2025 NFL Draft Grades
The 2025 NFL Draft is in the books and every team now feels as if they have improved.
Here I took a look at every team’s best and worst of the draft and give every team a grade for their performance in the draft. Find out which team graded at an A+ and who was failing.
Arizona Cardinals
Grade: B
Best Pick: Round 2, Pick 15 – CB Will Johnson (Michigan)
Worst Pick: Not addressing wide receiver
Will Johnson is absolutely a first round talent and has the chance to thrive in zone coverage. Arizona’s pass catchers include WR Marvin Harrison Jr and TE Trey McBride and not much beyond that.
Atlanta Falcons
Grade: C-
Best Pick: Round 1, Pick 15 – LB Jalon Walker (Georgia)
Worst Pick: Round 1, Pick 26 – EDGE James Pearce Jr. (Tennessee)
James Pearce Jr could very well develop into a Pro Bowl caliber EDGE. What makes this pick egregious is the draft capital that Atlanta burned to move up, including next year’s first rounder. Atlanta only made five picks this year and now lacks a first rounder next year.
Baltimore Ravens
Grade: A+
Best Pick: Round 2, Pick 27 – EDGE Mike Green (Marshall)
Worst Pick: None
The Ravens absolutely nailed this draft. They had a plethora of picks and found excellent value throughout. Mike Green is an undisputed first round talent and OL Emory Jones is a great fit for Baltimore's offense.
Buffalo Bills
Grade: B
Best Pick: Round 3, Pick 8 – EDGE Landon Jackson (Arkansas)
Worst Pick: Day 3 picks
Teams don’t and shouldn’t expect much from their Day 3 picks but Buffalo’s 4-7th rounders leave something to be desired. Days 1 and 2 were very strong, which is where you find your impact players.
Carolina Panthers
Grade: A
Best Pick: Round 1, Pick 8 – WR Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona)
Worst Pick: None
Carolina did well to address their biggest needs on Days 1 and 2 as well as the seventh round by taking Colorado WR Jimmy Horn Jr to bolster their special teams.
Chicago Bears
Grade: A-
Best Pick: Round 2, Pick 17 – WR Luther Burden III (Missouri)
Worst Pick: Round 2, Pick 20 – DT Shemar Turner (Texas A&M)
Luther Burden III’s draft stock took an unfair hit this season with the struggles of Missouri’s offense and what he was asked to do. He remains the same player from 2023. The Bears’ biggest need on defense is pass rush help and Shemar Turner is a run stopping interior lineman.
Cincinnati Bengals
Grade: B
Best Pick: Round 2, Pick 17 – LB Demetrius Knight Jr. (South Carolina)
Worst Pick: Round 1, Pick 17 – EDGE Shemar Stewart (Texas A&M)
Demetrius Knight Jr is my pick for most NFL ready plug and play LB in this class. On the other hand, Shemar Stewart has only ever had the potential - never the production to match. The Bengals are banking on Stewart putting it together at the next level (only 31 tackles and 1.5 sacks in 2024 at Texas A&M).
Cleveland Browns
Grade: D+
Best Pick: Round 4, Pick 24 – RB Dylan Sampson (Tennessee)
Worst Pick: Round 3, Pick 30 – QB Dillon Gabriel (Oregon)
The Browns exit the draft with five QBs on their roster and Diontae Johnson on their WR depth chart.
Dallas Cowboys
Grade: B-
Best Pick: Round 3, Pick 12 – CB Shavon Revel Jr. (East Carolina)
Worst Pick: Round 4, Pick 12 – Traded to Carolina for WR Jonathan Mingo
Dallas had a solid draft, addressing some key positions of need and adding good value picks in Revel and EDGE Donovan Ezeiraku, both first round talents. First round pick OG Tyler Booker was a bit of a reach and Dallas was unable to upgrade their WR room after trading their fourth round pick for Jonathan Mingo.
