee Minor, CB, Memphis (CB29)

Favorite pick: Man, TreVeyon Henderson is going to be a lot of fun. There was some buzz that he could sneak into the first round, and the Patriots are doing their part to surround Drake Maye with an improved O-line and some big-play weapons.

Best value: I had a third-round grade on Bradyn Swinson, a hair-on-fire pass rusher who reminded me of Chris Braswell coming out of Alabama.

Most surprising pick: The least surprising development is that the Pats took a long snapper. Surprising for me, however, was taking 5-foot-10 Kyle Williams, who played primarily outside at Washington State. And this is less about Williams and more about getting Maye bigger downfield targets in much the way the Texans have done (and did last weekend) for C.J. Stroud with Nico Collins and 2025 second-rounder Jayden Higgins.

Drafts I Liked

Round	Pick	Player
1	29	Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon (OT4)
2	61	Trey Amos, CB, Ole Miss (CB6)
4	128	Jaylin Lane, WR, Virginia (WR18)
6	205	Kain Medrano, LB, UCLA (LB18)
7	245	Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB, Arizona (RB25)

Favorite pick: I didn’t have Conerly as a first-round pick, but that was mostly because I thought he was a few years away from being a starter. That said, he’s one of the best athletes in this class and if he develops, he could be special. The fact that he’s going to a great organization and doesn’t need to be rushed on the field makes this even better.

Best value: Jaxson Dart told me at the combine that the best cornerback he faced in the SEC was Trey Amos, who is big, physical and has ball skills. 

Most surprising pick: Jacory Croskey-Merritt only played one game last season for Arizona, but as former Titans general manager Ran Carthon told me on the “With the First Pick” podcast, several teams were going to try to sign him as an UDFA and hoped he would fly under the radar during draft weekend. He’s a twitched-up runner with low miles who’ll have a legit chance to make this team.

Round	Pick	Player
1	16	Walter Nolen, DL, Ole Miss (DL3)
2	47	Will Johnson, CB, Michigan (CB4)
3	78	Jordan Burch, DL, Oregon (EDGE14)
4	115	Cody Simon, LB, Ohio State (LB7)
5	174	Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio State (CB20)
6	211	Hayden Conner, IOL, Texas (OG13)
7	225	Kitan Crawford, S, Nevada (S17)

Favorite pick: I gave general manager Monti Ossenfort an A+ for last year’s draft, and he gets an A this time around because the Cards continue to crush it on draft weekend. Walter Nolen is a twitched-up defensive lineman who can be as disruptive between the tackles as an elite pass rusher can be coming off the edge.

Best value: Jordan Burch fits the mold of what Arizona looks for in its edge rushers, and as he continues to develop he could end up being really special.

Most surprising pick: Denzel Burke had a really good 2023 campaign but was plagued by inconsistencies in 2024. If he can return to form, the Cards could end up with two top-50 talents at cornerback in this class alongside Will Johnson.

Round	Pick	Player
1	18	Grey Zabel, IOL, North Dakota State (OG12)
2	35	Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina (S2)
2	50	Elijah Arroyo, TE, Miami (TE5)
3	92	Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama (QB4)
5	142	Rylie Mills, DL, Notre Dame (DL20)
5	166	Tory Horton, WR, Colorado State (WR23)
5	175	Robbie Ouzts, TE, Alabama (TE11)
6	192	Bryce Cabeldue, OT, Kansas (OT15)
7	223	Damien Martinez, RB, Miami (RB20)
7	234	Mason Richman, OT, Iowa (OT23)
7	238	Ricky White III, WR, UNLV (WR27)

Favorite pick: Nick Emmanwori. Or as Ran likes to call him, “Nick Emmanwilson” because I won’t quit talking about him. Kam Chancellor is the obvious comp, but head coach Mike McDonald is getting his Pacific Northwest version of Kyle Hamilton.

Best value: Ricky White III was targeted 135 times last season and had more than 100 yards receiving five times, but he’ll make his money in the NFL as a special teams demon. He had four blocked punts last season and has a nose for making plays on teams.

Most surprising pick: Jalen Milroe, but only because I wasn’t sure where he’d end up and how a team might plan to use him. But I love the idea of bringing him along slowly in Seattle while having a package of plays for him that will create a huge headache for opposing defensive coordinators.

