2025 NFL Draft Day 1 Results: Biggest winners and losers from Day 1 of 2025 NFL Draft
The 2025 NFL Draft started on Thursday, with the first 32 picks made in a crazy start to the event. The first night had many surprises, trades and interesting picks as all teams started the day with their own pick.
Here's a list of winners and losers from Day 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft.
NFL Draft 2025 Day 1 Winners
Winner: Jacksonville Jaguars
The biggest move of the night happened right at the start, with James Gladstone completing a major move as his first draft pick as a general manager. The Jaguars selected a special player and a rare two-way star, hoping to build a new era with a different player in the league.
Winner: Cleveland Browns
The Browns were also winners in the same trade, as the franchise earned a nice haul to move down from #2 to #5 with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Browns now have extra first and second-round picks available, as they try to build a new roster after the failure of Deshaun Watson's project. They were also able to grab a fantastic player at #5, with Mason Graham being their pick.
Winner: Baker Mayfield
The offseason was already a good time for the Buccaneers' quarterback, who kept his core of receivers intact. But Tampa Bay made another move at the position, using the #19 pick to select Emeka Egbuka from Ohio State, forming an excellent trio of pass catchers with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Mayfield surely had to be excited with the pick.
Winner: City of Green Bay
The atmosphere around the draft was incredible, and minutes after the start, the Packers had to close the entrance due to full capacity. But Packers fans rejoiced when the franchise selected Matthew Golden from Texas. He's the first wide receiver taken in the first round by Green Bay since the 2002 draft.
Winner: Giants fans
The franchise did a good job on the first night. Without a trade down at #3, they selected one of the elite players of the class in Abdul Carter, improving their pass rush for the upcoming season. But the Giants also completed a trade with the Houston Texans in the first round to move up and select Jaxson Dart, giving the franchise a new passer to develop and try to fix the franchise quarterback position.
Honorable mention: Ashton Jeanty
No running back was taken in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, but Jeanty didn't have to wait much. The Las Vegas Raiders selected him with the sixth overall pick, earning a nice paycheck due to the rookie wage scale. Jeanty was the earliest running back selected in the draft (#6) since Saquon Barkley was selected at #2 in 2018.
NFL Draft 2025 Day 1 Losers
Loser: Shedeur Sanders
The Giants passed on him. The Saints passed on him. The Steelers passed on him. Shedeur Sanders' night was supposed to be a coronation of his years in Colorado, but the quarterback ended up being the biggest loser of the night, as his name was not called. With the Cleveland Browns picking at #33, he has a strong chance of being the first pick on Day 2.
Loser: Dallas Cowboys
Micah Parsons made it clear that he wanted his team to add Tetairoa McMillan to the team, but the Carolina Panthers acted first and drafted the wide receiver at #8. With their preferred option off the board, Dallas reached for a player that was unlikely to be taken so high. Tyler Booker is one of the best guards in the draft, but his stock was sitting around the late first-round instead of #12.
Loser: Minnesota Vikings
The franchise entered the night with just four picks available due to previous trades. With many teams looking to move up the board, the Vikings were unable to strike a deal to receive extra picks in this class. Their selection, Donovan Jackson, was also considered a reach by many analysts, who had his stock around the second round.
Loser: Tyler Warren
The Penn State tight end was considered the best prospect of the class for most of the previous weeks, but Colston Loveland overtook him as the first tight end taken off the board at #10. Although his fit with the Indianapolis Colts (#14) is one of the best in the first round, Warren is set to lose a few millions due to his unexpected fall.
Loser: Terry Fontenot
The Atlanta Falcons' general manager found himself with two players after a move to return to the first round. James Pearce Jr. is a good addition to a team that struggled to rush the passer in recent years, but the price for the deal was expensive, with the Falcons sending their 2026 first-round pick.