- Jaguars trade up for Travis Hunter, the draft’s most unique playmaker: Jacksonville aggressively moves up to select the No. 1 player on the PFF Big Board, who earned 89.0-plus grades as both a receiver and cornerback in 2024.
- Shedeur Sanders‘ slide eventually came to an end: The Browns secured elite value by drafting the Colorado quarterback in Round 5.
- Final chance to claim 25% off PFF+: Use code DRAFT25 and unlock access to player grades, fantasy tools and the 2025 Draft Guide.
The 2025 NFL Draft offered plenty of talent, but a handful of picks stood out as true steals. Using PFF’s live draft tracker grades, we highlight the selections where teams maximized value — finding prospects who could easily outperform their draft slot and make an immediate impact. Here are the best value picks from this year’s draft class.
2. Jacksonville Jaguars: CB/WR Travis Hunter, Colorado
Pick Grade: Elite
Jacksonville got aggressive to move up for the No. 1 overall player on the PFF Big Board. Hunter earned PFF receiving and coverage grades of at least 89.0 this past season while logging more than 1,500 snaps across 13 games. It remains to be seen how much the Jaguars will lean into his versatility, but Hunter’s rare ability to make a legitimate impact on both sides of the ball was enticing enough for them to trade up and secure the best prospect in this year’s draft.
3. New York Giants: EDGE Abdul Carter, Penn State
Pick Grade: Elite
The Giants added enough at quarterback in free agency with Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston to give them the freedom to take one of the few obvious blue-chip talents in this draft. Carter’s 66 quarterback pressures ranked second in the FBS in his first season as a full-time edge rusher in 2024. He now joins a Giants defensive front that already features several impact players in Dexter Lawrence and Brian Burns.
16. Arizona Cardinals: DI Walter Nolen, Mississippi
Pick Grade: Elite
The Cardinals add another extremely talented player to amplify their defensive front. As a plus run defender, Nolen earned the second-highest PFF run-defense grade in the FBS this past season (91.6). The seventh-ranked prospect on the PFF Big Board will instantly upgrade an Arizona defense that ranked 27th in EPA allowed per rush in 2024.
20. Denver Broncos: DB Jahdae Barron, Texas
Pick Grade: Elite
Denver opts to build upon a strength, pairing one of the best cornerbacks in college football, Barron, with the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Pat Surtain II. The versatile coverage defender — the highest-graded cornerback in college football last season (91.1) with at least 400 coverage snaps — is a natural zone defender with incredible instincts and can slot in at any position in the secondary.
27. Baltimore Ravens: S Malaki Starks, Georgia
Pick Grade: Elite
The Ravens let the board fall to them and take the best available player on the PFF Big Board. He has positional versatility that allows Kyle Hamilton to be a movable chess piece. Starks’ 85.6 run-defense grade was one of the best in the draft class, while his 8.1% missed tackle rate was one of the lowest in the class. Starks brings high-level football intelligence and great anticipation to make plays on the ball in coverage.
39. Chicago Bears (from Panthers): WR Luther Burden III, Missouri
Pick Grade: Elite
Chicago is doing everything in its power to set Caleb Williams up for success, giving him two pass-catching weapons with its first two selections. Burden wasn’t able to match his 2023 production (1,212 yards and nine touchdowns) last year at Missouri, but he still has a strong case for being the most dangerous wide receiver in this class after the catch (ranked third among Power Four wide receivers in yards after the catch over the past two seasons).
44. Dallas Cowboys: EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College
Pick Grade: Elite
Situated at No. 17 on the PFF Big Board, Ezeiruaku profiles as a significant value for the Cowboys here. The Boston College standout maintains a solid grading profile, particularly against true pass sets, where he clocked the most snaps of any edge rusher in the 2025 class (196), earning a 90.7 PFF grade and a 25.8% pass-rush win rate.
47. Arizona Cardinals: CB Will Johnson, Michigan
Pick Grade: Elite
A tough injury cut Johnson’s 2024 campaign short and sent his draft stock tumbling. However, he did prove his level of talent across his tenure at Michigan. His 57.2 passer rating allowed into his coverage across the past three seasons charted in the 94th percentile. Pairing Johnson with breakout cornerback Garrett Williams will upgrade a coverage unit that allowed the sixth-highest EPA per dropback.
