NFL draft 2025 live updates: Jaguars trade up to get Travis Hunter as teams pass on Shedeur Sanders

Reminder of the first five picks: 1. Tennessee: Cam Ward, QB, Miami 2. Jacksonville: Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado 3. NY Giants: Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State 4. New England: Will Campbell, OT, LSU 5. Cleveland: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan Colleges with multiple picks Ohio State 4 (starting with No. 19) Texas 3 Georgia 3 Michigan 3 (all in the first 13) Penn State 2 (No. 3 and No. 14) Mississippi 2 Oregon 2 Alabama 2 Surprising names still out there Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado Will Johnson, CB, Michigan Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall Storylines for the next few years 1. Did the Giants pick correctly in taking Dart over Sanders? 2. Will Ward be the franchise QB in Tennessee? 3. Can Jeanty handle a big jump from Boise State to Las Vegas? 4. Will Hunter reward Jacksonville’s faith in moving up to No. 2? Oliver Connolly will have a full analysis early tomorrow, and then we can all skip work and watch Day 2. Enjoy. No. 32, Kansas City … With the last pick in the first round, the Chiefs take … Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State Played one year at San Diego State, then one good year at Ohio State, then half a season before tearing a tendon in his knee. Trade! The Eagles and Chiefs have traded the last two picks of this round. The Chiefs will also get a fifth-round pick. So who did the Eagles want? No. 31, Philadelphia … Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama He’s been waiting a long time in the green room, and he’s wasting no time in taking long strides to get to the stage. Campbell led Alabama in tackles, which is pretty much all you need on a resume. If I’m counting correctly, that leaves two people in the green room. QB Jalen Milroe, also from Alabama, isn’t going to hear his name tonight. But what about cornerback Will Johnson? Way back, several hours ago, the Jacksonville Jaguars traded up to get two-way player Travis Hunter with the No. 2 pick. David Howell shares a suggestion: “A compromise I can imagine with Hunter is playing one side of the ball full-time, then being specifically an ‘obvious passing situation’ player on the other, deployed only in nickel/dime “sub package” defenses if he’s a full-time WR or in the multi-receiver sets they aim to counter if he’s a full-time CB. “That way, he effectively has ‘only’ 1.5 playbooks to learn - as he wouldn’t ever play his secondary position in old-school formations - but still be a genuine two-way player who plays all the most important passing-down snaps.” It seems pretty clear that he’s not going to be on the field for every snap. That would be absurd in this day and age. So a prescribed role on one side of the ball makes sense. What is Buffalo getting from you, Maxwell? “They’re getting somebody who can get Josh Allen the ball back!” This guy is going to be every interviewer’s dream. No. 30, Buffalo … Mel Kiper is once again talking about Will Johnson. In fairness, he’s had some injury concerns. We have another special presenter from the Make A Wish Foundation, a young man in a wheelchair. He’s 16 and has a neuromuscular disorder. A little fist pump gets the crowd going. The pick is … Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky He’s been congratulating a lot of people who’ve walked past him in the green room, and it’s finally his turn. His speed is off the charts – a 4.28 40. He also has an electric smile and happily greets the Make A Wish presenter. No. 29, Washington … My hometown team took a giant leap forward last season, thanks in large part to their new franchise QB, Jayden Daniels, making a case for being the best in the league as a rookie. Washingtonians are traditionally pessimists, so the region will be expecting a regression to the mean this year. The Commanders need a lot of help in the secondary. Will Johnson’s still there. So they opt for … Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon ESPN has highlights. At least one of them looked like it should’ve been a holding call. From the Associated Press: Taking Conerly is another upgrade to the offensive line protecting franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels. The 6ft 5in, 311lb-er started 14 games at left tackle for the Ducks as a junior last season. He was a third-team AP All-America selection. Conerly is expected to be moved to the right side after the Commanders acquired standout left tackle Laremy Tunsil in a trade with Houston last month. No. 28, Detroit … Tyleik Williams, DT, Ohio State. ESPN’s microphones pick up someone yelling, “You’ve gotta be crazy!” He tips the scale at more than 330 pounds. But “third-team all-Big