Good Article On 2025 QB Prospects

[Philosophers]

I thought it gives a very balanced strengths and weaknesses of each with great nuances.  We all know we need a QB.  This will get those unfamiliar up to speed quickly.


https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2025/insider/story/_/id/41736211/ranking-top-2025-nfl-draft-quarterbacks-hot-board-team-fits

[Ed Vette]

Paywall.

[Philosophers]

Ed

Paywall.

Ed - it's a free article off ESPN.  It opens when you click on the link.

[T200]

Ed
Ed - it's a free article off ESPN.  It opens when you click on the link.

It's not free. You have to have an ESPN+ premium account.

[MrGap92]

Yep, I do not have access either says I need ESPN+

[Philosophers]

Yep, I do not have access either says I need ESPN+

Sorry guys.  I never opened one unless playing fantasy on ESPN automatically gave me one.

[Philosophers]

Copy and pasted the article:

We're nearing the end of the college football regular season, which means the 2025 NFL draft is right around the corner. Round 1 is April 24 on ESPN and the ESPN app. Does your favorite team need a quarterback next season? It might have to pick high in Round 1 to get a potential starter.

There were six passers taken in the first round this past April, including the top three picks. That's not likely to happen in 2025, as the class isn't loaded at the top. While there are a few intriguing passers, there's no leaguewide consensus on who is the clear-cut top prospect.

How do the quarterbacks in the 2025 class stack up right now? It's time to update my 2025 QB Hot Board, where I rank every passer who has a chance to get drafted. I'm going 12 deep, with two likely first-rounders as of now. I'll go through the strengths and weaknesses of all 12, along with updates on each quarterback's current draft stock. Remember: Several of these guys are underclassmen, so they could choose to return for another season in college, which could further shake up the board.

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Day 2 picks | Day 3 picks
Undrafted free agents

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1. Cam Ward, Miami

Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 223 pounds
Class: Senior | Projected range: Round 1

Where he excels: Nearly every year of the past half-decade, there has been a transfer QB who makes a significant leap in his development with his new school and rises up draft boards. The recent examples are Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels, who turned big seasons at LSU into earning top-two selections. Ward, who has moved from Incarnate Word to Washington State to Miami over five seasons, is that candidate in the 2025 class.

He has thrown for 3,774 yards and an FBS-high 34 touchdown passes with seven interceptions through 11 games this season. He is an electrifying playmaker who has ignited the Miami program, leading the Hurricanes to a 10-1 record. He can throw from multiple arm slots and generate velocity with ease no matter the positioning of his body, like a shortstop maneuvering the infield. His 87.2 Total QBR ranks first in the country, and his 26 completions of 20-plus air yards are tied for third.

What has been most impressive is Ward's poise and calm demeanor. He has been at his best in the biggest moments of the season, especially in fourth quarters. His 94.2 QBR in the fourth quarter ranks third in the country, and he has orchestrated comeback wins against Virginia Tech and Cal, which included 238 fourth-quarter passing yards against the Golden Bears.

Where he needs work: What hurt Ward during his two seasons at Washington State (2022, 2023) were the moments in which he simply tried to do too much.

"He has times where he has to scratch his itch for reckless plays, and it leaves you asking, 'What the heck was he thinking there?'" an AFC area scout said. "I like him and don't know if that can be coached out of him."

Ward is a work in progress in controlling careless plays and head-scratching decisions outside of structure that lead to turnovers. He still has moments in which he goes for a highlight-reel play, with his pick-six against Cal being a prime example. He also had spurts of inaccuracy against Georgia Tech, helping contribute to Miami's only loss of the season.

Scouts also want to see Ward improve in getting the ball out quicker. His 2.91-second average time before pass ranks 100th in the FBS. He has a habit of looking off open options in the short-to-intermediate areas of progressions to search for explosive plays.


2. Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 215 pounds
Class: Senior | Projected range: Round 1

Where he excels: When protected in the pocket, Sanders' rhythm, calm demeanor in the pocket and accuracy are among the best in the country. In the short and underneath areas, he shows great ball location. He has 3,488 passing yards, 30 touchdowns and seven interceptions this season. Despite facing pressure on 39.6% of his dropbacks (21st highest in the FBS), he ranks third in completion percentage (73.4%). His poise and ball placement have improved throughout the season. Sanders' 7% off-target rate is the third-lowest mark in the FBS, as he allows his receivers to easily get yards after the catch.

"He's been the best of the bunch to me, and I've been impressed by his growth this year," an assistant GM from an NFC team said. "The on-field demeanor has been contagious so far, and the results have shown on that team this year."

