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Falcons Obtain No. 96 From Eagles, Draft S Xavier Watts

April 25th, 2025 at 10:03pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Eagles used this sector of last year’s draft to hop around the board, acquiring a host of 2025 picks. They are moving one of theirs to the Falcons, who will add No. 96.

Atlanta will send Philly No. 101, and Howie Roseman will make another play for a future asset. A 2026 fifth is also in the trade. The Falcons took Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts with the pick, adding one of the draft’s top free safety prospects after declining to re-sign Justin Simmons this offseason. The Eagles then moved back from No. 101 in a trade with the Broncos.

Watts could end up being one of the steals of the draft after entering Friday as a projected early second-round pick and the third-ranked safety behind Malaki Starks and Nick Emmanwori. Instead, Watts fell to the end of the third round and joins first-round edge rushers Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. in Atlanta’s defense. His NFL-ready intelligence and ball skills make him a candidate to start as a rookie.

Watts’ below-average athleticism and tackling limit his versatility and upside, but his 13 interceptions and 31 passes defended over his last two seasons at Notre Dame speak volumes about his ballhawking instincts. With the Falcons planning to give Clark Phillips a shot at nickel in 2025 (via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution), Watts could thrive in a split-safety role next to Jessie Bates.

Texans Flip No. 89 To Jaguars

April 25th, 2025 at 9:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

While not as notable as the intra-AFC South Christian Kirk trade the Jaguars and Texans combined on, the two AFC South teams are making a third-round swap.

The Jaguars will now hold back-to-back third-round picks, taking No. 89 from the Texans. Jacksonville has No. 88 in its arsenal as well. After selecting cornerback Caleb Ransaw with the first of those picks, the Jags have followed it up with West Virginia offensive lineman Wyatt Milum.

Milum spent his first season with the Mountaineers operating at right tackle, serving as a starter for most of the campaign. After that, he moved to the blindside and remained a full-time starter and a key member of the team’s offense. In 2024, the 6-7, 313-pounder was named the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year.

That accolade came in addition to consensus first-team All-American honors, a sign of Milum’s level of play as a senior. Despite his size, a move inside to guard could be in order at the NFL level (something which would, of course, also help explain how he remained on the board this long). Upon arrival in Duval County, he will look to compete for immediate playing time.

The Jaguars have Walker Little and Anton Harrison in place at both tackle spots. They will be counted on to operate as starters in 2025 and beyond, but Milum could look to serve in a swing tackle role. Failing that, he could see time as a first-team option at guard.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

Patriots Deal No. 85 To Chiefs

April 25th, 2025 at 9:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Chiefs already made a move for a cornerback this offseason, giving Kristian Fulton a two-year deal worth $20MM. But the AFC dynasty will keep going here.

New England dealt Kansas City No. 85, and the Chiefs took cornerback Nohl Williams out of Cal. The Chiefs will send the Pats No. 95 and a 2026 fourth-rounder.

Kansas City did not see its L’Jarius Sneed replacement cadre impress last season, though Jaylen Watson missed most of it due to a broken leg. The Eagles picked on him in Super Bowl LIX, however, likely contributing to the increased commitment this offseason. Kansas City also has Johnson and Joshua Williams in contract years. Trent McDuffie technically joins the 2022 draftees, but the All-Pro will see his fifth-year option exercised before the May 1 deadline.

McDuffie and Fulton are poised to start on the outside for the Chiefs, with McDuffie proving an elite slot stopper on occasion as well. Nohl Williams joins a somewhat crowded cadre of cogs vying for time behind the team’s top two cover men.

The younger of the Chiefs’ two CB Williamses will head to Missouri after displaying elite ball production in his final Cal season. Nohl grabbed seven interceptions, pacing Division I-FBS in 2024. He also served as the Golden Bears’ kick returner, taking one back for a score. Williams transferred from UNLV in 2023.

Panthers Acquire 77th Pick From Patriots, Select Princely Umanmielen

April 25th, 2025 at 9:10pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Panthers traded up with the Patriots to acquire the 77th overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft and selected Ole Miss edge rusher Princely Umanmielen.

Carolina will send their third-rounder (No. 85 overall) and fifth-rounder (No. 146 overall) to New England, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.

Umanmielen has a solid, NFL-ready frame but relies too much on speed and finesse to beat blocks with lackluster power and physicality. He started for two seasons at Florida before transferring to Ole Miss and recording 10.5 sacks in 2024, the second-most of any SEC defender. The 23-year-old will have to improve his ability to set the edge in the NFL, but his speed and bend off the edge will make him an effective pass-rusher. He also showed the ability to drop into coverage in college; while that’s not his strength, it does add some versatility to his game.

The Panthers were expected to take an EDGE with the No. 8 pick, but opted to add Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan instead. They then used their next two picks on edge rushers, selecting Texas A&M’s Nic Scourton at No. 51 and double-dipping with Umanmielen at 77.

Carolina has veteran players who will likely top the depth chart in 2025 in Jadeveon Clowney, D.J. Wonnum, and Patrick Jones, but Scourton and Umanmielen should play a role in the pass rush as rookies.

Jaguars Trade No. 70 To Lions

April 25th, 2025 at 8:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

For the second time tonight, the Lions have traded up. After their swap with the Broncos, the NFC North champions agreed to acquire No. 70 from the Jaguars.

Detroit made a major Day 3 sacrifice with its previous trade, giving up a fourth-rounder in a second-round swap that only brought back a Denver seventh. The Lions are adding wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa out of Arkansas.

Terms of this deal point to the Lions placing a high value on TeSlaa, as they are sending two 2026 third-round picks to the Jaguars in the swap. That will be the cost for Detroit to move up from No. 102 to 70. The Jags are also sending No. 182 and a 2026 sixth-rounder to the Lions.

This certainly represents a notable cost for Detroit to pay, as Jacksonville will drop 32 spots in this round in exchange for two more Day 2 selections in 2026. Some pressure will be on TeSlaa to justify this haul, but he will head back to Michigan — having transferred from Hillsdale College, a Division II school — after averaging 19.5 yards per catch with the Razorbacks last season. TeSlaa also played quarterback in high school, eventually shifting into the slot at Arkansas.

The 6-foot-4 target, who totaled 545 receiving yards and three TDs last season, will join a Lions team that just picked up Jameson Williams‘ fifth-year option. Detroit, which gave Amon-Ra St. Brown a lucrative extension last year, also re-signed Tim Patrick in March. TeSlaa will have a chance to learn from some veteran presences early, but Patrick is only on a one-year deal — in an age-32 season.

Ravens Select Mike Green With 59th Pick

April 25th, 2025 at 8:14pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Ravens have selected Marshall edge rusher Mike Green with the 59th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, ending the 21-year-old’s slide after an initial first-round projection.

Accusations of sexual assault have raised significant character concerns about Green, who racked up 17.0 sacks in 2024 and posted elite agility numbers at his pro day. He was linked to multiple teams in the first round, including the Falcons, but concerns about his past knocked him off of multiple teams’ boards, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Green’s selection by the Ravens will shine a spotlight on the allegations against him with the team already waiting for the results of a league investigation into Justin Tucker. Baltimore’s front office has historically prioritized high-character prospects in the draft, such as Malaki Starks, last night’s first-round selection. The team has largely avoided questions about Tucker this offseason, but drafting Green will put more attention on their approach to players with allegations of sexual misconduct off the field.

As a player, though, Green profiles as a complete edge rusher with the athleticism, bend, and violence to be a consistent sack-getter in the NFL. Against the run, he compensates for his lack of size with power and effort to set a hard edge. He played against lesser competition in the Sun Belt in college and will face a significant jump in the NFL, but his tape clearly shows the potential to be an elite pass-rusher in the pros.

Lions Acquire No. 57 From Broncos

April 25th, 2025 at 7:57pm CST by Adam La Rose

Shortly after moving down the No. 57, the Broncos have traded down once again. Denver has sent that pick and No. 230 to the the Lions for Nos. 60 and 130 (h/t Ian Rapoport of NFL Network).

With the newly-acquired selection, Detroit has added Tate Ratledge. The Georgia guard was the Lions’ pick in PFR’s first-round mock, and he is indeed headed to the Motor City. Ratledge will likely compete for a starting spot as a rookie.

Ratledge redshirted in 2020 and a foot injury limited him to only one game the following season. From that point on, he operated as a starter for the Bulldogs. Over the past two seasons, Ratledge earned first-team All-SEC acclaim; he added a first-team All-American nod in 2024.

The Lions have had one of the NFL’s top offensive lines for years. That is expected to remain the case moving forward, but the past two offseasons have seen guards Jonah Jackson and Kevin Zeitler depart in free agency. As a result, that position represented a logical target for an early draft addition on the part of Detroit.

The Lions addressed the line of scrimmage on the other side of the ball last night, adding defensive tackle Tyleik Williams at No. 28. That move did not involve a trade-up maneuver, but the fact this one did illustrates how highly-regarded Ratledge is in the organization. If he delivers on investment at the NFL level, Detroit’s offense will remain strong up front for years to come.

Broncos Deal No. 51 To Panthers In Eight-Pick Swap

April 25th, 2025 at 7:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

After entertaining trade-down options in Round 1, the Broncos stayed at No. 20. They are, however, moving down tonight. Denver will send No. 51 to Carolina.

This is an eight-pick trade, the largest of this draft thus far. The Panthers will pick up Nos. 51, 85, 122 and 208; the Broncos will obtain Nos. 57, 74, 111 and 230. With the pick, Carolina is choosing Texas A&M edge rusher Nic Scourton.

After Carolina eschewed its EDGE need by taking Tetairoa McMillan in Round 1, ex-Broncos DC Ejiro Evero will have a high-end piece to mold. The team did not do much to replace Brian Burns in 2024, but it has gotten back to work this offseason. Scourton joins ex-Vikings rotational rusher Patrick Jones as new Panthers additions at OLB.

A Purdue transfer, Scourton is coming off a five-sack season in College Station. With the Boilermakers in 2023, however, Scourton ripped off 10 sacks. Scourton still managed to remain consistent in backfield disruption, following a 15-TFL sophomore season with a 14-TFL junior slate. He will join a Panthers team coming off a last-place season defensively. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler ranked Scourton as this draft class’ 12th-best EDGE prospect.

Carolina carried a dire EDGE need into the draft, after having addressed its D-line (via Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown) in free agency. The Broncos have not yet addressed their running back need, seeing two more potential targets (ex-Ohio State runners Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson) go off the board tonight. Denver, however, will move up in Rounds 3 and 4 via this trade.

Texans Acquire No. 48 From Raiders, Draft Aireontae Ersery

April 25th, 2025 at 7:21pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Raiders are trading down for the second time in the second round. After their Dolphins agreement, the Raiders will drop out of their No. 48 spot, sending the pick to the Texans.

Moving back up the board after its significant drop on Day 1, Houston will send Las Vegas Nos. 58 and 99 for 48, which they used on Minnesota offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery.

The Texans badly need help along the offensive line after moving on from Laremy Tunsil, Kenyon Green, and Shaq Mason this offseason. They were widely expected to use a first-round pick on an O-lineman and even explored trading up in Round 1 to land their preferred blocker. Such a deal never came to fruition, and the Texans instead traded their first-rounder (No. 24 overall) to the Giants in exchange for the 34th and 99th picks, as well as a 2026 third-rounder.

Houston even used the 34th pick on wide receiver Jayden Higgins, but they moved back up to bolster their offensive line with Ersery, a 6-foot-6, 331-pound offensive tackle who profiles as a long-term blindside blocker for C.J. Stroud. The Texans signed Cam Robinson to a one-year deal in March, so he’ll likely start at left tackle in 2025, giving Ersery time to develop his technique and consistency.

Bills Obtain No. 41 From Bears In Six-Pick Swap

April 25th, 2025 at 6:48pm CST by Adam La Rose

Buffalo will use one of its two second-round picks to move up the board. The Bills are acquiring No. 41 from the Bears in a six-pick trade.

The Bills will add Nos. 41, 72 and 240, while the Bears are picking up Nos. 56, 62 and 109. Chicago came into the draft with two second-rounders as well, holding an extra pick from the 2023 Bryce Young swap. Buffalo selected South Carolina defensive tackle T.J. Sanders.

Defensive tackle was seen as a roster need entering the draft for Buffalo. As a result, many pointed to the opening round as a time when adding along the D-line could be targeted. Instead, the Bills made a notable secondary addition by drafting cornerback Maxwell Hairston. Now, Sanders has been selected as a contender to see plenty of playing time right away.

Yet to turn 22, Sanders demonstrated plenty of potential over the course of his final two campaigns with the Gamecocks. He totaled 16.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks during that span. While concerns have been raised about his run defense, Sanders will be counted on to provide a pass-rush presence early and often in Buffalo. The team compiled 37 sacks last season, 21st in the NFL.

Ed Oliver remains attached to a $17MM-per-year contract, and he will be tasked with reprising his starting gig in 2025. Veteran DaQuan Jones and free agent addition Larry Ogunjobi are also in the fold, as is 2024 third-rounder DeWayne Carter. Plenty of snaps will be devoted to that group, but the Bills’ decision to trade up for Sanders indicates he should be involved as a rookie as well. If he develops as hoped, he will provide Buffalo with another long-term option along the defensive interior.

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