Every year, NFL Draft conversation is dominated by the quarterback position, and this year is no different. There has been hype attached to a handful of prospects as the process has worn on, but which passers deserve legitimate attention? Our 2025 NFL Draft QB Rankings separate the dudes from do-not-drafts in this class.
10) 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.
9) 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.
8) Kurtis Rouke, Indiana
After transferring to Bloomington, Kurtis Rourke has become a 2025 NFL Draft prospect. In 2024, he completed 70.4% of his passes for 2,827 yards, 27 touchdowns, and four interceptions, leading FBS with a 181.4 QB rating.
Known for attacking downfield and handling pressure, Rourke’s success is aided by tailored schemes. While he lacks the arm strength and athleticism of most NFL starters, his vision, work ethic, and intelligence make him a solid long-term option at quarterback.
7) Kyle McCord, Syracuse
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.
6) Will Howard, Ohio State
Leading the Buckeyes to a National Championship is enough to put you on the NFL’s radar. Will Howard’s subtle confidence, leadership, and physical profile will have teams intrigued.
The former Kansas State quarterback is poised in the pocket, has a strong arm, and quickly goes through his reads. Howard is composed under pressure and has underrated athleticism at 6’4” and 236 pounds, but some errant throws on tape were negated by his Buckeyes’ receivers being overwhelmingly dominant.
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. 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.
4) 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.
3) Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss
- Selected by the New York Giants
- 25th overall pick
- Second quarterback taken
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 is exactly how translatable 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.
2) Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
The Sanders family has focused the eyes of the sporting world on Boulder, where Shedeur Sanders has proven he is one of the top passers in the game.
The Colorado Buffaloes quarterback potentially has the most NFL-ready skillset of all passers in the 2025 draft class. His field general aura allows him to be accurate with the football, go through reads, and get the ball out quickly. He is able to control the game with his natural feel and vision. All while playing behind one of the worst offensive lines in college football.
However, the 6’2”, 212-pound quarterback has below-average arm strength, and his deep balls tend to fade. Furthermore, Sanders doesn’t have the athletic movement to escape pressure regularly and drifts into rushers too often.
1) Cam Ward, Miami (FL)
- Selected by the Tennessee Titans
- First overall selection
- First quarterback taken
Cam Ward is the QB1 of the 2025 NFL Draft. He’s been productive for a long time, but he 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. 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.
With his ball handling and smooth distribution style, he can command the quick game, and with his playmaking propensity, he can make big-time throws in adverse situations. 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.
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