2025 NFL draft: Teams that could trade up, down in Round 1 - ESPN

The 2025 NFL draft is an anomaly. For the first time since the NFL merger, not a single pick in the first round has been traded. Of course, there's still time for that to change. But it's more likely we will see only the inevitable first-round trades once teams are officially on the clock on April 24.

This draft class is also quite different from 2024, when the top-heavy quarterback group led to endless speculation about potential trades. The Giants, for instance, made a push to move up from No. 6 to No. 3 for Drake Maye, while the Vikings successfully moved from No. 11 to No. 10 to take J.J. McCarthy. Because this year's QB class is weaker on paper, there will likely be less urgency from QB-needy teams.

Even so, trades will happen. And almost any team could make a trade on Day 1. So let's try to figure out the most logical trade-up or trade-down candidates once deals start flying. I even called out one team that has a case to move either direction. Let's begin with franchises that might trade up, going in order of these teams' current first-round draft slot.

Jump to teams that could:
Trade up in Round 1 | Trade into Round 1
Trade down | Trade up… or down?

First-round slot: No. 11

The 49ers made one of the most audacious recent NFL draft trades, as they moved up nine spots a month before the draft in 2021 and eventually took quarterback Trey Lance. I don't anticipate a move anywhere near that bold this year, but here is a scenario to consider: If Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders goes third overall to the Giants, the chain reaction would likely include the Patriots taking Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter or Colorado receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter. That means the top two offensive tackles — LSU's Will Campbell and