The first round of the 2025 NFL Draft is in the books, and there were some major surprises on Day 1. As Day 2 of the draft kicks off tonight at 7 p.m. ET, there are a number of notable players who are still available, including several intriguing quarterback prospects. Let’s examine the top signal-callers who are still on the board.
Who Are the Top Available QBs in the 2025 NFL Draft?
Here are the best QBs who are still available in the 2025 NFL Draft along with where they rank on PFSN’s Top 100 Big Board.
Shedeur Sanders, QB | Colorado (7th)
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. Sanders makes his money with accuracy, confidence — a product of his processing and pre-snap ID skills — 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. A potential 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, ID acuity, and gamer mentality, he can be a very good NFL starter in a system that offers support.
Jalen Milroe, QB | Alabama (35th)
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.
Tyler Shough, QB | Louisville (81st)
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. 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, and he has the physical talent and competitiveness to earn a run as an NFL starter.
Will Howard, QB | Ohio State (107th)
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.
Quinn Ewers, QB | Texas (123rd)
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.
Dillon Gabriel, QB | Oregon (149th)
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.
Riley Leonard, QB | Notre Dame (152nd)
Riley Leonard is a tough, athletic quarterback with a strong arm and above-average mobility. He’s comfortable throwing on the move and can extend plays with his legs, often making defenders miss in space. Leonard shows flashes of anticipation and touch, particularly on intermediate routes, and isn’t afraid to challenge tight windows.
His leadership and competitiveness stand out, especially in high-pressure moments. However, his mechanics can break down under duress, leading to inconsistent accuracy. He sometimes locks onto his first read and will need to speed up his post-snap processing to succeed against more complex defenses.
Kyle McCord, QB | Syracuse (164th)
Kyle McCord is a prototypical pocket passer with solid arm strength and the ability to make throws to all levels of the field. He operates best in rhythm, showing good timing and anticipation when working within structure. McCord is poised under pressure and generally makes sound decisions, rarely forcing risky throws.
His mechanics are clean, and he has the touch to layer passes over defenders. However, he lacks mobility and struggles to extend plays when the pocket collapses. His processing speed can be inconsistent against complex defenses, and he’ll need to improve his ability to work through progressions more efficiently.