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Now that the dust has settled, it’s time to reevaluate the 2025 NFL draft classes from the NFC.
This is not to say that we don’t stand by our immediate draft grades, but there are multiple ways to judge a draft class. Initially, the focus was on talent, value and team fit. Today, let’s focus more on potential immediate impact players and future stars.
Yes, positional needs and value matter, but no one is going to care that the Las Vegas Raiders drafted a running back in the top six picks if Ashton Jeanty becomes the next Saquon Barkley. Or that the Carolina Panthers passed on a defensive player in the first round if wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan becomes an All-Pro and helps with the development of Bryce Young.
So with a different perspective a week later, below I’ll rank the NFC draft classes from 16 to 1. My colleague Matt Verderame ranked the AFC draft classes.
Let’s get to the list.
16. San Francisco 49ers
Grade: D
• Round 1: No. 11: Mykel Williams, edge, Georgia
• Round 2: No. 43: Alfred Collins, DT, Texas
• Round 3: No. 75: Nick Martin, LB, Oklahoma State
• Round 3: No. 100: Upton Stout, CB, Western Kentucky
• Round 4: No. 113: CJ West, DT, Indiana
• Round 4: No. 138: Jordan Watkins, WR, Ole Miss
• Round 5: No. 147: Jordan James, RB, Oregon
• Round 5: No. 160: Marques Sigle, S, Kansas State
• Round 7: No. 227: Kurtis Rourke, QB, Indiana
• Round 7: No. 249: Connor Colby, G, Iowa
• Round 7: No. 252: Junior Bergen, WR, Montana
The 49ers added plenty of size and strength to their defensive line. But San Francisco might have focused too much on Williams’s ability to stop the run. He still has a ways to grow as a pass rusher, which made this pick at No. 11 a bit surprising. The massive 6' 5", 320-pound Collins can also easily shed blockers and stop the run. Again, this list is more about talent, but it’s hard not to think the 49ers reached too much for needs in this draft, and there’s a possibility they reached for the wrong positions. The interior of the 49ers’ offensive line could be a problem this season.
15. New Orleans Saints
Grade: C
• Round 1: No. 9: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
• Round 2: No. 40: Tyler Shough, QB, Louisville
• Round 3: No. 71: Vernon Broughton, DT, Texas
• Round 3: No. 93: Jonas Sanker, S, Virginia
• Round 4: No. 112: Danny Stutsman, LB, Oklahoma
• Round 4: No. 131: Quincy Riley, CB, Louisville
• Round 6: No. 184: Devin Neal, RB, Kansas
• Round 7: No. 248: Moliki Matavao, TE, UCLA
• Round 7: No. 254: Fadil Diggs, edge, Syracuse
The Saints took a gamble drafting Shough over Jalen Milroe and Shedeur Sanders, two signal-callers who offered more upside. Shough spent seven years in college, partly because of a lengthy history with injuries. That’s very concerning for a team that might need Shough to be available for every game as a rookie, depending on what happens with the Derek Carr dilemma. New Orleans went the safer route with the first pick, taking the versatile Banks. But this team doesn’t have a good track record when it comes to developing prize offensive lineman.
14. Los Angeles Rams
Grade: C
• Round 2: No. 46: Terrance Ferguson, TE, Oregon
• Round 3: No. 90: Josaiah Stewart, edge, Michigan
• Round 4: No. 117: Jarquez Hunter, RB, Auburn
• Round 5: No. 148: Ty Hamilton, DT, Ohio State
• Round 5: No. 172: Chris Paul Jr., LB, Ole Miss
• Round 7: No. 242: Konata Mumpfield, WR, Pittsburgh
The Rams got a gift when the Falcons made them a hard-to-refuse offer for their No. 26 pick in exchange for a first rounder next year and other selections. But by doing that, Los Angeles hindered this year’s roster a bit. The Rams dropped 20 spots to select Ferguson, who was viewed by many draft experts as the fifth-rated tight end prospect. The team passed on drafting tight end Elijah Arroyo, who went to the rival Seahawks. Los Angeles neglected a few needs in the back of the defense, but made a strength even stronger with the selection of Stewart.
