5 Trades That Would Turn the 2025 NFL Draft Upside Down

The NFL draft is impossible to project no matter how hard anyone tries. Something unexpected is bound to happen and throw the entire event into chaos. That's when the magic happens.

Case in point, not a single soul outside of those in the Atlanta Falcons organization believed they would take quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with last year's eighth overall draft pick after they signed Kirk Cousins in free agency a month earlier.

Fast forward a year and Cousins is on his way out, while Penix will take the team's reins into the future.

There are two approaches when it comes to how teams should attack this process. Either they let the draft come to them, or they move up for specific prospects who they believe are the right fit for them. Some organizations are willing to hoard picks, while others are far more generous in packaging their selections to get something done.

There is no correct approach in how to find the right parts to become a successful squad.

Inevitably, someone is going to trade up based on what's available and the team's need. We sit at this crossroads when trying to project moves that may happen to shake up the order and how the board may fall, with five sticking out as moves that could throw the multiverse into upheaval.

Despite general manager Mike Borgonzi's comments about the Tennessee Titans not passing on a "generational talent" with the first overall pick, it's safe to say 1) that level of prospect doesn't exist in the 2025 class and 2) the team should draft a quarterback. It's what happens from that specific point that becomes arguably the most fascinating aspect of this year's class.

The Cleveland Browns are in a tough position with the second overall pick. They know they can't get out from the Deshaun Watson cloud for another year or two. Quarterback is the logical pick for them, but the front office may try to apply a Band-Aid in an attempt now to appease their best player, Myles Garrett, and try to win in the short term.

If that is the case, the second overall pick is ripe for for a potential trade-down, because general manager Andrew Berry can leverage the selection for a windfall of picks in an attempt to bolster a crumbling roster.

The Las Vegas Raiders should be all over the opportunity to trade up for a quarterback after failing to do so a year ago, which ultimately cost them another year of proper rebuilding and a coaching staff.

Miami's Cam Ward is the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's top-ranked quarterback prospect. Thus, he should be the first QB off the board to the Titans. Then the Raiders can make a play for Colorado's Shedeur Sanders.

Sanders and Raiders minority owner Tom Brady already have a relationship. Brady has seemingly been the driving force behind many of the team's decisions this offseason. It's a natural fit for both parties. All the Raiders have to do is maneuver their way into a position to make it a reality.

No one should ever expect Dallas Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones to do what he should do.

Do the Cowboys need a running back? Of course. Do they need to make a move for the class' top ball-carrier? No. But no one should rule it out, either.

Ashton Jeanty was spectacular during his final season on campus, taking a run at Barry Sanders' all-time rushing record and finishing second in the Heisman Trophy voting. His vision and contact balance are truly special traits.

Jones making a play for an elite running back wouldn't be a first. After all, he chose Ezekiel Elliott with the fourth overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft. He took Emmitt Smith and Felix Jones in the first round of their respective classes as well.

An argument can be made that Jeanty should be available to the Cowboys with this year's 12th overall pick. But the Chicago Bears could take him at 10, which might necessitate a big draft move.

Keep in mind, Ben Johnson is the Bears' hew head coach. Johnson previously served as the Detroit Lions' offensive coordinator. The Lions decided they wanted to upgrade at running back by moving on from D'Andre Swift and drafting Jahmyr Gibbs with the 12th overall pick in the '23 class. Detroit traded Swift to Philadelphia Eagles, who subsequently signed with the Bears as a free agent.

Johnson could be looking for another major playmaker in the backfield, though Jeanty presents a different skill set compared to Gibbs. All of this must be weighed when the Cowboys consider making a move for the class' top running back.

Jones may very well be ready to make a splash after being chastised throughout the previous season for not doing much of anything to help his team.

One of the most popular projections already involves the Indianapolis Colts in their search for a top tight end. What if another team sees that obvious need and does something about it?

First, Chris Ballard wasn't shy when discussing what the offense needs to help in quarterback Anthony Richardson's development.

"We didn't get enough production from [the team's tight ends]," Ballard told reporters during his end-of-season interview. "... Our inability to control the middle of the field, which we've got to be able to do, I've got to be able to give Shane (Steichen) and them a guy that can really control the middle of the field that teams have to account for and defend."

