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Grading All 32 Nfl First Round Picks From The 2025 Draft

Bonisiwe Shabane
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grading all 32 nfl first round picks from the 2025 draft

November 6, 2025, 9:49am EST 479 • By Alex Hoegler The 2025 NFL first round was packed with quarterback drama, surprise risers, and blue-chip defenders expected to become instant cornerstones. Now that we’re halfway through the season, the early returns are finally clear. Some rookies have exceeded expectations and become immediate impact players, while others are still struggling to adjust to the league’s speed and physicality. From breakout stars reshaping their franchises to first-round gambles that haven’t paid off yet, we break down how every 2025 first-round pick has performed so far — and what their trajectory looks like heading... It’s unfair to fully blame Ward for the Tennessee Titans’ struggles.

But like, Caleb Williams and Robert Griffin III had excellent rookie years on horrible teams with textbook coaching malpractice. Ward is barely completing over half his pass attempts, is in danger of finishing with more interceptions than passing touchdowns, and, oh yeah, has his Titans in a spot to potentially pick first overall... Many of the NFL’s first-round rookies are contributing to playoff contenders as we head into the latter stretch of the 2025 season. As always, we’ll continue to track their performance, PFF grades and principal opponents as we barrel toward the end of the regular season. Hunter was inactive this week due to a knee injury. The 2025 NFL draft is in the books.

Which players went in the first round? There weren't many surprises among the picks, with perhaps the Jacksonville Jaguars making the biggest splash of the night at No. 2. With that in mind, here are the grades for 32 first-round picks... This is a big "if" pick. Simmons missed most of last season with a knee injury.

That is why he fell to this slot. Some had him in the top five or top 10 of this draft. However, the injury makes him risky business. Grade: C+ The Eagles had to be afraid the Chiefs were going to take the player they wanted. That means the Chiefs had a chance to beat the Eagles in April and still let Philly get what it wanted.

Meanwhile, the Eagles used the pick to select a linebacker from Alabama who people were worried about with a shoulder problem. However, these are the Eagles and they know what to do when it comes to defensive stalwarts. Campbell's father said his son was "p----ed off" that he had to wait so long. Grade: B+ A strong cover corner will be valuable if he can avoid injuries that curtailed him in college. Grade: C+

Welcome to The Athletic’s pick-by-pick grades for Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft. Which teams filled a need with a potential star? Which GMs might wind up regretting their decisions down the line? Because we won’t know those full answers until the incoming rookie class has been in the league for a few seasons, our immediate grades take into account a number of factors: pick value, trade... (Note: Scott Dochterman provided grades for odd-numbered picks, Nick Baumgardner for even-numbered picks.) Tennessee needed a quarterback and Ward is the best one in this draft.

He has both talent and grit, which will endear him to his teammates and the fan base. Although hypothetical and irrelevant, it’s fair to ask where Ward would have landed in last year’s draft, or if Tennessee would have selected one of the 2024 draft’s six first-round quarterbacks ahead of him. Regardless, Ward has the skill set to become a successful NFL quarterback. Whether he becomes a Pro Bowler — and, thus, ultimately worth the No. 1 pick — remains to be seen. Ward played at Incarnate Word and Washington State before transferring to Miami last year.

There, he became one of college football’s best quarterbacks. Ward set an NCAA record with 158 career touchdown passes, plus threw for 18,184 yards with a 65.1 completion percentage. Last year alone, Ward threw for 4,313 yards, 39 touchdowns and seven interceptions while completing 67.2 percent of his passes. The 2025 NFL draft officially started when the Tennessee Titans predictably made Cam Ward the No. 1 pick and their new franchise quarterback. The move has been evident for weeks, but it’s still worth asking whether the Titans made a mistake passing on Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter, the consensus top two prospects in this draft class.

That’s the first of many questions we’ll be asking ourselves Thursday night, when The MMQB will be grading every first-round pick, starting with Ward. MORE. SI NFL Draft. NFL Draft News, Mocks, Betting and Analysis. dark We’ll have continuous coverage of everything happening in Green Bay through Saturday, including when Mr.

Irrelevant comes off the board with the final pick at No. 257. This post will be updated throughout the draft in real-time as each of the picks are selected. The most predictable pick in the NFL draft came to fruition after the Titans announced Ward as their next franchise quarterback. Grading the draft in real-time is an exercise in scrutiny, projecting player and position value against the history and roster needs of each team as the picks come off the board. We’re slapping letter grades on each pick in the first round with a summary of what we love, dislike and all things in between.

