2025 NFL Draft grades: Did Raiders ace Ashton Jeanty pick? – FOX Sports
2025-04-25T01:30:00Z
Draft day is finally here, and FOX Sports draft expert Rob Rang is analyzing and grading every first-round selection in real time. Did your team make the right move?
National Football League 2025 NFL Draft grades: Will Giants regret taking Jaxson Dart over Shedeur Sanders? Updated Apr. 26, 2025 1:05 a.m. ET share facebook x reddit link
What had been mocked everywhere for months became official Thursday night: The Tennessee Titans selected quarterback Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
And then draft day really got started in Green Bay. Amid a wild first round, I analyzed and graded every selection in real time. Did your team make the right move? Here are my first thoughts on Day 1 picks.
Rang: Ward’s improvement as an NFL prospect over the course of his college career is one of the most inspirational and unlikely I’ve seen in 25 years as an NFL Draft analyst. Early on at Washington State, I wasn’t sure he’d make it in the CFL. By the time he’d left Pullman for Miami, it was clear Ward was an NFL talent, but a middle-round prospect at that. And then this past season — against the best competition of his life — Ward unleashed a quicker release, stronger arm and greater pocket awareness for Miami than he’d ever shown at WSU (or Incarnate Word before that), tantalizing scouts with his still-untapped potential. Put simply, Ward doesn’t have the same floor of most QB1s. He is too cavalier with the football, excelling in more of a backyard style than I’d prefer. But he is a born playmaker with the talent and work ethic to spark a franchise. There are more surefire NFL stars in this class, but not at quarterback, so give the Titans credit, they are trying to compete for a Super Bowl and not just a return to relevancy with this selection.
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Grade: B
Rang: In 25 years of evaluating NFL prospects, I’ve never come across a player as versatile and talented as Hunter. He is truly one of one, earning my top grade as a receiver, as a cornerback and overall prospect. I absolutely believe that he can play both roles in the NFL, theoretically justifying the Jaguars’ aggressive trade up for him. Liam Coen was brought to Jacksonville to help Trevor Lawrence live up to his potential and get the Jaguars back into the playoffs. Adding Hunter to an offense that already boasts one of the NFL’s best young wideouts in Brian Thomas Jr. will do that. Adding a cornerback to challenge Thomas, as well, helps make this bold trade make sense. It had better, as trading their 2026 first-round selection to move up three spots is borderline reckless.
Grade: B
Rang: Carter never ran for scouts prior to the draft, but he didn’t have to, as his explosiveness off the ball and in pursuit is just so obvious on tape. While certainly speedy off the ball, some have concerns about his ability to hold up in run support as Carter lacks ideal girth in his lower body — which is why he began his college career as an off-ball linebacker. In a league that prioritizes edge rushers more than any other defensive role, however, Carter’s value as an immediate 10-plus sack candidate justifies this selection. The perfect “finisher” to cap a dominant Giants defensive front, Carter is an obvious Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate.
Grade: A-
Rang: Campbell has everything NFL teams are looking for at the tackle position except ideal arm length. But, some have made far too much of his 33-inch arms, especially given how agile the 6-foot-6, 319-pounder moves. For a club desperate to protect the investment made a year ago in their rookie quarterback Drake Maye, this pick makes all of the sense in the world and is the perfect way for new head coach Mike Vrabel to put his stamp on the team. It isn’t flashy, but neither is Vrabel. This pick is about New England returning to the blue-collar physicality that epitomized the “Patriot Way.”
Grade: B+
Rang: As safe as the cracker that shares his name, Graham is the blue-collar tough guy that fits what the Cleveland Browns are trying to build. He is a disruptive presence whose game should only take off with all of the attention opponents will be dedicating to Myles Garrett. Graham is a good player, but the beauty of this selection is the fact that the Browns also received the 2026 first-round pick from Jacksonville as part of the deal.
Grade: B
Rang: It is hard to describe Jeanty and not venture into hyperbole. The comparison that I and others see with him is LaDainian Tomlinson, and anytime you’re comparing a prospect to a Hall of Famer, things are already a little ridiculous. But make no mistake, so is Jeanty’s talent. He is so quick to and through the hole, darting in either direction, bouncing off of would-be tacklers and then exploding to daylight. We all saw what Saquon Barkley brought to the Philadelphia Eagles a year ago. Jeanty is an instant star and an obvious front-runner for Offensive Rookie of the Year honors given how Pete Carroll will lean on him to carry the load.
Grade: A
Rang: In today’s era of massive blockers at the line of scrimmage, Membou is actually a bit shorter than scouts would prefer — actually appearing more like a guard than a traditional tackle at 6-foot-4 and 332 pounds. But the 21-year-old Membou is just so athletic for his “blocky” frame, offering a higher upside than any other tackle in this class because of his athleticism, youth and the nasty playing style that will quickly make him a favorite of Justin Fields and Jets fans.
Grade: B+
Rang: The 6-4, 213-pound McMillan is a gliding gymnast of a receiver, gobbling up yardage with his long strides and using his height, long arms and rare body control to soar over defensive backs. I’m not quite as high on him as others seem to be, as he isn’t as physical after the catch or as a downfield blocker as his size suggests. I see shades of Tee Higgins in T-Mac’s game, which is to say that I believe he’ll be a very good NFL receiver, but might be more of a complementary threat than a true No. 1. Still, Bryce Young needed a pass-catcher and McMillan’s size and production speaks for itself.
Grade: C+
Rang: Sorry for the word play, but the investment in Banks makes a lot of sense (or is it cents?). Still just 21 years old, Banks is coming off three seasons as a fixture at left tackle for the pass-heavy Texas Longhorns. He’s agile off the snap, mirroring the movements of pass-rushers with coordinated footwork and active hands. He might be asked to move to right tackle with last year’s top pick Taliese Fuaga just settling in at the blindside. Or, perhaps the Saints will move Fuaga back to right tackle (where he starred at Oregon State) and push Trevor Penning either inside to guard (or to the sideline). Either way, this is a strong investment in the offensive line to protect the injury-prone Derek Carr … or perhaps build the line early for Spencer Rattler, Arch Manning or whomever else the Saints might be looking at as their quarterback of the future.
Grade: B+
Rang: Critics will question Loveland’s production at Michigan, but the offense wasn’t catered around him the way it was with some of the other tight ends in this class, including Penn State’s Tyler Warren. Bears fans won’t necessarily appreciate this note, but Loveland is cut from the same cloth as the Detroit Lion’s Sam LaPorta or the Las Vegas Raiders’ Brock Bowers, playing tight end like a big receiver. Of course, no one knows LaPorta’s impact better than new Bears head coach Ben Johnson. I’m surprised that Loveland went ahead of Warren, but the Michigan product’s agility, smooth acceleration and soft hands should make him an immediate difference-maker for Caleb Williams and the Bears.
Grade: B+
Rang: The 49ers needed to add new blood to their front seven and few offer as much upside as Williams, a physically-imposing 6-5, 267-pounder who comes with more tools than the local Home Depot. He lacked eye-popping statistics at Georgia yet offers burst off the edge, as well as terrific length and strength to hold up in the running game. There is some risk to Williams, as he is far from a finished product, but this is the kind of blue-collar selection the 49ers needed to rebuild a defense struggling after the salary-cap bloodletting of this offseason.
Grade: B-
Rang: They say everything is bigger in Texas and that now applies again to their offensive line with Booker, among the most imposing players in this class. Booker’s sheer size (6-foot-5, 321 pounds with nearly 35-inch arms and 11 1/8-inch hands) allows him to simply latch and lockout opponents. It is far too early in this young man’s career to warrant a comparison to the Cowboys’ legendary guard Larry Allen, but Booker has the potential to be a decade-long difference-maker for Dallas?
Grade: A-
Rang: The injury to Tua Tagovailoa was obviously the biggest factor in Miami’s disappointing 8-8 season, but don’t overlook the loss of defensive tackle Christian Wilkins to the Raiders in free agency. This club needed girth and power inside and few in this class provide that more than Grant, a burly intimidator in the middle. Grant is unique in that along with his bulk, he’s also a very smart defender, getting his hands up to knock down passes and kicks. That said, while the position was clearly one of need for Miami, I didn’t see Grant as worthy of a top-20 selection and question the value of this pick.
Grade: C-
Rang: Whether it be Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones throwing the passes, the Colts need to surround their quarterbacks with more weapons. I viewed Warren as one of the four true blue-chip prospects in this class (along with Travis Hunter, Abdul Carter and Ashton Jeanty), so clearly I believe he’ll prove a steal at this point in the draft. At 6-foot-6 and 256 pounds, Warren possesses the size to contribute as a blocker — unlike most of the other tight ends in this class — and he possesses the agility and body control of a much smaller man, contorting in space to make acrobatic catches look routine. Whether down the seam or sideline, Warren is a matchup monster with All-Pro potential.
Grade: A
Rang: With all due respect to No. 2 overall pick Travis Hunter — easily the most celebrated versatile prospect of this class — no one should sleep on Walker’s ability to play both off-ball linebacker and rush the quarterback. Some scouts, in fact, liked him even more than Abdul Carter, the Giants’ pick at No. 3. Walker combines an explosive first step with core strength, physicality and instincts. The Falcons needed to boost their rush as last season was the third since 2020 in which the Falcons finished either 31st or 32nd in the NFL in sacks.
Grade: A-
Rang: The most disruptive interior defensive lineman of the class, Nolen is an intriguing fit for the Cardinals, especially given the addition of edge rusher Josh Sweat in free agency. Nolen was terrific at Ole Miss in 2024, but wasn’t as impressive as expected at the Senior Bowl. As such, there is some undeniable boom-or-bust factor with Nolen.
Grade: C+
Rang: As the Bengals’ de facto general manager since 1999, Duke Tobin has made a career out of gambling on prospects with exceptional upsides. Few offer more of that in this class than the 6-foot-5, 267-pound Stewart, who could be either the complement or replacement the Bengals need with star edge rusher Trey Hendrickson a candidate to be traded. His athleticism wowed at the Combine, but his troubling lack of production at Texas A&M makes this another boom or bust pick.
Grade: C+
Rang: A moveable chess piece on the offensive line, Zabel played all four of the outside positions at North Dakota State and then practiced — and quite well, at that — at center at the Senior Bowl. He then wowed scouts at the Combine, as well, including with a 36.5-inch vertical jump that is normally associated with a skill-position player. Zabel is agile and instinctive, flying off the line to attack defenders at the second level. He is the perfect schematic fit in the new wide-zone blocking philosophy the Seahawks have brought in with new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.
Grade: A-
Rang: A silky-smooth route-runner with enough size and speed to move outside, as needed, Egbuka was deadly from the slot position throughout his time at Ohio State, projecting similarly as his former Buckeye teammate Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Egbuka might lack the elite measureables of some of the other wideouts in this class, but he’s the safest in the class. Sure, the Bucs already boast two of the NFL’s best in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, but Egbuka and Jalen McMillan are important elements of the future, as well.
Grade: B+
Rang: The Broncos were widely projected to take a running back and so some might question this selection, but I love it. Barron is the reigning Thorpe Award winner, showing not only the coverage skills but the ball-skills and open-field tackling reliability absolutely required if playing opposite a superstar like Patrick Surtain Jr. With the quarterbacks in the AFC West, cornerback is always a need, and the Broncos got a good one.
Grade: A-
Rang: One of the great honors of my life was serving on the board for the now defunct Morris Trophy — an award annually given to the best offensive and defensive linemen of the Pac-12. With the conference crumbling, so too did the award. Had it been around in 2025, however, Harmon would have been the easy choice as he is a physically dominant defender, utilizing power, agility and pure nastiness to wreak havoc at the point of attack. The concern I have with Harmon is conditioning. He weighed in nine pounds heavier at his Pro Day than at the Combine. But with the leadership in place in Pittsburgh, I believe Harmon will prove a longtime anchor.
Grade: A-
Rang: Love him or hate him, Jim Harbaugh is going to play power football. With all due respect to Ashton Jeanty, the 6-0, 221-pound Hampton might be the best combination of size, speed and power in this exceptional running back class. Hampton didn’t just run fast (4.46 40) in workouts, he plays fast, showing rare acceleration between second and third gear that translates well to the NFL. And Chargers fans will love his grit, as Hampton barrels ahead, grinding for every inch. Hampton is the true bell cow Harbaugh requires.
Grade: A-
Rang: Jordan Love’s emergence as one of the NFL’s better young gunslingers is all the more impressive given that the Packers lack a true No. 1 receiver. Two of his favorite targets — Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson — are both entering the final year of their respective rookie deals and neither possesses Golden’s straight-line speed (4.29 40), making the Texas product an ideal deep threat for Love. Golden isn’t just fast, he’s quick and competitive. I love this selection for the Packers.
