Most inspiring moments from the 2025 NFL draft

From tears to cheers, the NFL draft is always full of emotional and memorable moments.

It puts a spotlight on young athletes who have pushed themselves to the limit to earn a pro career.

Here are the most heartwarming and inspiring moments from the 2025 NFL draft.

Inspiring moments from NFL draft

No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward

Coming out of high school, Cam Ward knew what it felt like to be at the bottom. Without a single offer from a Division I school, the underrated player started his college career at Incarnate Word in San Antonio, according to ESPN.

However, after two transfers, five college seasons and a whole lot of self-belief, the University of Miami quarterback overcame the odds and was the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, per ESPN. He’ll play for the Tennessee Titans moving forward.

The emotion of the moment could be heard in Ward’s voice during an interview with Molly McGrath.

The hype man

Everyone needs someone like Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston, who is not just a great athlete but also a great hype man.

In a video shared on TikTok, Hairston can be seen congratulating every player who was drafted before he became the 30th pick for the Buffalo Bills.

Maxwell Hairston’s moment

From the joy of watching a kid get his wish granted by announcing his favorite team’s pick to Hairston carrying family memories with him in his suit, the Kentucky star’s moment was nothing short of special.

The Buffalo Bills shared a video of Hairston’s moment that showed the call, the announcement and the photos of his family that covered the inside of his suit coat.

Derrick Harmon’s dedication

After being drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 21, Oregon defensive lineman Derrick Harmon was able to tell his mother, Tiffany Saine, about his NFL future just before she died.

She suffered a stroke in 2022 that left her paralyzed on her left side. She was on life support at the time of the 2025 NFL draft, according to a post from ESPN on X.

In an Instagram post following the draft, Harmon shared photos of him with his family during the draft. His caption said, “We did it mama!!!”

ESPN also shared a video on X of Harmon talking about all his mom did for him over the years.

An emotional phone call

Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison went from tears to cheers after he received a call informing that he had been selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to a video posted by The Sporting News on X.

Emotion hung in his voice and tears in his eyes as Morrison told Buccaneers head coach, Todd Bowles, “I’m not going to let you down, man.”

After hanging up, excitement took over as he celebrated with those around him.

Jack Bech and a family celebration

After getting drafted by the Las Vegas Raiders, Jack Bech celebrated with his family, while commentators shared just how special the moment was for this family following the death of Jack’s brother, Tiger, earlier this year.

During the New Orleans terrorist attack ahead of the Sugar Bowl, Tiger Bech was killed while trying to get people out of harm’s way.

One month later, during the senior bowl, Jack wore his brother’s number and scored the game-winning touchdown, according to a post from NFL on X.

The dog cam

It wasn’t just Tyler Shough and his family who were excited about him getting drafted by the New Orleans Saints.

Shough’s golden retriever also got caught up in the excitement after the call came through.

Family ties

In the seventh round, with the 226th pick, the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Washington linebacker Carson Bruener — the son of former Steelers tight end, Mark Bruener, who was a first-round pick in 1995, according to The Athletic.

When the call came in, Carson was with his family in their Washington cabin and sitting in the exact same chair his father had sat in at the time of his draft 30 years ago, per The Athletic.

From the basketball court to the NFL draft

BYU and Baylor basketball fans will recognize the name Caleb Lohner from his time on the court. But, as the Deseret News has reported, Lohner has since transitioned to football, and after only one season as a tight end for the University of Utah, the Denver Broncos drafted him with the No. 241 pick.

Lohner’s athletic journey was unusual but Broncos head coach Sean Payton said in an interview posted on X that between his “his height, weight and his eye-hand coordination,” Lohner has “a lot of developmental upside” that they are excited about.