It has been a long time since an article has been published on this marvelous website and believe me, it is long overdue! But a full week has passed since the NFL Draft and now that everybody has had time to process the decisions their respective organizations have made, I think we should take a look to see which teams are winners and which ones unfortunately did not get better in the three day process. Let’s dive on in, shall we?
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ARIZONA CARDINALS
For head coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort, the number one goal was simple: continue to improve the defense. They decided not to move from the sixteenth spot and drafted Walter Nolen, defensive tackle from Ole Miss. With their second round pick, Arizona was extremely fortunate to have Michigan cornerback Will Johnson fall into their laps, who was surprisingly not taken by anybody on day one. Even though the Cardinals defense showed substantial improvement last season, the front office knew that their work was far from over. Of the seven draft picks that they had, only one was an offensive player, which was offensive guard Hayden Conner out of Texas in the sixth round. It is too early to say that these moves are going to establish Arizona as the favorite to win the NFC West, but this defense definitely got better in the last two months. You pair that with an efficient offense led by Kyler Murray, that is certainly a formula for success. However, if this football team has another up-and-down season like they did in 2024, then it will prove that roster construction is not the biggest issue.
ATLANTA FALCONS
So the Atlanta Falcons didn’t make an irrational pick in the first round of the draft this year! That’s a pleasant surprise. With their original selection at spot number fifteen, they landed edge rusher Jalon Walker from Georgia, who was expected to be picked in the top ten! One of the biggest reasons why Atlanta collapsed after a 6-3 start was because their pass rush was absolutely non-existent, so it was imperative that this organization prioritized that side of the ball before anything else. However, that wasn’t even the biggest pick they made that day. As the night progressed, the Falcons managed to trade up with the Los Angeles Rams for the twenty-sixth spot to select another edge rusher! This time it was James Pearce Jr. out of Tennessee, yet it came at a little bit of a steep price. Pearce might turn into a solid player for this football team because the hype around him is certainly warranted, but to give up a first round pick just to take him at number twenty-six? No, Jeff Ulbrich’s son didn’t make a prank call to get the deal done. It is definitely a high-risk high-reward selection, if you ask me. If Pearce is a hit and the Falcons end up making the playoffs, then it is a slam dunk. If it is the exact opposite, then general manager Terry Fontenot can kiss his job goodbye. Atlanta had only three more picks in the 2025 NFL Draft and decided to use two of them on safeties: Xavier Watts from Notre Dame and Billy Bowman out of Oklahoma! Jessie Bates and Justin Simmons are not getting any younger, nor did they reach expectations last year, so Fontenot and head coach Raheem Morris were certainly looking ahead to revamp that position. Their last selection was tackle Jack Nelson out of Wisconsin, who could be the next successor to Jake Matthews when he decides to hang up the cleats, but I think it’s too early to say that it is completely guaranteed. The Falcons didn’t do a horrible job in the draft this year, but they have a long way to go to prove that this team is back on the map.
BALTIMORE RAVENS
The Baltimore Ravens had the most picks out of any team in the NFL Draft this year and it was a good thing that they did not waste any of them. With their first round-selection, they landed the best safety prospect in Malaki Starks to pair with the All-Pro Kyle Hamilton. One of the biggest reasons why Baltimore’s defense looked horrible at the start of the year was because they had no depth at that position, so by taking Starks, defensive coordinator Zach Orr can avoid having deja vu at the start of the 2025 campaign. In the second round, Baltimore landed the FCS leader in sacks with Mike Green out of Marshall, so he is definitely a player that can solidify the front seven if he allows his career to take off in the right direction. The rest of Baltimore’s selections were more so depth pieces than anything else, but one selection that is important to note out was kicker Tyler Loop out of Arizona in the sixth round. I think we all know why Baltimore made this decision so I am not going to dive further into the situation, but if you ask me, roster construction is not the issue with this football team. On paper, they are easily playoff contenders and have the potential to take down the Kansas City Chiefs. However, any time the Ravens have huge expectations on their shoulders, they are completely quashed due to self-inflicted mistakes. This team is too talented to keep coming up short time and time again in the postseason, so until they actually overcome their demons to shut those critics up, then my faith in them will be restored.
BUFFALO BILLS
In my opinion, the biggest need for Buffalo in the 2025 NFL Draft was somebody in their secondary. Rasul Douglas was released and Kaiir Elam got traded, so head coach Sean McDermott needed another cornerback that could pair up well with the newly extended Christian Benford. Fortunately, that void was filled with the selection of Maxwell Hairston, an explosive and instinctive player that ran a 4.28 at the NFL Combine’s forty-yard dash! Buffalo’s next few picks were used to solidify the defensive line, but one interesting thing to point out is that they didn’t draft a wide receiver until the seventh round. Even though Brandon Beane did his best to quiet those critics, I am not exactly sure how to feel about the offense essentially deciding to run it back, especially with James Cook potentially holding out in hopes of a contract extension. As long as Josh Allen is fully healthy, then this team is easily bound to make the postseason, but it feels like they didn’t do anything to prove that this will finally be the year where they beat the Kansas City Chiefs.
