The 2025 NFL Draft did not take long to deliver the first major twist.
Tennessee selected Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the No. 1 pick, something that had been expected for weeks now.
But then, the QB-starved Cleveland Browns traded the No. 2 pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars. James Gladstone, the Jaguars' 34-year-old GM, picked Colorado's Travis Hunter, who was announced as a WR and DB. Three picks later, the Browns took Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham.
So who really won the trade? Time will tell, but Cleveland still could snag its quarterback on Friday in the second round.
Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart was drafted at No. 25 by the New York Giants ahead of Colorado's Shedeur Sanders, which was a surprise. New York also selected Abdul Carter with the No. 3 pick. The Browns and Giants trades were the major storylines in the first round of the NFL Draft at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisc.
Sanders' slide will be the story heading into Day 2.
Here is a look at the winners and losers from Day 1:
2025 NFL Draft winners: Round 1
Cam Ward
The Titans took Ward with the No. 1 pick, marking the next chapter in his journey from zero-star recruit through Incarnate Word, Washington State and Miami. He passed for 4,313 yards 39 TDs and seven interceptions in his lone season with the Hurricanes.
Titans QBs combined for 36 TDs and 33 interceptions the last two seasons. There will be a learning curve with Ward, but he should be able to settle in like he did at all those stops on his college path.
Cleveland Browns
The Browns pulled off an unexpected first-round trade. This wasn't exactly the fabled "Draft Day" finale, but it was a solid, aggressive first-round trade.
The first-round pick flip took some of the guess-work out of the No. 2 pick. Will Browns general manager Andrew Berry get roasted for passing on Hunter first and then Sanders later? Not if Cleveland takes Sanders on Day 2.
The Browns also got a haul in return. Jacksonville sent Cleveland their second-round pick (No. 36), fourth-round pick (No. 126) and their 2026 first-round pick. Jacksonville got a fourth-round pick (No. 104) and sixth-round pick (No. 200).
Graham is an impact defensive tackle that should fare well with defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. Graham becomes a play-it-safe top-five pick for a franchise plagued by first-round failures since 1999.
Now, Cleveland has two first-round picks in 2026 – when Texas' Arch Manning could be in play. The Browns still have two years left on the Deshaun Watson contract, and the best way to offset that is with draft picks.
New York Giants
Giants general manager Joe Schoen and coach Brian Daboll needed to make a splash after the Saquon Barkley-to-Philadelphia debacle last offseason, and New York delivered a double-feature headline.
New York took Penn State's Abdul Carter with the No. 3 pick, which adds to a pass rush that already features Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux, who combined for 23 sacks last season.
The Giants then traded Houston for the No. 25 pick and landed quarterback Jaxson Dart in one of the surprises of the night. Dart can learn behind veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston in what is a more-palatable quarterback plan in the Big Apple for the future.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders didn't have to give anything up to get Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, who rushed for 2,601 yards and 29 TDs for the Broncos last season. He's the perfect running back for first-year coach Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly to build an offense around with veteran quarterback Geno Smith.
The Raiders ranked last in the NFL with 3.6 yards per carry last season. Jeanty averaged 5.3 yards after contact for Boise State in 2024. This is classic "best player on the board" mentality.
Omarion Hampton
Hampton, a talented runner and receiver out of the backfield for North Carolina, landed with the Los Angeles Chargers. JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards are free agents, so Hampton could step into a tag-team role with Najee Harris in a Jim Harbaugh offense. Hampton is a tough runner after contact and a deserving first-round pick in a draft flush with running backs. This was the Chargers' second solid first-round pick in as many seasons after landing tackle Joe Alt in 2024.
Packers end first-round WR drought
The scene at Lambeau Field was wild. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell rode into the draft on a bicycle flanked by Clay Matthews and Lil Wayne. Longtime Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy stole the show, however, when he announced Green Bay was selecting a receiver in the first round for the first time since 2002.
Texas' Matthew Golden – who ran a 4.29 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine – gives Jordan Love an over-the-top vertical threat. Give the Cheeseheads what they want.
The first @Packers' pick in Green Bay is...
— NFL (@NFL) April 25, 2025
WR Matthew Golden 🧀
📺: #NFLDraft on NFLN/ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/pO6KD26lES
Aaron Rodgers
The Steelers passed on Sanders at No. 21, which led to the growing speculation that Rogers, who slid to the No. 24 pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, might return for a 21st season. Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson are the only quarterbacks on the Steelers' roster, and there are multiple Day 2 options available. Pittsburgh let Russell Wilson and Justin Fields go this offseason and the franchise still has to keep pace in the AFC North. Will Rodgers be the answer for Mike Tomlin, after all?
SEC, Big Ten dominate first round
The SEC had the most first-round picks with 15 – the second straight season the conference had the outright lead for first-round picks. The Big Ten was second with 11 first-round picks. Those two conferences continue to produce the most elite first-round NFL Draft talent.
Ohio State led all schools with four first-round picks, followed by Georgia, Texas and Michigan with three picks apiece.
2024 NFL Draft losers: Round 1
Shedeur Sanders
Sanders was projected to be a first-round pick and in many cases a top-10 pick throughout the draft process. He had 7,364 passing yards, 64 TDs and 13 interceptions the last two seasons with Colorado.
Yet he slipped past the Steelers at No. 21, and the Giants traded to land Dart was another draft-day surprise considering Sanders was generally considered the next-best QB behind Ward.
What led to the draft-day slide? Was it the anonymous sources? How unfair is that? Colorado coach Deion Sanders likely will have a strong response, and how Sanders handles the disappointment will be magnified. Sanders' landing spot in Day 2 will be the lead topic of conversation Friday as a result.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Did the Jaguars give up too much for Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter?
This is a tone-setting move for first-year general manager James Gladstone and coach Liam Coen. This isn't about Hunter. He can make an impact on both sides for the Jaguars, and it's a homecoming of sorts for the West Palm Beach, Fla., native. He'll be a fan favorite.
That price was steep, however, especially given the Jaguars need help on the offensive line and defensive interior. Giving up a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft seems like a steep price, and the Browns got the better end of the deal.
Chicago Bears
The Bears did not trade up for Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, who went No. 6 to the Las Vegas Raiders. The Bears took Michigan tight end Colston Loveland with the No. 10 pick.
Loveland got selected Penn State tight end Tyler Warren, which was a surprise to say the least. Caleb Williams gets another target, but how many actual targets will the rookie tight end get in a group that already features DJ Moore, Rome Odunze and tight end Cole Kmet. Does that mean more "12" personnel in Chicago?
Kmet had 47 catches for 474 yards and four TDs as the Bears' starting tight end last season, and there were plenty of other needs worth addressing in the first round.
Will Johnson
Once considered a lock for a top-5 pick, the Michigan DB missed most of last season with injury. Now, Johnson reportedly has a different knee injury that became a concern through the draft process. His productivity is hard to ignore, but availability is the best ability in the NFL.
Group of 5 schools
Jeanty was the only Group of 5 players selected in the first round. Marshall's Mike Green fell to Day 2, and the only other player selected outside the Power 4 conferences was North Dakota State offensive lineman Grey Zabel from the FCS.