The first round of the 2025 NFL Draft is in the books, and the Cowboys fittingly landed themselves a Booker. The first night had plenty of curveballs, and we’re left with quite a few big names still available as the second round waits to get started. Here are some of the best players still on the board, in no particular order.
Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders
The story of the draft quickly became the slide of Shedeur Sanders. Once the Giants passed on him, everyone assumed the Steelers would take him at 21, but Pittsburgh passed as well. Then the Giants moved back into the first round to find their quarterback of the future, but chose Jaxson Dart instead. Sanders could hear his name called at the start of the second round, with the Browns looking for a reset at the position.
Michigan CB Will Johnson
Coming into this past season, Will Johnson was expected to jockey with Travis Hunter for the title of top cornerback in the draft. Hunter won the Heisman and Johnson missed most of the year with an injury. The fact that he didn’t participate at the NFL combine or Michigan’s Pro Day with an injury clearly scared some teams off of him on Thursday night.
Missouri WR Luther Burden
Luther Burden represented a stark divide between fan and scout sentiment. Early on in the draft process, many on the outside considered Burden the clear cut WR2, but nobody touched him in the first 32 picks. Burden has elite athleticism but ran a limited route tree in college. He should be one of the first players taken Friday night.
Marshall EDGE Mike Green
In terms of pure on-field talent, many draft analysts held Mike Green as the best edge rusher after Abdul Carter. However, off-field concerns clouded the picture for Green, and his handling of the allegations in media appearances didn’t help. Some team is sure to take on the PR risk for how much talent Green has, but just not in the first round.
Ohio State RB TreVeyon Henderson
Only two running backs heard their name called Thursday night. There had been some debate over whether a third might get into the mix, with TreVeyon Henderson being one of the more popular picks to sneak into the first round. Alas, he’ll have to wait one more night.
Boston College EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku
Few players had as swift of a rise in draft stock than Donovan Ezeiruaku, whose 16.5 sacks last year flew under the radar at Boston College. People began to take notice of his skill, but Ezeiruaka is a little undersized compared to his counterparts in this draft, and it played a part in his slight tumble.
UCLA LB Carson Schwesinger
There had been some growing sentiment that Carson Schwesinger might sneak into the first round, but that hope seemed to stall when Jihaad Campbell – the consensus top linebacker in the draft – fell all the way to the 31st pick. Still, Schwesinger is a bona fide playmaker and shouldn’t have to wait too long on Friday.
East Carolina CB Shavon Revel
At the start of last season, many expected Shavon Revel to cement his status as a first-round pick, but he tragically tore his ACL just a couple games into the year. At 6’2”, Revel has elite size and length, but his injury status is a concern.
LSU TE Mason Taylor
One of the draft’s early surprises was Colston Loveland getting drafted ahead of Tyler Warren, but it wasn’t a surprise to see both go early in the first round. The big question was how high Mason Taylor might go as the third tight end. The son of Hall of Famer Jason Taylor offers great pass-catching skill that should have teams clamoring for him.
South Carolina S Nick Emmanwori
There’s been plenty of split opinions on Nick Emmanwori. He’s huge, at 6’3” and 227 pounds, but flies around with ease and is a big play waiting to happen. Yet, Emmanwori is still a bit raw, making a first round valuation unlikely. Teams didn’t want to gamble on him this early, but the second round feels much more appropriate.
Ole Miss CB Trey Amos
There’s been a healthy debate on the order of these cornerbacks, with a strong contingent emerging for Trey Amos. A former track star, Amos has been a reliable cover corner with a penchant for big plays: he had three picks and 13 pass breakups this year. However, Amos didn’t test as well as some of his counterparts, and he falls to the second round as a result.
Arizona State RB Cam Skattebo
No running back built more of a cult following than Cam Skattebo, whose star performance in the Peach Bowl earned him diehard fans everywhere. Skattebo plays with a bruising style of football but also excels in pass protection and as a receiver. Questions persist about his heavy workload in college, but Skattebo is sure to find an NFL home very soon.
Arkansas EDGE Landon Jackson
One of the biggest edge rushers in a class stacked with them, Landon Jackson is a physical specimen at 6’7” and 280 pounds. He notched seven sacks each of the last two years, flashing plenty of potential, but had the misfortune of belonging to a loaded EDGE class.
Tennessee iDL Omarr Norman-Lott
Omarr Norman-Lott’s draft stock started to rise in the past month once people started looking at his per-play production instead of raw stats. An athletic disruptor, Norman-Lott flashed elite potential but played in a very deep rotation at Tennessee. Teams will gamble on his upside, just not in the first round.
Ohio State RB Quinshon Judkins
Much like Henderson and Skattebo, Quinshon Judkins has made a strong case to be considered the third best running back in this draft. The issue is that this class is filled with good runners, easing the pressure to take one early. Still, expect Judkins to hear his name called sooner rather than later.
