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NFL Draft: Sanders falls out of Round 1, Jags take Travis Hunter at No. 2<\/p>\n
USA TODAY Sports’ Mackenzie Salmon breaks down the biggest storylines from Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft.<\/p>\n
Sports Pulse<\/p>\n
Editor’s note: Follow 2025 NFL draft live updates, grades and analysis<\/a>.<\/p>\n The 2025 NFL draft<\/a> is a long way from completion \u2013 225 picks yet to be made over the next two days in Rounds 2 through 7.<\/p>\n But a tone was certainly set in Thursday night\u2019s first round, which was chalk for exactly one pick before the Jacksonville Jaguars<\/a> tossed a grenade into all of those carefully (and not so carefully) crafted mock drafts by trading up to the second spot. Plenty of surprises from that point forward \u2013 which, said another way, means several (premature?) winners and losers in the context of Round 1. (May the \u201closers\u201d see their fortunes change over the coming days and weeks):<\/p>\n LOSERSShedeur Sanders<\/p>\n Like it or not, he remains the headliner of this draft \u2013 even as he continues waiting to get picked on that brutal NFL playground. Sanders and his father, Hall of Famer and University of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, watched<\/a> from their Texas home \u2026 only to realize the Big 12\u2019s 2024 Offensive Player of the Year\u00a0will have to wait 24 more hours \u2013 bound to bring another brutal news cycle \u2013 before he finds a professional home. Was Shedeur Sanders unfairly maligned? Is he eating deserved humble pie? Is he merely being slotted where his abilities appropriately merit? All matters for debate \u2013 and they will doubtless be parsed<\/a>. Hopefully for Sanders, his fire is stoked, Friday\u2019s wait is short, and his next team truly provides an optimal opportunity to eventually silence a growing legion of naysayers and haters.<\/p>\n Cam Ward<\/p>\n Good for him, appropriated with the No. 1 pick by the Tennessee Titans<\/a>, an outcome largely expected over the past two months. But with the draft\u2019s glaring spotlight trained on Sanders, hard to remember when a quarterback drafted in the top spot seemed so incidental. Maybe it\u2019s because there was so little drama regarding Ward\u2019s fate. Maybe it\u2019s because the Titans don\u2019t exactly have a national following. Maybe it\u2019s because Ward likely would have been the sixth or seventh QB taken had he remained in last year\u2019s draft, which he initially declared for. Whatever the case, Ward will have his day and certainly the platform to prove he was the marquee passer, if not player, to enter the league in 2025.<\/p>\n Draft-eligible offensive backfield<\/p>\n Just two quarterbacks (Ward and Jaxson Dart) were picked Thursday despite all the airtime and ink, whether real or digital, devoted to the highest profile of positions. Moreover, only two running backs (Ashton Jeanty, Omarion Hampton) were chosen from a deep and seemingly impactful group at the position<\/a>.<\/p>\n Draft-eligible defensive backfield<\/p>\n Three-and-a-half defensive backs (Travis Hunter, Jahdae Barron, Maxwell Hairston, Malaki Starks) were called in Round 1 \u2013 kinda light given how many teams are primarily in nickel and dime packages (5-6 DBs on field) and the continuing proliferation of the position. It was especially surprising given Michigan CB Will Johnson and South Carolina S Nick Emmanwori were among those who dropped, though Johnson\u2019s knee has apparently scuttled his stock. But expect a run early Friday, especially with the likes of Ole Miss CB Trey Amos, East Carolina CB Shavon Revel Jr., Florida State CB Azareye’h Thomas and Notre Dame\u2019s Benjamin Morrison and Xavier Watts still on the board.<\/p>\n Clay Matthews<\/p>\n Really, dude? Amid all the jobs lost, depressed stocks and ongoing chaos in the world, you had to bring political jokes to the stage Thursday when it\u2019s eminently easy to play to a Wisconsin crowd by declaring any number of other ways that \u201cthe Bears<\/a> still suck\u201d? In this case, stick to sports.<\/p>\n New England Patriots<\/p>\n The run from quarterbacks likely cost them the opportunity to select Hunter or Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter \u2013 widely regarded as the two most talented players in this draft. Still, the Pats likely got the guy they actually needed most in LSU LT Will Campbell, who was clearly moved by the opportunity he\u2019ll have to keep QB Drake Maye from being drawn and quartered in 2025.