After three exciting days filled with the unpredictability it’s known for, the 2025 NFL Draft has finally reached its end, and teams have made the moves they believe will push them toward postseason contention. When evaluating the outcomes and implications of this (or any) draft, I find it helpful to focus on qualitative insights rather than hard data. Instead of analyzing who got the best positional value or who accumulated the most 2026 draft capital, I try to interpret the results through the simplest lens available: winners and losers. In other words, who is set up for success – and who is set up for failure – as a result of the draft?

 

WINNERS:

 

SHEDEUR SANDERS:

As surprising as it may seem, I see Sanders coming out of this draft as a winner. Yes, he fell to the fifth round as teams repeatedly passed on him. Yes, five quarterbacks were taken before him (including another by Cleveland). Yes, there was intense scrutiny of his pre-draft interviews. However, what gives me hope – and what ultimately leads me to label him a winner – was seeing his reaction to being picked 144th by the Cleveland Browns. Watching Sanders jump around, dance, and leap into a pool after being selected four rounds later than expected gave me confidence in the young man. He isn’t being handed a starting spot, but he’s entering Cleveland’s now-crowded QB room with the same confidence and a new fire lit under him. Now, more than ever, he wants to prove the world wrong. Whether he was the first overall pick or Mr. Irrelevant, he’s been given the opportunity he needs.

 

RUNNING BACKS:

The value of the running back position is on the rise. The success of relocated veteran backs like Derrick Henry and two-thousand-yard rusher and Super Bowl champion Saquon Barkley has helped reestablish the position’s importance. Young players like Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs (each selected within the top twelve) have become lethal weapons and justified their early selections. This trend continued this year as the Las Vegas Raiders selected Ashton Jeanty with the sixth overall pick. Running backs are regaining the respect they deserve as their importance to championship efforts has become evident.

 

SHAD KHAN:

 

The Jaguars killed the draft this year. Period. Moving up for Travis Hunter was a dominant move that gives both QB Trevor Lawrence and DC Anthony Campanile the tools they need to build a monster. What stood out was General Manager Shad Khan’s rationale in trading up for the two-way star. He said the team’s prerogative had, for too long, been stockpiling draft picks. In Khan’s estimation, draft picks don’t win games – players do. So, he pulled the trigger and got his guy. The Jags have struggled despite elite talent, and this move – and this mentality – seems like exactly what they need to get on track. It’s a risky move, but I think it was the right one. Props to Khan for understanding what’s important and having the guts to make the bold decision.

 

Source: Sports Illustrated – Shad Khan on Travis Hunter trade

 

LOSERS:

 

CAM WARD:

While I like Ward as a player, I’m not sure the Titans are equipped to support him. He enters a locker room that knows all too well what it’s like to lose. As a result, second-year head coach Brian Callahan is already on the hot seat, and another poor season could see him dismissed. Their WR corps features stars past their prime in Tyler Lockett and Calvin Ridley, and their RB room ranks near the bottom of the league. With a dysfunctional leadership structure and a dearth of offensive weapons, Ward will have to carry the team on his back to be successful in Year One – and his struggles will be overanalyzed by every concerned party wondering if he was truly worth the top pick. The expectations are so high that even if he plays well, he may not receive the praise he deserves. There’s really no winning scenario for him. Ward was put in a tough spot, and only time will tell if he can succeed despite the odds.

 

DAK PRESCOTT:

 

This was a tough call, but I don’t think the Cowboys did enough to set Dak up for a much-needed bounce-back year. I like the selection of Alabama guard Tyler Booker, but Dak doesn’t have the weapons he needs to thrive. While CeeDee Lamb is an alpha WR, the depth behind him is uninspiring. Jalen Tolbert, penciled in as the WR2, is far from a legitimate second option, and projects like Jonathan Mingo and Parris Campbell headline the rest of the group. The Cowboys need a bona fide running mate for Lamb, or he’ll simply be double-teamed constantly, with no other threat to make secondaries pay. If anything happens to Lamb, Dak’s passing game will essentially run through TE Jake Ferguson. Dak is coming back from injury and a rough stretch in his career. The Cowboys needed elite receiving talent going into the draft, but they came out of it still searching.

 

O-LINES AND QBs IN THE NFC WEST:

After free agency, the offensive lines and quarterbacks of the Cardinals, Seahawks, and Rams all breathed a sigh of relief. Three members of the 49ers’ once-ferocious defensive line and linebacker corps had departed, offering some reprieve. Offensive coordinators no longer had to plan for Javon Hargrave, Maliek Collins, and Leonard Floyd disrupting their game plans. BOOM! DRAFT DAY! The 49ers used their first-rounder (11th overall) on Georgia DE Mykel Williams – but they didn’t stop there. They used the 43rd overall pick on Texas DT Alfred Collins and the 73rd pick on Oklahoma State LB Nick Martin. The team wasted no time replenishing its defensive corps with ideal size and speed to replace veteran talent. The Niners' division-mates will get no relief in 2025.