2025 NFL Draft: Round 2-3 Highlights—From Breakout Stars to Head-Scratcher Picks, Featuring Dillon Gabriel and Shavon Robinson Jr.

The 2025
NFL Draft
The competition continued into Rounds 2 and 3 on Friday night, and the excitement began promptly.
Ohio State
Running backs Quinshon Judkins and Trevyon Henderson were chosen within the first six selections of the second round, while the 25-year-old quarterback Tyler Shoug was picked at number 40Overall by the team.
New Orleans Saints
, and Shedeur Sanders did not get picked in the initial 102 selections. This situation is

quite an unexpected turn of events, I must say

, Sanders is expected to be selected on Day 3.

The initial phase is the top-rated TV spectacle; however, it’s during the subsequent stages when everything starts getting wild.
Houston Texans
took two
Iowa State
recipients of Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, the
New England Patriots
he acquired two weapons and an additional offensive lineman for Drake Maye, and the
Dallas Cowboys
managed to select two players who were heavily ridiculed before the first round on Thursday!

Which choices turned out to be great hits and which ones left people puzzled? We’ll examine three examples of each, complete with ratings and insights provided by CBS Sports.
NFL Draft
expert Chris Trapasso.

Home runs

Washington Commanders
CB Trey Amos (Second Round, selection number 61)

If the Commanders aim to effectively counterpassing offenses featuring players like A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, CeeDee Lamb, and Malik Nabers, they require skilled cornerbacks. Trey Amos possesses the capability to become one such proficient cornerback.
Washington
Selecting CBS Sports’ No. 37 ranked prospect at No. 61 overall is considered a great value pick. Amos possesses excellent size and impressive athleticism, making him likely to become an immediate starter under coach Dan Quinn. In his lone season, he achieved personal bests in all statistical categories.
Ole Miss
Recording 50 tackles, deflecting 13 passes, and making three interceptions.

Grade: A

G.M. Adam Peters continues to perform well. Amos is a consistent cornerback who excels when playing from the perimeter and can adapt to various defensive schemes. He is an excellent tackler with strong ball-handling abilities. There isn’t anything exceptionally outstanding about him, nor does he have any obvious weaknesses. To strengthen their secondary across from him, Washington needed to bring in fresh youthful talent.
Marshon Lattimore
.”

New England Patriots wide receiver Kyle Williams was selected in Round 3 with the 69th overall pick.

Maye might have discovered a potential new best buddy in her previous one.
Washington State
Wide receiver Kyle Williams stands out as one of the most dynamic players in his draft class, capable of creating space from defenders using various techniques. This year alone, he secured an impressive 70 receptions for 1,198 yards along with 14 touchdowns. Initially, I thought he might be selected before pick number 69, but I’m pleased that the Patriots made their move at that spot. Joining a relatively youthful group of receivers which also features seasoned player Stefon Diggs recovering from a torn ACL, Williams has the potential to quickly establish a significant presence within the team’s receiving corps.

Grade: B+

Nimble but slick wide receiver possessing decent though not outstanding route-running skills. Frequently found open due to his tactics when playing for Washington State, he also demonstrates the ability to separate himself effectively both under the sticks and at mid-range distances. There have been flashes of exceptional yards-after-catch capability as well. However, his limited catching range and smaller stature pose challenges against tight coverage. He should thrive learning from Stefon Diggs. The Patriots are wisely developing their team around Drake Maye.

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Shavon Robinson Jr., selected in the third round with the 76th overall pick,

This might very well be Donovan Ezeiruaku or Shavon Revel Jr., but let’s discuss Dallas’ newest addition at cornerback briefly. Revel possesses first-round caliber skills and likely would have been selected much earlier if he hadn’t suffered an ACL tear in September. His doctor reported this information.
NFL teams
A message received in February indicated that Revel would be completely resolved by summertime; however, the ECU product dropped to number 76 in rankings overall. For the Cowboys, this stands as quite a bargain, considering Revel managed to intercept two passes across just three games played prior to his untimely knee injury. Standing tall and swift, he conceded only a 38% completion rate when defending over the last couple of years—a figure placing him among the top-three performers nationally within this category (with at least 70 targeted throws). While concerns around recovering from his knee issue persist, it’s worth noting that Revel was recognized as the thirty-third best candidate according to CBS Sports’ assessment for this year’s draft class.

Grade: A+

Without the September ACL tear, Revel probably gets selected much earlier. Standing tall with an impressive wingspan, he’s a standout player who excels both in man-to-man and zone defenses. Though somewhat rigid when running backwards during routes, his recovery speed was sufficient enough to overcome these challenges against lesser competition. Although not known for delivering heavy hits, he rarely misses making tackles. With this pick, the Cowboys secure themselves another defender skilled at creating turnovers at cornerback.

In the 2025 NFL Draft after Day 2, key takeaways include the Steelers still lacking a quarterback, and Shedeur Sanders experiencing an ongoing decline in his draft stock.

John Breech

Head-scratchers

Tennessee Titans
EDGE Oluwafemi Oladejo (Second Round, selection number 52)

I don’t like “potential” picks this high. Oladejo played EDGE for
UCLA
For only one season, he managed to lead the Bruins with 13.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. While the potential is promising, he remains an unpolished player who could likely see significant action from the Titans. There’s a considerable need for a pass rusher here.
Tennessee
, and taking a potential project seven picks before last year’s FBS sack leader is certainly a choice.

Grade: B+

He was selected due to his transition to EDGE in 2024, showcasing impressive skills. He performs much more effectively when playing off the line. A versatile and agile player within the front seven who has shown potential as a pass rusher. His best contributions might still be ahead of him, fitting well with the Titans’ focus on building for the future. Currently somewhat raw but full of promise.

Denver Broncos
WR Pat Bryant (Round 3, selection number 74)

Illinois
Wide receiver Pat Bryant secured 54 receptions for 984 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2024, drawing attention from draft analysts as a genuine outside threat capable of overcoming tight coverage. The interesting aspect is,
Bryant
was anticipated to be selected around day three, ranking as CBS Sports’ number 181 overall prospect. However, he was picked at number 74Overall! General Manager George Paton and Head Coach Sean Payton must really love this player.

Grade: B-

A sturdy, fundamentally strong wide receiver who isn’t quick enough to pose a vertical threat.
NFL
Everything else in his gameplay follows the rules perfectly. He runs precise patterns and can handle being pressed effectively. His ability to track passes resembles that of a seasoned player. Additionally, he shows solid yards after catch skills. Perhaps slightly early due to some limitations in athleticism; however, he seems like someone who outperforms expectations. There isn’t much room for improvement though. Mostly supporting Bo Nix’s efforts.

Cleveland Browns
QB Dillon Gabriel (Round 3, pick 94)

Dillon Gabriel was a Heisman finalist last year, yet nobody would argue he was among the best.
NFL
prospect – or perhaps even someone picked on Day 2! Gabriel is a smaller player who doesn’t have a powerful throwing arm, and yet he was selected ahead of Shedeur Sanders, Kyle McCord, Will Howard, and Quinn Ewers? This is quite puzzling.

Grade: C

A smaller quarterback with below-average arm strength yet extensive experience. He can make accurate throws ahead of receivers to compensate for his weaker throwing ability and appears more agile than he actually is, though he often struggled evading defenders during his college career. He has a good understanding of where to direct the ball but may primarily focus on shorter passes at the professional level. His mobility within the pocket is commendable. However, his potential is somewhat capped because of his advanced age and physical limitations. Over time, he could serve as an acceptable reserve player. The Browns required additional depth at the quarterback position.