2025 NFL Draft Re-draft: Quarterbacks, offensive linemen fly off the board, and defensive backs fall in league-wide second chance
A big-time shake up in the top-10 occurs in our 2025 NFL Draft re-draft scenario.
The NFL is an evergreen experiment. The NFL Draft accompanies its mania and excitement on an annual basis, and some folks are often too quick to judge rookie classes around the league.
But what if teams had a chance to change their mind after a year? How would a “re-draft” scenario play out if the squads go to have a do-over on their pick in late April (in the moment) given what we know now? Let’s implement this exercise for the 2025 NFL Draft and time travel back there.
Myself and Kyle Crabbs of A to Z Sports are collaborating on this project. We went in groups of four picks at a time, and I led things off for us. Check out our Round 1 selections below.
2025 NFL Draft redraft
*Keep in mind that this draft order is after trades were made – not the original order. This redraft will go in the exact order that picks were made in round one of last year’s draft.*
1. Tennessee Titans: Cam Ward, QB, Miami
Original Pick: QB Cam Ward
This feels fairly chalk here. Nothing Ward did (or did not do) this season proved that he wasn’t the correct selection with the No. 1 pick. He did enough to avoid any instant regret.
2. Jacksonville Jaguars: Armand Membou, OT, Missouri
Original Pick: CB/WR Travis Hunter
Membou was really impressive for the Jets this season. Yes, the Jags just extended Cole Van Lanen, but there was really no way to predict that he would be a pivotal factor for the offensive line group in Jacksonville before this season. They reel in an instant producer in the trenches in front of Trevor Lawrence with Membou.
3. New York Giants: Tyler Shough, QB, Louisville
Original Pick: EDGE Abdul Carter
Let’s get fun. Shough feels like a quarterback who actually may have been an even better fit for Brian Daboll than Jaxson Dart in New York. He was a revelation for the Saints over the final two months of the season and New Orleans feels comfortable moving forward with him next season. This time, the Giants take him over 35 picks sooner than he went in real life.
4. New England Patriots: Will Campbell, OT, LSU
Original Pick: OT Will Campbell
Nothing needs to change here. While you could argue OT Kelvin Banks Jr. had a better season than Campbell, that’s not enough to swap this one given how Campbell progressed throughout the year. His connection to New England is strong.
5. Cleveland Browns: Jaxson Dart, QB, Mississippi
Original Pick: DT Mason Graham
The Browns’ quarterback room got plenty of youth in 2025, but are we really any closer to a definitive answer at the position? Dart illustrated plenty of splash play ability and his big chore this offseason will be in protecting himself better and learning a new offense — perhaps he could have offered enough of a boost in Cleveland this year to avoid the major changes. We’ll never know.
6. Las Vegas Raiders: Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn St
Original Pick: RB Ashton Jeanty
The Raiders simply need to be collecting talent. Building up a roster requires discipline and, with the benefit of hindsight, the Raiders are a perfect embodiment of the risks of drafting a running back early. This re-draft is a favorable draw for the Raiders, who get a delux pass rusher in their lap thanks to three quarterbacks going in the top five.
7. New York Jets: Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
Original Pick: OT Armand Membou
I’d consider the Jets very similar to the Raiders. All bets are off when you strip the roster down in the way that New York did. And while Hunter’s rookie season was cut short due to injury, you saw the obvious impact play ability. The Jets could use pillar pieces on the roster everywhere and Hunter is great value this late in the top-10.
8. Carolina Panthers: Tetairoa McMilan, WR, Arizona
Original Pick: WR Tetairoa McMillan
Hard to want a mulligan with what McMillan has brought to the passing offense in Carolina. 14.5 yards per reception, seven receiving touchdowns, over 1,000 yards — McMillan was ‘as advertised’ and a necessary pick to help bring some life to the Panthers’ passing attack.
9. New Orleans Saints: Kelvin Banks, OT, Texas
Original Pick: OT Kelvin Banks Jr.
