Five NFL Teams That Crushed the 2025 Draft | Deadspin.com

No NFL crew ever believes it takes an L throughout draft week. Theoretically, that is sensible as a result of no crew’s expertise stage ought to lower whereas selecting via the finest gamers school soccer has to supply.

However some groups clearly benefited greater than others this weekend in Inexperienced Bay. Quite than level out the groups that didn’t get a lot executed (cough, New Orleans Saints, cough), we’re holding it optimistic and spotlighting the squads that had the most success.

1. Jacksonville Jaguars

Many NFL consultants consider new Jaguars basic supervisor James Gladstone overpaid when he basically despatched the Cleveland Browns subsequent yr’s first-round decide and this yr’s No. 36 total decide simply to maneuver up three spots in Thursday night time’s first spherical. However when the prize is Travis Hunter, how do you criticize making that deal?

Hunter was considered the finest receiver and finest cornerback in the draft — and he’s wanting to be an everyday on either side of the ball. Even when he solely performs 75 % of the snaps on both sides, you’re getting an elite athlete giving 150% — shattering the earlier NFL file of 110% held by virtually each different participant in historical past.

Simply as necessary, the 34-year-old Gladstone and new coach Liam Coen have given the Jags fanbase actual hope. After years of being jacked round — house video games outsourced to London, wins outsourced to most opponents, and so forth. — followers lastly have a purpose to be jacked up.

2. Arizona Cardinals

At the naked minimal, the Cardinals are going to dominate the Large Ten this fall. After they grabbed All-American defensive sort out Walter Nolen in the first spherical, they jumped on elite cornerback Will Johnson (Michigan), lightning-quick edge rusher Jordan Burch (Oregon), productive linebacker Cody Simon (Ohio State) and four-year beginning cornerback Denzel Burke (additionally from nationwide champion Ohio State).

That’s quite a lot of ready-to-deploy ammo for head coach Jonathan Gannon’s protection, which was middle-of-the-pack final yr (fifteenth in factors, twenty first in yards). It doesn’t take a lot to venture the Cardinals incomes simply their second playoff berth in the final 10 seasons.

3. Chicago Bears

New coach Ben Johnson had a lot enjoyable working the NFL’s highest-scoring offense in Detroit, he’s doing his finest to copy that personnel with the Bears. He snagged his new Sam LaPorta — Michigan tight finish Colston Loveland, who had 17 TDs and 146 catches in two years. Per NFL insider Ian Rapoport, a number of groups have been making an attempt to commerce as much as get the 6-foot-6, 248-pound freak.

Then the Bears doubled down on distinctive offensive weapons by grabbing elusive Missouri receiver Luther Burden III in the second spherical. Although the mix confirmed he has tiny fingers, infinite video confirms he’s actually onerous to get to the floor as soon as he will get the ball in these mitts.

Caleb Williams now has D.J. Moore, Rome Odunze, Cole Kmet, Loveland and Burden on his radar. He additionally welcomes second-round decide offensive sort out Ozzy Trapilo to spice up an O-line that added a number of free brokers. Now it’s time to search out an RB buddy to go together with D’Andre Swift.

4. Las Vegas Raiders

The Bears won’t ever admit it, however they gladly would have bypassed Loveland if working again Ashton Jeanty had one way or the other fallen to No. 10. As an alternative, the Raiders scored this franchise again with the sixth total decide. He runs, he catches, he by no means dies simple a la Walter Payton.

Higher but for the Raiders — whose final playoff win (Jan. 19, 2003) got here 11 months earlier than Jeanty was born — they added a number of extra affect gamers 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 mix.

5. New England Patriots

New coach Mike Vrabel will get to mould the draft’s finest offensive sort out (Will Campbell), an immediate do-it-all working again (TreVeyon Henderson), a flexible big-play receiver (Kyle Williams) and a few quick assist for the protection, too.

We’re not saying Vrabel will lead the Pats to the playoffs in his first yr — there’s quite a lot of floor to make up — however we’re saying they’ve executed the proper issues to assist second-year quarterback Drake Maye lead the crew towards a brighter tomorrow.