Ten” isn’t a headline grabber. No. 27, Baltimore … Malaki Starks, S, Georgia. Grew up in Jefferson, Ga., and played for my high school’s rival. More importantly, he fits a need – the chatter on ESPN and elsewhere was that the Ravens needed a safety, and they didn’t have to put a lot of thought into this pick with Starks still being available. The purple Ravens hat clashes with his pinkish purplish suit, but other than that, he’ll fit in fine. The six remaining teams in the first round … Baltimore Detroit Washington Buffalo Kansas City Philadelphia To put it mildly, none of those teams need quarterbacks. Barring a trade, Sanders is going to fall to the second round. The QB in the green room, Jalen Milroe, also will wait until Day 2, but that’s less of a surprise. The other players in the green room are expected to be first-round picks. No. 26, Atlanta … James Pearce Jr., edge, Tennessee. The Rams get a second-round pick this year and a first-round pick next year. A couple of other picks are in the mix, but that seems like a lot. Pearce posted a 4.47 40. That was fastest among edge rushers in the combine … by a full tenth of a second. Trade! The Falcons get the LA Rams pick. This surely won’t be for a QB. They have Michael Penix Jr. from last year’s first round. Who are they getting? From his living room in Utah, Dart looks like he should be in a remake of Napoleon Dynamite. No. 25, NY Giants … The NFL site says the pick is in. ESPN has just gone to commercial. Build that suspense. We were promised a short ad break. This is … not that. At last, it’s … Either Sanders or Dart. Hey, I’m predicting Riley Leonard. Finally, it’s … … an overhead view of the crowd. Guys, it’s a school night. Get on with it. And the pick is … Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss. Not as flashy as Shedeur Sanders and not as well-known as a lot of QBs who’ll be picked later, Dart led the country in passer rating and several other stats while playing a typically murderous SEC schedule. He might have been getting some negative feedback, though – he abruptly decided last week that he would not attend the draft in person. Trade details: Giants get this pick from Houston. Houston gets the No. 34 pick, the No. 99 pick and a third-round pick in 2026. Surely, after finally pulling the plug on the Daniel Jones era (as a Duke grad, I’ll shed a tear here), they’re getting a QB. But will it be Sanders or Dart? No. 24, Minnesota … Donovan Jackson, G, Ohio State. From the Associated Press: The 6ft 4in, 315lb Jackson was a second-team Associated Press All-American for the national champion Buckeyes. Jackson was a three-year starter at left guard before moving to left tackle midway through his senior season after an injury at that position. After struggling for several years to stabilize the interior of the offensive line, the Vikings finally got aggressive and signed center Ryan Kelly and right guard Will Fries. Now they’ll likely have three new starters in the middle. OK. But we have news … Dan Aitch says I should’ve said “GREEN AND GOLDEN.” Yeah, that’s a good one. Next up: Minnesota. They need a cornerback, and ESPN has been listing Will Johnson as the best available player for hours now. Golden takes the mic. “LET ME GET A ‘GREEN BAY’ ON 3!” The fans oblige. He ran a 4.29 40 at the combine. Only Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston was faster. No. 23, Green Bay … The draft hosts get a reason to roar. They’re being patient, as the Packers take a while to get this pick in. Please pick someone from the green room so the crowd can really get into this … We heard more than a minute ago that the pick was in. Is it a trade? No, it’s a special guest announcing the pick. Maybe he was stuck in traffic. It’s Mark Murphy, Packers CEO/president. “How about this atmosphere?” he asks. “HOW ABOUT GETTING US OUT OF THE GREEN ROOM?” surely runs through the minds of several players going through this excruciating wait. Finally … It’s … “We’re honored … we’re the only community-owned team …” GET ON WITH IT!!! Cory Booker didn’t talk this long. Finally … Matthew Golden, WR, Texas. He looks more relieved than thrilled as he makes the walk to the stage, shaking his head a bit as he goes. But he perks up when he hits the stage and hears the crowd. No. 22, L.A. Chargers … They have Justin Herbert and Trey Lance. Not likely that they’d take Sanders or Dart. Cornerback Will Johnson? Wide receiver Matthew Golden? Someone else in the green room? (Linebacker Jihaad Campbell, cornerback Maxwell Hairston, QB Jaelen Milroe, safety Malaki Starks.) Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina. As someone who went to Duke, I’m obliged to ignore anything positive about this pick. OK, OK – 2,033 all-purpose yards as a junior for a team that didn’t do a whole lot. Finalist for the Doak Walker Award. But the ACC isn’t the SEC. Espen Bommen writes: “I’m surprised you rate Shedeur as high as you do. Based on some of the stuff I’ve read about him, and what anonymous NFL executives have said, he seems like another Johnny Manziel.” Certainly possible. It’s just surprising that no one’s rolling the dice with him. And if the Steelers didn’t want Shedeur, why not Jaxson Dart? No. 21, Pittsburgh … The Steelers’ QBs are Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson. They’re talking with Aaron Rodgers, who’s about 90 years old. The pick is in quickly … WHAT???? Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon. “One of the stars of the combine,” says ESPN’s Mike Greenberg. Not really. He had a 4.95 40, which tied for fifth among defensive tackles, and a 1.74 10-yard split, which is statistically insignificant. This is a stunner. More on Harmon from the AP: Pittsburgh are hoping the 6ft 4in, 313lb Harmon can help a defensive front that was frequently manhandled near the end of the season and gave up 299 yards rushing to Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and company in a first-round playoff loss to Baltimore. No. 20, Denver … The Broncos are taking their time. Maybe they were expecting the Bucs to go defense, leaving Egbuka to fall into their laps? Matthew Golden is in the green room looking dejected despite his snazzy gold-colored suit. Is it his turn now? The pick will be announced by someone from the Make-A-Wish foundation – a 17-year-old cancer patient and Broncos fan named Samuel. Good roar from the crowd. Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas Would’ve been sweet if Barron had been there to greet Samuel, but no. Barron’s in a crowded room in Austin. Barron has a solid 4.39 in the 40. Is it Shedeur Sanders time? From the Associated Press: Barron, a versatile ballhawk, has elite speed and has lined up in the slot, on the outside and in the box as a dime linebacker. He figures to play alongside cornerback Patrick Surtain II in Denver. Surtain is the reigning NFL defensive player of the year. The Broncos didn’t have to worry about quarterback prospects as they have in recent drafts because of Bo Nix’s successful rookie season. No. 19, Tampa Bay … The likelihood of someone trading up for Sanders is dwindling. He might as well start packing for Pittsburgh, which drafts 21st. Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State. He’s caught the most passes in Ohio State history, so while ESPN’s crew is a little surprised, they can’t be that surprised. From the Associated Press: The four-time defending NFC South champions were thought to be leaning toward selecting a player to bolster a defense that hasn’t been as reliable as usual over the past two seasons. Both with franchise career receiving leader Mike Evans about to turn 32 and trusty sidekick Chris Godwin coming off ankle surgery, Egbuka was an easy choice. No. 18, Seattle … Grey Zabel, OT, North Dakota State. Listed as a tackle, but the ESPN people believe he’ll be better at guard. He can outlift Tyler Booker, so there’s that. From the Associated Press: Zabel started 41 games over five seasons at every position on the offensive line except center. He was an FCS All-American at left tackle as a senior last season. The 23-year-old started the final 36 games of his collegiate career, and figures to slot in on the interior of the Seahawks’ line, which is particularly in need of help. Zabel could quickly replace Seattle’s starting left guard from last season, Laken Tomlinson, who is now a member of the Houston Texans. No. 17, Cincinnati … Please pick someone in the green room. You hate to see these kids hanging out there this long, even though the place looks like a furniture showroom. They’re playing Sweet Caroline, because why not? Shemar Stewart, edge, Texas A&M. There’s relief in the green room. He has a solid 4.59 time in the 40-yard dash, among the fastest in the combine. He’s seen as a high potential player but had only 1.5 sacks last year. He’ll hopefully produce when he makes the step up to the pros. His suit is very green. It’s a pity he isn’t going to the Packers. From the Associated Press: The Bengals had the 25th-ranked scoring defense in the NFL last season and hope Stewart’s size and speed will help. He had only 4.5 total sacks across three entire seasons in college but at 6ft 5in and 267lb is seen as having the versatility and traits to make an impact against both the run and the pass. Stewart missed 26.9% of his tackles last year, but the Bengals are showing confidence in their ability to develop Stewart. No. 16, Arizona … Walter Nolen, DT, Mississippi. He was the No. 1 overall recruit in ESPN’s rankings in 2022. He transferred from Texas A&M to Ole Miss after his sophomore year. From the Associated Press: Nolen adds talent to a revamped unit. He had 14.