Round	Pick	Player
1	13	Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan (DL2)
2	37	Jonah Savaiinaea, OT, Arizona (OT6)
5	143	Jordan Phillips, DL, Maryland (DL21)
5	150	Jason Marshall Jr., CB, Florida (CB18)
5	155	Dante Trader Jr., S, Maryland (S11)
6	179	Ollie Gordon II, RB, Oklahoma State (RB16)
7	231	Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas (QB13)
7	253	Zeek Biggers, DL, Georgia Tech (DL30)

Favorite pick: I know the Dolphins gave up a third-rounder to move up 10 spots to take Savaiinaea, but he’s a Day 1 starter at guard. And I think he’s good enough to play right tackle in the NFL, should the need arise in Miami.

Best value: Ollie Gordon II doesn’t fit the mold of a Mike McDaniel speed back — in my notes I described him as a “Straight-line high-knee runner who welcomes contact and is near impossible to arm tackle low … a long-strider in open field who is tough to catch once he gets going” — but he plays much (much, much) faster than the 4.61 he ran at the combine. 

Most surprising pick: It has to be Quinn Ewers, who two years ago was considered a first-round talent. Then injuries and inconsistent play saw his draft stock plummet. That said, he plays with touch and timing, and if there was ever an offense that made sense for his long-term chances in the NFL, it’s this one.

Round	Pick	Player
1	22	Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina (RB2)
2	55	Tre Harris, WR, Ole Miss (WR7)
3	86	Jamaree Caldwell, DL, Oregon (DL13)
4	125	Kyle Kennard, EDGE, South Carolina (EDGE 20)
4	158	KeAndre Lambert-Smith, WR, Auburn (WR22)
5	165	Oronde Gadsden II, TE, Syracuse (TE9)
6	199	Branson Taylor, OT, Pittsburgh (OT16)
6	214	R.J. Mickens, S, Clemson (S16)
7	256	Trikweze Bridges, CB, Florida (CB28)

Favorite pick: Jamaree Caldwell might not look like former teammates Jordan Burch or Derrick Harmon, but he was the most twitched-up defensive linemen of the trio. He fills a big need in LA, and after a dominant Senior Bowl, he went from Day 3 possibility to Day 2 reality.

Best value: Oronde Gadsden II flew under the radar at Syracuse, but he’s an athletic move tight end who could end up doing for Justin Herbert what he did for Kyle McCord. 

Most surprising pick: Omarion Hampton was something of a surprise, but mostly because it felt like he would be off the board to the Broncos at pick No. 20, and because the Chargers would be more likely to target defensive line or safety. Hampton is going to thrive in this offense.

Round	Pick	Player
1	14	Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State (TE2)
2	45	JT Tuimoloau, EDGE, Ohio State (EDGE7)
3	80	Justin Walley, CB, Minnesota (CB10)
4	127	Jalen Travis, OT, Iowa State (OT12)
5	151	DJ Giddens, RB, Kansas State (RB15)
6	189	Riley Leonard, QB, Notre Dame (QB9)
6	190	Tim Smith, DL, Alabama (DL25)
7	232	Hunter Wohler, S, Wisconsin (S19)

Favorite pick: JT Tuimoloau was one of the most disruptive players in college football over the last month of the season, and the way he wins translates to the next level.

Best value: I was a big fan of Jalen Travis during the pre-draft process. He has an enormous frame, a thick lower half and anchors really well in passpro. He’s also a solid, reliable run blocker, and my comp for him was … Matt Goncalves.

Most surprising pick: On the surface, it’s Riley Leonard. But after someone pointed out that his game is equal parts Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones, the pick makes all the sense in the world.

Round	Pick	Player
1	31	Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama (LB1)
2	64	Andrew Mukuba, S, Texas (S3)
4	111	Ty Robinson, DL, Nebraska (DL14)
5	145	Mac McWilliams, CB, UCF (CB17)
5	161	Smael Mondon Jr., LB, Georgia (LB13)
5	168	Drew Kendall, IOL, Boston College (OC2)
6	181	Kyle McCord, QB, Syracuse (QB7)
6	191	Myles Hinton, IOL, Michigan (OG11)
6	207	Cameron Williams, OT, Texas (OT19)
6	209	Antwaun Powell-Ryland, EDGE, Virginia Tech (EDGE27)

Favorite pick: The fact that the Eagles got Jihaad Campbell at No. 31 should be against the law. He’s just 21 years old and could end up being one of the best off-ball linebackers in the league in 3-4 years.

