The 2025 NFL Draft has finished its first round, leaving a new host of winners and losers for us to parse through.

Trying to gauge true winners and losers in this year’s first round is tough, if only because current winners might be losers one day and some losers might prove themselves to be winners down the road.

2025 NFL Draft:First-round overall grades for all 32 teams

However, we’ll do our best to identify the teams and people we feel like won big time on Thursday night, and which teams and people took one on the chin with a tough draft night.

Let’s go through this year’s big winners and losers and explain why we’re leaning one way or the other on these NFL Draft designations.

Winner: Tennessee Titans

The Titans landed Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the top pick in this year’s draft, which automatically makes Tennessee a big winner. Ward has franchise quarterback potential, and the Titans made the right call to stay put at No. 1 and give Ward a chance to claim the job for the next decade-plus. You can’t make any guarantees that Ward will pan out for the Titans, but they’re huge winners for taking a chance on him.

Loser: Offenses that play the Giants in the fall

The New York Giants are going to make life a lot harder for opposing quarterbacks and offensive lines by adding outside linebacker Abdul Carter to a defensive line that already features elite talents like Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Dexter Lawrence. While questions abound for New York on offense and in the secondary, this defensive line is going to be a terror this fall.

Winner: Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence

Lawrence had to be the happiest quarterback watching this year’s NFL Draft, as his team added the positively electric Travis Hunter to the team’s offense with the second-overall pick. The Jaguars boasting Hunter and sensational 2024 rookie Brian Thomas Jr. at wide receiver should make Lawrence’s life a lot easier, but it will also put the pressure on him to produce in Liam Coen’s offense. Having game-changing receivers like Hunter and Thomas will help him get there.

Loser: QB Shedeur Sanders

Sanders falling to the second round of this year’s draft was a real shock, and it stinks for him that he will have to wait a day to learn where his NFL career will begin. We know ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. believes in Sanders as the best quarterback in this class. Which NFL team will take a chance on the Colorado legend? Well, we’ll probably find out early on Friday evening. For now, Sanders tumbles out of the first round.

Winner: Raiders fans hoping for touchdowns

New Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty is going to bring fireworks to Sin City. Since the franchise jumped from Oakland to Vegas, the franchise has lacked the kind of sensational talent on offense that Jeanty possesses. His 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns from the 2024 season suggest he’s going to be a touchdown machine in the NFL. Raiders fans just needs more fun in their lives, and Jeanty is going to be one of the most enjoyable rookies to watch this fall.

Loser: Texans GM Nick Caserio

Caserio has done a great job of building the Texans since arriving in Houston, but Thursday night wasn’t his finest moment. He was on the losing end of a trade with the New York Giants, only getting two third-round picks (a late one this year, one next year) for a move down to the second round. Houston forfeited the chance to draft Ohio State tackle Josh Simmons, who later went to the Kansas City Chiefs. If the Texans can’t replace tackle Laremy Tunsil, this trade might loom. Houston could have stood pat and helped the offensive line.

Winner: Falcons fans pleading for a Georgia pass-rusher … or any pass-rusher, really

The Atlanta Falcons couldn’t have made more fan-friendly draft picks if they tried. A Georgia pass-rusher in the first round? Another SEC pass-rusher later in the first round? This is a Falcons fan’s dream come true.

If they’re trying to pay fans back for being patient after the absolutely stunning 2024 first-round selection of quarterback Michael Penix Jr., then drafting players like Georgia outside linebacker Jalon Walker and Tennessee outside linebacker James Pearce Jr. will do it. Losing the 2026 first rounder is a small price to pay.

Loser: Shedeur Sanders’ empty couch

ESPN director: “Let’s show Shedeur Sanders’ couch before we go to commercial!” pic.twitter.com/yWglqP5Gmh

— Farzin Vousoughian (@Farzin21) April 25, 2025

It also was not a good night for Sanders’ couch, who turned into an NFL Draft meme.

Winner: The Colts and their continued draft luck

Last year, the Colts watched defensive end Laiatu Latu fall right into their laps in the middle of the first round. This year? Indianapolis saw Warren fall right into their laps at No. 14. Sometimes, it’s really better to be lucky than it is to be good. The Colts should thank the football gods for this.

Loser: People tired of Eagles GM Howie Roseman doing his thing

Roseman adding Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell toward the end of the first round is just classic Howie. The Eagles once again landed an excellent prospect when nobody expected them to be available, and Philadelphia gets to rub it in the faces of opposing teams. Not again!

NFL DRAFT BUSTS: Every NFL team’s worst first-round pick (from Ryan Leaf to Mitch Trubisky)

This article originally appeared on For The Win: 2025 NFL Draft first-round winners and losers: Titans, Falcons riding high