Day 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft is in the books. The first round saw its fair share of shocking moments. Some of the top prospects in the class came off the board later than expected, while others didn’t hear their name called at all.
With the dust settling from a dramatic opening night, some teams landed significant value with their picks, while others reached, leaving notable talent available heading into Day 2. Let’s break down the biggest steals and snubs from Day 1 of the draft.
Biggest Day 1 Steals
Indianapolis Colts: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State (No. 14 overall)
The Indianapolis Colts had to be sprinting to the podium when Tyler Warren fell to them at No. 14 overall. The draft couldn’t have fallen any better for general manager Chris Ballard and the front office. Warren was ranked the seventh overall prospect on PFSN’s Big Board, and he fills a major need for the Colts.
Indianapolis’ offense was highly inconsistent in 2024, finishing 21st in EPA per play (-0.04) and 19th in points per drive (1.91). Struggles at the quarterback position certainly played a major factor in the inefficiency. The Colts have building blocks at wide receiver in Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce, and Josh Downs. However, they lack juice at the tight end position. Warren offers that and much more.
A projected top-10 pick, Warren combines an ultra-reliable clutch gene with all-encompassing offensive versatility. In every phase, Warren presents as a scout’s dream. He’s an efficient route runner who catches virtually everything, even with defenders inside his frame. He’s an explosive and physical RAC threat, an offensive weapon, and a central presence who makes teams better.
Anthony Richardson has yet to solidify himself as an NFL starter. The front office must do everything in its power to put him in a position to succeed, and Warren can become a safety blanket for Richardson.
Denver Broncos: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas (No. 20 overall)
The Denver Broncos finished last season as the No. 1 defense in PFSN’s Defense+ metric and had a strong free agency period, but they just got even better by landing Jahdae Barron at No. 20 overall. The Jim Thorpe Award winner was the 13th-ranked prospect on PFSN’s Big Board, so getting him here was great value.
The Broncos ranked first in defensive EPA per dropback in 2024. Their 57.1% pass defense success rate was the sixth-best in the NFL. However, they didn’t play up to that level in the team’s Wild Card Round loss to the Buffalo Bills.
While Riley Moss wasn’t the same after returning from injury, he showed tremendous promise during his sophomore campaign. With Moss and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Pat Surtain II, Denver has a strong foundation at cornerback. Barron’s versatility makes them even more formidable.
Barron can play safety, nickel, or boundary CB, and his versatility is no accident. It’s a product of his energized athleticism, smooth fluidity, swivel flexibility, elite processing ability, and unhinged two-phase proactivity. While he was a successful playmaker on the outside, Barron projects best as a slot defender due to a lack of length.
Nevertheless, Barron can be a dynamic and, at times, dominant slot defender in an era where slot defenders are valued more and more. He should immediately compete with Ja’Quan McMillian for the Broncos’ starting nickelback spot.
Green Bay Packers: Matthew Golden, WR, Texas (No. 23 overall)
Matthew Golden joins his former Texas Longhorns teammate Barron on the list of Day 1 steals. The Green Bay Packers had not drafted a wide receiver in the first round of the NFL Draft since they selected Javon Walker back in 2002. It just so happened that PFSN’s top WR and 14th overall prospect was still on the board.
It’s well-documented that the Packers don’t have a true No. 1 receiver on their roster. That doesn’t mean they’re lacking talent, though. Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson, and Dontayvion Wicks have each shown flashes. However, Watson suffered a torn ACL at the end of the 2024 season and is expected to miss a chunk of 2025.
Golden has the potential to develop into a No. 1 option for Jordan Love. At 5’11”, 191 pounds, Golden’s 4.29-second 40-yard dash has caused many to bill him as a speed WR primarily, but that’s a misconception. He certainly has high-end speed and burst, but he wins with his fluid and twitchy mobility as a separator and his liquid-smooth catch-point skills.
Sure, there will be plenty of mouths to feed in Green Bay, Wis., but that’s not exactly a bad problem to have. Golden is as explosive as they come, and he could be a true impact playmaker from Day 1.
Baltimore Ravens: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia (No. 27 overall)
It seems like the Baltimore Ravens land a steal almost every year, and this year, it’s former Georgia Bulldog Malaki Starks. General manager Eric DeCosta and the front office have done a solid job of building their secondary through recent drafts, with safety Kyle Hamilton in 2022 and cornerback Nate Wiggins in 2024.
Starks, the ninth overall prospect on PFSN’s Big Board, has many of the tools needed to be a high-level starter at the NFL level. He’s a well-built safety with a large catch radius and the versatility to play across the secondary. His intelligence allows him to thrive in various alignments, and he’s battle-tested as a three-year starter for a blue-blood program.
As a solid tackler to add to his abilities in coverage, Starks should project well as a true starting safety with nickel versatility. At 6’1″ and a playing weight of over 200 pounds, with near-32″ arms, Starks has the optimal size profile; with it, he brings truly uncommon coverage mobility. He’s a playmaker roaming to track passes, he’s a capable nickel defender with fast feet, fluidity, and physicality, and he’s a dynamic enforcer in support.
