Biggest Surprises of the 2025 NFL Draft
The 2025 NFL draft was short on marquee names but not surprises. Teams still shook up the selection process with blockbuster moves that could change the trajectory of the league for years.
On the first night, two teams traded 2026 first-rounders for non-quarterback prospects. Another club traded back into the opening round for its potential quarterback of the future. One franchise broke a 23-year streak with its first pick. Meanwhile, a first-round prospect in the eyes of many analysts fell to the fifth round.
Many of the picks didn't align with the consensus in mock drafts. Consequently, a few teams made selections that surprised the public, opting for value over glaring roster needs.
Some of the surprises pleased fans, while others drew heavy criticism. Let's delve into the biggest shocking moves from the draft that had the NFL world buzzing over the last few days.
Shedeur Sanders Takes Stunning Fall to 5th Round, Lands in Browns' Crowded QB Room
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Shedeur Sanders' outlook captured headlines before the draft and became a bigger storyline through the first two days.
Sanders was 23rd overall and the QB2 on the B/R NFL Scouting Department's final big board. There was not a single analyst anywhere on the internet that had him falling to the fifth round. Ironically, some early mock drafts had the Cleveland Browns picking him second overall.
According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Sanders and his camp—particularly his father, Deion Sanders—botched the predraft process.
Pelissero indicated that teams had questions about how Sanders would fit in a locker room, and he didn't have enough talent to supersede those concerns. Because of missteps in the interview and workout processes, the most talked-about prospect in the class waited longer than anyone expected to hear his name called.
The Browns had plenty of chances to select Sanders before they did. But in the third round, they selected quarterback Dillon Gabriel ahead of him.
Drafting Sanders gives them another swing at hitting on a quarterback prospect, though it also creates a complicated situation. The Browns acquired Kenny Pickett from the Philadelphia Eagles via trade earlier this offseason, and they recently re-signed Joe Flacco, who was serviceable under head coach Kevin Stefanski late in the 2023 season. Deshaun Watson will be out for the foreseeable future because of a torn Achilles, but he's under contract for the next two years and has $46 million in guarantees owed to him in 2026.
Cleveland must sort out its quarterback room in the coming months. Sanders landed in a spot where he should at least have a chance to earn the starting job, which is the one silver lining to his shocking draft slide.
Jaguars Trade Up for Travis Hunter, Giving a 2026 1st-Rounder to Browns
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The Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars made the first draft-day splash with a blockbuster trade. The Jaguars sent a large package of picks to the Browns, including a 2026 first-rounder, to move up for two-way prospect Travis Hunter.
Teams typically make moves like this for top quarterback prospects, although Hunter is a unicorn talent who performed at a high level on both sides of the ball. The wideout/cornerback caught 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns and recorded 11 pass breakups and four interceptions last season.
According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, the Jaguars "intend to start out" Hunter at wide receiver, but he'll also practice with the defensive backs.
Jacksonville made an aggressive move for a player who can significantly boost its passing game as the new regime looks to get the best out of fifth-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Meanwhile, the Browns picked up the top defensive tackle in the class, Mason Graham, and used the additional second-rounder to take running back Quinshon Judkins.
If Jacksonville flops in 2025, Cleveland will have a high first-rounder next year regardless of how it fares in the upcoming season.
Colston Loveland Is the 1st Tight End Off the Board
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Most analysts thought Tyler Warren would be the first tight end to get selected in this year's draft. ESPN's Adam Schefter linked him to the New York Jets, who held the No. 7 pick.
"So what the Jets wind up doing this week still is the subject of speculation, shrouded in more secrecy than usual," Schefter wrote prior to the draft. "But they did recently and quietly have Penn State's Tyler Warren in for a visit, and there are certain members of their organization who are said to be enamored with the player many consider to be the top tight end in this class."
Instead, the Jets selected offensive tackle Armand Membou with their pick. Three picks later, the Chicago Bears took Michigan tight end Colston Loveland ahead of Warren, who went to the Indianapolis Colts at No. 14.
Ahead of the draft, ESPN's Peter Schrager predicted that Loveland would "go higher than where the consensus mock drafts" had him going. That proved to be spot on.
In January, Loveland underwent shoulder surgery. Dr. Neal Elattrache, who performed the procedure, wrote a letter to teams stating that the standout tight end should be ready to participate in minicamp and fully cleared for training camp.
The Bears picked Loveland in the top 10, so it's safe to say they don't have major concerns about his recovery.
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Buccaneers Take Emeka Egbuka Over Much-Needed Defensive Help
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Throughout the predraft process, prognosticators expected the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to take a defensive prospect in the first round, particularly a cornerback, safety or linebacker.
When the Buccaneers went on the clock, all of the safeties, cornerbacks Jahdae Barron and Maxwell Hairston and linebacker Jihaad Campbell were available. Yet Tampa Bay picked wide receiver Emeka Egbuka instead.
Though the Buccaneers ignored their glaring needs, they still made a good pick. In fact, Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski gave them an A for the selection.
