The Jacksonville Jaguars’ first-round decide, Colorado Buffaloes huge receiver and defensive again Travis Hunter, left, solutions questions as Common Supervisor James Gladstone, proper, sits subsequent to him throughout a press convention Friday, March 25, 2025 at Miller Electrical Heart in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]
No NFL staff ever believes it takes an L throughout draft week. Theoretically, that is sensible as a result of no staff’s expertise degree ought to lower whereas choosing via the perfect gamers school soccer has to supply.
However some groups clearly benefited greater than others this weekend in Inexperienced Bay. Relatively than level out the groups that didn’t get a lot performed (cough, New Orleans Saints, cough), we’re conserving it constructive and spotlighting the squads that had essentially the most success.
1. Jacksonville Jaguars
Many NFL consultants imagine new Jaguars normal supervisor James Gladstone overpaid when he primarily despatched the Cleveland Browns subsequent 12 months’s first-round decide and this 12 months’s No. 36 general decide simply to maneuver up three spots in Thursday evening’s first spherical. However when the prize is Travis Hunter, how do you criticize making that deal?
Hunter was considered the perfect receiver and finest cornerback within the draft — and he’s wanting to be an everyday on either side of the ball. Even when he solely performs 75 p.c of the snaps on either side, you’re getting an elite athlete giving 150% — shattering the earlier NFL report of 110% held by nearly each different participant in historical past.
Simply as necessary, the 34-year-old Gladstone and new coach Liam Coen have given the Jags fanbase actual hope. After years of being jacked round — house video games outsourced to London, wins outsourced to most opponents, and so on. — followers lastly have a cause to be jacked up.
2. Arizona Cardinals
Apr 24, 2025; Inexperienced Bay, WI, USA; Michigan Wolverines cornerback Will Johnson on the purple carpet earlier than the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Area. Obligatory Credit score: Kirby Lee-Imagn Photos On the naked minimal, the Cardinals are going to dominate the Massive Ten this fall. After they grabbed All-American defensive deal with Walter Nolen within the first spherical, they jumped on elite cornerback Will Johnson (Michigan), lightning-quick edge rusher Jordan Burch (Oregon), productive linebacker Cody Simon (Ohio State) and four-year beginning cornerback Denzel Burke (additionally from nationwide champion Ohio State).
That’s numerous ready-to-deploy ammo for head coach Jonathan Gannon’s protection, which was middle-of-the-pack final 12 months (fifteenth in factors, twenty first in yards). It doesn’t take a lot to challenge the Cardinals incomes simply their second playoff berth within the final 10 seasons.
3. Chicago Bears
Mar 1, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Boston Faculty offensive lineman Ozzy Trapilo (OL42) solutions questions at a press convention in the course of the 2025 NFL Mix at Indiana Conference Heart. Obligatory Credit score: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Photos New coach Ben Johnson had a lot enjoyable working the NFL’s highest-scoring offense in Detroit, he’s doing his finest to duplicate that personnel with the Bears. He snagged his new Sam LaPorta — Michigan tight finish Colston Loveland, who had 17 TDs and 146 catches in two years. Per NFL insider Ian Rapoport, a number of groups have been attempting to commerce as much as get the 6-foot-6, 248-pound freak.
Then the Bears doubled down on distinctive offensive weapons by grabbing elusive Missouri receiver Luther Burden III within the second spherical. Although the mix confirmed he has tiny fingers, limitless video confirms he’s actually exhausting to get to the bottom as soon as he will get the ball in these mitts.
Caleb Williams now has D.J. Moore, Rome Odunze, Cole Kmet, Loveland and Burden on his radar. He additionally welcomes second-round decide offensive deal with Ozzy Trapilo to spice up an O-line that added a number of free brokers. Now it’s time to seek out an RB buddy to go along with D’Andre Swift.
4. Las Vegas Raiders
Apr 25, 2025; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders first spherical draft decide within the 2025 NFL Draft Ashton Jeanty, speaks to the media at Intermountain Well being Efficiency Heart. Obligatory Credit score: Candice Ward-Imagn Photos The Bears won’t ever admit it, however they gladly would have bypassed Loveland if working again Ashton Jeanty had in some way fallen to No. 10. As an alternative, the Raiders scored this franchise again with the sixth general decide. He runs, he catches, he by no means dies simple a la Walter Payton.
Higher but for the Raiders — whose final playoff win (Jan. 19, 2003) got here 11 months earlier than Jeanty was born — they added a number of extra impression gamers on offense in glue-handed Jack Bech (TCU), tall burner Dont’e Thornton Jr. (Tennessee), and offensive linemen Caleb Rogers and Charles Grant. Cornerback Darien Porter, a former receiver, blazed a 4.3-second 40 on the mix.
5. New England Patriots
Sep 7, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes working again TreVeyon Henderson (32) runs for a landing towards the Western Michigan Broncos in the course of the second half at Ohio Stadium. Obligatory Credit score: Adam Cairns-Imagn Photos New coach Mike Vrabel will get to mould the draft’s finest offensive deal with (Will Campbell), an instantaneous do-it-all working again (TreVeyon Henderson), a flexible big-play receiver (Kyle Williams) and a few speedy assist for the protection, too.
We’re not saying Vrabel will lead the Pats to the playoffs in his first 12 months — there’s numerous floor to make up — however we’re saying they’ve performed the precise issues to assist second-year quarterback Drake Maye lead the staff towards a brighter tomorrow.