Easy decision for the Saints to stand pat. Banks created an exciting, young tackle duo alongside former first-round pick Taliese Fuaga for their offensive line. His trajectory has a Pro Bowl outlook.
10. Chicago Bears: James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee
Original Pick: TE Colston Loveland
Chicago’s pass rush was far too inconsistent this season, and Pearce was ultra-productive for Atlanta. He led the rookie class in sacks, and that would be a massive boost for a Bears team heading into the postseason in a stacked NFC.
11. San Francisco 49ers: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
Original Pick: EDGE Mykel Williams
While Graham got off to a slower start than many hoped for this year, the latter half of his season was productive and impactful for Cleveland. The 49ers’ defensive line was ravaged by injuries, and Graham could have played a massive role for them this season and beyond.
12. Dallas Cowboys: Grey Zabel, G, North Dakota St
Original Pick: G Tyler Booker
Booker was solid for Dallas this year, but Zabel was a potential Pro Bowl level performer in his first season with Seattle. He would have been another great option for the Cowboys to keep Dak Prescott healthy and at the top of his game.
13. Miami Dolphins: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
Original Pick: DT Kenneth Grant
Ah yes, the benefit of hindsight is a powerful thing. But with the Dolphins getting contributions from multiple other rookie defensive tackles, the Grant selection could be tweaked to attack a major issue down the stretch for the Dolphins — their wide receiver room behind Jaylen Waddle didn’t have any separators. Miami kept too many eggs in the Tyreek Hill basket but once he went down with injury, Miami sputtered in the passing game and needed to live in heavy personnel packages to survive. Egbuka would be a strong long-term option opposite Waddle.
14. Indianapolis Colts: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn St
Original Pick: TE Tyler Warren
The production ran dry for Warren down the stretch but how can we blame him? The Daniel Jones injury sapped the early season vibes in the passing game but Warren is a perfect fit for Shane Steichen’s offense.
15. Atlanta Falcons: Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE, Boston College
Original Pick: EDGE/LB Jalon Walker
The Falcons’ investment in Walker is a good one. But with the benefit of hindsight, Ezeiruaku is a little more “traditional” in his style of play and was just as good against the run as he was rushing the passer. This pick would give Atlanta a player they can work with cleanly amid a coaching change this offseason.
16. Arizona Cardinals: Tyler Booker, IOL, Alabama
Original Pick: DT Walter Nolen
The Cardinals did absolutely “nada” for their offensive depth chart this past season and it showed. The defensive investments didn’t really come to bloom the way you’d have hoped, either. Nolen flashed big time in his limited playing time but fortifying the trenches on the other side feels like it would have been useful, in hindsight.
17. Cincinnati Bengals: Jalon Walker, EDGE/LB, Georgia
Original Pick: EDGE Shemar Stewart
Instead of taking a huge risk on a pass rusher with a profile based around tools, how about landing one with physical traits that are unique as well as proven versatility? The Bengals defense was putrid yet again, and Walker could have made a far larger impact as a rookie than Stewart did.
18. Seattle Seahawks: Carson Schwesinger, LB, UCLA
Original Pick: IOL Grey Zabel
The nearly consensus defensive rookie of the year lands in the first 20 picks, as the Seahawks replace one dynamo pick with another. Zabel was phenomenal this season as I noted earlier, but he is unavailable this time around. Accordingly, head coach Mike Macdonald boosts his defense with a linebacker on track to being one of the best in the league.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
Original Pick: WR Emeka Egbuka
This was one of the tougher decisions, based on how the board fell for Tampa. I decided to invest in the offensive line that showed some deterioration this season. Simmons really came along for the Chiefs over the course of the campaign and proved that he deserved to be a first-round pick.
