The 2025 NFL Draft provided so many fascinating storylines and developments — yes, even beyond Shedeur Sanders‘ precipitous plummet to the fifth round.
We are now firmly in draft grades season. While those are fine and dandy — mine can be found here, if interested — it’s time to provide something a little different as a reaction to what transpired in Green Bay, Wisconsin, from April 24-26.
Below are some superlatives for the 2025 NFL Draft.
Most Likely to Accidentally Schedule Two Dates on the Same Night at the Same Restaurant…
Terry Fontenot, Falcons GM
This was the first superlative handed out after the 2024 draft, with the same selection. After Fontenot’s double-dipping rendezvous in the first round of 2025, I see no reason to nudge from this award and the honoree. Maybe he has a thing for doing things in twos.
Fontenot finally understood the assignment with his first pick. The Falcons’ perpetual need at defense end started when John Abraham left the organization… before the 2013 season. Since then, Atlanta has finished 32nd in sacks twice (2015, 2021) and 31st a ridiculous five times (2013, 2014, 2019, 2022, and 2024). The kicker? In this abhorrent stretch, they’ve never finished in the Top 12 in quarterback takedowns in any season.
Placing an enormous emphasis on pass rushing was long overdue for the Falcons organization. If this initiative came directly from Arthur Blank, it would have been perfectly sensible owner-meddling for maybe the first time in NFL history.
With pass-rushing intentions clearly in mind, the Falcons picked the undersized but uber-explosive and bendy rusher Jalon Walker from their backyard, the University of Georgia, at No. 15 overall. Light the fireworks in Flowery Branch.
Fontenot wasn’t done. As we were simmering down from the Giants‘ ascension back into the first round for Jaxson Dart, not Shedeur Sanders, the Falcons were suddenly on the clock after a trade up for… another outside pass rusher from the SEC. This time it was for Tennessee’s James Pearce Jr. (my No. 1 overall prospect, mind you).
But was it worth it? Inflation must be affecting everything, including draft night fireworks in Atlanta, because the swap, by our draft pick trade chart, was extraordinarily expensive (aka an overpayment) that featured the team’s 2026 first-round pick.
After picking three offensive skill-position players and a quarterback in his first four drafts, Fontenot finally focused his attention on a team need that has persisted through two general managers, four coaches and 12 seasons, which in NFL years is essentially a century.
At this point, I expect that Fontenot orders a chicken sandwich from Chick-fil-A for lunch, then swings by the local Zaxby’s for their signature sandwich to eat for dinner.
Most Likely To Be Sick of Seeing Their Defense Flop in the Playoffs…
Buffalo Bills
In six playoff losses during the otherwise wildly successful Josh Allen, Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott era in Buffalo, the Bills have allowed an average of 31.3 points per game. For context, the 2024 Panthers allowed 31.4 points per game, the worst figure in football.
Couple that with Allen’s outrageous playoff effectiveness — 65.7% completion, 25 passing touchdowns, four interceptions and seven rushing touchdowns — and it’s obvious the massive disparity between Buffalo’s offensive and defensive performances in the playoffs had to change. Even after six defensive additions in free agency, with Joey Bosa the most notable acquisition, Beane charged into this draft on a mission to continue to build the defense.
The club’s first six picks were all on defense. Altogether, the Bills picked two defensive tackles, two cornerbacks, one corner/safety hybrid and an edge rusher to infuse youthful depth (and athletic upside) to a unit that’s routinely one of the best in football during the regular season and vastly disappointing against the AFC’s best passers in the playoffs.
Beane likely figured … enough is enough. Allen’s been plenty good enough to reach a Super Bowl. This draft was the next phase of the Bills not needing Allen to be Superman on every drive to win late in January.
