NFL Draft: Biggest Winners, Losers Of The First Round

The first day of the 2025 NFL draft began as expected, with Miami quarterback Cam Ward selected first by Tennessee.

Before Ward could even walk across the draft stage in Green Bay, Wisconsin, to shake NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s hand, however, the draft veered quickly into unexpected territory.

Cleveland traded out of the second pick and Jacksonville moved up. Hours later, the Giants and Falcons made their trades to grab late-round picks. Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders slid out of the first round. It created a night of drama with two days and six rounds still to go before the draft ends.

NBC News analyzes the first night’s action and what it means moving forward.

Table of Contents

Favorite first-round pick

Kamisar: Howie Roseman did it again. The Eagles executive vice president and general manager is known for his proclivity to move up and down the board, and on Thursday, he walks away with a gem in Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell (and only needed to slide up one spot to do it).

Campbell is exactly the kind of athletic, versatile and hard-nosed defensive player that the Eagles have all over their defense. He might not have a massive impact right away, but it reminds me of the Nolan Smith pick in 2023 — draft a talented player with a high ceiling, even if you don’t need to rely on him immediately. The Eagles have that luxury, and Campbell might blossom into a star.

Greif: Matthew Golden of Texas to Green Bay, the 23rd pick that left the home crowd (and probably current Packers quarterback Jordan Love) screaming in delight. Golden was the fastest receiver in the draft and will upgrade the Packers’ offense. Green Bay was solid last season but struggled against the NFL’s best teams and maybe his speed can add dynamism to Green Bay’s options. Oh, did we mention this was the Packers’ first wide receiver taken in the first round since 2002? Somewhere, former Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers might be stewing.

Nadkarni: Ashton Jeanty to the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 6 was a nice little reminder that running backs can still matter. I’ve enjoyed Jeanty’s attitude during this draft process, and his conviction that he can be a game-changer for an offense. The Raiders certainly believe so, making Jeanty the highest running back selected in the draft since Saquon Barkley in 2018.

I’m also digging the new look of the Vegas offense now. The team traded for Geno Smith to start the offseason, not only a massive upgrade for the Raiders but a sneaky great move to snag an underrated player. Las Vegas also invested in the offensive line in free agency and now adds a potential workhorse back to make Smith’s life easier. Combine all this with new head coach Pete Carroll, and I feel like the Jeanty pick was the icing on a tasty offseason cake.

Most head-scratching selection

Kamisar: I love Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce Jr.’s pass-rush juice and athleticism (4.47 40-yard dash). But it’s what it took the Falcons to get there, trading back into the first round and giving up a 2026 first-round pick to do so, that gives me pause. Especially in a deep edge-rusher class, it’s a lot to give up. So while I like the talent, I wonder about the cost.

Greif: Cincinnati drafting edge rusher Shemar Stewart at No. 17. Few players in this draft tested more impressively than Stewart, who has the wingspan of a condor and runs a 4.59-second 40-yard dash. He creates disruption, but not necessarily production, and if the Bengals are at all thinking that Stewart might be a replacement for star defensive end Trey Hendrickson — who is still waiting for a contract extension — I just worry about how much production could be lost.

Nadkarni: I understand the Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t want to reach for a quarterback with the 21st pick, but what is that team’s plan for the position, exactly? The Steelers were a popular destination for Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders, instead selecting defensive tackle Derrick Harmon in the first round. While Sanders may have been a bit of a gamble at 21, the quarterbacks currently on Pittsburgh’s roster are Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson.

I know Mike Tomlin has never had a losing season, but going into the season with Rudolph and Thompson as the only QBs on the team would really test Tomlin’s streak. And if the Steelers’ plan isn’t to add a quarterback early in the draft…does that mean the team is waiting for — exaggerated gulp — Aaron Rodgers?

Favorite player left on the board

Kamisar: Positional value and the limited shelf life of running backs makes it hard to know when the running backs should come off of the board. But if it’s just a question of my favorite player left, that’s easy: Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson. After being dogged by some injuries during his career, his 2024 season reminded folks of his sky-high potential. He’s got 4.43 speed, a nose for the end zone, great juice as a receiver and will endear himself to his future head coach with a willingness to take on a pass rush to protect his quarterback.

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Greif: Maybe this is my Pacific Northwest roots showing, but I absolutely love the potential of Washington State receiver Kyle Williams. He switched between the slot and ‘X’ and had 14 touchdowns last season, fourth-most in the Football Bowl Subdivision. I can see why he wouldn’t be a first-round pick given his 5-11 height, but I also think he’s more of a downfield threat than some might think.

Nadkarni: I have a hard time believing LSU tight end Mason Taylor won’t be the kind of security-blanket pass catcher 31 fan bases will be envious of when they watch him play for whoever ultimately drafts him. Taylor is also somewhat of a supercharged nepo baby, as he’s both the son and nephew of former Miami Dolphins greats Jason Taylor and Zach Taylor, respectively.

Taylor was no slouch for the Tigers in college, becoming the school’s first 100-catch, 1,000-yard player at tight end. He’s a big, athletic target who also shouldn’t be a liability in the run game. Taylor profiles as the kind of tight end who can make an impact early in his career.

Team of the draft

Kamisar: The Giants had their cake and ate it, too. They stood firm with the third overall pick and netted one of the consensus blue-chip prospects in Abdul Carter. And they took a swing at quarterback by trading back up (without having to sacrifice a first-round pick next year) to snag Jaxson Dart. Giants fans must be thrilled.

Greif: To Ben’s point, I really liked what the Giants pulled off. I also liked that Cleveland didn’t reach for a quarterback it didn’t necessarily believe in at No. 2 and traded back to get Mason Graham while also having two of the first four picks of Friday’s second round. Honorable mention goes to Minnesota, which bolstered an offensive line that fell apart late last season with offensive guard Donovan Jackson of Ohio State at No. 24.

Nadkarni: I have to give some love to the Jacksonville Jaguars here. Do I know for sure their bold play for Travis Hunter was the right call? Certainly not, but I love when teams don’t shy away from making a splash. Not only did the Jaguars trade up for Hunter, aggressively going after their guy, early reports indicate the team is open to playing him on both sides of the ball (even if its only a limited role on defense).

At the risk of dumbing down my analysis to something incredibly simple…that sounds really fun! Mix in a new head coach who helped revive Baker Mayfield and a general manager who is not afraid to cite “F them picks” in his draft night press conference, and there’s a palpable buzz in Jacksonville after round one.

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