How did everyone do last year?
With all eyes fixed on the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh (April 23-25), this time of year presents an opportunity to look back at how NFL teams handled themselves in 2025. So, let’s redo the 2025 first round.
(Note: The order is as it was when the first round opened, before any draft-day trades.)
1. Tennessee Titans: Cam Ward, QB, Miami
Original pick: Ward
Despite the fact that I thought the Titans weren’t ready last year to draft a QB (and they really weren’t), Ward did survive his rookie season. He made improvements, so there’s still hope. If the Titans can continue to support him, he could blossom into a quality starter.
2. Cleveland Browns: Armand Membou, OT, Missouri
Original pick (by JAX, via trade): Travis Hunter, DB/WR, Colorado
I can’t argue with the Browns’ decision to trade back last year — if the trade presented itself again, they’d repeat it. But Cleveland could have landed a very promising tackle prospect in Membou, who, as a rookie, showed up in the run game and flashed a nice ceiling in protection.
3. New York Giants: Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss
Original pick: Abdul Carter, edge, Penn State
The Giants believe Dart is their quarterback of the future. We all probably still need to see more on-field proof to stamp that for ourselves, but it’s hard to argue with the flashes we saw from the former Ole Miss playmaker. Dart is an exciting talent and could be a great fit within the style John Harbaugh typically plays.
4. New England Patriots: Will Campbell, OT, LSU
Original pick: Campbell
Campbell’s Super Bowl performance drew a lot of criticism — and that’s fine. But let’s remember Campbell was a big part of New England’s resurgence in the first place, and he’s absolutely the type of player who will learn and improve from that setback.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Nick Emmanwori, DB, South Carolina
Original pick (by CLE, via trade): Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
Emmanwori was a revelation last year as the hybrid X-factor in Mike Macdonald’s Super Bowl-winning defense. A perfect unicorn defender for the modern game, Emmanwori is big enough to work as an off-ball linebacker and fast enough to cover anyone on the field.
6. Las Vegas Raiders: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
Original pick: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
At least as of today, the Browns got the better of last year’s trade with the Jaguars. Graham was consistently disruptive as a rookie, against both the pass and run. He continues to be a high-floor player with serious versatility.
7. New York Jets: Abdul Carter, edge, Penn State
Original pick: Membou
The Jets and the Giants wound up doing pretty well early last season, all things considered. Carter led all rookies in pressures (66), QB hits (18) and hurries (43). And even though his sack total could’ve been higher, it’s important to remember the coming season will be just his third as a full-time edge defender. Stock up.
8. Carolina Panthers: Tet McMillan, WR, Arizona
Original pick: McMillan
Anyone still want to complain about McMillan’s underwhelming 40-yard dash time? Didn’t think so. McMillan was always more than a pure sprinter, and his presence inside Carolina’s offense could unlock the next level for both QB Bryce Young and the Panthers.
9. New Orleans Saints: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
Original pick: Banks
I doubted this one a year ago — and so far I’ve been proven wrong. Banks was very solid as a rookie left tackle, and his length hasn’t been a big problem.
10. Chicago Bears: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
Original pick: Loveland
This was my favorite pick of Round 1 last spring, and it remains so today. An absolutely perfect fit for Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams, Loveland is built for the modern game. He is among the best tight ends we’ve scouted over the last five years.
11. San Francisco 49ers: Travis Hunter, DB/WR, Colorado
Original pick: Mykel Williams, edge, Georgia
I’m certainly not out on Hunter, though I don’t love how the Jaguars deployed him last year. He needs to get comfortable on one side of the ball first and add more from there. One step at a time.
12. Dallas Cowboys: Tyler Booker, G, Alabama
Original pick: Booker
Give Dallas credit for this one, as fortune favored the bold. Booker’s power in the run game translated as a rookie, and everything about his work in protection will improve with time. He feels like a future Pro Bowl player.
13. Miami Dolphins: Tyler Shough, QB, Louisville
Original pick: Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
The Tua Tagovailoa train has departed for backup land in Atlanta, so (as some of us noted at the time) quarterback should have been a bigger priority for the Dolphins last season. Like Dart and Ward, Shough has plenty to prove, but he showed some very strong stuff as a rookie in New Orleans.
14. Indianapolis Colts: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
Original pick: Warren
That both Loveland and Warren wound up in perfect situations was one of the coolest developments of the 2025 NFL Draft. Each is a terrific talent and should be a factor with their respective club for a long time.
15. Atlanta Falcons: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
Original pick: Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia
Statistically speaking, this pick probably should be James Pearce Jr. In reality, though, Pearce faces significant legal issues, stemming from a February car crash. He’s off the redraft board.
Egbuka, meanwhile, was an immediate impact player on an already talented roster in Tampa Bay.
