The 2025 NFL Draft is just around the corner. But with the College Football Playoffs starting, it’s fair to wonder how many of these postseason quarterbacks will make their way to the pros next year.
These 2025 NFL Draft QB Rankings highlight the strength of the opening round teams with Kurtis Rourke and Riley Leonard leading the charge for their respective teams.
2025 Draft QB Rankings, 1-10
We’ve looked at these quarterbacks as college football prospects for some time now here at College Football Network. And though these Draft QB rankings will look a bit different than our college football QB rankings, one thing is for sure: We know what these quarterbacks have brought to the table during their college careers, and now we’re piecing together what they’ll take with them to the NFL eventually.
The list of top 10 2025 NFL Draft QBs is evolving, but we’re pretty certain who belongs at the top.
QBs Just Outside the Top 10
- Will Howard, Ohio State
- Kyle McCord, Syracuse
- Brady Cook, Missouri
- Riley Leonard, Notre Dame
- Cade Klubnik, Clemson
10) Will Howard, Ohio State
Debuting with the Ohio State Buckeyes to the national audience in 2024, Howard was a dominant quarterback that led an overmatched Kansas State team to a Big 12 Championship once upon a time. Howard’s arm isn’t the biggest, but when he’s on top of his game, few can dice up defenses underneath like Howard.
His knock will be lack of ability to torch defenses deep, but in an NFL system, he may not be asked to do that very often. What Howard sees as great success is playing within the structure of his offense.
Playing from behind could present trouble, but when push comes to shove, anywhere from 0-19 yards downfield, in or out breaking, Howard can push the ball accurately to each side of the field.
9) Kyle McCord, Syracuse
Elevating his platform with the Syracuse Orange — and not the Ohio State Buckeyes — Kyle McCord looked like a completely different quarterback in 2024. From the confines of the Orange offense, McCord dominated.
He had a few hiccups here and there this year, but for all intents and purposes, he outplayed the player Ohio State replaced him in Will Howard.
McCord has a strong arm and makes quick, live decisions. When his decision-making is at its best, McCord has no trouble dicing up defenses and picking them apart from all angles.
But when pressure is applied, he typically struggles with accuracy and that aforementioned decision making. Honing in his talents for another year is not a bad decision at this point.
8) Dillon Gabriel, Oregon
There’s a lot to love about Gabriel’s game. He’s got all the arm talent you’d expect from an NFL-caliber quarterback, and in the same offensive system that helped Bo Nix thrive last year, Gabriel has truly hit his stride.
That’s where the comparisons to Nix end, though. The big-armed lefty is a completely different type of quarterback. Gabriel is a progressive-read passer with excellent anticipation, excelling in dissecting defenses step by step.
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What sets Gabriel apart in the battle for this No. 10 spot is his downfield prowess. While he hasn’t consistently showcased it during his time at Oregon, his previous stops revealed just how dominant and accurate he can be on deep throws outside the numbers. Over the past five years, few quarterbacks have matched his precision in that area.
Gabriel effortlessly makes NFL-level throws, and in the right system, he has all the tools to become a reliable and effective QB in the near future.
7) Carson Beck, Georgia
Carson Beck’s game has so much to offer when he’s at his best. However, his struggles this year in Mike Bobo’s offense have left his status teetering on the edge of being tarnished.
When Beck airs it out downfield, he’s shown he can throw with precision, anticipation, and impressive power. But all too often this season, he’s faltered under both physical pressure in the pocket and the mental weight of high-pressure situations.
Under duress, Beck has crumbled, failing to execute even the simplest throws when the heat is on.
That said, when Beck is clicking, he boasts arguably the smoothest release among his peers, pairing it with sound mechanics and pinpoint accuracy. Unfortunately, that version of Beck has been a rare sight this season.
He has a chance to right those wrongs and cure those ills with a strong performance against Texas in the SEC Championship Game.
6) Quinn Ewers, Texas
Quinn Ewers commands the field with confidence and authority, though the lingering question of durability remains. He consistently displays the ability to read defenses and deliver pinpoint throws to open targets, thriving whether the pocket is clean or under pressure.
When given time, Ewers exhibits remarkable precision and arm strength, making him a dangerous threat at all levels of the field. What truly sets him apart, though, is his relentless, all-in mentality—a quality that’s sure to win over his future NFL fanbase.
Like Beck just below him here, if Ewers can show up once more in the SEC Championship Game and win the conference in his first season, it’ll true mean more for the Longhorn.
