Arizona Cardinals: Michigan CB Will Johnson (2nd Round)
The two biggest needs for Arizona heading into the draft was at corner and defensive line and they addressed both positions early on. While the selection of Walter Nolen is a solid one, their best selection came in round two when they nabbed Michigan cornerback Will Johnson. Johnson slid due to a lingering knee injury and if he was fully healthy then he probably would’ve been the first corner off the board. All-in-all a very sound pick where Arizona capitalized off of a stud sliding.
Atlanta Falcons: Notre Dame S Xavier Watts (3rd Round)
Atlanta’s selection of Jalon Walker is one that I loved, but them trading up for James Pearce Jr., while interesting and beneficial because Pearce is a game wrecker, was a negative because of what they gave up to get him. The pick that was the best value one for Atlanta and will have a last impact was when they drafted Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts in the late third round. Last season with the Irish, Watts totaled 83 tackles and 6 interceptions, so having him play next to Jessie Bates III in the Dirty Birds secondary is exciting.
Baltimore Ravens: Marshall DE Mike Green (2nd Round)
Going into the NFL draft, the Ravens biggest need was to add pass rushers. While they didn’t do it in the first round, they addressed that need in the 2nd round by taking Marshall defensive end Mike Green. Green was one of my favorite players in this years draft and it’s because of his elite explosion off the ball and powerful punch which he displayed this past fall and at the Senior Bowl.
Buffalo Bills: Kentucky CB Maxwell Hairston (1st Round)
Buffalo had a fairly underwhelming draft, so the selection of Maxwell Hairston at the tail end of round one was their best pick. Hairston is a solid athlete who tallied 19 tackles, 1 interception, and 4 pass breakups in 2024, but missed substantial time due to injury. In my opinion, if Buffalo wanted to take a corner who was banged up in his final college season then I think Benjamin Morrison or Will Johnson would’ve been a better bet.
Carolina Panthers: Ole Miss OLB Princely Umanmielen (3rd Round)
One of the teams in this years draft who made substantial and great value picks every step of the way was the Carolina Panthers. A lot of their picks could be highlighted like Tet McMillan in round one, Nic Scourton in round two, or even Mitchell Evans in the 6th, but my favorite selection was them taking Ole Miss outside linebacker Princely Umanmielen in round three. Umanmielen is a quick and dynamic defender who made 37 tackles and 10.5 sacks in 2024. Him and Scourton as a young pass rushing duo could shape Carolina’s defense for the foreseeable future.
Chicago Bears: Missouri WR Luther Burden III (2nd Round)
I’m a HUGE fan of this pick. Burden was one of my favorite players in the draft and in my eyes, was a clear 1st round talent. He’s extremely quick (ran a 4.4 40) and has great hands, which makes him an ideal weapon for Caleb Williams. I didn’t love Chicago’s 1st round pick of Loveland, but they surely made it up for it by taking a high-flying pass catcher in Burden.
Cincinnati Bengals: South Carolina LB Demetrius Knight Jr. (2nd Round)
Cincinnati’s most glaring need heading into the draft was offensive line help. It’s getting old, but that seems to be the common theme every year for them. And yet again, the Bengals passed on Josh Simmons, Aireontae Ersery, and Grey Zabel in round one to take Shemar Stewart. Stewart’s a fine player, but a major miss by Cincy. My favorite pick from them came in round two when they grabbed Demetrius Knight Jr., a 6’2″, 245 pound linebacker who made 82 tackles, 2 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and 1 interception in 2024.
Cleveland Browns: Michigan DT Mason Graham (1st Round)
I get it would’ve been nice if Cleveland took Hunter, but drafting Mason Graham at five is a fantastic pick. He’s the best interior defensive lineman in this draft class by a wide margin and putting him on a defensive line alongside Myles Garrett, Maliek Collins, and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka is deadly. Plus, when you consider that the Browns already have Denzel Ward and Greg Newsome at corner, taking Hunter wouldn’t have been as helpful as taking Graham.
Dallas Cowboys: Alabama IOL Tyler Booker (1st Round)
Sure, it was a bit high to take Tyler Booker at 12, but he fills a need that Dallas had. Booker is a physical run blocker, carries extreme finesse in the pass game, and is a fantastic leader. One position Dallas has always evaluated very well is offensive linemen (Zack Martin, Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick, ect.), so this pick makes even more sense with their past history.
Denver Broncos: Texas CB Jahdae Barron (1st Round)
One of the top corners in this years draft was Texas’ Jahdae Barron who made 67 tackles, 11 pass breakups, and 5 interceptions. He’s joining a youthful Denver secondary of Surtain and Moss, who will thrive by having more depth in a guy who excels in man-to-man coverage. I wasn’t high on this pick on draft night, but I like it far more a few days removed.