13. Green Bay Packers
Grade: C+
• Round 1: No. 23: Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
• Round 2: No. 54: Anthony Belton, OT, North Carolina State
• Round 3: No. 87: Savion Williams, WR, TCU
• Round 4: No. 124: Barryn Sorrell, edge, Texas
• Round 5: No. 159: Collin Oliver, LB, Oklahoma State
• Round 6: No. 198: Warren Brinson, DT, Georgia
• Round 7: No. 237: Micah Robinson, CB, Tulane
• Round 7: No. 250: John Williams, OT, Cincinnati
The Packers went heavy on wide receivers, but that might not have solved their problem of needing a legitimate No. 1 target. Currently, Green Bay has a surplus of quality, reliable wideouts who play certain roles. Perhaps one day Golden can develop into an all-around threat. But for now, he’ll mostly just help the offense stretch the field as a speedy weapon for Jordan Love. Williams drew comparisons to Deebo Samuel for his ability to make plays from the backfield. The Packers added depth to the offensive line with Belton.
12. Minnesota Vikings
Grade: B+
• Round 1: No. 24: Donovan Jackson, G, Ohio State
• Round 3: No. 102: Tai Felton, WR, Maryland
• Round 5: No. 139: Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, edge, Georgia
• Round 6: No. 201: Kobe King, LB, Penn State
• Round 6: No. 202: Gavin Bartholomew, TE, Pittsburgh
The Vikings had the right approach selecting Jackson in the first round to complete their offensive line makeover this offseason. New starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy will surely benefit from this pick, and the Day 2 selection of Felton. But Minnesota appears light on immediate impact players from this draft class with only five picks. The Vikings didn’t have many holes to begin with, but they could use some help in the secondary.
11. Washington Commanders
Grade: B
• Round 1: No. 29: Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon
• Round 2: No. 61: Trey Amos, CB, Ole Miss
• Round 4: No. 128: Jaylin Lane, WR, Virginia Tech
• Round 6: No. 205: Kain Medrano, LB, UCLA
• Round 7: No. 245: Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB, Arizona
Last season, the Commanders were weak on the offensive line and at cornerback. That could change in 2025 with the arrivals of Conerly and Amos. Conerly could immediately start at right tackle, on the opposite side of veteran newcomer Laremy Tunsil. Amos joins a cornerback rotation of Marshon Lattimore, last season’s trade deadline acquisition, and Mike Sainristil, last year’s rookie standout. This draft class could look even better if Lane emerges as a quality No. 3 next to Terry McLaurin and Samuel.
10. Detroit Lions
Grade: B-
• Round 1: No. 28: Tyleik Williams, DT, Ohio State
• Round 2: No. 57: Tate Ratledge, G, Georgia
• Round 3: No. 70: Isaac TeSlaa, WR, Arkansas
• Round 5: No. 171: Miles Frazier, G, LSU
• Round 6: No. 196: Ahmed Hassanein, edge, Boise State
• Round 7: No. 230: Dan Jackson, S, Georgia
• Round 7: No. 244: Dominic Lovett, WR, Georgia
The Lions’ draft class wasn’t well received by the football public because they didn’t add many recognizable names. But it fits the DNA of the team, which loves to add tough, physical players in the trenches. Williams was regarded as the best run stopper in the draft, but he’ll need time to develop as a pass rusher. Ratledge could fill in at guard and make up for the loss of Kevin Zeitler this offseason. Also, it will be interesting to see what Detroit does with the intriguing TeSlaa, the athletically gifted wideout who can play inside and outside.
9. Philadelphia Eagles
Grade: B
• Round 1: No. 31: Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
• Round 2: No. 64: Andrew Mukuba, S, Texas
• Round 4: No. 111: Ty Robinson, DT, Nebraska
• Round 5: No. 145: Mac McWilliams, CB, UFC
• Round 5: No. 161: Smael Mondon Jr., LB, Georgia
• Round 5: No. 168: Drew Kendall, C, Boston College
• Round 6: No. 181: Kyle McCord, QB, Syracuse
• Round 6: No. 191: Myles Hinton, OT, Michigan
• Round 6: No. 207: Cameron Williams, OT, Texas
• Round 6: No. 209: Antwaun Powell-Ryland, edge, Virginia
The Eagles lost plenty of production with the free-agency departures of Josh Sweat and Milton Williams. But the versatile Campbell, who can also contribute as a pass rusher, could help with the voids in the defensive front. There are also holes in the secondary with the losses of Darius Slay and C.J. Gardner-Johnson, but Mukuba can help there as a defensive back who can play nickel and safety. But filling all these needs won’t all fall on the shoulders of the first two picks. GM Howie Roseman had another savvy draft, selecting multiple players for the trenches on both sides of the ball.
