As the 2025 NFL Draft approaches, the quarterback class is one of the most compelling storylines. After a cycle where Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, and others dominated the top of the board, the 2025 class is mired in obscurity.
How do the perplexing QBs of the 2025 group stack up, and what might their NFL projections be? Below, you’ll find our current top 10 QB rankings for the 2025 NFL Draft.
10) Dillon Gabriel, Oregon
There’s a reason why Dillon Gabriel ended his collegiate career with the second-most passing yards all-time in college football and a tie for the most passing touchdowns (155) alongside Case Keenum.
The 6-foot-, 200-pounder also holds the record for most total touchdowns (189) in FBS history. Gabriel finished third in Heisman Trophy voting in 2024.
Longevity is a big part of it. Gabriel was a full-time starter for the majority of a six-year stay that saw him play at UCF, Oklahoma, and Oregon. But he also had a skill set that allowed him to produce quickly and consistently, and it’s a skill set that can help him stick in the NFL, too.
With an average build and an average arm, Gabriel may never become an NFL starter. But with his creation capacity, toughness, and well-rounded operational framework, he has the profile of an ideal backup or QB3.
9) Riley Leonard, Notre Dame
After a redshirt freshman 2022 campaign that saw Riley Leonard pass for almost 3,000 yards, 20 touchdowns, and just six interceptions, he was in the first round of some way-too-early mock drafts for the 2024 NFL Draft cycle. Things can change quickly, though.
The 2023 campaign was a massive letdown for Leonard, who regressed while dealing with injuries (left toe, ankle). He transferred to Notre Dame in 2024 and enjoyed a run in the College Football Playoff, but the Fighting Irish largely won in spite of his passing abilities, relying more often on his ground game. (The fleet-footed quarterback rushed for 906 yards and scored 17 ground touchdowns).
Leonard never recaptured the magic that first drew the interest of evaluators in 2022, but there is no denying his upside. He’s athletic. He has a loose and live arm. And his competitive resolve is a strength. In the right situation, an ascension isn’t out of the question.
8) Kyle McCord, Syracuse
The Ohio State Buckeyes were happy to swap Will Howard for Kyle McCord, and they thrived with Howard at the helm. But McCord didn’t do too bad himself at Syracuse.
After an up-and-down Buckeyes’ tenure, McCord led the FBS in completions (391), attempts (592), and passing yards (4,779) in his lone season with the Orange. He became one of the nation’s best volume passers, putting himself back on the radar for the 2025 NFL Draft.
The 6’3″, 218-pound McCord offers almost nothing as an athlete or a creator, which greatly limits his projection. However, in structure, he’s an efficient processor and decision-maker with an arm that can layer velocity and touch, and drive the ball to optimal placement.
7) Quinn Ewers, Texas
From being the top-rated high school recruit to being an SEC Championship and CFB Playoff contender, Quinn Ewers had a storied college football career. He’s coming off his best season, having thrown for 3,472 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in 2024.
Yet, Ewers’ NFL projection is much more complicated than his collegiate projection was. Ewers was a solid CFB starter, but there are clear limitations for him as a prospect. He doesn’t have elite size or athleticism as a creator. His processing, mechanics, and pocket habits all remain too inconsistent.
Ewers’ saving grace is his arm talent. He has a reasonably strong arm, and he can make throws at any arm angle, from any platform. Those qualities will make him a valuable QB2 or QB3 on a depth chart, but he needs further refinement to develop beyond that.
6) Will Howard, Ohio State
Will Howard will immediately win NFL evaluators over in two ways. He stayed at Kansas State initially when he could’ve left after a tumultuous start, and resurrected his career over the 2022 and 2023 seasons. And then, with his final year of eligibility, he reached even greater heights at Ohio State.
Howard completed 73% of his passes for 4,010 yards, 35 touchdowns, and only 10 picks, while adding seven additional scores on the ground last season for the Buckeyes. He quarterbacked the National Champions, which gained credibility on the draft circuit.