CAROLINA PANTHERS
Carolina pulled the first “surprise” of the NFL Draft by selecting wide receiver Tet McMillan with the eighth overall pick! Don’t get me wrong, McMillan is a solid player that was considered by many to be the best receiver in his class, but I didn’t really think this was the biggest need. That Panthers defense has been nothing but below average over the last few seasons and it would have been nice to have somebody like Jalon Walker or even Mykel Williams to set the tone on the edge and become a disruptor on the defensive side. I don’t think drafting McMillan was a stupid pick because Adam Thielen is not getting any younger, but it is also a pretty damning message to somebody like Xavier Legette, because the Panthers essentially told the NFL world that McMillan is going to be their number one option and it will be a headache for teams that will have to face him. In fairness to Carolina, they took a couple of edge rushers with their next two picks: Nic Scourton out of Texas A&M and Princley Umanmielen from Ole Miss, so Derrick Brown is not going to be alone on the defensive line. The Panthers were also not done adding to their offense, selecting running back Trevor Etienne in the fourth round and wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. in the sixth, so head coach Dave Canales will have even more depth to aid Bryce Young in his developmental process. For the Panthers, the number thing on their wish list is very simple: for Young to pick up where he left off towards the end of last year. The former number one overall pick sure as hell made the most out of his second chance, so the last thing that anybody wants to see is for him to revert back to what he was in his rookie season. It is way too early to say the word “playoffs” when it comes to this team, but one thing I will say is that there is a lot more hope for them now than there ever was over the last few years.
CHICAGO BEARS
Leading up to the NFL Draft, many reports were circulating that the Bears were incredibly desperate to land running back Ashton Jeanty with the tenth overall pick. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be as the Raiders snagged him at number six. So general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson did the next best thing and took a tight end. Surprisingly, it was not Tyler Warren out of Penn State, who was supposed to be the best prospect at that position in his class. Instead, it was Colston Loveland out of Michigan! Even though it might leave Bears fans somewhat skeptical, I personally think it is a very solid draft choice! Loveland is supposed to be this team’s Sam LaPorta, a reliable vertical threat that provides exceptional run blocking support, but it also means that the future of Cole Kmet is uncertain in the next year or two. In the second round, Chicago swung again by drafting wide receiver Luther Burden III out of Missouri! It’s safe to say that Keenan Allen won’t be back with the Bears in 2025, but Burden is sure as hell a solid consolation prize, somebody that can seam well with DJ Moore and Rome Odunze to ensure that Caleb Williams has another weapon in his sophomore season. Over the last few years, I have said that this team is a potential playoff team on paper, but it feels like that false hope might actually be validated this time around now that Matt Eberflus and Shane Waldron won’t be holding them back. Obviously, we have to see them play before we can believe anything, but the NFC North is going to be extremely fun to watch this upcoming season!
CINCINNATI BENGALS
The Bengals only had six picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, but entering the first round, we all knew that they needed to take somebody on the defensive side of the ball! I personally thought they should have went with a defensive back, but defensive end Shemar Stewart is not a terrible selection. Not only did Sam Hubbard retire but we still don’t know what will happen to Trey Hendrickson, so it is better to address their defensive line now before it is too late. But even then, I don’t feel like this Bengals defense got any better after the draft. Although defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo is gone, the new guy in charge Al Golden is going to have his hands full with an incredibly young unit. It was the biggest weak link to what should have been an instant playoff contender, so it doesn’t matter what numbers Joe Burrow or Ja’Marr Chase put up if their defense is giving up touchdowns left and right. One more underachieving season and you have to wonder if Zac Taylor is going to stay as the head coach of this football team because ever since that Cinderella Super Bowl run in 2021, the Bengals have not reached expectations in the slightest, and it just feels delusional that Cincinnati continues to think that they can still make a deep run by not making any impactful changes. Once we see this defense finally improve, then maybe we can have more faith in the Bengals moving forward.
CLEVELAND BROWNS
Of all the 32 teams in the National Football League, the Cleveland Browns certainly had the most “interesting” draft to say the least. Let’s start with the first round, because only Cleveland could give us the first fireworks of the night. Not only did they trade down three spots with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but they acquired a future first-round pick in the process! On the surface, the Browns have the advantage in this situation because they have more draft capital. However, the biggest question is how their respective players are going to turn out. Jacksonville made the huge splash to land Travis Hunter while Cleveland beefed up their defensive line by taking Mason Graham. Hopefully, both players have productive careers so it can be a win-win deal, but something tells me that one team is going to fleece the other. I’m not sure which one it will be yet since both of them are not expected to be playoff contenders anytime soon, but we will find out pretty soon.
