The quarterback class within the 2025 NFL Draft not broadly thought-about to be a powerful one. There are gamers with expertise and upside, however that is typically thought-about to be a down yr for an important place on the sphere.
On the similar time, there are numerous groups throughout the NFL which are in want of quarterbacks.
Opinions on this class are extremely divided, from what number of passers we may see drafted within the first spherical to the order they need to come off the board. However is the 2025 quarterback class really weak? Or is it a mean class that has the misfortune to return within the wake of an amazing 2024 quarterback class?
SB Nation polled a number of of its draft analysts to find out a consensus of the highest 10 quarterbacks on this yr’s class. Listed here are the outcomes.
11. Kurtis Rourke, Indiana
Rourke had a breakout season in 2024 after transferring from Ohio, finishing 69.4 % of his passes for 3,042 yards (9.5 per try), 29 touchdowns, and simply 5 interceptions. Within the course of he led Indiana to the School Soccer Playoff because the tenth seed, although they rapidly exited in a loss to Notre Dame.
Rourke has prototypical dimension at 6-foot-4, 220 kilos and is a standard pocket passer with a stable arm. That mentioned, he isn’t a dynamic athlete and takes too many sacks. He may become an NFL quarterback, however might want to convey down his concerningly excessive pressure-to-sack charge of 26.7 %.
10. Riley Leonard, Notre Dame
Leonard is an athletic and difficult quarterback who almost led Notre Dame to a nationwide championship after transferring from Duke.
He has ample dimension, however lacks nice arm energy to drive the ball down the sphere. That mentioned, he’s a really succesful runner who can choose up yardage on his personal. He solely threw for two,861 yards (21 touchdowns, 8 interceptions), however did handle to run for 906 yards and 17 touchdowns.
He could possibly be focused as a backup for an offense that includes a cellular starter and makes use of the quarterback as part of their working recreation.
9. Dillon Gabriel, Oregon
Primarily based purely on his play at Oklahoma and Oregon, Gabriel really compares properly to the highest quarterbacks in each this and the 2024 class and obtained a sixth-place vote from one among our consultants. He has an “NFL” arm, is correct, doesn’t take pointless sacks, and could be very productive.
Nevertheless, he’s additionally outdated (24), undersized (5-foot-11, 205 kilos), and left-handed, receiving a number of Eleventh-place votes in our rankings.
Gabriel would possibly wind up being a contemporary Russell Wilson, however being that far of an outlier is a tricky promote to possession early within the draft.
8. Kyle McCord, Syracuse
McCord transferred from Ohio State to Syracuse previous to the 2024 season and put up video-game numbers within the Orange’s pass-happy assault. He dropped again 592 occasions, throwing for 4,779 yards, 34 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
Regardless of the manufacturing, there are some issues that preserve him from being a high QB prospect. On tape, he tends to lock onto receivers and has simply an ample arm — his common depth of goal was simply 8.8 yards downfield. McCord could possibly be attention-grabbing to observe if his 2024 season was the primary glimpse of him “getting it” and never simply the product of weak ACC defenses.
7. Will Howard, Ohio State
Regardless of one fourth-place vote and a number of fives from our consultants, Howard is a tier beneath the highest six vote-getters.
Howard changed McCord at Ohio State after transferring from Kansas State and led the Buckeyes to the Nationwide Championship. Howard is a giant, robust quarterback at 6-foot-4, 236 kilos with a succesful arm and stable mobility.
He has a stable arm, although he must proceed to enhance his accuracy and mechanics on the subsequent stage. That mentioned, Howard’s dimension and mobility ought to enable him to select up some robust yards on his personal if obligatory.
Contemplating how properly he performed in Chip Kelly’s offense at Ohio State, the Raiders could possibly be a staff to look at for Howard in the event that they don’t choose a quarterback early.
6. Jalen Milroe, Alabama
There will be no query about Milroe’s arm expertise or athleticism. He has the strongest arm on this draft class and is a gifted deep ball thrower in addition to an unimaginable athlete. His 4.37-second 40-yard sprint backed up the wheels we noticed as he ran round (or by way of) the very best defenses within the SEC.
Nevertheless, Milroe is unquestionably a developmental prospect who’s a yr (or two) away. He has vital points along with his footwork that influence his accuracy, and also will must study to execute an NFL offense. That’s why he had such a giant unfold in our voting — Milroe was the one particular person outdoors of the highest three general to earn a third-place vote, however he additionally got here in eighth on one other poll.
5. Quinn Ewers, Texas
Ewers was thought-about one of many high quarterback recruits in his recruiting class and one of many high two or three quarterbacks on this class a yr in the past.
He had a rocky season in 2024 that noticed him take too many pointless sacks and had some asking if it was time for Arch Manning to take over. That mentioned, he does nonetheless have intriguing arm expertise with stable contact and accuracy, the flexibility to make throws off-platform, and the mobility to select up yards on his personal.
Ewers could possibly be a sleeper if he lands in the best state of affairs and was a whisker from ending fourth general in our rankings.
4. Tyler Shough, Louisville
He’s been a gentle riser over the course of the draft course of as extra folks have taken a better have a look at his 2024 tape. He’s the oldest quarterback of the bunch and can flip 26 in September, and has had a protracted and winding street to the NFL thanks to 3 damaged bones and a pair transfers.
His tape, although, reveals a big-armed and athletic quarterback who could make all of the throws. Shough was the very best participant on his staff and is without doubt one of the most gifted passers on this draft. His age could also be a barrier for some groups, however he has the abilities to begin within the NFL.
3. Jaxson Dart, Mississippi
Dart has good dimension, a stay arm, good athleticism, and is without doubt one of the greatest deep-ball throwers within the nation. Dart exploded onto the scene in 2024 as the very best quarterback within the SEC and spent a lot of the yr mirroring Jayden Daniels’ torrid tempo in 2023. He fell off towards the tip of the yr when extensive receiver Tre Harris went down with a groin damage and Dart suffered an ankle damage of his personal.
Whereas some groups reportedly have Dart as “QB2” on their boards together with one among our voters, there are additionally issues concerning Lane Kiffin’s offense and Dart’s efficiency in opposition to high opponents.
2. Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
Sanders doesn’t have prototypical bodily traits at 6-foot-1, 212 kilos and with out stand-out athleticism. He has a comparatively modest arm and took too many pointless sacks due to a bent to carry the ball.
However the staff that drafts Sanders gained’t be doing so for his arm or athleticism. As an alternative, they’ll be deciding on him for his accuracy and decision-making. Sanders may not be for each staff however he could possibly be a productive starter for the best staff and in a timing and rhythm-based offense.
1. Cameron Ward, Miami
Cam Ward is the very best quarterback on this draft and obtained each first-place vote from our consultants. He’s an athletic passer who’s labored his means into being the highest quarterback within the nation after being barely recruited out of highschool.
He has a powerful arm which permits him to entry all areas of the sphere with the elasticity to make throws off-platform and from any arm slot. He additionally has wonderful subject imaginative and prescient and creativity out of construction which makes him very troublesome to defend. He must study when to examine the ball down and never go large play searching, however Ward’s gunslinging tendencies ought to end in extra constructive performs than unfavourable.
Ward’s yards per recreation, EPA, completion proportion, and pressure-to-sack charge recommend that he the 2024 model of him would have been the second-best quarterback in final yr’s draft.
