By Walter Cherepinsky – @walterfootball
April 25, 2025
I’ll be posting 2025 NFL Draft Grades for every pick. Why not grade all of the trades?
Jaguars acquire WR/CB Travis Hunter (No. 2), Nos. 104 (4th), 200 (6th) from Browns for Mason Graham (No. 5), Nos. 36 (2nd), 126 (4th), 2026 1st-round pick
In the movie Draft Day, the Browns general manager fleeced a young Jaguars general manager during the NFL Draft. Fiction became reality, as the Browns fleeced a young Jaguars general manager in real life. If this doesn’t prove that we’re in a simulation, I don’t know what will.
At any rate, the Browns were able to land a 2026 first-round pick and a second-round selection just to move down three spots. This was an excellent move for a team that had tons of needs. The Jaguars, meanwhile, made a very bizarre move to surrender so many resources to move up for a non-quarterback. Travis Hunter will probably be great, but the same can be said of Mason Graham and the other options at No. 5.
Grade for Jaguars – C-
Grade for Browns – A
Comment on the other free agent signings below.
Follow me @walterfootball for more hiring/signing grades and updates.
Giants acquire QB Jaxson Dart (No. 25) from Texans for Nos. 34 (2nd), 99 (3rd), 2026 3rd-round pick
When the Giants made this trade, I joked on the Live Draft Blog that it would make more sense for the Giants to trade up for Nick Emmanwori for a quarterback. It wasn’t really a joke though because the quarterbacks in this class beyond Cam Ward are very underwhelming.
As it turns out, the Giants have major egg on their face because they almost certainly could have stayed put, or a least moved up one or two spots to secure Jaxson Dart. Giving up two third-round picks isn’t the end of the world for most teams, but the Giants have needs at almost every position, so they couldn’t afford to surrender resources like this.
The Texans, meanwhile, did well to pick up two third-round picks. Their fans might be frustrated right now, but they’ll get the same sort of player at No. 34 that they could have obtained at No. 25.
Grade for Giants – D
Grade for Texans – A
Comment on the other free agent signings below.
Follow me @walterfootball for more hiring/signing grades and updates.
Falcons acquire DE James Pearce (No. 15), No. 101 (3rd) from Rams for Nos. 46 (2nd), 242 (7th), 2026 1st-round pick
My first take for the Falcons was that they surrendered too much, but the more I thought about this trade, the more I liked it. The Falcons were going to draft James Pearce at No. 15 had Jalon Walker not fallen to them. They had to be shocked to see him fall to No. 26 because they thought he had the best tape of any defensive end in this class not named Abdul Carter or Walker. So, instead of drafting next year, they’re using that first-round pick to obtain Pearce now. In exchange, they’re dropping from No. 46 to 101 this year, but given that they’re in a position to win now, I think it’s worth it.
I also like this trade for the Rams. They turned their late third-round pick into a second and just delayed their first-round pick for a season. Next year’s draft class should be better this one, and there’s always a chance that things don’t work out with the Falcons because of mass injuries.
Grade for Falcons – B+
Grade for Rams – A-
Comment on the other free agent signings below.
Follow me @walterfootball for more hiring/signing grades and updates.
Eagles acquire LB Jihaad Campbell (No. 31) from Chiefs for Nos. 32 (Josh Simmons), 164 (5th)
I don’t know why the Eagles do this, but this has been commonplace for them. They always move up one pick to secure the guy they like. It’s never a huge deal, but it almost seems unncessary to me. I’d love to know why Howie Roseman thinks he needs to do this all the time.
Regardless, the Chiefs definitely won this trade. While the Eagles landed a superb prospect in Jihaad Campbell, they gave up a fifth-round pick for no reason. Kansas City secured a fifth-round selection for nothing because it was going to draft Josh Simmons at No. 31 or 32.
Grade for Eagles – C
Grade for Chiefs – A
Comment on the other free agent signings below.
Follow me @walterfootball for more hiring/signing grades and updates.
Go to our 2025 NFL Draft Grades to see grades for every pick.
2025 NFL Mock Draft - April 24
2026 NFL Mock Draft - April 24
NFL Power Rankings - March 28
NFL Picks - Feb. 9
Fantasy Football Rankings - Sept. 4
April 25, 2025
I’ll be posting 2025 NFL Draft Grades for every pick. Why not grade all of the trades?
