The draft is over. Gone. Done. The confetti at Lambeau Field has long since been swept up, but the 2025 NFL draft order is still a major talking point for anyone trying to figure out how their team actually got better—or worse. If you were watching back in April, you know it wasn't just a linear list of bad teams to good teams. It was a mess of trades, compensatory picks, and some truly weird tiebreaker scenarios that left a few fanbases scratching their heads.
Honestly, the draft order is the only time NFL fans care about strength of schedule (SOS) after the regular season ends. It’s the difference between getting a franchise-altering tackle or settling for a project edge rusher. You’ve probably noticed that the draft doesn’t look like the standings. It’s a jigsaw puzzle.
The Top 10: Where the Chaos Started
The Tennessee Titans didn't win much in 2024, but they won the most important race of all: the race to the bottom. They secured the No. 1 overall pick with a dismal 3-14 record. While most of the pre-draft chatter revolved around whether they’d trade out, they stayed put and grabbed Miami quarterback Cam Ward. It was a "safe" pick that hasn't exactly set the league on fire yet, but that's a story for another time.
The real drama started at pick No. 2.
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The Cleveland Browns actually held that spot initially based on their record, but a massive trade-up saw the Jacksonville Jaguars jump from No. 5 to No. 2. They wanted Travis Hunter, the Colorado two-way star, and they weren't going to let anyone else snag him. Cleveland moved down, picked up a haul of assets, and still managed to grab Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham at No. 5.
- Tennessee Titans: Cam Ward, QB (Miami)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (via CLE): Travis Hunter, CB/WR (Colorado)
- New York Giants: Abdul Carter, DE (Penn State)
- New England Patriots: Will Campbell, OT (LSU)
- Cleveland Browns (via JAX): Mason Graham, DT (Michigan)
- Las Vegas Raiders: Ashton Jeanty, RB (Boise State)
- New York Jets: Armand Membou, OT (Missouri)
- Carolina Panthers: Tetairoa McMillan, WR (Arizona)
- New Orleans Saints: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT (Texas)
- Chicago Bears: Colston Loveland, TE (Michigan)
The Raiders taking a running back at No. 6 raised some eyebrows. Jeanty is a monster, sure, but in a league that devalues RBs, Las Vegas decided they needed a bell-cow more than a quarterback at that specific moment.
Understanding the Middle: 11 Through 24
This is where the playoff losers start to fill in the gaps. Once you get past the first 18 picks—those reserved for the teams that missed the postseason—the order is dictated by how far you went in January.
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For example, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Denver Broncos, and Pittsburgh Steelers all exited in the Wild Card round. They all finished with 10-7 records. So how do you decide who picks at 19, 20, and 21? You look at the opponents. The team with the easiest schedule gets the higher pick. In this case, the Bucs had the lowest SOS, so they went first among that group.
- San Francisco 49ers: Mykel Williams, DE (Georgia)
- Dallas Cowboys: Tyler Booker, G (Alabama)
- Miami Dolphins: Kenneth Grant, DT (Michigan)
- 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)
- Pittsburgh Steelers: Derrick Harmon, DT (Oregon)
- Los Angeles Chargers: Omarion Hampton, RB (North Carolina)
- Green Bay Packers: Matthew Golden, WR (Texas)
- Minnesota Vikings: Donovan Jackson, G (Ohio State)
It’s kinda funny how the 49ers ended up at 11. Usually, they're picking in the late 20s, but a rough 2024 campaign plagued by injuries put them in prime position to reload their defense. They didn't miss. Mykel Williams is already looking like a problem for NFC West tackles.
The Elite End: Picks 25 to 32
The final stretch of the first round is where the "rich get richer." Or at least, that's the theory. The Houston Texans were supposed to pick at 25, but they traded that pick to the New York Giants. The Giants, having already picked at 3, moved back into the first round to grab Jaxson Dart, the Ole Miss quarterback.
It was a bold move. They basically admitted they weren't sure about their current QB situation and wanted a "dual-threat" insurance policy.
- 25. New York Giants (via HOU): Jaxson Dart, QB (Ole Miss)
- 26. Atlanta Falcons (via LAR): James Pearce Jr., DE (Tennessee)
- 27. Baltimore Ravens: Malaki Starks, S (Georgia)
- 28. Detroit Lions: Tyleik Williams, DT (Ohio State)
- 29. Washington Commanders: Josh Conerly Jr., OT (Oregon)
- 30. Buffalo Bills: Maxwell Hairston, CB (Kentucky)
- 31. Philadelphia Eagles (via KC): Jihaad Campbell, LB (Alabama)
- 32. Kansas City Chiefs (via PHI): Josh Simmons, OT (Ohio State)
Did you catch those last two? The Chiefs and Eagles actually swapped spots at the very end. Philadelphia moved up to 31 to jump ahead of someone—likely a team looking for a linebacker—to secure Jihaad Campbell. The Chiefs, sitting pretty after another deep run, moved down one spot and still got the tackle they desperately needed to protect Mahomes.
Why These Rankings Still Matter
Looking back at the 25 NFL draft order isn't just a history lesson. It tells you exactly what the league thinks about certain positions.
We saw three offensive tackles go in the top 10. We saw a tight end (Loveland) break into the top 10, which is rare. We saw a running back go in the top 6. This wasn't a "standard" draft. It was a draft where teams prioritized immediate impact over long-term projection.
The sheer volume of trades in the first round—specifically involving the Jaguars, Browns, Giants, and Falcons—shows that the 2025 class was top-heavy. Teams felt there was a massive drop-off after the first 15 or 20 players. If you weren't in that top group, you were trying to get there.
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Actionable Next Steps for Fans
If you're still tracking how these rookies are doing or how the 2026 order is shaping up, here is what you should do:
- Check the Snap Counts: Go to sites like PFF or Pro Football Reference and look at how many snaps these first-rounders are actually playing. A high draft pick who isn't on the field by Week 4 is a red flag.
- Monitor the 2026 Capital: Remember those trades? The Browns and Rams have extra picks in 2026 because of their moves in the 2025 order. That’s going to be huge for their rebuilds.
- Watch the SOS: If your team is struggling right now, keep an eye on the "Strength of Schedule" tiebreaker. It’s almost as important as the win-loss record when it comes to landing a top-3 pick.
The draft is a cycle. As soon as one ends, the next one begins. The 2025 order set the stage for a massive shift in power, especially in the AFC South and NFC East. Keep an eye on those trade-up teams; their futures depend entirely on those April gambles.