As for the rest of their selections, the intrigue did not stop there. Drafting linebacker Carson Schwesinger in the second round and tight end Harold Fannin Jr. were not incredibly bold picks because those were two areas of need that needed more depth. However, Cleveland’s four remaining selections created a lot of “oohs and ahhs”, while also leaving some fans scratching their hands. Not only did this team draft two running backs in Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson, but they picked two quarterbacks as well! When Cleveland took Dillon Gabriel in the third round, it felt like it would be the last addition to their quarterback room. However, there was one storyline that just kept popping up time and time again for seventy-two hours. Not only was Shadeur Sanders not taken on day one, but he was getting passed up in the next three rounds! It wasn’t until the fifth where the Browns said “whatever” and made the call at pick number 144 to draft him. Personally, I don’t think that Kevin Stefanski nor Andrew Berry wanted Sanders, but knowing the Browns, something told me that owner Jimmy Haslam forced this to happen. Clearly, this organization thinks they are a quarterback away from making it back to the playoffs, but to have five on their depth chart before training camp is just absolutely absurd. At least I can get behind them taking two running backs because Nick Chubb is gone and this team desperately needed depth, but drafting Gabriel AND Shadeur? Only one of them is going to make the final fifty-three man roster, so this competition is going to be fierce and overhyped if you ask me.
DALLAS COWBOYS
This would not be a draft run by Jerry Jones if they didn’t take an offensive lineman with their first round selection. Fortunately for Cowboys fans, guard Tyler Booker is a solid draft choice at a huge need now that Zach Martin has retired. I know that they were expecting Ashton Jeanty, Omarion Hampton, or even a wide receiver to complement CeeDee Lamb. Personally, that is the direction I would have headed towards. However, Booker is an incredibly versatile lineman that will be beneficial for Dak Prescott to have, so I have no problem with the pick whatsoever. The Cowboys also drafted an edge rusher in the second round, Donovan Ezeiruaku from Boston College, along with running back Jaydon Blue in the third! This wasn’t a terrible draft for this organization, but having said that, this is also the Dallas Cowboys we are talking about. They are not a horrible team, but we all know what this team’s fate will be at the end of the day. Either they are missing the playoffs with a mediocre record or they are not making it past the second round. ESPN might want to shove takes about this team down our throats every day, but what is the point of talking about something that hasn’t been positively relevant in over thirty years?
DENVER BRONCOS
I am pretty sure that every Broncos fan was expecting their team to draft Omarion Hampton, the stud running back from North Carolina. Instead, they focused on the opposite side of the football and drafted cornerback Jahdae Barron! If you told me that the Broncos had a chance to take an elite cornerback prospect to complement the reigning Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II, then that is not an offer I can instantly reject. Besides, Denver would end up taking running back RJ Harvey in the third round, so this was a pretty good trade-off if you ask me. Last season, the Broncos certainly overachieved but now is their chance to prove that it was not a fluke. With one of the best defenses in football and an offense that slowly but surely found its form with Bo Nix under center, this organization is officially back on the map and are not afraid of anybody that might stand in their way, including the Kansas City Chiefs! As long as they don’t suffer any setbacks or reversions, this team should be a dark horse candidate to reach the AFC Championship, so I am truly excited to see what this team has in store for us!
DETROIT LIONS
The Detroit Lions were another team that didn’t have to do too much in the draft to make sure that they establish themselves as Super Bowl contenders, but they knew that they could not screw up with their first round pick. Entering day one, it was pretty much anticipated that they were going to take somebody on the defensive side, but nobody knew who it would be until the name was announced. It turned out to be defensive tackle Tyliek Williams out of Ohio State, easily the best run-stuffer in the entire draft class. Not only does Aidan Hutchinson have extra help on the defensive line, but it is almost a guarantee that Detroit’s run defense will be just as good if not better than what it was the season before, only letting up the fifth fewest rushing yards in the league. While the turnover on the Lions coaching staff has been more than noticeable, the biggest factor for this team’s success is very simple: health! As long as nobody gets injured at the worst possible time, then they sure as hell have what it takes to reach the Super Bowl. Dan Campbell knows that the last two seasons have ended with heartbreak and turmoil, so for them to avoid deja vu for a third time in a row, then they need to have the best approach possible to make sure that this year is their destiny.
GREEN BAY PACKERS
The city of Green Bay did a hell of a job hosting this year’s NFL Draft, and to make matters even better, their team made history in the first round. For the first time in twenty-three years, the Packers drafted a wide receiver with their first selection, taking Matthew Golden out of Texas! This was certainly a position of need, knowing that Christian Watson was going to miss a chunk of the 2025 season due to a knee injury, so it was wise of Green Bay to take the explosive wideout that had close to 1000 receiving yards and nine touchdown receptions as Quinn Ewers’ favorite target last year. Offensively, this team is in pretty good shape. However, I’m skeptical about their defense. They didn’t draft anybody on that side of the ball until the fourth round, and if Jaire Alexander does end up getting moved to a different team, then I doubt seventh-round choice Micah Robinson is going to make an immediate impact. To me, it feels like the Packers are still the same middle-of-the-pack football team that they were not just last year, but in 2022 with Aaron Rodgers. They might have a promising quarterback and an elite running back controlling their offense, but their biggest downfall is that they can’t beat the top teams in their own conference, and these moves have made no indication that things are going to be different this time around. Even if they do make it back to the playoffs, which will be expected, my best guess is that they are going to get vastly outplayed by a division leader that has bigger aspirations of winning a championship. Hopefully, they can prove me wrong.
