SNS 2025 NFL Draft & UDFA Analysis - AFC North
- John B. Everett
- May 2
- 7 min read
Baltimore Ravens
1 (27) | Malaki Starks | S | Georgia |
2 (59) | Mike Green | EDGE | Marshall |
3 (91) | Emery Jones | OT | LSU |
4 (129) | Teddye Buchanan | LB | California |
5 (141) | Carson Vinson | OT | Alabama A&M |
6 (178) | Bilhal Kone | CB | Western Michigan |
6 (186) | Tyler Loop | K | Arizona |
6 (203) | LaJohntay Wester | WR | Colorado |
6 (210) | Aeneas Peebles | IDL | Virginia Tech |
6 (212) | Robert Longerbeam | CB | Rutgers |
7 (243) | Garrett Dellinger | IOL | LSU |
UDFA Signings | |||
Marcus Major | RB | Minnesota | |
Sone Ntoh | RB | Monmouth | |
Xavier Guillory | WR | Arizona State | |
Jahmal Banks | WR | Nebraska | |
Sam Pitz | TE | Minnesota-Duluth | |
Gerard Christian-Lichtenhan | OT | Oregon State | |
Reid Holskey | OT | Miami, OH | |
Ozzie Hutchinson | OT | Albany | |
Jared Penning | OL | Northern Iowa | |
Thomas Perry* | IOL | Middlebury College (VT) | |
Diwun Black* | EDGE | Temple | |
Nash Hutmacher | IDL | Nebraska | |
Chandler Martin | LB | Memphis | |
Jay Higgins | LB | Iowa | |
Marquise Robinson | CB | Arkansas | |
Desmond Igbinosun | CB | Rutgers | |
Keondre Jackson | S | Illinois State | |
*Mini Camp Invitee |
2025 NFL Draft & UDFA Analysis |
The Ravens and Eagles play the draft like no other organizations in the NFL. Every year, a highly rated prospect (or two) falls into Baltimore's lap. The 2025 NFL Draft is no exception as two of the best prospects in this draft dropped to the Ravens, as Starks and Green fell to #27 and #59, respectively. Starks gives the Ravens a versatile chess piece to move around the secondary while Green is arguably the best pass rusher in this draft. Jones started more than two dozen games at ORT in Baton Rouge but may slide inside to guard in the NFL. Buchanan is a great athlete who needs to improve his coverage ability but provides valuable depth. Vinson is a huge and raw prospect with the length and feet to be developed as a possible starter at OLT. Kone has the size Baltimore likes in their CBs. Loop looks to kick Justin Tucker out of a job this summer. Peebles looks like a sub-package pass rush specialist to start off his career. Longerbeam will fight for a roster spot this fall, as will Dellinger. Both players seem like locks for the practice squad if they don't make the final roster. |
The Ravens signed more than a dozen UDFA immediately after the draft. Most of these prospects will be playing for a practice squad spot this summer since the 53-man roster is pretty well-stocked. Major has a compact build and runs with determination. Banks offers good size and a large catch radius. Christian-Lichtenhan has a large wingspan and is very strong but a little stiff in his lateral movement and may not have the footwork to stay outside in the NFL. Penning, whose brother Travis starts for the Saints, is a strong and nasty player. Hutmacher is an elite wrestler whose hand use is his biggest asset. He's strong and difficult to unroot out of his DL position. Higgins is a tackling machine with elite instincts. Unfortunately, his athleticism does not match his production - which is superb. Martin had a great senior year and special teams will be his key to an NFL future. Igbinosun has great length and position versatility as a CB and safety. Jackson is a productive, multi-year starter at the FCS level. Special teams is his route to the NFL. |
Draft & UDFA Grade - A |
Cincinnati Bengals
1 (17) | Shemar Stewart | EDGE | Texas A&M |
2 (49) | Demetrius Knight | LB | South Carolina |
3 (81) | Dylan Fairchild | IOL | Georgia |
4 (119) | Barrett Carter | LB | Clemson |
5 (153) | Jalen Rivers | OL | Miami, Fl |
6 (193) | Tahj Brooks | RB | Texas Tech |
UDFA Signings | |||
Payton Thorne | QB | Auburn | |
Quali Conley | RB | Arizona | |
Rashod Owens | WR | Oklahoma State | |
Jordan Moore | WR | Duke | |
Kole Taylor | TE | West Virginia | |
Caleb Etienne | OT | BYU | |
Seth McLaughlin | IOL | Cincinnati | |
Howard Cross | IDL | Notre Dame | |
Eric Gregory | IDL | Arkansas | |
Shaquan Loyal | S | Rutgers | |
William Wagner | LS | Michigan |
2025 NFL Draft & UDFA Analysis |
The Bengals clearly need to improve their defense or they will be in for a long season. Betting on Stewart may be a risky bet, though. He has every physical trait you want in an EDGE with the size, length, twitch, burst, and uncanny natural strength desired. But the lack of production is concerning. But if the Cincy coaching staff can get him on track, he will be a steal. But that's a big if. Knight has the size and range desired at off the ball LB but can be exposed in coverage. Fairchild is extremely athletic and looks like a future starter. Carter is fast and mobile and has the speed desired to cover RBs and some slot receivers. Rivers has an enormous wingspan and has the versatility to play all along the line. Brooks is a strong, tough, and physical RB who is a fantastic pass protector - and that could be his ticket to the 53-man roster. |