Starks should be an excellent fit on the back end alongside an All-Pro safety in Hamilton. A secondary that features Hamilton, Wiggins, Starks, Marlon Humphrey, and Ar’Darius Washington could be a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks.
The Ravens finished as the eighth-best defense last season in Defense+. They weren’t immune to giving up some big plays in the passing game. This move strengthens the back end and could help the unit take a step forward in 2025.
Philadelphia Eagles: Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama (No. 31 overall)
Howie Roseman does it again. The rich do, in fact, get richer. The Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles landed one of the best defensive players in the 2025 NFL Draft class with one of the final two picks in Round 1.
In an interesting move, the Eagles swapped picks with the Kansas City Chiefs, who were set to pick just before them. They were eyeing Jihaad Campbell and did whatever they had to do to get their guy.
The Alabama product was ranked 11th overall on PFSN’s Big Board but is recovering from a torn labrum. If he had a clean bill of health, he probably would’ve gotten selected much sooner. But with Campbell expected to be ready for training camp, this could be a massive steal for the Eagles.
At 6’3″, 235 pounds, Campbell has a tantalizing physical framework. He has high-end length and a hyper-elite mix of explosiveness, long-strider speed, short-area agility, and flexibility. He has an especially high ceiling as a pass-rush catalyst with his speed, bend, and hand usage arsenal. But his potential is just as high in coverage, where he can man up TEs and big-slot targets 1-on-1 and undercut passes in zone.
Philadelphia’s defense finished second in Defense+. Nakobe Dean is also recovering from an injury, so it will be interesting to see how Vic Fangio deploys the two, but Campbell’s traits offer All-Pro upside.
Biggest Day 1 Snubs
Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
We have seen Shedeur Sanders’ draft stock free-fall in recent weeks. Once considered a potential top-five pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Colorado product did not hear his name called in Round 1. Recent rumors suggested this could happen, so while it may not be all that surprising, that doesn’t mean he wasn’t worthy of first-round draft capital.
Several QB-needy teams passed on Sanders on Day 1, including the Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, and Pittsburgh Steelers. New York traded back into the first round but opted for Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart.
Sanders, son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, could very well come off the board early on Day 2, but his slide in recent weeks has been interesting to say the least. He is undersized and unequipped with elite talent, but with his accuracy and gamer mentality, he can win in a system that offers support.
There’s no disputing Sanders’ production or his pedigree. He makes his money with accuracy, confidence, and composure, and his arm is more than good enough.
Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
Will Johnson is the top-ranked cornerback prospect on PFSN’s Big Board after Travis Hunter, and he’s still available heading into Day 2. A knee injury that ended his 2024 season soured his draft stock a bit. While it may not be a concern in the short term, some teams could be wary about how it could impact Johnson’s longevity.
Even with the injury concerns, the talent is undeniable. The physical tools are obvious, but the playmaking mentality and route recognition make him a top prospect. Johnson is tall and lean, moves with impressive pace and fluidity in coverage, and has a high IQ on the back end. He’s also an instinctive turnover-generating threat, with the ball skills to make risk-taking QBs pay.
The best player available, it’s hard to imagine Johnson not hearing his name called early in Round 2.
Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall
Four edge rushers were taken in Round 1 of the NFL Draft. Abdul Carter, Shemar Stewart, Mykel Williams, and James Pearce Jr. all came off the board before Marshall’s Mike Green. Carter was a given, but Green was the second-ranked player at the position on our Big Board and 18th overall.
Green is the most prolific pass-rush producer in the class, coming off a 2024 campaign that featured 17 sacks and 23 tackles for loss. At 6’3″, 251 pounds, with 32″ arms, Green’s length and mass are visibly non-elite, but Green nonetheless terrorizes tackles with his explosiveness, bend, agility, and thorough execution. He also has surprising speed-to-power and strength in run defense.
While the Cincinnati Bengals, Atlanta Falcons, and San Francisco 49ers each filled a glaring need for pass rush help, they left the nation’s leading sack-getter on the board. Still, there were some character questions with Green, and on-field evaluation isn’t the only factor.
Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
Luther Burden III is a bona fide playmaker, so it shouldn’t be long before a team snatches him up. Many projected him as an early Day 2 candidate, but it wouldn’t have been shocking at all to see him come off the board in Round 1.
Burden is a slot receiver with an impressive combination of speed, power, and agility. His natural playmaking skills make him dangerous in space, and he has ball skills to spare when allowed to stretch the field vertically. He does have some work to do to become a route technician, but his inside-out versatility and YAC ability are among some of the best in this draft class.
Four wide receivers were selected in the first round: Hunter, Tetairoa McMillan, Emeka Egbuka, and Matthew Golden. Burden slid a bit, but he should be the next receiver taken, given his dynamic ability with the ball in his hands.
