Which NFL Teams Wish They Could Have a Do-Over in 2025 Draft?

The NFL draft is never a foolproof process. Every year, certain picks leave fans stunned for all the wrong reasons.

Over time, it becomes clear that some teams made a mistake. But there are no do-overs in the NFL draft.

What if there were, though?

Here, we've highlighted a few teams that might wind up wishing they made a different choice when they were on the clock.

Detroit Lions

AP Photo/Paul Sancya

The Detroit Lions' defense was ravaged by injuries last season. They finished the year with multiple starters on injured reserve, including star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. As a result, they racked up only 37 sacks, which was tied for 23rd leaguewide.

The Lions should be healthier this year, although they still have a glaring hole at edge-rusher opposite Hutchinson. However, they took Ohio State defensive tackle Tyleik Williams with the No. 28 overall pick rather than addressing their pass rush.

Williams is a good prospect and will make an impact on the interior of the Lions' defensive line. But Boston College's Donovan Ezeiruaku, whom the Dallas Cowboys selected at No. 44 overall, could been a strong Robin to Hutchinson's Batman. He possesses outstanding arm length and the pass-rush repertoire to challenge offensive tackles for access to the backfield.

Ezeiruaku's skill set and motor would have been great fits opposite of a healthy Hutchinson. He does not give up after his initial move is stalled. Instead, he continues forward to fight his way to the quarterback. All things considered, he sounds like a Dan Campbell kind of guy.

Rather than taking Ezeiruaku, the Lions waited until the sixth round to select Boise State edge-rusher Ahmed Hassanein. He is a solid player with a red-hot motor and good pop in his hands upon contact, but he does not have an NFL-ready pass-rush plan or instincts. He'll have a learning curve to adjust to the NFL, and there's a large talent drop-off between Ezeiruaku and Hassanein.

The Lions had a chance to improve their pass rush with a Day 1-caliber talent, but they instead decided to put their trust in a late-round developmental prospect.

Washington Commanders

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WR Jaylin Lane

Jayden Daniels has quickly cemented himself as the face of the Washington Commanders. The No. 2 overall pick in 2024 won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award last season and guided the Commanders to the NFC Championship Game.

Heading into the offseason, the Commanders needed to improve Daniels' supporting cast. They acquired versatile yards-after-the-catch threat Deebo Samuel in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers, but that alone wasn't enough for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.

The Commanders only had five draft picks, so they didn't need to select a wide receiver in Round 1. The board broke their way later in the draft, but they chose the wrong wideout prospect in Round 4.

The Commanders selected Jaylin Lane, who was the 27th-ranked wide receiver and No. 214 overall prospect on the B/R NFL Scouting Department's final big board. Five picks later, the Kansas City Chiefs took Jalen Royals, the sixth-ranked wideout and No. 49 overall prospect on the B/R big board.

Both Lane and Royals displayed their explosiveness and speed on film and at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine. But outside of athletic ability, there aren't many similarities between the two pass-catchers.

Lane is more of a straight-line buildup-speed receiver, but he lacks nuance and detail as a route-runner to create separation. Meanwhile, Royals is a well-proportioned receiver with great body control at the catch point. He plays with efficient footwork at the line of scrimmage and the hand usage to defeat press coverage, which he displayed at the Senior Bowl in January.

Royals' skill set and upside would have been a better fit in Washington alongside star receiver Terry McLaurin, do-it-all weapon Samuel and second-year wideout Luke McCaffrey. Imagine 11 personnel (3 WRs, 1 TE and 1 RB) with Royals, Samuel, and McLaurin as interchangeable weapons.

Daniels' deep passing accuracy and off-script playmaking elevated the Commanders' offense into a top-five scoring unit as a rookie. Adding Royals would have given this offense more bang for its buck and versatility for the future.

Denver Broncos

AP Photo/Bonnie Ryan

WR Pat Bryant

Jayden Daniels wasn't the only rookie quarterback to impress in 2024. Bo Nix led the Denver Broncos to the playoffs with a strong and efficient performance.

Most analysts expected the Broncos to add more receiving talent for Nix in the 2025 NFL draft. They did exactly that by taking Illinois wideout Pat Bryant in the third round. He adds another big-bodied receiver to a room with Courtland Sutton and Devaughn Vele.

Bryant was rated as Day 3 prospect on our final big board. He is a physical and strong-handed receiver with solid route-running abilities. He extends the quarterback's target window with his great ball skills and leaping ability.

