The 2025 NFL Draft is in the books, and likely your rookie draft season is heating up. Over the rest of the week, and a couple of pieces, I’m going to be looking at winners and losers from the draft. We’ll start with rookies and continue through veterans whose situations improved, solidified, or crumbled over a wild three days in Green Bay. Today, it’s rookies who were winners at the draft. Each piece will give two at each of the four major positions—quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and tight end. Let’s dive in.
Quarterbacks:
Winner: Jaxson Dart, New York Giants
About: Hear me out. I know there’s a logjam at the position with the Giants signing veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston this offseason. They also still roster Tommy DeVito, who has his fans. But the Giants traded back into the First Round to take Dart. Wilson is on a one-year contract, and Winston has entered the backup phase of his career.
While Dart likely won’t be a lock for playing time much—or at all—in 2025, he is the future for the Giants. He also jumped up to a solid QB2 in rookie drafts, moving to the back of the First Round or early Second Round.
Winner: Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints
About: There were a lot of varying opinions on Shough pre-draft. But the feeling seemed to be that fantasy players weren’t high on him, but some NFL teams might have been. Age and injury history are a concern, but the Saints took Shough at the No. 40 overall pick. That’s the highest the team has taken a quarterback in a draft since they drafted Archie Manning in the 1970s. That’s something to consider.
So, too, is a thin depth chart behind Derek Carr, who may not be available this season. The Saints had their pick of players and went with Shough. That should, at least, move him into consideration for QB3 in rookie drafts, going in the late Second or early Third Round.
Running Backs
Winner: Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers
About: Who would be the RB2 of this class? We knew Ashton Jeanty would be the first running back taken, but what after that? Hampton went in the First Round, taken by the Chargers at No. 22. The team wants to run and has been re-loading this off-season. They signed veteran Najee Harris, but he’s on a one-year deal. Head Coach Jim Harbaugh has already declared that Harris and Hampton will be a one-two punch in the backfield, acting as co-starters. He solidified his position for me in the Top 5 of rookie drafts.
Winner: R.J. Harvey, Denver Broncos
About: The Broncos were on the list of teams that needed help at running back heading into the draft. The team has just Audric Estime, Jaleel McLaughlin, Tyler Badie, and Blake Watson on the roster after letting Javonte Williams go to the Cowboys. In the late Second Round, the Broncos pulled the trigger on Harvey, the fifth running back off the board. While it was ahead of where some thought he would go, the opportunity is there. He should be moving up draft boards.
Wide Receivers
Winner: Matthew Golden, Green Bay Packers
About: Golden was a player who had moved up and around a lot of pre-draft rankings. In the actual draft, he was snagged in the First Round by the Green Bay Packers at No. 23. He has a chance to move into a starting role, being the first receiver taken that high by the Packers in some time.
Christian Watson is coming off a torn ACL and is in a contract year, as is Romeo Doubs. While there is still a logjam somewhat in 2025, Golden could carve out a meaningful role this season and is poised to be part of the option at receiver going forward. He should move into consideration late in the First Round or early in the Second Round of rookie drafts.
Winner: Tre Harris, Los Angeles Chargers
About: Harris was taken by the Chargers in the Second Round of the draft. Receiver is a need for the Chargers, who had little production outside of Ladd McConkey in 2024. Harris was ranked pre-draft right in the range he was taken, as the seventh receiver off the board. He lands in a great spot that should lock him in as a Second-Round pick in rookie drafts.
Tight Ends
Winner: Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears
About: Loveland was the first tight end taken, drafted at No. 10 overall. He goes to a Ben Johnson offense where he could have some good opportunities as a pass catcher. He’s likely still the TE2 in the class for most, as Tyler Warren went to the Colts at No. 14 overall. But Loveland has tremendous upside and should be a lock in the Top 15 selections of rookie drafts.
Winner: Mason Taylor, New York Jets
About: Pre-draft, I liked the Jets as a landing spot for a tight end. I thought they might target one in the First Round. Instead, they snagged Taylor in the Second Round. With that selection combined with the Jets not taking a receiver, it feels like Taylor could be in line for some work as a rookie. He’s still just the TE3 for me in this class, but he moved into a solid second-round range for rookie drafts. I like his upside.
Matthew Fox is a die-hard NFL fan and Broncos’ homer. He’s a member of the FSWA. You can find more from him on Twitter @knighthawk7734 or as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast, a part of the Campus2Canton Network.
