GREEN BAY, Wis. — The 2025 NFL Draft opened Thursday night with the Tennessee Titans selecting Miami quarterback Cam Ward as the No. 1 overall pick, a move long projected by analysts to address their quarterback void. The Jacksonville Jaguars traded up to secure Colorado’s two-way star Travis Hunter at No. 2, while the New York Giants made bold moves, drafting Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter at No. 3 and trading up for Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart at No. 25. In a stunning development, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, a projected top-10 pick, went unselected in the first round, setting up a high-stakes Day 2 in Green Bay.
The draft, held at Lambeau Field and the Titletown District, unfolded with a blend of expected selections and unexpected twists. Ward, who threw for over 4,000 yards at Miami, was the consensus top pick for the Titans, who finished 3-14 last season. “His experience and playmaking are unmatched,” Titans coach Brian Callahan told reporters, echoing sentiments from NFL.com’s draft coverage. The Jaguars, under new general manager James Gladstone, traded with the Cleveland Browns to grab Hunter, a Heisman Trophy winner capable of starring at cornerback or wide receiver. “He’s a rare talent,” Gladstone said, per Yahoo Sports.
The Giants, seeking to redefine their roster, surprised many by selecting Carter over Sanders at No. 3. Carter, with 11 sacks last season, was lauded as a potential All-Pro edge rusher by NFLDraftBuzz.com. “He’s our defensive anchor,” Giants general manager Joe Schoen told The Athletic. Later, the Giants traded with the Houston Texans for the No. 25 pick to select Dart, a mobile quarterback whose fit with coach Brian Daboll’s system was praised by ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit. The move, which included a future third-round pick, signaled a potential shift away from Daniel Jones.
Sanders’ fall out of the first round was the night’s biggest shock. Despite 3,926 passing yards and 35 touchdowns at Colorado, concerns about his pocket presence and the Buffaloes’ offensive scheme led teams to pass, according to ESPN’s Field Yates. “It’s not about his talent; it’s about fit,” Yates said. The Athletic reported that nearly every quarterback-needy team showed interest but hesitated, with some comparing Sanders’ ceiling to Denver’s Bo Nix.
Other notable picks included the Las Vegas Raiders selecting Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty at No. 6, the highest-drafted running back since Saquon Barkley in 2018, per NFL.com. The Carolina Panthers took Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan at No. 8, prioritizing offensive support for Bryce Young, as noted by The Athletic. The Chicago Bears drafted Michigan tight end Colston Loveland at No. 10, a pick hailed by ESPN for its fit with quarterback Caleb Williams. The Atlanta Falcons, desperate to improve their pass rush, selected Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell at No. 15 and traded up for Tennessee’s James Pearce Jr., a costly move that sent a 2026 first-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams, per ESPN’s trade grades.
Trades defined the first round, with the Jaguars’ move for Hunter and the Giants’ leap for Dart setting an aggressive tone. The Cleveland Browns, trading down from No. 2 to No. 5, later selected Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham, a move Yahoo Sports graded as an A+ for its value. The Kansas City Chiefs, after swapping picks with the Philadelphia Eagles, drafted Ohio State tackle Josh Simmons, whose recovery from a patellar tendon injury was cleared by medical re-checks, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
For fantasy football, Jeanty’s landing spot with the Raiders positions him as a potential RB1, while McMillan’s role in Carolina offers immediate targets, per Yahoo Sports’ draft guide. Loveland, paired with Williams, could emerge as a top-tier tight end. The Green Bay Packers, hosting the draft, selected Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden at No. 23, their first first-round receiver since 2002, a pick praised by general manager Brian Gutekunst for Golden’s speed and hands, per The Athletic.
Outlook: Day 2, beginning Friday at 7 p.m. ET, will center on Sanders, who The Athletic projects could go to the Browns at No. 33 or to teams like the Raiders, Saints, or Jets before No. 42. Alabama’s Jalen Milroe and Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka also remain available, per NFL.com’s list of top remaining prospects. Teams like the Giants, Steelers, and Saints, still seeking quarterback clarity, may drive trade activity. The draft’s final rounds, starting Saturday at noon ET, will likely see teams address depth needs, with ESPN predicting a run on defensive backs and offensive linemen. The unpredictability of this quarterback-light class, combined with aggressive front offices, suggests more surprises ahead.
Credits: Information sourced from NFL.com, The Athletic, ESPN, Yahoo Sports, NFLDraftBuzz.com, Bleacher Report, CBS Sports, and posts on X. Specific contributors include Ian Rapoport, Field Yates, Kirk Herbstreit, Charles McDonald, and Dianna Russini.
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