"Some wide receivers' reputation is built on size and physicality," Sobleski wrote. "Others are speed merchants. But the best tend to be the most reliable. The receiver who's going to be in the right spot and in rhythm with his quarterback can be counted on at all times.
"Egbuka is the most pro-ready receiver in this year's class because he fits that last category. That should be music to Mayfield's ears."
Before adding Egbuka, Tampa Bay had a strong receiver trio with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan, who caught 24 passes for 316 yards and seven touchdowns between Weeks 14 and 18 last season.
Although the Buccaneers have a crowded receiver room, Egbuka could see a significant target share soon. Evans, who turns 32 in August, is entering the last year of his current contract.
Packers Take a Wide Receiver on Day 1 for the First Time Since 2002
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Green Bay Packers CEO Mark Murphy walked to the podium and shocked the home crowd by announcing the team had selected Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden. Prior to that, the Packers hadn't taken a wideout on Day 1 since they selected Javon Walker in 2002.
After much offseason talk about Green Bay's need for a No. 1 wideout, it tried to address that need on opening night. Murphy, acknowledging the end of that streak, drew roars from the crowd of Packers fans in attendance.
Though some may question if Golden is a WR1 type, he could bring an explosive component to the Packers' passing attack. The Texas product averaged 17 yards per catch last season and ran a 4.29-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Green Bay has a big-play receiver in Christian Watson, but he's battled multiple injuries in his three-year NFL career and just tore his ACL in January. General manager Brian Gutekunst told reporters that the wideout will likely miss a portion of the 2025 season.
Golden could fill a void as the splash playmaker in the Packers' aerial attack as Watson recovers from his latest injury.
Giants Trade Up for Jaxson Dart, Making Him QB2
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After selecting Penn State edge-rusher Abdul Carter with the No. 3 overall pick, the New York Giants traded back in the first round for Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart.
SNY's Connor Hughes noted that Giants head coach Brian Daboll was high on Dart going into the draft. Meanwhile, The Ringer's Todd McShay reported that Shedeur Sanders' visit with the Giants "did not go particularly well."
"The friction centered on some frustration between the two regarding Sanders's preparation of an install package," McShay wrote.
Even with the predraft reports of the Giants' lean toward Dart over Sanders, Big Blue's move up for the Ole Miss product was shocking. Dart didn't appear in a majority of first-round mock draft projections.
The B/R NFL Scouting Department listed Dart as its No. 57 overall prospect and QB3 with a second-round grade.
Given the importance of the position, teams tend to be proactive in acquiring quarterback talent. However, trading up for Dart still qualifies as a surprise, particularly since general manager Joe Schoen and Daboll are likely on the hot seat this year. Dart could be playing under a different regime in 2026 if the Giants have another rough season.
Falcons Take a Big Swing on James Pearce Jr., Giving a 2026 1st-Rounder to Rams
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The Atlanta Falcons made a deal that drew mixed reactions on the first night of the draft, sending their 2026 first-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams as part of a package to trade up for Tennessee edge-rusher James Pearce Jr.
Heading into last season, Pearce seemed poised to be a top draft pick. However, his production plateaued, and he lost some buzz.
Sobleski gave the Falcons a C+ for the trade, writing: "Pearce failed to build upon his elite sophomore campaign. He arguably regressed."
The Athletic's Bruce Feldman talked to a defensive line coach who had concerns about Pearce's maturity.
"That kid is a first-round talent," said DL coach No. 2, "but the stuff you hear (about his maturity) scares me."
Midway through the first round, Atlanta drafted hybrid linebacker-edge-rusher Jalon Walker. He and Pearce should help bolster a pass rush that finished 25th in pressure rate (20 percent) last season.
Still, giving up a future first-rounder for a defender with question marks on and off the field is a significant risk for the Falcons.
Steelers Pass on Quarterbacks on Days 1 and 2
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The Pittsburgh Steelers seemingly didn't think much of this year's quarterback class, or perhaps they still believe Aaron Rodgers will eventually sign with them. Either way, they opted to eschew addressing the position until Day 3.
In the first round, the Steelers bolstered their defensive line by taking Oregon lineman Derrick Harmon. Cameron Heyward will turn 36 in May, and Keeanu Benton has made gradual steps in his development, so that was a reasonable selection given their potential long-term needs.
The Steelers went into the draft without a second-round pick because they traded it to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for star wideout DK Metcalf. Yet Pittsburgh only missed out on Tyler Shough, whom the New Orleans Saints selected at No. 40.
With the 83rd overall pick, the Steelers passed on Jalen Milroe and Shedeur Sanders for running back Kaleb Johnson. One of the two signal-callers could have been the long-term starter in Pittsburgh, but the Steelers instead waited until the sixth round to address the position by taking Will Howard at No. 185. overall.
Mason Rudolph, who turns 30 in July, is on a two-year deal. Skylar Thompson is a career backup. Even if Rodgers signs with the Steelers, he's a 41-year-old who's contemplating retirement. He is by no means a long-term answer under center.
Despite having only uncertainty and mediocrity atop their quarterback depth chart, the Steelers showed shockingly little urgency to add a high-upside option at that position.
College statistics are provided by cfbstats.com.
Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.
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