In a highly anticipated move, the Tennessee Titans selected Miami quarterback Cam Ward as the first overall pick during the 2025 NFL Draft held at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. This selection follows a trend of teams prioritizing quarterbacks, marking the third consecutive year that a quarterback has been chosen first overall.

Significance of the Selection

Ward’s selection solidifies his expected position, as forecasts from sports analysts had consistently indicated he would be the Titans’ choice for the top spot. With his arrival, he joins the ranks of recent top picks, following USC’s Caleb Williams in 2024 and Alabama’s Bryce Young in 2023.

The last player not to play quarterback chosen first was defensive end Travon Walker from Georgia in 2022, selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Draft Highlights and Trades

Despite Ward’s predictable selection, the rest of the first round unfolded with unexpected twists. Notably, the Jacksonville Jaguars made a significant trade with the Cleveland Browns to move up to the second overall pick, where they selected Travis Hunter, a versatile talent from Colorado capable of playing both cornerback and wide receiver.

Interestingly, Hunter’s teammate, quarterback Shedeur Sanders, a prospect initially projected to be drafted early in the first round, surprisingly fell out of the top 32 picks.

Draft Trends and Notable Picks

The 2025 draft lacked the plethora of top-tier prospects seen in the previous year, with only one quarterback, Ward, being selected in the top 12. Emphasizing a focus on strengthening the offensive and defensive lines, seven of the first 12 draft picks were linemen.

The Giants made headlines by trading back into the first round to secure quarterback Jaxson Dart from Ole Miss with the 25th pick, situated midway through the first round where quarterback selections were noticeably sparse compared to previous years.

2025 NFL Draft First Round Picks

1. Tennessee Titans — QB Cam Ward, Miami
2. Jacksonville Jaguars (via trade with Cleveland) — CB/WR Travis Hunter, Colorado
3. New York Giants — DE Abdul Carter, Penn State
4. New England Patriots — OT Will Campbell, LSU
5. Cleveland Browns (via trade with Jacksonville) — DT Mason Graham, Michigan
6. Las Vegas Raiders — RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
7. New York Jets — OT Armand Membou, Missouri
8. Carolina Panthers — WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
9. New Orleans Saints — OT Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas
10. Chicago Bears — TE Colston Loveland, Michigan
11. San Francisco 49ers — DE Mykel Williams, Georgia
12. Dallas Cowboys — G Tyler Booker, Alabama
13. Miami Dolphins — DT Kenneth Grant, Michigan
14. Indianapolis Colts — TE Tyler Warren, Penn State
15. Atlanta Falcons — LB Jalon Walker, Georgia
16. Arizona Cardinals — DT Walter Nolen, Ole Miss
17. Cincinnati Bengals — DE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M
18. Seattle Seahawks — G Grey Zabel, North Dakota State
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — WR Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
20. Denver Broncos — DB Jahdae Barron, Texas
21. Pittsburgh Steelers — DT Derrick Harmon, Oregon
22. Los Angeles Chargers — RB Omarion Hampton, North Carolina
23. Green Bay Packers — WR Matthew Golden, Texas
24. Minnesota Vikings — G Donovan Jackson, Ohio State
25. New York Giants (via trade with Houston) — QB Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss
26. Atlanta Falcons (via trade with Los Angeles Rams) — DE James Pearce Jr., Tennessee
27. Baltimore Ravens — DB Malaki Starks, Georgia
28. Detroit Lions — DT Tyleik Williams, Ohio State
29. Washington Commanders — OT Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon
30. Buffalo Bills — CB Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky
31. Philadelphia Eagles (via trade with Kansas City) — LB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama
32. Kansas City Chiefs (via trade with Philadelphia) — OT Josh Simmons, Ohio State