20. Denver Broncos: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
Original Pick: CB Jahdae Barron
Sean Payton adds another weapon to his passing game. Loveland saw an uptick in playing time and production over the back half of the season for Chicago, and I expect that Payton would have had his eyes on him if he made it to this point in reality.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
Original Pick: DT Derrick Harmon
Harmon was a major key to Pittsburgh’s run defense this season. Given the trenches psychology in Pittsburgh, I don’t think I’d make a mulligan on this pick.
22. Los Angeles Chargers: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise St
Original Pick: RB Omarion Hampton
The Chargers wanted to go running back. I get it. This team, with the way the passing weapons came to life, would have given Jeanty a much better chance of living up to his potential with offensive spacing than what Jeanty found in Las Vegas.
23. Green Bay Packers: Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
Original Pick: WR Matthew Golden
The Packers went with Golden and then doubled up later in the draft with Savion Williams. The duo combined for less than 40 catches. Burden III has been has been a productive downfield target and one of the most efficient receivers in the league on a per-target basis. I’d like to think the Packers could have made his skill set work in their wide receiver room.
24. Minnesota Vikings: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
Original Pick: IOL Donovan Jackson
I am selfishly still manifesting this fit after putting it on all my mocks last March and April. Emmanwori is a monster athlete who Mike Macdonald has done well to optimize and weaponize in Seattle. Him working in Minnesota in the Flores pressure front? Sheesh.
25. New York Giants: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
Original Pick: QB Jaxson Dart
Since New York handled its QB need with the No. 3 pick, the G-Men go after help in the secondary — a place they struggled mightily in 2025. Johnson is as gifted as any defender in this class and showed that when healthy for Arizona this season.
26. Atlanta Falcons: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
Original Pick: EDGE James Pearce Jr.
This choice came down to a trio of safeties here in Starks, Jonas Sanker, and Xavier Watts. All three had impressive rookie seasons after the class was looked at as a bit of a weakness for the draft as a whole prior to the picks. Ultimately, I think Starks has the most upside of any of them and would have been a fun player for Raheem Morris’ unit this season.
27. Baltimore Ravens: Donovan Jackson, G, Ohio State
Original Pick: S Malaki Starks
The Ravens opt to get better at protecting Lamar Jackson here with Starks off the board. Massive guard Daniel Faalele struggled mightily this season, so let’s prevent that altogether with Jackson.
28. Detroit Lions: Walter Nolen, DT, Mississippi
Original Pick: DL Tyleik Williams
The Lions needed a run clogger, but taking Williams in the first round always felt a bit steep. Here, Nolen is the most dynamic interior player on the board, and he gives them a lot more juice in rushing the passer than Williams. He will be intriguing to watch develop.
29. Washington Commanders: Xavier Watts, S, Notre Dame
Original Pick: OT Josh Conerly Jr.
The Commanders’ defense sure could use some ball-hawking skills. Watts finished the year with five interceptions, which should be to the surprise to absolutely no one who has watched him play the last few years at Notre Dame. Just the latest example of overthinking a safety because he doesn’t run fast. Sad!
30. Buffalo Bills: Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
Original Pick: CB Maxwell Hairson
Buffalo got some good run out of Deone Walker this season. Grant offers similar mass, some better leverage, and a higher ceiling. It was a slow start for Grant in 2025 but he did finish the season second in pressures among rookie DTs (29), and tied for second in run stops (20) among the rookie interior defenders.
31. Philadelphia Eagles: Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
Original Pick: LB Jihaad Campbell
The Eagles picked a perfect player to tailor to their defensive scheme. Campbell looks like he’s going to be a strong fit, so I’m not going to apply hindsight on this one.
32. Kansas City Chiefs: Aireontae Ersery, OT, Minnesota
Original Pick: OT Josh Simmons
The Chiefs’ offensive line has plenty of work to be done moving forward but their real pick, Josh Simmons, appears to be a hit. He’s gone from this re-draft, so I’ll pick the next promising tackle that appears to be a promising standout in Ersery.
As per usual, make sure to let us know how you feel about your team’s pick(s) via social media!
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