Best value: Cameron Williams played right tackle opposite No. 9 overall pick Kelvin Banks Jr. He’s an athletic developmental prospect who probably could’ve used another year in school, but he landed in the exact right place to hasten his development now that he’s in the NFL.

Most surprising pick: Kyle McCord, who I thought would go 2-3 rounds higher. Jalen Hurts is the man, of course, the team traded for Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Tanner McKee is also on the roster. McCord is coming off an amazing season at Syracuse, and I won’t be surprised when he balls out in the preseason and the Eagles flip him for a third-round pick.

Round	Pick	Player
1	9	Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas (OT3)
2	40	Tyler Shough, QB, Louisville (QB3)
3	71	Vernon Broughton, DL, Texas (DL11)
3	93	Jonas Sanker, S, Virginia (S5)
4	112	Danny Stutsman, LB, Oklahoma (LB6)
4	131	Quincy Riley, CB, Louisville (CB17)
6	184	Devin Neal, RB, Kansas (RB17)
7	248	Moliki Matavao, TE, UCLA (TE15)
7	254	Fadil Diggs, EDGE, Syracuse (EDGE28)

Favorite pick: Stutsman is a smart player who consistently reads keys in the run game and understands route concepts in zone drops. Consistency and a non-stop motor are his hallmarks, and what he lacks in high-end athleticism he makes up for in football IQ. 

Best value: I had a fifth-round grade on Fadil Diggs, who is 6-foot-4, 257 pounds, has 33 ⅜-inch arms and ran a 4.57 40. And those measurables match his tape. He’ll be a designated pass rusher early in his career. My comp for him was Kingsley Enagbare.

Most surprising pick: I get that Tyler Shough has “traits” teams covet. But he’s also a one-year starter (despite playing seven college seasons), has an injury history and will be 26 years old this fall. I’m not going to ding the Saints for trying to find a quarterback, but those taken in the second round rarely hit.

Round	Pick	Player
1	10	Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan (TE1)
2	39	Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri (WR5)
2	56	Ozzy Trapilo, OT, Boston College (OT9)
3	62	Shemar Turner, DL, Texas A&M (DL8)
4	132	Ruben Hyppolite II, LB, Maryland (LB10)
5	169	Zah Frazier, CB, UTSA (CB19)
6	195	Luke Newman, IOL, Michigan State (OG12)
7	233	Kyle Monangai, RB, Rutgers (RB22)

Favorite pick: Luther Burden III wasn’t nearly as productive in 2024 because his quarterback was banged up for most of the season. Go back and watch him in 2023 to get a glimpse of what 2025 might look like in Chicago.

Best value: I had a Day 2 grade on Zah Frazier because he’s long, physical and has ball skills (he had six interceptions and 10 pass breakups). His body type reminds me of Tyrique Stevenson, and you can never have enough long, physical cornerbacks in the NFL.

Most surprising pick: Ruben Hyppolite II didn’t play in the Shrine nor Senior Bowl (he did get an invite to the Hula Bowl), wasn’t invited to the combine and ended up going in the fourth round, in part because he ran a 4.43 and a sub-7-second 3-cone at his pro day. He’ll also be a special teamer from Day 1.

Round	Pick	Player
1	28	Tyleik Williams, DL, Ohio State (DL5)
2	57	Tate Ratledge, IOL, Georgia (OG4)
3	70	Isaac TeSlaa, WR, Arkansas (WR10)
5	171	Miles Frazier, IOL, LSU (OG10)
6	196	Ahmed Hassanein, EDGE, Boise State (EDGE26)
7	230	Dan Jackson, S, Georgia (S18)
7	244	Dominic Lovett, WR, Georgia (WR30)

Favorite pick: Yes, the Lions gave up TWO third-round picks to move up for Isaac Teslaa, but I think he’s going to be a lot of fun in this Lions offense alongside Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta and Jahmyr Gibbs.

