2025 NFL Draft Rankings: Top 5 Quarterback Prospects
The 2025 NFL Draft class features a diverse group of quarterback prospects, each with unique strengths and areas for growth. From Cam Ward’s impressive arm and athleticism to Jalen Milroe’s dynamic rushing ability, these players bring a mix of raw talent and developmental potential to the table.
1. Cam Ward, Miami
Over his three seasons in college, Ward played in 38 games between Washington State and the University of Miami. He completed 66.0% of his 1,436 pass attempts for 11,281 yards with 87 touchdowns and 23 interceptions. His highlight year came in 2024 when he threw for 4,313 yards with 39 passing touchdowns and seven interceptions. He gained an impressive 9.5 yards per pass attempt.
As a runner, Ward made more significant plays last season (3.4 YPR), but he carried the ball only 60 times for 204 yards and four touchdowns. With Washington State, his opportunity to run was much higher (227/202/13) with minimal gains per carry (0.9 yards). Sacks (46 and 38) were more of an issue with the Cougars than with the Hurricanes (22).
His college career started at the University of the Incarnate Word (Division I), where Ward made 19 starts over two seasons. His success in 2021, with a 10-3 record and completing 384 of his 590 passes for 4,648 yards, 47 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, led to his recruitment by Washington State. He gained only 67 yards rushing with three touchdowns over his 112 carries at UIW.
Ward plays with eyes up pre- and post-snap. His goal is to get the ball out quickly and take home run swings when given one-on-one coverage downfield. His arm is NFL-ready, and he has a good sense of where he wants to throw the football before taking the snap.
Pro defenses will force him to make more throws on the run going to his left, where his accuracy will regress if Ward can’t square up and set his feet. He played out of the shotgun on most plays, showcasing the ability to extend the pocket either with his feet or by breaking through some tackles.
His challenge at the next level will be a weaker offensive line and a downgrade in receiving personnel. Additionally, defensive coordinators will make him think more when reading coverages, and his passing windows will be significantly smaller in the pros.
Ward can move the chains with his feet, but he is a throw-first quarterback. The next step in his development is finishing drives with passing touchdowns in the red zone.
The Titans and Browns have the first two picks in their year’s NFL draft. I see flashes of Steve McNair in Ward’s setup and release, which points to him being the first overall selection. I expect him to start in game one of his rookie campaign. Cleveland and the New York Giants have better-receiving options than Tennessee, which would give Ward a better starting point for his pro career.
2. Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
Sanders began his college career at Jackson State, where he compiled a 23-3 record over two seasons, accumulating 6,963 passing yards with 70 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He ran the ball 188 times with nine scores on the ground, but his rushing yards (156) ranked lower than expected due to college football treating a sack as a loss for a quarterbacks rushing attempt.
The transition to Colorado and Division I football in 2023 presented a learning curve, as evidenced by a 4-7 record, 3,230 passing yards, and 27 touchdowns while minimizing the damage in interceptions (3). Last year, Sanders went 9-4 with an exceptional completion rate (74.0). He passed for 4,134 yards with 37 touchdowns (school record) and 10 interceptions. Over his two seasons with the Buffalos, he was sacked 94 times (42 in 2024) while rushing in eight touchdowns. Sanders ran the ball 211 times in 2023 and 2024, but he lost 127 yards (sacks yards lost included).
There’s no dismissing the success and stats of Sanders, but he had many highlight plays where he threw the ball in tight coverage, and his receiver made a winning play to secure the catch. WR Travis Hunter won the Heisman Trophy last season, accounting for 32.2% of his completions, 30.4% of his passing yards, and 40.5% of his passing touchdowns.
Sanders is another pocket passer who can extend plays with his legs and make first downs on the ground. His arm strength trails that of the best NFL quarterbacks. When dropping back to throw, he isn’t always ready to fire, creating some lag time in his release and potentially leading to mistakes under duress.
At the next level, Sanders won’t have the liberty to air the ball out deep downfield due to tighter coverage and a shorter passing window. He must learn to take what the defense gives him and wait for favorable one-on-one matchups on the outside.
The Browns need an upgrade at quarterback, as Deshaun Watson has proven that the luster in his game was left in Houston. I expect Sanders to get drafted second overall, giving him a reasonable starting point for success in his rookie season.
3. Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss
Over his three seasons at Mississippi, Dart improved each year, highlighted by leading the SEC in completion rate (69.3), passing yards (4,279), yards per pass attempt (10.8), and quarterback rating (180.7). He went 21-5 over the past two seasons, including two wins in bowl games.
His college career began at USC in 2021 when Drat started three of his six games. Over his four seasons in college, he passed for 11,970 yards with 81 touchdowns and 27 interceptions. Defenses sacked him 74 times (27 and 28 over the last two years). Dart was an active runner (393/1,541/14).
