One of the more interesting things to do when looking back at the 2025 NFL Draft, is to see what picks standout in each round. In the early rounds we saw the Kansas City Cheifs and Arizona Cardinals find great value early in the draft. We also saw teams like the Houston Texans and Phildelphia Eagles find gems in the late round.
Best picks by round in the 2025 NFL Draft
Round 1, Pick 32 – Josh Simmons, OT, Kansas City Chiefs: Leading up to the NFL Draft, I said the perfect fit for the Kansas City Chiefs would be offensive tackle Josh Simmons—so needless to say, I’m a big fan of this move.
First off, Simmons is an elite athlete and was my top-rated left tackle in this draft class. I had LSU’s Will Campbell, who the Patriots took fourth overall, graded as an offensive guard. Simmons also fills a huge need for the Chiefs at left tackle. Their current projected starter is Jaylon Moore, who served as a backup for the 49ers last season, so the upgrade here is significant.
On top of landing a great player, the Chiefs picked up a fifth-round pick by trading down one spot with the Philadelphia Eagles—making this move even better from a value standpoint.
Round 2, Pick 47 – Will Johnson, CB, Arizona Cardinals: Back in January, I had Michigan cornerback Will Johnson rated as the sixth-best player in the entire draft, so the fact that the Arizona Cardinals landed him in the second round is an absolute steal—even if some teams were concerned about his knee.
What stands out most about Johnson is his elite football IQ, which keeps him consistently in position in coverage. The 2023 All-American excels in man coverage, and Bleacher Report even named him the top man cover corner in this year’s draft. He also brings impressive ball skills to the table, having set a Michigan record with three interceptions returned for touchdowns in his career.
If he can stay healthy, Johnson has legitimate All-Pro potential.
Round 3, Pick 76 – Shavon Revel Jr., CB, Dallas Cowboys: Heading into Day 2 of the draft, I named East Carolina cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. as one of the best players still on the board. The fact that Dallas landed him in the middle of the third round makes this my pick for the best value of the round.
What stands out most with Revel is his elite combination of size and speed—he measured 6-foot-2 and ran a 4.40 40-yard dash before the 2024 season. The biggest concern is his lengthy injury history, which includes a torn ACL this past season, a broken hand in 2022, and a broken collarbone in high school.
If he can stay healthy, Revel could push DaRon Bland for the starting spot opposite Trevon Diggs, especially if he continues to refine his technique when contesting catches at the point of attack.
REVELING in the moment ⭐️@ShavonRevel | @ECUPiratesFB #CowboysDraft | @Fanatics pic.twitter.com/OrCIZM1mER
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) April 26, 2025
Round 4, Pick 109 – Deone Walker, DT, Buffalo Bills: In the fourth round, the Bills landed one of the best run-stuffing defensive tackles in the draft with Deone Walker. While Buffalo had to trade up 23 spots to secure him, the move was well worth it given his upside.
Standing 6-foot-7 and weighing 345 pounds, Walker excels at clogging up running lanes and controlling the point of attack. He’s also an underrated pass rusher who can collapse the pocket, racking up 51 pressures during the 2023 season.
Look for Walker to back up DaQuan Jones next year as the Bills’ one-technique defensive tackle.
Round 5, Pick 144 – Shedeur Sanders, QB, Cleveland Browns: There’s zero doubt about the best pick of the fifth round—and it might eventually go down as one of the best fifth-round picks in NFL history. That selection is the Cleveland Browns drafting Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
In my opinion, Sanders had late first- or early second-round talent. He shows impressive accuracy from the pocket and throws one of the best balls in this draft class. While he does lack elite arm strength, the main reason he fell down the board had more to do with concerns about his character. Teams felt he came across as cocky and entitled during interviews and didn't fully buy into the pre-draft process.
If Sanders arrives humbled, he could even compete for the starting job this season. And if not, the Browns are only out a fifth-round pick—making this a high-upside move with very little risk.
Round 6, Pick 181 – Kyle McCord, QB, Philadelphia Eagles: For the second round in a row, my pick for the best selection is a quarterback. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who followed my rankings this year—I had Shedeur Sanders as my second-rated quarterback and Syracuse’s Kyle McCord as my third.
What makes me such a big fan of McCord is how polished he is as a passer. He quickly goes through his reads, consistently hits receivers in stride, and rarely forces throws into tight coverage.
He also lands in a great situation in Philadelphia, where he’ll likely compete with Tanner McKee for the backup spot behind Jalen Hurts.
Round 7, Pick 255 – Luke Lachey, TE, Houston Texans: Iowa tight end Luke Lachey was one of the final picks of the 2025 NFL Draft, but he has the tools to become a late-round gem.
The biggest reason for optimism is his well-rounded game. As a receiver, Lachey excels at making contested catches, hauling in 50% of passes thrown to him in tight coverage. He also shows good strength after the catch, which translates to his work as a blocker. His physicality should allow him to carve out a role as a traditional in-line tight end at the next level.
Look for Lachey to compete for the Texans’ No. 3 tight end spot during training camp.