16. Arizona Cardinals: Grey Zabel, C, North Dakota State
Original pick: Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
Zabel’s consistency in the middle helped transform everything for Seattle’s offense during its march to the Super Bowl. Nolen, on the other hand, was my least-favorite first-round pick when it happened — and I still don’t get it.
17. Cincinnati Bengals: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
Original pick: Shemar Stewart, edge, Texas A&M
The Cardinals snagged a steal in 2025, as Johnson tumbled down draft boards due to injury concerns (which haven’t been totally absolved) but wound up putting together a very good rookie run in 12 appearances.
18. Seattle Seahawks: Carson Schwesinger, LB, UCLA
Original pick: Zabel
Seattle wouldn’t trade Zabel for anything, but he and Emmanwori are off the board in this exercise. So, we’ll give Macdonald another athletic defensive playmaker to mess around with. Schwesinger was another good pick by Cleveland last April.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Xavier Watts, S, Notre Dame
Original pick: Egbuka
Watts already looks like a serious steal for the Falcons, who snagged him at No. 96 last year. The former Notre Dame ball hawk worked both safety spots, the box and the slot as a rookie, picking off five passes in the process.
20. Denver Broncos: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
Original pick: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
Jeanty was always a running back worthy of a first-round pick, and many people are now overlooking the fact that he had more than 1,300 scrimmage yards (and 55 catches) on a terrible team. He’ll be fine. I do think Jeremiyah Love is a better prospect, though.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
Original pick: Harmon
A case could easily be made for Deone Walker over Harmon, but I’d also argue Pittsburgh is pretty happy with the work Harmon put in last year. He tailed off a bit at the end of his rookie year, but there’s a lot to like in his game.
22. Los Angeles Chargers: Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
Original pick: Hampton
Hampton looked terrific — and appeared to be a perfect fit for Jim Harbaugh’s offense — before going on injured reserve with a leg injury in Week 5. Hampton still has plenty to prove, but he could do even more with new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel in town.
23. Green Bay Packers: Deone Walker, DT, Kentucky
Original pick: Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
Walker was very active against the run last season, as the gargantuan 330-pounder (with terrific length) proved to be a consistent problem for opponents in the middle. Buffalo landed him as one of the top value picks in the 2025 draft.
24. Minnesota Vikings: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
Original pick: Donovan Jackson, G, Ohio State
Jackson started every game he played at guard last season and wasn’t bad, but the Vikings could’ve found more bang for their buck. Starks is extremely versatile and proved to be NFL savvy immediately last season.
25. Houston Texans: Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
Original pick (by NYG, via trade): Dart
Grant struggled early last year, and I still think Miami reached a bit with him at No. 13. He did pick it up as the year wore on, and his athleticism at 330 pounds remains impossible to ignore. He’s still a young talent.
26. Los Angeles Rams: Harold Fannin Jr., TE, Bowling Green
Original pick (by ATL, via trade): James Pearce Jr., edge, Tennessee
Fannin could probably be higher in our redraft — apart from its QB nonsense, Cleveland had a very nice draft last spring. Fannin is absolutely a keeper and already has emerged as a downfield threat.
27. Baltimore Ravens: Ozzy Trapilo, OT, Boston College
Original pick: Starks
Trapilo started his rookie year as a reserve before eventually taking over at left tackle for Chicago in Week 12. His seven starts down the stretch, including in a wild-card win over Green Bay, were outstanding. He’s going to miss a bunch of time in 2026 as he rehabs a patellar tendon injury, but I’m eager to see his return.
28. Detroit Lions: Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon
Original pick: Tyleik Williams, DT, Ohio State
Williams was better than his stats showed last season, and the Lions remain happy with him. Upon further review, though, an athlete such as Conerly (who started every game at right tackle last season) could have stepped in at guard last season before replacing Taylor Decker in 2026.
29. Washington Commanders: Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
Original pick: Conerly
Conerly wound up being a great pick, as his best football came during the second half of the season. Simmons, who overcame a college knee injury, looked as advertised in pass protection during his eight starts at left tackle to close the year.
30. Buffalo Bills: Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
Original pick: Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky
Getting Burden in the second round was a great value pick by the Bears, who should be in position to get even more out of him now that DJ Moore (ironically enough for our redraft purposes) is in Buffalo.
31. Kansas City Chiefs: Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio State
Original pick (by PHI, via trade): Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
The Cardinals hit it out of the park at corner last spring, nabbing Johnson in the second round and Burke in the fifth. The latter, who had three picks and forced eight incompletions as a rookie, looks like a keeper.
32. Philadelphia Eagles: Jihaad Campbell, LB/edge, Alabama
Original pick (by KC, via trade): Simmons
Jalon Walker was more productive last season, but Campbell was more of a true hybrid, spending more time in the box and flashing serious long-term potential as a do-it-all second-level defender.