Sports Card Collectors Jump on 2025 NFL First Round Draft Pick Autographs

The NFL went primetime Thursday night with the first round of the 2025 draft airing on ABC from Green Bay (Wis.). Fans and collectors had a strong idea which three players would go off the board first, but to which teams, thanks to possible trades, remained the big mystery. The rest of the action from the opening round unfolded with a lot of drama and excitement for different fanbases. And as one might expect, the sports card secondary market reacted strongly to all the early selections.

The top six players drafted on Wednesday will keep card owners busy on Friday shipping out their inventory.

THE FIRST SIX

RD1, Pick 1 – Tennessee Titans: QB Cam Ward – Miami

Thanks to sports media outlets rightly drilling the notion that Miami’s Cam Ward would be the first pick, the selection seemingly came and went without much fanfare. But that did not diminish Ward’s selling power on platforms like eBay. From Leaf Metal Armed and Dangerous to Bowman Chrome U Autos, anything with Ward’s signature was netting at least $100.

Pictured; one of the higher priced items to sell was a 2022 Bowman U Inception #CWD Cameron Cam Ward Auto-Blue Foil one of 99 released. The card sold for $329.

RD 1, Pick 2 – Jacksonville Jaguars: CB/WR Travis Hunter – Colorado

In what was a questionable move by some, the Jags traded up with the Browns to get Hunter parting with their fifth pick in this draft, the 36th pick and 126th pick in this year’s draft (second and fourth round), and their 2026 first round selection. To trade down, the Browns gave their second pick and this year’s No. 104 and No. 200 picks.

The Jags went all in on Hunter and his potential to affect games on both sides of the ball, the market followed suit. Hunter autographs were a hot commodity ranging from sold prices in the mid-$80s on 2024 Pro Set Pure cards to $899.99 on a 2023 Bowman Chrome U 1st Sapphire #THU Travis Hunter Pros Auto-Orange graded a 10.

RD 1, Pick 3 – New York Giants: DE Abdul Carter – Penn State

Finding autographed cards of Abdul Carter was harder to come by than the rest. The only signed Carter cards released were from ONIT. ONIT had three variations of their 2024 Carter autos, blue, white, and fire. Both blue and white were pulling in $200 or more even before the draft. The fire parallel sold for $499.99 on April 13.

RD 1, Pick 4 – New England Patriots: OT Will Campbell – LSU Tigers

Offensive linemen, always the bridesmaid and never the bride for collectors. Imagine knowing you own an autographed card of the fourth pick of the 2025 NFL Draft and then having someone wish you condolences because said pick is a lineman… well, that’s the way the hobby rolls.

Bowman Chrome University produced several great variations of Campbell signed cards like Yellow, Gold, Green Refractors, Gold Shimmer, Purple Refractors along with about 20 other editions. A Chrome Refractor was selling around $22-$25 while a Gold Shimmer (/50) scored $49.99.  

RD 1, Pick 5 – Cleveland Browns: DT Mason Graham – Michigan Wolverines

Michigan Wolverines and Cleveland Browns fans had no shortage of opportunities to land Graham auto cards. Wild Card and ONIT offered their versions of Graham’s cards with WC pulling at the heartstrings with Rainbow Foil and Cross Hatch Foil boards across American Flag, Vintage Flag, Americana, Mt. Rushmore, Constitution, Fighter Jets, and Fireworks parallels.

A raw ONIT Graham Yellow won the day selling for $350.

Rd 1, Pick 6 – Las Vegas Raiders: RB Ashton Jeanty – Boise State Broncos

Ready to join the likes of Marcus Allen, Mark van Eeghen, Clem Daniels, Napoleon Kauffman, Marv Hubbard, and Darren McFadden, Jeanty is now part of a large enthusiastic NFL fanbase, and that showed in the hobby.

If it was from Pro Set, Leaf, or Bowman, anything with Jeanty’s handwriting on it was a big seller. Bowman Best and Bowman Chrome put extra time in on Jeanty in their respective 2024 releases offering various auto parallels and auto-parallel-patches. A 2024 Bowman U Chrome #PAAJE Ashton Jeanty Pros AU-Black & Gold Stealth Refractor sold for $1,750. A raw 2024 Bowman Best U Jeanty worn jumbo patch sold for $195.

2025 NFL Draft First Round Selections

• New York Jets: OT Armand Membou – Missouri
• Carolina Panthers: WR Tetairoa McMillan – Arizona
• New Orleans Saints: OT Kelvin Banks Jr. – Texas
• Chicago Bears: TE Colston Loveland – Michigan
• San Francisco 49ers: DE Mykel Williams – Georgia
• Dallas Cowboys: OG Tyler Booker – Alabama
• Miami Dolphis: DT Kenneth Grant – Michigan
• Indianapolis Colts: TE Tyler Warren – Penn State
• Atlanta Falcons: DE Jalon Walker – Georgia
• Arizona Cardinals: DT Walter Nolan – Ole Miss
• Cincinnati Bengals: DE Shemar Stewart – Texas A&M
• Seattle Seahawks: OG Grey Zabel – North Dakota State
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers: WR Emeka Egbuka – Ohio State
• Denver Broncos: CB Jahdae Barrown – Texas
• Pittsburgh Steelers: DT Derrick Harmon – Oregon
• Los Angeles Chargers: RB Omarion Hampton – North Carolina
• Green Bay Packers: WR Matthew Golden – Texas
• Minnesota Vikings: OG Donovan Jackson – Ohio State
• New York Giants: QB Jaxson Dart – Ole Miss
• Atlanta Falcons: DE James Pearce Jr. – Tennessee
• Baltimore Ravens: DB Malaki Starks – Georgia
• Detroit Lions: DT Tyleik Williams – Ohio State
• Washington Commanders: OT Josh Conerly Jr. – Oregon
• Buffalo Bills: CB Maxwell Hairston – Kentucky
• Philadelphia Eagles: LB Jihaad Campbell – Alabama
• Kansas City Chiefs: OT Josh Simmons – Ohio State