Top 10 2025 Draft Classes

It’s been just over a week since the 2025 NFL Draft wrapped up and I’ve had some time to evaluate each class and examine the impact they’ll have for their respective teams. Now it’s time to rank the best 10 of the bunch.

Plenty of teams did good work last weekend, and there were only a handful of draft hauls I truly didn’t like. But some teams definitely did better than others. This isn’t purely an analysis of who got the best collection of players, though that obviously played a large factor. This is an attempt to rank the classes based on the value each team got relative to their resources, and how they were able to maximize their drafts. Not having many picks isn’t necessarily a bad thing if you capitalized on the opportunities you had and added impactful depth to your roster.

Without further ado, the top 10 2025 draft classes:

1: Arizona Cardinals

Having the Cardinals at the top might surprise people, but I love what they did in this draft. Nolen is exactly the type of player they need on their defensive line — young, athletic, and with a devastating pass rush profile. He can collapse the pocket and hold the line in run defense, and he blows past guards to get after the quarterback. There’s a lot he still needs to work on, but he took a huge step forward in 2024 at Ole Miss.

Burch is a big edge rusher who can play multiple alignments on the defensive front. He’s a plus athlete with an impressive power profile, and he adds juice off the edge. Simon was one of my highest-rated players vs. consensus, and getting him in the fourth is good value. He projects as a run-stuffer with underneath coverage and playmaking ability, and could factor into the starting lineup early in his career. Burke and Crawford add depth to a young secondary.

But the crown jewel of this class is getting Johnson in the second round. He was the No. 6 overall player on my big board and fell due to medical concerns. He played through a toe injury in 2024 that limited him to just six games and hampered his ability on the field, and he also dealt with a hip injury that some teams worried could be a long-term issue. When healthy, however, Johnson is one of the best cornerback prospects I’ve scouted. He has All-Pro upside and a stable floor of high-end play against elite competition on his tape.

2: Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs didn’t do anything fancy with their draft, they just drafted good players at every chance and took advantage of the value available with their picks. Simmons is an NFL starter on tape, but a torn patellar tendon caused him to fall to the end of the first. He projects as the long-term starter at left tackle, but he might not have to play at all as a rookie. Norman-Lott is a situational pass rusher at defensive tackle. He didn’t play on run downs at all in college, but he’s got enticing athleticism and impressive production getting after the quarterback.

Gillotte is a big, athletic end who plays with power and can turn the corner better than you’d expect. I was lower than this on Williams, but I see the appeal. He’s got length and is coming off an All-America season at Cal. Royals is the best deep threat in this class and should be Marquise Brown’s backup as a rookie before taking over his starting spot in future seasons. Bassa is a sub-package coverage backer who offers versatility and can match up on a variety of assignments. Smith is exactly the type of change-of-pace player this backfield needs: he’s fast, with good hands and utility in the receiving game.

3: Carolina Panthers

Every piece of pre-draft intel reported the Panthers were focused on defense, specifically pass rusher, in the first round. So, naturally, they took McMillan at No. 8. I loved the pick, as third-year QB Bryce Young still needed a bona fide number one target. McMillan is a true X-receiver who can win on the outside and over the middle, with great hands and route-running ability to dominate all over the field.

Defense was not neglected in Carolina, however, as they took swings on two high-upside pass rushers on Day 2. Scourton was my No. 11 overall player and while the NFL was clearly lower on him, he’s a chess piece along the defensive line who can win as a stand-up rusher or on the interior. Umanmielen is a toolsy straight-line speed rusher who will generate pressure at every opportunity, though he might be limited to a designated pass rusher role early in his career. Ransom could start in the Panthers’ secondary as soon as his rookie season, as he’s a productive box safety.

My only real quibble with this draft was taking Etienne when they did. There were better running back options available when they picked, and I don’t love Etienne’s tape. Still, for what they’ll ask him to do, he can be productive. He’s a one-cut runner who has utility as a scat-back on passing downs behind Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle.

4: New York Giants

The Giants’ draft is an interesting one to analyze. They took the easy win with Carter at No. 3, adding a blue-chip edge rusher prospect to an already stacked defensive line. Carter is still adjusting to being a full-time edge defender and wins more off raw talent than refined skill right now, but his long-term upside is high and he’ll be a factor as a rookie. Getting Alexander in the third is great value, as he’s a plug-and-play starter who is still learning to tap into his athletic ceiling. These two additions make New York’s defensive line one of the best in the league.

I was hesitant to buy into Skattebo as a Day 2 selection, but getting him in the fourth is great value. He’s a bell-cow runner who can grind out tough yards and has utility as a receiver, as well. He’s a great complement to Tyrone Tracy in the backfield. Mbow in the fifth is the steal of the draft, as he was a consensus Day 2 pick and I had him with an easy Round 2 grade. He can play any position on the offensive line and could be a Pro Bowler at guard.

The most interesting part of this draft for me is Dart, however. I was not particularly high on Dart pre-draft, and I wouldn’t have touched him anywhere near the first round. That said, the Giants traded a pair of third-round picks to move from No. 34 to No. 25 and select Dart, practically a steal of a draft trade. The Falcons gave up a 2026 first-rounder to trade for the very next pick, and that wasn’t even for a quarterback. While I might not be bullish on Dart as a prospect, he had his fans, and this was a fairly risk-free move by New York to take a chance on a young quarterback with upside.

5: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

This was a true “best player available” approach for the Bucs, and it led to a strong return. Pass rusher and linebacker were the usual positions mocked to them in the first round, and it came as one of the biggest surprises on Day 1 to see them take Egbuka. He’s a phenomenal player, but his skillset overlaps quite a bit with Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan, two established presences on the depth chart. Receiver wasn’t a need, yet Tampa Bay wasn’t afraid to take the top player on their board and figure it out later.

Day 2 brought a pair of athletic, high-upside corners to Tampa. Morrison is long and physical, perfectly suited to aggressive man-cover schemes. Parrish is a little smaller and projects to the slot in the NFL, but he’s fast and unafraid to mix it up in the run game. Both players play a brand of tough, rugged football that will fit in perfectly with their new team, and they raise the ceiling of this defense.

Pass rusher was addressed on Day 3, as Walker and Roberts could be major additions on that front. Walker’s frame likely limits his role in the NFL, which is why he fell to the fourth round, but he’s an effective pass rusher with a variety of moves and enough athleticism to hang in a designated pass rusher role. Roberts is a big end who can set a hard edge and kick inside on passing downs, offering versatility. Johnson might struggle to make the roster in a deep group of receivers, but he proved at the Senior Bowl that despite his physical limitations, he’s a difficult cover.

6: Indianapolis Colts

I wasn’t overly impressed with the Colts’ draft initially, but the more I dug into it, the more I liked it. Getting Warren at No. 14 is huge — he wasn’t expected to slide that far, but Indy took advantage. It’s a seamless fit in HC Shane Steichen’s offense, and Warren’s size and versatility will be a weapon over the middle of the field. The Colts have long been searching for an every-down tight end, and it would appear they’ve found their answer. Tuimoloau in the second round is a classic Chris Ballard pick. He’s big, physical, and tenacious, and should be a direct replacement for Dayo Odeyingbo after he signed with Chicago in free agency.

I also loved what the Colts did on Day 3, as they consistently got good value and added useful pieces to their roster. Travis is a massive developmental tackle with plus athleticism. Giddens was a great get in the fifth round and should be the RB2 on this team sooner rather than later. Leonard is a perfect scheme fit in Indy and Smith adds depth along the defensive line, something Ballard always prioritizes. Even in the seventh round, Wohler is a fantastic athlete with a long history of college production, and he’ll compete for a depth role right away.

My only critique of this draft is taking Walley in the third. This was an overdraft, although given the number of corners that went shortly after him, it may have been by necessity. He’s an intriguing long-term piece, with impressive speed and ball skills for the position. He plays with clean footwork and his head on a swivel, but he’s just not strong enough for the NFL yet. His development will be interesting to watch.

