The 2025 NFL draft began Thursday night in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with the Tennessee Titans selecting Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall pick. All 32 teams are scheduled to make first-round picks on Thursday.
We will be tracking all 257 picks for Rounds 1-7, and you also can check out all the best available draft prospects.
The draft continues with Rounds 2-3 on Friday (7 p.m. ET) and concludes with Rounds 4-7 on Saturday (noon ET).
ESPN’s team of reporters will submit pros and cons below for each of the 32 players selected in Thursday’s first round:
coverage:
Top prospects at every position
Kiper’s position rankings
Round 1 picks / order
Why they picked him: Ward is the best quarterback in the draft class and fits the biggest need on the Titans’ roster. Having played 38 games in college, Ward has the experience to play right away if called upon. Titans coach Brian Callahan utilizes similar passing concepts to what Ward was asked to execute at Miami. Callahan’s immediate future depends upon the success he’s able to achieve with Ward under center. The Titans like Ward’s confidence and believe that will help him handle the pressure that comes with being the top pick.
Biggest question: Will Ward’s playmaking ability be a gift or a curse? His arm strength and confidence will lead to some ill-advised throws that can result in turnovers. The Titans’ success will depend on whether Callahan can balance Ward’s desire to take risks with the potential for big plays. Callahan acknowledged there’s a delicate balance when coaching a player with that tendency. Tennessee isn’t built to overcome turnovers, but also needs to be more explosive on offense. — Turron Davenport
Why they picked him: Hunter is an elite player on both sides of the ball and he instantly upgrades a Jaguars offense that has few playmakers. He’ll draw attention from receiver Brian Thomas Jr. and is a massive boost for quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who has struggled with his consistency over the past two seasons. The Jaguars say they believe Hunter is the best player in the draft and in addition to his considerable talent he brings star power to a franchise that hasn’t had much of that over the past decade.
Biggest question: How are the Jaguars going to use him? The key is to have a plan for him, and they’re likely to start him on offense and give him a package on defense, which could expand as he grows more comfortable. The Jaguars gave up a lot for Hunter — the No. 5 pick, No. 36 and No. 126 this year and their No. 1 pick in 2026 — and there will be tremendous pressure to get him on the field as much as possible but they must make sure they avoid overworking him mentally early. — Michael DiRocco
Why they picked him: Carter is considered the kind of blue-chip or generational prospect that general manager Joe Schoen said “you don’t pass on that type of player.” He has explosive traits that have evaluators making comparisons to All-Pro Von Miller. It’s also a clear indication that the Giants had a clear distinction between Carter and any of the other remaining quarterbacks (including Jaxson Dart and Shedeur Sanders). Carter helps Schoen fulfill his desire to get the best players for 2025 with the pressure on to produce wins this season.
Biggest question: What do the Giants do now at quarterback? They passed on Sanders, Dart and Jalen Milroe, among others, at No. 3. Do they move back into the bottom of Round 1 to find their potential quarterback of the future? That probably depends on the cost. Or maybe they wait until Friday. The Giants obviously didn’t like any of the quarterbacks enough to take them at the top of the draft over Carter. Still, Schoen and coach Brian Daboll have yet to draft and develop a quarterback entering Year 4. At some point it’s going to be necessary, especially considering owner John Mara said earlier this year that finding a quarterback of the future is the team’s top priority this offseason. — Jordan Raanan
Why they picked him: One of the top goals for the Patriots in this draft is building more infrastructure around quarterback Drake Maye. Consider that the Patriots ranked last in Run Block Win Rate (67%) and ahead of only the Bengals in Pass Block Win Rate last season (51%). Head coach Mike Vrabel called him a “foundational piece” and a “21-year-old who is mature beyond his years.” Vrabel said Campbell made a “huge impact” on the Patriots through the pre-draft process and said, “This was a very, very easy pick for us.”