Denver Broncos
Grade: B+
Best Pick: Round 2, Pick 28 – RB RJ Harvey (UCF)
Worst Pick: Round 6, Pick 40 – P Jeremy Crawshaw (Florida)
RJ Harvey is Sean Payton’s handpicked “now this running back is going to exceed expectations” player going into his second year in Denver. But in the sixth round, the Broncos used a draft pick on a punter - the only punter drafted this year.
Detroit Lions
Grade: B-
Best Pick: Round 2, Pick 25 – OG Tate Ratledge (Georgia)
Worst Pick: Round 3, Pick 6 – WR Isaac TeSlaa (Arkansas)
The Lions addressed their few needs. The Lions were playing with house money this draft with how complete their roster is. Getting Ratledge in the second round was ideal for Detroit. In the third round the Lions moved up to overdraft a wideout who they probably could have nabbed later on.
Green Bay Packers
Grade: C
Best Pick: Round 3, Pick 23 – WR Savion Williams (TCU)
Worst Pick: Round 2, Pick 22 – OT Anthony Belton (NC State)
Common thought is that the Packers’ problem at wide receiver was the volume of receivers but lack of top end talent. Green Bay invested their firth and third round picks in wideouts. One of the experts’ knocks on Matthew Golden, drafted at 23 out of Texas, is that he lacks true WR1 upside. Williams has the potential to be a big time playmaker if utilized creatively in an offense that maximizes his versatility. Belton was a reach in the second round and is not a position not at the top of their list of needs.
Houston Texans
Grade: B+
Best Pick: Trading out of the 1st round
Worst Pick: Round 3, Pick 33 – CB Jaylin Smith (USC)
Houston took advantage of the Giants’ desire to move back into the first round by picking up the 34th and 99th picks of the 2025 Draft and a third rounder next season, which projects to be near the top of the round given the Giants’ roster. Taking wideout Jayden Higgins was an excellent use of the 34th pick. The Texans needed receivers and got two, Higgins and his Iowa State teammate, Jaylin Noel in the third. Jaylin Smith was a reach at 97 as he ranked 241st on PFF’s big board and 267th on ESPN’s.
Indianapolis Colts
Grade: B-
Best Pick: Round 1, Pick 14 – TE Tyler Warren (Penn State)
Worst Pick: Round 3, Pick 16 – CB Justin Walley (Minnesota)
The Colts were mostly average. They did the smart thing by taking Warren in the first to help out their quarterback. Walley was a strange pick given his consensus ranking and looking at the talent in the secondary still on the board.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Grade: A-
Best Pick: Round 1, Pick 2 – WR/CB Travis Hunter (Colorado)
Worst Pick: Round 4, Pick 2 – RB Bhayshul Tuten (Virginia Tech)
Usually trading up for a non-quarterback is a massive overpay. In this case, Jacksonville is potentially grabbing two elite prospects which reduces the price paid. Bhayshul Tuten is an athletic back with explosive potential. His inability to hold on to the ball (9 fumbles on 358 carries at Virginia Tech) is concerning. Based on the running backs still on the board, the beginning of the fourth round was too early to take a chance on a player who cannot hold on to the ball.
Kansas City Chiefs
Grade: A-
Best Pick: Round 4, Pick 31 – WR Jalen Royals (Utah State)
Worst Pick: Round 3, Pick 2 – EDGE Ashton Gillotte (Louisville)
The Chiefs got their number one target in round one with OT Josh Simmons to bolster their offensive line. Outside of a reach for Gillotte, Days 2 and 3 produced some good value picks in Royals and seventh round RB Brashard Smith of SMU.
Las Vegas Raiders
Grade: B+
Best Pick: Round 1, Pick 6 – RB Ashton Jeanty (Boise State)
Worst Pick: Round 3, Pick 34 – OT Caleb Rogers (Texas Tech)
New coach Pete Carroll has his home run hitting tailback now that his Raiders have selected Ashton Jeanty in the top 10. Jeanty is a special player and should be a focal point of Carroll’s offense. Second round WR Jack Bech of TCU is another opening day starter alongside Jeanty and TE Brock Bowers.