<\/p>\n Abdul Carter<\/p>\n Buddy \u2026 it\u2019s nice that you\u2019re renouncing your Eagles fandom and embracing your new employer, the archrival New York Giants<\/a>. But suggesting the No. 56 worn by Lawrence Taylor<\/a>, arguably the greatest pass rusher (and maybe defensive player) ever, should come out of the rafters so you can wear it might not play well \u2013 with LT or this fan base. You\u2019re not worthy, Mr. Carter, no matter how good you think you are.<\/p>\n TO BE DETERMINEDCleveland Browns<\/p>\n In the aftermath of the disastrous Deshaun Watson trade, they celebrated their first pick inside the top 50 in four years \u2026 by trading it to the Jaguars. Jacksonville snatched up Hunter \u2013 a sublime two-way threat that Cleveland GM Andrew Berry spoke glowingly of last week, though perhaps that was by shrewd design. The Browns instead took Michigan DT Mason Graham with the fifth pick, a selection that won\u2019t catalyze the fan base the way Hunter would have … though Wolverines have recently found it pretty easy to win in Ohio, so nicely done, Mr. Berry. But any verdict will have to wait until 2026, when it seems more likely Cleveland will use one or both of its first-rounders to obtain the franchise quarterback Watson never was. (And don’t forget, it\u2019s still possible Kirk Cousins pops up here in the interim\u2026)<\/p>\n Dallas Cowboys<\/p>\n So far, so good? Not sexy but taking O-linemen has served them well for years, and G Tyler Booker could legitimately be the next great one in Big D.<\/p>\n WINNERSAbdul Carter<\/p>\n The first pure defender chosen, going third overall, the LT wannabe will have the opportunity to showcase his personality in the New York market while playing on a defense with two very capable pass rushers, Pro Bowler Brian Burns and 2022 first-rounder Kayvon Thibodeaux. Expect Carter to have short odds as the 2025 Defensive Rookie of the Year.<\/p>\n Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen<\/p>\n Not only did the Giants\u2019 embattled brain trust come away with Carter \u2013 the player they correctly chose with the No. 3 pick \u2013 they managed to get back into the first round for Dart at No. 25. The best part(s)? The Giants just got much better; Daboll, the coach, and Schoen, the GM, probably improved their job security; and Dart doesn\u2019t have to be forced into the lineup prematurely with veteran QBs Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston available to serve as 2025 cannon fodder. This franchise might actually be back on track.<\/p>\n Super Bowl 59 winners<\/p>\n Philadelphia Eagles<\/a> EVP\/GM Howie Roseman strikes again, somehow adding another SEC game wrecker (Alabama LB Jihaad Campbell in this case) precisely at plural positions (edge, off-ball linebacker) of need in Philly following issues created by free agency, Brandon Graham’s retirement and injuries.<\/p>\n Super Bowl 59 losers<\/p>\n If not for blocking issues, the Kansas City Chiefs might have won five of the past six Super Bowls. But they appeared to enjoy a stroke of luck, too, talented Ohio State LT Josh Simmons only slipping to them because he tore a patellar tendon last October. The injury might cost him some money in the near term, but being QB Patrick Mahomes’ bodyguard in the long term could pay off very handsomely for Simmons and the league’s only active dynasty.<\/p>\n Travis Hunter<\/p>\n The Jags clearly made a strong commitment to get Hunter, who, while rocking his pink blazer, seemed to be having the time of his life Thursday. Now he heads to a rebooting operation where he doesn\u2019t have to be WR1 or CB1 and has a reasonable chance to make strong contributions offensively and defensively \u2013 and in a sad division where his presence could very much spark a turnaround in Duval County (or however new HC Liam Coen says it).<\/p>\n Packers fans<\/p>\n They were out in force for the first draft in the Cheese State in more than 80 years. They booed the Bears, while being respectful of recently passed Chicago Hall of Famer Steve McMichael<\/a>. Finally, they were gift wrapped a first-round wideout, Texas’ speedy Matthew Golden, for the first time in 23 years. On Wisconsin!<\/p>\n Aaron Rodgers<\/p>\n Assuming he signs with the Pittsburgh Steelers \u2026 it appears he won\u2019t have to compete with Sanders \u2026 barring what would likely be a costly trade to come up for him given Pittsburgh has no second-round pick. Assuming he can still whip Mason Rudolph, it appears Rodgers has a clear runway to the Steel City QB1 job.<\/p>\n