Detroit Lions: Georgia IOL Tate Ratledge (2nd Round)
6’6″, 320 pounds. A mullet. Pure physicality. That is what the Lions got in their 2nd round selection, Tate Ratledge. He was integral in Georgia’s sparse offensive success on the ground in 2024 and his look and play style makes him the perfect fit to play for Dan Campbell. Campbell wants guys who’ll die on the field and bite knees. On Friday night, he added a guy who’ll die on the field and bite knee caps.
Green Bay Packers: TCU WR Savion Williams (3rd Round)
There’s no sugarcoating it, but Green Bay had a bad draft. They reached on Golden in the 1st and took Anthony Belton in the 2nd who I’m not too high on. Their best selection came in round three when they grabbed TCU pass catcher Savion Williams. The appeal with Williams is clearly his size at 6’4″, 222 pounds, but his hands aren’t consistent. When the ball’s in his hands he’s great at making guys miss, but it’s a matter of him catching passes.
Houston Texans: Minnesota OT Aireontae Ersery (2nd Round)
Moving from Houston to Green Bay is a massive difference in their draft classes. The Texans played this draft with great strategy, trading out of the 1st and nailing both of their 2nd rounders with Jayden Higgins and Aireontae Ersery. Ersery was a guy who I tabbed as a mid to late 1st round player and he fell into the Texans arms in the mid 2nd round. They needed a lot of offensive line help addressed it with this pick.
Indianapolis Colts: Penn State TE Tyler Warren (1st Round)
Going into the draft, I was fairly certain that Indianapolis would be taking at tight end. I just didn’t think it was going to be Tyler Warren. My assumption was that Warren would be off the board in the top ten and Indy would land the stellar pass catcher Colston Loveland. Then draft night occurred and Loveland went at ten and Warren fell into the arms of the Colts, which is a major win if you’re a fan. Warren can and will do it all on offense and he showed that last season at Penn State when he had 1,451 all purpose yards and 12 touchdowns.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter (1st Round)
What more can be said about this pick? It’s great. Travis Hunter’s the best player in this years draft and is a generational talent on both sides of the football. Moving up was a ballsy move by the young gun James Gladstone, but if it works out, then it’s going to be a move remembered for years and years to come.
Kansas City Chiefs: Ohio State OT Josh Simmons (1st Round)
Let’s address the elephant in the room. Yes, Josh Simmons has a septum ring. Is it a great look for a tackle to have? Probably not. I like when my offensive linemen don’t have a prima donna look, but Simmons gets a pass because he gets the job done. He’s a 6’5″, 315 pound pass protector with lots of experience and fantastically active hands. He should be able to step up and be Kansas City’s starting left tackle for week one.
Los Angeles Chargers: South Carolina DE Kyle Kennard (4th Round)
Another team whose draft class I didn’t love was the Los Angeles Chargers. I felt like they reached on Omarion Hampton especially since they signed Najee Harris this offseason. Their best pick came in the 4th round when they took South Carolina pass rusher Kyle Kennard. Kennard was a machine on the Gamecocks defensive line in 2024 when he made 28 tackles and 11.5 sacks in only ten games.
Los Angeles Rams: Auburn RB Jarquez Hunter (4th Round)
I harped on the fact that the Rams needed a tight end in this years draft and they did address it by passing on Harold Fannin (CRAZY) and took Terrance Ferguson in the mid 2nd round. I don’t love that pick, because there were better players available at the position, so the pick that I think was their best was picking Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter in the 4th. Hunter will play nicely off Kyren Williams in the Rams backfield and adds depth to their offense.
Las Vegas Raiders: Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty (1st Round)
We haven’t seen a running back prospect like Jeanty in a while now and the Raiders capitalized on that. While they don’t have a good quarterback or a loaded receiver room, the Raiders are building their offense around a generational back in Jeanty and a generational tight end in Bowers. Behind an offensive line of Kolton Miller, Jackson Powers-Johnson, and Alex Cappa, Jeanty should be able to thrive out west.
Miami Dolphins: Oklahoma State RB Ollie Gordon II (6th Round)
When I look at Miami’s draft picks, I don’t love a lot of them. They took Kenneth Grant took early and Jonah Savaiinaea when better interior offensive linemen were still on the board. The one pick I did like was them taking Ollie Gordon II in the 6th round. His last season at Oklahoma State will make a lot of people think he’s washed, but when he’s the only weapon on an offense, defenses are keying in on him every down. In Miami’s scheme splitting snaps with Achane, Gordon could find his rhythm again.
Minnesota Vikings: Ohio State IOL Donovan Jackson (1st Round)
I’ll be honest, as a Vikings fan on draft night, I didn’t love this move. I fell into the casual fan thinking of wanting flash. What I wanted at that time was Malaki Starks or Cam Skattebo or Xavier Watts. What the Vikings got however was a behemoth run blocker to shore up an elite offensive line consisting of Jackson at guard opposite Will Fries, Ryan Kelly at center, and two great pass protecting tackles in Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill.
