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USA Today
26-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
2025 Bears NFL draft grades: Live grades for every Chicago selection
2025 Bears NFL draft grades: Live grades for every Chicago selection Show Caption Hide Caption Mina Kimes talks NFL Draft, Travis Hunter, and "chaotic" NFL teams ESPN analyst Mina Kimes stops by Sports Seriously to talk NFL Draft and her new partnership with NFL x AWS with their new Draft IQ program. Sports Seriously The Chicago Bears spent free agency bulking up the offensive line in front of Caleb Williams. Will they continue to build around their young quarterback during the 2025 NFL Draft? Many expect the Bears to add some skill position weapons early in the draft. They are armed with three of the draft's first 41 picks, and the expectation is they may target a top-tier running back, like Boise State's Ashton Jeanty, or a do-it-all tight end like Tyler Warren early on. Doing so would help take playmaking pressure off Williams as the young quarterback grows into a franchise quarterback at the NFL level. Having a high-end backfield mate or a security blanket over the middle of the field would also go a long way toward helping cut down on the league-leading 68 sacks he took last season. Of course, Chicago will likely attempt to add depth and talent to its defensive line during a loaded draft for the position group. The Bears already added veterans Dayo Odeyingbo and Grady Jarrett during free agency, but no Chicago player had more than Montez Sweat's 5.5 sacks last season. Getting another high-end edge player or interior rusher could go a long way toward creating a strong defensive line rotation. How are the Bears addressing these goals during the 2025 NFL Draft? Here are USA TODAY Sports' grades for each of Chicago's selections. This section will be updated as picks are made. Round 1, Pick 10: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan Since last fall, Loveland has been measured against Tyler Warren, Penn State's breakout tight end who figured to leapfrog his Big Ten counterpart in the first round. Now, the two will assuredly be linked for some time after Loveland was taken first in one of the draft's most notable early surprises. New coach Ben Johnson surely knows how to take advantage of a tight end who can create mismatches in the passing game, though his new 6-6, 248-pound target is a much different kind of player than Sam LaPorta, whom Johnson put to immediate use in Detroit. But it's hard to argue with giving Caleb Williams a major weapon down the seam with a massive catch radius, especially with the quarterback now set up to have better protection in 2025. The Bears chose their next-best pass catcher on the board in Loveland. He projects better in the NFL than in college where he spent years in a run-heavy system with the Wolverines. Loveland offers a similar skillset to Zach Ertz and upgrades the skill positions around quarterback Caleb Williams. Chicago does get dinged slightly for taking a tight end this high as the team has needs in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Round 2, Pick 39: Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri Ayrton Ostly, USA TODAY Sports: B+ Chicago gets a new weapon in the slot for Caleb Williams to throw to at No. 39 here. Burden didn't test well at the combine but the film shows an after-catch threat as a wide receiver built like a running back. He should compliment Rome Odunze's skillset well in the receiving corps. Michaell Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA TODAY Sports: B No excuses for Caleb Williams in Year 2. Between the addition of Ben Johnson, the overhauling of the offensive line and the addition of dynamic receiving targets in first-round tight end Colston Loveland and Burden, the Bears have weaponized their attack in impressive fashion. Johnson needs to get Burden to lock in, but the electric run-after-catch threat can ignite big plays, though many of his early touches will likely need to be schemed. Round 2, Pick 56: Ozzy Trapilo, OT, Boston College All offense, all the time for Chicago. The Bears get back to the trenches with Trapilo, a towering blindside blocker who provides some insurance if left tackle Braxton Jones falters or has any trouble staying on the field after he fractured an ankle last season. Bears left tackle Braxton Jones is a free agent in 2026 and Trapilo is a potential succession plan. He's one of the tallest linemen in the class with a good skillset in pass protection already. He'll need some time to get up to speed at the NFL level but could be a starter in time. Round 2, Pick 62: Shemar Turner, DT, Texas A&M Defensive line makes a sensible area for Ryan Poles to address after the Bears went heavy on offense early. Turner adds some juice to Chicago's front, though he's a bit wild to be entrusted as an every-down entity. Turner is a tweener in the mold of a Nnamdi Madubuike at 6-foot-3 and 294 pounds but brings great power and length to the interior defensive line. The Bears signed Grady Jarrett in free agency but he's aging and Turner provides a future plan at the position. This may be a bit early but it's a great fit. Below is a full list of Chicago's selections in the 2025 NFL Draft:
USA Today
26-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
2025 Broncos NFL draft grades: Live grades for every Denver selection
