3 Biggest Suprises From Round 1 of the NFL Draft

“I was the kid that was the 199th pick that never had the body for it. People didn’t think I’d play one year in the NFL, and now I’m going on my 17th year.” Those words were said by 7-time Super Bowl Champion and Future Hall of Famer, Tom Brady. Brady was underestimated in the draft process and fueled his desire to silence the doubters. In 2022, Brock Purdy was the last draft pick in the draft and given the title of Mr. Irrelvant. Purdy proved he was more than relevant by leading the 49ers to a Super Bowl in February 2024, where they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs. Caleb Williams was selected as the top pick last season but struggled to meet expectations in his rookie season. It means that there is no accuracy in prognostications of the NFL Draft, and there are no guarantees in the selection process. In this article, we will discuss the three biggest surprises from the first round of the NFL Draft.

1. Shadeur Sanders falls out of the 1st round-Shadeur entered the draft as one of the most polarizing players to evaluate in recent memory. Shadeur is the son of Deon Sanders, the legendary cornerback for the Dallas Cowboys who won two Super Bowls with America’s team. Shadeur played quarterback under his father’s tutelage for 2 seasons at Jackson State and the remaining 2 years at the University of Colorado. Sanders enjoyed two stellar seasons in Boulder by tallying 7,364 yards, 64 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. The expectation was that Sanders would have landed in the top 10 of the draft. Instead, it appears the recent criticism worked after being labeled as entitled and overrated. Shadeur elected not to participate in the East-West Shrine Bowl. He did not work out at the NFL Scouting Combine and had one mandatory press conference in Indianapolis. Despite the personality issues, Sanders is one of the best quarterbacks in this draft class, and teams such as the New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, and the Pittsburgh Steelers may rue the decision to pass on the Buffalo alum.

2. Jaguars execute blockbuster trade to draft Travis Hunter-Hunter entered the draft as a unicorn with the prospect of being an elite NFL wide receiver and cornerback. The expectation was that he was going to get drafted by the Cleveland Browns after the Tennessee Titans selected Quarterback Cam Ward as number 1. However, the Jacksonville Jaguars shocked the world by jumping from number 5 to 2 to snag the Heisman Trophy winner. The transaction involved the Browns trading the No. 2 overall pick, a fourth-round pick (No. 104), and a sixth-round pick (No. 200) to the Jaguar for the No. 5 overall pick, a second-round pick (No. 36), a fourth-round pick (No. 126) and their 2026 first-round pick to the Browns. It is a massive haul, but both teams could potentially win. The Jaguars get a generational talent, while the Browns’ acquisition of the Jaguars’ 2026 first-round pick could lead to their selection of their franchise quarterback next season when better candidates will be available.

3. Panthers reels in the Cowboys pick- the Dallas Cowboys were desperate to find a solution to find their number 2 Wide Receiver to pair with Cee Dee Lamb. However, their strategy was to sit and wait until their player fell to them at number 12. The player in question was the University of Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan. At 6-foot-4, 219 pounds, McMillan is a classic X-receiver with strong route-running, and hands that can regularly win 50-50 balls. In a surprise move, the Carolina Panthers made McMillan their selection at number 8 to help their young quarterback, Bryce Young. The move stunned Cowboys All-Pro Pass Rusher Micah Parsons, who reacted live on the Bleacher Report. Parsons was visibly upset and stated, “That was supposed to be our pick. He was supposed to be opposite CeeDee Lamb. CeeDee, I’m sorry brother.” Instead, the Cowboys picked Alabama offensive guard Tyler Booker with the 12th pick. Sadly, for America’s team, we will never know what a Lamb and McMillan pairing would have looked like on Sundays.