Thursday night’s action is in the books, and we have the 2025 NFL Draft reaction from an eventful first round.

We all knew who would be taken first, and we all knew who would be taken second. However, we did not know whom would make that second pick, and if you think it was Cleveland, you are incorrect. If you also thought Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders would be taken in the first round, you might want to sit down.

How do we evaluate what the various teams have done? Thanks for asking, because we were going to tell you either way.

2025 NFL Draft Reaction: The “Top” Teams

And by “top” teams, we mean the worst ones, as they picked early.

Tennessee Titans

Tennessee made the first pick, and it was Miami quarterback Cam Ward. Other teams tried to trade up with the Titans to get this honor, but Tennessee had no intention of letting Ward get away from them. He is their quarterback of the future, and they need all the help they can get.

While this was a very much expected pick, it was a good one. I do not know (and nor do any of us) if Ward will become a Pro Bowler or a star, but he is a solid choice.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Trade! The Jags snuck up on all of us, trading up while the Cleveland Browns traded down from number two. It was widely believed that Travis Hunter, Heisman winner and two-way player, would be the choice.

Well, he was, but it wasn’t Cleveland who made it. Jacksonville has given Trevor Lawrence a new offensive weapon, but he can also help out as a defensive back. No snaps off for this guy.

I do not hate the move for either team. Jacksonville got an elite talent whom they can put to work right away, and the picks they gave away to get him were not outrageous. Cleveland did not get fleeced, but should they have been the ones to take Hunter? They surely could have used his services as well. If you are a Browns fan and you wanted Hunter, this probably sucks, but at the end of the day, they got some tangible value out of that second pick.

New York Giants

The G-Men had two picks in the first round – the first one was at number three, and the second was at number 25. The latter of these was a late addition, as they traded with the Texans to get it.

With regards to their first pick, the Giants got it right. They took Penn State EDGE Abdul Carter with the number three selection, and it was a case of going best-player-available, or BPA. It made sense for them, and now on paper, the Giants have a very respectable defensive front seven. Part of their struggles and long suffering over the years has been a failure to address the line of scrimmage. The situation has improved, without question, at least on that side of the ball. The offensive line is another story.

At 25, the Giants jumped up and got their quarterback, Jaxson Dart from Ole Miss. This was ostensibly to stop the Rams from drafting him, as the Giants had praised him throughout the process. Not everyone loves the pick, but I am fine with it. The Giants taking a quarterback at three would have been a huge mistake, given their offseason moves. Some think Dart might be a bust, while others think he was a good value dropping down to 25. This is a young quarterback with potential for Brian Daboll to mold.

The Giants had been relentlessly linked by the media to Shedeur Sanders, quarterback from Colorado and son of Deion. At points, it almost seemed like football talking heads were trying to manifest it or speak it into existence. Big Blue did their homework on Sanders and the coaching staff did not seem too interested, though rumor is that others in the organization were on-board. They should not be taking any heat for passing on Sanders twice when every other team passed on him as well, so far. Once they signed Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, the Giants were never taking a quarterback at three, and clearly, if they did, it would not be Sanders, who will give good value for whomever takes him now.

The problem with Dart, or any quarterback NYG might have taken here, is that Brian Daboll might not be around long enough to mold them. Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen might have their jobs on the line in 2025.

2025 NFL Draft Reaction: Other Teams

New England Patriots

There was not much surprise that the Pats took Will Campbell, an offensive lineman from LSU who was clearly moved by the moment on Thursday. Perhaps he can help keep Drake Maye on his feet.

It would have been hard for Mike Vrabel and company to mess up the fourth pick, and they did not.

Cleveland Browns

They traded back a few spots, got additional picks, and then took defensive lineman Mason Graham out of Michigan. He may not have the certain je ne sais quoi that Travis Hunter does, but he’s a solid player who should help bolster their defense.

Carolina Panthers

Tetairoa McMillan, wide receiver from Arizona, is a talented player, but did the Panthers reach for him? Some mock drafts had him further down than ninth, but others called him one of the best wide-outs in the 2025 class. As long as he has someone decent to throw him the damn ball, he should contribute right away.

Atlanta Falcons

Not everyone loves what the Falcons did trading up late in the first round to take James Pearce Jr., Tennessee defensive end. The Falcons gave up their second, seventh, and 2026 first to get him, and the consensus out in internet land is that while he’s a good player, they’re not sure he was worth giving up all that in the first round. For the Falcons’ sake, let’s hope he plays to a first-round grade (if you are a fan of another NFC South team, I doubt you will hope for that outcome).

2025 NFL Draft Reaction: Next Up

Rounds 2 and 3 will take place on Friday, April 25, while the remaining rounds will occur on Saturday, April 26.