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks last season while anchoring the Rebels’ defensive line. Arizona is trying to put the finishing touches on a multi-year rebuild, improving to 8-9 last season after finishing with a 4-13 record in both 2022 and 2023. The Cardinals spent much of their offseason improving their defensive front, adding Josh Sweat, Dalvin Tomlinson and Calais Campbell in free agency. I count seven players who are in the green room who have not yet been picked. The furniture seems comfortable, though. So the only players for whom I prepped capsules before the draft who have not yet been picked are both QBs. We’re still in that stretch of teams that don’t really need a QB. I’m still thinking someone trades up to get Sanders. Surely. Shedeur-ly. (Sorry, that’s an awful pun.) No. 15, Atlanta … Will they stay in state for Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker? ESPN says there was less than a 1% chance he’d still be available at this point. He’s on his phone in Salisbury, N.C., best known for the cherry-flavored soda Cheerwine. Most teams have been flying through these picks, but the Falcons are taking their time. Each team has 10 minutes in the first round, but no one has been coming close to that. Good news for those of us who have to wake up early tomorrow. Finally, the pick is in, and it’s … It’s … Jalon Walker, LB/edge, Georgia. The winner of the Butkus Award for top linebacker, a coach’s son, may also see some time at defensive end. Pre-draft buzz had him going to the Carolina Panthers, but one reason for that is proximity – Walker grew up in nearby Salisbury. He’s actually not going that much farther away, and he’s only 70 miles away from his college home in Athens. No. 14, Indianapolis … Finally … Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State. For all the Nittany Lions tight ends playing in the NFL – Mike Gesicki, Pat Freiermuth, Brenton Strange, Theo Johnson – Warren is the record-holder for single-season catches (104) and yards (1,233). He won the John Mackey Award as the country’s top tight end. When he gets past the line of scrimmage, he looks more like a tall (6ft 5½in) wide receiver than a lumbering lineman. He’s at home at Glen Allen, Va., and someone in the living room appears to be asleep. Are we sure they’re watching the draft? No. 13 pick, Miami … I’m going to guess TE Tyler Warren. I’m wrong. Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan. The video from his home has a frame rate of about 4 per second. From the Associated Press’s guide: Needing to find a replacement for veteran Calais Campbell, who in March opted to return to the Arizona Cardinals team that drafted him after playing one season in Miami, the Dolphins used their top pick to add an experienced and versatile nose tackle who was one of the standouts of Michigan’s national title-winning team two seasons ago. Grant, a third-team Associated Press All-American this past season, started 12 games with 32 tackles, 6 1/2 tackles for loss, three sacks and five pass breakups. No. 12 pick, Dallas … Tyler Warr- NO! It’s Tyler Booker, OG, Alabama. He is by far the fastest person getting from the green room to the stage. Ironic, considering he was second-slowest among offensive linemen at the combine. He nearly breaks people’s hands high-fiving, and I’m seriously worried that he may have broken some of Roger Goodell’s ribs with that hug when he got to the stage. From the Associated Press: A somewhat surprising choice for a club without an overwhelming need, but with priorities seemingly higher than another blocker, despite the retirement of six-time All-Pro right guard Zack Martin. The Cowboys got Martin with the 16th overall pick 11 years ago. There was a sense that Dallas might trade down because of the draft’s depth at other positions of need. Dallas stayed put, and took an offensive lineman in the first round for the third time in the past four drafts. No. 11 pick, San Francisco … Mykel Williams, edge, Georgia. How many top-tier pass rushers did the Bulldogs have last year? Maybe Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard should be a first-round pick just for surviving their playoff matchup, let alone winning it. Williams played his last season at Georgia hindered by an ankle injury but managed nine tackles for loss and five sacks, along with two passes defended and two forced fumbles. He’s in Atlanta, surrounded by about 50 people. He seems pretty happy. Narcissistic trivia: I played football on the field at Georgia’s Sanford Stadium. They brought out kids from the local YMCA to play before a game. I missed a tackle. Williams did a good bit better. I’m going out on a limb here to say we’re going to have a trade very soon. The next few teams don’t need QBs. A lot