HOUSTON TEXANS
Entering the 2025 NFL Draft, there were two huge areas of need for the Houston Texans: offensive line and wide receiver. However, they decided to trade out of the first round so the New York Giants could get their quarterback of the future, so that meant that Houston would not make a selection until the second round. With that pick, they selected wide receiver Jayden Higgins out of Iowa State! One round later, the Texans drafted his teammate Jaylin Noel, which meant more weapons for CJ Stroud! If you ask me, I think both of them are going to be immediate impactful players for this football team. Tank Dell suffered a fractured kneecap, Stefon Diggs left in free agency, and Christian Kirk is coming back from two season-ending injuries. Not only can Noel and Higgins help Stroud back in his junior year, but they helped make a quarterback named Brock Purdy look pretty good when he was a cyclone as well. As for the offensive line, they only drafted one player in that respective front: tackle Aireontae Ersery from Minnesota in the second round. Considering the turnover on the front five, which included trading Laremy Tunsil to Washington, I was shocked that Houston didn’t convert more of their energy trying to keep Stroud from getting decked too many times in the pocket. Cam Robinson and Trent Brown might have been in the league a while, but I’m not exactly sure anybody should feel confident about those two protecting Stroud’s blindside, so maybe Ersery can climb his way up the depth chart and turn into a steal. Last season was not exactly what the Texans anticipated. Even though they won a playoff game and made it back to the Divisional Round, this team took a few steps back on both sides of the ball, so 2025 is the year for them to prove that they learned from their setbacks and are ready to take that next step. Otherwise, you might have to question whether or not Nick Caserio or even DeMeco Ryans are the right men to lead the way moving forward.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
I am sure that the Colts were relieved when the Bears took Colston Loveland with the tenth overall pick, because that meant that four spots later, they would select the best tight end in the class: Tyler Warren out of Penn State! The Colts might have other flaws they desperately need to address, but tight end was certainly near the top of the list because they had the worst production from that group out of anybody else in the National Football League! Whether it’s Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones or even Riley Leonard as the starting quarterback, one of them is going to need a security blanket, and Warren does more than fit the bill. The rest of Indianapolis’ draft didn’t circulate around immediate impactful players, but just depth pieces to add to the roster. Unfortunately, I think we all know that the Colts are never going to get themselves out of the purgatory known as mediocrity and there are definitely a few reasons why. They don’t have a quarterback, their head coach is not evolving, and their owner makes Jerry Jones look modest. The fact that they were close to making the playoffs last season was just absolutely terrifying, but only one of two things is going to happen. Either they are going to completely overachieve and win ten games to make the playoffs, or they will implode and Jim Irsay will blow everything up once again. My guess will be the latter.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
The Jaguars lit the first fireworks of the NFL Draft by surrendering a huge package, including next year’s first round pick, to the Cleveland Browns for the second overall pick so they could select Travis Hunter! On the surface, Hunter is a huge addition for Jacksonville. Their secondary has been absolutely atrocious over the last few years, but he is just as impactful as a wide receiver, somebody that Trevor Lawrence could desperately use. Both Christian Kirk and Evan Engram were let go in the offseason, so the Jaguars need another weapon besides Brian Thomas Jr. or even Brenton Strange. However, this is absolutely a huge gamble that the Jaguars are making because if this team does not improve and Hunter turns into a bust, then they would be fleeced by the Cleveland Browns of all teams. Those are words that I never thought would come out of my mouth. As for the rest of the draft, the Jaguars made a few noteworthy selections, but nothing else after that. Linebacker Jack Kiser was taken in the fourth round, and the Jaguars made sure to add to their offensive line by selecting Wyatt Milum and Jonah Monheim, but who knows if those three are going to even play by the time week one arrives? Right now, it is too early to say that the Jaguars are going to surprise a few people this year, so let’s just wait and see what happens.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
The Chiefs closed out the first round of the draft by trading down with the Philadelphia Eagles so they could select tackle Josh Simmons out of Ohio State. One of the biggest issues with Kansas City last year was that they didn’t have a blindside protector, and even though they made it back to the Super Bowl, that deficiency came back to bite them in the butt when the offensive line got demolished. Thankfully, they don’t have to worry about a left guard switching over to protect Patrick Mahomes’ blindside anymore… for now. I was surprised that Simmons fell down to the last spot on day one, but he is a player that fell right into Kansas City’s laps, so I thought it was a great pick. The next day, the Chiefs added to their defensive line by selecting Orman Normar-Lott out of Tennessee, who most likely won’t start right away, but could definitely be serviced as a rotational player. Outside of that, this organization used this draft as a way to add more depth, knowing that they didn’t have to make drastic changes with their roster. As long as the nucleus is still intact, then there is no doubt that the Chiefs will be favored to win the AFC, so all they can hope for is that everybody can stay healthy.
