Craig Larson Jr.
April 24, 2025
Updated 02:31 p.m. ET
For much of last season, the Detroit Lions were the media’s darlings and secured the #1 seed heading into the postseason. Under Dan Campbell, they have built a strong winning culture and made smart first-round draft selections. Aidan, Jaymyr, and Terrion, who were chosen in the last three drafts, have become household names. Additionally, the departure of coach Aaron Glenn has provided the Lions with extra draft capital. Expect Detroit to continue its upward trajectory and reload for another shot at a long-awaited Super Bowl victory.
The Chicago Bears have been very active during the free agency period. This is a positive development, especially considering their past first-round draft blunders. Bears fans endured the Mitchell Trubisky era in 2017, felt anxious about Justin Fields in 2021, and are now hoping that Caleb Williams will be the solution. The Minnesota Vikings believe they have found their future quarterback in J.J. McCarthy, who they selected with the 10th overall pick a year ago. It will be interesting to see his development after sitting on the sidelines last season. When Jordan Love arrived in Green Bay about five years ago, he also started as a back-up, and has now emerged as one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks after being drafted 26th overall from Utah State.
Building through the draft and making first-round selections is not always necessary. Just ask the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams won the Super Bowl in 2022 without featuring blue-chip selections from the first round. This is largely because, prior to selecting Jared Verse last year, their last first-round pick was back in 2016 when they chose Jared Goff first overall. The 49ers have struggled with depth in recent years, having no first-round picks in 2022 and 2023. The jury is still out on whether Ricky Pearsall can develop into a quality #2 receiver in the league; last season, he caught 31 passes. Regarding wide receivers, if Chris Olave can recover from his concussions, it will feel like having an extra pick on the field—a impactful player—since he displayed significant potential before his mid-season injury.
The Carolina Panthers will be selecting 8th overall, just preceding the New Orleans Saints.
They have historically had success with that position on the board in recent years. In 2017, they selected Christian McCaffrey, and in 2021, they picked Jaycee Horn, who is arguably the best cover corner that most people do not acknowledge nationally. With the 8th overall pick, there will still be quality players available at the top of the draft board. I’m also looking forward to seeing if the Arizona Cardinals continue their trend of selecting players from Ohio State. It’s quickly becoming “Columbus West” after the picks of Paris Johnson Jr. and Marvin Harrison Jr.
As it currently stands, the Giants are the only NFC team selecting among the first seven picks.
When we last saw the Buffalo Bills, they were surrendering 32 points in a gut-wrenching defeat against Kansas City. The general consensus is that they need to address some defensive reinforcements. I would expect Buffalo to pair a standout player with Ed Oliver, whom they selected with the 9th overall pick back in 2019.
The last time the New England Patriots selected 4th overall, they did quite well. That year was 1994, and the pick was Willie McGinest, who became a foundational piece for the team’s defense. Now drafting 4th again, the Patriots have a variety of options on the board, and it will be interesting to see which area they choose to address. It’s hard to believe, but the team is currently experiencing a mini drought, with their last playoff appearance occurring in the 2021 season.
The Steelers enjoy a strong public perception, as one of the league’s best organizations, but the last time they truly struck fear into their opponents was back in 2020. That year, they captured the AFC North crown with 12 regular-season wins. Since then, they have mostly hovered around 9 or 10 wins, placing them in the second tier of playoff contenders. Mike Tomlin took over as head coach in 2007, and the question is whether the Steelers will continue to focus on improving their offensive production. Last season, they ranked 23rd in total yardage per game at 317. In each of the past two drafts, they have chosen offensive tackles. Notably, no player selected 21st has reached a Pro Bowl since 2014.
The Cleveland Browns seem to be trapped in a maze with no way out. The DeShaun Watson debacle has cast a long shadow over the team, making me wonder if he might be competing with John Elway and Art Modell for the title of Cleveland’s most despised figure. They have foregone first-round selections for each of the last three seasons, raising the question of whether the lingering effects of these decisions will hinder this proud franchise long after draft night concludes.
The Texans have recently been on a small roll, largely benefiting from Cleveland’s misfortunes. Derek Stingley Jr., Will Anderson Jr., and C.J. Stroud have all emerged as leaders for a franchise that has yet to advance past the divisional round of the playoffs since its inception in 2002. The Texans have 4 of the top 89 picks and a total of 7 selections overall. While they currently hold the 25th overall pick, it will be interesting to see if GM Nick Caserio will move up the draft board again or simply wait for Kelvin Banks from the Longhorns to fall into their laps.
Lastly, although it may not seem like the most exciting choice after a long night, there’s always value at the end of the first round. Keep in mind that MVP Lamar Jackson was selected as the Ravens’ quarterback of the future back in 2018 at 32nd overall. Let’s not forget T.J. Watt, who was chosen 30th overall by the Steelers the year before that. Both players are building impressive resumes that could lead them to the Hall of Fame.
