NFL Draft do-over: Redrafting the 2025 top ten picks one year later

The 2026 NFL Draft starts on Thursday and is commanding much of our attention, but we thought it would be fun to cast our minds back to this time last year and revisit the 2025 NFL Draft top ten.

A rookie NFL season, albeit an unfairly short period over which to measure a player's worth, has a way of reshaping opinion.

Here, we answer the question: if teams could receive a do-over, how different would last year's draft look now?

This is our revised version of the top ten picks in the 2025 NFL Draft.

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No. 1 - Tennessee Titans

Original pick: Cam Ward, QB, Miami

New pick: Cam Ward, QB, Miami

Ward wasn't a slam-dunk success in his rookie season, but his progress over the second half of the year offered a glimpse into the player he should become with a better supporting cast.

He remains the pick here, but the gap between him and the rest is narrower than it was at the beginning of last season.

No. 2 - Cleveland Browns

Original pick (Jags): Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado

New pick: Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss

Cleveland traded down in reality and took Mason Graham at No. 5. But the Browns quarterback questions continue, with both Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders largely disappointing and Deshaun Watson muddying the waters.

In hindsight, they take Dart here, a player who - with Cleveland's excellent defense doing their thing - gets the Browns' rebuilding job underway a year earlier.

No. 3 - New York Giants

Original pick: Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State

New pick: Tyler Shough, QB, Louisville

The Giants did well grabbing Carter here last time out, especially when you consider they also found Dart later in the round.

But with their beloved signal-caller going to the Browns at No. 2, New York must pivot to the next best QB. Some may even have Shough above Dart on such lists.

No. 4 - New England Patriots

Original pick: Will Campbell, OT, LSU

New pick: Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State

Campbell's postseason performances were pretty terrible, but he played well during the regular season, suggesting he could yet develop into the Pro Bowler some predicted this time last year.

But with Carter sitting there, and considering how well he played toward the end of the season, why take the gamble?

Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The alternative to Carter or Campbell, of course, is trading down and stockpiling picks before picking up Armand Membou or even Kelvin Banks.

No. 5 - Jacksonville Jaguars

Original pick (Browns): Mason Graham, DT, Michigan

New pick: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona

Travis Hunter's debut was cut short by a knee injury after just seven games, and his two-way role hasn't fully clicked.

His potential is undeniable, and a case could be made they take him again, here at No. 5 this time, but for me, they opt for the player whose career has gotten off to a faster start.

No. 6 - Las Vegas Raiders

Original pick: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State

New pick: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State

Ashton Jeanty was a non-factor last year, but he was playing behind one of the NFL's worst run-blocking offensive lines.

Taking offensive tackle Armand Membou was appealing, but we trust in Jeanty's long-term outlook.

No. 7 - New York Jets

Original pick: Armand Membou, OT, Missouri

New pick: Armand Membou, OT, Missouri

The Jets stick with Membou, who produced at a high level by any standard, let alone a rookie.

Taking Hunter and making him a full-time WR would probably be the better play, but we'll try not to project too much.

No. 8 - Carolina Panthers

Original pick: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona

New pick: Travis Hunter, WR, Colorado

Enough with the Hunter hate. He's a steal here for Carolina, and I wouldn't argue with anyone who had him anywhere from No. 5 onward.

Bryce Young benefitted greatly from having McMillan, and with their original pick now suiting up for the Jags after this do-over, in steps Hunter to do the same.

No. 9 - New Orleans Saints

Original pick: Kelvin Banks, OT, Texas

New pick: Kelvin Banks, OT, Texas

With Shough already off the board in this scenario, the Saints stick with their original pick.

Banks gives them the foundational left tackle to protect whichever quarterback they find later in the draft.

No. 10 - Chicago Bears

Original pick: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan

New pick: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan

Loveland's early critics were silenced by a breakout Week 9 display against the Bengals, and he never looked back.

He finished as Chicago's leader in receptions (58), receiving yards (713), and tied for the team lead with six touchdowns.

The Bears wouldn't change a thing.

The players who narrowly missed out

Emeka Egbuka, Grey Zabel, Tyler Warren, Nick Emmanwori, Carson Schwesinger, James Pearce Jr., and Tyler Booker were all excellent last year. All, and more, were considered in this redo.

Key takeaways from the 2025 NFL Draft do-over

Five of the ten picks remained the same. It's a testament to those franchises' ability to evaluate talent.

The biggest change was with Shough, who moved up more than a full round in the 2025 Draft class pecking order. I even considered moving him ahead of Dart.

The middle order is also intriguing, with a pool of players who could go anywhere from No. 4 to No. 8.