They Might Be Giants: Underrated Quarterback Prospects to Watch at 2025 Combine

Everyone, including New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen, is probably vastly familiar with the top two quarterbacks in this year’s draft class, Cam Ward (Miami) and Shedeur Sanders (Colorado), who have decided not to throw until their respective pro days.

But as Schoen told reporters on Tuesday, this is a chance for him and the decision makers to get to know and watch some of the other prospects whose names aren’t necessarily appearing high up in many of the mock drafts that have come out.

We have heard from prospects who will get the opportunity to make a positive impression, but even better are the prospects that have not been discussed much during this time.

Every season, there is a quarterback who gets overlooked in this process, and we look back at the archives and wonder how we missed them. Who will be that guy this season?

Kyle McCord, Syracuse

McCord had a fantastic final season at Syracuse after seemingly being pushed out at Ohio State the year before. He finished the season with 4,779 yards passing and 34 passing touchdowns.

One of his best attributes is his quick release and rhythm passing. He also throws a good deep ball. He combines that with great play fakes and consistent execution when things are in rhythm, making him great with play-action.

The combine will give him the opportunity to show what type of athlete he is, which will be important in the NFL because of how athletic the defenses are. If he can show some athleticism, his arm talent will shine, and he could top draft boards.

Riley Leonard, Notre Dame

Leonard has never had a problem with athleticism. He made a name for himself at Duke for his playmaking and running abilities.

He spent his final season at Notre Dame, where he elevated the skills he exhibited at Duke to another level. He accounted for over 3,700 yards and 48 touchdowns.

His toughness has never been questioned, and his dynamic as a playmaker led the Fighting Irish to the CFP Championship.

The combine will allow him to solidify himself as one of the best athletes at the position, but evaluators will be watching him throw the football. The biggest question about his game is whether he can be a consistent passer.

Quinn Ewers, Texas

Ewers is another quarterback in this draft with Ohio State affiliation. He spent his first season with the Buckeyes before transferring to Texas. He helped elevate the program back into national championship discussions as a Longhorn.

Injuries and Manning's legacy probably made his decision to go pro much easier, but there is no doubting his two consecutive seasons of over 3,400 yards and increasing his passing touchdowns from 22 in 2023 to 31 in 2024.

His problem throughout his career has been consistency, and we will only judge that improvement in game action. At the combine, he will be able to show tremendous arm talent and mobility to operate in a hectic pocket.

We will also see how he is improving his body to help with injury prevention.

Will Howard, Ohio State

When Kyle McCord left Ohio State, Will Howard stepped in. The guy who made a name for himself over four seasons at Kansas State as a big, strong, tough playmaker with his legs reinvented himself at Ohio State and showed an ability to be a pass-centric pocket quarterback in a balanced offensive attack.

He went from 2600 yards passing in 2023 at K-State to over 4000 in his sole season with the Buckeyes.

He led the team to a CFP Championship and thrust himself into a conversation about the next tier of quarterbacks in this draft. Expect Howard to excel at the combine.

His athleticism and physical nature should be fully displayed, and his improved passing should impress every onlooker.

Kurtis Rourke, Indiana

Rourke took advantage of his sixth season of eligibility and transferred to Indiana from Ohio University. He ultimately led the Hoosiers to a double-digit win season and a spot in the expanded CFP.

Rourke proved to be a master of the RPO and really feasted on ultra-aggressive defenses or defenses who tried to sell out to stop the Hoosiers’ excellent rushing attack.

He has the prototypical size for a guy who will operate almost exclusively from the pocket. He will not need to peep through windows to assess the defense. His mastery of reading offenses allows him to stay cool under defensive pressure.

At the combine, he will want to show more consistent snaps in his release and accuracy when he needs to process quickly.

Up next is an NFL Combine glamour position: the wide receiver. There are so many different styles of receivers, but the one thing we will be looking at is speed! Giants fans will definitely be interested in seeing who could join Big Blue’s burgeoning receiver room.