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
I personally thought that the Raiders should have drafted a wide receiver with the sixth overall pick, but in fairness to them, they desperately needed a running back. If I was the general manager and had a chance to draft an elite prospect in Ashton Jeanty, there is no way I would pass that opportunity either. When Pete Carroll is the head coach of your football team, there are three pillars that everybody needs to remember: play aggressive on defense, run the ball efficiently, and have your quarterback win the game for you in the fourth quarter. By taking the best running back in the draft, the Raiders are doing their best to put themselves back on the map. In the second round, Vegas addressed their need for a wide receiver by taking Jack Bech out of TCU. I personally think this will be a huge steal for this football team and here is why. Obviously, the number one target will be tight end Brock Bowers, but he won’t be open on every single play. They already have a possession receiver in Jakobi Meyers and a deep threat in Tre Tucker, but the Raiders need somebody that is going to fight for those contested catches and turn into a physical threat for defensive backs. Bech is somebody that not only can become a day one starter, but epitomize what a Raider is all about. In the third round, Vegas addressed their secondary by taking cornerback Darien Porter from Iowa State, which is critical because this team does not have a lot of depth at that position. But what makes their draft a little more hilarious is that they drafted not one but two quarterbacks in the sixth round! Two picks after Tommy Mellott, the Raiders made a call to Cam Miller to fight for a roster spot. As I said in the free agency article, Vegas should be a slightly improved football team entering 2025, but I don’t think that these draft choices are going to shed the mediocre label off of them just yet.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
Knowing that the Chargers had a draft pick in the middle of the first round, my guess was that they were going to select a wide receiver to replace the maligned Quentin Johnston, but they went outside the box once again and took running back Omarion Hampton! At first, I was confused considering that they already signed Najee Harris, but then it dawned on me. Both JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards are still free agents, and even though both of them can put up decent numbers, Harris is more durable and Hampton is a younger thoroughbred that was considered the second best running back in the class. Los Angeles ended up taking a wide receiver in the second round: Tre Harris out of Ole Miss, so if Johnston cannot exorcise the drop demons out of his head, then Harris could definitely form an interesting tandem with standout Ladd McConkey. As long as the Chargers have Jim Harbaugh and Justin Herbert, then there is no doubt that they will be a respected playoff contender. Their defense has improved and their offense is efficient, but right now, they still look like a team that might not even finish second place in their own division. There’s a reason why they got bounced out of the first round of the playoffs last year, so unless they finally beat the tougher teams in their conference, then they will be viewed as a Wild Card team at best.
LOS ANGELES RAMS
It took a while for the Los Angeles Rams to make a draft pick, but in the second round, they finally picked up the phone. I was not surprised that the Rams took a tight end because Tyler Higbee is still recovering from a torn ACL and he is not getting any younger, so I think Terrance Ferguson out of Oregon can be a solid addition to an already efficient Rams offense. I also think that Josaiah Stewart from Michigan could bolster this LA pass rush and add to a deep linebacker room led by Jared Verse and Byron Young. Entering the draft, I believe that the Rams saw this as a way to add to their roster because they already proved in 2024 that they have the pieces to win the division and go on a successful playoff run. If you ask me, there are only two teams in their way in the NFC at full strength: the Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions. Obviously, their draft picks are not going to boost LA’s playoff chances right away, but they also should not change our stances on how we view this team.
