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 veterans whose prospects improved by what their team didn’t take in 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: Mason Rudolph, Pittsburgh Steelers
About: This is Rudolph’s second stint with the Steelers. He’s started games for them in the past but was with the Titans in 2024. Now, he’s back. The Steelers have said they’re fine rolling with him as the starter in 2025, but that seemed far-fetched. Still, Aaron Rogers remains unsigned, and the Steelers passed on taking a top quarterback prospect.
I like the selection of Will Howard late in the draft, but he feels more like a backup/development project, a la Rudolph when he was first drafted. That leaves Rudolph as the current projected starter for the Steelers, a big win for the veteran.
Winner: J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
About: The Vikings took McCarthy in the First Round of the 2024 NFL Draft, but an injury kept him out during the regular season. Sam Darnold guided the Vikings to a 14-3 record but lost in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs. The Vikings let Darnold go to the Seahawks, but there have been rumors about their interest in various veteran quarterbacks. During the draft, the Vikings didn’t take a quarterback, but did trade for Sam Howell to fill their backup role. All that solidifies McCarthy atop the depth chart as the man for the Vikings in 2025.
Running Backs
Winner: Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders, Dallas Cowboys
About: To re-make their backfield, the Dallas Cowboys signed Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders to fill their need in the backfield. But there was a question heading into the draft as to whether the Cowboys would add a high-profile back. Instead, Dallas took Jaydon Blue in the Fifth Round. Blue will be in the mix, but this is a nod toward the chances that Williams and/or Sanders has a good role in 2025. All three are worth a roster spot at this point.
Winner: Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals
About: At this time last year, the question was who was going to replace Joe Mixon in the Bengals’ backfield. We saw Brown rise to the top thanks to great production and the injury to Zack Moss. Moss is still there, but when the Bengals didn’t add a back until Tahj Boyd in the Sixth Round, it was clear that Brown is the man for the Bengals. That makes it wheels up for fantasy players.
Wide Receivers
Winner: Keon Coleman, Buffalo Bills
About: Coleman was the Bills’ top receiver pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He didn’t have a great rookie season, but he had some good moments. The Bills didn’t make many moves in free agency, acquiring just Joshua Palmer and re-signing Khalil Shakir. Then, the Bills didn’t take a receiver high in the draft, either.
All that feels like a nod to Coleman still having a shot at earning a meaningful role in the Bills’ passing game. It’s not a sure thing, but those that have him rostered should feel better.
Winner: Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland Browns
About: The Browns seemed poised to take Travis Hunter with the second overall pick. Then they traded back. In the end, they didn’t even take a receiver in the draft. Yes, the team signed veteran Diontae Johnson, but that still leaves Jeudy as likely the best receiver on the team. Who plays quarterback for the Browns? Sure, that’s a bit of an unknown. But Jeudy is in prime position to be a strong WR1 for the Browns’ passing game.
Tight Ends
Winner: Tyler Conklin, Los Angeles Chargers
About: The Chargers want more production at tight end. They signed Conklin, who had some strong years for the Jets, in the off-season. The question was whether they would snag a tight end in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Chargers did take Oronde Gadsden II in the Fifth Round of the draft. He is a good development prospect, but coming out of the draft, Conklin still tracks to be the starter. That makes him an interesting stash on dynasty rosters.
Winner: Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars
About: When the Jaguars released Evan Engram, it left Strange as the likely starting option at tight end for the Jaguars. The team did nothing in free agency that changed that, but would they snag a tight end in the draft? While the Jaguars took players at a number of key positions, they didn’t take a single tight end in the seven rounds of the draft. That leaves Strange poised for a big step up in 2025.
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.
