Round 1 grades. Round 2 best available: Shedeur Sanders still out there
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Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft is in the books.
The proceedings from legendary Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, offered some surprises.
There was no surprise at the top, where the Tennessee Titans selected Miami QB Cam Ward. The intrigue followed that pick.
The first big stunner came at the No. 2 pick, where the Jacksonville Jaguars traded up with the Cleveland Browns in order to select 2024 Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter.
Later, the New York Giants traded back into the first round in order to select a quarterback ... only it was not Shedeur Sanders. The G-Men tabbed Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart as their quarterback of the future.
As for Sanders, the pre-draft process can be a fickle beast. Once regarded as a top-five pick, Sanders now drops into Round 2. Lucky for the Colorado quarterback, there are plenty of QB-needy teams picking early in the second round. At the conclusion of Thursday night's Round 1, Sanders reacted to not going in the first round, saying "we all know this shouldn’t have happened." Well, it did.
Here's a look back at the first round and look ahead to Friday at the draft:
Round 1 grades
Which picks earned an A? Which picks missed the mark? Evaluating all 32 first-round selections Paste BN Sports' Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz graded every pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Which player-team pairings seem best?
Best available players for Friday
Several prominent prospects are still waiting to hear their name get called during the 2025 NFL Draft. Most notably, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders. However, Michigan cornerback Will Johnson and Marshall edge rusher Mike Green — two players who had been mocked in the first round — also have yet to hear their names get called.
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