of other teams do. Trading up for Shedeur (or Jaxson Dart) would make a lot of sense. Peter Pearson writes: “I grew up in Green Bay. Feel for my mom - she said she isn’t leaving the house this weekend. Nice to see my hometown featured and the Lambeau parking lot full though. I hope the local business make a bajillion dollars and they’re cooking up lots of bratwurst.” And Dan Aitch is looking for the Raiders to trade up and draft the green couch, I mean, Shedeur Sanders. Oh, look – they got the uplink to Loveland’s living room in Idaho! I’m glad there’s no draft for Guardian live bloggers. My living room would look horrible on TV. No. 10 pick, Chicago … Packers fans boo, of course, upon hearing the Bears being announced. Then Goodell comes up and pays tribute to former Bear Steve McMichael, who has just passed away. The crowd sportingly gets very quiet and remains quiet as Goodell waxes eloquent about Walter Payton. THEN they boo again just before the pick is announced, and it’s … Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan. ESPN says he grew up in a town of 258 people. That’s even smaller than Green Bay. We get live video not of Loveland but of the Bears draft room. Maybe the first surprise here? Loveland ahead of Tyler Warren? From the Associated Press: Loveland set a school record for a tight end with 56 receptions for 582 yards and five touchdowns as a junior last season. He was second-team, All-Big Ten and a finalist for the John Mackey Award given to college football’s top tight end. He was first-team, all-conference in 2023 national championship season, when he caught 45 passes for 649 yards and four TDs. Loveland gives the Bears a potentially potent tight end tandem with Cole Kmet. Two women have come to the stage to hype the upcoming schedule release. You can feel the crowd thinking, “Get on with it!” The schedule will be released May 14. We’re so glad to bring you this breaking news. No. 9 pick, New Orleans … Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas. So they’ll protect the QB they have rather than drafting a new one. Banks isn’t in Green Bay. He’s at home in Houston and is overcome with emotion. His combine numbers weren’t overwhelming, but scouts love him. From the Associated Press: Banks arrives one day after general manager Mickey Loomis said the Saints would not be picking up a fifth-year option on right tackle Trevor Penning, a 2022 late first-rounder who now enters his final season under contract. Banks will be expected to compete with Penning for a starting role. This is the second straight year the Saints have used their first-round choice on an offensive tackle after taking Taliese Fuaga, who started at left tackle as a rookie last season. The New Orleans Saints haven’t drafted a QB in the first round since Manning. Not Peyton. Not Eli. Archie Manning. In 1971 … But they have Derek Carr and a youngster in Spencer Rattler. So would they …? Awww … McMillan placed a lei around Goodell’s neck. He is indeed from Hawaii. He’s still wearing a lei as well, and it’s one his grandmother made. He’s thrilled to be representing Polynesian culture. No. 8 pick, Carolina Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona. He has some sweet dance moves as he walks to the stage. From the Associated Press: The Carolina Panthers have given quarterback Bryce Young a legitimate deep threat. The 6fr 4in, 219lb McMillan was a first-team All-American last season and ranked third in the FBS with 1,319 receiving yards while averaging 15.7 yards per catch. He led the Wildcats with 84 receptions and had eight touchdown catches. He is the first Arizona receiver to be selected in the first round of the draft. It’s the second straight year the Panthers have taken a receiver in the first round. They selected Xavier Legette from South Carolina in 2024. Decisions, decisions … I prepped a few capsules ahead of time based on mock drafts and rankings. The players still available from that list: QBs: Shedeur Sanders, Jaxson Dart TE: Tyler Warren Edge/LB: Jalon Walker, Mykel Williams No. 7 pick, NY Jets … Armand Membou, OT, Missouri. The 332lb lineman dazzled at the combine. Among offensive linemen, he was first in the broad jump (9ft 7in), second in the 40-yard dash (4.91), tied for second in bench press (31 reps), and fourth in vertical leap (34 inches). Among all players, he tied for fourth in bench press. He’s only 6ft 4in, a good solid inch or three below what NFL teams want at tackle. Fortunately, there’s also a position in the NFL called “guard,” and maybe Membou would be even better there than he was at tackle at Missouri, where he was battle-tested against SEC competition week after week. So Dan Aitch, who wrote to use earlier this evening, must be thrilled. The Raiders got the guy he wanted. People who know more than I do insist