8. Chicago Bears
Grade: B-
• Round 1: No. 10: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
• Round 2: No. 39: Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
• Round 2: No. 56: Ozzy Trapilo, OT, Boston College
• Round 2: No. 62: Shemar Turner, DT, Texas A&M
• Round 4: No. 132: Ruben Hyppolite II, LB, Maryland
• Round 5: No. 169: Zah Frazier, CB, UTSA
• Round 6: No. 195: Luke Newman, OT, Michigan
• Round 7: No. 233: Kyle Monangai, RB, Rutgers
Initially, I wasn’t fond of the Bears getting complacent with their offensive line, waiting until the back end of the second round to address their tackle concerns. But they certainly got better at the skill positions, with dynamic weapons Loveland and Burden. Still, Chicago better be right about its retooled offensive line because the team found out last year that skill players don’t go far without the quarterback being protected. Perhaps Trapilo can be an immediate starter in case the new coaching staff decides to move on from Braxton Jones, the left tackle currently rehabbing from a broken ankle. Turner is an intriguing prospect who could provide a boost for the defensive front.
7. Atlanta Falcons
Grade: B
• Round 1: No. 15: Jalon Walker, edge, Georgia
• Round 1: No. 26: James Pearce Jr., edge, Tennessee
• Round 3: No. 96: Xavier Watts, S, Notre Dame
• Round 4: No. 118: Billy Bowman Jr., S, Oklahoma
• Round 7: No. 218: Jack Nelson, OT, Wisconsin
The Falcons could end their seven-year playoff drought, having addressed their biggest need with a potential draft steal in Walker. They also made one of the riskiest decisions in the NFL draft. Atlanta put its future on the line by trading its 2026 first-round pick to the Rams to select Pearce, the freakishly athletic edge rusher with plenty of untapped potential. The bold move to acquire the No. 26 pick occurred after the Falcons took Walker at No. 15, which was a bit surprising because many viewed Walker as a top-10 pick. Lately, Atlanta has had an unconventional way of operating in the offseason, but there’s no denying this could be an impressive team in 2025 if Michael Penix Jr. builds on his rookie year, and Walker and Pearce hit the ground running.
6. Arizona Cardinals
Grade: B
• Round 1: No. 16: Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
• Round 2: No. 47: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
• Round 3: No. 78: Jordan Burch, edge, Oregon
• Round 4: No. 115: Cody Simon, LB, Ohio State
• Round 5: No. 174: Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio State
• Round 6: No. 211: Hayden Conner, G, Texas
• Round 7: No. 225: Kitan Crawford, S, Nevada
This could be a draft class to remember if the first two picks reach their potential. Nolen has the skill set to be a game wrecker, but there are concerns with his practice habits. Johnson probably should have been the first cornerback selected, but he dropped due to medical concerns. Still, both players were worth the dice roll, especially in a defense that lacked talent the past few seasons. After making it work with what he had, coach Jonathan Gannon could produce a top-10 defense after the influx of talent.
5. New York Giants
Grade: A+
• Round 1: No. 3: Abdul Carter, edge, Penn State
• Round 1: No. 25: Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss
• Round 3: No. 65: Darius Alexander, DT, Toledo
• Round 4: No. 105: Cam Skattebo, RB, Arizona State
• Round 5: No. 154: Marcus Mbow, G, Purdue
• Round 7: No. 219: Thomas Fidone II, TE, Nebraska
• Round 7: No. 246: Korie Black, CB, Oklahoma State
The Giants’ 2025 draft class received the best grade from me because they added the best pure defender in Carter and addressed their need at quarterback by trading back into the first round to take Dart. But I’ll ding them a bit here for this story because there’s a chance Dart might not play at all as a rookie and there were a handful of concerns with him as a prospect. It’s also a bit strange that the Giants held a late workout with Sanders.
Perhaps Sanders was higher on the team’s draft board and they decided to go with Dart because of how poorly Sanders interviewed—if the reports are true. If the Giants weren’t totally sold on either quarterback, they probably would have been better off waiting to select a signal-caller and keeping the draft picks they lost in the trade with the Houston Texans. Regardless of who starts at quarterback, they’ll likely benefit from having Skattebo in the backfield. His intensity and versatility will be a plus for the entire offense.