5) Jalen Milroe, Alabama
Jalen Milroe is every bit the athlete you’d expect him to be. And he has every bit of the elasticity in his arm to present the dominant strength he has.
But when push comes to shove, Milroe hasn’t shown the development we wanted to see in terms of his short-to-intermediate passing game so far in 2024. The talent is there, and he can win some NFL games as the starter, but right now, the NFL throws aren’t coming at a high enough rate to justify anything higher than a No. 5 ranking.
Milroe is arguably the most dynamic and perhaps the most athletic quarterback of the whole group. That just means he’ll ‘win’ the Combine next year but doesn’t make up for some of the issues that he presents with his accuracy and down-to-down consistency.
He has electric tools, with his legs and shear arm talent, but he’ll have to rapidly improve at the next level to retain his job with his future franchise.
4) Kurtis Rourke, Indiana
For MAC fans, Kurtis Rourke needs no introduction. And for those who witnessed his dazzling debut with the Hoosiers—welcome to the main event.
Rourke is an electrifying athlete who followed his brother Nathan to Ohio, but it didn’t take long to see that Kurtis was the more polished and pro-ready talent.
After four standout years in Athens, the younger Rourke took a bold leap, entered the transfer portal, and immediately turned heads on the national stage with Curt Cignetti and Indiana’s offense. He’s a true dual-threat with the ball in his hands, but what sets him apart is his surgical precision at every level.
When given a clean pocket, Rourke is a surgeon, dissecting defenses with ease. But he’s just as dangerous when the play breaks down, showcasing his ability to create magic on the move. His arm strength may not top the charts, but it’s more than enough to consistently deliver NFL-caliber throws.
3) Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss
Jaxson Dart commands attention with his natural leadership, his ability to elevate those around him, and his unwavering trust in his receivers. He’s a quarterback who can thread the needle against zone coverage, exploit soft spots with pinpoint accuracy, and make sharp reads even against complex defensive schemes.
What truly sets Dart apart is his knack for diagnosing man coverage. He consistently identifies favorable matchups and delivers the ball with precision, giving his receivers the edge on those critical 50-50 plays. Simply put, Dart is a game-changing playmaker.
If there’s a critique, it’s his tendency to lock onto deep targets for a bit too long, which occasionally leads to ball security issues. At the next level, those tight single-coverage throws won’t always work against NFL-caliber defenders.
To succeed, Dart will need to utilize his full repertoire—and he has the tools to do just that.
2) Cam Ward, Miami-FL
Cam Ward skyrocketed into the top 10 of NFL Draft quarterback rankings after a stellar start to the 2024 season. By the end of the regular season, no quarterback had done more to boost their stock. Ward showcased pinpoint accuracy and elite anticipation at every level of the field.
What set Ward apart from his peers was his mastery of arm angles and pocket navigation. His rare ability to create throwing lanes and turn chaos into opportunity was unmatched. Whether launching a precise strike on the move or threading the needle under heavy pressure, Ward consistently delivered.
At times, his play felt like backyard football—unpredictable and electrifying. Other times, he played with a composed, commanding presence, making even the most high-pressure moments seem routine. That blend of creativity and maturity was exactly what scouts had been waiting to see.
Turnovers had always been the biggest knock on Ward’s game, but in 2024 with Miami, he made tremendous strides in protecting the football. With his raw talent and the progress he displayed, Ward’s ceiling looked sky-high heading into the second half of the season.
1) Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
Shedeur Sanders was, without question, the premier quarterback prospect for the 2025 NFL Draft during the 2024 college football season. Colorado’s starting quarterback didn’t just elevate his team in 2024—he elevated himself, reaching a new pinnacle in his own game.
Sanders proved what he was capable of when given time—a rare luxury considering the relentless pressure he faced in 2023. Within the structure of the offense, he was brilliant. But where Sanders truly separated himself was in his ability to thrive under duress—something no quarterback over the past two years of college football did better.
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His play under pressure in 2024 stood out as some of the best quarterbacking of the year. With defenders closing in, Sanders had a knack for breaking contain, keeping his eyes downfield, and unleashing his cannon of an arm at the perfect moment to hit a streaking receiver—a masterclass in backyard football.
The trust and chemistry he built with his Colorado receivers was remarkable, and while that will be tough to replicate, it’s only a matter of time before he builds similar connections at the NFL level. Once he does, he’ll be ready to take the next step without missing a beat.
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