The 2025 NFL Draft is nearly a week in the rearview mirror. All 257 picks and dozens more undrafted free agents are on rosters as teams turn the page to organized team activities (OTAs) starting in a few weeks’ time.
But if given the chance, how many teams would take a do-over? At this point, none would outwardly admit that. They’re on to next season and excited about the players they have in the building.
We’re taking it upon ourselves to do that for them.
For the most part, Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft featured a lot of sensible picks. The Tennessee Titans went with the top quarterback in the class in Cam Ward at No. 1 overall and the top two consensus prospects went 2-3 right after him.
All of the picks made in the first round are defensible. We just feel some of them could be changed given how the rest of the draft played out for each team.
NFL DRAFT GRADES: Recap all NFL Draft picks, grades and analysis for all 32 teams.
In this exercise, we’re doing a re-draft of Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft. All trades remain in place as we work our way through the top 32 picks.
Here’s how things changed:
2025 NFL Draft: Re-drafting Round 1
1. Tennessee Titans: Cam Ward, QB, Miami (Fla.)
Original pick: Cam Ward, QB, Miami (Fla.)
This one was the easiest pick in real life and we wouldn’t change a thing. Tennessee spent the rest of the draft building up the talent on offense at the skill positions around Ward to give him a solid foundation to begin with in his rookie year.
2. Jacksonville Jaguars (via Browns): Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
Original pick: Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
We’re not undoing trades in this re-draft so things look the same at No. 2 overall here. Hunter was the consensus best player in the class. Jacksonville sacrificed a future first-round pick to get him but with a franchise quarterback in place, it will likely be less desperate for a Round 1 selection next year. Hunter gives the Jaguars instant intrigue in Year 1 of the Liam Coen/James Gladstone regime.
3. New York Giants: Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State
Original pick: Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State
The best player available comes off the board for the Giants here and we wouldn’t change it. Edge isn’t a huge need for the Giants but a player of Carter’s caliber is worth the pick.
4. New England Patriots: Will Campbell, OT, LSU
Original pick: Will Campbell, OT, LSU
New England had a huge need at left tackle entering the draft and gets its guy at No. 4 overall. Campbell is one of the best tackle prospects in the class and has three years of experience on the left side.
5. Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars): Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
Original pick: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
Cleveland traded back and loaded up on picks later on in this draft and got a first-round pick for next year in what should be a better quarterback class. The Browns make their first Round 1 pick since 2021 and choose one of the safest prospects in the class in Graham.
6. Las Vegas Raiders: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
Original pick: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
Two of Las Vegas’ biggest needs entering the draft were cornerback and running back. The Raiders took the best player at either position and one of the best players in the draft overall in Jeanty. We wouldn’t change that as the Raiders built up the offense throughout this draft.
7. New York Jets: Armand Membou, OT, Missouri
Original pick: Armand Membou, OT, Missouri
New York makes this move and creates one of the most promising young tackle tandems in the league. We’ll keep it.
8. Carolina Panthers: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
Original pick: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
Yes, Carolina could’ve addressed defense instead here but it did so with multiple picks later on. The Panthers‘ focus is on giving Bryce Young the best chance to succeed and McMillan is a huge addition for that.
9. New Orleans Saints: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
Original pick: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
Banks is a stabilizing presence on the offensive line for a team undergoing a major coaching change. New coach Kellen Moore operated with good offensive lines at his previous stops, so it makes sense to continue here.
10. Chicago Bears: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
Original pick: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
It seemed surprising in the moment that Loveland preceded Tyler Warren, but in hindsight it makes sense for Chicago. The Bears bolster the pass-catching corps with Loveland and plan for the future (Chicago has just one tight end signed for 2026). He may fit coach Ben Johnson’s vision for the offense better than Warren.
11. San Francisco 49ers: Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia
Original pick: Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia
Williams is a lot of projection but his skill set is near-perfect for the 49ers as a long, powerful edge-setting defender who can grow into a better pass rusher.
12. Dallas Cowboys: Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
Original pick: Tyler Booker, G, Alabama
Finally a change! Dallas did well to get great value in the later rounds and bolstered the backfield with the combination of Jaydon Blue in Round 5 and Phil Mafah in Round 7. But the Cowboys didn’t add any speed in the pass-catching corps and the local prospect Golden could do so.
13. Miami Dolphins: Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
Original pick: Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
Back to the regularly-scheduled programming here. NFL teams spend first-round picks on traits and Grant has some of the best at the position in the class. He needs some refinement to reach his potential but the tools are there at a spot of huge need.
14. Indianapolis Colts: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
Original pick: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
Warren was a popular mock to the Colts and that doesn’t change here. The tight end room needed an upgrade and gets it in Round 1.