1. Tennessee Titans: QB Cam Ward, MiamiPicking atop the draft for the first time since 1978 when the Houston Oilers selected Earl Campbell, the Titans get the only QB in this class worthy of a... Ward might not bring the cachet of Caleb Williams (No. 1 in 2024) or the fanfare of Heisman winner Travis Hunter, but he’s the right pick for a franchise mired in mediocrity with no clear answer in place at the NFL’s most important position. Grade: A- 2.

Jacksonville Jaguars (via trade with Cleveland Browns): WR-CB Travis Hunter, ColoradoFirst-time GM James Gladstone, running his first draft at the ripe old age of 34, was raised in scouting under the close watch of... No matter how many snaps Hunter gives the Jaguars, he’s an upgrade at multiple positions because of playmaking skills and gamebreaking ability. Hunter chatted with Jacksonville’s offensive and defensive coordinator on Thursday night when the pick was made, further the notion he will be one of the most fascinating stories to watch during the 2025 season. Grade: A+ 3. New York Giants: OLB Abdul Carter, Penn StateWith Brian Burns on one side and Carter on the other and NT Dexter Lawrence in between, the Giants are building an unblockable front.

Carter is a relentless pass rusher who lives in the backfield and gives the Giants their version of Micah Parsons. Grade: A April 25, 2025, 11:36am EST 122 • By Jon Goldfarb The 2025 First round of the NFL Draft is officially in the books. Memories are made, new NFL players’ careers in professional football are set, and we know which teams will improve or potentially fall flat in the 2025 season. Despite that, we at TPS are looking forward to seeing what each of the first-round draft prospects will accomplish in the NFL.

Here are the grades for all 32 first-round picks for the 2025 NFL Draft from 32 to 1. After trading away Joe Thuney (who happens to be a guard), the Chiefs needed to select a new offensive lineman to protect Patrick Mahomes. Simmons should do wonders on the Chiefs’ offensive line if he stays healthy. The 2025 NFL Draft is finally here! Mock draft season is over, and the Round 1 festivities kick off at 8:00 p.m. ET from Green Bay, Wisconsin, and ClutchPoints has you covered with live NFL draft grades for all 32 selections.

Check back after every pick to see how your team and all the league teams picked their newest potential stars. Check back right here after each pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft for live grades! The Titans' picking Cam Ward first has been the worst-kept secret of the 2025 NFL Draft. While it's not a shocking choice, it's the right one. Quarterback is the most important position in football, and when you have a chance to draft a franchise signal-caller at No. 1, you have to take it.

Ward would have been the sixth or seventh QB taken in the 2024 NFL Draft, but this isn't 2024. Life is all about timing, and this is Ward and the Titans' time to find each other. Tennessee fans would probably prefer Caleb Williams or Arch Manning, but this is what they've got. Ultimately, it's the right pick in the wrong draft, so the Titans get as good a grade as they can get in that situation.

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November 6, 2025, 9:49am EST 479 • By Alex Hoegler

November 6, 2025, 9:49am EST 479 • By Alex Hoegler The 2025 NFL first round was packed with quarterback drama, surprise risers, and blue-chip defenders expected to become instant cornerstones. Now that we’re halfway through the season, the early returns are finally clear. Some rookies have exceeded expectations and become immediate impact players, while others are still struggling to adjust to the...

But Like, Caleb Williams And Robert Griffin III Had Excellent

But like, Caleb Williams and Robert Griffin III had excellent rookie years on horrible teams with textbook coaching malpractice. Ward is barely completing over half his pass attempts, is in danger of finishing with more interceptions than passing touchdowns, and, oh yeah, has his Titans in a spot to potentially pick first overall... Many of the NFL’s first-round rookies are contributing to playoff...

Which Players Went In The First Round? There Weren't Many

Which players went in the first round? There weren't many surprises among the picks, with perhaps the Jacksonville Jaguars making the biggest splash of the night at No. 2. With that in mind, here are the grades for 32 first-round picks... This is a big "if" pick. Simmons missed most of last season with a knee injury.

That Is Why He Fell To This Slot. Some Had

That is why he fell to this slot. Some had him in the top five or top 10 of this draft. However, the injury makes him risky business. Grade: C+ The Eagles had to be afraid the Chiefs were going to take the player they wanted. That means the Chiefs had a chance to beat the Eagles in April and still let Philly get what it wanted.

Meanwhile, The Eagles Used The Pick To Select A Linebacker

Meanwhile, the Eagles used the pick to select a linebacker from Alabama who people were worried about with a shoulder problem. However, these are the Eagles and they know what to do when it comes to defensive stalwarts. Campbell's father said his son was "p----ed off" that he had to wait so long. Grade: B+ A strong cover corner will be valuable if he can avoid injuries that curtailed him in colleg...