We’ll say this about Jaguars’ general manager James Gladstone: He knows how to make an entrance.
A couple of months after Jacksonville made the 34-year-old the youngest GM in the league, Gladstone shook up the top of the 2025 NFL Draft by trading up to select Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter at No. 2. The electric wide receiver/cornerback will give the Jags some much-needed star power on both sides of the ball, while the Cleveland Browns picked up an extra second-round pick this year and a first-round pick next year by moving down three spots to No. 5, where they selected Mason Graham, the top-ranked defensive tackle in the class.
The blockbuster deal was the biggest story of a first round that saw just as many running backs and tight ends selected as quarterbacks (two apiece) and had only four trades total. Meanwhile, Shedeur Sanders, a quarterback once thought to be a sure-fire first-round prospect — if not a top 10 pick — saw 32 picks come and go without his name being called.
What do we make of it all? The Athletic’s Mike Sando, Dan Pompei and Ted Nguyen shared their thoughts after the first round.
Who won the trade between the Jaguars and Browns?
Nguyen: From a resources standpoint, the Browns got a huge haul, but it feels a little underwhelming going from drafting one of the best players in the draft to a defensive tackle with a questionable ceiling since Hunter has an enormous ceiling at whatever position he plays. So we’ll have to see what the Browns did with their other picks. Right now, the winner is overwhelmingly the Jaguars, and it’s a cop-out answer, but we won’t know who won until we see what players the Browns get out of the trade, which includes a 2026 first-rounder.
Gladstone clearly values blue-chip potential over draft resources. Should we be surprised? He’s a disciple of Les Snead, who gladly traded away his picks for impact players. Hunter is as safe a player as there is in the draft.
Pompei: The price paid by the Jaguars was steep, but if Hunter is what they think he is, it’s justifiable. Hunter represented a rare opportunity. Many evaluators considered him the most gifted player in the draft, as well as the best prospect. If he can play two ways, Hunter can provide the equivalent value of two players. And on offense, Hunter may be able to help Trevor Lawrence ascend. The key to the deal is Hunter being able to play on offense and defense. For that to happen, an accommodating and smart plan from Liam Coen and his staff will be necessary.
Sando: Cleveland wins the process by getting a first-round pick next year, but the odds are that Jacksonville comes away with the best player in Hunter. Cleveland traded out of the elite player realm for this year — Graham misses that cut — so there’s pressure on the Browns to make that 2026 first-rounder work for them. It could help them land their next QB, but they still have to get that done.
What was your favorite fit of the first round?
Pompei: Will Campbell to the Patriots is perfect. Not only does he fill the team’s most considerable need, but he is also just what Mike Vrabel wanted to shape the team’s culture. Drake Maye has no chance without a solid left tackle, but beyond that, Campbell gives the Patriots a tone-setter. He plays aggressively, finishes blocks, works hard, demands the best from teammates and doesn’t let injuries keep him sidelined. Given where the Patriots are, there is immeasurable value in Campbell’s intangibles.
Nguyen: Armand Membou to the Jets is perfect. They drafted Olumuyiwa Fashanu last season to play left tackle, and they are solid on the interior. Membou is going to give them athleticism and a mean streak on the right side. Justin Fields has never had a good line in front of him, and this has the potential to be one of the better ones in the league. Membou was one of my favorite players to watch in this year’s draft because of his movement skills and ability to finish with his assignment on the ground. The Jets’ offensive line is going to be fun to watch.
Sando: Ashton Jeanty with offensive coordinator Chip Kelly could be really fun for the Raiders, even if you have reservations from a philosophical standpoint about a team in Las Vegas’ position using back-to-back first-round picks for a tight end (Brock Bowers) and a running back.
What pick will have you diving back into The Beast to make sense of it?
Pompei: Did anyone think Jaxson Dart was a first-round value? The Giants gave up two second-round picks and a third in order to draft Dart. His selection is a reflection of the team’s urgency at the position. They needed to add a quarterback in the draft badly for a lot of reasons, and they thought Dart was a better gamble than Shedeur Sanders. But his injury history and the suspicion that he could be a “system quarterback” should give Giants fans pause.
Sando: I’m not sure how the Falcons could justify giving up a 2026 first-round pick in the trade-up with the Rams for James Pearce Jr. Sure, the Falcons already have their designated franchise quarterback, so they do not need a future first-rounder to secure one, but I have a hard time believing that will become a good value proposition for Atlanta.
Nguyen: The Seahawks really needed an offensive lineman and picked tackle Grey Zabel. I’ve heard good things, but I truthfully did not grind North Dakota State film this year. It took me a second to find Zabel in The Beast because he was listed at center.
Shedeur Sanders slid out of the first round. What does that tell you about his NFL evaluation, and where do you think his best fit is?
Pompei: Based on his talent, production and position, Sanders should have been a first-round pick. That isn’t to say he was a can’t-miss prospect, but players similar to him are chosen in the first round almost every year. The fact that he wasn’t taken on Thursday points to how teams value intangibles at quarterback. Right or wrong, some teams undoubtedly were concerned about his father’s shadow and Sanders’ cocksure attitude and his flashy style. Sanders would probably thrive with a coach like Andy Reid, who allows players to be themselves. On last check, however, the Chiefs are set at the position.
Sando: Teams do not think Sanders possesses a strong enough skill set to overcome concerns that he could be difficult to coach. They think Sanders was overhyped because of his pedigree. They think Sanders and his outspoken father would be more likely to get a coach fired than get a coach a new contract. No one was willing to bet his job on Sanders, but someone will select him with a lower-stakes pick, altering the dynamics.
Nguyen: Sanders was never a first-round talent. If his name wasn’t “Sanders,” no one would have talked about him as a first-rounder. There was an unrealistic expectation put on him because of all the notoriety, but in reality, he doesn’t have any first-round traits. He’s a fine athlete but tries to scramble too much, which leads to sacks. His accuracy is good but not elite, and his completion percentage is boosted by a ton of screens. He’s a smart kid with under-center experience, a ton of confidence and toughness, but those traits don’t get you drafted in the first round.
What team was the biggest winner of Day 1?
Sando: I love the Rams picking up Atlanta’s first-round pick in 2026. Sean McVay will presumably be looking for a quarterback. The extra first-rounder provides more than ammunition. It’s also a potential lottery ticket because the pick could fall in the top 10 if, say, the Falcons unload Kirk Cousins, and Michael Penix Jr. struggles or suffers an injury. Beyond that, all agree that the 2026 draft should be stronger than 2025. That’s another great reason for the Rams to add a high pick next year.
Pompei: Tie between the usual suspects — the Ravens and Eagles. Both were picking late, and both selected the best prospects in the draft at their positions. The Ravens got the best safety in Malaki Starks at 27. Starks and Kyle Hamilton should form one of the most dynamic safety combinations in the league. And the Eagles chose linebacker Jihaad Campbell with the 31st pick. They reportedly thought so much of Campbell that they tried to trade up earlier in the round to take him. As it was, they had to move up one spot for Campbell, who should help offset some of their free agent losses on defense.
Ted: The Titans. They got by far the best quarterback on the board. Cam Ward might not be the first overall pick in every draft, but he got a top 10 grade from me. The Titans have an improving offensive line coached by one of the best position coaches in the league (Bill Callahan) and a head coach in Brian Callahan who knows how to design a system around a creative quarterback, like he did with Joe Burrow in Cincinnati. Ward isn’t the best overall player in the draft, but he could be the most impactful.
(Photo of Travis Hunter: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)