Dart has the tools to threaten a defense at all three levels with his arm while also being a daylight runner when a passing play breaks down. He runs with agility and finish, giving him goal-line and red-zone value in scoring. His passing rhythm tends to be on time, with a feel for looking off a deep safety.
The next step in his development is improving his passing when moving to either sideline. He must drive the ball better when under duress and learn how to deal with camping safeties in the deep passing game.
His NFL draft grade suggests that Dart will need time to develop in the NFL, potentially pushing him to a Day 2 draft pick. The Giants or Steelers seem to be his likely home.
4. Quinn Ewers, Texas
The Longhorns gave Ewers 36 starts over the past three seasons, resulting in a 27-9 record, 9,128 passing yards, 68 touchdowns, and 24 interceptions. His play improved in 2023, as evidenced by his higher completion rate (69.0%), passing yards (3,479), yards per pass attempt (8.8), and fewer interceptions (6). Last year, Ewers set career highs in completions (293), pass attempts (445), passing touchdowns (31), and interceptions (12). Defenses sacked him 69 times in his career.
Ewers was a top quarterback prospect out of high school. He missed time in 2022 and 2023 with left and right shoulder injuries. His college career began in 2021 at Ohio State, with no statistics in his only game of action. In his time at Texas, he rushed the ball 140 times with negative yards (59) due to his losses from sacks while scoring eight times.
His arm, feel and touch project well at the next level. Ewers is a rhythm passer who is comfortable incorporating backs and tight ends in his passing decisions. He throws with touch over the top of defenses while rarely relying on velocity to force balls in tight windows. Ewers can slide in the pocket to extend his passing window, but he must prove that he can read NFL defenses, along with get the ball out quickly when his offensive line fails to protect him on some blitz plays.
For an NFL team looking for a pocket passer at a discount, Ewers falls in that realm. Finishing drives in the red zone with touchdowns in the NFL may be a shortfall early in his career.
5. Jalen Milroe, Alabama
The Crimson Tide gave Milroe 26 starts over the past two seasons, and he responded with a 20-6 record. For an NFL team seeking a run-pass option at quarterback, Milroe brings a wealth of rushing production (375/1,577/33 – 4.2 yards per carry). Over the past two years, he completed 392 of his 603 passes (65.3%) for 5,678 passing yards (9.4 yards per pass attempt), 39 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions.
Milroe passed for 300 yards three times (321/1, 374/2, and 310/1) in his college career. He has five elite rush games (20/155/4, 18/107, 16/117/2, 12/185/4, and 17/104/3) on his resume, with the latter three coming in 2024. His play last season in touchdowns (5) and interceptions (10) was subpar in the SEC, suggesting Milroe needs more time to develop.
For him to have success in the NFL, the game must slow down for him, allowing Milroe to play with better vision, poise, and decision-making. He’ll torture teams with his legs while offering a winning arm in the NFL. His mechanics need improvement to enhance his passing accuracy, mainly when throwing to his left. At this point in his career, Milroe won’t be a successful passer with a short passing window or when forced to be a one-dimensional passer.
As a runner, Milroe brings plus speed to the quarterback position (sub 4.5 in the 40-yard dash with some reports in the range of 4.40). He runs with vision, patience, and quickness, allowing him to make chunk plays even when the defense expects him to carry the ball. Milroe has the tools to be a successful running back in the NFL if given the opportunity.
He isn’t ready to earn a starting job in the NFL based on his overall passing skill. Milroe had success throwing the ball deep in college, thanks to an extended passing window in some matchups and winning talent at wide receiver. At the next level, he must learn to take what the defense gives him to drive the ball on slow, methodical plays for touchdowns. Milroe lacks the eyes, timing, and accuracy to excel in the passing game in the red zone, an area that is particularly challenging to master in the NFL.
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With 20+ years of experience in the high-stakes fantasy market, I aim to research and compete at the highest level in baseball and football each season. I've contributed as a writer/analyst for Sports Draft Daily, ScoutPro, Scout Fantasy, Fulltime Fantasy, FFToolbox, and Sports Illustrated Fantasy. I'm honored to be in the National Fantasy Baseball Championship Hall of Fame. My drafting philosophy is risk-averse yet open to betting on potential game-changers. I approach player selection with a neutral perspective, acknowledging that fantasy sports are inherently unpredictable due to injuries, performance dips, and managerial decisions. My work focuses on these main areas: - Season-long fantasy baseball and football - BestBall Baseball and Football Events - Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS): DraftKings, FanDuel, and Underdog - Long Shot Player Prop Parlays for NFL I participate in various leagues and contests, including NFBC, NFFC, RTSports, FFPC, DraftKings, Underdog Fantasy, FanDuel, and FFWC, with the goal of leveraging my extensive experience and research for success in each game format. A fantasy follower can expect in-depth profiles of NFL and MLB players, along with season-long and weekly projections for each fantasy football season. In addition, I have many strategy articles to help develop fantasy players' learning curves.