New England Patriots: LSU OT Will Campbell (1st Round)
Of all the picks in the first round, this was arguably my favorite. Will Campbell is an elite and versatile offensive lineman who has the ability to play left or right tackle and or either guard spots. He’s a true mauler, a mean finisher, and a guy who will lay his body on the line for Drake Maye. He said it on draft night and his play through his college career backs that up, he’s a MONSTER.
New Orleans Saints: Oklahoma LB Danny Stutsman (4th Round)
Overall, New Orleans had a bad draft class, but the one pick that stands out as a positive is when they took the cracker with the juice, Oklahoma linebacker Danny Stutsman. On an average Sooners team with major defensive issues last season, Stutsman was a bright spot as he tallied 110 tackles and 1 sack. Demario Davis will be 37 at the midpoint of the 2025 season so adding Stutsman to play next to Pete Werner for the future will lay the ground work for their young defense.
New York Giants: Penn State OLB Abdul Carter (1st Round)
After Travis Hunter, Abdul Carter was the best player in this years draft class. He’s a versatile defender that can play off-the-ball, stand up in a 7 tech off the edge, or even put his hand in the dirt as a tight 5 tech. Last season he took a massive step setting himself apart from everyone else in college football when he tallied 68 tackles, 12 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles. Just thinking about Carter in a front seven of Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence II, Micah McFadden, and Kayvon Thibodeaux makes me fear for the NFC East.
New York Jets: Missouri OT Armand Membou (1st Round)
A prospect I was very high on leading up to the draft was Missouri tackle Armand Membou. He’s 6’4″, 332 pounds and was a large reason as to why Brady Cook has been so efficient. It’s not the sexiest pick in the world, but when Justin Fields is standing up right with Armand Membou protecting one side of him and Olu Fashanu is opposite of him, then it’ll seem like a really sexy selection.
Philadelphia Eagles: Boston College IOL Drew Kendall (5th Round)
Philly’s 2025 draft class was a well rounded one. Jihaad Campbell and Andrew Mukuba can be immediate starters on the defensive of the ball, but the pick I liked the most was the Eagles grabbing Boston College center Drew Kendall in the 5th. Kendall does a lot of things right. He’s great climbing to the second level, he finds work when he’s left uncovered, and his 37 games as a starter is tremendous experience. He’ll be a serviceable plug and play guy in the Eagles interior offensive line.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Iowa DT Yahya Black (5th Round)
The Steelers added considerable depth to their dwindling defensive line in this draft by taking Derrick Harmon in the 1st and Jack Sawyer in the 4th, but my favorite selection was when they took 6’6″, 336 pound run stuffer Yahya Black from Iowa in the 5th. Black was a monster on the inside for the Hawkeyes in 2024 making 34 tackles and 2 pass deflections. While he might not make an immediate impact, he’s a guy Pittsburgh can utilize on the interior on short yardage situations and obvious run scenarios.
Seattle Seahawks: North Dakota State IOL Grey Zabel (1st Round)
Seattle grabbed Grey Zabel, the second best interior offensive lineman in this years class, in the first round and it was one of the best picks of night one. Zabel is a 6’6″, 312 pound monster who can play either tackle and either guard positions with relative ease. His physical play style and understanding of leverage makes him dangerous if you’re a defensive lineman lining up across from him.
San Francisco 49ers: Georgia DE Mykel Williams (1st Round)
I feel multiple different ways about San Francisco’s draft. On one hand, I really like the pick of Mykel Williams. He’s a strong and tough run stopper with extremely active hands and will fit in nicely on their defensive line with Nick Bosa and Kevin Givens. On the other hand though, they need tackle help. And they didn’t address that need at all in the draft.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Notre Dame CB Benjamin Morrison (2nd Round)
Akin to Will Johnson, I believe the reason Benjamin Morrison slid was due to injuries. His 2024 season was cut short due to a hip injury and had he played the full year, would’ve been a no brainer first round pick. He’s extremely physical, stout vs the run, and excels in man-to-man and press coverage. Tampa Bay’s weak at corner, but with the addition of Morrison, they’ve found their CB1 of the future.
Tennessee Titans: Miami QB Cam Ward (1st Round)
Tennessee made a handful of solid picks this year like grabbing Kalel Mullings in the 6th round, but taking Ward first overall was huge. Will Levis, unfortunately, didn’t pan out and they don’t really have a competent QB on their roster right now so taking Ward, a dynamic and experienced quarterback puts them on the fast track to hopefully make the playoffs.
Washington Commanders: Ole Miss CB Trey Amos (2nd Round)
Last, but certainly not least is the Washington Commanders. With only five picks, they filled major gaps on both their offensive line and secondary. I don’t love the pick of Josh Conerly when Josh Simmons was on the board, but I am a fan of the Trey Amos pick in the late second round. Amos is a long corner who made a lot of plays at Ole Miss in 2024 making 50 tackles and 3 interceptions. Hopefully Amos won’t be Emmanuel Forbes part two.