Open this photo in gallery: Tennessee Titans QB Cam Ward is interviewed on the SiriusXM set at the 2025 NFL Draft on April 24, 2025, in Green Bay.Gregory Payan/The Associated Press Grading the draft in real-time is an exercise in scrutiny, projecting player and position value against the history and roster needs of each team as the picks come off the board. We’re slapping letter grades on each pick in the first round with a summary of what we love, dislike and all things in between. Let’s start at the top: 1. Tennessee Titans: QB Cam Ward, Miami Picking atop the draft for the first time since 1978 when the Houston Oilers selected Earl Campbell, the Titans get the only QB in this class worthy of a first-round pick. Ward might not bring the cachet of Caleb Williams (No. 1 in 2024) or the fanfare of Heisman winner Travis Hunter, but he’s the right pick for a franchise mired in mediocrity with no clear answer in place at the NFL’s most important position. Grade: A- 2. Jacksonville Jaguars (via trade with Cleveland Browns): WR-CB Travis Hunter, Colorado First-time GM James Gladstone, running his first draft at the ripe old age of 34, was raised in scouting under the close watch of gambling GM Les Snead with the Rams, where the franchise lived for years on the premise no price was too steep for premier talent. No matter how many snaps Hunter gives the Jaguars, he’s an upgrade at multiple positions because of playmaking skills and gamebreaking ability. Hunter chatted with Jacksonville’s offensive and defensive coordinator on Thursday night when the pick was made, further the notion he will be one of the most fascinating stories to watch during the 2025 season. Grade: A+ 3. New York Giants: OLB Abdul Carter, Penn State With Brian Burns on one side and Carter on the other and NT Dexter Lawrence in between, the Giants are building an unblockable front. Carter is a relentless pass rusher who lives in the backfield and gives the Giants their version of Micah Parsons. Grade: A 4. New England Patriots: OT Will Campbell, LSU The devil’s advocate problem here is all about prototypes. Campbell’s wingspan is under 78 inches and the smallest reach taken at the NFL Scouting Combine in more than 15 years. He’s an exceptional athlete, with a dancer’s feet and lateral agility, and power is an asset. Maybe he winds up at guard, and that “if” is massive considering the stakes at No. 4. Not only this investment, but the insurance policy he represents for 2024 No. 3 pick Drake Maye. Grade: B- 5. Cleveland Browns (via trade with Jacksonville Jaguars): DT Mason Graham, Michigan Active inside with Myles Garrett on the edge, Graham has the motor to make an impact. But he’s undersized and his overall production at the position is lacking. The refuse-to-lose mentality is well-suited with defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, but the value at this point in the draft leaves us wondering what could have been in Cleveland. We’ll be marking this moment for hindsight comparison to Ole Miss DT Walter Nolen and Oregon DT Derrick Harmon. We would go lower with this grade if the trade compensation with the Jaguars, including a future first-rounder, wasn’t a consideration. Grade: C+ 6. Las Vegas Raiders: RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State A perfect match for the Pete Carroll plan, Jeanty defines the idea of bell-cow back and becomes the Raiders’ version of Marshawn Lynch. Las Vegas had nothing at the position last year and finished 32nd in the league in rushing. This pick represents an enormous depth-chart upgrade. Good luck finding one bigger in a year-over-year comparison. Grade: A+ 7. New York Jets: OT Armand Membou, Missouri New coach Aaron Glenn understands the impact an elite athlete and tone-setting presence can have on a team. Witness the rapid development and All-Pro performance of 2021 No. 7 pick Penei Sewell, a road-grading run blocker who is light on his feet and is never overmatched by any edge defender. Membou isn’t on that peerless level, but he’s not too far away. Grade: A 8. Carolina Panthers: WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona A game-changing defensive tackle had to be a consideration at this spot, or edge Mykel Williams. GM Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales claimed they were confident in the WR room entering the draft. We knew that couldn’t possibly be the case. McMillan is a big receiver but moves like a smaller target and could be the security blanket 2023 No. 1 pick Bryce Young needs to take a leap in Year 3. Grade: B 9. New Orleans Saints: OT Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas What good can Banks do if the Saints are trotting out Spencer Rattler at quarterback? We don’t yet know what other plans the Saints have in this draft with the status of Derek Carr (shoulder) up in the air. If they land their preferred target at the position, we’ll feel a bit different about the Banks pick than we do now. But at first blush, this is purchasing a fifth-wheel RV with only a Toyota Prius to pull it. Grade: C 10. Chicago Bears: TE Colston