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Another draft has come and gone with the 2025 NFL Draft from Green Bay wrapping up on Saturday. Now, teams are introducing players to the media and deciding on rookie numbers, while other players are hoping to land undrafted free-agent deals to get started.
Across all 7 rounds, the Big Ten produced 71 total picks, including a new league record of 11 players in Thursday’s first round. Abdul Carter, the elite Penn State pass rusher, was the B1G’s top selection at No. 3 overall.
So, which players find themselves in the best situations to begin their NFL journeys? Most of the time, it boils down to fit and the other pieces around young players, not just how high you go in the draft.
With that in mind, here are 6 of my favorite fits for the B1G stars who heard their names called in Green Bay:
Mason Graham (Michigan) — No. 5 Overall, Cleveland Browns
Leading up to the first round, various mock drafts had Graham sliding all the way out of the top 10. I always viewed that as an extreme long shot, and he ultimately became the top-5 pick many thought he would be coming out of the 2023 college football season as a sophomore.
Not only did Graham become a top-5 pick, but the strategy — and landing spot — was perfect. The Cleveland Browns entered the draft with the No. 2 overall pick and were widely expected to select 2-way phenom Travis Hunter.
However, the Jacksonville Jaguars called with a massive trade proposal, and the Browns cashed in. By doing so, Cleveland secured some additional draft capital (a major need for the Browns these days) and still managed to grab Graham at No. 5 overall.
Graham’s body of work during his 3-year career at Michigan speaks for itself, and he’s a natural game-wrecker on the interior. He provides a perfect interior complement to all-world defensive end Myles Garrett, who re-signed with a massive extension this offseason.
In a weak quarterback class, Cleveland was still able to grab extra draft capital in a trade back while grabbing a player who should be viewed as one of the top instant impact players available in this draft.
Emeka Egbuka (Ohio State) — No. 19 overall, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
When it comes to ideal landing spots, my eyes lit up when the Buccaneers grabbed Egbuka in the middle portion of the first round. Egbuka is a textbook blend of elite production and high potential, and he slides into an offense where he can be an immediate contributor but will also not be asked to serve as the No. 1 guy just yet.
Mike Evans, a future Hall of Famer, is still in Tampa Bay with his historic streak of 1,000-yard seasons rolling along, and former Penn State star Chris Godwin returns as well. Even with Jalen McMillan coming off his rookie season, Egbuka is sure to compete for that No. 3 spot, and it’s no secret that Godwin battled injuries last season. (Evans also missed 3 regular-season games last year.)
Godwin and Evans are both in the latter stages of their careers, so Egbuka has a chance to contribute early before assuming a bigger role in a year or two, very similar to Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s trajectory with the Seattle Seahawks.
Egbuka also steps into a stable QB situation, something that cannot be said for Penn State tight end Tyler Warren. Baker Mayfield has thrown for more than 8,500 yards with 69 touchdowns across his first 2 seasons with the Buccaneers while reviving his career.
Derrick Harmon (Oregon) — No. 21 overall, Pittsburgh Steelers
Harmon was actually the 4th defensive tackle in the draft, coming in behind Graham, Michigan’s Kenneth Grant and Ole Miss’s Walter Nolen, but the star out of Oregon is unlikely to complain about his new home.
That’s because Harmon lands at a destination that prides itself on tough-nosed defense, especially along the defensive front. It’s also a great spot for Harmon to learn while making an early impact.
With the Pittsburgh Steelers, Harmon gets a chance to learn and play alongside 14-year veteran Cam Heyward. The longtime anchor for the Steelers is nearing the end of his legendary career, and Harmon can take full advantage by soaking up as much as he can from Heyward early on.
Aireontae Ersery (Minnesota) — No. 48 overall, Houston Texans
The Houston Texans did not get any of the 5 offensive tackles selected in the first round. However, it’s possible the franchise got the player with the best value by taking Ersery in the middle of the second round.
CJ Stroud undeniably suffered a sophomore regression in the 2024 NFL season, though a lot of that was partly due to battling a leaky offensive line. To help protect the QB, Houston grabs one of the most productive linemen in the entire draft.
Across the final 3 seasons at Minnesota, Ersery started the final 38 games of his career at left tackle for the Gophers. At 6-6 and 331 pounds, he’ll be in immediate contention to start at right tackle for the Texans and could develop into the long-term answer at left tackle for the franchise.
Kaleb Johnson (Iowa) — No. 83 overall, Pittsburgh Steelers
Johnson will not be the flashiest running back pick in the draft. But with the Steelers able to grab the dynamic back from Iowa in the 3rd round, he could develop into a prime steal for the franchise (no pun intended).
Najee Harris was Pittsburgh’s top running back for the past 4 seasons, but he is now off to the Los Angeles Chargers. Jaylen Warren, the team’s No. 2 RB last season, returns, but there is no reason to just pencil Warren into the starting role with Johnson’s arrival.
Johnson is the kind of blue-collar back that will endear himself naturally to Steeler fans, and he could become their early-down back as a rookie.
Ty Robinson (Nebraska) — No. 111 overall, Philadelphia Eagles
This draft was particularly deep in defensive linemen. That’s how someone like Robinson was still on the board in the 4th round, but it doesn’t change the value involved with the pick.
Robinson is an impressive athlete at 6-5 and 288 pounds with an impressive ability to rush the passer from the interior after 7 sacks in his final season at Nebraska.
As for the fit? It’s hard to think of a better one with the Eagles drafting and developing elite defensive players at a high clip in recent seasons.
Last season, it was a definite focus on the secondary for Philadelphia. Now, Robinson has the potential to be a bright young accompaniment to budding superstar Jalen Carter (the 9th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft) on the interior.
Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.