Penn State's Tyler Warren is the best overall weapon in a strong tight end class. Warren produced over 100 receptions and 1,200 receiving yards on his way to become the John Mackey Award winner. He can be used all over a formation and provide an offense with a legitimate weapon and potential No. 1 target.

In the current draft order, the Colts (with the 14th pick) are likely to the first team that would take a tight end. But a team could jump ahead of them.

The Denver Broncos also have a young quarterback in place and need a target over the middle of the field to help in his development. Last season, the quartet of Adam Trautman, Lucas Krull, Nate Atkins and Greg Dulcich produced all of 51 receptions for 483 yards.

Warren can be a significant difference-maker in Sean Payton's offense, though the Broncos will likely be forced to move up from the 20th overall pick to make that happen.

From there, the Colts may not be as interested in Michigan's Colston Loveland and could look to find a tight end on Day 2 while shifting the direction of what happens in the second half of the first round by taking a defensive back or some other position that creates a cascading effect for other squads.

A distinct delineation exists between the first and second tiers of this year's quarterback class. Supply won't meet demand this offseason. Some organizations may need to get creative in their attempt to improve at the game's most important position.

Once Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders are off the board, front offices will be looking at the next tier's QBs and wondering if and how they can build around them.

The New Orleans Saints should provide an interesting case study.

The Saints own this year's ninth overall draft pick. Derek Carr remains under contract, but he's clearly not the answer, and Spencer Rattler isn't either.

Five different quarterback-needy franchises sit ahead of the Saints. It's hard to say whether Carr is even a viable option since the organization has yet to hire its next head coach (with Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore considered the front-runner).

If a quarterback isn't in the cards with the team's initial pick, general manager Mickey Loomis can manipulate the draft to take their next favorite option. Loomis falls into the category of a general managers who goes after his guy and isn't afraid of a small draft class.

With that in mind, the Saints should jump back into the first round with the intention of drafting whichever quarterback they believe can be their long-term starter. Alabama's Jalen Milroe, Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart and Ohio State's Will Howard are the likeliest options.

Why the move back into the first round to accomplish this goal?

First, it's a way to outmaneuver any other squad still desperate for a quarterback that may have failed to land one earlier. Second, first-round status grants a fifth-year rookie option on the prospect's original contract, thus creating more financial and roster flexibility.

Successful franchises in the back half of the first round are often looking to trade back, because they understand the number of first-round talents doesn't always extend into the latter portions of the frame. In the Saints' case, the need for a quarterback trumps perceived round value.

Frankly, Myles Garrett's recent trade request will go as far as his earnestness to play for a Super Bowl contender. If Garrett is sincere in pushing a trade through to one of the league's better squads, the Browns won't have any choice but to trade him.

Two deadlines are important. One will affect the draft. The other won't.

On March 15, Garrett is due a $5 million bonus. If he isn't willing to restructure or move that bonus down the road, the Browns could look to move him beforehand. If he is, the team may be able to rework his deal to keep him happy or wait until after June 1 to make the dead salary-cap hits more manageable.

For the purposes of this discussion, Garrett has expressed his intention, which means almost every team in the league should be placing calls to Browns general manager Andrew Berry. Something could get done by the aforementioned date, which will shift the look of this year's first round.

Any deal that's reached should include one, if not multiple first-round draft picks, which can give the Browns tremendous draft flexibility.

Clearly, Garrett had a very specific demand. While looking at the draft's current makeup, teams such as the Detroit Lions, Washington Commanders and Buffalo Bills are all on the cusp of competing for a championship. Each also has a significant need for an edge-rusher.

With a pair of first-rounders after a potential trade, the Browns can stack their picks.

Cleveland won't feel forced to take a quarterback with the second overall selection if the front office is not comfortable with the prospect who remains available (assuming the Tennessee Titans grab a quarterback at No. 1). They can select someone like Penn State's Abdul Carter to offset the loss of Garrett and then double back with a quarterback.

Or, the Browns may look to go the cheap veteran QB route in hopes of competing next fall and load up with a pair of non-QB first-round talents to build the roster.

Either way, Garrett's potential trade could create significant ripple effects in April.