Loveland, Michigan We didn’t see this coming. The Bears have Cole Kmet as their TE1 and spent the No. 9 pick in the 2024 draft on WR Rome Odunze. Loveland has the right mentality as a catch-first target between Odunze and DJ Moore. Mastermind Ben Johnson had a vision in mind when many laughed as the Lions took a gamble on Alabama RB Jahmyr Gibbs 12th overall. How’d that work out? He certainly has a vision for Loveland. Was he the best option at this point in the draft? Not exactly. Grade: B- 11. San Francisco 49ers: DE Mykel Williams, Georgia If not for an ankle injury that sank his 2024 season, Williams would have been long gone by this point in the draft. Not even beer-drinking age yet, Williams is a gamble on greatness and can align at defensive tackle or as a power end opposite Nick Bosa. Bosa is just 27 and remains productive, which would set up Williams to face single blocking on a down-to-down basis. Grade: B+ 12. Dallas Cowboys: OG Tyler Booker, Alabama Booker steps into the position vacated by Zack Martin, who retired after 11 seasons after being drafted 16th overall by the Cowboys in 2014. Booker doesn’t need to be a seven-time All-Pro as Martin was in order to be a success in Dallas. He hits with the force of a sledgehammer and moves with ease. Grade: A- 13. Miami Dolphins: DT Kenneth Grant, Michigan Grant weighed 331 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine and there are reasonable worries about his weight and stamina. How will he hold up in the South Florida heat and humidity? We like the fit. He moves with suddenness for his massive frame and slashes through gaps in the line when his energy tank is full. Grade: B- 14. Indianapolis Colts: TE Tyler Warren, Penn State Need and best player available intersect for Indy with this pick. Warren was a No. 1 passing target at Penn State and doesn’t mind getting his nose dirty as a blocker. He’s comfortable on the move, can play the slot and could become a super-sized version of Dallas Clark with the horsehoe on his helmet. At 6-5, 250, Warren will be easy to locate for QB Anthony Richardson. We envision their joint 23rd birthday celebration in May -- they were born two days apart in 2002 -- will be the first of many. Grade: A 15. Atlanta Falcons: OLB Jalon Walker, Georgia One of the top safeties or another wide receiver were intriguing and the next player selected all made sense. But Walker found the perfect spot for his ability and potential. Head coach Raheem Morris can employ Walker in multiple ways. The 21-year-old could easily have gone No. 10 or 11 and the selection would’ve been panned as a win. Grade: B 16. Arizona Cardinals: DT Walter Nolen, Ole Miss A to-be-determined spot in Arizona’s 3-4 defense awaits Nolen. When he plays with focus and determination, Nolen can be a nightmare to block. When teams are able to wear him down and take him out of position to impact plays, he has a tendency to disappear. With 2024 first-round pick Darius Robinson at right end, the Cardinals’ addition of Nolen should improve the front seven on all three downs. Grade: B 17. Cincinnati Bengals: DE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M Stewart is a beast off the edge because of his size (267 pounds), power and 4.59 speed. More edge help with Trey Hendrickson’s future unclear was a wise move for the Bengals, who are still counting on 2023 first-rounder Myles Murphy to make a leap. Grade: B- 18. Seattle Seahawks: OG Grey Zabel, North Dakota State Zabel can play any position on the line. He had chances to play at bigger programs. When he had the opportunity to measure up against FBS competition at the Senior Bowl, Zabel spent the week dominating and often appeared to be the best player on the field. Grade: B 19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: WR Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State Egbuka follows a line of recent standouts from the Buckeyes -- Marvin Harrison Jr. (Cardinals), Garrett Wilson (Jets), Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seahawks) and Chris Olave (Saints) -- but is most similar to Smith-Njigba. He’s a demon in the slot and runs excellent routes but stands as a luxury for a team with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin plus an emerging talent in Jalen McMillan (2024 third-rounder). Each of the next three picks made more sense. Grade: C+ 20. Denver Broncos: CB Jadhae Barron, Texas With All-Pro Patrick Surtain on one side, adding Barron might feel like a luxury. But if you consider Sean Payton’s approach to the game, he is looking to win matchups and avoid being exposed by them. Barron can play in the slot and has the mentality for outside responsibility. Grade: A 21. Pittsburgh Steelers: DT Derrick Harmon, Oregon Statistically speaking, Harmon was the best pass-rushing defensive tackle in the draft, and production matters in Pittsburgh. Harmon’s pass-rush win rate was off the charts, and as a 3-4 defensive end paired with Keeanu Benton, the Steelers’ front seven suddenly looks a bit scary. Grade: A 22. Los Angeles Chargers: RB Omarion Hampton, North Carolina