61. Washington Commanders: CB Trey Amos, Ole Miss
Pick Grade: Elite
Amos brings elite speed and strong movement skills to the Commanders’ defense. He earned an 85.6 coverage grade in 2024, forcing 13 incompletions and recording three interceptions. A standout at the Senior Bowl, Amos showcases good instincts in zone coverage and has the size and athleticism to lock down opposing receivers in man coverage.
76. Dallas Cowboys: CB Shavon Revel, East Carolina
Pick Grade: Elite
Revel was the No. 44 player on the PFF big board, so his selection represents great value for the Cowboys at No. 76. Revel is a tall outside who earned a coverage grade above 80.0 in both 2023 and 2024.
77. Carolina Panthers (from Patriots through Falcons): EDGE Princely Umanmielen, Ole Miss
Pick Grade: Elite
The Panthers moved up to target some pass-rush help with the selection of Umanmielen. The Ole Miss product was the No. 50 overall player on the PFF big board, and his 91.1 PFF grade ranked sixth among players at the position in 2024.
82. Tennessee Titans (from Seahawks): S Kevin Winston Jr., Penn State
Pick Grade: Elite
Winston produced excellent 2023 tape before missing almost the entire 2024 season due to injury. He posted an 89.3 PFF overall grade two years ago after missing zero tackles. The ballhawking safety wins with high-level intelligence and a quick first step. Winston is a steal here, based on his PFF big board rank.
96. Atlanta Falcons (from Eagles): S Xavier Watts, Notre Dame
Pick Grade: Elite
The Falcons again trade up to acquire a potential impact defender. Watts profiles as one of the best ball-hawking safeties in the class, showcasing excellent anticipation and football IQ. He racked up six interceptions in 2024, on his way to an 89.0 PFF coverage grade.
105. New York Giants: RB Cam Skattebo, Arizona State
Pick Grade: Elite
Skattebo was RB3 and the No. 51 overall player on the PFF Big Board, making this a strong value pick for the Giants at the top of the fourth round. He doesn’t have elite speed, but he excels in many areas that translate well to the NFL. Skattebo ranked above the 85th percentile in PFF rushing grade in both gap and zone schemes in 2024 and was the only running back besides Ashton Jeanty to force more than 100 missed tackles on the ground last season.
136. Tennessee Titans (via Ravens): WR Elic Ayomanor, Stanford
Pick Grade: Elite
The Titans traded up to get another weapon for new quarterback Cam Ward. Ayomanor was the highest-ranked remaining player on the PFF Big Board going into Day 3. He finished the 2024 season with a 74.3 PFF receiving grade.
144. Cleveland Browns (via Patriots): QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
Pick Grade: Elite
This is certainly a surprising pick, not only because of Sanders’ “slide” but also because the Browns selected Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel the day before. Last year, Sanders posted the second-best adjusted completion percentage in the class at 81.8% and the third-best turnover-worthy play rate at 1.3%.
146. New England Patriots (via Panthers): ED Bradyn Swinson, LSU
Pick Grade: Elite
The Patriots get outstanding value here, as Swinson ranked No. 47 on the PFF Big Board. On true pass sets, he posted a 91.4 pass-rush grade and an overall pass-rush win rate of 22.1%.
172. Los Angeles Rams (via Seahawks) (comp. pick): LB Chris Paul Jr., Mississippi
Pick Grade: Elite
Paul was the No. 83 prospect on the PFF Big Board, making this a great value pick for the Rams. He put together a well-rounded season for Ole Miss, finishing with an 84.6 PFF run-defense grade and an 84.0 pass-rush grade.
207. Philadelphia Eagles (via Kansas City Chiefs): T Cameron Williams, Texas
Pick Grade: Elite
Ranked 93rd on the PFF Big Board, Williams might be one of Day 3’s biggest steals. He earned an 84.0 grade on zone blocks last season and could become Philadelphia’s long-term answer at right tackle once future Hall-of-Famer Lane Johnson retires.
223. Seattle Seahawks (via New Orleans Saints): RB Damien Martinez, Miami (FL)
Pick Grade: Elite
We had Damien Martinez ranked No. 80 on the PFF Big Board, making his selection by the Seahawks at pick No. 223 an incredible value. Martinez is a big back, standing 6 feet and weighing 232 pounds. He has been extremely productive over his three years at Oregon State and Miami, with a career-low rushing grade of 88.1.
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