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The Buffaloes are 8-3 and in the mix to get to the Big 12 title game. Sanders' 11 go-ahead touchdown passes are tied for the most in the country. As the moments heighten, his heartbeat remains the same. And it's that unwavering confidence that most excites scouts.

Where he needs work: The consensus from evaluators is Sanders must get the ball out quicker. He averages 2.88 seconds before throwing this season, which is tied for 94th in the FBS. And while plenty of blame can be put on his inconsistent protection, he needs to trust his expiring internal clock and distribute. He tends to drift backward or search for escape lanes out the side of the pocket.

Sanders also needs to cut down on taking avoidable sacks and compounding mistakes; his 6.7% sack-per-dropback rate is tied for the 35th highest in the country, and the 32 sacks he has taken are tied for fourth most in the FBS. Under offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, the passing attack has evolved into more of an underneath scheme, as Sanders is averaging only 7.3 air yards per attempt (109th in the FBS).


3. Jalen Milroe, Alabama

Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 225 pounds
Class: Junior | Projected range: Early-to-mid Day 2

Where he excels: Since a disappointing two-interception performance against Texas last season that resulted in his benching, Milroe hasn't looked back, developing into the best dual-threat QB in the country. Through 11 games this season, he has thrown for 2.396 yards with 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He has added 615 yards and another 17 scores on the ground. His 80.6 Total QBR ranks 10th in the country.

Milroe has a powerful arm and is a tremendously competitive runner. He has also shown more patience from the pocket this season, slowing down his internal clock and not scrambling as soon as pressure hits. He's finding open targets and playing within Alabama's system and could excel in an NFL offense that uses his running skills. I was in attendance for Milroe's performance against LSU, when he finished with 109 passing yards and 185 rushing yards with four touchdowns in a blowout victory.

"He's been doubted every year, and he constantly keeps proving the doubters wrong," said a director of college scouting from a QB-needy team. "You're going to have to go all-in on his skill set and build a scheme that just overwhelms. [It'd have to be a team] like Baltimore, but there's a pathway to success for him on the next level."

Where he needs work: The biggest remaining question about Milroe is whether he can marry his footwork to his release timing on underneath throws. While his deep passing is a strength and his accuracy on intermediate throws has improved, he still takes too long to get the ball out on throws in which he's asked to make pre-snap reads and execute.

After a strong start to the season, Milroe has slumped at times, with erratic performances against Tennessee and South Carolina before a disastrous performance against Oklahoma on Saturday. Milroe threw three interceptions against the Sooners, and it was only his second career start in which he wasn't responsible for a score. His struggles with diagnosing defenses and attacking underneath coverage was evident, as two of his three turnovers were on throws of 5 yards or fewer downfield.

Milroe's 2.84-second time to throw ranks 91st in the country, as Alabama's offense consists primarily of deeper throws downfield. Another area in which he has struggled is on throws against man coverage, with a 44.4 QBR that ranks 97th.


4. Carson Beck, Georgia

Height: 6-foot-4 | Weight: 220 pounds
Class: Senior | Projected range: Early-to-mid Day 2

Where he excels: Entering the season, Beck was one of the candidates in contention to be the No. 1 pick in 2025, and while he has put up 3,132 passing yards with 23 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, his season hasn't gone the way many scouts hoped.

With a by-the-book playing style, Beck hardly takes a detour from how plays are designed, sticking to structure. His footwork and eyes sync up to progressions, as his game centers on decisiveness and quick decision-making. Beck is a true distributor who thrives when playing on time and in rhythm, taking what defenses give him.

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1:11
Carson Beck's 4 first-half TDs power Georgia to winCarson Beck shines in the first half, throwing four touchdowns in Georgia's blowout win over UMass.
Where he needs work: What happens when Beck faces pressure and is forced out of structure? It hasn't been great this season; he has a 14.6 QBR when pressured, which ranks 75th in the country. Scouts want to see him improve when moved off his spots. Beck has also been wildly inconsistent. His 12 picks are tied for the second most in the FBS, and his 3.1% interception rate is tied for 35th.

"He's the type of passer that will always need top-tier protection and multiple weapons," an assistant GM for an AFC team said. "Look at how different that offense looks without [Brock] Bowers and [Ladd] McConkey. Uplifting lower-level talent will always be a challenge for him, and that worries me about taking him early, especially if he goes to a bad team."