2025 Broncos NFL draft grades: Live grades for every Denver selection Show Caption Hide Caption Mina Kimes talks NFL Draft, Travis Hunter, and "chaotic" NFL teams ESPN analyst Mina Kimes stops by Sports Seriously to talk NFL Draft and her new partnership with NFL x AWS with their new Draft IQ program. Sports Seriously The Denver Broncos snapped a nine-year postseason drought in Sean Payton's second year with the team. They rode the NFL's No. 1-ranked defense in EPA and a strong rookie season from Bo Nix to the AFC's No. 7 seed but could not beat the No. 2 seed Buffalo Bills on the road. That said, the Broncos should have a better chance to earn their first playoff win since Peyton Manning's Super Bowl 50 swan song during the upcoming season. Despite having a top-tier defense, the Broncos invested in two significant back-seven pieces in free agency. They signed safety Talanoa Hufanga and linebacker Dre Greenlaw from the San Francisco 49ers to upgrade the team's playmaking and run-stuffing abilities respectively. The Broncos also made one major signing on offense. They inked Evan Engram to a two-year deal to upgrade the tight end position and give Nix a middle-of-the-field weapon. Thanks to these moves, the Broncos have few weaknesses on their roster. Still, Denver needs a true No. 1 running back to head its backfield rotation and could stand to add dynamic playmaking receivers to pair with Nix long-term. As such, the Broncos figure to focus on offense early in the 2025 NFL draft. How are the Broncos improving their roster during the 2025 NFL draft? Here are USA TODAY Sports' grades for each of Denver's selections. This section will be updated as picks are made. Round 1, Pick 20: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas Almost everyone assumed a back would be the call here given Sean Payton's insistence that the team build out its backfield. But with an abundance of options later on, Denver can circle back on Day 2 and instead look to extract the most overall value here. It's easy to see why the Broncos would gravitate toward Barron, an extremely versatile coverage piece who has a knack for finding the ball in an array of scenarios. Barron can take over the nickel role and help reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II and Co. counter the likes of Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert for years to come. Denver opts to build on a strength with the versatile Barron. The Longhorns cornerback lined up at multiple spots in the secondary but may end up at nickel in the NFL due to his size (5-foot-11, 194 pounds) and shorter arms. No matter where he lines up, he offers elite speed and ball production. Denver's secondary gets another starter alongside reigning Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II. They get a slight knock for not addressing needs on offense. Round 2, Pick 60: RJ Harvey, RB, UCF It's a bit of a surprise to see the 5-8, 205-pound Harvey be selected ahead of some ball carriers who look better equipped to handle a substantial workload, but clearly Sean Payton saw something in the twitchy threat. Though he has substantial upside as a pass catcher who can help fill the "Joker" role, his rocky showings in protection could limit his usage. Denver needed an upgrade in the backfield and go for the speedy Harvey. He's still adjusting to the position after starting his career at quarterback and is one of the older prospects in the class. This feels quite early for him, though, hence the lower grade. Round 3, Pick 74: Pat Bryant, WR, Illinois Boosting Bo Nix is an understandable aim, but it's difficult to understand how much adding a possession receiver moves the needle. Bryant was taken ahead of several targets who seemingly possess more upside. Bryant is a possession target with great size who attacks the football in traffic. He's a physical receiver who, with the Broncos and Sean Payton, harkens back to the likes of Marques Colston. It's a little early for him but Bryant is a great fit in Denver. Round 3, Pick 101 (from LAR through ATL and PHI): Sai'vion Jones, edge, LSU Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA TODAY Sports: B B Ayrton Ostly, USA TODAY Sports: B+ Below is a full list of Denver's selections in the 2025 NFL draft:
USA Today
25-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Rams have a history of targeting these two positions on Day 2 of the draft
Rams have a history of targeting these two positions on Day 2 of the draft The Los Angeles Rams didn't pick on Day 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft but have two picks in the first 57 selections on Day 2. With a few obvious needs left, this is a good spot for the Rams to shore up positions of need. While it's hard to predict which direction the Rams will go with either pick, history gives us a little glimpse of what Les Snead and company could do Friday night. According to Draft IQ tool, Snead used 31.2% of his Day 2 picks on either a running back or receiver. That's the second-highest rate of any NFL general manager since 2012. Those players included WR Brian Quick and RB Isaiah Pead (2012), WR Stedman Bailey (2013), RB Tre Mason (2014), WR Cooper Kupp (2017), RB Darrell Henderson (2019), RB Cam Akers and WR Van Jefferson (2020), WR Tutu Atwell (2021) and RB Blake Corum (2024). All of them had varying degrees of success, with Kupp being the best of the bunch but Atwell and Corum still having time to improve on the current roster. Receiver makes sense for L.A. given they reportedly tried to trade up for Tetairoa McMillan and/or Emeka Egbuka. There are bevy of solid players left on Day 2, too. Whether or not the Rams use one of their picks on a receiver remains to be seen, though. Running back likely wouldn't make sense for the Rams. Kyren WIlliams is the team's clear-cut starter who will likely remain in L.A. if the two sides agree on a new contract before the end of the league year in 2026 and Corum was a third-round pick in 2024. Snead's infatuation with drafting Day 2 running backs was perhaps more about finding a long-term answer at the position (which they did in the first round of the 2015 draft with Todd Gurley until his release in 2020) rather than stockpiling at the position. None played more than 54 games with the Rams, either. With Williams and Corum already on the roster, a Day 2 running back would be a surprise unless the Rams don't intend to keep Williams past this season. The Rams have other needs as well at cornerback and inside linebacker. Either position could be addressed with one or both picks if the Rams don't want to go offense on Day 2.
