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6 Biggest Regrets Teams Should Have After 2025 NFL Draft
Regret comes in two forms: immediate and gradual. We've all experienced both, and so have teams in the aftermath of the NFL draft.
With 257 picks overall, the three-day event is a constant decision tree for clubs. Sometimes, those choices go south quickly or what seems to be the right call on draft day ends up going horribly wrong years later.
Especially with the latter scenario, the "what could have been" situations stand out in people's minds, and that's why redrafts are popular content during the summer months.
Here, we'll dive into both types of regret for the 2025 NFL draft and explore a few decisions that clubs either already want back or will want a mulligan on down the line.
Steelers Wait Until 6th Round for Quarterback
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While the Pittsburgh Steelers eventually drafted former Ohio State quarterback Will Howard, they also passed on him four times and waited until the sixth round to take him. That indicates the Steelers’ brass views the National Championship-winning quarterback as more of a backup than a long-term starter.
Sure, Howard wasn’t worth a first-round pick and might have been considered a questionable Day 2 selection. But Pittsburgh opted to pass on him in the fourth and fifth rounds, too, where it would be a more reasonable range for the organization to say it's developing him to be a starter.
The Steelers' approach to drafting a quarterback this year is also a strong signal that they're putting all their eggs in the Aaron Rodgers basket.
Just ask the New York Jets how that level of thinking worked out, and anyone who watched the 41-year-old play last season should have reservations about that decision.
Plus, it's May, and Rodgers hasn't signed yet, adding even more questions about the Steelers' long-term and interim plan under center.
If it doesn't already, the organization will look back and regret not at least taking a chance on a quarterback in the draft, especially with Shedeur Sanders' slide.
Cowboys Don't Add Wide Receiver
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Heading into the draft, Dallas Cowboys COO and co-owner Stephen Jones told the team's website that they were looking to add a "really explosive number two" wide receiver for quarterback Dak Prescott.
However, the Cowboys made nine picks over the draft weekend, and not a single one was on a wideout.
Granted, Dallas was reportedly prepared to select former Arizona receiver Tetairoa McMillan until McMillian was taken in front of them by the Carolina Panthers. So, Jones and Co. used the 12th overall pick to replace future Hall of Famer Zack Martin, who retired this offseason, with Alabama guard Tyler Booker instead.
That’s a justifiable decision given the team's need and building through the trenches is never a bad idea. Plus, this year's receiver class lacked top-end talent. However, the club’s decisions in the second and third rounds became head-scratching considering Jones' pre-draft comments.
Despite spending a second-round pick on Marshawn Kneeland last year and signing Dante Fowler Jr. during free agency, the Cowboys used the 44th overall pick on former Boston College pass-rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku. Meanwhile, receivers Tre Harris from Ole Miss and Jack Bech from TCU were still available and taken later in the second round.
In round three, Dallas added former East Carolina cornerback Shavon Revel Jr., who is coming off a torn ACL, with Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland returning and trading for Kaiir Elam earlier this offseason. Just a few picks later, former Iowa State wideout Jaylin Noel was selected by the Houston Texans.
That forced the Cowboys to send a 2026 third-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for George Pickens, who is entering a contract year, to address the offense's need out wide. So, the Jones family might look back on the 2025 draft and regret using their second- and third-rounders on luxury picks instead of adding a weapon for Prescott.
Falcons Overpay for James Pearce Jr.
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To be fair, it's hard to blame the Atlanta Falcons for double-dipping at pass-rusher during the draft.
The defense has struggled to consistently put pressure on opposing quarterbacks and needed to add someone on the edge for a few years, which was highlighted by recording the second-fewest sacks (31) in the NFL last season.
So, it's understandable that general manager Terry Fontenot used the 15th overall selection on Georgia's Jalon Walker and his next pick on another edge-rusher.
However, Fontenot might end up regretting how much he had to give up to trade back into the first round for James Pearce Jr.
Heading into the event, rumors swirled that the Tennessee product's character issues could cause him to slide. That was essentially confirmed by a report where a league executive said the Falcons overpaid by giving up first- and second-round picks for the former Volunteer and he was taken off many boards because of the issue.
Even if the Falcons were enamoured with Pearce's potential and didn't share the concerns of other clubs, they might have been able to get him with their original second-round pick, No. 46 overall.
The next edge-rusher to come off the board was Donovan Ezeiruaku, who was taken 44th by the Dallas Cowboys. Even if they had taken Pearce over the Boston College product, he would have been a great option for Atlanta.
Additionally, Marshall's Mike Green lasted until the last few picks of Round 2 and would have been there for the Falcons' taking.
While Green slid because of off-field concerns, the Falcons were clearly willing to take a pass-rusher who came with some baggage, and the nation's sack leader is the superior player on the field.