Best value: I had a Day 2 grade on Miles Frazier, who I described in my notes as a “tone-setter in the run game. … He will absolutely blow your ass up on counters.”

Most surprising pick: The surprise was that Dan Jackson didn’t go a tad sooner. He was a combine snub who was a heat-seeking missile in Georgia’s secondary who tested really well during the pre-draft process.

Round	Pick	Player
1	21	Derrick Harmon, DL, Oregon (DL4)
3	83	Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa (RB6)
4	123	Jack Sawyer, EDGE, Ohio State (EDGE18)
5	164	Yahya Black, DL, Iowa (DL23)
6	185	Will Howard, QB, Ohio State (QB8)
7	226	Carson Bruener, LB, Washington (LB20)
7	229	Donte Kent, CB, Central Michigan (CB25)

Favorite pick: Jack Sawyer may not be a high-end athlete, but no one has a higher motor. He feels like a Steelers edge rusher, and I love him in a rotation with T. J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nate Herbig.

Best value: Some teams had late Day 2 grades on Will Howard, so to get him in the sixth round was a pretty easy call to make. The Steelers liked him, too; they took Howard out to dinner the night before his pro day.

Most surprising pick: I wasn’t a huge fan of Yahya Black’s tape, and I thought he struggled during Senior Bowl week, but he also fits the profile for what the Steelers look for in their defensive linemen.

Round	Pick	Player
1	7	Armand Membou, OT, Missouri (OT2)
2	42	Mason Taylor, TE, LSU (TE3)
3	73	Azareye’h Thomas, CB, Florida State (CB8)
4	110	Arian Smith, WR, Georgia (WR17)
4	130	Malachi Moore, S, Alabama (S10)
5	162	Francisco Mauigoa, LB, Miami (LB14)
5	176	Tyler Baron, EDGE, Miami (EDGE25)

Favorite pick: Armand Membou is one of my favorite players in the class and he’s a Day 1 starter alongside Alijah Vera-Tucker, Joe Tippmann and Olu Fashanu — all of whom are recent high draft picks.

Best value: Azareye’h Thomas is a big, physical corner who ran in the high 4.5s. But his playing speed is closer to 4.4, and to get him in the third round is great value for a player who had top-50 buzz in recent weeks.

Most surprising pick: Arian Smith is the fastest player in this class, but he also had 10 drops on 79 targets last fall at Georgia.

Round	Pick	Player
1	24	Donovan Jackson, IOL, Ohio State (OG3)
3	102	Tai Felton, WR, Maryland (WR14)
5	139	Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, DL, Georgia (DL18)
6	201	Kobe King, LB, Penn State (LB17)
6	202	Gavin Bartholomew, TE, Pittsburgh (TE12)

Favorite pick: Donovan Jackson is a tone-setter who proved he can play either guard or tackle. At guard, he’s a Day 1 starter for the Vikings.

Best value: Kobe King is a new-school linebacker in an old-school linebacker’s body. He will punch you in the mouth coming downhill, and I think he has the ability to play in space as well.

Most surprising pick: Good luck finding a more productive wide receiver than Tai Felton, but he’s only 185 pounds and played mostly outside at Maryland.

Round	Pick	Player
1	20	Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas (CB2)
2	60	RJ Harvey, RB, UCF (RB5)
3	74	Pat Bryant, WR, Illinois (WR11)
3	101	Sai’vion Jones, EDGE, LSU (EDGE16)
4	134	Que Robinson, EDGE, Alabama (EDGE21)
6	216	Jeremy Crawshaw, P, Florida (P1)
7	241	Caleb Lohner, TE, Utah (TE14)

Favorite pick: Jahdae Barron reminds me of Brian Branch but with 4.39 speed. He has a chance to be special, and he won’t have to do it by himself in a secondary that includes Patrick Surtain II, Riley Moss and now Talanoa Hufanga.

Best value: Que Robinson was probably destined for Day 3 because he’s a situational pass rusher at this point, but he was one of the most explosive players I watched last fall. As he continues to develop, he could outgrow that original fourth-round pick.

Most surprising pick: Pat Bryant ran a 4.61 at the combine, and that’s the speed he plays at, too. That’s not a knock on him; he’s just not dynamic down the field but more of a possession receiver.

