Honestly, if you looked at the 2025 NFL draft order first round back in December, it probably looks nothing like what actually went down at Lambeau Field. Draft night in Green Bay was basically a fever dream for some fanbases and a total gut punch for others. We saw a Heisman winner move teams before he even shook Roger Goodell's hand, and a certain quarterback from Colorado slide in a way that had everyone on Twitter losing their minds.
It's wild.
The Tennessee Titans didn't overthink it. They sat at the top with a 3-14 record and took Cam Ward from Miami. Simple. But right after that? Pure chaos. The Cleveland Browns were sitting at No. 2, everyone assumed they’d take a certain two-way superstar, and then they traded the pick. To the Jaguars. Who then took Travis Hunter.
The Official 2025 NFL Draft Order First Round Results
Looking back, the way the board fell was a mix of "yeah, that makes sense" and "wait, they did what?" Here is how the actual selections shook out for the first 32 picks.
The Tennessee Titans started things off by grabbing their franchise QB, Cam Ward, at No. 1. Then the Jacksonville Jaguars made that huge jump from No. 5 to No. 2 (via Cleveland) to secure Travis Hunter, the CB/WR hybrid from Colorado. The New York Giants stayed put at No. 3 for Penn State's Abdul Carter, while the New England Patriots bolstered their line at No. 4 with Will Campbell.
The Cleveland Browns, after moving down to No. 5, took Mason Graham from Michigan. Ashton Jeanty went to the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 6—a pick that felt like a perfect culture fit for that squad. The New York Jets took Armand Membou at No. 7, followed by the Carolina Panthers getting a massive target in Tetairoa McMillan at No. 8.
The middle of the pack saw some heavy focus on the "trenches." Kelvin Banks Jr. went No. 9 to the New Orleans Saints, and the Chicago Bears took Michigan tight end Colston Loveland at No. 10. The San Francisco 49ers (No. 11, Mykel Williams), Dallas Cowboys (No. 12, Tyler Booker), and Miami Dolphins (No. 13, Kenneth Grant) all went for size and power.
- Indianapolis Colts: Tyler Warren, TE (Penn State)
- Atlanta Falcons: Jalon Walker, LB (Georgia)
- Arizona Cardinals: Walter Nolen, DT (Ole Miss)
- Cincinnati Bengals: Shemar Stewart, DE (Texas A&M)
- Seattle Seahawks: Grey Zabel, G (North Dakota State)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Emeka Egbuka, WR (Ohio State)
- Denver Broncos: Jahdae Barron, CB (Texas)
The Trade That Shook the Bottom Half
The real story of the night wasn't just at the top. It was the New York Giants getting aggressive. They already had their defensive stud in Carter, but they traded back into the first round at No. 25 (with Houston) to snag Jaxson Dart, the Ole Miss quarterback.
This move effectively signaled the end of an era in New York.
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Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs swapped spots at the very end of the round. The Eagles moved up to No. 31 for Jihaad Campbell, leaving the Super Bowl champion Chiefs to close out the night at No. 32 with Josh Simmons.
It's kinda crazy when you realize teams like the Los Angeles Rams and Houston Texans didn't even make a selection in the first round because they traded out. If you're a fan of those teams, Thursday night was basically just a very long wait for a Friday that never felt like it was coming.
Why the Order Changed So Much
People often forget that the draft order isn't just about who lost the most games. It’s a living document. Tie-breakers based on "Strength of Schedule" (SOS) are what separated the Titans, Browns, and Giants, who all finished with the same 3-14 record.
Basically, the Titans had the "easiest" schedule, which gave them the tie-breaker for the worst finish.
Then you have the playoff teams. The Detroit Lions finished with a massive 15-2 record but ended up picking at No. 28 because of how the postseason bracket played out. It's a cruel system for the winners, but that's the NFL parity machine for you.
Actionable Insights for Next Season
If you're trying to track how your team's first-round pick is performing or how the 2026 order might look, keep these three things in mind:
- Watch the Snap Counts: High-drafted offensive linemen like Will Campbell (Patriots) and Kelvin Banks Jr. (Saints) are expected to be Day 1 starters. If they aren't on the field by Week 1, something is wrong.
- The Quarterback Clock: The Giants taking Jaxson Dart at No. 25 means the pressure is on. Historical data suggests late-first-round QBs have a shorter leash than Top 5 picks.
- The "Hunter" Effect: Keep an eye on how Jacksonville uses Travis Hunter. Because he plays both ways, his conditioning and injury risk are much higher than a standard first-round pick.
The 2025 NFL draft order first round gave us a glimpse into the future of the league, heavily favoring defensive line depth and versatile "unicorn" athletes. Whether these picks pan out or become the next "what if" story depends entirely on the coaching transitions happening across the league right now.
To stay ahead of the curve, you should track the weekly injury reports for these rookies. Many of the top picks, particularly Will Johnson (who slipped to the early second round) and Travis Hunter, have specific "red flag" health histories that will dictate their impact in their debut seasons. Keep a close eye on training camp availability to see who is actually ready for the pro speed.