that Jeanty will be great at this level. But I watched that playoff game, and … I didn’t see it. No. 6 pick, Las Vegas Raiders … Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State. The diminutive back took a run at Barry Sanders’ single-season rushing record and fell just short with an unreal 2,601 yards. The bad news is that Penn State contained him pretty well in the Nittany Lions’ playoff rout – at least in the first half, in which he fumbled twice (losing one) and wasn’t a big factor moving the ball down the field. But NFL.com’s NextGen Stats crew ranks him first, according to their model that surely makes sense to some math majors somewhere. He hasn’t recorded a 40-yard dash time, which could also be a red flag or at least a yellow flag. Bottom line, though, is that he has that uncanny ability to find holes and burst through them, and no matter how sophisticated football analysis gets, that’s always going to be a prized skill. No. 5 pick, Cleveland Browns … Mason Graham, DT, Michigan. Going from Mission Viejo, California, to Michigan is surely a shock, weather-wise, but the Californian developed into a finalist for the Outland Award, given to the nation’s top interior lineman on either side of the ball. He was also a high school wrestler, and those skills have helped him battle in the confined spaces in the middle of the line. As a senior, he had 45 tackles – seven for loss – and blocked a kick. Campbell takes a long time to walk to the stage. Can we get offensive linemen a moving sidewalk or something? Excited about going to New England? “That logo speaks for itself.” With the fourth pick, the New England Patriots select … Will Campbell, OT, LSU. Maybe a time of 4.98 in the 40-yard dash doesn’t seem all that impressive. But does it change your mind to know that the person in question is 6ft 6in and 319lb? That time placed Campbell fifth among the Offensive Linemen Who Agreed to Go to the NFL Combine This Year. Draft scouts are somewhat concerned about his “short arms” — only 32⅝ inches, according to those who measure such things. A better stat to consider, from LSU’s stat-keepers: Campbell allowed only five sacks in 2,553 snaps. No wonder former LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels is so cheerful. So the top four picks have gone in the order most people expected. But no one expected that trade. What do the Browns have in mind now that they’re up? We get another view of Shedeur Sanders’ couch. It’s green. With the No. 3 pick in the NFL Draft … The New York Giants select … Abdul Carter, edge, Penn State. The Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year led the nation in tackles for loss (23.5) and was in the top 10 in sacks (12). He spent the first part of his college career at linebacker but moved to defensive end with no trouble at all. At 250lb, he’ll be going around the typical offensive tackle rather than through them, but that doesn’t seem to be a problem, and it won’t stop fans who spend too much of their fall months screaming at their teams to put some pressure on the quarterback from salivating at the thought of him doing just that. The Giants will be hoping free-agent signing Russell Wilson can be a satisfactory QB. Oliver Connolly has a few thoughts on Hunter’s two-way potential. So, Travis – will you get to play both ways? What did the Jaguars tell you? “They told me they’re going to let me go out and do what I do.” With the No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft … Well, first, Roger Goodell is giving the Walter Payton Man of the Year award, given to a great humanitarian in the league, Arik Armstead of the Jacksonville Jaguars. He speaks for a bit, imploring the draftees to craft a positive legacy. Then Armstead gets to announce the trade and his new teammate … Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado. Is Hunter a legit two-way star? Or will he, like most players who dazzled on both sides of the ball in college, end up focusing on one position? His college coach, Deion Sanders, had the most successful two-way career in recent memory, but that really meant just one season with significant time at wide receiver. Sanders signed Hunter initially at Jackson State – NFL.com claims he’s the highest-rated prospect ever to sign with an HBCU (Historically Black College or University) – and took him along when he moved to Colorado. How will he fare without Coach Prime on his sideline? In addition to swapping No. 2 for No. 5 and a complex shuffling of picks in later rounds this year, the Browns get something huge – a first-round pick next year. Cleveland swaps first-round picks with Jacksonville and picks up a few more picks as well. The Jaguars don’t need a QB. Surely this next pick will be Travis Hunter. No surprise. The Titans weren’t going to go into next season with