![The Jacksonville Jaguars’ first-round pick, Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver and defensive back Travis Hunter, left, answers questions as General Manager James Gladstone, right, sits next to him during a press conference Friday, March 25, 2025 at Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]](https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/1745754552981)
The Jacksonville Jaguars’ first-round pick, Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver and defensive back Travis Hunter, left, answers questions as General Manager James Gladstone, right, sits next to him during a press conference Friday, March 25, 2025 at Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] No NFL team ever believes it takes an L during draft week. Theoretically, that makes sense because no team’s talent level should decrease while picking through the best players college football has to offer.
But some teams clearly benefited more than others this weekend in Green Bay. Rather than point out the teams that didn’t get much done (cough, New Orleans Saints, cough), we’re keeping it positive and spotlighting the squads that had the most success.
1. Jacksonville Jaguars
Many NFL experts believe new Jaguars general manager James Gladstone overpaid when he essentially sent the Cleveland Browns next year’s first-round pick and this year’s No. 36 overall pick just to move up three spots in Thursday night’s first round. But when the prize is Travis Hunter, how do you criticize making that deal?
Hunter was regarded as the best receiver and best cornerback in the draft — and he’s eager to be a regular on both sides of the ball. Even if he only plays 75 percent of the snaps on each side, you’re getting an elite athlete giving 150% — shattering the previous NFL record of 110% held by almost every other player in history.
Just as important, the 34-year-old Gladstone and new coach Liam Coen have given the Jags fanbase real hope. After years of being jacked around — home games outsourced to London, wins outsourced to most opponents, etc. — fans finally have a reason to be jacked up.
2. Arizona Cardinals
Apr 24, 2025; Green Bay, WI, USA; Michigan Wolverines cornerback Will Johnson on the red carpet before the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images At the bare minimum, the Cardinals are going to dominate the Big Ten this fall. After they grabbed All-American defensive tackle Walter Nolen in the first round, they jumped on elite cornerback Will Johnson (Michigan), lightning-quick edge rusher Jordan Burch (Oregon), productive linebacker Cody Simon (Ohio State) and four-year starting cornerback Denzel Burke (also from national champion Ohio State).
That’s a lot of ready-to-deploy ammo for head coach Jonathan Gannon’s defense, which was middle-of-the-pack last year (15th in points, 21st in yards). It doesn’t take much to project the Cardinals earning just their second playoff berth in the last 10 seasons.
3. Chicago Bears
Mar 1, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Boston College offensive lineman Ozzy Trapilo (OL42) answers questions at a press conference during the 2025 NFL Combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images New coach Ben Johnson had so much fun running the NFL’s highest-scoring offense in Detroit, he’s doing his best to replicate that personnel with the Bears. He snagged his new Sam LaPorta — Michigan tight end Colston Loveland, who had 17 TDs and 146 catches in two years. Per NFL insider Ian Rapoport, multiple teams were trying to trade up to get the 6-foot-6, 248-pound freak.
Then the Bears doubled down on unique offensive weapons by grabbing elusive Missouri receiver Luther Burden III in the second round. Though the combine confirmed he has tiny hands, endless video confirms he’s really hard to get to the ground once he gets the ball in those mitts.
Caleb Williams now has D.J. Moore, Rome Odunze, Cole Kmet, Loveland and Burden on his radar. He also welcomes second-round pick offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo to boost an O-line that added multiple free agents. Now it’s time to find an RB buddy to go with D’Andre Swift.
4. Las Vegas Raiders
Apr 25, 2025; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders first round draft pick in the 2025 NFL Draft Ashton Jeanty, speaks to the media at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images The Bears will never admit it, but they gladly would have bypassed Loveland if running back Ashton Jeanty had somehow fallen to No. 10. Instead, the Raiders scored this franchise back with the sixth overall pick. He runs, he catches, he never dies easy a la Walter Payton.
Better yet for the Raiders — whose last playoff win (Jan. 19, 2003) came 11 months before Jeanty was born — they added several more impact players on offense in glue-handed Jack Bech (TCU), tall burner Dont’e Thornton Jr. (Tennessee), and offensive linemen Caleb Rogers and Charles Grant. Cornerback Darien Porter, a former receiver, blazed a 4.3-second 40 at the combine.
5. New England Patriots
Sep 7, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes running back TreVeyon Henderson (32) runs for a touchdown against the Western Michigan Broncos during the second half at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-Imagn Images New coach Mike Vrabel gets to mold the draft’s best offensive tackle (Will Campbell), an instant do-it-all running back (TreVeyon Henderson), a versatile big-play receiver (Kyle Williams) and some immediate help for the defense, too.
We’re not saying Vrabel will lead the Pats to the playoffs in his first year — there’s a lot of ground to make up — but we’re saying they’ve done the right things to help second-year quarterback Drake Maye lead the team toward a brighter tomorrow.
