NFL draft 2025 highlights: Round 1 ends with Shedeur Sanders still available

A video shared on Deion Sanders Jr.'s YouTube page showed Sanders addressing his watch party after the Colorado quarterback surprisingly wasn’t picked in Round 1.

“We all didn’t expect this of course, but I feel like with God, anything’s possible, everything’s possible,” he said. “I don’t think this happened for no reason. All this is, is of course fuel to the fire.

“Under no circumstance, we all know this shouldn’t have happened, but we understand we’re on to bigger and better things. Tomorrow’s the day. We’re going to be happy regardless.”

While reigning national champion Ohio State had four players selected in the first round (wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, guard Donovan Jackson, defensive tackle Tyliek Williams and offensive tackle Josh Simmons), runner-up Notre Dame hasn’t had anyone picked.

Cornerback Benjamin Morrison was regarded as a likely first-rounder last summer, but he suffered a season-ending hip injury in October that lowered his stock. Morrison and safety Xavier Watts, who won the 2023 Bronko Nagurski Award as college football’s top defensive player, are regarded as potential second-round selections.

Day 2 of the NFL draft begins at 6 p.m. ET Friday, with Rounds 2 and 3 airing on ESPN, ABC and NFL Network.

Here’s who will be on the clock first:

No. 33 - Cleveland Browns
No. 34 - Houston Texans
No. 35 - Tennessee Titans
No. 36 - Cleveland Browns
No. 37 - Las Vegas Raiders
No. 38 - New England Patriots
No. 39 - Chicago Bears
No. 40 - New Orleans Saints
No. 41 - Chicago Bears
No. 42 - New York Jets
No. 43 - San Francisco 49ers

A few of the top players who should be picked on Day 2:

• Will Johnson, Michigan, cornerback
• Shedeur Sanders, Colorado, quarterback
• Mike Green, Marshall, edge
• Donovan Ezeiraku, Boston College, edge
• TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State, running back

The Southeastern Conference had 15 players taken in the first round to lead all leagues once again. SEC spokesman Chuck Dunlap said on X that the SEC’s 15 first-round picks ties a record for any conference.

The SEC also had 15 first-round picks in 2020.

Although only one SEC player was taken among the first six picks — with LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell going fourth overall to New England —14 of the next 25 picks came from SEC schools.

The Big Ten ranked second with 11 first-round picks. The Atlantic Coast Conference and Big 12 each had two first-round picks. The other two first-round picks were Ashton Jeanty from the Mountain West’s Boise State and Grey Zabel from Football Championship Subdivision program North Dakota State.

With the final pick in the first round of the 2025 draft, the Kansas City Chiefs selected Ohio State’s Josh Simmons. He’s the fourth Buckeye to be drafted in the final 13 picks of the first round. Simmons kept quarterback Will Howard upright throughout 306 offensive snaps, holding his opponents to zero sacks and quarterback hits in 2024.

The Chiefs closed the first round by taking Simmons.

Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders remains undrafted.

The Cleveland Browns, who could use a quarterback, have the first and fourth picks in the second round Friday.

The Las Vegas Raiders, who traded for 34-year-old Geno Smith in the offseason but could use a long-term solution at the position, have the fifth pick in the second round.

Campbell has proven to be a physical and speedy off-ball defender who can also come off the edge on pass rushes.

He joins a defense with breakout inside linebacker Zack Baun and plenty of SEC talent including Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter, and Nolan Smith Jr. out of Georgia.

Campbell put up career-high numbers in 2024, collecting 117 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and an interception.

Hairston was the fastest prospect at this year’s NFL combine, running a 4.28-second 40-yard dash.

He finished a three-year stint at Kentucky with 89 tackles, 10 pass deflections, and six interceptions including three pick-sixes.

The Philadelphia Eagles traded with the Kansas City Chiefs to move up one spot to No. 31.

They essentially swapped picks. The Chiefs picked up the No. 32 pick and a fifth-rounder.

“Buffalo, they’re getting the ultimate competitor, ultimate teammate and somebody that’s going to get Josh Allen the ball back,” the exuberant new Bill said.

Conerly started 28 consecutive games for the Ducks the last two seasons and his draft stock skyrocketed when he held Penn State’s Abdul Carter — the third-overall pick tonight — without a sack in the Big Ten championship game.

Williams, a 334-pound defensive tackle, pulled a hamstring on his first 40-yard dash attempt at his pro day, but when healthy he gets involved, recording 53 tackles in 2023 and 46 last season despite missing three games.

Starks split snaps at nickelback and safety at Georgia, providing versatility to go with a high football IQ.

He joins a secondary with Kyle Hamilton, Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins.

New Orleans Saints first-round pick Kelvin Banks Jr.’s draft party in Houston had a memorable scene.

Banks, a Texas offensive tackle, has a baby son named Khalil. When the Saints called Banks to let him know they were taking him, the cameras panned to Khalil, who spit up while sitting on his mother’s lap.

The Falcons traded up for Pearce, who Ian Rapoport reports they met with as recently as Wednesday.

Pearce generates tremendous strength with his bull rush and sets a solid edge in the run game.

He joins a 2025 draft class with Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker.

Jackson handled a position change well, holding his own at left tackle after two-plus seasons at left guard.

The former Buckeye will be responsible for protecting quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who is coming off a season-ending meniscus injury dating back to training camp.

Pass rush has been a major issue for Atlanta for years, and the Falcons took big steps to address that by taking Georgia’s Jalon Walker at No. 15 and trading up to take Pearce at No. 26.

They paid a big price to get Pearce. They sent the Los Angeles Rams a second-round pick (No. 46 overall), a seventh-round pick (242nd) and a 2026 first-round selection to get the 26th overall pick as well as a third-round selection (101st).

Dart becomes the third quarterback to join by the Giants this offseason.

He will have the opportunity to develop under veterans Jameis Winston and Russell Wilson.

The second quarterback taken in the draft isn’t Shedeur Sanders. The New York Giants instead took Mississippi’s Jaxson Dart after trading up to get the 25th overall pick.

The New York Giants have traded into the first round and are on the clock at No. 25. Could this be the moment a second quarterback gets taken, perhaps Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders or Mississippi’s Jaxson Dart?

The Giants sent their second-round pick (34th overall), third-round selection (99th) and a 2026 third-round pick to Houston in exchange for the 25th pick.

The New York Giants have traded back into the first round and are on the clock at No. 25.

The Giants sent their second-round pick (34th overall), third-round selection (99th) and a 2026 third-round pick to Houston in exchange for the 25th pick.

Could this be the moment a second quarterback gets taken, perhaps Sanders or Mississippi’s Jaxson Dart?

The announcement of the Packers’ first-round selection was going to get a thunderous ovation from the Green Bay crowd regardless of the pick, but the fact it came on a receiver made the reaction particularly noteworthy.

Green Bay’s selection of Golden marks the first time the Packers have used a first-round pick on a receiver since the Packers took Florida State’s Javon Walker 20th overall way back in 2002.

Hampton becomes the second running back off the board at pick No. 22.

The Chargers drafted him after adding Najee Harris in free agency.

Hampton led the ACC in carries and rushing yards in back-to-back seasons and collected 15 touchdowns on foot in 2023 and 2024.

With Hampton to the Chargers, we finally have another Atlantic Coast Conference player drafted to join No. 1 overall Cam Ward.

Sixteen of the first 22 picks were from either the Southeastern Conference (nine) or Big Ten (seven). The Big 12 also has two players selected so far.

Despite heavy rumors of drafting Sanders, the Steelers opted for the 6-foot-5 defensive tackle Harmon.

Harmon holds up strong against the run and is an efficient pass rusher.

He recorded a career-best 11 tackles for loss, five sacks, two forced fumbles and two recoveries during his sole season with Oregon.

Barron finished a productive five-year collegiate career with 226 tackles, 24 pass deflections, 21 tackles for loss and eight interceptions.

Barron lined up outside, in the slot, and in the box as a dime linebacker for the Longhorns. He joins a defense with reigning Defensive Player of the Year Pat Surtain II.

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ selection of Harmon at No. 21 overall creates more uncertainty regarding when Sanders might get taken.

The Steelers remain in need of a quarterback after the offseason departures of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.

Every team with a first-round pick remaining doesn’t have an apparent need at quarterback.

Perhaps another team trades its way back into the first round to grab Sanders. If not, Sanders’ situation will be the biggest story heading into Friday’s second round.

Baker Mayfield just got another weapon.

Egbuka joins a receiving room with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Jalen McMillan, and Sterling Shepard. Egbuka finished a four-year campaign at Ohio State with 2,868 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns.

The first Football Championship Subdivision player is off the board, with the Seattle Seahawks taking Zabel.

Zabel is the first FCS player to get taken in the first round since 2022, when New Orleans took Northern Iowa offensive tackle Trevor Penning at No. 19 and New England selected Chattanooga guard Cole Strange at No. 29.

Last year, no FCS player got taken until the third round, when the Chicago Bears took Yale offensive lineman Kiran Amegadjie. The first FCS player to get drafted in 2023 was North Dakota State offensive lineman Cody Mauch, who went to Tampa Bay in the second round.

The Cincinnati Bengals addressed defensive needs by drafting Stewart, an edge rusher.

Scouts looked past Stewart’s 4.5 total collegiate sacks due to his impact without getting to the quarterback.

Stewart joins the Bengals with a chip on his shoulder, telling Jamie Erdahl on the broadcast that some people have messed up; referring to the teams that passed on him.

More so than most prospects, fit and scheme are paramount for Nolen, who is best suited for a penetrating defense.

The Cardinals gained a tackle with major upside, often compared to Nnamdi Madubuike.

Hunter wanted to rush his press conference so he can hear Sanders’ name called.

The two Colorado teammates were expected to be top 5 picks when the draft process began several months ago.

But Sanders’ stock dropped in the weeks leading up to the draft and he was still on the board halfway through the first round.