Cam Ward fields questions after being introduced as the Tennessee Titans first-round pick and number one overall pick n the NFL Draft at Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, April 25, 2025. Mandatory Credit: The Tennessean/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Which brings us to the importance of this weekend. While “rookie minicamp” sounds relatively benign — what with the best players in the world not involved — the next three days set the tone for all the new guys.
Each team gets to work 30 hours (10 per day Friday through Sunday) with their newcomers. Particularly for teams that have invested much of their franchise’s future on a rookie or two, these three days offer a big hint as to whether their franchise might become the next Chiefs — or the next laughingstock.
Here are four teams that really need to come away feeling good about their draft:
Tennessee Titans
Last month, Cam Ward became the 19th quarterback in the last 25 drafts to be the No. 1 overall pick. Guess how many of those 19 have won a Super Bowl? Yep, just two: Matthew Stafford and Eli Manning.
We mention this for two reasons: First, it’s statistically incorrect to expect Ward to lead the Titans to a Super Bowl. Second, no one’s going to care about the first reason. The pressure to be special starts now.
Head coach Brian Callahan and offensive coordinator Nick Holz had months to decide that Ward was the best fit for the No. 1 pick. They believe they understand how he thinks, how he works and how he reacts to success and failure — but this weekend is the equivalent of the end of the honeymoon. Will Ward and the Titans live happily ever after? The first signs — good and bad — will come out this weekend.
Jacksonville Jaguars
![The Jacksonville Jaguars’ first-round pick, Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver and defensive back Travis Hunter, left, answers questions as General Manager James Gladstone, right, sits next to him during a press conference Friday, March 25, 2025 at Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]](https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/1746799467575)
The Jacksonville Jaguars’ first-round pick, Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver and defensive back Travis Hunter, left, answers questions as General Manager James Gladstone, right, sits next to him during a press conference Friday, March 25, 2025 at Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] Is he a receiver first? Is he a corner first? Does he have the intellectual bandwidth along with the athletic ability to prepare to play both sides of the ball?
Considering Hunter was a two-time Academic All-America — he reportedly posted a 3.79 GPA while earning his degree in anthropology — his meeting-room preparation sounds like it won’t be a problem. But with Hunter available to the Jaguars 10 hours per day this weekend, they’ll start learning exactly how much they can pile on his plate before he starts to buckle.
Las Vegas Raiders
Bijan Robinson, who racked up 1,456 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns last year after a so-so rookie season, could also be on his way to Hall of Fame status. Even Leonard Fournette (No. 4 in 2017), who’s the “bust” of the group, earned a Super Bowl ring in 2021.
Of all these guys, Elliott enjoyed the best rookie year. He piled up 1,631 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground and finished third in the NFL’s MVP voting. He touched the ball an average of 23.6 times per game. Expect Jeanty to touch it at least that often — though he might catch three times as many passes as Elliott did (32) in his rookie year.
This weekend, the Raiders start to discover how superhuman and versatile Jeanty might be.
Atlanta Falcons
Jan 18, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish safety Xavier Watts (0) during 2025 CFP National Championship Media Day at Georgia World Congress Center, Building A. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Now fast-forward to this draft: The Falcons received more ridicule when they gave up their 2026 first-round pick to move up 20 spots to get pass rusher James Pearce Jr. with the No. 26 pick — even though they had just used the 15th overall pick on edge rusher Jalon Walker.
The only way this makes sense is if Pearce is much better than the majority of the NFL believes him to be. The Falcons will breathe a lot easier if Pearce, who dealt with pre-draft whispers that he has a stiff body and he’s “difficult,” proves to be difficult to block.
