As the 2025 NFL season approaches, the spotlight shines brightly on this new wave of young quarterbacks poised to define the league’s future. Last year’s rookie class was one of the most anticipated in recent memory, and the top prospects had mixed results during their respective first seasons. Some players rewrote the record books, while others saw their campaign end before it got started.
Few positions in sports demand as much from rising stars as an NFL quarterback, where every throw is dissected and every decision amplified. Which players will make a leap in Year 2?
Using 2024 performance, 2025 outlook, and overall talent and upside, we ranked the top second-year quarterbacks for the upcoming season.
6) J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
J.J. McCarthy enters the 2025 NFL season as a wild card; the Minnesota Vikings took him with the 10th overall pick in last year’s draft, but he’s yet to take a regular-season snap. The former Michigan Wolverine missed his entire rookie season after suffering a torn meniscus in the preseason.
Coming off a significant knee injury isn’t an easy task, but his college pedigree offers some insight into his potential at the NFL level. Over his three-year career, he threw 49 touchdowns to 11 interceptions and went 27-1 as a starter, per Sports-Reference. His impressive career culminated in a national championship.
McCarthy’s only NFL action to date came in the 2024 preseason, where he impressed by completing 11 of 17 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns, posting a 116.8 passer rating and averaging 11.1 yards per attempt. He also added 18 rushing yards on two carries, hinting at an ability to make plays with his legs as well.
McCarthy is set to benefit from one of the best offensive infrastructures among second-year quarterbacks. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has a strong reputation for developing quarterbacks and maximizing their strengths, which helped Sam Darnold revive his career in 2024.
He also has a strong supporting cast, with a formidable offensive line and plenty of weapons, including Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson. That foundation should help ease his transition and provide a high floor for production.
5) Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons
There’s still so much mystery surrounding Michael Penix Jr. due to the small sample size during his rookie season. Penix began 2024 as a backup to Kirk Cousins, only taking over as the starter late in the season.
In five games (three starts), the Washington product threw for 775 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions, with a 58.1% completion rate and a 78.9 passer rating, per Pro-Football-Reference. Those numbers are unspectacular, but he was a rookie thrust into meaningful action late in the year.
Penix’s best outing came in Week 18, when he threw for 312 yards and two touchdowns, adding another score on the ground. He didn’t qualify for a season-long QB+ grade (min. 200 pass attempts), but his performance in the season finale offers some optimism heading into his first season as the Atlanta Falcons’ full-time starter.
Just a reminder that Drake London had:
39 Targets
352 Receiving Yards
2 Touchdownsduring his 3 games played with Michael Penix Jr. last season.
Astronomical upside 🚀 pic.twitter.com/TQTAfGI1Zd
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) June 17, 2025
Coming out of college, Penix was well-regarded for his deep-ball throwing ability. In his small sample, 19.7% of his completions last season were for 20 or more yards, according to TruMedia. However, his consistency, accuracy under pressure, and ability to sustain high-level play remain open questions.
Time will tell if Penix is the quarterback of the future for Atlanta, but he’ll have every opportunity to prove himself. He also has a legitimate group of weapons at the skill positions, including Bijan Robinson, Drake London, Darnell Mooney, and Kyle Pitts, and a capable play-caller in Zac Robinson. We should have a clearer picture of Penix’s future after the 2025 season.
4) Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Despite Jacoby Brissett being the New England Patriots’ Week 1 starter, Drake Maye started 13 games in 2024, throwing for 2,276 yards (24th among NFL quarterbacks), 15 touchdowns (23rd), and 10 interceptions with a passer rating of 88.1. While Maye isn’t an elite dual-threat quarterback, he proved to be able to make plays with his legs when needed. He rushed for 421 yards and two touchdowns on 54 carries.
Maye finished inside the top 20 in PFSN’s QB+ metric, and his advanced numbers were impressive, considering the Patriots’ offensive line ranked last in our OL+ metric. Maye ranked 22nd in EPA per dropback (0.01), 21st from a clean pocket (0.2 EPA/DB), and 18th when pressured (-0.30 EPA/DB).
His numbers on third downs (34.3%; 27th) and in net yards per pass attempt (6.1; 31st) leave much to be desired, but they can be excused given the situation.
New England’s offense was among the league’s worst, with a poor receiving corps, a struggling offensive line, and a lackluster running game. This environment made it difficult for Maye to consistently showcase his big arm and playmaking ability.
Heading into 2025, the Patriots have made several key moves to support Maye. They acquired Stefon Diggs as their WR1, drafted promising rookie receiver Kyle Williams, and added running back TreVeyon Henderson to bolster the rushing attack.
The offensive line and coaching staff have also been upgraded, with new offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels expected to increase the aggressiveness of the passing game. After putting up respectable numbers in Year 1, Maye has the opportunity to solidify himself as the franchise cornerstone in his second season.
3) Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
Caleb Williams’ rookie campaign with the Chicago Bears was marked by inconsistency. He finished the 2024 season with 3,541 passing yards (17th among NFL quarterbacks), 20 touchdowns (tied for 15th), and six interceptions, with an 87.8 passer rating.
Williams ranked 33rd in QB+ last season, putting him squarely inside the bottom 10 in the metric on the year. His advanced numbers weren’t very good, as he finished with a -0.05 EPA per dropback (31st), a 30.5% third-down conversion rate (36th), and 5.5 net yards per pass attempt (37th). He was better in relative terms from a clean pocket, ranking 24th (0.18 EPA/DB) than when pressured (32nd, -0.48 EPA/DB).
Williams faced considerable adversity as a rookie. He took 68 sacks and navigated a midseason coaching upheaval, with the Bears firing both their head coach and offensive coordinator. The offensive line’s performance was up and down, but mostly underwhelming, with a 10.7% sack rate (last in the NFL) and a 35.4% pressure rate (18th).
Despite these challenges, Williams set franchise rookie records for completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns.
Williams enters the 2025 season with plenty of untapped potential. His rookie year was defined by flashes of brilliance and severe growing pains, but he should have better support around him this time around. Chicago brought in former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as head coach, and he’s one of the brightest offensive minds in the game.
The front office upgraded the offensive line, adding potentially four new starters this offseason. With an explosive group of weapons, led by DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, and Colston Loveland, Johnson has the tools to take Williams’ game to the next level. The former No. 1 overall pick is set up to outperform his rookie numbers if he can capitalize on the improved environment around him.
2) Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
Bo Nix may not have been the flashiest quarterback heading into the 2024 NFL Draft, but he was undeniably one of the most productive on the field during his rookie campaign. His 3,775 passing yards ranked 12th in the NFL, and his 29 touchdown passes were the sixth-most, trailing only Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, Baker Mayfield, Jared Goff, and Sam Darnold.
Nix paired solid passing production with a quietly effective 430 rushing yards, which helped elevate a suspect ground game and the Denver Broncos’ entire offense, a unit that lacked elite weapons.
Shoutout to Bo Nix
▪️ second most Pass TD for rookie in NFL history (29)
▪️ most Pass yards among rookies this season (3,775)
▪️ snapped Broncos 8-year playoff droughtFuture is bright in Denver pic.twitter.com/DzewlOALyW
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) January 12, 2025
While Nix exceeded expectations, his advanced numbers suggest he has plenty of work to do to take another leap in 2025. He finished the year 20th in EPA per dropback (0.03), 18th in third-down conversion rate (38.7%), and 26th in net yards per pass attempt (6.3). He also ranked outside the top 20 in both EPA/DB from a clean pocket (0.19) and when pressured (-0.36).
Nix’s production, efficiency, and reliability stand out when looking back at his 2024 season. As one of just two guys in this group with a playoff start under his belt, the Broncos signal-caller gained valuable experience that gives him momentum heading into the new season.
An improved arsenal of weapons that now features Courtland Sutton, Evan Engram, Marvin Mims Jr., J.K. Dobbins, and RJ Harvey should bode well for Nix’s chances to take the next step in his development.
1) Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
After winning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors last season, Jayden Daniels enters the 2025 season as the NFL’s best second-year quarterback, and it’s not particularly close. His rookie campaign with the Washington Commanders was historic and set the tone for the franchise’s upward trajectory. Daniels wasn’t just one of the best rookie quarterbacks in 2024. He was one of the best in the NFL, period.
Daniels passed the eye test and had the stats to back it up as well. The Heisman Trophy winner threw for 3,568 yards and 25 touchdowns, showing the ability to command a high-volume passing offense with 480 attempts and over 600 dropbacks, both inside the top 15 in the league. Daniels was also a dual threat, leading all quarterbacks with 891 rushing yards on 148 carries, breaking the rookie QB rushing record.
Daniels ranked ninth in PFSN’s QB+ metric. He finished eighth in the NFL in EPA per dropback (0.15), ninth from a clean pocket (0.30 EPA/DB), and sixth when under pressure (-0.11 EPA/DB). Daniels’ importance to this team is emphasized by the fact that his lowest grades last year all came in losses, while the 12 wins came in the 13 games where he finished with a QB+ score above 75.
When Daniels played well, the Commanders won more often than not. When he struggled, they struggled. That also helps make the case for why he was a fringe MVP candidate at times in 2024. Entering 2025, Daniels is in a great position to build on his impressive rookie campaign. The Commanders upgraded their offensive line, added depth at skill positions, and are committed to tailoring the offense around his strengths.
Daniels already has the poise of a veteran, and if he continues on this trajectory, he could find himself in the MVP conversation in 2025.