Los Angeles Chargers
Grade: B+
Best Pick: Round 2, Pick 23 – WR Tre Harris (Ole Miss)
Worst Pick: Round 5, Pick 22 – WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith (Auburn)
The Chargers feel like a team that is loading up to make a deep run. Jim Harbuagh addressed his skill position groups in rounds one and two with RB Omarion Hampton and Tre Harris. Harris will pair well with second year wideout Ladd McConkey. Hampton and incumbent back Najee Harris gives Harbaugh the rushing attack that he prides his teams on.
Los Angeles Rams
Grade: B
Best Pick: Round 3, Pick 26 – EDGE Josaiah Stewart (Michigan)
Worst Pick: Round 2, Pick 14 – TE Terrance Ferguson (Oregon)
The Rams made six selections in the 2025 draft, none in the first round after trading down to get more capital. Getting Stewart in the third round was an absolute steal. The Rams earn a B with no splash picks and mostly Day 3 guys.
Miami Dolphins
Grade: C+
Best Pick: Round 2, Pick 5 – OL Jonah Savaiinaea (Arizona)
Worst Pick: Round 5, Pick 19 – S Dante Trader Jr (Maryland)
The Dolphins finally invested draft capital into the trenches, picking Michigan DT Kenneth Grant in the first, OL Jonah Savaiinaea in the second, then Maryland DT Jordan Phillips in the fifth round. With two picks remaining in the fifth, Miami finally addressed their secondary, picking CB Jason Marshall Jr of Florida and S Dante Trader Jr of Maryland. Both were considered huge reaches by both ESPN and PFF and don’t look to be the impact players that the Dolphins need in the secondary.
Minnesota Vikings
Grade: C
Best Pick: Round 1, Pick 24 – OL Donovan Jackson (Ohio State)
Worst Pick: Not acquiring more picks
After Minnesota shed excessive draft capital last season in trading for the pick that became EDGE Dallas Turner, they were a popular choice to trade down and acquire more picks. Instead, they reached for Donovan Jackson, who is a good fit for the team but would have likely been available at 34 when Houston made their selection after trading down when the Giants traded back into the first for QB Jaxson Dart. The Vikings likely would have been able to get picks by trading down since both the Giants and Falcons traded up for the following two picks after the Vikings took Jackson.
New England Patriots
Grade: A
Best Pick: Round 1, Pick 4 – OT Will Campbell (LSU)
Worst Pick: Round 6, Pick 6 – K Andres Borregales (Miami)
The Patriots found value all over the board before surrendering an A+ by selecting a kicker. Campbell, second round RB TreVeyon Henderson of Ohio State, third round WR Kyle Williams from Washington State, and fifth round EDGE Bradyn Swinson out of LSU all have the potential to be impact players for New England.
New Orleans Saints
Grade: C
Best Pick: Round 4, Pick 29 – CB Quincy Riley (Louisville)
Worst Pick: Round 2, Pick 8 – Tyler Shough (Louisville)
My concerns with Shough aren’t his age or injury history. I’m just not sure he’s good enough to spend a Day 2 pick on.
New York Giants
Grade: A-
Best Pick: Round 1, Pick 3 – EDGE Abdul Carter (Penn State)
Worst Pick: Round 1, Pick 25 – QB Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss)
Jaxson Dart could be the long term answer at QB and has no pressure to start right away with Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston on the roster. The capital given up for a prospect who has no experience in a pro style offense was steep. The rest of the draft saw great value in third round DT Darius Alexander of Toledo and fourth round RB Cam Skattebo out of Arizona State. Taking Carter at pick three was the smart choice instead of trading or reaching for a quarterback.
New York Jets
Grade: B
Best Pick: Round 1, Pick 7 – OT Armand Membou (Missouri)
Worst Pick: Round 4, Pick 8 – WR Arian Smith (Georgia)
The Jets did well to put new quarterback Justin Fields in a place to succeed in the first and second rounds by adding Membou and TE Mason Taylor of LSU. Smith had 10 drops on 72 targets last season at Georgia and still needs to improve his route running. That’s a lot of projected improvement needed for him to be a difference maker in this offense, especially with the receivers still on the board.