15. Atlanta Falcons: Jalon Walker, LB/Edge, Georgia
Original pick: Jalon Walker, LB/Edge, Georgia
Walker could end up filling multiple needs for the Falcons and that makes it worth it to do this again.
16. Arizona Cardinals: Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
Original pick: Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
Same position but slightly different prospect. Harmon’s a bit longer than Nolen and was more productive in college. He may have a slightly lower ceiling but has a higher floor at this point.
17. Cincinnati Bengals: Donovan Ezeiruaku, Edge, Boston College
Original pick: Shemar Stewart, Edge, Texas A&M
Another prospect swap at the same position for the Bengals here. Ezeiruaku fell to the second round and the Cowboys scooped him up at No. 44 overall. The math is simple; Cincinnati needs help off the edge as soon as possible. Ezeiruaku is as pro-ready a rusher as you get in this class.
18. Seattle Seahawks: Grey Zabel, IOL, North Dakota State
Original pick: Grey Zabel, IOL, North Dakota State
Seattle had more glaring needs on the interior than most any other team in the NFL entering the draft. The Seahawks address it well with Zabel and we keep it that way.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Shemar Stewart, Edge, Texas A&M
Original pick: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
This is not an indictment of Egbuka. He’s a great talent and one of the most pro-ready players in the class. But Tampa Bay just handed Chris Godwin a three-year deal and took Tez Johnson in Round 7. The Buccaneers need help at edge and bank on another tools-y edge rusher, much like they did in 2023 with Yaya Diaby.
20. Denver Broncos: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
Original pick: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
Barron felt like a great fit in the moment and even more so in hindsight. He’ll slide in at nickel right away and be a ballhawking, versatile piece for defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
Original pick: Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
With Harmon off the board, Pittsburgh picks the best available prospect at the position in Nolen. He’ll have another good environment to develop in.
22. Los Angeles Chargers: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
Original pick: Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
Hampton was a great pick and fit for the Chargers in Round 1, but Egbuka’s availability changes the game. The fit alongside Ladd McConkey may be a bit tough at first, but Egbuka’s too good a player to pass up.
23. Green Bay Packers: Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky
Original pick: Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
With Golden off the board, the Packers go with cornerback instead in the speedy Hairston. He’s a bit on the leaner side, but his athleticism and ball production should be a fit for the Packers’ defense.
24. Minnesota Vikings: Donovan Jackson, OL, Ohio State
Original pick: Donovan Jackson, OL, Ohio State
This pick has looked even better in hindsight. Minnesota continues its re-vamp of the interior offensive line to support a more productive running game and Jackson remains the pick.
25. New York Giants (via Texans): Tyler Shough, QB, Louisville
Original pick: Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss
Sorry Brian Daboll, we kept the trade but changed the quarterback. Shough went 15 spots later to New Orleans but should be able to get up to speed in the NFL more quickly than Dart, who ran a very RPO and play-action heavy offense at Ole Miss. For a coach and general manager on the hot seat, Shough seems like a slightly more prudent pick.
26. Atlanta Falcons (via Rams): Mike Green, Edge, Marshall
Original pick: James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee
Both Pearce and Green had character concerns entering the draft, with the latter slipping to Round 2 because of it. We make the choice to go with the more productive edge rusher in Green for a team needing pass-rush production as soon as possible.
27. Baltimore Ravens: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
Original pick: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
The Ravens got one of the best value picks of Round 1 and we don’t change a thing.
28. Detroit Lions: Nic Scourton, Edge, Texas A&M
Original pick: Tyleik Williams, DT, Ohio State
The Lions reached a little to get Williams, who plays a lot like Lions starter Alim McNeill. We reckon he’d be available in Round 2 and instead the Lions get another edge to bolster that rotation.
29. Washington Commanders: Josh Conerly Jr., OL, Oregon
Original pick: Josh Conerly Jr., OL, Oregon
The Commanders traded for Laremy Tunsil and have 2024 third-round pick Brandon Coleman on the roster at tackle already. We considered Josh Simmons here, but Conerly may end up as a guard and emergency tackle, something that suits his skill set very well.
30. Buffalo Bills: Trey Amos, CB, Ole Miss
Original pick: Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky
With Hairston off the board, we find a different cornerback for the Bills to bring in. Amos’ size and versatile skill set is a good fit for Buffalo at a position it targeted with multiple picks in the class.
31. Philadelphia Eagles (via Chiefs): Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
Original pick: Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
Philadelphia traded up to get great value in Campbell, arguably a top-15 player in this class, so we don’t change a thing in the re-draft.
32. Kansas City Chiefs (via Eagles): Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
Original pick: Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
We considered Simmons for Washington but ultimately stayed away. This is a great choice for a Chiefs team needing some reinforcements at tackle. It wouldn’t be a surprise in a few years if Simmons ended up as the best tackle in this draft.