Not an immediate need but a player who could become a franchise centerpiece alongside Justin Herbert. Hampton joins a backfield with free agent addition Najee Harris, who was the 24th pick in the 2021 draft and signed a one-year deal with the Chargers after four seasons with the Steelers. Hampton isn’t small -- and ran a 4.46 at 221 pounds -- and scored 30 touchdowns, meaning he’s capable of filling multiple roles for run-crazed head coach Jim Harbaugh. Grade: B+ 23. Green Bay Packers: WR Matthew Golden, Texas How could you not love the “Go Pack Go” rendition performed as Matthew Golden took the stage an hour or more after he expected to be selected on Thursday night? Golden gives the Packers a potential No. 1 receiver. He ran 4.29 at the NFL Scouting Combine and can line up all across the formation. He adds a dynamic element and passing-game option to pair with Jayden Reed and elevate QB Jordan Love. Grade: A 24. Minnesota Vikings: OG Donovan Jackson, Ohio State Jackson lands with the Vikings and addresses a pressing need. He started at left guard for three seasons for the Buckeyes and can align immediately next to former first-rounder Christian Darrisaw (23rd overall, 2021) to establish a dominant side of the line in front of presumed starter J.J. McCarthy. Grade: B+ 25. New York Giants (via trade with Houston Texans): QB Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss The last time the Giants traded for an Ole Miss quarterback in the first round -- 2004 -- they wound up with Eli Manning. Dart already has Manning’s endorsement and led the SEC in passing last season, showing gradual improvement under Lane Kiffin after being unseated at USC by 2024 No. 1 pick Caleb Williams. Dart has toughness and the arm to get the ball downfield -- see his 10.8 yards per completion in 2024 -- making him an ideal fit for head coach Brian Daboll. We will let time tell us if Dart was the right pick with Shedeur Sanders (Colorado) on the board. And let Daboll figure out how to utilize Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston and Dart this season. Grade: B 26. Atlanta Falcons (via trade with Los Angeles Rams): DE James Pearce Jr., Tennessee OK, we are still balancing the idea of the Rams getting a second-round pick in 2025 and a first-round pick in 2026 as part of the exchange from the Falcons, who add a second edge player and begin to bring a vision of an improved 3-4 defense under Raheem Morris into clearer focus. Pearce is a force off the edge because of his speed, and he can open his career as a passing-down specialist until he evolves as a run defender. Grade: B- 27. Baltimore Ravens: S Malaki Starks, Georgia A freakish athlete who plays like a linebacker but has cornerback agility, Starks represents a cheat-code option in a loaded secondary with a case to be one of the best in the league. The Ravens used their 2024 first-round pick on cornerback Nate Wiggins, have Pro Bowl strong safety Kyle Hamilton (first round, 2022) and the an ace at nickel in Marlon Humphrey (first round, 2017). Grade: A 28. Detroit Lions: DT Tyleik Williams, Ohio State Good luck uprooting Williams, who is built like a train car and lives to stuff the run. He’ll be a force early in his career because of the collection of talent the Lions have on the line. Grade: B 29. Washington Commanders: OT Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon Not many 300-pounders are athletes, and even fewer can hold a candle to Conerly. Would like to see a mean streak, but the Commanders don’t need him to win an alley fight unless someone throws the first punch at QB Jayden Daniels. Grade: A- 30. Buffalo Bills: CB Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky With eyes for Starks, the Bills did well in this spot but might’ve been able to pick the same player by moving back with a team courting this selection and the added value of a fifth-year option for first-rounders. Hairston was the fastest player at the combine and isn’t afraid to hit. He’ll be a steady starter with the upside to be special. Grade: B- 31. Philadelphia Eagles (via trade with Kansas City Chiefs): LB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama All aboard the SEC-to-Eagles train. Campbell was a top-15 talent, but medicals made drafting him early more of a risk. GM Howie Roseman has made a gold-plated career from churning out reward from prospects labeled as a risk. Campbell can fit as an off-ball linebacker and also rushes the passer, joining the arsenal of weapons already amassed in Philly. Grade: B 32. Kansas City Chiefs (via trade from Philadelphia Eagles): OT Josh Simmons, Ohio State There’s a lot of work ahead of the Chiefs rebuilding the offensive line after trading guard Joe Thuney to the Bears. Kansas City reportedly made calls about moving up and eventually decided to move back one spot. Resisting the urge to jump up for Oregon OT Josh Conerly might be regrettable if the Chiefs don’t find a fully capable five to protect Patrick Mahomes. Because of a knee injury sustained last October, it’s unclear when Simmons will be back at 100 percent. Grade: C