Biggest question: Is Campbell built to play tackle into the future? Campbell’s arm length (33″ at LSU’s pro day) had some teams viewing him more as a guard than tackle. But Vrabel said the Patriots plan to play him at tackle, where he started 38 games at LSU. — Mike Reiss
Why they picked him: After trading back with the Jaguars and getting a draft haul that includes a 2026 first-round pick, the Browns landed Graham, a consensus top-five prospect at a position the team values. Graham was a disruptive player on the interior of the defensive line and the Browns love to rotate pass rushers along the defensive front. He fits Cleveland’s penetrating defense and could play a significant role as a rookie.
Biggest question: Can Graham become an elite pass rusher? In three seasons in college, Graham’s career high for sacks in a season was 3.5. Last season, the Browns had nine sacks from players lined up at defensive tackle, tied for fourth fewest in the NFL. — Daniel Oyefusi
Why they picked him: Pete Carroll wants to run the ball. And that’s something Las Vegas struggled to do last season, averaging 79.8 rushing yards per game last season — the fewest by any team over the last two seasons. Jeanty, a Heisman Trophy finalist, will provide an immediate boost in the backfield. In 2024, Jeanty totaled 2,601 rushing yards — second-most in a season in FBS history. With the addition of Jeanty, the Raiders can take some pressure off new quarterback Geno Smith.
Biggest question: What are realistic expectations for Jeanty? Jeanty is the first running back selected within the first six picks of a draft since 2018, when the Giants drafted Saquon Barkley with the second overall pick. Taking him that high in the draft is a clear sign that he will be the Raiders’ RB1 right away since his skill set gives him an edge over the rest of Las Vegas’ running back rotation. Expect Jeanty to play a major role on offense as a rookie. Carroll wants to take the pressure off new quarterback Geno Smith and Jeanty is the kind of three-down running back that can do so. — Ryan McFadden
Why they picked him: They wanted a plug-and-play tackle to play opposite last year’s first-round pick, Olu Fashanu. In theory, the Jets could have their bookend tackles for the next decade. With Joe Tippmann at center, and Alijah Vera-Tucker and John Simpson at guard, the Jets should have a formidable line. And young, too, with every starter under 29. Get ready for a smashmouth rushing attack, led by quarterback Justin Fields and running back Breece Hall. Membou was a three-year starter at right tackle, so he can slide easily into that starting role. He surrendered only one sack in 391 pass-blocking snaps last season, but his stock didn’t soar until the scouting combine. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.91 seconds, only the fifth prospect 330 pounds or more since 2003 to crack the 5.0 mark. Big fella can move.
Biggest question: How much is too much? The Jets have used four first-round picks on offensive linemen since 2020 (Mekhi Becton, Vera-Tucker, Fashanu and Membou). They should have one of the better lines in the league, but they might have sacrificed a playmaker for Fields. Tight end Tyler Warren was on the board, and would’ve helped the passing game a lot. — Rich Cimini
Why they picked him: As much as a defense ranked last in the NFL in 2024 needed help, the talent here was too much to pass up. The player nicknamed T-Mac reportedly ran a 4.48 40, fast for a 6-foot-4, 219 player. He’ll give quarterback Bryce Young speed and a much-needed possession receiver he didn’t have in last year’s first-round pick Xavier Legette.
Biggest question: Will the Panthers be able to fill big needs on defense after passing on edge rusher Jalon Walker at 8? McMillan was productive in college, but he still is somewhat of a project in terms of becoming a consistent deep threat and true No. 1 receiver. — David Newton
Why they picked him: The Saints were linked to various quarterbacks for the ninth pick, but at the end of the day, they went with the safe pick, selecting someone who could help build up an offensive line that struggled with injuries last year. The Saints did not pick up RT Trevor Penning’s option and also cycled through left guards in 2024. Banks started 42 games at left tackle for Texas, and if the Saints envisioned him at that spot, then they could move Taliese Fuaga back to RT, where he played in college.
Biggest question: Where do the Saints ultimately envision Banks playing? The Saints also have a need at guard and some projections have Banks moving inside, but it’s likely the Saints wouldn’t be investing such a high pick unless they saw a tackle of the future. Which side he ends up on is also a question at the early stage. The Saints still need to add more offensive playmakers and figure out their quarterback situation with Derek Carr’s status up in the air. — Katherine Terrell