4. Carolina Panthers
Grade: A-
• Round 1: No. 8: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
• Round 2: No. 51: Nic Scourton, edge, Texas A&M
• Round 3: No. 77: Princely Umanmielen, edge, Ole Miss
• Round 4: No. 114: Trevor Etienne, RB, Georgia
• Round 4: No. 122: Lathan Ransom, S, Ohio State
• Round 5: No. 140: Cam Jackson, DT, Florida
• Round 5: No. 163: Mitchell Evans, TE, Notre Dame
• Round 6: No. 208: Jimmy Horn Jr., WR, Colorado
Regardless of how it works out with Bryce Young, at least Carolina can now say it gave the 2023 No. 1 pick a fair shot to prove himself. Two years removed from his dreadful rookie year, Young will now have a receiving corps that features McMillan, last year’s first-round selection Xavier Legette, and last year’s undrafted gem Jalen Coker. The rushing attack drastically improved last season with the emergence of Chuba Hubbard, but the team didn’t settle there, adding Etienne in the fourth round. Even the defensive side has progressed, with Carolina selecting Scourton and Umanmielen. This roster has come a long way since its miserable 2–15 season two years ago.
3. Dallas Cowboys
Grade: B+
• Round 1: No. 12: Tyler Booker, G, Alabama
• Round 2: No. 44: Donovan Ezeiruaku, edge, Boston College
• Round 3: No. 76: Shavon Revel Jr., CB, East Carolina
• Round 5: No. 149: Jaydon Blue, RB, Texas
• Round 5: No. 152: Shemar James, LB, Florida
• Round 6: No. 204: Ajani Cornelius, OT, Oregon
• Round 7: No. 217: Jay Toia, DT, UCLA
• Round 7: No. 239: Phil Mafah, RB, Clemson
• Round 7: No. 247: Tommy Akingbesote, DT, Maryland
The Cowboys have had plenty of success drafting offensive lineman in the first round. That’s a good sign for Booker, who will replace the retired Zack Martin, one of the best draft picks ever for the Jones family. With Booker, the Cowboys could once again have one of the best offensive lines in the league, which will benefit their stagnant running game. Perhaps the team did enough there, drafting Blue and Mafah.
In a few years, Revel could end up being the best draft pick from this Cowboys’ class. He’s a first-round talent who would have gone a lot higher if it wasn’t for the injury history. As for another position the Cowboys know well, Ezeiruaku could be the team’s latest standout edge rusher.
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Grade: A-
• Round 1: No. 19: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
• Round 2: No. 53: Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame
• Round 3: No. 84: Jacob Parrish, CB, Kansas State
• Round 4: No. 121: David Walker, edge, Central Arkansas
• Round 5: No. 157: Elijah Roberts, edge, SMU
• Round 7: No. 235: Tez Johnson, WR, Oregon
The Buccaneers drafted two wide receivers, two cornerbacks and two edge rushers. They leaned into their strengths with the first two positions and created depth for the third group that got a bit exposed in the wild-card loss against the Commanders. There could be an argument made that the Bucs waited too long to draft the edge rushers, but they signed veteran Haason Reddick in free agency, allowing them to take the best players available in the first three rounds.
Egbuka might need to fight for snaps, but veteran Chris Godwin might need some time to make a full recovery from his ankle injury. Also, it’s never a bad idea to get ahead of a looming problem. Godwin and Mike Evans aren’t getting any younger. As for the cornerbacks, Morrison and Parrish could be immediate starters.
1. Seattle Seahawks
Grade: A
• Round 1: No. 18: Grey Zabel, G, North Dakota State
• Round 2: No. 35: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
• Round 2: No. 50: Elijah Arroyo, TE, Miami
• Round 3: No. 92: Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama
• Round 5: No. 142: Rylie Mills, DT, Notre Dame
• Round 5: No. 166: Tory Horton, WR, Colorado State
• Round 5: No. 175: Robbie Ouzts, TE, Alabama
• Round 6: No. 192: Bryce Cabeldue, OT, Kansas
• Round 7: No. 223: Damien Martinez, RB, Miami
• Round 7: No. 234: Mason Richman, OT, Iowa
• Round 7: No. 228: Ricky White III, WR, UNLV
The Seahawks nailed the draft with a blend of immediate impact players and intriguing prospects who could help in the future after some seasoning. First, Seattle took the most versatile offensive lineman for a unit that desperately needed help at multiple spots. It’ll be up to the team to figure out where to place Zabel, but they gained peace of mind knowing he can play center, guard and tackle at any moment’s notice. The team also received flexibility on the defensive side with Emmanwori, who can play safety and nickel cornerback.
But the most intriguing draft pick is the ultra-athletic Milroe, who can help as a red zone threat as a rookie while he gets time to develop into a starter or quality backup—depending on how Sam Darnold does in Seattle.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ranking 2025 NFC Draft Classes: Giants Get Upside, Seahawks See Immediate Boost.
