NFL Draft
4/18/25
7 min read
Nightmare Landing Spots For Projected First-Round Picks In 2025 NFL Draft
The 2025 NFL Draft is only days away at this point. This is the final stretch of the offseason before the lights get bright for three days of action. After the draft comes a few months of peace that will build anticipation for another fun season.
For the NFL Draft to go as teams hope, they must consider which players fit their roster, scheme, and overall situation. It's never as easy as plugging an individual into any circumstance and guaranteeing success. The external factors around a player and his landing spot are as important as their own abilities.
We've seen so many mock drafts take shape this spring that we can confidently speak on some projected fits that don't make a ton of sense. Here are five bad fits that would fail to yield the star-level production everyone hopes to see.
Worst First-Round Fits in the 2025 NFL Draft
Shedeur Sanders to the New York Giants
The New York Giants have more reasons to take Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders than to pass on him with the third overall pick, but that doesn't mean it's the right move. Sanders is a good prospect with the talent to win the team's starting job over Jameis Winston and Russell Wilson. But it'd be as short-sighted to force Sanders onto what may be the least-talented offense in the NFL before the surrounding cast is ready for him.
Despite the desperation dripping from the current Giants regime, there's a reality that must sink in with their key decision makers. This roster isn't ready to prop up a rookie quarterback as it's currently built. While Malik Nabers is a surefire star and Tyrone Tracy is promising, the offensive line is still busted beyond immediate repair, and the depth at receiver is lacking.
Then, consider Sanders' traits and tendencies, and it's not hard to see this as a rough fit for a team that needs immediate results. Sanders often accentuates a bad offensive line because he drifts into pressure and can hold the ball in favor of trusting the scheme. His accuracy is elite, but his arm strength will be more at risk if he plays outdoors in the winter in the NFC East climate.
Jalon Walker to the Carolina Panthers
This is almost the de facto projection for the Carolina Panthers, and it only makes so much sense. The class clearly has a talent drop around the eighth pick, but that doesn't mean Carolina needs to take an inside linebacker who can only occasionally be an edge threat. This roster has the worst pass-rush room in the league, so taking a 6-foot-2, 245-pounder doesn't make the most sense value-wise.
Walker is a good player who would fill Carolina's massive need for an inside linebacker, but they don't need to spend their top pick on what's considered a non-premium position.
Instead, going with the second or third pass-rusher off the board gives them a better bang for their buck and a pathway to finding a foundational piece on defense. Walker would benefit from playing for defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, but not to the point where he'll become a full-time edge-rusher.
Because of Walker's requirement to be an off-ball linebacker without elite edge size, he's more suited to be taken closer to the twenties than in the top 10. He needs a creative defensive scheme in charge, or else his ceiling is unattainable. There's just not enough of a strong fit here for Walker to be worth the pick.
Jahdae Barron to the Green Bay Packers
Jahdae Barron showcased his versatility as one of the top cornerbacks in the nation by alternating between slot and outside positions in 2022 and 2023. In his senior year, he was a nightmare for opposing offenses. His statistics in tackle rate, completion rate allowed, and ball production represented the best of his career.
Barron not only excelled in shutting down his assignments but was also consistently in the vicinity of the ball, turning opportunities into chances to shift the momentum. Considering his versatility, size, and production, Green Bay almost seems like a natural spot as they weigh replacing Jaire Alexander.
With five interceptions and 11 pass breakups, Barron ranked among the leaders in total ball production in his class. He shines as a slot defender, adept at keeping an eye on the quarterback and reacting to inaccurate or tipped throws rather than functioning solely as a conventional trail corner who depends on length, speed, and timing. However, Green Bay has to consider the red flags and its current roster.
The Packers still have Alexander and just signed slot specialist Nate Hobbs in free agency. With Hobbs on the roster, Barron would be outside more than not. It's hard to imagine an analytically inclined front office like theirs overlooking Barron's sub-30-inch arms just because he broke out in his fifth year of college.
Tyler Warren to the Indianapolis Colts
It's easy to focus on the fact that Indianapolis had only 39 receptions from the tight end position last season, and there's no doubt that selecting a player like Tyler Warren or Colston Loveland would greatly enhance the talent in that role.
However, one must consider whether this offense truly needs a more dynamic tight end or if there is a larger strategy for the position that takes precedence over the team's defensive requirements. The answers to those questions might be negative.
Warren is an exciting athlete who would help Anthony Richardson, but would Richardson utilize him enough to justify taking Warren here? Loveland has a more traditional game where he doesn't need schemed touches to move the chains. At least the argument that the Michigan product would stabilize the Colts' offense on third downs has more functional reasoning to it.
The Colts also need to weigh the importance of finding a future starting player and an immediate contributor at defensive tackle or linebacker. With DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart now both 31 years old, that position calls for some fresh talent. Fortunately, this year’s draft features a strong class of defensive tackles, making it reasonable to choose an impactful prospect at the No. 14 pick.
Malaki Starks to the Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins face significant needs at a few critical positions, making it difficult to predict their choice at No. 13 overall. Their offensive line, particularly at guard, is in dire need of improvement, while on defense, they have two capable interior linemen and only one proven cornerback.
The safety position also requires attention, which is why Georgia's Malaki Starks has often been mentioned as a possibility.
While selecting Starks could be justified because of their need, the Dolphins might have chosen to keep Jevon Holland in free agency if they viewed the position as a priority. Instead, they decided to invest a total of $6.5 million in Ashtyn Davis and Ifeatu Melifonwu. There's also the issue of how they'd use Starks.
Starks' best role at Georgia came in a single-high safety roaming assignment more often than not. However, Miami defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver rarely used single-high looks with Holland and Jordan Poyer in 2024. Would he adapt to Starks' strengths or shoehorn into a less effective and valuable alternative of sitting in Cover 2 and slot coverages?
It seems more plausible that Miami will look to add depth later on Day 2 or Day 3 rather than pursuing a star at a position they’ve indicated is less of a priority compared to their needs in the trenches.
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