NFL team locks in 2025 No. 1 Draft pick after dramatic reshuffle on final day of the season
The dogfight for the No. 1 pick in this year’s NFL Draft took a final twist on Sunday as the regular season played its finale.
Heading into Week 18, the New England Patriots were in pole position to lock down the first selection in April’s draft.
However, the Patriots became a victim of their own success on Sunday as they shocked the Buffalo Bills to earn a 23-16 victory – their first since November 10.
It was a game they were expected to lose and their shocking defeat had disastrous consequences for their draft rankings as they were knocked down, leaving a top spot open for a new team to swoop in.
Coming off a 23-14 loss to the Houston Texans, the Tennessee Titans emerged with the No. 1 pick – small consolation for their ugly 3-14 season.
The steal of the pick is a boost for the Titans, who are looking for a quarterback this offseason.
The Tennessee Titans have stolen the No. 1 Draft pick from the New England Patriots
With a loss to the Houston Texans to end the season, the Titans moved into first place
The Patriots became victims of their own success when faced with their shocking victory over the bills
Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders is the top-rated quarterback entering the draft, followed by Miami’s Cam Ward, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe and Texas’ Quinn Ewers.
Meanwhile, two-time Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter appears to be the consensus top-rated player in the class of 2025, with the Colorado star not expected to make it past the top three.
The No. 1 pick has bounced between some of the NFL’s worst in recent weeks, with the New York Giants finishing the campaign 3-14 and holding the campaign before Week 17.
In a blow to the floundering franchise, they suffered a similar fate to the Patriots on December 29 with a shocking 45-33 victory against the Indianapolis Colts – their first win in almost three months.
New York, meanwhile, is in desperate need of a new quarterback after Daniel Jones was released from his contract last month, forcing head coach Brian Daboll to alternate between backups Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito.