Looking Ahead- The Big Questions Surrounding the 2025 NFL Draft

The order is almost set, with 30 teams of the 32 already knowing when they will be on the clock. This has allowed staff of each organization to start planning for next season, where they’d all hope to be in the same position as the two battling it out in the Championship Games.

However, it is a lot easier said than done when it comes to finding the right players to fit the team and their needs. While a team may know that they need a quarterback, there is no guarantee that the player selected will fit and work immediately.

Still, there may be teams out there who don’t quite know what they need first because they have many needs. Teams that have the first picks in the draft can often have various needs. They’ve earned the top picks because they’ve had a poor season, usually on both sides of the ball.

Top Picks Could Make NFL Draft Interesting

As is the norm, there appears to be a handful of players who appear to have their place in the draft already decided for them. The #1 pick is also the most coveted for the day, although this year doesn’t appear to have one player outranking everyone else.

It’s possible to argue that each of the three teams in the top three spots needs a new quarterback. The Tennessee Titans have the first pick after finishing the season with a 3-14 record. Will Levis didn’t impress in the quarterback position, and the Titans don’t appear to be set on him after his second year in the NFL.

The Cleveland Browns also finished the year with a 3-14 record, but they are a little more questionable regarding needing a QB in this draft as a priority. Deshaun Watson is injury-prone having suffered another injury to his Achilles, while they only have Dorian Thompson-Robinson under contract for the upcoming season aside from him. However, they may feel they need other positions addressed. The NFL's website has suggested that the team’s biggest need could be an EDGE, giving Myles Garrett additional help on the defense.

The New York Giants require a new quarterback and have the #3 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. However, they may have moved themselves out of contention of picking up a top one in an arguably weak class. They defeated the Indianapolis Colts ahead of their season-ender against the Philadelphia Eagles to move to 3-14 for the season.

According to the latest odds available, it’s entirely possible that they will miss out on the two top QBs in the draft. The odds at Unibet Australia now have Cam Ward as the favorite to go #1 overall at a price of 1.95, while Travis Hunter has moved up to second-favorite at 3.25. Shedeur Sanders, previously considered a top-two pick, is now priced at 9.00, suggesting he may fall further down the draft board.

It’s likely that a player like Travis Hunter—should Big Blue want him—will still be available, particularly given their need at cornerback. If the top two QBs go as expected, they may have to settle for drafting further down the board or look for a potential gem on Day 2 or 3 of the draft.

Who could end up being the biggest gems in the 2025 NFL Draft?

While a lot of focus and attention can be placed on the top picks, it’s not unusual for the Draft to see players picked lower down the order that have a significant impact on their franchises in the future.

The Philadelphia Eagles had success with Jalen Hurts in 2020 when they selected him in the second round as the 53rd pick. They’ve since made the postseason in each year he has started for the team under Nick Sirianni.

Everyone is aware of the story and success the New England Patriots had with Tom Brady all those years ago, too.

Could we see some underrated picks this time around? It’s a possibility.

Players like Iowa State’s Darien Porter, Rylie Mills of Notre Dame, and TCU’s Jack Bech could all be individuals who have success but go under the radar during the early stages of this year’s draft.