The first round of the 2025 NFL draft has concluded and there were some shockers. The draft typically has some unexpected moments and this year certainly had its fair share.
All the way to the first-overall pick to those who didn’t get taken in the first round this draft has already had its moments. In a not-so surprising move, the Tennessee Titans decided to use their first-overall pick on their next franchise quarterback.
Cam Ward out of the University of Miami, Florida was selected by the Titans in a somewhat shocking move. It was no surprise since it was likely that Ward would be taken first overall, but Abdul Carter was making his own case for the first overall pick.
Carter was eventually selected by the New York Giants with the third-overall pick. In another surprising move, the Jacksonville Jaguars traded up to the second-overall pick and selected Travis Hunter.
Hunter was last year’s Heisman Trophy winner and it was expected that he would be taken very high in the draft. Nobody expected the Jaguars to trade up to get him and it’s unclear at this point that Jacksonville will allow Hunter to play two positions.
After that, the first round was going as scheduled, offensive tackle Will Campbell was taken fourth-overall by the New England Patriots and Ashton Jeanty was eventually taken sixth by the Las Vegas Raiders.
Surprisingly in the Tight End department, Michigan’s Colston Loveland was taken before Penn State’s Tyler Warren. Loveland was taken by the Chicago Bears at tenth-overall and Warren 14th overall by the Indianapolis Colts.
In an interesting move, Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden was the fourth receiver taken behind Hunter, Tetairoa McMillan and Emeka Egbuka. Golden was eventually taken by the Green Bay Packers who had the 23rd pick.
The most newsworthy event occurred at the 25th overall selection. The Giants traded with the Houston Texans to get the pick and with it they selected the second and last quarterback taken in the first round.
New York selected Jaxson Dart out of Ole Miss. In one of the most surprising moves, the Giants decided to go with Dart over Shedeur Sanders. Dart is already joining a stacked QB room with Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston.
Since there were only two QBs taken in the first-round, that awkwardly left one-man out. Sanders was not selected in the first round of the draft and will have to wait another day to be taken by an NFL team.
Another note-worthy player not taken in the first round was Michigan cornerback Will Johnson. Johnson had an excellent college that saw him winning the National Championship in 2023. He was also named All-American in 2023 and 2024.
It comes as a surprise that neither of these big-name, marquee players were taken in the first round. However, they could be a high priority for a number of teams for days two and/or three in the 2025 NFL draft.
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