Thorne is highly experienced QB with more than 40 career starts at Auburn and Michigan State. He has the arm strength and mobility to earn a practice squad spot. Moore had a good senior season. He is a quality route runner and has reliable hands. He should earn a practice squad spot this fall. Taylor is an athletic H-back who operates well out of the slot and is a reliable weapon over the middle of the field. Etienne has an excellent chance of making the 53-man roster with a fantastic physique and good athleticism. He just needs to play nastier and develop more of an edge. McLaughlin would have been drafted if he had not injured his knee late last season. He has really good size but will likely need to take a "redshirt" year and not play this season as he recovers. But he could become a future starter. Cross has a great burst and should make his living early on as a sub-package interior pass rush specialist. Gregory has the size and strength to regularly require double teams, although he offers little pass rushing upside. |
Draft & UDFA Grade - C- |
Cleveland Browns
1 (5) | Mason Graham | IDL | Michigan |
2 (33) | Carson Schwesinger | LB | UCLA |
2 (36) | Quinshon Judkins | RB | Ohio State |
3 (67) | Harold Fannin | TE | Bowling Green |
3 (94) | Dillon Gabriel | QB | Oregon |
4 (126) | Dylan Sampson | RB | Tennessee |
4 (144) | Shedeur Sanders | QB | Colorado |
UDFA Signings | |||
Ahmani Marshall | RB | Appalachian State | |
Gage Larvadain | WR | South Carolina | |
Montorie Foster* | WR | Michigan State | |
Eli Wilson | TE | Appalachian State | |
Justin Osborne | IOL | SMU | |
Cam'Ron Johnson* | OL | Missouri | |
Dartanyan Tinsley | IOL | Cincinnati | |
Aidin Huntington | EDGE | Tulane | |
John Pius* | EDGE-LB | Wisconsin | |
Easton Mascarenas-Arnold | LB | USC | |
Dom Jones | CB | Colorado | |
Donovan McMillon | S | Pittsburgh | |
*Mini Camp Invitee |
2025 NFL Draft & UDFA Analysis |
Graham gives the Browns a potential dominate presence inside to complement Myles Garrett outside. Browns fans may be upset that the team passed on Travis Hunter but Graham is no consolation prize. He will immediately improve the Cleveland defense. Schwesinger is relatively inexperienced but highly instinctive and productive. He should be an immediate starter. Fannin does not offer much as a blocker but is a match-up nightmare in space for LBs and safeties to cover. Judkins steps in as Cleveland's primary back. Sampson makes a dynamic complement to Judkins and demonstrates the Browns' intent to rely on the ground game with uncertainty at QB. And speaking of QB, the Browns used two mid-round picks on Gabriel and Sanders, a puzzling decision. Now the coaching staff needs to figure out how to sort through the QB room and find a productive starter. |
Osborne has good size and starting experience. He will compete for a roster spot and looks like a lock for the practice squad. Tinsley is a strong guard who has difficulty with quickness. His strength is his ticket to the NFL. Macarenas-Arnold has started for three seasons at Oregon State and USC and is a classic ILB who may lack the desired speed and athleticism for the NFL. McMillon is a long and rangy, classic free safety with the ball skills and range to push for a roster spot. |
Draft & UDFA Grade - C+ |
Pittsburgh Steelers
1 (21) | Derrick Harmon | IDL | Oregon |
3 (83) | Kaleb Johnson | RB | Iowa |
4 (123) | Jack Sawyer | EDGE | Ohio State |
5 (164) | Yahya Black | IDL | Iowa |
6 (185) | Will Howard | QB | Ohio State |
7 (226) | Carson Bruener | LB | Washington |
7 (229) | Donte Kent | CB | Central Michigan |
UDFA Signings | |||
Roc Taylor | WR | Memphis | |
DJ Thomas-Jones | TE | South Alabama | |
JJ Galbreath | TE | South Dakota | |
Aiden Williams | OL | Minnesota-Duluth | |
Sebastian Castro | CB | Iowa | |
Ben Sauls | K | Pittsburgh |
2025 NFL Draft & UDFA Analysis |
Harmon gives the Steelers a DL who can slide up and down the line and produce against the run and pass. His versatility and effort gives the Steelers a potential force up front. Johnson is a gaceful and smooth runner with deceptive speed. He'll contribute as a rookie. Sawyer is a well-rounded EDGE who plays with passion and will provide a valuable backup pass rusher for a team that can never have enough of them. Black is huge and will give the Steelers a 5T who will regularly require double teams. Howard led OSU to the National Championship and has a great arm and leadership skill to be developed into a potential starter. |
Taylor is a quick and physical undersized WR who will try to earn a spot on the practice squad. Williams played OT at the Division 2 school and is projected to play inside at guard in the NFL. Williams will need a season or two on the practice squad before he is ready to contribute at the NFL-level. Castro somehow fell out of the draft despite being arguably the best slot CB in the draft. Castro has the versatility to play anywhere in the secondary and should be a lock to make the 53-man roster. Sauls is an NFL-caliber kicker who has virtually zero chance to make the final roster with Chris Boswell entrenched as the kicker. Sauls will be kicking for an NFL team sooner rather than later - just not likely in Pittsburgh. |
Draft & UDFA Grade - B- |
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