Philadelphia Eagles
Grade: A-
Best Pick: Round 1, Pick 31 – LB Jihaad Campbell (Alabama)
Worst Pick: Round 5, Pick 7 – CB Mac McWilliams (UCF)
As the defending Super Bowl Champions with most of the critical pieces returning, it’s easy to win the draft. It’s fairly difficult to believe that Campbell fell to the 31st pick. Corner is not a top need and McWilliams was the 30th and 29th ranked corner at ESPN and PFF respectively. The Eagles more than made up for it with the pick of OT Cameron Williams of Texas in the sixth round. Fellow sixth rounder QB Kyle McCord of Syracuse brings a lightning fast release and big play ability to a backup role (and somehow the Eagles will find a way to turn him into a second round pick in two years).
Pittsburgh Steelers
Grade: C
Best Pick: Round 1, Pick 21 – DT Derrick Harmon (Oregon)
Worst Pick: Still don’t have a starting quarterback
The Steelers made an array of choices in the draft. They failed to address the fact that they do not have a starting quarterback. Even with the players chosen, this is not a team that can contend next season.
San Francisco 49ers
Grade: C
Best Pick: Round 2, Pick 11 – DT Alfred Collins (Texas)
Worst Pick: Round 3, Pick 11 – LB Nick Martin (Oklahoma State)
The 49ers went from a Super Bowl appearance to a roster with a lot of holes very quickly. Fortifying the trenches was an absolute dire need and San Francisco was able to do so in rounds one and two by picking EDGE Mykel Williams of Georgia and Collins. Williams and Collins provide immediate help to incumbent EDGE Nick Bosa. The Niners failed to meaningfully address the offensive line in the draft, and beyond the first two rounds, the remainder of their picks were reaches.
Seattle Seahawks
Grade: B+
Best Pick: Round 7, Pick 7 – RB Damian Martinez (Miami)
Worst Pick: Round 5 – TE Robbie Ouzts (Alabama)
First round North Dakota State OG Grey Zabel set the tone for a solid class. Getting Martinez in the seventh was incredible value. Both of the Seahawks’ second round picks, South Carolina S Nick Emmanwori and Miami TE Elijah Arroyo have impact player potential. Seattle also selected QB Jalen Milroe from Alabama in the third round as a developmental prospect.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Grade: B+
Best Pick: Round 2, Pick 21 – CB Benjamin Morris (Notre Dame)
Worst Pick: Round 1, Pick 19 – WR Emeka Egbuka (Ohio State)
None of Tampa Bay’s picks were egregious in some way - but they’re not very exciting for the most part. With six selections the Bucs picked two wideouts, two corners, and two EDGEs. The Bucs have bigger needs than WR, including linebacker, which they did not address at all this year.
Tennessee Titans
Grade: A-
Best Pick: Round 1, Pick 1 – QB Cam Ward (Miami)
Worst Pick: Round 4, Pick 1 – WR Chimere Dike (Florida)
The Titans did what needed to be done, taking Ward and giving him help by selecting Texas TE Gunnar Helm in the 4th round and WR Elic Ayomanor out of Stanford in the fifth. Tennessee didn’t neglect defense, getting a steal in the third with S Kevin Winston Jr. out of Penn State being available. Dike doesn’t really add much to the group and could have been picked much later.
Washington Commanders
Grade: B-
Best Pick: Round 2, Pick 29 – CB Trey Amos (Ole Miss)
Worst Pick: Round 4, Pick 24 – WR Jaylin Lane (Virginia Tech)
Washington made only five selections in the 2025 Draft and outside of Trey Amos, the picks the Commanders made were average. 1st Round OT Josh Conerly Jr of Oregon is a fine player, but OT was not on Washington’s list of biggest needs after trading for Jeremy Tunsil.
