The 2025 NFL Draft was the most memorable in years
04/27/2025
By Chris Marler
The NFL Draft is one of my favorite events every year. Call it dramatic or silly, but there is something special about watching 257 players have their dreams come true in real time. The three days of coverage this year brought some of the most memorable stories in sports.
Here’s a recap of the biggest stories from this year’s NFL Draft.
Jack Bech America’s WR1
The best part about sports is how it brings people together, no matter what they look like or where they come from. The tragic events on Bourbon Street on January 1 claimed the life of Jack Bech’s brother, Tiger. But they didn’t break Jack’s spirit, as he’s seized every opportunity in the pre-draft process.
He caught the game winning touchdown in the Senior Bowl, and once again stole the show when he was drafted in the 2nd Round by the Las Vegas Raiders.
Jack Bech celebrating with his family after getting drafted by the Raiders 🫶
Bech’s brother Tiger was killed in the New Orleans terrorist attack on New Year’s Eve. pic.twitter.com/GqBiiDOn34
— NFL (@NFL) April 26, 2025
Mel Kiper lost his mind over Shedeur Sanders
There’s a saying on Twitter: “You never want to be the guy everyone is talking about.”
That was Mel Kiper. That was Mel Kiper on Thursday. That was Mel Kiper on Friday. And, you guessed it, Mel Kiper on Saturday, as well. Kiper went off the rails over the Shedeur Sanders draft slide, and did so repeatedly.
I don’t think the entire NFL colluded to prove a point to a perceivably entitled kid with a problematic parent coach. I also don’t think he’s a fifth round talent and was surprised he fell that far.
That being said, he did. And there was nothing about Shedeur Sanders’ story that needed to overshadow the moment for well over a dozen other players who were getting their moment in the sun on draft day.
Mel Kiper just said from 1994-2024, NFL QBs drafted in the 5th Round are 0-43 at becoming starters in the NFL
— Chris Marler (@VernDumbquist) April 26, 2025
Shedeur Sanders gets drafted.
Mel Kiper still furious.
What the hell is happening this year’s #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/Rx34cQVg6U
— Chris Marler (@VernDumbquist) April 26, 2025
Prank calls? In 2025?
Ole Miss undergraduates continue to be the worst of the worst this offseason.
This time a sophomore named Jax Ulbrich was the one behind the prank call heard round the world. If you missed it, during the first round of the draft, Ulbrich called Sanders and pretended to be Saints GM Mickey Loomis telling Sanders, “you’re gonna have to wait a little longer.”
The issue isn’t the sophomoric and immature act itself. It’s that the call was from Jaxson Ulbrich, the son of Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich.
Heartbreaking: Both angles of Shedeur Sanders getting pranked by Ole Miss students pretending to be the GM of the New Orleans Saints.
There’s no place for this ever 🤦♂️ pic.twitter.com/j3ujcTfsGb
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) April 27, 2025
Allow me to be a boomer for a second, but this generation sucks.
Saints and Falcons with historic picks
Let’s rebound off that absurdity with some positive news!
How about how the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints did some out of character things in the draft. The Saints haven’t drafted a quarterback in the first round since Archie Manning in 1971. They drafted Tyler Shough in the 2nd round.
Since their inception in 1967 the Saints have drafted 25 quarterbacks.
Tyler Shough was the 25th when the Black & Gold added him Friday.
As a 2nd round selection, Shough is the highest drafted NOLA QB since Archie Manning in 1971.
Here’s the top picks at the QB position. pic.twitter.com/UExSFAcZY8
— Fletcher Mackel (@FletcherWDSU) April 26, 2025
The Falcons have a similar mindset as the Saints when it comes to the draft every year. That mindset? Don’t draft players from the home town college team for decades and make your core group of fans angry as hell every year.
The Falcons picked at 15 and for the first time since 1966, chose a Georgia Bulldog in the first round of the draft.
Falcons drafting a UGA kid
Berlin Wall of football has fallen
— Josh Pate (@JoshPateCFB) April 25, 2025
The SEC dominates once again
The SEC finished with the most draft picks for the 19th straight year. They also crushed their own draft record of 65 total picks in a single draft with 79.
The @SEC absolutely DOMINATES the 2025 NFL Draft.
The 79 total picks is a new single draft record AND they finish with the most draft picks of any conference for the 19th straight season.
It. Just. Means. More. #NFLDraft2025 pic.twitter.com/tqNIYmcoRZ
— 104.5 ESPN (@1045espn) April 26, 2025
Derrick Harmon we are all rooting for you
On Thursday, Derrick Harmon was selected in the spot everyone thought Shedeur Sanders would go. With the 21st pick the Steelers took the former Oregon Duck. The roller coaster of emotion that would ensue is unbelievable. Almost immediately after he was drafted he sped over to the hospital and told his mom, who was being hospitalized, the news. She died shortly after.
Harmon’s mom held on until her son got to achieve his dream. I’m not crying. You’re crying.
Heartbreaking news: #Steelers 1st rounder pick Derrick Harmon’s mother has passed away.
After he was drafted, Derrick immediately went to the hospital to tell her he was a Steeler and right after she passed.
💔💔💔
Thoughts and prayers go out to the family 🙏 pic.twitter.com/cxoqGEdZLU
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) April 25, 2025