2025 NFL Draft Grades – Who Nailed It, Who Reached, and Who Took Risks
A Grades – Big Wins Early
🏈 Arizona Cardinals (Grade: A)Pick: DT Walter Nolen (No. 16)Takeaway: A future anchor on the D-line. Pairing Nolen with Darius Robinson signals Arizona's investment in the trenches. A great value with versatility across multiple techniques.
🏈 Baltimore Ravens (Grade: A)Pick: S Malaki Starks (No. 27)Takeaway: Another Ravens steal in the secondary. Starks’ hybrid skills echo past success stories like Kyle Hamilton. A scheme-versatile DB with playmaker potential.
🏈 Denver Broncos (Grade: A)Pick: CB Jahdae Barron (No. 20)Takeaway: A true defensive chess piece. Barron brings elite speed, versatility, and instant impact value. Broncos bypassed RB need but nailed the BPA pick.
🏈 Green Bay Packers (Grade: A)Pick: WR Matthew Golden (No. 23)Takeaway: Finally, a Round 1 WR. Golden is a complete deep threat and route technician—perfect complement to Green Bay's young QB corps.
🏈 Jacksonville Jaguars (Grade: A-)Pick: WR/CB Travis Hunter (No. 2)Takeaway: The most electric two-way player in years. Cost was steep, but Hunter changes games on both sides. Worth every asset.
🏈 Kansas City Chiefs (Grade: A)Pick: OT Josh Simmons (No. 32)Takeaway: High-upside protector for Mahomes. Injury pushed him down boards, but Simmons has first-round skills and grit.
🏈 Las Vegas Raiders (Grade: A+)Pick: RB Ashton Jeanty (No. 6)Takeaway: Raiders found their new bell cow. Jeanty is a powerful, dynamic back who can carry a full NFL workload from Day 1.
🏈 Los Angeles Chargers (Grade: A)Pick: RB Omarion Hampton (No. 22)Takeaway: Perfect pairing with Najee Harris. Hampton adds explosiveness, vision, and third-down versatility.
🏈 Indianapolis Colts (Grade: A+)Pick: TE Tyler Warren (No. 14)Takeaway: A game-changing tight end for Anthony Richardson. Warren brings size, speed, and serious red zone juice.B Grades – Solid, But Not Without Questions
🏈 Atlanta Falcons (Grade: B)Picks: Edge Jalon Walker (No. 15), Edge James Pearce Jr. (No. 26)Takeaway: Walker's versatility pops, but Pearce is a risk-reward bet. Cost of trading up slightly dents the value.
🏈 Buffalo Bills (Grade: A-)Pick: CB Maxwell Hairston (No. 30)Takeaway: Speed and tenacity headline Hairston’s skill set, but he’ll need to prove he can tackle physical NFL receivers.
🏈 Chicago Bears (Grade: A-)Pick: TE Colston Loveland (No. 10)Takeaway: Ben Johnson will maximize this move. Loveland offers instant help for Caleb Williams in a two-tight end attack.
🏈 Cincinnati Bengals (Grade: B)Pick: Edge Shemar Stewart (No. 17)Takeaway: Run-stopper with pass-rush upside. A developmental prospect filling a big need.
🏈 Cleveland Browns (Grade: B+)Pick: DT Mason Graham (No. 5)Takeaway: Smart trade-down netted value. Graham is relentless and a nice Myles Garrett partner, though positional priorities remain up for debate.
🏈 Dallas Cowboys (Grade: B+)Pick: OG Tyler Booker (No. 12)Takeaway: A Zack Martin replacement with leadership and strength. Lacked flash, but met a glaring need.
🏈 Detroit Lions (Grade: B+)Pick: DT Tyleik Williams (No. 28)Takeaway: Big-bodied, agile defender adds depth and power. A safe, solid pick for a surging D-line.
🏈 Miami Dolphins (Grade: B-)Pick: DT Kenneth Grant (No. 13)Takeaway: Powerful but raw. Grant’s ceiling is high, though other defenders may have been better fits.
🏈 Minnesota Vikings (Grade: B)Pick: OG Donovan Jackson (No. 24)Takeaway: Good player, questionable value. Interior O-line help was needed, but Vikings missed a trade-down opportunity.
🏈 New England Patriots (Grade: B-)Pick: OT Will Campbell (No. 4)Takeaway: Reliable but unspectacular. Campbell will plug a hole, but there were higher-upside players available.
🏈 New Orleans Saints (Grade: B)Pick: OT Kelvin Banks Jr. (No. 9)Takeaway: Another O-line pick for the Saints. Banks is steady, but not special—could've addressed WR or edge.C Grades – Risky or Reaches 🏈 Carolina Panthers (Grade: C)Pick: WR Tetairoa McMillan (No. 8)Takeaway: Physical, not flashy. McMillan can win contested catches but might struggle to separate consistently. Top-10 feels high.Teams Without Round 1 Picks
🏈 Houston Texans (Grade: A)Takeaway: Smart move to trade down. Gained extra picks, still in position to land quality in Round 2.
🏈 Los Angeles Rams (Grade: A-)Takeaway: Traded out of Round 1 but gained a future first. Lost a Day 2 pick in the process, but still have draft ammo.