However, Bryant does not separate well enough to project success as a traditional perimeter wideout. He lacks explosiveness and acceleration to threaten NFL cornerbacks vertically. Tight man coverage can suffocate and choke the air out of his routes.

There were better receiving prospects on the board, including Jaylin Noel, Jalen Royals, Tai Felton, and Elic Ayomanor. Doubling down on receivers who will frequently need to win contested catches is not the greatest idea.

Bryant must prove he has more ways to uncover from tight and physical man coverage to live up to his draft position.

Cleveland Browns

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QB Dillon Gabriel

Who is the Cleveland Browns' quarterback of the future? That remains unclear after the 2025 NFL draft.

With Cam Ward off the board at No. 2 overall, the Browns traded back with the Jacksonville Jaguars to acquire more picks along with interior defensive lineman Mason Graham, the third-ranked overall prospect on our final big board. The Browns continued to add help on both sides of the ball before using the 94th overall pick on Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel.

Gabriel offers dual-threat upside with his ability to use his legs and scramble. However, he's a small, undersized passer who struggles getting the ball out in front of his receivers on vertical shot plays. He's used to run-pass-option-oriented offenses that provide bigger passing windows than most NFL offenses do.

The Browns are in the AFC North and face some of the toughest teams in the league. Gabriel's arm is not equipped for cold-weather games in December and January. This offense is not structured around Gabriel's strengths.

Gabriel would have been a perfect fit on the Miami Dolphins as Tua Tagovailoa's primary backup. Both are efficient, quick-game throwers with good accuracy and placement. He'd still have a few cold-weather games on the road against AFC East opponents, but he'd have more warm-weather games than he will in the AFC North.

Scheme fits are important for the success of prospects. Gabriel does not appear to be an ideal fit schematically for head coach Kevin Stefanski's offense in Cleveland. This pick did not make much sense either for the team or the player, particularly after the Browns later selected Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round.

Miami Dolphins

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RB Ollie Gordon II

The Miami Dolphins are known to value world-class speed at the offensive skill positions. This works in their favor early in the season while the weather is hot, but they routinely tail off later in the year.

Since 2022, the Dolphins are 6-7 in games in December alone. Starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is 1-7 in his career when the temperature is 46 degrees or colder at kickoff, and 2-8 when it's 50 degrees or colder.

One way to improve their success later in the season is to run the ball with attitude and physicality. Their predraft cast of running backs were speedsters DeVon Achane and Jaylen Wright, neither of whom is known for their power or physicality.

The Dolphins did use a sixth-round pick on Oklahoma State bellcow Ollie Gordon II, who should add size and power to this undersized rushing attack. However, they should have taken Miami Hurricanes tailback Damien Martinez instead. Martinez was the No. 68 overall prospect and sixth-ranked running back on our final big board, while Gordon was the No. 151 overall prospect and 16th-ranked RB.

Gordon needs built-in lanes to get downhill and lower his shoulders on second- and third-level defenders. He is a physical run finisher given a full head of steam. However, he lacks elusiveness, quick footwork, vision and feel for congestion.

Martinez gets however many yards his offensive line creates upfront, but he also can create plays for himself. Like Gordon, Martinez is a physical runner who inflicts his brand of punishment on defenders. He will make the alley defenders miss with elusiveness and run through their face to set the tone. Gordon does not offer the same upside or creativity.

The Dolphins need to emphasize their running game more later in the season. Gordon was a step in the right direction, but they did not draft the best running back available to them.

Kansas City Chiefs

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Edge-rusher Ashton Gillotte

The Kansas City Chiefs are known for their depth along the defensive line. Current starter Charles Omenihu will be an unrestricted free agent next offseason, so the Chiefs doubled down on their defensive line during the 2025 draft by adding Tennessee interior defensive lineman Omarr Norman-Lott at the end of the second round and Louisville edge-rusher Ashton Gillotte at the top of the third round.

Gillotte is a sawed-off and short-armed power rusher with heavy punches. He plays with his hair on fire and does not stop playing until the whistle is blown.

However, there were better and more physically gifted edge-rushers on the board. The Chiefs selected Gillotte over Landon Jackson, Princely Umanmielen and Jordan Burch, to name a few.

Gillotte is a solid, effective and productive backfield merchant. He offers positional flexibility as a pass-rusher and has a good floor, but his ceiling is limited.

Other edge-rushers could have offered more to their defense as they try to get back to the Super Bowl.