After a rough first-half performance against Alabama in Week 5, Beck battled back and showed moxie, throwing for 439 yards with three touchdowns and three picks as the Bulldogs made a spirited second-half comeback before losing. He pieced together a stellar game against Tennessee in Week 12, finishing 25-of-40 for 347 yards and two touchdowns. Out of all the QBs in the 2025 class, opinions are most split on Beck, who has only a slightly above-average arm.

Beck received Day 2 grades from NFL execs over the summer, and he was my top-ranked passer entering the season. When polling scouts, the common comp I heard for Beck was Jared Goff, who went No. 1 in 2016. But Beck's inconsistency in his on-schedule play, accuracy and decisiveness make it unlikely that he'll be the top QB in the 2025 class.


5. Drew Allar, Penn State

Height: 6-foot-5 | Weight: 238 pounds
Class: Junior | Projected range: Early-to-mid Day 2

Where he excels: Allar is a well-built pocket passer with the arm strength to fit throws into every window. He has 2,497 passing yards with 17 touchdowns and five interceptions this season, and his 82.3 Total QBR ranks eighth in the FBS. His growth under new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki is notable, as he has completed 72.2% of his passes this season, a marked improvement from 2023 (59.9%).

"The word 'potential' gets a lot of GMs in trouble because of false hope, but in a down class of QBs, why not take a chance on him?" a director of college scouting from an AFC team said. "I don't know if he actually comes out, but I think he's the one that could rise throughout the process because of the gifts."

Allar has the size, arm strength and intangibles quarterback-needy NFL teams covet. He might not enter the 2025 draft, however, as he's only 20 years old. His physical traits are impossible to ignore, but there's plenty of room for continued growth in his accuracy.

Where he needs work: Allar arguably has the strongest arm of any passer in the 2025 class, but scouts want to see him become better at choosing the speed to use on his passes. He sometimes struggles with touch and throws too hard on short targets. He also needs to speed up his internal clock, as his 2.79-second average time before throws ranks 78th.

Allar also didn't impress in Penn State's biggest test this season, finishing 12-of-20 for 146 yards and an interception in a Week 10 loss to Ohio State. That renewed questions scouts had about Allar before the season. With Penn State on track to play in the College Football Playoff, he will have another chance to prove he can perform in a high-pressure setting.


6. Quinn Ewers, Texas

Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 210 pounds
Class: Senior | Projected range: Mid-to-late Day 2

Where he excels: Ewers missed two games early in the season due to an abdominal strain before returning against Oklahoma in Week 7, throwing for 199 yards with a touchdown and an interception in a 34-3 win. He has started nine games this season, throwing for 2,089 yards with 23 touchdowns and six interceptions. His adjusted completion percentage of 71.2% ranks 33rd in the nation.



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Ewers could have entered the 2024 draft and been a mid-to-late Day 2 pick, but he returned to school for another year of development under coach Steve Sarkisian. He has been a point guard of sorts this season, distributing the ball to the wealth of playmakers in Texas' offense.

He has also had to deal with adversity beyond the abdominal injury. He was benched in the first half of Texas' Week 8 loss to Georgia for redshirt freshman Arch Manning, but he returned after halftime to throw two touchdown passes.

"He's tough as nails mentally because of all of the background noise is impossible to ignore," an AFC area scout mentioned. "Despite all of that, he's dealt with getting benched and returned as the starter in the same game, which says a lot about his toughness."

Where he needs work: The Texas offense has mostly shifted away from deep passes, going for more of a quick passing attack. Ewers throws a higher percentage of passes at or behind the line of scrimmage (37.4%) than all but one of 129 qualified passers, and his 6.26 yards per attempt ranks 127th. Texas' downfield passing game has been mostly nonexistent this season, depriving scouts the opportunity to see whether Ewers' downfield touch and accuracy has improved.

Scouts have also flagged Ewers' tendency to panic when under duress. His 8.0 QBR when facing pressure ranks 103rd in the country, as he hasn't shown the pocket awareness and suddenness to consistently escape when the pocket is collapsing. Durability is also another area NFL evaluators question; he has missed seven games because of injuries over the past three seasons.


7. Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss

Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 225 pounds
Class: Senior | Projected range: Late Day 2, early Day 3

Where he excels: Dart began his college career at USC in 2021 before transferring to Ole Miss, where he has started the past three seasons in Lane Kiffin's up-tempo offense. He has thrown for 3,732 yards, 24 touchdowns and six interceptions this season, and his completion percentage is 69.3%, the fourth straight season he has improved in this area.

Dart is an explosive thrower with the arm strength to attack all parts of the field and can stretch the ball vertically; his 11.4 yards per attempt ranks third in the FBS. He also can get the ball out quickly with perimeter passes. He also shows touch with his arm strength; his 80.5% catchable ball rate ranks 12th.