Round	Pick	Player
1	23	Matthew Golden, WR, Texas (WR3)
2	54	Anthony Belton, OT, NC State (OT8)
3	87	Savion Williams, WR, TCU (WR13)
4	124	Barryn Sorrell, EDGE, Texas (EDGE19)
5	159	Collin Oliver, EDGE, Oklahoma State (EDGE24)
6	198	Warren Brinson, DL, Georgia (DL26)
7	237	Micah Robinson, CB, Tulane (CB26)
7	250	John Williams, OT, Cincinnati  (OT24)

Favorite pick: Matthew Golden ran a 4.29 at the combine. And while only Tyreek Hill actually plays at “4.29 speed” during NFL games, Golden is a legit burner. He reminds me of Jordan Addison, who also went around this range when he was drafted.

Best value: Man, I love me some Collin Oliver, who battled injuries as an undersized edge, but I love him playing more off-ball if that’s the plan in Green Bay. The juice and athleticism of him and Edgerrin Cooper playing together could be a lot of fun.

Most surprising pick: Savion Williams in Round 3 felt rich. I get the versatility of both a wide receiver and running back — and Cordarrelle Patterson was a former first-rounder who did similar things — but I’m curious how Matt LaFleur will use Williams in Green Bay.

Round	Pick	Player
2	46	Terrance Ferguson, TE, Oregon (TE4)
3	90	Josaiah Stewart, EDGE, Michigan (EDGE15)
4	117	Jarquez Hunter, RB, Auburn (RB11)
5	148	Ty Hamilton, DL, Ohio State (DL22)
5	172	Chris Paul Jr., LB, Ole Miss (LB15)
7	242	Konata Mumpfield, WR, Pittsburgh (WR29)

Favorite pick: Chris Paul Jr. could’ve gone in Round 3 or 4. He’s undersized, for sure, but he’s one of the few off-ball linebackers in this class who consistently took on and shed offensive line run blocks.

Best value: If Konata Mumpfield had run a 4.5 flat, he may have been an early Day 3 selection. But the Rams have a knack for getting the most out of “slow-by-conventional-metrics” wideouts.

Most surprising pick: This wasn’t surprising at all because Les Snead literally wore a T-shirt that said “F them picks,” but I just want to note that LA was able to get Atlanta’s 2026 first-rounder for trading down 20 spots to 46.

Drafts That Left Me Wanting More

Round	Pick	Player
1	5	Mason Graham, DL, Michigan (DL1)
2	33	Carson Schwesinger, LB, UCLA (LB2)
2	36	Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State (RB3)
3	67	Harold Fannin Jr., TE, Bowling Green (TE6)
3	94	Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oregon (QB5)
4	126	Dylan Sampson, RB, Tennessee (RB12)
5	144	Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado (QB6)

Favorite pick: All Harold Fannin Jr. does is make plays. He’s a sneaky good route runner, a threat to all three levels and a contested-catch machine who plays with great contact balance. 

Best value: Shedeur Sanders, who was the No. 24 player on my big board. I’d imagine that if Sanders could get his hands on a time machine, he’d approach the pre-draft process much, much differently.

Most surprising pick: Dillon Gabriel in Round 3. He is the guy you want in your locker room and leading your offense in the huddle, but he’s only 5-foot-10 and has a good-but-not-great arm.

Round	Pick	Player
1	17	Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M (EDGE4)
2	49	Demetrius Knight Jr., LB, South Carolina (LB3)
3	81	Dylan Fairchild, IOL, Georgia (OG5)
4	119	Barrett Carter, LB, Clemson (LB8)
5	153	Jalen Rivers, IOL, Miami (OG8)
6	193	Tahj Brooks, RB, Texas Tech (RB19)

Favorite pick: Dylan Fairchild has a chance to be a Day 1 starter. I had a third-round grade on him and my comp was David DeCastro. I also love that his nickname is “Pickle.”

Best value: Tahj Brooks could’ve come off the board a few rounds higher. He’s a workhorse back who rushed for more than 100 yards in all 11 games in 2024.

Most surprising pick: It was a little weird and somewhat confusing that they took two linebackers, neither of whom could see the field regularly as rookies. That said, I like both Knight and Carter; it was just unclear what the Bengals’ vision was heading into the draft.