The Senior Bowl, held at the University of South Alabama on Feb. 1, is an opportunity for draft-eligible players to showcase their talents in front of numerous NFL scouts, coaches, and decision-makers.
Quarterbacks undergo arguably the most scrutiny of any position throughout the pre-draft process, making the Senior Bowl a key chance to display what separates each one from the pack.
Top QB Prospects To Watch in the 2025 Senior Bowl
The 2025 Senior Bowl features six draft-eligible quarterbacks. Each has much to gain — similar to two quarterbacks in the 2024 Senior Bowl. Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix were able to put together strong showings during the practice week that led them to be selected No. 8 and No. 12 overall, respectively, in the 2024 NFL Draft.
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We’ll rank the top five quarterbacks to watch in the 2025 Senior Bowl — not the best, but the most intriguing to keep an eye on during practice coverage throughout the week and the game on Feb. 1.
Here’s our list.
4) Riley Leonard, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Riley Leonard stands as one of the QBs with the most to gain with a good week of practice and performance in the game. It will be a quick turnaround for the former Notre Dame Fighting Irish signal-caller, who engineered a tremendous run through the College Football Playoff, culminating in a runner-up finish.
Beginning his career with the Duke Blue Devils, Leonard was briefly mentioned as a first-round candidate before transferring to Notre Dame for his final season of eligibility. As his final season has come to a close, Leonard is now regarded as a Day 3 selection between the fifth and sixth rounds.
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Standing 6’4″ and nearly 220 pounds, Leonard possesses ideal NFL size for the quarterback position. But the Fighting Irish’s coaching staff never seemed to trust his ability to open up the offense and throw the ball in an aggressive manner, instead opting for a ground-and-pound approach. Leonard was a huge factor in the run game, rushing for 906 yards and 17 touchdowns across 16 games.
The Alabama native’s intangibles are highly regarded, showcasing his admirable leadership abilities during the Fighting Irish’s playoff run. As far as on the field, it will be intriguing to see Leonard throw to an extremely talented, NFL-caliber core of wide receivers.
Leonard will have an advantage over other quarterbacks in the field, as Notre Dame ran a largely pro-style offense. Look for Leonard to try to showcase his arm in ways he couldn’t in the 2024 season.
3) Dillon Gabriel, Oregon Ducks
Playing in an Oregon Ducks offensive system designed to capitalize on his strengths in 2024, the pro-style offenses in the Senior Bowl will be an adjustment for Dillon Gabriel. He spent six seasons at college level with three different programs, so he should be able to pick it up quickly.
Gabriel’s experience and vast résumé are his main strengths. As mentioned, he played in six seasons, throwing for 155 touchdowns — tied for the most in FBS history. The lefty is a pinpoint passer, excelling in the mid- and short-range with timing and rhythm from the pocket.
He’s also an above-average athlete, with 33 rushing touchdowns in his career. He was only sacked 21 times in 2024, a testament to Gabriel’s ability to get the ball out quickly and on time while providing the escapability needed in today’s NFL.
Gabriel’s size is his biggest question mark; listed at 6’0″ — and likely to measure shorter at the NFL Combine — he seemingly had trouble at times with visibility in the pocket as plays developed. He had a penchant for his passes getting batted down, something that may be inevitable due to his shorter stature.
If he can display the ability to complete deep passes over the middle of the field in the Senior Bowl, Gabriel’s current draft stock of a midround prospect would likely improve.
2) Jalen Milroe, Alabama Crimson Tide
Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer crafted the Crimson Tide offensive system around the strengths of Milroe: deep shots down the field and quarterback runs.
Unfortunately for Milroe, the change in offensive systems from his junior to senior seasons seemed to prevent the expected year-to-year improvement. In fact, he threw seven fewer touchdowns and five more interceptions in 2024.
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Despite that, his athleticism was on full display. Milroe ran for 726 yards and had a particular nose for the end zone, scoring 20 touchdowns.
He did have struggles reading the defense at times, highlighted by a matchup against Wink Martindale’s NFL-style defense in the ReliaQuest Bowl. Showing a variety of exotic coverages, the Michigan Wolverines defensive coordinator seemed to have Milroe’s head spinning for a majority of the game. He’ll face similar style of defenses in the Senior Bowl.
Milroe projects as a high-ceiling, low-floor starter in the NFL. His explosive playmaking ability may be enough for a team to select him earlier than his true value. But with struggles in the Senior Bowl, Milroe is a candidate as someone with potentially more to lose than gain.
1) Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss Rebels
Dart’s ability to learn and excel in the pro-style system installed before the game will be something to monitor. Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin’s offense regularly schemes receivers open, with little checks at the line — in effect, simplifying the game for the quarterback.
Dart possesses solid size at the position, a legit 6’2″, 225 pounds. He has a lively arm with the ability to change his arm slot when needed. With only 11 INTs in the last two seasons, Dart takes good care of the ball while displaying a nearly 70% completion rate.
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He’s also a solid athlete, showcasing his capacity for escaping the pocket and running away from SEC rushers. Comfortable throwing on the run, Dart had multiple highlight-reel plays outside of the pocket in 2024. He’s an opportunistic rusher with almost 500 yards on the ground during his senior season.
The opportunity for Dart to show off his arm strength in front of the eyeballs of NFL scouts and coaching staffs will likely help his stock. Currently projected as a midround pick, reports have already suggested his stock could skyrocket during all-star games, NFL Combine, and team interviews — the Senior Bowl is the first step on that path for Dart.
n/a) Will Howard, Ohio State Buckeyes
Fresh off a national championship victory, Howard was set to get right back to work in proving himself to be a sure-fire Day 2 pick come April. However, it appears that the rigors of the playoffs put too much on Howard, and he’ll sit out the Senior Bowl.
The entire football world just saw Howard throw for 1,150 yards and eight TDs vs. only two INTs across four College Football Playoff games against some of the country’s top defenses. He was also named the national championship Offensive MVP after completing 14 of his first 15 passes.
Howard seemed to improve his play and draft stock in front of the nation’s eyes. His leadership and the way the team rallied around their quarterback are traits every team looks for in a quarterback.
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Each week, Howard seemed to read the defense better; against the Texas Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl, he completed passes to seven different receivers after top wideout Jeremiah Smith was shut down.
His size, standing 6’4″ and 235 pounds, is a definite plus. He doesn’t have the biggest arm, but was a good decision-maker, spreading the ball around to his numerous playmakers. Athleticism isn’t a huge strength for Howard, but he showed the ability to get the job done when needed.
While learning a new offense and being surrounded by an entirely new cast of skill players would have been interesting to see, Howard’s place on the Senior Bowl roster was intriguing enough, given the fan reaction. We’ll see if his action in the playoffs bolstered his draft stock eventually.
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