🏈 Arizona Cardinals (Grade: A)Pick: DT Walter Nolen (No. 16)Takeaway: A future anchor on the D-line. Pairing Nolen with Darius Robinson signals Arizona's investment in the trenches. A great value with versatility across multiple techniques.
🏈 Baltimore Ravens (Grade: A)Pick: S Malaki Starks (No. 27)Takeaway: Another Ravens steal in the secondary. Starks’ hybrid skills echo past success stories like Kyle Hamilton. A scheme-versatile DB with playmaker potential.
🏈 Denver Broncos (Grade: A)Pick: CB Jahdae Barron (No. 20)Takeaway: A true defensive chess piece. Barron brings elite speed, versatility, and instant impact value. Broncos bypassed RB need but nailed the BPA pick.
🏈 Green Bay Packers (Grade: A)Pick: WR Matthew Golden (No. 23)Takeaway: Finally, a Round 1 WR. Golden is a complete deep threat and route technician—perfect complement to Green Bay's young QB corps.
🏈 Jacksonville Jaguars (Grade: A-)Pick: WR/CB Travis Hunter (No. 2)Takeaway: The most electric two-way player in years. Cost was steep, but Hunter changes games on both sides. Worth every asset.
🏈 Kansas City Chiefs (Grade: A)Pick: OT Josh Simmons (No. 32)Takeaway: High-upside protector for Mahomes. Injury pushed him down boards, but Simmons has first-round skills and grit.
🏈 Las Vegas Raiders (Grade: A+)Pick: RB Ashton Jeanty (No. 6)Takeaway: Raiders found their new bell cow. Jeanty is a powerful, dynamic back who can carry a full NFL workload from Day 1.
🏈 Los Angeles Chargers (Grade: A)Pick: RB Omarion Hampton (No. 22)Takeaway: Perfect pairing with Najee Harris. Hampton adds explosiveness, vision, and third-down versatility.
🏈 Indianapolis Colts (Grade: A+)Pick: TE Tyler Warren (No. 14)Takeaway: A game-changing tight end for Anthony Richardson. Warren brings size, speed, and serious red zone juice.B Grades – Solid, But Not Without Questions
🏈 Atlanta Falcons (Grade: B)Picks: Edge Jalon Walker (No. 15), Edge James Pearce Jr. (No. 26)Takeaway: Walker's versatility pops, but Pearce is a risk-reward bet. Cost of trading up slightly dents the value.
🏈 Buffalo Bills (Grade: A-)Pick: CB Maxwell Hairston (No. 30)Takeaway: Speed and tenacity headline Hairston’s skill set, but he’ll need to prove he can tackle physical NFL receivers.
🏈 Chicago Bears (Grade: A-)Pick: TE Colston Loveland (No. 10)Takeaway: Ben Johnson will maximize this move. Loveland offers instant help for Caleb Williams in a two-tight end attack.
🏈 Cincinnati Bengals (Grade: B)Pick: Edge Shemar Stewart (No. 17)Takeaway: Run-stopper with pass-rush upside. A developmental prospect filling a big need.
🏈 Cleveland Browns (Grade: B+)Pick: DT Mason Graham (No. 5)Takeaway: Smart trade-down netted value. Graham is relentless and a nice Myles Garrett partner, though positional priorities remain up for debate.
🏈 Dallas Cowboys (Grade: B+)Pick: OG Tyler Booker (No. 12)Takeaway: A Zack Martin replacement with leadership and strength. Lacked flash, but met a glaring need.
🏈 Detroit Lions (Grade: B+)Pick: DT Tyleik Williams (No. 28)Takeaway: Big-bodied, agile defender adds depth and power. A safe, solid pick for a surging D-line.
🏈 Miami Dolphins (Grade: B-)Pick: DT Kenneth Grant (No. 13)Takeaway: Powerful but raw. Grant’s ceiling is high, though other defenders may have been better fits.
🏈 Minnesota Vikings (Grade: B)Pick: OG Donovan Jackson (No. 24)Takeaway: Good player, questionable value. Interior O-line help was needed, but Vikings missed a trade-down opportunity.
🏈 New England Patriots (Grade: B-)Pick: OT Will Campbell (No. 4)Takeaway: Reliable but unspectacular. Campbell will plug a hole, but there were higher-upside players available.
🏈 New Orleans Saints (Grade: B)Pick: OT Kelvin Banks Jr. (No. 9)Takeaway: Another O-line pick for the Saints. Banks is steady, but not special—could've addressed WR or edge.C Grades – Risky or Reaches 🏈 Carolina Panthers (Grade: C)Pick: WR Tetairoa McMillan (No. 8)Takeaway: Physical, not flashy. McMillan can win contested catches but might struggle to separate consistently. Top-10 feels high.Teams Without Round 1 Picks
🏈 Houston Texans (Grade: A)Takeaway: Smart move to trade down. Gained extra picks, still in position to land quality in Round 2.
🏈 Los Angeles Rams (Grade: A-)Takeaway: Traded out of Round 1 but gained a future first. Lost a Day 2 pick in the process, but still have draft ammo.