Most Likely To Have No Excuse If Things Go Badly…
Caleb Williams
The Bears have gone to monumental lengths to construct a relaxing habitat around last year’s No. 1 overall pick. The hottest offensive mind in quite some time (Ben Johnson), hired as head coach from within the division. Three veteran interior blockers added in the offseason. And it didn’t stop there. The Bears picked Michigan tight end Colston Loveland at No. 10 overall. Early in Round 2, Missouri’s stocky YAC specialist Luther Burden III came off the board. Chicago’s second choice in that round? More offensive line help.
General manager Ryan Poles even threw in a sixth-round blocker and a seventh-round running back.
Oh yeah, and they already spent a top-10 pick on a receiver in the 2024 draft in Rome Odunze.
I was in a small minority of analysts who didn’t think Williams’ rookie season in Chicago was horrifically bad. There were flashes — he did have six outings with a quarterback rating over 100, and he threw at least 23 passes in each of them — that somewhat counteracted the sacks and airmails into the bench.
I’d be lying if I dubbed Williams’ debut in the NFL as “encouraging,” though. And oftentimes when an early-round passer ultimately busts, his supporting cast absorbs a significant amount of the blame.
That excuse has been tossed into Lake Michigan with this offseason from those at Halas Hall. It’s now on you, Caleb. And I have a hunch he’s going to rise to the occasion.
Most Likely To Be Unrecognizable From Past Iterations…
Las Vegas Raiders
No team in the NFL has undergone more of a drastic makeover in a shorter period of time than the Raiders. Maybe new minority owner Tom Brady is at the center of it all. There’s him. There’s Pete Carroll installed at head coach. Chip Kelly at offensive coordinator. Geno Smith at quarterback. And the least recognizable name in a key role within the organization is holding his own among these established football figures… new general manager John Spytek, a 44-year-old former Brady teammate at Michigan who was hired in January.
Spytek routinely hit the jackpot with his picks for Vegas in his inaugural draft making the selections. First Ashton Jeanty in Round 1 to give the offense an explosive, bell-cow runner. Then the uber-reliable receiver Jack Bech in Round 2. After that, Spytek indulged Caroll’s adoration of long-armed, highly explosive cornerbacks with that exact type in Darien Porter in Round 3. That was like hitting 21 on the blackjack table three hands in a row.
Offensive linemen Caleb Rogers and Charles Grant are electric athletes — Rogers played nearly 4,400 snaps in college at four different positions, while Grant is a developmental blocker with major upside because of his newness to the game. Before cashing out with loads of the casino’s money, Spytek even gave Smith a 6-foot-5 wideout with 4.30-second 40-yard dash speed in Dont’e Thornton Jr.
In 2025, Las Vegas will be be unrecognizable from the clubs that won a combined 18 games the past three seasons.
Most Likely To Be Signing Aaron Rodgers Orr Trading For Kirk Cousins (Or Some Other QB)
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers had a very Steelers draft. Three of the first four picks and five of seven overall selections were on defense. Derrick Harmon is going to eat next to Cam Heyward and Keeanu Benton inside. Jack Sawyer will outplay his draft position as a depth piece behind T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig. Yahya Black is the ideal direct backup to Benton at nose tackle. Carson Bruener is an athletic and polished linebacker.
I’m just confused about Pittsburgh’s offensive plan, and what feels like a stubbornness to evolve philosophy that’s held them back since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement in what’s become a stacked AFC. OK, so they did make a concerted effort to find their quarterback in 2022 by selecting Kenny Pickett in the first round. That went … poorly. It can happen to any franchise, even one as storied as the Steelers. Smartly, they moved on quickly.
Last year’s idea with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields — while smart on paper due to the bargain-bin prices of those quarterbacks — seemed like a long shot to actually work. It didn’t.
And now, they’ve re-signed old friend Mason Rudolph… and drafted Will Howard in the sixth round. That’s it at the quarterback position. Sure, defense is the Steelers’ historical trademark. No one will doubt that for a second. Yet Roethlisberger and Terry Bradshaw are franchise icons, too. The Rooneys know what it takes to win a Super Bowl, and it’s not just impenetrable defense. The Steelers must have another idea at quarterback, right?
This news was originally published on this post .
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