NFL Draft 2025: 1st-Round Order and Projections for Underrated Prospects
NFL Draft 2025: 1st-Round Order and Projections for Underrated Prospects0 of 4
CFP/Getty Images
The Tennessee Titans are on the clock. Well, not quite yet. But they will be when the 2025 NFL draft begins on April 24 in Green Bay.
With the NFL regular season complete, the first 18 picks of the first-round order are locked in, and the Titans landed the No. 1 overall selection after finishing 3-14. The rest of the order will be determined as the playoffs unfold over the next month.
It’s not too early to start analyzing the draft class, though. The college season is nearly over, and it’s clear what certain NFL teams will be looking to add when they’re drafting in April.
Here’s a look at this year’s first-round draft order so far, followed by a breakdown of several underrated prospects who fans will want to keep an eye on.
1st-Round Draft Order1 of 4
Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
1. Tennessee Titans
2. Cleveland Browns
3. New York Giants
4. New England Patriots
5. Jacksonville Jaguars
6. Las Vegas Raiders
7. New York Jets
8. Carolina Panthers
9. New Orleans Saints
10. Chicago Bears
11. San Francisco 49ers
12. Dallas Cowboys
13. Miami Dolphins
14. Indianapolis Colts
15. Atlanta Falcons
16. Arizona Cardinals
17. Cincinnati Bengals
18. Seattle-Seahawks
19-24. Wild-Card Round losers
25-28. Divisional Round losers
29-30. Conference Championship Round losers
31. Super Bowl loser
32. Super Bowl winner
Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas2 of 4
David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
There’s a good chance that Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron will be drafted in the first round, though he may not come off the board until one of the later picks. But he still may be getting overlooked a bit heading into pre-draft evaluation season.
Barron has played 56 games over five years with the Longhorns, so he has a ton of experience. That should make for a smooth transition to the NFL next year.
This season, Barron has taken his play to another level. He recorded a career-high five interceptions to go along with 61 tackles, one sack and 11 pass defenses while helping Texas make a run in the College Football Playoff.
It would be a perfect fit for Barron to end up with an NFL playoff team such as the Commanders or Vikings, as he could make an immediate impact on a defense for a team that’s ready to win now. However, it will depend on how far down the board he falls.
Billy Bowman Jr., S, Oklahoma3 of 4
Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images
Here’s another experienced defensive back in this year’s draft class, one who is more likely to still be on the board for Day 2 of the 2025 draft. Oklahoma safety Billy Bowman Jr. had an impressive four-year college career in which he played 47 games for the Sooners’ defense.
Bowman nabbed 11 interceptions over the past three seasons, including a career-high six as a junior in 2023. This year, he added another pair while also recording 54 tackles, three pass defenses, two fumble recoveries and his only career touchdown.
It would make a lot of sense for a team that needs to substantially improve its defense to target Bowman early in the third round, assuming he’s still available at that point. The Jaguars or Jets would benefit from acquiring a player like the former Sooner.
Don’t be surprised if Bowman comes off the board before Day 2 of the draft is over. His quality skill set and his strong college career should have him on the radar of NFL teams at that point.
Jack Bech, WR, TCU4 of 4
Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Every NFL team will be looking for potential sleeper players on the third day of the draft. And one who could be a great fit with just about any franchise is TCU wide receiver Jack Bech.
After playing two seasons at LSU, Bech transferred to TCU for the 2023 campaign. At that point, he hadn’t made much of an impact for either program. Then, in 2024, he was a standout contributor for the Horned Frogs, recording 62 catches for 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns over 12 games.
At 6-foot-2 and 207 pounds, Bech has the size to develop into a solid playmaker on an NFL offense. And there’s a good chance that he hasn’t reached his full potential quite yet.
It will be interesting to see where Bech lands (which could be anywhere) and how much he could continue to improve at the next level.
