Green Bay, Wisconsin, turned into a football mecca on April 25, as the second and third rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft unfolded with all the drama of a late-season playoff game. The Lambeau Field backdrop buzzed with fans, scouts, and executives, each pick rippling through the league like a stone skipped across a lake. Day two brought 68 selections, a few head-scratching moments, and some names that had draft rooms scrambling to update their boards.
The Cleveland Browns kicked things off in round two, grabbing Wisconsin’s own Carson Schwesinger, a linebacker with a knack for blowing up plays. Announced by Hall of Famer Joe Thomas, the pick sent the local crowd into a frenzy, their cheers echoing through the chilly evening air. Not long after, the Browns doubled down on Ohio State talent, snagging running back Quinshon Judkins at pick 36. Judkins, a bruising back with breakaway speed, gives Cleveland a ground game to build around. The Patriots followed suit, nabbing another Buckeye, TreVeyon Henderson, at 38. Two Ohio State runners in three picks—safe to say the Scarlet and Gray faithful were eating well.
Quarterbacks, the draft’s perennial lightning rod, stayed in the spotlight. Shedeur Sanders, the Colorado star with a rocket arm and a knack for sideline theatrics, was the name on everyone’s lips. By the end of round three, though, he was still on the board—a stunner for a player some pegged as a first-round lock. Teams like the Steelers, who’ve been kicking the tires on QB options, passed for now, leaving Sanders’ fate a cliffhanger for day three. Other signal-callers, like Miami’s Cam Ward, also lingered, proving this draft’s quarterback class is as unpredictable as a Midwest spring storm.
Elsewhere, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made waves at cornerback, drafting a pair of defensive backs to shore up their secondary. The Arizona Cardinals, meanwhile, took a swing on Michigan’s Will Johnson, a shutdown corner whose length and instincts could transform their defense. Pittsburgh, ever the steel-curtain stalwarts, leaned into their identity, bolstering their offensive line and grabbing a versatile defender to keep their front seven nasty.
The draft wasn’t without its quirks. A few teams traded up to snag falling prospects, while others stood pat, content to let talent slide into their laps. By the time round three wrapped, 102 players had heard their names called, leaving a deep pool of talent for the final four rounds on April 26. Names like Sanders, Ward, and a slew of linemen and skill players remain, setting the stage for a frantic finish.
Green Bay’s draft party rolled on late into the night, with fans spilling into bars and restaurants, dissecting every pick like armchair GMs. The NFL’s official draft tracker logged millions of views, and network broadcasts on ESPN, ABC, and NFL Network kept the nation glued to the action. Day two was a grind, a chess match, and a spectacle all at once—a reminder that the draft is where dreams are made, and rosters are reshaped.