The 2025 NFL Draft quarterback class offers a blend of high-upside playmakers and polarizing talents, with several prospects generating buzz for their potential to reshape NFL offenses. Below is an overview of the top quarterbacks based on their 2024 performances, skills, and draft projections as of February 21, 2025. Note that rankings may shift as the pre-draft process—NFL Combine, pro days, and film breakdowns—unfolds.
1. Cameron Ward, Miami (FL)
- Profile: A 6’2”, 223-pound gunslinger, Ward transferred from Incarnate Word to Washington State before dominating at Miami in 2024.
- 2024 Stats: Ward threw for 4,123 yards, 36 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions on 67.1% completion, adding 196 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns.
- Strengths: Ward’s arm talent is electric—velocity, zip, and off-platform creativity evoke a young Patrick Mahomes. His deep-ball touch (20+ yard completion rate of 48.2%) and ability to improvise under pressure (12 big-time throws in 2024) stand out. He’s athletic enough to escape (4.6 40-yard dash projection) but thrives as a thrower. Maturity growth in 2024 quelled some prior concerns.
- Draft Outlook: Projected as a top-10 pick, potentially top 5, Ward’s ceiling could make him QB1 if teams prioritize upside over polish. His Pop-Tarts Bowl exit might linger, but his tape dazzles.
2. Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
- Profile: At 6’2” and 215 pounds, Sanders, son of Deion Sanders, is a polished pocket passer who elevated Colorado’s program post-Jackson State.
- 2024 Stats: Sanders completed 74.2% of his passes for 4,132 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions, with 383 rushing yards and 5 scores.
- Strengths: Sanders’ accuracy (91.5 PFF passing grade) and poise are NFL-ready—he dissects defenses with a quick release and layered throws. His pocket presence shines despite a shaky O-line, and he’s sneaky mobile (18 runs of 10+ yards). Arm strength isn’t elite but functional; think C.J. Stroud with less zip but more grit.
- Draft Outlook: A first-round lock, likely top 10, Sanders could go No. 1 overall to a team like the Giants needing a day-one starter. His consistency sets him apart.
3. Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss
- Profile: A 6’2”, 215-pound dual-threat QB, Dart thrived in Lane Kiffin’s RPO-heavy Ole Miss offense after transferring from USC.
- 2024 Stats: Dart threw for 3,875 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions (68.9% completion), plus 452 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns.
- Strengths: Dart’s a competitor—tough, decisive, and effective on the move. His arm is solid, excelling in play-action (88.7 PFF grade), and his scrambling ability (19 forced missed tackles) adds juice. He’s not a burner but grinds out yards and rarely turns it over. Comparisons lean toward Baker Mayfield with a dash of mobility.
- Draft Outlook: Likely a Day 2 pick (Rounds 2-3), Dart’s versatility could push him into the late first with a strong Combine. He’s a scheme-fit starter with a high floor.
4. Jalen Milroe, Alabama
- Profile: At 6’2” and 225 pounds, Milroe is a chiseled dual-threat specimen who evolved under Kalen DeBoer at Alabama.
- 2024 Stats: Milroe passed for 2,652 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions (62.3% completion), while rushing for 916 yards and 17 touchdowns.
- Strengths: Milroe’s athleticism is unreal—4.4 speed, power, and a rocket arm (60-yard throws on a rope). His legs terrorize defenses (29 runs of 15+ yards), and his deep passing improved in 2024 (46% completion beyond 20 yards). Still raw as a processor, he’s a Jalen Hurts clone with a higher ceiling if refined.
- Draft Outlook: Projected for Rounds 2-3, Milroe’s a developmental gem. A team like the Jets could pounce if they’re willing to coach up his pocket game.
5. Quinn Ewers, Texas
- Profile: A 6’2”, 210-pound pocket passer, Ewers boasts a cannon arm and prototypical size after starring at Texas.
- 2024 Stats: Ewers threw for 3,212 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions (64.1% completion), with negligible rushing production.
- Strengths: Ewers’ arm strength is top-tier—he can sling it 50 yards with ease and fits tight windows (9.3 average depth of target). His release is smooth, and he’s shown flashes of elite potential (e.g., 2024 Michigan game). However, he’s immobile and injury-prone (oblique, shoulder issues), drawing Derek Carr comps.
- Draft Outlook: Rounds 2-3 projection; could sneak into Day 1 with a clean bill of health and big Combine. His upside tempts, but durability is the wildcard.
Other Notable Prospects:
- Will Howard (Ohio State): A 6’4”, 237-pound transfer from Kansas State, Howard threw for 2,860 yards and 27 touchdowns in 2024. His size and sneaky mobility (421 rushing yards) shine, but inconsistent accuracy pegs him as a Day 3 (Rounds 4-5) backup.
- Dillon Gabriel (Oregon): At 6’0”, 200 pounds, Gabriel’s 3,558 yards and 28 touchdowns in 2024 reflect his experience (three schools). He’s accurate but undersized with average arm strength—Day 3 or undrafted.
- Kyle McCord (Syracuse): A 6’3”, 220-pound ex-Ohio State QB, McCord tossed 3,808 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2024. Pocket-bound with a decent arm, he’s a Day 3 flier or priority free agent.
- Riley Leonard (Notre Dame): At 6’4”, 216 pounds, Leonard’s 2,131 yards and 15 touchdowns were muted by injury in 2024. His mobility and frame intrigue, but raw passing skills suggest Rounds 4-5.
Class Overview:
The 2025 quarterback class is defined by its top-end intrigue—Ward and Sanders could headline as franchise-changers, while Dart, Milroe, and Ewers offer distinct flavors of upside. It’s not as deep as 2024’s six-first-round bonanza, but it’s stronger than some recent thin crops. Analysts see two to three first-rounders, with Day 2 loaded with developmental talent. The resurgence of mobile QBs in the NFL (e.g., Lamar Jackson, Jayden Daniels) could boost Milroe and Dart, while Ward’s arm and Sanders’ polish might buck the “weak class” narrative. Expect Combine measurables and interviews to shake up this order as teams hunt for their next signal-caller.
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