MIAMI DOLPHINS
Despite some mixed reviews about the Dolphins having a subpar draft, I personally thought they did a pretty decent job. Yes I thought that Miami should have addressed their secondary in the first round by taking Will Johnson out of Michigan, but getting his teammate in defensive tackle Kenneth Grant is not the worst thing to happen. Miami needed defensive line help entering the draft, so while Grant might not be the most explosive pass rusher, he can be a very reliable run stuffer like Christian Wilkins before him. In the second round, the Dolphins made their best draft choice of the night with tackle Jonah Savaiinea from Arizona, who will more than likely be Tua’s blindside protector now that Terron Armstead retired. You take a downhill running back in Ollie Gordon in the sixth round, an insurance quarterback pickup with Quinn Ewers, and another defensive tackle Zeek Biggers in the seventh, you have depth! The only thing that I didn’t like about the Dolphins draft was they traded out of seven different selections, but then again, you don’t want to congest the roster too much. If I had to give a letter grade, I wouldn’t give it any lower than a B, because I know roster construction is not the issue with this football team.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
The Vikings had the fewest draft picks entering the NFL Draft, but with their first round selection, they filled a big area of need by taking guard Donovan Jackson from Ohio State. One of the more lingering issues with the Vikings offense was their interior line, whether Kirk Cousins was their quarterback or Sam Darnold. Now that Minnesota no longer has Ed Ingram or Garrett Bradbury, the left side of their offensive line is revamped, which will be extremely crucial for quarterback JJ McCarthy. That should be the most important objective to accomplish for Kevin O’Connell and the front office: making sure that McCarthy progresses better with each passing day and giving him the help he needs to make him successful. For that reason, even though the Vikings made five picks, I think they were one of the biggest winners of the entire draft.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
I know I am biased when I say this, but I think the Patriots were the biggest winners of the NFL Draft. I will be happy to explain why. First off, they didn’t trade down from the fourth overall spot and went with the expected pick: tackle Will Campbell out of LSU. I don’t care how big or short his arms are, nor do I believe the rumors that they will switch him to guard. Knowing this guy’s character and athletic abilities, if he can keep Drake Maye in the pocket and be somewhat of a reliable blindside protector, then that is all that matters. But it didn’t stop there for New England. In the second round, they made a bold draft choice by selecting running back Trayveon Henderson. Some people might hate the pick since the Patriots already have Rhamondre Stevenson, but there are a couple things to point out. First off, Henderson was a stud at Ohio State and was considered by several teams to not only be the third best player in that position group, but number one in pass protection as well. The second is that Stevenson had a lingering fumble issue last year, and if this doesn’t light a spark under the veteran workhorse, then he could see his starting job start to slip away in a hurry. As for the rest of their draft choices, New England did everything they could to address their biggest positions of need. They took the speedy wide receiver Kyle Williams in the third round, and if you don’t know who he is, then look up what he did to Travis Hunter on YouTube. Later that round, they selected a potential future center in Jared Wilson, in case Garrett Bradbury does not pan out. The Patriots even addressed their special teams by not only drafting a kicker, but a long snapper on the final day! As for the defense, New England went with defensive tackle Josh Farmer, safety Craig Woodson, and used the last pick of the draft to select defensive back Kobee Minor. Obviously, I am not saying that all of these players are going to hit, but I feel more confident about these players under Mike Vrabel’s guideship than I did with Jerod Mayo. As the months progress, I feel better about this football team making it back to the playoffs, but they still have a ton of uphill climbs they have to undertake before they can even reach that point again.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
If you had to ask me who was the biggest loser of the 2025 NFL Draft, I would say the New Orleans Saints for the simple fact that they only made one strong pick and it was their first. At number nine, they selected tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. After Ryan Ramczyck was forced to retire due to a knee injury, the Saints knew that they had to fix their offensive line and it just so happened that they had a chance to take one of the top three tackles in the entire draft class. But one question that New Orleans knew they had to answer was what to do with the quarterback room. With reports lingering about Derek Carr potentially missing the season due to a shoulder injury, the Saints knew that they had to draft somebody later on to make sure that Jake Haener and Spencer Rattler aren’t going to be the only guys next in line. But instead of selecting Shadeur Sanders or even Jalen Milroe, the Saints took Louisville product Tyler Shough in the second round! I get that he didn’t have a terrible season last year, but here is one red flag that I think is important to point out: he is twenty-five years old! More importantly, before 2024, he spent most of his college career either as a backup or on the injured list! I don’t think that the Saints are going to be a good team regardless, but I am going to repeat the same question I have asked since last season: why the hell is Mickey Loomis still in charge of football operations?
NEW YORK GIANTS
I am pretty sure every football fan, myself included, was just extremely curious as to what the New York Giants would do in the first round of the NFL Draft. Not only did they have the third overall pick, but many reports circulated that they were hoping to trade back up so they could select their potential quarterback of the future. Well it turns out that is exactly what happened. After the Giants went with the expected and selected Abdul Carter out of Penn State, they moved up with the Texans so they could draft Jaxson Dart! The minute that it was announced that New York made the deal, I think we all knew it was going to be a quarterback, and I was not surprised that it was Dart considering that both Brian Daboll and even Joe Schoen’s son were very fond of him. The next Eli Manning, just spectacular! As for Abdul Carter, if he can fully recover from that stress fracture in his foot, then there is no doubt that he will be a generational player for this franchise! Just one thing: don’t ever ask to wear number 56 ever again. You might be great, but you’re nowhere near Lawrence Taylor. Even if Carter has a promising career, which I think he will, that should never be a conversation to have at any point in time. Yet those weren’t even my favorite picks in the draft. I knew that running back Cam Skattebo would be taken at some point, but for New York to scoop him up in the fourth round, I think he and Tyrone Tracy Jr. would form a pretty legitimate running back tandem. No, Skattebo isn’t the fastest dude, but he is a bruiser and he is an exceptional downhill runner, which is what New York had been missing in a very long time. Yet we all know that the Giants cannot afford another horrid and atrocious start, because if so, then we all know John Mara is going to fire Schoen and Daboll in a heartbeat.
