Handing out NFL draft grades is like trying to predict lottery numbers. It’s almost impossible, you are certainly going to be wrong with some, but it’s fun anyway and occasionally you nail them and look like a genius for life.
With the 2025 draft behind us, there are a host of teams that appeared to do well. The Tennessee Titans hope they have their franchise quarterback in Cam Ward. The Kansas City Chiefs believe they finally found Patrick Mahomes’s long-term blindside protector in Josh Simmons. The Jacksonville Jaguars are hoping to have found the football equivalent to Shohei Ohtani in Travis Hunter.
But which five teams walked away from the proceedings the most improved? Let’s take a look at the five draft classes that shined brightest.
5. Cleveland Browns
This is a controversial opinion, but the Browns got better. They not only added a 2026 first-round pick by trading back from No. 2 to No. 5 with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but still managed to land a stud in defensive tackle Mason Graham. In the subsequent rounds, Cleveland snagged a pair of dynamic running backs in Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson.
Of course, the headliner is Shedeur Sanders, who fell to the fifth round before the Browns snapped him up at No. 144. Sanders could end up being a footnote in history, or he could prove to be an incredible steal for a franchise that’s been looking for a quarterback since Bernie Kosar. If Sanders pans out, this draft class could be remembered as generational and transformative for Cleveland.
4. New England Patriots
The Patriots had the league’s most cap space in free agency and spent aggressively, adding talent on both sides of the ball. That philosophy spilled over into the draft, where New England took young talents in all three phases, although one was heavily favored early on.
After selecting LSU left tackle Will Campbell in the first round, New England landed Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson, Washington State receiver Kyle Williams and Georgia center Jared Wilson on Day 2. Each of the Patriots’ first four picks are going to help second-year quarterback Drake Maye, and each will see immediate snaps for Mike Vrabel's club.
Day 3 then saw a quartet of defensive picks, along with a long snapper, kicker and offensive tackle. All told, it was an excellent draft in Foxboro.
3. Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys are always under pressure, but this class looks to have lived up to the expectations.
Dallas made a questionable choice at No. 12 overall to take Alabama guard Tyler Booker, but he could wind up being the best interior lineman of his class. In the second round, Donovan Ezeiruaku fell to the Cowboys, giving them an intriguing option as an edge rusher out of Boston College. In the third, owner/general manager Jerry Jones found more value in corner Shavon Revel Jr. from East Carolina.
Despite drafting outside the top 10 and not having any additional picks in the first four rounds, the Cowboys appear to have found a nice mix of immediate starters and developmental prospects.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers have long adhered to an organizational philosophy that has seen them become one of the best franchises in football over the past 50 years. Once again, they stuck to a winning formula during the draft.
Despite not having a second-round pick as a result of the DK Metcalf trade, Pittsburgh found a bevy of potential impact players including first-round defensive tackle Derrick Harmon, third-round running back Kaleb Johnson and fourth-round linebacker Jack Sawyer.
If Pittsburgh eventually lands Aaron Rodgers in free agency and gets some production from its rookie class, the Steelers could be a tough out in the AFC.
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers surprised many around the league when they took a receiver with the No. 19 overall pick, selecting Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka. Still, Egbuka is a talented prospect who should thrive under the tutelage of fellow wideouts Mike Evans and Chris Godwin before taking over one of their roles.
Later on, general manager Jason Licht found talent in second-day corners Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish, both of whom could start with strong training camps in a revamped secondary. To start Day 3, Light selected a pair of defensive linemen in David Walker and Elijah Roberts, giving Tampa Bay some reinforcements up front.
Ultimately, the Buccaneers left the draft as one of the most improved teams.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Five Most Improved Teams After the 2025 NFL Draft.
