The first round of the 2025 NFL draft provided many strange and stirring moments.
There were many “screw it” picks as my colleague Albert Breer alluded to hours before the draft. The Carolina Panthers took a wide receiver not named Travis Hunter inside the top 10 after this was deemed a so-so class for wideouts—it wasn’t just the quarterbacks who were bashed the past few months.
The Dallas Cowboys also didn’t mess around and got their latest offensive lineman named Tyler inside the first 12 picks, perhaps a player who would have been available in the twenties. Then there were the Detroit Lions who took a run-stopping specialist in the late first round. Usually, the big guys who struggle with rushing the passer don’t hear their names called until Day 2.
Teams went for their guys in the first round regardless of position and value, but it’s still unknown whether their guys will wind up being the right picks.
Here are our winners from the first round and a few questions we had from the eventful first day of the draft, including one concerning the fate of Shedeur Sanders.
Winners
Giants’ draft plans
After being the punchline of many jokes last season, the New York Giants finally came up a winner after landing the best pass rusher in the draft and trading back into the first round for an intriguing quarterback prospect.
This could be a day to remember if Abdul Carter, the No. 3 pick, helps turn the Giants into the best defensive front in the league, and Jaxson Dart, the No. 25 pick, becomes New York’s long-term answer at quarterback.
Coach Brian Daboll finally has a quarterback he can help develop, and he won’t have to rush him to the field with Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston on the roster. There is a sense of urgency, though, because Daboll hasn’t done much winning the past two seasons. Daboll will need Dart to produce quickly or get one of the veteran signal callers to produce a good amount of wins—and let’s not forget with the help of a stacked defensive front. Overall, these aren’t bad options to have after the miserable 2024 season in New York.
Titans coach Brian Callahan
Everything that could have gone wrong in Callahan’s first season practically did. But regardless of how Callahan’s stint in Nashville turns out, he can at least say he got an opportunity to pick his own quarterback, something many failed head coaches can’t say.
The Titans made several notable moves last offseason, but none of that mattered because Callahan couldn’t get on the same page with Will Levis, the quarterback he inherited from the previous regime. Now Callahan is going into his second season after spending months doing homework on the quarterback he actually wanted, Cam Ward, the No. 1 pick in Thursday’s draft.
It says plenty that Tennessee didn’t show any real interest in trading the top pick and there weren’t any whispers of Titans’ brass being split on the selection. Ward must have really impressed his new team if he was the easy pick over Hunter and Carter, the top overall prospects.
Even if the pick doesn’t pan out and it was more of a reach, at least Callahan will go down swinging with his guy running his offense.
Jaguars’ new decision makers
New Jacksonville Jaguars coach Liam Coen and GM James Gladstone found a way to have it all with their first draft pick.
Heading into the week, most mock drafts had the Jaguars filling one of their many defensive needs with Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham at No. 5. That popular prediction was a bit strange because of Coen’s offensive background and the team’s urgency for helping Trevor Lawrence reach his potential, but it was also understandable because the one wide receiver worth taking inside the top five wasn’t going to last that long.
The Jaguars made sure to get their guy, acquiring the No. 2 pick from the Cleveland Browns to select Hunter, the dynamic two-way player from Colorado. Coen and Lawrence got their offensive weapon without neglecting one of the worst secondaries in the NFL.
If Lawrence stays healthy and the offensive line holds up, Jacksonville could be a lot of fun to watch next season with Hunter and Brian Thomas Jr. making plays downfield. Now the hard part starts for the Jaguars in developing a plan that allows Hunter to flourish on both sides of the ball.
Bryce Young
There’s plenty to like about the Panthers pairing the 5' 10" Bryce Young with 6' 4" wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, the No. 8 pick.
Yes, Carolina neglected its defense, but this franchise needs to do everything it can to make sure Young is in a position to succeed. The foundation for ideal surroundings started last season when coach Dave Canales improved the team’s offensive line and rushing attack. Now Young is set to stand tall—or get a clear view—from the pocket and sling 50–50 passes to McMillan and Xavier Legette, the 6' 3" first-round wide receiver from last year’s draft. Adding McMillan will also take defensive attention away from Young’s favorite incumbent downfield target, Jalen Coker, the impressive 2024 undrafted free agent.
If Young is playing well with his new weapon, the organization will be patient about a defense that’s lacking talent, especially at edge rusher. There will be plenty of quality pass rushers to choose from in the second round.
Will Campbell’s passionate vow
A passionate draft day speech won’t determine whether Campbell will be a stout left tackle in the NFL, but neither will the length of his arms.
The New England Patriots likely feel good about using a top-four pick on Campbell, who doesn’t have ideal size for the position, after tears rolled down his eyes and he fiercely said he’d fight to protect Drake Maye and his teammates. Who knows how Cambpell will do at the next level, but he probably gained plenty of Patriots fans who for months heard about his lack of size.
Question Marks
Will the Browns regret passing on Travis Hunter, Abdul Carter?
The Browns’ shocking decision to pass on Hunter might have confirmed what many draft experts and NFL insiders have said for months: this QB class isn’t very good.