Jaguars acquire WR/CB Travis Hunter (No. 2), Nos. 104 (4th), 200 (6th) from Browns for Mason Graham (No. 5), Nos. 36 (2nd), 126 (4th), 2026 1st-round pick
In the movie Draft Day, the Browns general manager fleeced a young Jaguars general manager during the NFL Draft. Fiction became reality, as the Browns fleeced a young Jaguars general manager in real life. If this doesn’t prove that we’re in a simulation, I don’t know what will.
At any rate, the Browns were able to land a 2026 first-round pick and a second-round selection just to move down three spots. This was an excellent move for a team that had tons of needs. The Jaguars, meanwhile, made a very bizarre move to surrender so many resources to move up for a non-quarterback. Travis Hunter will probably be great, but the same can be said of Mason Graham and the other options at No. 5.
Grade for Jaguars – C-
Grade for Browns – A
Comment on the other free agent signings below.
Follow me @walterfootball for more hiring/signing grades and updates.
Giants acquire QB Jaxson Dart (No. 25) from Texans for Nos. 34 (2nd), 99 (3rd), 2026 3rd-round pick
When the Giants made this trade, I joked on the Live Draft Blog that it would make more sense for the Giants to trade up for Nick Emmanwori for a quarterback. It wasn’t really a joke though because the quarterbacks in this class beyond Cam Ward are very underwhelming.
As it turns out, the Giants have major egg on their face because they almost certainly could have stayed put, or a least moved up one or two spots to secure Jaxson Dart. Giving up two third-round picks isn’t the end of the world for most teams, but the Giants have needs at almost every position, so they couldn’t afford to surrender resources like this.
The Texans, meanwhile, did well to pick up two third-round picks. Their fans might be frustrated right now, but they’ll get the same sort of player at No. 34 that they could have obtained at No. 25.
Grade for Giants – D
Grade for Texans – A
Comment on the other free agent signings below.
Follow me @walterfootball for more hiring/signing grades and updates.
Falcons acquire DE James Pearce (No. 15), No. 101 (3rd) from Rams for Nos. 46 (2nd), 242 (7th), 2026 1st-round pick
My first take for the Falcons was that they surrendered too much, but the more I thought about this trade, the more I liked it. The Falcons were going to draft James Pearce at No. 15 had Jalon Walker not fallen to them. They had to be shocked to see him fall to No. 26 because they thought he had the best tape of any defensive end in this class not named Abdul Carter or Walker. So, instead of drafting next year, they’re using that first-round pick to obtain Pearce now. In exchange, they’re dropping from No. 46 to 101 this year, but given that they’re in a position to win now, I think it’s worth it.
I also like this trade for the Rams. They turned their late third-round pick into a second and just delayed their first-round pick for a season. Next year’s draft class should be better this one, and there’s always a chance that things don’t work out with the Falcons because of mass injuries.
Grade for Falcons – B+
Grade for Rams – A-
Comment on the other free agent signings below.
Follow me @walterfootball for more hiring/signing grades and updates.
Eagles acquire LB Jihaad Campbell (No. 31) from Chiefs for Nos. 32 (Josh Simmons), 164 (5th)
I don’t know why the Eagles do this, but this has been commonplace for them. They always move up one pick to secure the guy they like. It’s never a huge deal, but it almost seems unncessary to me. I’d love to know why Howie Roseman thinks he needs to do this all the time.
Regardless, the Chiefs definitely won this trade. While the Eagles landed a superb prospect in Jihaad Campbell, they gave up a fifth-round pick for no reason. Kansas City secured a fifth-round selection for nothing because it was going to draft Josh Simmons at No. 31 or 32.
Grade for Eagles – C
Grade for Chiefs – A
Comment on the other free agent signings below.
Follow me @walterfootball for more hiring/signing grades and updates.
Go to our 2025 NFL Draft Grades to see grades for every pick.
2025 NFL Mock Draft - April 24
2026 NFL Mock Draft - April 24
NFL Power Rankings - March 28
NFL Picks - Feb. 9
Fantasy Football Rankings - Sept. 4