Will Levis as the starter. About the pick … Cam Ward, QB, Miami. After starting his career at FCS school Incarnate Word, Ward moved on to Washington State and posted big numbers for two years before deciding to go to the other corner of the contiguous United States for his final year. That’s where he racked up top honors – first-team All-American, Davey O’Brien Award (nation’s top QB), fourth in Heisman voting – and took advantage of the NCAA’s Covid rule to play a fifth year and set a Division I record for career passing touchdowns. But if you base your scouting on whether a player sits out the second half of a loss in the PopTarts Bowl, you may have a few questions here. Oh, goody. We get more pre-draft festivities, as Goodell introduces the Green Bay players on stage with him. And Lil Wayne. And now they get to hear speeches, starting with Clay Matthews reading an alleged message from Donald Trump. Some cheers at first, then some boos. Finally, at 8:08 p.m. ET, the Tennessee Titans are on the clock. They have 10 minutes to submit their pick, or a hole rips in the space-time continuum. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has opted to ride a bicycle to the stage, accompanied by some legendary Green Bay Packers players and fans. That is a Green Bay tradition of which I was not aware. Booing the commissioner is also traditional, and that’s continuing this year. ESPN shows us an empty couch somewhere in Texas that is apparently where they expect to see Shedeur Sanders. It’s a nice couch, at least. The first person to write in tonight is (we’ll presume) a long-suffering Raiders fan, Dan Aitch … Sitting here hoping the Raiders find a way to get Shedeur Sanders, to develop under Geno Smith. About time the franchise made some serious strides forward. Not sure it will, though. He writes again to add … ... but I’ll happily take Ashton Jeanty. I’m a little iffy on Jeanty because he didn’t face great competition until the playoffs, and he didn’t do well then. The Titans are apparently not trading the No. 1 pick. They need a quarterback. Cam Ward is looking more and more likely to be the first player to make the walk on stage. Deion Sanders, who coached two-way hopeful Travis Hunter at Colorado, didn’t believe in specialization. His play as a shutdown corner in the NFL is what got him into the Hall of Fame, but he was also a dangerous kick returner and occasionally a wide receiver — especially in 1996, when he caught 36 passes (on an inefficient 67 targets) for 475 yards and was still an All-Pro cornerback. Perhaps not coincidentally, that was the first year he wasn’t also playing baseball. Most two-way collegiate players end up focusing heavily on one side of the ball. Think Hall of Fame defensive backs Champ Bailey and Charles Woodson, who put up eye-popping numbers in college (Bailey’s last year at Georgia: 744 yards and five touchdowns receiving, 52 tackles and three interceptions on defense) but had few enough offensive plays to count on one hand. Adoree’ Jackson is the most recent skill player to do both, but he also has only a handful of offensive plays. Patrick Peterson and Eric Weddle also got a few chances to show their stuff on offense. No player picked his spots better than linebacker Mike Vrabel — 10 regular-season receptions on 14 targets, all for touchdowns, in addition to two touchdown receptions in two different Super Bowls. Vrabel flashed his versatility in New England, as did two offensive players who dabbled on defense — Randy Moss and Troy Brown, both of whom played college football at Marshall. Brown finished his college career by intercepting a desperation pass on the last play of the FCS championship game. A little less successful in New England was Rob Gronkowski, the stalwart tight end who defended one pass in his career but wound up on the blooper reels as he fell down while flailing at Kenyan Drake at the end of the “Miami Miracle” that saw the Dolphins pull off a series of laterals for an improbable last-second win. Decades after William “Refrigerator” Perry scored a handful of touchdowns, including one in the Super Bowl, a few big defensive players get the occasional goal-line opportunity on offense. Dontari Poe has three career touches — all for touchdowns. That’s two 1-yard run and one 1-yard pass. There is one current role player who sees time on offense and defense — the Chargers’ Scott Matlock, who had 362 offensive snaps at fullback and 137 defensive snaps at defensive line in 2024. He’s primarily a blocker on offense, though he did have four receptions for 28 yards last season. Now being introduced … players who are attending the draft because they have a decent chance of being drafted tonight in the first round. It’ll be pretty awkward if they’re not. Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty is the most traditionally dressed. Will Johnson looks like he plans to unleash an R&B ballad. Georgia’s Malaki Starks is in neon pink. The national anthem is being performed on classical guitar – oops, no, he’s singing now. Hey, Chris Stapleton isn’t a bad role model for anthem performances. An update from Green Bay, site of the draft … Travis Hunter has jumped onstage to dance with the band. He avoided injury. To QB or not QB … No position in modern sports has as much impact on a team’s chances as the quarterback. Barring the odd gadget play, the QB touches the ball on every offensive play. And the position’s importance has only increased over time as passing has increased. Teams averaged 25-ish to 28-ish passes a game in the 1970s. Last year, it was 32.7 attempts per game, and that’s down from more than 35 a few times in the 2010s. And QBs are expected to be accurate. The overall completion percentage in the NFL broke 60% less than 20 years ago and is now getting close to a healthy two-thirds. That’s not all. The “dual-threat” quarterback is no longer an anomaly. QBs need to be mobile. If no one’s open, take off and run. Teams can make it to the Super Bowl without an elite running back. Or a shutdown cornerback. They usually can’t make it without an elite QB any more. The days of Brad Johnson vs. Rich Gannon are gone. Now it’s Jalen Hurts vs. Patrick Mahomes. Matthew Stafford vs. Joe Burrow. The panelists mentioned below (well, two of them) believe the first pick will be Travis Hunter, who is bidding to be the first legitimate two-way player in the NFL since … um … his college coach, Deion Sanders? (We’ll get to that.) But this is the NFL, which stands for “No Fun League.” Hunter will likely be converted into a cornerback like every other two-way collegian (including Sanders, for the most part). That said … does this draft have an elite QB? Is Cam Ward in the same class as Jayden Daniels or Caleb Williams? Or Drake Maye or Michael Penix Jr. or Bo Nix, for that matter? Probably not. So the next best thing is take someone who can take the other QB down as soon as possible. I’ll agree with Graham. Abdul Carter will go first. In about an hour and change, we’ll hear, “With the first pick in the NFL Draft, the Tennessee Titans select … Cooper Flagg, from Duke.” What? Wrong draft? Oh. Right – this is the grandfather of all drafts, the peculiar US tradition that aims to instill a sense of parity among teams so that the worst team in a given year gets the first chance to improve by gazing upon the talented players leaving college and selecting a Joe Burrow or a JaMarcus Russell first. The NWSL has started what could become a movement by doing away with its college draft. That seems many years away from happening in the NFL. In other words, this is the biggest night for pro football between the Super Bowl and the first 2025 regular-season game. Enjoy. (And wouldn’t Flagg be a better pick than some? He could probably throw pretty well.) Beau will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s who our panel of writers think should be the No 1 overall NFL draft pick tonight: Travis Hunter, CB/WR. Any team picking No 1 overall needs a quarterback. And Cam Ward is the top quarterback prospect in the class. But the No 1 pick should be Hunter, the electrifying hybrid corner/receiver. Whether he can play both ways in the league is an open question, but wherever he lines up, Hunter will be a gamechanger at a premium position. Oliver Connolly Travis Hunter. I am not entirely sold on any of the quarterbacks in this class, so that’s that out the window. Instead, I would easily and happily turn the card in on football’s version of Babe Ruth or Shohei Ohtani: a guy who can play two crucial positions – cornerback and wide receiver – at an insanely high level. My comp for Hunter as a receiver is DeAndre Hopkins; my comp for him as a cornerback is Darius Slay. Think about how unprecedented that is in football history, and make the move. Doug Farrar Cam Ward, QB. This is the NFL draft, people. You get the top pick, you draft the best quarterback on the board – and this year they don’t come better than 6ft 2in, 219lb University of Miami senior, a Davey O’Brien award winner (for the nation’s top college QB) and Heisman Trophy finalist. It’s not just about stats with him; it’s the utter nonchalance with which he piles them up. Andrew Lawrence Abdul Carter, Edge. The chance to add an edge defender who draws comparisons to Micah Parsons is a phenomenal opportunity to transform Tennessee’s defense. The Titans should rethink their strategy at quarterback, and possibly wait to pick a new offensive cornerstone from next year’s richer talent pool while they have the chance to give their limp pass rush a huge boost. Graham Searles You can read their full list of predictions here: