NFL Draft
4/26/25
9 min read
2025 NFL Draft: Ranking 9 Biggest Reaches From This Year's Class
The 2025 NFL Draft is over, and 257 players can now say they've reached the pinnacle of their football career.
What happens over the next several months will be much more important than just this moment, but the expectations for an individual's career are set on draft weekend. Early-round additions have a different weight on their shoulders than others.
Whether fair or not, a handful of players were taken much earlier than most expected. Going against groupthink or my own rankings is far from a sin, but there's a certain skill that drafting and valuing talent requires. Some general managers simply do not consistently win the value game.
This list of the biggest reaches of the 2025 NFL Draft does not reflect my thoughts on whether they'll be busts, but they each drew a reaction from me and evaluators because of where they went. Some will live up to the billing and prove me wrong, but chances are better that the majority of these reaches will have a hard time living up to expectations.
Biggest Reaches of the 2025 NFL Draft
9. Colston Loveland, TE, Chicago Bears
It was only slightly shocking when Colston Loveland went ahead of Tyler Warren because they're two very different players. Chicago clearly favored Loveland's youth, in-line blocking ability, and success on short and intermediate routes compared to Warren's offensive weapon style. That's not a hard sell, and Loveland will help Caleb Williams.
But this pick was a bit of a reach, considering Loveland's range was so large.
Loveland was likely never in play with any pick until Chicago. Indianapolis was the only other clear contender for him until Seattle at No. 18 and Denver at No. 20. Hammering Chicago too much for taking him slightly too high isn't fair. Hence, this is a soft reach before we get into some of the more egregious examples.
8. Jared Wilson, IOL, New England Patriots
Some analysts had Jared Wilson as a top-100 value on their board due to his athletic traits, but his projection was solely based on his movement ability. With only one year as a starter under his belt and completely lacking NFL power now, Wilson is a long-term developmental player. It's more likely he ends up as a backup than a starter.
It is difficult to accept taking a backup center in the top 100 for an offensive line that needed capable bodies. LSU's Myles Frazier is one example of someone who was more accomplished and pro-ready but was taken two rounds later. Ohio State's Seth McLaughlin has a similar developmental path, coming off a torn ACL and going undrafted.
Maybe Wilson proves my evaluation wrong, but the Patriots made a bold move by taking a big flier on someone not able to help them a lot in 2025.
7. Jaxson Dart, QB, New York Giants
Jaxson Dart may end up being a fine starting quarterback for years to come with the New York Giants, but that doesn't make their trade up for him less of a reach.
This quarterback class was lauded as one of the worst in years at the top, which is partially why Cameron Ward was set to be the only first-round passer until the Giants moved up for him. Dart's profile suggests he can be an average-level NFL starter.
Without a cannon for an arm, high-level processing ability, and struggles when under pressure, Dart was a prototypical Day 2 flier. Add in that Shedeur Sanders was taken in the fifth round, and it's hard to view the Dart trade as necessary. Cleveland waited it out, and there's not another team picking after Minnesota that was interested.
It's possible Dart quickly adapts to NFL speed, schemes, and concepts better than expected, and Malik Nabers eases his transition. But the odds aren't in his favor of Dart becoming more than a fine but unspectacular starter on the replacement block every season.
6. Tyler Booker, OG, Dallas Cowboys
There are two schools of thought on football players. One is that only the talent and what happens on the field matter, and the other incorporates historical data into projections.
Tyler Booker is one of the worst athletes to be drafted in the first round in decades, so hearing his name come off the board at 12th overall ahead of others was a defining moment of Thursday. Dallas was justified in taking a blocker, but Booker is a highly specific fit.
Booker's pass protection effectiveness at Alabama was impressive, giving up only two sacks in 1,035 career pass blocking snaps. However, for as powerful as he is, his inability to react quickly and move defenders consistently in the run game would mean a scheme change at any point in Dallas would render him useless.
Athleticism matters in the NFL because it reveals a realistic floor and upside. Booker might be a good starter, but was that worth it for the 12th overall pick?
5. Femi Oladejo, EDGE, Tennessee Titans
Taking a raw athlete to develop as a pass-rusher is an inherently risky proposal because finding the right traits is one of the toughest tasks in scouting.
Femi Oladejo checked the box of being a raw pass-rusher who must learn the nuances of being an NFL pass-rusher, but he's not the type of athlete with great instincts worth the 52nd overall pick. There were more translatable options on the board with similar physical gifts.
It'd be one thing if Oladejo had top-notch burst or power or was able to break down in space and control his movement before overpursuing the ball carrier. His game is more based on the first step and effort than someone with a plan for his attack or freakish explosiveness to overcome a lack of move set.
Chances are good Oladejo will never find his footing, or at least not be given a ton of snaps to rep out what he needs.
4. Pat Bryant, WR, Denver Broncos
Tall, slow receivers who don't create separation have difficulty succeeding in the NFL. Pat Bryant has a lot of the positives you need from a 6-foot-2 receiver, including body control and some creativity at the top of routes.
But being big and winning contested catches consistently doesn't usually lead to a long NFL career unless you're historically good at it.
Bryant struggled with concentration drops and was often swallowed up in man coverage against NFL-caliber athletes. Bo Nix isn't the type of quarterback to feed someone like that. The Broncos justly added a receiver, but someone with more juice and upside would've fit the unit better.
3. Dillon Gabriel, QB, Cleveland Browns
If you flip the order of Cleveland's two drafted quarterbacks, there are almost no qualms. However, it was stunning when they selected Dillon Gabriel in the third round. While his experience and mobility are great for a backup, his weak arm and issues against pressure will pigeonhole his upside and opportunities.
Add in Cleveland's cold weather, the tenacity of the AFC North defenses, and the other quarterbacks on the roster, and Gabriel sticks out as an underwhelming challenger. The draft capital invested in him means the Browns can't just practice-squad him easily, either. They'll either have to trade him or move Kenny Pickett after the preseason.
It's an odd and expensive bet to make on someone without the physical tools of an NFL starter.
2. Jaylin Smith, CB, Houston Texans
A handful of slot cornerbacks were picked way too high on Day 2, but Jaylin Smith's selection was one of the most jarring. He had an undraftable grade on my board despite his physicality and experience playing multiple positions.
At only 5-foot-10, 187 pounds, and sub-30-inch arms, it's hard for Smith to play with the strength and disruption ability to stick in the NFL.
His speed and foot quickness give him a chance to be useful, but undersized nickel defenders almost never go in the top 100 picks. Smith was a good candidate to go much later, and Houston reached for him over players with a better chance of sticking long-term or reaching a better upside.
The best case scenario for Smith just isn't that good or enticing.
1. Tyler Shough, QB, New Orleans Saints
Nothing screams a top-40 pick at quarterback than someone who turns 26 as a rookie and completed only one full season in college. Okay, maybe not. But that's who Tyler Shough is, and his standing as QB3 is legitimately shocking.
Shough looks the part because he has a strong arm and downhill mobility. But he was never a reliably good passer until 2024, when Louisville cut the field in half and asked him to be a game manager. His erratic accuracy, field vision, and penchant for turnovers when blitzed were already big enough red flags to fall into Day 3.
Instead, New Orleans is embracing the idea that Shough will be a historic outlier and was a round better than Jalen Milroe and three rounds better than Shedeur Sanders.
