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A total of 13 quarterbacks were selected in the 2025 NFL Draft. Which one will we remember most?
Shedeur Sanders, who was projected to be a first-round pick, dropped to the fifth round in one of the most unexpected twists in the storied history of the draft. Sanders landed in Cleveland, AFTER the Browns took Oregon's Dillon Gabriel in the third round.
This was the storyline the NFL Draft could not shake, even if some of those other quarterbacks offer great stories.
Cam Ward went No. 1 overall to the Tennessee Titans, five years after he was slinging passes for Incarnate Word. Two FCS QBs were drafted ahead of one of the most well-paid college players in the short history of NIL, Quinn Ewers.
So who had a strong draft? Chicago and New England were among our winners. The Bears added more key pieces around Caleb Williams and first-year coach Ben Johnson. We also liked the Patriots' start to the Mike Vrabel era. What about losers? New Orleans and Minnesota are two teams that did not take advantage of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Here's a closer look at the biggest winners and losers from the 2025 NFL Draft.
2025 NFL Draft winners
Chicago Bears
We didn't like that the Bears passed on Penn State tight end Tyler Warren for Michigan tight end Colston Loveland in the first round, but when you see the whole picture it is clear Chicago general manager Ryan Poles did an excellent job of building a draft.
Loveland had a 68.3% catch percentage last season (without a QB who could throw) and is a classic tight end. Missouri's Luther Burden, a second-round pick at slot receiver, had a 75.3% catch percentage. Loveland and Burden both dealt with injuries and can add to a supporting cast that already has DJ Moore, Rome Odunze and Cole Kmet. Chicago also added Boston College tackle Ozzy Trapilo and Texas A&M defensive tackle Shemar Turner on Day 2.
Michigan State tackle Luke Newman, a Round 6 pick, played guard for the Spartans last season after transferring from Holy Cross. Rutgers running back Kyle Monangai was a perfect capper. Chicago is going to be a trendy sleeper this offseason. This draft helped.
New England Patriots
Mike Vrabel made a strong first impression in his first draft with the Patriots.
LSU's Will Campbell was the easy pick at No. 4, but the Patriots added a potential feature back in TreVeyon Henderson in the second round and Washington State receiver Kyle Williams, who totaled 1,198 yards and 14 TDs last season. Georgia's Jared Wilson could work into a starting role at center. Day 3 included a few finds, including LSU edge rusher Bradyn Swinson, who had 8.5 sacks last season. Miami kicker Andre Borregales was 18 of 19 on field-goal attempts and didn't miss an extra point last season. Vrabel even took Vanderbilt long snapper Julian Ashby in Round 7. His former coach Bill Belichick was no doubt happy with that selection.
Tennessee Titans
Ward was the start of a solid draft for Tennessee.
Tennessee grabbed five offensive players on Day 3, including a pair of receivers in Florida's Chimere Dike and Stanford's Eric Ayomanor. Texas tight end Gunnar Helm was a fourth-round value pick along with Sacramento State guard Jackson Slater. Michigan running back Kalel Mullings topped it off.
That is how you pick around a franchise quarterback.
Dallas Cowboys
Perhaps surprisingly, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones didn't go for the flash of drafting Shedeur Sanders. Instead, Dallas took Alabama guard Tyler Booker in the first round and edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku, one of the most-consistent pass rushers in the FBS. East Carolina cornerback Shavon Revel also had some first-round grades.
Dallas added Texas running back Jaydon Blue and Oregon tackle Ajani Cornelius as Day 3 picks. The finishing touch was Clemson power running back Phil Mafah in the seventh round.
This was a no-frills, make-sense draft for first-year coach Brian Schottenheimer.
Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman continues to work the draft. As Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell put it Thursday, the "richer just got rich."
The first five picks were defense, including second-round safety Andrew Mukuba, who will emerge as a fan favorite because he makes plays in the secondary. Georgia linebacker Smael Mondon Jr. and Virginia Tech edge rusher Antwaun Powell-Ryland are potential Day 3 steals, and Texas tackle Cameron Williams fell to Philadelphia in the sixth round.
The Eagles even snagged Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord, who went to high school in Philadelphia.
Jordan Love
Green Bay showed out in hosting the draft, and Love picked up two new receivers in the first three rounds with Texas' Matthew Golden – who ran a 4.29 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. TCUs' Saivon Williams – a 6-foot-5, 212-pound receiver, totaled 611 receiving yards and 322 rushing yards last season.
Green Bay has a young receiving room that was plagued by drops last season. This should increase the competition, especially with Christian Watson likely to miss the entire year as he recovers from a knee injury.
Ohio State, Georgia and Texas
The Buckeyes, Bulldogs and Longhorns combined for 39 picks in the NFL Draft. That is 15.2% of the draft picks from three schools. Ohio State had 14 draft picks, including four first-round picks. The Bulldogs had 13 picks, which suggests that Kirby Smart's factory is not slowing down. Texas had 12 draft picks, from Kelvin Banks in the first round to Quinn Ewers in the seventh round.