After Ward went to the Titans, the Browns probably decided to take their chances on next year’s class to find their franchise quarterback after finally admitting they were very wrong about Deshaun Watson. They’re now armed with an extra first-round pick in 2026—from a Jaguars team that could still be a year away from competing for the playoffs. But in doing that, the Browns said no thanks to Hunter and Carter and still have Kenny Pickett atop their QB depth chart.
Maybe the Browns don’t care much about winning in 2025. They already handed Myles Garrett a new contract and at least added help for their star edge rusher by taking defensive tackle Mason Graham with the No. 5 pick. But Graham doesn’t have the upside of Carter, who could have had several stellar seasons playing opposite of Garrett.
Time will tell whether the Browns are punting on the 2025 season to land the right franchise quarterback after getting it wrong for so many years. They have two second rounders to possibly draft a quarterback on Friday.
Did the Falcons make the worst trade of the first round?
The Falcons doubling up on edge rushers on Day 1 brings forth conflicting feelings. I love the pick for James Pearce Jr., but hate what Atlanta gave up to trade back into the first round.
The Los Angeles Rams relinquished the No. 26 pick and gained the Falcons’ 2026 first-round pick and also got their second-round pick to possibly draft an impact player Friday. The Rams lost their original second rounder in a trade up last year to select Braden Fiske at No. 39.
But the Falcons and coach Raheem Morris won’t care about the lost draft picks if Pearce reaches his potential. He’s considered to have the most upside in the draft among edge rushers and his skill set fits what Morris is trying to do with the Falcons’ defense. Also, rolling the dice on Pearce was made easier after Jalon Walker was surprisingly available for the Falcons at No. 15. Walker also comes with risks as a smaller edge rusher, but he’s an enticing hybrid player capable of playing off-ball linebacker.
The Falcons’ offense is mostly set with Michael Penix Jr., Drake London and Bijan Robinson. Perhaps they’re now a better-balanced team after adding Walker and Pearce to the defensive side Thursday night.
Were the Bears wrong to take Colston Loveland over Tyler Warren?
It’s not too surprising that Loveland went ahead of Warren because he’s considered the better pass catcher of the two, but Warren was the better all-around tight end due to his blocking capabilities.
You’d think the Chicago Bears would value the better blocking tight end after allowing Caleb Williams to get sacked 68 times last season. Chicago took Loveland at No. 10 and Warren landed with the Indianapolis Colts four picks later. The Bears weren’t hurting for pass catchers after spending a first-round pick on Rome Odunze last year. They found out the hard way last season that selecting a blocker would have been the better path. Chicago may have made the same mistake in consecutive drafts.
Why did the Cowboys play it safe with a top-12 pick?
It’s hard to knock the Dallas Cowboys for taking Tyler Booker because they’ve had plenty of success with drafting offensive lineman over the years. And they really needed one after the retirement of Zack Martin. But selecting Booker at No. 12 appears to be a reach.
Maybe this is more about the Cowboys saying “screw it” with teams not interested in trading during a first round that lacked blue-chip prospects. The Cowboys can also still draft their starting running back in the second round. But they passed on an opportunity to select a quality defensive tackle, like Kenneth Grant, who went one pick later to the Miami Dolphins, or Walter Nolen, who went No. 16 to the Arizona Cardinals.
How risky is the Bengals’ pick for Stewart?
The Bengals desperately need an immediate impact player for the defense, but Shemar Stewart’s lack of sacks in college suggests he might need time to figure out how to be a difference maker in the NFL.
Cincinnati overlooked Stewart’s three consecutive seasons of having only 1.5 sacks and bet on his freakish athletic traits. He flashed versatility at Texas A&M, playing at various spots on the defensive line.
Perhaps the Bengals don’t care about Stewart’s sack numbers as long as he’s bear hugging offensive lineman and moving them aside on run plays—as he did to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell at the podium in Green Bay.
Should the Broncos have given Bo Nix a new weapon?
The Denver Broncos missed a golden opportunity to improve the skill positions and aid second-year quarterback Bo Nix with a friendly target.
Wide receiver Matthew Golden and running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Omarion Hampton were available when the Broncos were on the clock at No. 20. They instead opted to make their stacked defense stronger by selecting Golden’s teammate at Texas, versatile cornerback Jahdae Barron. Hampton went to the Chargers at No. 22 and Golden to the Packers at No. 23.
The Broncos have the defense to slow down AFC West quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Geno Smith. But they might not have enough firepower to keep pace with their division rivals. Nix’s top wide receiver is currently Courtland Sutton and the starting running back is Jaleel McLaughlin.
Where will Shedeur Sanders be drafted?
It was a rough night for Sanders, who was essentially passed on twice by the Giants, who did expensive homework on the quarterback prospects. New York declared Dart to be the better signal-caller.
As for the other quarterback-needy teams, they were proven right in taking the best players available and waiting on a quarterback. Not only is Sanders still available, Jalen Milroe and Tyler Shough are also on the board.
The Browns open the second round, but they might be waiting for the 2026 draft to find a quarterback after landing an extra first rounder from the Jaguars. Maybe the Las Vegas Raiders or New Orleans Saints will take Sanders in the first eight picks of the second round.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as 2025 NFL Draft Day 1 Winners and Questions: Jaguars, Giants Get Aggressive.