GREEN BAY, Wis. >> Cam Ward went from zero-star recruit to No. 1 pick in the NFL draft. Travis Hunter cost Jacksonville a premium. Jaxson Dart was selected before Shedeur Sanders.

While Ward, Hunter and Abdul Carter went 1-2-3 as expected, Sanders wasn’t picked at all in the first round.

Sanders was passed over by every team that had a need for a potential franchise quarterback, even though some draft analysts had him rated higher than Ward. The New York Giants had two opportunities to take Sanders — who starred at Colorado under his father, coach Deion Sanders — and went with Penn State edge rusher Carter with the No. 3 pick, bolstering an already strong pass rush.

The Giants then moved back into the first round and selected Dart at No. 25, hoping he could end up providing what another Mississippi quarterback — Eli Manning — did for the franchise.

After the Tennessee Titans selected Ward first overall, the Jaguars moved up from No. 5 to select the Heisman Trophy winner with the second pick.

Hunter, a playmaking wide receiver and cornerback at Colorado, wants to become the first full-time, two-way player in the NFL since Chuck Bednarik did it with the Philadelphia Eagles more than 60 years ago.

The Jaguars gave the Cleveland Browns a ton to give Hunter that opportunity.

“I’m super excited to go home,” said Hunter, whose hometown is Boynton Beach, Florida. “It means a lot that they gave up so much. It means they believe in me.”

The New England Patriots took LSU left tackle Will Campbell with the fourth pick, giving quarterback Drake Maye more protection.

Campbell broke down in tears on stage, saying: “I’m gonna fight and die to protect him.”

Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham went fifth to Cleveland. Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty was picked at No. 6 by the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Titans explored their options with the first pick before it became clear a few weeks ago that Ward would be their man.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced Ward’s name to kick off the draft, which for the first time was held next to historic Lambeau Field. The NFL’s smallest market is hosting the league’s biggest offseason event as thousands of fans from across the country traveled to Titletown for the festivities.

As usual, fans booed Goodell when he opened the extravaganza.

Titans fans cheered inside the draft theater after hearing Ward’s name called. An overlooked high school player out of Texas, Ward began his college career at Incarnate Word, an FCS school in San Antonio. He played two seasons at Washington State after transferring there in 2022 and then set school records in his only season at Miami, finishing fourth in Heisman Trophy voting.

“Everything that I went through, not a lot of people went through the process from high school to this point can make it to this level and continue to have the same work ethic since day one, but I had God by my side and if you have that, the rest takes care of itself,” Ward said.

The Browns got Jacksonville’s first-round pick (No. 5), picks Nos. 36 and 126, and a first-rounder in 2026 to trade down and clear the way for the Jaguars to pick Hunter. The Jags also received fourth- and sixth-round picks in this draft.

Hunter wore a neon pink blazer and flashed a big smile after Jacksonville selected him, even though he hadn’t spoken to the team since the scouting combine. He caught 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns while making 35 tackles, breaking up 11 passes and picking off four.

The Packers made their rowdy fans happy, taking Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden with the 23rd pick. Golden became the first wideout selected by Green Bay in the first round since Javon Walker in 2002.