Grade: A
Rang: This is one of the stunners for me, given how the Vikings invested so much in free agency on interior offensive linemen. That said, I really like Jackson, one of my favorite blockers in this class because of his size, strength, durability and versatility. Protecting J.J. McCarthy is the top priority and the Vikings clearly are focused on that.
Grade: B-
Rang: I like the Giants’ aggression with this move. While I thought Shedeur Sanders would be the Giants’ choice, Dart has everything needed to become a star quarterback in the NFL, except experience in a pro-style attack. Quite frankly, Dart has greater upside than Sanders. He possesses a strong, accurate arm with good touch on the deep ball, agility, power and grit as a runner and the leadership skills expected at quarterback. Iconic former NFL head coach Jerry Glanville once famously characterized the NFL as standing for “not for long,” and that describes the amount of patience fans — and, more importantly, coaches — will likely have with Dart’s development. That said, the Giants are one of the better fits for Dart given the presence of Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston. As such, Dart won’t be rushed onto the field and can develop at his own pace.
Grade: B+
Rang: As mentioned previously with the selection of Jalon Walker at No. 15, the Falcons desperately needed to address their pass rush and Pearce has real juice off the edge. He is a bit high cut, offering more burst and bend than power or technique. But after double-dipping at quarterback a year ago, the Falcons did the same with edge rushers — something that should have Raheem Morris’ club generating a much greater pass rush and playoff push in 2025.
Grade: B
Rang: The Ravens are frequent draft-day winner in large part because they let the draft fall to them, rather than reach to fill needs. The Ravens have a star at safety in Kyle Hamilton, of course, but Starks’ ability to not only play deep but drop down and play nickel makes him a quality fit here.
Grade: B
Rang: The injuries to Aidan Hutchinson and Alim McNeill made it fairly predictable that the Lions would be focusing on defensive line, especially given the talent of this year’s class. At 6-foot-3, 331 pounds, Williams is physically similar to McNeill and plays with the fire that Dan Campbell requires.
Grade: B
Rang: Arguably the most athletic tackle in this class — his 10-yard split of 1.70 seconds led all blockers tested this year — Conerly possesses the elite feet that translate very well to the pass-happy NFL. He isn’t quite as powerful as some of the other blockers of this class, projecting “only” outside, which limited his value to some. But for a club that just invested in Laremy Tunsil at left tackle, this selection is a terrific follow-up, should Tunsil fail to live up to expectations for whatever reason or if the Commanders aren’t convinced Andrew Wylie isn’t the long-term answer at right tackle.
Grade: B
Rang: The Bills needed defensive playmakers in this draft to help Josh Allen get over the top and into the Super Bowl, and they certainly found a playmaker in the 2025 Combine speed champ. Hairston, who wins with pure man-to-man cover skills and big-play flair, returning half of his six career touchdowns back for touchdowns. This is one of my favorite picks given his talent and fit with a team needing a “finisher.”
Grade: A
Rang: Howie Roseman and the Eagles win big yet again, aggressively trading up for the linebacker with the most upside in this class. Campbell possesses rare agility for a 6-foot-3, 235-pound linebacker, showing not only the speed to run sideline to sideline but also the agility and awareness for coverage duties. He’s also explosive upfield as a rusher and as a hitter. The concern clubs had with him is he is still developing his instincts, as Campbell began his college career as an edge rusher. Further, he comes with some medical concerns. Campbell needs some refining, but his best football still lies ahead of him.
Grade: A
Rang: Had it not been for a torn patellar tendon back in October, Simmons likely would have been a top-15 pick. He is a terrific athlete, showing the lateral agility and balance to mirror edge rushers in pass protection and flies off the line of scrimmage. He offers positional versatility, having starred early at left tackle for the Buckeyes after initially playing well at right tackle for San Diego State. Andy Reid is well known for his eye for offensive linemen and his development of them. Like the Eagles a pick earlier, this is a grand larceny-type steal.
Grade: A
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Rob Rang is an NFL Draft analyst for FOX Sports. He has been covering the NFL Draft for more than 20 years, with work at FOX, Sports Illustrated, CBSSports.com, USA Today, Yahoo, NFL.com and NFLDraftScout.com, among others. He also works as a scout with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. Follow him on X @RobRang .
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