NEW YORK JETS
There are a bunch of teams that won the NFL Draft, but the Jets had the most underrated one, in my opinion. Let’s start with their first round pick, Armand Membou from Missouri, the best right tackle in the draft. Now that Tyron Smith has retired, sophomore standout Olu Fashanu can switch over to his natural position at left tackle to allow Membou to naturally develop on a younger and improved offense. Obviously, health is the biggest factor when it comes to this offensive line, especially when it comes to right guard Alija Vera-Tucker. But now that this group is solidified, it will ensure that Justin Fields has a clean pocket to throw the football, but even he has some limited flaws that will have to be corrected sooner than later. In the second round, New York went with a need again and took tight end Mason Taylor from LSU to replace the departed Tyler Conklin. However, the biggest steal in my opinion was taking safety Malachi Moore from Alabama in the fourth round. He is a very versatile player that can not only excel in pass coverage, but also provide a lot of physical support in the running game. The Jets used the rest of the draft to add some needed depth, but knowing head coach Aaron Glenn, something tells me that he is going to give them a lot more snaps than we can guess. Right now, the Jets are not expected to make an immediate playoff push, but I am just hoping that things finally trend in the right direction. This organization is known to delude its fans into thinking that they will finally get over the hump after an offseason, only for everything to fall apart once September arrives. Maybe it’s a Woody Johnson thing, who knows?
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Like many teams entering the draft, the Philadelphia Eagles simply used the dates between April 24 and April 26 as a way to add depth to the roster and fill up any unfilled spots. With their first round pick, they made a slam dunk by taking linebacker Jihaad Campbell out of Alabama. I thought he was going to get picked between picks fifteen and twenty, but for him to fall to thirty-one was surprising. More importantly, Philadelphia traded up one spot with Kansas City to acquire him. In the second round, the Eagles made sure to add to their safety room by selecting Andrew Mukuba, somebody to complement Reed Blankenship now that CJ Gardner Johnson has been traded to the Texans. Outside of that, the Eagles didn’t add too many notable players besides getting Jalen Hurts a backup in Kyle McCord. For the amount of picks that Philly had, I was surprised that there weren’t too many players that stuck out. However, this is Howie Roseman, you know that at least two are going to pan out terrifically.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Entering the first round, the Steelers were one of the few teams that were in the market for a quarterback, but decided not to take one! Instead, they filled a need by selecting defensive tackle Derrick Harmon out of Oregon, the successor to longtime veteran Cam Heyward. Not only that, but if TJ Watt’s name keeps popping up in trade rumors, then Harmon might have a guaranteed roster spot before training camp even begins. Pittsburgh spent the rest of the draft mainly reloading the defensive side of the ball. This includes drafting linebacker Jack Sawyer in the fourth round, who I think will absolutely be an impactful player and leader that this team would love to have. As for the “elephant in the room”, the Steelers did end up drafting a quarterback: Will Howard. My thoughts on him come with mixed emotions. He’s a pretty good player that helped Ohio State win a National Championship, but I feel like he was just a product of a stacked team. But you know what, I’ll give him a chance. After all, I was wrong about Brock Purdy. Whether they sign Aaron Rodgers or not, I think we all know that Pittsburgh is just going to fluke their way to nine wins because of Mike Tomlin, but all that will do is reinforce that they are mediocrity personified. All the Steelers can hope is for Rodgers to turn back the clock five years or for Howard to be the next Tom Brady so that they can finally have Super Bowl aspirations again, but that is asking for too much.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ers
In free agency, the 49ers were considered to be the biggest losers because they lost almost everybody worth a damn on both sides of the ball. In the draft, this team did everything they could to try to revamp their roster. With their first round selection, instead of going for somebody in the secondary, they took edge rusher Mykel Williams to form a legitimate pass rushing tandem with Nick Bosa. In the second, they replaced Javon Hargrave with Alfred Collins out of Texas. In the third, Nick Martin and Upton Stout will hope to step up for Dre Greenlaw and Charvarius Ward. In the fourth, maybe Jordan Watkins can be a complementary weapon for Brock Purdy, so that Ricky Pearsall or Brandon Aiyuk can be the number one option that Deebo Samuel was for many years. Even the 49ers replaced one running back named Jordan with another! Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch have always done a tremendous job sculpting this roster and this is not the first obstacle they have to overcome together since their arrival in 2017, so just because they’re not championship contenders now, does not mean that they won’t be relevant ever again. They already extended George Kittle and are close with Brock Purdy, so now it's about making sure that all of the negative emotion has been cleansed out and for a new chapter to begin.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
The Seahawks had a ton of draft capital to work with in 2025 and with their first round pick, they wasted no time trying to fix the offensive line. I was happy that Grey Zabel got picked at number eighteen because Seattle desperately needed guard help, especially now that Sam Darnold is the new starting quarterback. In the second, they loaded up the defense with the second best safety in the draft class, Nick Emmanwori out of South Carolina! Fifteen picks later, they took a gamble by drafting tight end Elijah Arroyo from Miami, so I am hoping that he can stay healthy and have a promising career. But one of the biggest surprises was when they drafted Jalen Milroe in the third round because I didn’t think Seattle was too desperate to go after a quarterback. However, it all makes sense as to why Sam Howell got traded to the Vikings. Last year, Seattle had a respectable ten-win season, despite missing the playoffs. Entering 2025, they might have let several of their stars walk away, but that is why they signed Sam Darnold. The Seahawks know that they have a talented offense and a hell of a defense to make a push for the playoffs, but the last thing they can have is for Darnold to revert back to what he was like with the Jets and Panthers, where he couldn’t stop seeing ghosts for miles on end. Otherwise, Milroe is most likely going to be thrown into the fire and who knows if he will be fully developed by the time it happens?
