The dust has finally settled on the 2025 NFL Draft, and honestly, it’s one of those years that makes you realize mock drafts are basically just educated guesses. You spend months hearing about "generational" talents, only to watch a blue-chip quarterback sit in the green room until his suit goes out of style. It was weird. It was loud. It was at Lambeau Field, which felt right, but the actual nfl draft results so far have left a lot of fanbases scratching their heads while others are already ordering new jerseys.
If you weren't glued to the TV, the headline is simple: the Tennessee Titans took Miami's Cam Ward with the first overall pick. No surprise there. Everyone knew that was coming for weeks. But after that? Total chaos. We saw a massive trade, a two-way star going top two, and a quarterback slide that felt like it was never going to end.
The Top Five: A Wild Start in Green Bay
Most years, the top of the draft is predictable. Not this time. After Ward went to Tennessee, the Jacksonville Jaguars decided they weren't waiting around. They pulled off a massive trade with the Cleveland Browns to jump up to the second spot. Why? For Travis Hunter.
The Colorado star is a unicorn—playing both wide receiver and cornerback—and the Jags clearly think he’s the spark they need to save the franchise. It’s a gamble. A big one. But if he can actually play 100 snaps a game in the NFL, he’s worth two first-rounders.
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The rest of the top five looked like this:
- No. 3 (New York Giants): Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State. The Giants stayed true to their "rush the passer" identity. Carter is a freak of nature and should fit right in with Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux.
- No. 4 (New England Patriots): Will Campbell, OT, LSU. The Pats did the smart thing. They have Drake Maye, and they need to keep him upright. Campbell is a mountain of a man who should be a ten-year starter at left tackle.
- No. 5 (Cleveland Browns): Mason Graham, DT, Michigan. After trading down, the Browns still got their guy. Graham is a disruptor on the interior.
The Shocking Slide of Shedeur Sanders
The biggest story of the nfl draft results so far isn't who went first—it's who didn't go at all on the first two days. Shedeur Sanders, the reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, fell all the way to Day 3.
It was painful to watch. Every time a team needed a quarterback—the Saints, the Raiders, the Browns—they looked elsewhere. New Orleans actually took Tyler Shough from Louisville at No. 40 overall, making him the third QB off the board. Cleveland even grabbed Dillon Gabriel near the end of the third round.
Why the drop? Some scouts whispered about the "Sanders circus," while others just didn't love his tape under pressure. Whatever the reason, it’s the steepest fall for a high-profile QB since Aaron Rodgers sat in that room in 2005. Honestly, it’s probably going to give him the biggest chip on his shoulder we've seen in years.
Winners and Losers from the First Two Rounds
The Jacksonville Jaguars are the obvious winners. They were bold. They got the most versatile player in college football history. When you have the chance to get a guy like Travis Hunter, you don't haggle over draft capital. You just make the move.
The Chicago Bears also deserve a shoutout. Taking Colston Loveland, the tight end from Michigan, at No. 10 was a masterclass in giving your young quarterback weapons. Loveland is basically a giant wide receiver. Pairing him with Rome Odunze and Keenan Allen is just mean.
On the other side of the coin, you have the Carolina Panthers. They took Tetairoa McMillan at No. 8. Look, McMillan is a solid receiver, but some people think they reached. He doesn't have elite speed, and for a team with as many holes as Carolina, taking a guy who might struggle to separate at the next level is a risky bet for Bryce Young’s development.
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The Trenches Took Over
While everyone talks about the skill players, the nfl draft results so far prove that the league is still won at the line of scrimmage. Seven of the first twelve picks were either offensive or defensive linemen.
The Jets grabbed Armand Membou to protect Aaron Rodgers (or whoever is back there next). The Saints took Kelvin Banks. The Cowboys replaced the legendary Zack Martin with Tyler Booker from Alabama. It wasn't "sexy," but it was necessary. These are the picks that usually determine who is playing in January and who is looking at mock drafts again by November.
Surprising Day 2 Gems
The Houston Texans had a plan, and that plan was apparently "collect all the wide receivers." They took Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel in the same round. They’re clearly building a track team around C. J. Stroud.
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Also, watch out for the Philadelphia Eagles. They snagged Jihaad Campbell, the Alabama linebacker, at the end of the first round. He’s the kind of downhill thumper that the Philly crowd is going to love.
What This Means for the 2026 Season
The landscape of the NFL shifted over these three days. We’re seeing a move back toward valuing elite "trench" players over mid-tier quarterbacks. The fact that only two QBs—Ward and Jaxson Dart—went in the first round says everything you need to know about how the league viewed this class.
If you’re a fan of a team that focused on the offensive line, be happy. It’s a long season. Skill players get the highlights, but the big guys in the middle win the games.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
Now that the major picks are in, you should:
- Check your team's undrafted free agent (UDFA) signings. Many of the guys who fell out of the draft—like some of the high-profile Big 12 defenders—will sign as UDFAs and often make the 53-man roster.
- Monitor rookie minicamp dates. This is the first time you'll see these guys in their new colors. For teams like the Jags, seeing how they use Travis Hunter (offense vs. defense) will be the story of the summer.
- Review the remaining cap space. Some of these picks, especially the ones at the top, come with big price tags that might force teams to cut veteran players in the coming weeks.