There are levels to the NFL Draft. Sure, you want to bring in good players. That’s obvious. However, you also want to bring in those types of players at advantageous value. If you can bring in an impact player below cost or — in the case of the draft — at a lower draft position than initially thought, your team will be better set up for success. And some clubs were able to accomplish that in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
In any given year, some teams reach for players, which creates avenues for talent to fall, and this draft was no exception. While time will tell if these players will live up to being who we think they can become a the NFL level, where they were taken in the first round compared to their prospect profile is noteworthy.
Below, we’ve highlighted five of the biggest steals from Round 1.
While it was up for debate, Penn State’s Tyler Warren was largely looked at as the TE1 in this class. However, on draft night, he wasn’t. That title went to Michigan tight end Colston Loveland, who was selected by the Chicago Bears with the 10th overall pick. That led Warren to dip a tad further down the board, ultimately finding his home with the Indianapolis Colts at No. 14. Warren was a stud for the Nittany Lions and put together a final collegiate season in 2024 that earned him first-team All-American honors as well as the John Mackey Award, handed out to the nation’s top tight end.
While he can’t call himself the top tight end in this class, the Colts are certainly thrilled he wasn’t scooped up earlier, as he fills a major need. Last season, Kyle Granson was Indy’s leading receiver at tight end, finishing the year with just 182 yards on 14 catches. That’ll improve dramatically with Warren, who has drawn comparisons to franchise icon Dallas Clark.
The Falcons couldn’t have drawn up the No. 15 pick turning out any better than it did with Walker falling directly into their laps. Coming into the draft, the Georgia pass rusher — who was CBS Sports’ No. 7 ranked prospect overall — closed as a dramatic favorite to be a top-10 pick with -700 odds at DraftKings Sportsbook. Despite that, he fell out of the top 10 and dipped all the way to No. 15, where Atlanta wisely swooped in. Walker addresses a key need for the Falcons and should be a versatile piece for Raheem Morris’ defense, possessing the ability to line up on the edge, along with being a stand-up linebacker.
All it took was for the NFL Draft to come to Green Bay for the Packers to select a wide receiver in the first round. For the first time since 2002, the Packers added a wideout in the opening round, bringing aboard Texas pass catcher Matthew Golden with the No. 23 overall pick. Outside of Travis Hunter, Golden was looked at by some evaluators as the top wide receiver prospect in this class. Given that, he was a popular fit with the Dallas Cowboys with the No. 12 overall pick, but they went in a different direction, focusing on the offensive line. Then, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers decided to go with a wide receiver at No. 19 but took Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka, helping pave the way for Golden to end up with Green Bay at stellar value. He helps raise the ceiling for an oft-injured receiver unit.
The Buffalo Bills had a clear need in the secondary and were fortunate that Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston found his way down to the 30th pick. For reference, CBS Sports NFL Draft analyst Ryan Wilson had Hairston coming off the board at No. 26 overall in his final mock draft. So, it’s not a dramatic fall, but value nonetheless. Hairston brings tremendous speed to the Buffalo secondary after posting a 4.28 40-yard dash time at the NFL Scouting Combine, which was the fastest time overall. The Bills ranked in the bottom half of the league in passing yards per game allowed last season, along with abysmal production on third down, where they saw opponents convert 44.5% of the time (third-worst in the NFL). With that in mind, Hairston is a welcome addition.
Another year, another draft day steal for Howie Roseman. Philadelphia traded up one spot with the Kansas City Chiefs to add Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell. The Crimson Tide product did have some health questions due to a shoulder injury, which hurt his stock but there’s no denying his talent. Campbell is No. 13 on CBS Sports’ overall prospect rankings, and had been viewed as a player who’d come off the board in the late teens or early 20s of the draft. Instead, Campbell — who was first-team All-SEC last year — joins the Super Bowl champs.
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