7: Jacksonville Jaguars

This Jaguars draft will be entirely judged on the results of the Hunter trade. Like it or not, trading a second-round pick and a future first to move up for a non-quarterback carries a substantial amount of risk, as that player needs to be supremely impactful to justify the cost of acquiring him. Still, if there was a prospect who could meet those expectations, it’s Hunter. His two-way ability adds to his value, and it sounds like Jacksonville is planning to play him primarily at receiver. They need cornerback help, too, so he may get some run there. But he’ll pair with Brian Thomas Jr. to form an imposing tandem for QB Trevor Lawrence to throw to, elevating this offense.

The rest of the draft was pretty great, too. I was higher on Ransaw than most, but he’s a super-athlete with versatility to play safety or slot corner. Milum is a refined pass blocker who can operate in space. Though he’s a projected guard in the NFL, he played tackle in college and can fill in there in a pinch. Tuten is one of my favorite players in this draft and an absolute steal in the fourth round. He’s the fastest back to enter the league in some time and could become the Jags’ RB1 before too long. The rest of the draft adds some nice depth, particularly in Kiser, Lane, and Allen.

If Hunter doesn’t pan out, nothing else here matters. Even if he’s great, if the Jags are bad next year, they’d be handing the Browns a top-10 pick. That inherent risk is why this class doesn’t rank higher, but the players they got move the needle in a key way. Jacksonville isn’t a piece or two away from true contention, but they got a lot better.

8: Baltimore Ravens

There aren’t any major headlines here, but the Ravens did good work on all three days of the draft. Starks pairs with Kyle Hamilton to form arguably the best safety tandem in the league, and his elite run defense makes him a good fit in Baltimore. Green has substantial off-field concerns that led to his fall, but he’s one of the best pass-rushing talents in this class and the Ravens clearly felt it was a risk worth taking towards the end of the second round. Jones had his struggles at tackle, but he projects as a plus athlete at the guard position with a mauler’s mentality and some upside with a move to the interior.

I liked Buchanan pre-draft as a depth linebacker and special teams ace. Vinson and Longerbeam are developmental guys with long-term upside. Peebles is a steal in the sixth round, as he’s a dynamic situational interior pass rusher. I will never advocate for drafting specialists, but other than that, there’s little to critique in this Baltimore class.

9: Buffalo Bills

This ranking of the Bills’ class has a lot to do with the selection of Hairston in the first round, because I love almost everything else they did. I’m not surprised he went in the first given his athletic testing numbers, but his tape was not that of a first-round-caliber player. He’s a smaller corner who can struggle in man coverage, but he has ball skills and was the fastest cornerback in this class. This was still an overdraft, especially considering who was left on the board. Trey Amos, Shavon Revel and Benjamin Morrison are all better prospects.

Like I said, though, I love everything else the Bills did. Sanders is a great pass-rushing 3-tech who adds some juice to this Buffalo defensive front. He’ll compete for a starting spot as a rookie. Jackson was one of the most underrated prospects throughout the entire process; his Combine numbers were among the best in the class and he was quite productive at Arkansas. He’ll add length and juice off the edge. Walker is a dart throw on a guy with tremendous potential who hasn’t put it all together yet. Hawes is the best blocking tight end in the class and Strong is a quality pickup for depth in the secondary. Even Lundt and Prather are high-upside late-round fliers.

10: Las Vegas Raiders

It’s tough to evaluate a draft class with a running back in the top 10. Jeanty will immediately be one of the highest-paid running backs in the league before playing a single snap for his new team. I’m a big believer in his talent — he’s the best running back prospect since at least Saquon Barkley — but that doesn’t leave room for much value. Still, Jeanty is such a special talent that the Raiders just couldn’t pass on him. They have a solid offensive infrastructure and Jeanty should thrive.

The rest of what they did was take good plays and a few upside swings to add talent to an underwhelming roster. Bech is a possession slot receiver who makes tough catches over the middle of the field. Porter is an uber-athletic corner who just put together a great season for Iowa State. Between Rogers and Grant, Vegas has to feel good that one will develop into a starting-caliber tackle (my money would be on Grant). Hemingway and Pegues are unique defensive linemen who add depth to that unit. And Mellott and Miller are a pair of former FCS quarterbacks whose athleticism and football skills could land them a role elsewhere on the roster.