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Browns Create More Chaotic Quarterback Room
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Let’s be honest, the Cleveland Browns have been synonymous with dysfunction and chaos since the organization resurfaced in 1999, especially when it comes to the quarterback position.
The Deshaun Watson situation is just the latest example as the jersey with a CVS receipt-like list of names is ever-growing.
So, maybe it shouldn't come as a surprise that the Browns mishandled addressing the most important position on the field this offseason.
The organization traded for Kenny Pickett, which in itself is a fine move. It didn’t take much to get the former first-round pick, and Watson clearly isn't the long-term solution under center.
Then, Joe Flacco was added to the mix during free agency. Still, not a terrible decision considering the 40-year-old helped lead the team to the playoffs two years ago and can at least be a competent backup.
However, Cleveland's quarterback plan went completely haywire during the draft.
The front office was reportedly higher on Dillon Gabriel than Shedeur Sanders, taking the Oregon product over the Colorado star in the third round.
That alone is a questionable call, but it's hard to fault a team for trusting its draft board when it comes to taking a signal-caller. But turning around and drafting Sanders two rounds later makes little to no sense.
Now, the Browns will have a five-man competition for the starting spot at the most important position on the field. There's no way to accurately evaluate who the best QB for the team is with that many passers taking first-team reps during training camp, let alone build chemistry with the rest of the offense.
Plus, all five players will constantly be looking over their shoulders, and any confidence instilled in Gabriel by prioritizing him in the draft is ruined by also taking Sanders. Why waste a pick on the latter if the organization believes in the former?
Ultimately, all the Browns did during the draft is add a couple more names to the jersey and extend their quarter-century search for a franchise quarterback.
Giants Trade Up for Jaxson Dart
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While all other regrets listed are centered around a team, this one is specific to two individuals for the New York Giants: general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll.
It’s no secret that both men are entering the 2025 season on the hot seat. At the end of this past season, owner John Mara released a statement to say Schoen and Daboll will keep their jobs while also implying they're on a short leash.
“While Mara didn't put a specific timeline on a turnaround, he didn't offer much leeway,” ESPN’s Jordan Raanan wrote on Jan. 6. “‘Better not take too long, because I've just about run out of patience,’ Mara said. He later added: 'I'm going to have to be in a better mood this time next year.'"
So, the general manager and head coach went into the offseason looking for an immediate upgrade at quarterback and signed Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston.
But, instead of focusing on building around Wilson or Winston and making the team more competitive during the draft, Schoen and Daboll traded back into the first round for Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart.
Dart could end up being a quality starting quarterback down the line, but he needs development and won't be ready to play right away.
That means New York’s decision-makers gave up second- and third-round selections to move up nine spots and pick a player who won't play this season. Meanwhile, there were other immediate holes on the roster that needed to be filled.
Even if Schoen and Daboll hit on the pick and the Ole Miss product becomes a good starter for the Giants, they may not be around to enjoy the fruits of their labor.
Raiders Lean Heavy on Offensive Players
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The Las Vegas Raiders underwent another regime change this offseason. Head coach Antonio Pierce and general manager Tom Telesco were fired after just one full season at the helm, making way for Pete Carroll and John Spytek to take over those respective roles.
It's not uncommon that new decision-makers want to put their stamp on the team's roster, but the Raiders' defense took a big hit during free agency.
The unit lost seven Week 1 starters from last season: safeties Tre'von Moehrig and Marcus Epps, linebackers Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo, cornerbacks Nate Hobbs and Jack Jones, and nose tackle John Jenkins.
Carroll and Spytek did add a few replacements on the open market, like safety Jeremy Chinn, linebacker Elandon Roberts and cornerback Eric Stokes. But that's still a net loss of at least four starters, and contracts aside, there's a drop-off in talent between the defenders who left and the ones who were brought in.
That led some to believe Las Vegas would lean heavily on defenders in the draft, especially after Spytek traded back twice during the second round to acquire five Top 100 picks. Instead, the club used four of those five selections on offensive players.
On top of that, Iowa State cornerback Darien Porter was the lone defender taken, and he might need some time to develop.
Additionally, the Raiders used seven of their 11 total draft picks on the offensive side of the ball, taking two wide receivers (TCU's Jack Bech and Tennessee's Dont'e Thornton) and two offensive linemen (Caleb Rogers from Texas Tech and Charles Grant from William & Mary) before adding a linebacker (Minnesota’s Cody Lindenberg in the seventh round).
So, the team still has major questions at linebacker, nickelback, nose tackle and free safety heading into the upcoming campaign.
Don't get it twisted, Spytek did get good value with a lot of his draft decisions and might be playing the long game with his first draft as a GM.
But the latter is contradictory to the "win-now" messaging the 73-year-old head coach has been preaching since taking over, and Las Vegas’ new regime may end up regretting not adding more defenders two weekends ago.
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