Teams around the league spent Thursday in Green Bay, Wisconsin, transforming the identity of their franchises for the immediate future. Teams like the Tennessee Titans and New York Giants walked away with potential franchise quarterbacks, while others like the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints bypassed picking a quarterback early to instead address key positions along the lines of scrimmage.

Not every pick will turn out as each team hoped, and many grades will change in a few years, but this is about now. How did each team fare, and what did their approach to round one say about their immediate outlook?

Draft Grades: Round 1

Tennessee Titans: A

Anytime a team lands a potential franchise quarterback without having to give up any draft capital or sacrifice future picks, they earn high marks. Tennessee rebuffed offers from teams like the Giants, Saints, and Cleveland Browns to ensure they landed Cam Ward, which could be looked at in the future as being a mistake. But for now, Ward gives the Titans a much higher floor than they have had in years, and could single-handedly, as he did at both the University of Miami and Washington State, change the trajectory of this team. Ward’s combination of improvisation, elusiveness in the pocket, and arm strength made him an easy pick at #1 overall. By not overthinking it, he Titans aced this one.

Jacksonville Jaguars: A-

The Jaguars put out plenty of smoke before the draft about wanting Ashton Jeanty, but did the smart thing by moving up for a once-in-a-generation type player in Travis Hunter instead. Hunter’s impact on college football was evidenced by his litany of awards and accolades in 2024 at the University of Colorado, and he has a real chance to replicate that impact in Jacksonville. New coach Liam Coen should be able to create opportunities for Hunter to impact the offense, especially in the redzone. Hunter’s impressive skill set should make him a potential shutdown corner right off the bat. Knowing they’re a lot more poised to pick late in the first round in 2026, the Jaguars made the smart decision to give up future capital for this pick because Hunter can be a Hall of Fame player by the end of his career in the NFL.

New York Giants: A-

It’s hard to knock a team for adding a player who was the top at his position and plays one of the premium positions in the NFL. By adding Abdul Carter, the Giants give their defense a deep stable of pass rushers. Carter created havoc for quarterbacks at Penn State throughout his career, and is slippery along the edge. His blend of speed and power should enable him to make an impact early for the Giants, and he enters the league with immediate 10+ sack potential, especially alongside Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux. The one thing that could prevent this pick from being a slam dunk is if Carter’s injury history sneaks up on him and slows his development.

New England Patriots: A

As with the other teams before them, the New England Patriots opted to draft a premier player at a position of high importance. In 2024, Drake Maye was under pressure far too often, and while the Patriots lacked star power at receiver, the offense never showed its true potential with Maye. Now that Will Campbell is in the building, Maye has a proven player at tackle who can help protect him and make life easier on the offense as a whole. The chatter about Campbell’s short arms was overblown, and he has a chance to be a quality starter in the NFL for years to come.

Cleveland Browns: B

By passing on a potential all-time great in Travis Hunter, the Browns could look back on this decision and deeply regret it. On the other hand, they are now as well-positioned as any team in the league to select the quarterback of their liking in the 2026 NFL Draft, which can be hard to quantify right now if they do land the right guy next year. At the end of the day, Cleveland wound up with a premier player in Mason Graham, who gives them a powerful interior rusher to help out Myles Garrett and company. Even if he was one of the best players on the board at this position, Graham will always be compared to Hunter. The pressure is on, not only for Graham, but also an organization with much uncertainty at quarterback.

Las Vegas Raiders: B-

Many believed Ashton Jeanty was one of the few blue-chip players in this draft, so getting him at sixth overall could be seen as a win. However, despite fielding an abysmal running attack in 2024, the Raiders had several other needs going into round one. The secondary and offensive line, mainly, were two areas the Raiders could have looked to address here. While Jeanty will give the offense some pop, there are still concerns about how easily his game will translate to the NFL. In college, several opponents simply didn’t want to tackle Jeanty. That will not be the case in the NFL. Jeanty has the tools to be a highly productive player, but it is no guarantee. The Raiders, however, need it to be, given how they passed on other positions of need here.

New York Jets: A-

Aaron Glenn comes to New York after spending nearly a decade in New Orleans and Detroit collectively. Both the Saints and Lions relied heavily on a dominant rushing attack, and it seems like Glenn is trying to build the same in New York. With Justin Fields, Breece Hall, and Braelon Allen in the fold, adding Armand Membou could help the Jets become one of the league’s best running games. Drafting Membou means, theoretically, the Jets will not have to invest any more significant capital in the offensive line for a while, given they have done just that over the last few years. Membou has a high ceiling, and even though it wasn’t a flashy pick, he should help this team be better right away.

Carolina Panthers: A

Questions about Tetairoa McMillan‘s love for the game and lack of downfield speed were ridiculous, at least for anyone who actually watched the tape. McMillan was one of the best athletes in this draft, and will immediately boost the floor, and ceiling, of this Panthers offense. His wide catch radius, ability to box out defenders, and incredible hands are all going to help make him an impact player in the NFL. Bryce Young has been needing weapons, and McMillan has a chance to quickly become his favorite target. He might not become a perennial All-Pro player, but McMillan can be very good, right away.

New Orleans Saints: B+

Adding Kelvin Banks Jr. a year after drafting Taliese Fuaga means the Saints are serious about building through the trenches. After experiencing a rash of injuries up front, the Saints offense in 2024 quickly spiraled. Although New Orleans could have looked to get younger on the defensive line, their commitment to protecting the quarterback in 2025 can’t be questioned. Banks was highly recruited coming out of high school and played a ton of ball at the University of Texas, which raises the floor of what he can be in the NFL. Even though quarterback is still a big question, the Saints could have done worse here.

Chicago Bears: B-

At the time of the draft, Cole Kmet was the eighth-highest-paid tight end in the league. If it not for Ben Johnson’s proven ability to create mismatches with his offensive weapons, the decision to draft Colston Loveland 10th overall probably would not have happened, nor would it look so intriguing from the outside. Johnson deployed a lot of 12-personnel in Detroit, which could portend a lot of heavy usage for both Kmet and Loveland right away. Loveland has elite traits as a receiving tight end, and isn’t afraid to dish it out as a blocker downfield. Injuries in 2024 hampered his production, but if the Bears get the player Loveland showed on tape in 2023 at the University of Michigan, he has a chance to be a highly impactful player.

San Francisco 49ers: A-

Part of this grade is the fact that the board fell favorably for the 49ers, without them having to trade up (as they had tried). With several positions of need on defense, San Francisco opted for one of the higher ceiling players at edge in Mykel Williams. At Georgia, Williams lined up inside and outside, and made several plays in the backfield over the course of his career. He’s a developmental prospect in many ways, but landed in one of the best situations with Robert Saleh back in the building and Nick Bosa being one of the better edge defenders in the league. Williams has shades of Aldon Smith to his game and could end up being an All-Pro within a few years.

Dallas Cowboys: B+

The success of the Cowboys’ scouting department and front office over the last decade helps mitigate any questions about their decision to draft Tyler Booker over skill players at receiver or running back. Booker was a leader and helped set the culture at the University of Alabama, and he’ll come to Dallas with plenty of experience and a winning pedigree. Booker can be an instant plug-and-play starter along the line, which, theoretically, will help Dallas get the most out of its offense. While it wasn’t sexy, the Cowboys have struck gold in the past by addressing the offensive line early, so they get the benefit of the doubt here.

Miami Dolphins: B-

Without knowing if the Dolphins were able to take calls on the 13th overall pick or not, it’s hard to say if Kenneth Grant was the best option available on draft night. However, Miami has experienced a ton of attrition on defense over the last few years, and Grant gives them an instant starter on the line who can help anchor a young unit. At Michigan, Grant went from 4-star recruit to one of the best defenders in the country, while winning a National Championship with the Wolverines. Grant is powerful and can win at the line of scrimmage in different ways. As a team that is facing pressure to win in 2025, the Dolphins are banking on Grant being a plus-starter right away.

Indianapolis Colts: A+

Like the San Francisco 49ers, the Indianapolis Colts benefited from teams before them drafting more for need than talent. In effect, Indianapolis landed one of the top blue-chip players in the draft at pick #14. Tyler Warren made himself a lot of money by returning to play for Penn State in 2024, and became one of the nation’s best all-around weapons. When Penn State needed a play, Warren came up time and time again. As a highly recruited athlete coming out of high school, Warren showed off his versatility by taking snaps in the Wildcat and also displaying toughness and good vision as a runner. His game should translate well to the NFL, and Warren ended up in one of the best landing spots as the Colts desperately need a reliable threat at tight end. He might not ever reach All-Pro, but Warren has a chance to be really good for a while.

Atlanta Falcons: B+

By keeping Jalon Walker in-state, the Falcons helped address an area of need with the 15th pick. Many expected Walker to be gone by this point, so Atlanta landing the former Georgia Bulldog was a boon, given how badly they need to upgrade their pass rush. Walker played on the edge but also at linebacker for Georgia, which gives new coordinator Jeff Ulbrich a versatile piece to incorporate in his defense. In New York, Ulbrich had a deep stable of pass rushers and helped architect a dominant defense. Walker’s landing spot helps his chances of being an impactful player, and Atlanta will benefit from having his leadership right off the bat.

Arizona Cardinals: A

Walter Nolen has a chance to be a special player in the NFL. His draft stock might have been affected by reports about him being entitled, but Nolen showed at Ole Miss that he can put it all together and be an impactful player. After a mediocre start to his college career at Texas A&M, Nolen flourished in Oxford and was constantly making plays in the backfield. Arizona has been lacking playmakers up front, and with Calais Campbell back in the fold, Nolen has a top-notch mentor and running mate on the interior of the defensive line. Nolen relied heavily on his athleticism in college and has a tendency to get lost sometimes, but will have a chance to develop and improve his knowledge of the game. In a few years, he could become a perennial All-Pro player.

Cincinnati Bengals: B-

While Shemar Stewart flashed all sorts of enticing traits as an athlete in college, he has yet to put it all together. The lack of sack production is concerning, but players like Danielle Hunter and Ezekiel Ansah showed raw talent in college without putting up big numbers, and both players turned into productive NFL players. The team fit, with Al Golden having decades of experience working with high end talent, makes the Stewart to Cincinnati pairing better on paper. The Bengals, however, will be needing the former Aggie to develop quickly, as they don’t have many proven players at pass rush outside of Trey Hendrickson. If Stewart can put it all together, this will look like one of the steals of the draft. If not, the Bengals will be scrutinized for passing up a premier safety or cornerback at this pick for a player that is largely a projection.

Seattle Seahawks: A-

Seattle addressing one of their top draft needs without having to trade up helps this pick earn high marks right away. Gray Zabel was considered to be a near-lock to go in the top 20, so the value was good for Seattle. Zabel played everywhere but center in college, giving the Seahawks a versatile plug-and-play player along the offensive line. In Klint Kubiak’s outside zone scheme, Zabel should have success and be able to execute downfield blocks in the run game. Although adding a top safety could have helped bolster the defense, Seattle has an expensive asset at quarterback to protect, and Zabel can do just that.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: B

For a team coming off four consecutive division titles, it’s hard to fault the Buccaneers for making a strength even stronger. While injuries at receiver forced younger players into the starting lineup last season, Tampa Bay still possesses one of the best one-two combinations in the league in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. The emergence of Jalen McMillan might make this a head-scratcher for some, but Evans will be 32 years old when the season kicks off, and Godwin is coming off a major injury. Adding Emeka Egbuka gives Tampa Bay another weapon in the passing game, and he is as polished as they come in this draft class. Egbuka is likely to have a Jaxon-Smith Njigba type of impact in year one, but could end up being heavily relied upon as early as 2026.

Denver Broncos: A-

Another team that made a strength a strength by adding a versatile, rangy defender to the secondary, Denver’s pick might have confused some. The team invested heavily in the defense in free agency while largely neglecting the offense. Many expected Denver to draft a top running back or import another receiver into the offense, but instead they decided to bolster the secondary with Jahdae Barron, the best player available on the board. While he’s not the biggest, Barron was a jack-of-all-trades in college and that versatility is something Denver covets on defense. Barron has a chance to be a plus-starter right away, especially given the talent around him. Sometimes the board breaks in your favor, as it did for Denver, and they’re quite happy that it did.

Pittsburgh Steelers: A-

The medicals on Derrick Harmon could have pushed him down some draft boards, but for the Steelers, he is a perfect fit. While Aaron Rodgers has yet to sign, the organization must feel good enough about its quarterback situation to find an heir apparent to Cameron Heyward instead. Harmon is a space-eater and was excellent at Oregon after transferring from Michigan State. His game is built on power but he has finesse and uses his hands well to beat blockers. He has a chance to be a cornerstone for this defense for years to come.

Los Angeles Chargers: B+

With the way the Chargers’ run game fell off when JK Dobbins was hurt towards the end of 2024, it makes sense why Los Angeles prioritized adding a top back in round one. Omarion Hampton is arguably the most complete back in the 2025 class and can become a workhorse from day one in Los Angeles. His blend of size, speed, and power is what also makes him an ideal fit for Greg Roman’s offense. Hampton has a chance to turn out a better career than Ashton Jeanty, especially in this offense. While the Chargers could have boosted their receiver room here, Hampton’s impact on the offense will be felt immediately.

Green Bay Packers: A-

With Christian Watson going down late in 2024 with an ACL injury, and no receiver truly separating himself last season from the pack, Green Bay had to invest in its receiving corps. Matthew Golden was talked about as being potentially the first receiver off the board, so getting him at pick #23 was good value. While he’s known for his speed, Golden isn’t just a one-tricky pony. He built a reputation at Texas for being a willing and able blocker, which is something Matt LaFleur requires of his receivers. Golden could add mass to his frame, and needs to be more disciplined in his route running, but he has a chance to be the sort of #1 receiver the Packers have been looking for since Devante Adams left town.

Minnesota Vikings: A

The Vikings’ high-octane offense was stifled in their playoff loss to the Rams, which put the offensive line at the top of their needs list heading into the draft. With a few other worthy candidates to choose from, Minnesota selected one of the draft’s biggest risers in Donovan Jackson. On Ohio State’s national title run, Jackson played the best football of his career in the College Football Playoffs. He’s a massive individual and has the flexibility to play both inside at guard or outside at tackle. Minnesota bolstered the offensive line in free agency, but Jackson gives them a solid building block for the future along with Christian Darrisaw. This was a home run pick for the organization.

New York Giants: A-

While Jaxson Dart comes into the league as a player needing to develop and learn an NFL offense, the Giants did the smart thing by trading back into the first round to select him. Dart’s arm and athleticism as a runner make him an enticing prospect, even if the route concepts he worked with at Ole Miss were limited. New York was as good of a landing spot as any for Dart, because of the upside he possesses. With Russel Wilson and Jameis Winston in the fold, the Giants should be able to let Dart sit and develop for at least a year. The question becomes: will they? Years down the road, this grade will depend heavily on the latter.

Atlanta Falcons: C+

Adding a premier player like James Pearce Jr. is commendable. But doing it for the price of a future first-round pick is highly questionable. Atlanta continues to push their chips to the front of the table, albeit with a young and otherwise unproven quarterback in Michael Penix Jr. The landing spot for Pearce was one of the better ones in the league, given the need that Atlanta has for a player with his bend and burst off the edge. He will start right away, and could get a hot start to his NFL career, but there are some concerns about his ability to overpower NFL tackles and guards. If Pearce turns into a player that consistently churns out 10+ sacks per season, this grade will improve. But the expectations for him to succeed are suddenly quite high.

Baltimore Ravens: A+

As with the Broncos, Seahawks, and Steelers, the Ravens benefited from the board falling their way. Malaki Starks has some of the highest upside of any safety in this draft, and while his numbers and tape from 2024 were less impressive than from 2023, he checks several boxes at the safety position. Starks will pair with Kyle Hamilton to form one of the most interesting and dynamic safety tandems in the NFL, and Hamilton’s ability to cover the deep part of the field will allow Starks to do what he does best, and that’s be a menace near the line of scrimmage. The fit for Starks in Baltimore is about as good as it could have been, which helps boost this grade and raise his floor at the next level.

Detroit Lions: B

Teams picking this late in round one often have to prioritize need over positional value. The need for an interior defender like Tyleik Williams was obvious for Detroit, as they are still searching for help on the defensive line. While Williams was productive at Ohio State, he played on a loaded defense that raises some questions about his ability to be an impact player in his own right. In college, he could handle double-teams and managed to make several plays in the backfield. As long as Williams can do what he did at Ohio State, and make life easier on the players around him, this pick will age well.

Washington Commanders: A-

The temptation to add speed at running back or another receiver to the offense must have been strong, but Washington did the smart thing in beefing up the line. Josh Conerly Jr. had an impressive run at Oregon and showed the potential to hold up against speed rushers with good feet and quick hands. With Jayden Daniels being the key to the Commanders’ success, adding insurance at a premium position like tackle was a smart decision for the organization, especially with a relatively low stock of picks going forward.

Buffalo Bills: A-

A blazing 40 time helped Maxwell Hairston boost his draft stock, but his tape at Kentucky shows a player with great ball skills and elite quickness. Hairston flourished in zone coverage, and fits what the Bills like to do on defense. He was especially good with the ball in his hands, having returned six interceptions for touchdowns in his career. Injuries in 2024 caused Hairston to miss a handful of games, so that will be something to monitor for him. But with Buffalo needing an infusion of young talent at cornerback, drafting Hairston sets them up well for 2025 and for the future.

Philadelphia Eagles: A+

It’s hard to find flaws in the Eagles’ team-building strategy. They know when to pay their players, they know when to take swings on guys in free agencies, and they know how to tap into the well of winning programs like Georgia and Alabama. Jihaad Campbell comes into the league with tremendous upside, especially in this defense. His ability to anchor the inside linebacker position will make him valuable right away, and Campbell also has the quickness and bend to be deployed as a blitzer on the edge. A shoulder injury caused him to drop, but the Eagles knew they wanted Campbell and paid a small price to get him.

Kansas City Chiefs: B+

This draft pick checked off two boxes: positional value and positional need. The Chiefs are coming off a Super Bowl loss where their offensive line was dismantled, and although they made changes to it already in the offseason, adding a player like Josh Simmons could set them up for the future. Simmons is coming off a serious knee injury, which clearly impacted his draft stock. But had it not been for the injury, he would have likely been a top-15 pick in this draft. As long as he can rebound from the injury, Simmons has the potential to be a long-time starter for this Chiefs team. Since he won’t be asked to play right away, this was an ideal fit for both parties.