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
There weren’t too many expectations surrounding the Buccaneers in the 2025 NFL Draft, but they did surprise more than a few people when they drafted wide receiver Emeka Egbuka in the first round. I’ve always loved him at Ohio State and I think he will be a transcendent player, but I was expecting Tampa to draft somebody on defense. Yet, general manager Jason Licht was thinking about the future of this franchise and realized a few things. Number one is that even though Mike Evans is guaranteed to have 1000 yards next season, he is not getting any younger. The second is that Chris Godwin is coming off a season-ending injury, and regardless of the extension that he received, you cannot guarantee that he will be the same player when he makes his return. The third is that Godwin is also not getting any younger, so Baker Mayfield is going to need a younger weapon to have that can stretch the field and run routes with precision. To Tampa’s credit, they used their next four draft picks on defensive players, including cornerbacks Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish, but it’s too early to determine how each of them will pan out. Based on the talent they have on paper and the division they play in, it’s almost a lock to have Tampa Bay making the playoffs. However, I don’t think this draft elevated them to conference championship contenders. They are a solid team with outstanding players, but over the last two years, they had to rely on second-half pushes just to win the division! For things to change, they have to start strong and not take their foot off the gas. Otherwise, they are going to let their season end with more heartbreak and anguish.
TENNESSEE TITANS
Once the Titans announced that they were not going to trade out of the number one overall pick, I think we all knew that they would select quarterback Cam Ward. This was the right decision because there was no way that Brian Callahan and new general manager Mike Borgonzi were going to enter training camp with Will Levis, Tim Boyle, and Brandon Allen as his only guys on the depth chart. Once that decision was made, Tennessee did not stand pat. They used their remaining draft picks on solid prospects that could make a big impact. In the second round, the Titans added to their defensive line with Olwuafemi Oladejo from UCLA, an edge rusher that will take Harold Landry’s place now that he was released. In the third, Tennessee selected one of the best safeties available in Kevin Winston Jr. out of Penn State, somebody that can successfully complement the only consistent player on their secondary Amani Hooker. In the fourth, the organization drafted not one but two wide receivers, in the hopes that they can quickly mesh into Callahan’s offense and not only take the heat off of Cam Ward, but even veteran receiver Calvin Ridley. In between, tight end Gunnar Helm was selected as competition for Chigoziem Okonkwo, and there is no doubt that the former is going to fight his tail off to earn that starting spot. If you ask me, I thought that the Titans had a very solid draft, but I would not expect them to overachieve just yet because we have to see this team play in action before we can arrive at a final conclusion.
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
Just like the Vikings, the Commanders did not have a lot of draft picks, but still managed to be one of the biggest winners of the entire three day process. With their first round pick, Washington added to its offensive line by selecting tackle Josh Conerly Jr. from Oregon. I am curious to see how they will utilize him. My initial impression is that he is a left tackle, but because Washington acquired Laremy Tunsil in a trade with the Houston Texans, my guess is that they are going to give Connery a chance to compete for the starting job at right tackle. Andrew Wylie will be a free agent at the end of the 2025 season and I don’t think of Brandon Coleman as a sure fire starter, so I think the rookie has a lot of upside entering training camp. In the second round, the Commanders added to their secondary by taking cornerback Trey Amos out of Ole Miss, somebody you can pair on the outside with Marshon Lattimore, along with Mike Sainristil in the slot. I also think Kain Medrano could get good minutes as a rotational defensive piece because Washington could definitely use an extra linebacker to step in for Frankie Luvu or Bobby Wagner, depending on how the rookie will be utilized. Last season, the Commanders completely exceeded expectations and made it all the way to the NFC Championship game, so they are going to be hungrier than ever to get their revenge and take what they thought should have been theirs: a chance for a Super Bowl. They still might be a young team that could suffer a setback or two, but as long as Jayden Daniels is their guy, then they will always have a chance.
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