USA Today
24-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
2025 Jets NFL draft grades: Live grades for every New York selection
2025 Jets NFL draft grades: Live grades for every New York selection Show Caption Hide Caption Mina Kimes talks NFL Draft, Travis Hunter, and "chaotic" NFL teams ESPN analyst Mina Kimes stops by Sports Seriously to talk NFL Draft and her new partnership with NFL x AWS with their new Draft IQ program. Sports Seriously The New York Jets are charting a new flight plan under Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey. It's been 14 consecutive seasons without a playoff appearance for New York, a streak the new regime is determined to end. There has been a noticeable shift in the way "Gang Green" does business in the months since the duo took over. They avoided the quick fix with a big spending spree in free agency. The organizational leaks have seemingly stopped. As for the roster, Aaron Rodgers is out as the team instead opted to invest in 26-year-old Justin Fields. The hope is that they can fix the signal caller and turn his career around. Time will tell if that actually happens, but the Jets aren't afraid to go down swinging. That paves the way for an interesting conclusion to the offseason in the shadows of the Big Apple. The Jets entered each of the last two seasons dreaming of winning the Super Bowl. Expectations aren't scraping the sky this year though. The Jets have a fanbase starving for a playoff appearance. They might even settle for a competitive team that hovers around .500. Yet the team hasn't even been able deliver those results in recent history. Glenn and Mougey have a tall task in front of them, but have a foundation in place. While the rule hasn't applied to the green-and-white, things change fast in the NFL. Like every other team, they're one good draft away from making some noise. USA TODAY Sports and the USA TODAY Network are giving out grades during the 2025 NFL Draft. Here's a look at the Jets' report card. Jets NFL draft grades This section will be updated as picks are made. Jets NFL draft picks
USA Today
24-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
2025 Raiders NFL draft grades: Live grades for every Las Vegas selection
2025 Raiders NFL draft grades: Live grades for every Las Vegas selection Show Caption Hide Caption Mina Kimes talks NFL Draft, Travis Hunter, and "chaotic" NFL teams ESPN analyst Mina Kimes stops by Sports Seriously to talk NFL Draft and her new partnership with NFL x AWS with their new Draft IQ program. Sports Seriously The Las Vegas Raiders are going all-in. Stuck in NFL purgatory since their departure from Oakland, the Raiders have tapped into their West Coast roots – bringing in a few Seattle Seahawks to right the ship. Pete Carroll and Geno Smith are hoping their success in the Pacific Northwest translates to the desert, returning the Raiders to relevancy in a competitive AFC West. Those two decisions have done a couple things, however. It has sped up the rebuild, but also opened a window to contend that doesn't line up with the roster. Carroll is 73 and Smith is 34, which likely means they aren't long-term solutions for the silver and black. The duo can provide stability, though. It remains to be seen whether those Seahawks can fix the Raiders, but anything can happen if they nail the draft. With the quarterback spot figured out for at least the next two seasons, Vegas can go in a number of directions to close the talent gap. USA TODAY Sports and the USA TODAY Network is giving out grades during the 2025 NFL Draft. Here's a look at the Raiders' report card. Raiders NFL draft grades This section will be updated as picks are made. Raiders NFL draft picks
