7 2025 NFL Draft Picks We Wish We Would Have Seen

The 2025 NFL draft ended on Saturday, and most teams probably feel good about where they stand a few days later. On paper, each franchise is better than it was a week ago.

Of course, some of the selections made over draft weekend will prove to be wrong decisions—perhaps not due to how players perform, but because of how players picked later in the draft do.

For example, the Miami Dolphins took wide receiver Jaylen Waddle with the No. 6 overall pick in 2021. Waddle, who has averaged just over 1,000 receiving yards per season, has been quite good. However, players picked shortly after him, including Penei Sewell, Patrick Surtain II and Micah Parsons, have become perennial Pro Bowlers.

It takes years to accurately judge a draft pick, but it's never too early to imagine the pairings that could have been. Here, we'll examine seven draft picks we wish we'd have seen during the 2025 draft based on factors like team needs, player potential and scheme fit.

Cleveland Takes Abdul Carter at No. 2.

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Penn State pass-rusher Abdul Carter landed with the New York Giants at No. 3, and the Cleveland Browns appeared to be eyeing cornerback/receiver Travis Hunter before they traded the No. 2 pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

It will be fun seeing Carter pair with Brian Burns in New York, and the Browns will assuredly find ways to wreak havoc with Myles Garrett and rookie defensive tackle Mason Graham, whom they took fifth overall.

Yet it's hard not to wonder how a Carter-Garrett tandem could have fared in Cleveland. Both edge-rushers are physical unicorns with the potential to wreck games almost single-handedly.

Garrett is already on a first-ballot-Hall-of-Fame trajectory, and Carter has the ceiling of a perennial All-Pro. The former Nittany Lion logged 12 sacks and 24 tackles for loss last season and was the second-ranked overall prospect on the B/R NFL Scouting Department's final big board.

Putting Garrett and Carter on opposite ends of the defensive line might have yielded a historically good pass-rushing tandem. We'll just have to settle for watching two very good defensive duos instead.

San Francisco 49ers Take Tyler Warren at No. 11

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The San Francisco 49ers used the 11th overall pick on Georgia pass-rusher Mykel Williams. It was a fairly sensible selection, as the 49ers need a high-end edge-rusher opposite Nick Bosa.

However, Williams will likely require time to develop, which Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski noted while giving the 49ers a "C" grade for the selection.

Had the Niners been willing to pass on Williams, they could have instead taken the second tight end in the draft, Penn State's Tyler Warren.

Warren landed with the Indianapolis Colts at No. 14, which is a good spot for him given Indy's need for a pass-catching tight end. However, seeing Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan use Warren and George Kittle to create mismatches in his spacing-based offense would have been awesome.

"He should be used as an H-back and flex tight end early in his NFL career until his inline run-blocking improves," Dame Parson of the B/R Scouting Department wrote. "Warren's receiving versatility and upside will add another element to an NFL offense and elevate their passing attack."

Early in his career, the 49ers could have used Warren in two-tight-end sets or as a split receiver to help replace Deebo Samuel, whom they traded to the Washington Commanders this offseason. Eventually, Warren could have taken over as TE1 for Kittle, who will turn 32 in October and is heading into the final year of his contract.

Arizona Cardinals Grab Emeka Egbuka at No. 16

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We're very much looking forward to seeing rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka take the field alongside Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Ohio State product is a terrific route-runner and a pro-ready pass-catcher who will help give Tampa one of the best receiving trios in the NFL.

However, it's hard not to wonder what would have happened if the Arizona Cardinals took Egbuka three spots before the Bucs grabbed him.

The Cardinals instead selected Mississippi defensive tackle Walter Nolen, who should be a terrific fit for Jonathan Gannon's defense. However, it would have been great to see Egbuka reunite with former Buckeyes teammate and 2024 first-round pick Marvin Harrison Jr. in Arizona.

It's not just that we love college reunions, either. Harrison entered the 2024 draft as one of the most heavily hyped receiver prospects in recent memory. But without a reliable No. 2 receiver in Arizona, he largely underwhelmed as a rookie. Harrison's 882 yards and eight touchdowns is well short of what he might have produced with a stronger supporting cast.

Putting Egbuka in the same lineup as Harrison and star tight end Trey McBride could have helped unlock Harrison's potential while giving Arizona a wonderful receiving trio. Not only did the Cardinals pass on Egbuka, but they didn't take a single receiver during the draft.

Pittsburgh Steelers Take Jaxson Dart at No. 21

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Whether the Pittsburgh Steelers end up signing Aaron Rodgers or not, they desperately need a long-term solution behind center. The 41-year-old Rodgers isn't it, and neither is Mason Rudolph.

The Steelers had a chance to draft any quarterback not named Cam Ward with the 21st overall pick, but they opted for Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon instead. That wasn't an unexpected pairing, as Pittsburgh lost Larry Ogunjobi in free agency and needs an eventual successor to Cameron Heyward.

However, the Steelers didn't even draft a quarterback until they took a sixth-round flier on Ohio State's Will Howard. Although Howard has an intriguing combination of size (6'4", 237 lbs) and talent, we'd have liked to see Pittsburgh take its potential quarterback of the future much earlier.

Specifically, we'd have liked to see the Steelers grab Mississippi's Jaxson Dart before the Giants traded into the No. 25 spot to take him.

Like Howard, Dart (6'2", 223 lbs) has good size and athleticism. He has even better arm talent, though. He could have helped Pittsburgh find the vertical passing attack it has lacked since Ben Roethlisberger's prime years.

While some teams didn't view Dart as a Round 1 talent, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette told the Rich Eisen Show (h/t Ross McCorkle of Steelers Depot) shortly before the draft that the Steelers did have a first-round grade on the quarterback.

Alas, Dart is a Giant, and it's probably Rodgers or bust for the Steelers.

Miami Dolphins Grab Luther Burden III in Round 2

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Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle has been very productive for the Miami Dolphins since they took him with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2021 draft. He was particularly impressive in 2022 and 2023 while playing in head coach Mike McDaniel's uptempo, motion-based offense and with a healthy Tua Tagovailoa behind center. Playing opposite fellow speed merchant Tyreek Hill certainly didn't hurt.

Miami's offense suffered last season, as Tagovailoa spent much of the season sidelined by injuries. We're looking forward to seeing him back and leading the return of the Dolphins' explosive offense.

Selfishly, we wish we'd have seen Miami add another dynamic playmaker to create even more mismatches alongside Waddle, Hill and breakaway back De'Von Achane.

In Round 2, Miami traded up to take Arizona guard Jonah Savaiinaea. That was the sensible pick, as the Dolphins needed to bolster their offensive line to help keep Tagovailoa upright. But they could have taken Missouri wideout Luther Burden III, who went to the Chicago Bears two picks later.

McDaniel could have had some fun with Burden as his slot receiver.

"He will benefit from being linked to a creative offensive coordinator who will utilize his full skill set to help the offense," Dame Parson of the B/R Scouting Department wrote. "The best way to implement Burden into the offensive system is to get him involved in the passing game from multiple alignments with pre-snap motion."

We'll enjoy watching Burden play under Ben Johnson in Chicago, but seeing him join the Miami track team would have been great. We'll just have to see if 2024 sixth-round pick Malik Washington can make a second-year jump instead.

Buffalo Bills Grab Pat Bryant in Round 3

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We don't want to sound ungrateful about getting to see Illinois wide receiver Pat Bryant operate alongside Courtland Sutton and Devaughn Vele in Sean Payton's offense. It's just that the Denver Broncos are probably still a year or two away from legitimate contention in the AFC.

Meanwhile, the Buffalo Bills are stuck at the Super Bowl doorstep, seemingly unable to get past the Kansas City Chiefs. We'd like to see Josh Allen and the Bills finally reach the big game, and we certainly wouldn't be upset about seeing more Bills-Chiefs matchups in the postseason.

That's why we'd have loved to see Bryant land with the Bills two spots higher than his actual draft slot. Instead, Buffalo used that pick on Arkansas pass-rusher Landon Jackson.

That makes sense since the Bills will need to stop quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson to reach the Super Bowl. But Bryant would have been a terrific fit for a Bills offense that could use receiver help.

The Illinois product is a big-bodied (6'2", 208 lbs), position-versatile receiver who could have replaced 2024 trade acquisition Amari Cooper, who remains unsigned. The 22-year-old is also an elite run-blocker, which would have made him an asset in Joe Brady's run-heavy balanced offense.

The Bills didn't draft a receiver before taking Maryland's Kaden Prather in the seventh round. They can still bring back Cooper, but it's hard not to imagine Bryant's fit alongside Josh Allen, Keon Coleman, Dalton Kincaid and James Cook in Buffalo.

Kansas City Chiefs Take Harold Fannin Jr. in Round 3

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Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr. landed with the Cleveland Browns, and we can't wait to see what head coach Kevin Stefanski dials up for Fannin and star tight end David Njoku. Fannin racked up an FBS-leading 1,555 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns last season, and he has the skills to be a dynamic and versatile pass-catcher in the NFL.

"Creative offensive play callers are best if you want to maximize his skill set to its fullest potential," B/R scout Dame Parson wrote. "He will be able to generate favorable matchups based on his alignment fluidity. In the right offensive system and role, he can be a top-3 receiving option at the next level."

Fannin should be plenty entertaining in Cleveland. As is the case with Warren, though, we'd have loved to see Fannin pair up with a future Hall of Fame tight end this season.

The Kansas City Chiefs picked Louisville defensive end Ashton Gillotte one spot before the Browns took Fannin. It would have been great to watch Andy Reid dialing up mismatches with Fannin, Travis Kelce and Noah Gray in multiple-tight-end sets.

Taking Fannin would have made logistical sense for the Chiefs, too. Kelce is turning 36 in October, and while he's returning for another run in 2025, there's a non-zero chance that this will be his final season.