Happy midweek, everyone! John Breech is busy shopping for Shemar Stewart jerseys, we think. So today’s Pick Six newsletter is brought to you by Cody Benjamin, with tidbits on all the latest NFL action.
Be sure to subscribe right here, to ensure you never miss a daily dose of NFL updates. And keep on reading for everything from post-draft power rankings to 32-team draft grades:
1. Prisco’s post-draft power rankings: Bears surge
Now that the draft is in the books, Pete Prisco has turned his eyes toward the actual 2025 NFL season, dropping his first post-draft power rankings. The Philadelphia Eagles are still the team to beat, according to Prisco, with the rival Washington Commanders sneaking toward the top five. He has a couple of other NFC squads making substantial leaps, however, in the Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers:
- 14. San Francisco 49ers (+9): They lost a lot of players, but how many were stars and essential? Not many. They rebuilt the defensive line in the draft, which was a must. They have to stay healthy, but this is a team that still has stars on both sides of the ball.
- 17. Chicago Bears (+7): They improved both lines in free agency, which will help in a big way. They also added a nice pass catcher in tight end Colston Loveland in the draft. Now it’s time for second-year quarterback Caleb Williams to step up and show improvement.
- 20. Arizona Cardinals (+2): They added much-needed help on the defensive line in free agency and the draft, led by edge rusher Josh Sweat and first-round defensive tackle Walter Nolen. That should help the defense make strides in 2025.
Check out Prisco’s full 1-32 pecking order right here.
2. Grading every 2025 draft class: Bills get an ‘A+’
Draft expert Ryan Wilson just combed through each and every one of this year’s draft classes, going pick by pick to reassess the incoming rookies, and assigned all 32 clubs with a letter grade. His biggest winner after the 2025 draft? The Buffalo Bills, who led all teams with a perfect “A+” rating.
Favorite pick: Maxwell Hairston reminds me of Devon Witherspoon in that he may be undersized, but he plays much bigger than that. He battled a shoulder injury last season, but when he’s healthy he’s as close as you’ll get to a lockdown corner in today’s NFL. Hairston, who ran a 4.28-second (!) 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, will have a chance to win the Day 1 starting job.
Best value: Ten months ago, we were talking about Deone Walker as a first-round pick, and possibly top-15 talent. He battled a back injury in 2024 and his play suffered. But you’re not going to find a 6-foot-7, 330-pound athletic defensive lineman just walking around looking for work. If Walker is healthy and locked in, we could end up looking back at this being one of the best players in this class.
Check out Wilson’s grades for all 32 teams right here.
3. Top 10 rookie jersey sales: Shedeur makes the cut
Shedeur Sanders may have slipped all the way to the fifth round of the draft, but Colorado isn’t the only place where his jersey is held in high regard. The NFL just released its initial report of top-selling rookie jerseys, and the new Cleveland Browns quarterback cracked the list, coming in at No. 3 among all first-year players. Leading the charge? Sanders’ fellow Colorado product, Travis Hunter, whose Jacksonville Jaguars jersey is the top-selling item to beat. No. 1 pick Cam Ward came in second, with Tennessee Titans fans presumably flocking to secure the quarterback’s jersey ahead of his 2025 debut.
Eli Manning and Tom Brady used to do battle on the football field. They might soon square off as NFL executives. One year after Brady officially became a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, Manning is exploring a potential bid for an ownership stake in the New York Giants, according to Bloomberg. The two-time Super Bowl champion has remained close with the franchise since retiring after the 2019 season.
5. Vikings buzz: Moss’ son joins; McCarthy is back
Excitement is mounting in Minnesota, where the Vikings have been busy:
6. Falcons fined for Shedeur Sanders prank call
The NFL on Wednesday issued a combined $350,000 in fines to Atlanta and its defensive coordinator, Jeff Ulbrich, for their role — intentional or not — in the prank call to Shedeur Sanders during the 2025 NFL Draft. And Sanders was far from the only notable name to be targeted. It turns out at least six others also fielded prank phone calls, though none of them were related to the Sanders incident, per the Associated Press. Others who encountered fake messages from people claiming to be NFL executives included quarterback Kyle McCord, tight end Tyler Warren, offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. and undrafted receiver Isaiah Bond.
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Author: Cody Benjamin
April 30, 2025 | 1:05 pm
