Over the past three seasons, I’ve published my list of NFL Draft winners and losers immediately following the event. Some of the classes I praised early ended up being validated by the results.
In 2024, I named the Los Angeles Rams as one of my winners, highlighting how much I loved their defensive line additions, including Jared Verse — who went on to win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year — and Braden Fiske, one of the best second-round picks of that draft. In 2023, I again named the Rams as a winner, and by season’s end, NFL.com ranked their class as the third-best in the NFL. Back in 2022, I said the Ravens had one of the top draft hauls, and NFL.com later ranked their class fifth overall.
With that track record in mind, which teams from this year’s draft could be headed toward a top-five rookie class? Four teams clearly stood out to me: the Arizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears, New England Patriots, and Los Angeles Chargers.
NFL Draft Winners
Arizona Cardinals: The team I came away most impressed with after the NFL Draft was the Arizona Cardinals, who heavily emphasized the defensive side of the ball. Both defensive tackle Walter Nolen and cornerback Will Johnson carried first-round grades on my board, and I expect each to make major impacts as rookies. I was also impressed by the selection of Jordan Burch, an athletic defensive lineman who recorded 8.5 sacks last season. Another standout pick was Ohio State linebacker Cody Simon, who led the Buckeyes with 112 tackles and should bring immediate toughness and production to the defense.
Chicago Bears: While the Cardinals focused on defense, the Chicago Bears turned their attention to offense. Their first-round pick, tight end Colston Loveland, was the top-rated player at his position on my board and should create numerous matchup advantages in Ben Johnson’s offense. In the second round, they continued to build around the offense with the selection of Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III. Burden is an electric playmaker and a constant threat anytime he touches the ball, likely slotting in as a dynamic slot receiver. One defensive pick I loved was Texas A&M pass rusher Shemar Turner, whose athleticism will be a welcome addition to the Bears' defensive line.
New England Patriots: Head coach Mike Vrabel made it clear he wanted to win at the line of scrimmage, and he nailed it in the 2025 NFL Draft. Their first-round pick, offensive tackle Will Campbell, was by far the top offensive lineman on my board. They also grabbed Georgia center Jared Wilson, a member of my All-Underrated Team and one of the most athletic linemen in the draft. On defense, Florida State defensive tackle Joshua Farmer was a smart addition; he plays with impressive power and quickness for a 305-pounder. Finally, I loved the pickup of Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson, the top pass-blocking back in the class, who will be a huge asset in protecting young quarterback Drake Maye.
Los Angeles Chargers: The Chargers also put together an outstanding draft. They kicked things off by selecting running back Omarion Hampton in the first round, a physical runner perfectly suited for Jim Harbaugh’s offense. Hampton should immediately boost a Chargers ground game that struggled last year. They followed that by adding big, physical receiver Tre Harris, a strong complement to Ladd McConkey’s quickness. One of my favorite picks was Syracuse tight end Oronde Gadsden II in the fifth round — an outstanding receiving tight end who could become a major weapon in the passing attack.
NFL Draft losers
Cincinnati Bengals: The team I was least impressed with after the draft was the Cincinnati Bengals. They opened by selecting Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart, a player who struggled to consistently pressure the quarterback and never recorded more than 1.5 sacks in a season. They followed that by reaching for South Carolina linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. in the second round, much higher than the grade I had on him. The one bright spot was their fourth-round selection of Clemson linebacker Barrett Carter, a tackling machine who was a good value pick.
Denver Broncos: Although I was okay with the Broncos selecting Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron in the first round, their mid-round picks left something to be desired. In the second round, they chose UCF running back RJ Harvey, a smaller back who received a poor 19.1 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus. Then, in the third round, they drafted Illinois wide receiver Pat Bryant — a player I had pegged for the Broncos in the sixth round back in February. They also picked LSU defensive end Sai'vion Jones in the third round, another player I had graded much lower.
Detroit Lions: The Lions finished the 2024 season with the 28th-ranked draft class according to NFL.com, and I don't expect this year's haul to rank much higher. First-round pick Tyleik Williams is solid against the run but offers little as a pass rusher and has an inconsistent motor. Their third-round selection of Arkansas wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa, who was a backup last season, was a major reach. One pick I did like was Georgia guard Tate Ratledge in the second round — he has the potential to be the most productive player from their class.
Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys made this list primarily because of their first-round decision to draft Alabama guard Tyler Booker at No. 12 overall. While Booker has starting potential, using such a high pick on a guard is questionable. However, I did like several of their picks later in the draft, including Shavon Revel Jr. in the third round, who I consider the best value of that round. On Day 3, they added two solid prospects in Texas running back Jaydon Blue and Oregon offensive tackle Ajani Cornelius.