Will Arch Manning be the next pick in 2026?
MORE: Why Arch Manning could forgo NFL draft next season
Maxwell Hairston
Hairston gets the good-guy award in this draft. The Kentucky cornerback had to wait until the No. 30 pick in the first round to be selected by the Buffalo Bills. That's a great landing spot for Hairston, who ran a 4.28 in the 40-yard dash. We were impressed with Hairston congratulating all the other first-round picks before him Thursday night. That makes the Wildcats' cornerback easy to root for at the next level.
Maxwell Hairston is the absolute man.
Didn't get picked until No. 30 by the Bills, but was ready to dap up every other draftee in the building. pic.twitter.com/nXK6DJKksq
2025 NFL Draft losers
The Shedeur Sanders slide
When was enough, enough?
Sanders inexplicably slipped to the fifth round, which became the dominant storyline for three entire days before the Cleveland Browns took him with the No. 144 pick in the fifth round. It's going to be on the draft montage for years to come.
Sanders – who passed for 4,734 yards, 37 TDs and 10 interceptions – will have to prove himself in one of the most-bizarre quarterback rooms possible in 2025.
Cleveland has Deshaun Watson, who is recovering from a torn Achilles' tendon; and Joe Flacco, a 40-year old veteran who is returning after spending last season in Indianapolis. Kenny Pickett, a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft; and Gabriel, who Cleveland took in the third round, also be in the mix. Will Sanders work his way into a starting job as a rookie? What will Deion Sanders have to say? Everyone is going to have a take on the Cleveland situation from now through the preseason.
You thought the drama was over? It's the Browns.
MORE: Winners & losers from the Shedeur Sanders saga
What Jacksonville paid for Travis Hunter
The Jaguars traded up for the No. 2 pick to get Travis Hunter, a bold move by new general manager James Gladstone and first-year coach Liam Coen. The Browns got a collection of picks in return, and that included Jacksonville's first-round pick in 2026. Hunter should be an impact player for the Jaguars, who added a Day 2 sleeper in West Virginia guard Wyatt Milum and speedy Virginia Tech running back Bhaysul Tuten.
New Orleans Saints
First-year coach Kellen Moore has an interesting rebuild for a franchise that finished 5-12 in 2024. Texas tackle Kelvin Banks won the Lombardi Award and Outland Trophy in 2024, but the Saints could have traded down and still got the Longhorns offensive lineman. New Orleans passed on a first-round quarterback and is banking on Louisville's Tyler Shough, a second-round pick and a late riser.
Given Derek Carr's status, Shough might be QB1 whether he is ready or not.
The Saints best pick might be Oklahoma linebacker Danny Stutsman, who fell to the fourth round.
Minnesota Vikings
The NFC North is going to be as competitive as ever, and Vikings general manager Kwesi Adolfo-Mensah was content to stick with just five total picks in the 2025 draft.
Ohio State guard Donovan Jackson was a solid first-round pick who can play guard or tackle, and Maryland receiver Tai Felton had 1,124 yards and nine TDs for the Terps last season. Georgia edge rusher Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins is a situational pass rusher, and Minnesota didn't have a seven-round pick. It's OK not to chase picks, but the Lions, Packers and Bears added more depth through this draft.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay book-ended its draft with a pair of solid receivers in Ohio State's Emeka Egbuka and Oregon's Tez Johnson, but this was a franchise that needed more help on defense. Notre Dame's Benjamin Morrison should be able to do that if he comes back healthy from a hip injury. The Buccaneers did add edge rush help with Central Arkansas' David Walker and SMU's Elijah Roberts. One of those two has to hit.
Steelers QB plan
If Aaron Rodgers isn't a part of the Pittsburgh Steelers' quarterback plan in 2025, then this draft was puzzling. Maybe worse than puzzling.
Ohio State's Will Howard was a sixth-round pick at No. 185. Unless Mike Tomlin is looking at Howard as the next Tom Brady, then it is fair to wonder who Pittsburgh's starter will be. Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson are the only other quarterbacks on the roster, and Pittsburgh passed on quarterbacks such as Jaxson Dart and Shedeur Sanders.
Howard is a good value pick in the sixth round, but is that enough to keep up in a division that features Cincinnati's Joe Burrow and Baltimore's Lamar Jackson?
Quinn Ewers
Ewers was the top recruit in the country in high school, and he reclassified to play at Ohio State in 2021 on the heels of a massive NIL deal. He transferred to Texas, where he was a three-year starter and held off Arch Manning. Along the way, he totaled 9,128 yards, 68 TDs and 24 interceptions and a CFB final appearance. Ewers was projected to be a Day 2 pick, but he wasn't selected until the seventh round, after to FCS QBs went off the board.
We like the pairing with Miami and Mike McDaniel, but Ewers will need to work to become a NFL starter.
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