At 6’4″, 236 pounds, Howard passes the eye test. He’s big. He has decent functional mobility. And his arm has juice and angle freedom. He doesn’t have any elite traits apart from his size, but he’s accurate, efficient, and a good processor. As a backup or spot-starter, he fits the bill.
5) Tyler Shough, Louisville
Tyler Shough is a seventh-year senior. He’ll turn 26 years old in September of his rookie season. And yet, he’s receiving some Day 2 buzz in the 2025 NFL Draft class. You can attribute that to the 2025 group being weaker overall, but Shough’s profile has merit.
Injuries prevented Shough from starting a full season before 2024. When he finally got the chance to settle in and find a rhythm, the results were encouraging. At Louisville, he racked up 3,195 yards, 23 touchdowns, and just six interceptions.
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Accuracy, precision, and mechanical quickness are still issues for Shough, but he’s a 93rd-percentile athlete at the QB position. He can hit the ground running as a quality backup passer, thanks to arm talent, progression prowess, and a gunslinger mentality.
4) Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss
The Lane Kiffin offense at Ole Miss is one that consistently insulates QB production, and Jaxson Dart is the latest to ascend within it. His numbers improved year-over-year in college, culminating with 4,279 passing yards and 29 touchdowns in 2024.
Now, Dart has some fringe first-round hype in the 2025 NFL Draft cycle. Looking at the physical profile, it’s easy to see why. At 6’2″, 223 pounds, he has good size, great athleticism, and toughness, plus a loose, elastic arm that can layer throws.
The big question, how translatable is his game is to the pros? There are flashes of window anticipation on film, but NFL progression work is scant, and he often drops his eyes under pressure. Starter potential is there, but he has work to do before he harnesses it.
3) Jalen Milroe, Alabama
In a 2025 NFL Draft QB class that lacks abundance, Jalen Milroe is the high-upside gamble who could steal general managers’ hearts. Milroe’s passing production was pedestrian in 2024, but his 3,570 total yards and 36 total scores (20 ground touchdowns) put a spotlight on his ultimate potential.
Top to bottom, there may not be a 2025 QB prospect with a ceiling as high. He’s an elite athlete and a dynamic running threat at 6’2″, 217 pounds, and he has a rocket launcher attached to his right shoulder. He’ll also check boxes as a leader and competitor.
Despite all this, Milroe wasn’t able to put it all together in college. His mechanics are trending up. His accuracy and operational efficiency could follow suit. Front-office executives across the league will have to decide how early they’re willing to take a top-flight talent with unproven effectiveness.
2) Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
Perhaps the most polarizing prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft class, Shedeur Sanders comes in as our QB2. There’s no disputing Sanders’ production or his pedigree. The debate comes within his projection. Just how good can Sanders be at the NFL level?
Sanders makes his money with accuracy, confidence, and composure, and his arm is more than good enough. But he’s not a high-level athlete or creator and his arm isn’t quite elite. Sanders also has a tendency to drift in the pocket, and play light on his feet, which can be harmful at times.
My pro comparison for Sanders is Brock Purdy — the 2022 seventh-rounder who grew into a Pro Bowl passer with the San Francisco 49ers. Sanders is undersized and unequipped with elite talent, but with his accuracy and gamer mentality, he can win in a system that offers support.
1) Cam Ward, Miami (FL)
Cam Ward is the QB1 of the 2025 NFL Draft, and it isn’t particularly close. On my scale, he’s the only QB prospect with a first-round grade. He’s been productive for a long time, but he leveled up and realized his full potential in his lone year at Miami.
Blue-chip QB prospects usually have the raw talent to set themselves apart. That’s where Ward earns his stripes as a “can’t-miss prospect.” He’s a deadly creative presence under center, with truly uncommon arm elasticity, weaponized by his change-of-direction, improvisational feel, and budding football IQ.
It’s tough to pin down a pro comparison for Ward, but if he can continue to hone his gunslinger predisposition for maximum efficiency and lower volatility, he could grow to be mentioned in the same breath as the game’s best creators at QB today.