Where he needs work: Scouts have concerns about how much Kiffin's offense prepares quarterbacks for the NFL. Kiffin knows how to scheme receivers open, as 34.8% of Dart's passes this season have been labeled as wide-open attempts (seventh in the FBS).

"Passers in that offense are always hard to project because everything's so open," said an area scout for an NFC team. "I think he has a nice arm, but there's hardly any progressions and Lane's scheming guys open so well, so he's one of those guys you'd want to see at an all-star game to see if he's capable of running a pro offense."


8. Kurtis Rourke, Indiana

Height: 6-foot-5 | Weight: 223 pounds
Class: Redshirt senior | Projected range: Mid-to-late Day 3

Where he excels: Rourke has quietly created interest in NFL circles, as he racked up 7,651 passing yards and 61 total touchdowns (50 passing, 11 rushing) in five seasons at Ohio before transferring to Indiana. He has 2,478 passing yards, 21 touchdowns and four interceptions in 10 starts this season for the 10-1 Hoosiers. His 75.8% adjusted completion percentage ranks seventh in the FBS, and multiple NFL decision-makers I've spoken to have taken note of his play.

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Kurtis Rourke drops a dime while being hit for an Indiana TDIndiana goes up 14-3 as Kurtis Rourke gets the pass off while being hit and it travels 36 yards to Elijah Sarratt for a touchdown.
"Maybe I'm crazy, but why aren't more people talking about this guy?!" a scouting director for an AFC team said. "He's had nothing but success on two levels, and there hasn't been any drop-off since he moved up."

Where he needs work: Rourke needs to be more efficient through his progressions. There are times when he gets stuck on the first or second read instead of eliminating them quickly based on pre- and post-snap structures. Hanging on to those routes with the hope they come open has resulted in him missing other open options or being forced to escape avoidable pressure.


9. Dillon Gabriel, Oregon

Height: 6-foot | Weight: 200 pounds
Class: Senior | Projected range: Mid-to-late Day 3

Where he excels: Gabriel is one of the most productive quarterbacks in college football history, as the left-handed passer has thrown for 17,931 yards with 147 touchdowns over six college seasons, including stints at UCF (2019-2021) and Oklahoma (2022-2023) before he transferred to Oregon.

His completion percentage has increased each season of his career, and his 73.8% in 2024 ranks second in the FBS. Gabriel is at his best when he can attack underneath voids in defenses, and that helps him take advantage of space in shallow areas while mixing in occasional deep shots. He's a poised and precise decision-maker who makes high-level pre-snap reads.

Where he needs work: Gabriel has below-average arm strength and throws a lot of perimeter screens and short routes intended to generate yards after the catch. He averaged only 6.5 air yards per attempt, which ranks 124th out of 129 qualified passers. These short passes are often to open receivers, as Gabriel has thrown 39.6% of his passes to wide-open receivers, the second highest rate in the country.



10. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU

Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 200 pounds
Class: Junior | Projected range: Mid-to-late Day 3

Where he excels: Nussmeier's first season as a starter has been a roller coaster, as he has thrown for 3,458 yards with 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He is an anticipatory thrower who trusts his targets to get to their route depth on concepts and isn't hesitant to throw it to those spots.

"He's the son of a football coach, high football IQ, good arm, but he's tough as nails," an area scout for an AFC team said. "He made some bad decisions and had turnovers in some games, but he kept battling and battling until they won the game at the end."

Nussmeier, whose father, Doug, is the quarterbacks coach for the Eagles, doesn't take many sacks. He has been sacked only 14 times all season and his sack-per-dropback rate (2.9%) ranks 14th in the FBS. He ranks 14th in QBR (78.2), and he's always aware of his options in progressions.

Where he needs work: While Nussmeier has been accurate in the short and intermediate areas, he still struggles with deeper throws. His 21.6 QBR when throwing to targets running vertically ranks 117th in the FBS. He has averaged 8.6 air yards per attempt (ranked 60th), as LSU's downfield passing has noticeably been absent this season.

After starting the season strong, Nussmeier had opportunities to impress scouts in marquee matchups against Texas A&M and Alabama. He completed only 57% of his passes in those games while throwing five interceptions. He is likely to return to school in 2025 in hopes of boosting his draft stock.


11. Kyle McCord, Syracuse

Height: 6-foot-1 | Weight: 205 pounds
Class: Senior | Projected range: Late Day 3, UDFA

Where he excels: McCord's improvement and growth at Syracuse has been one of the biggest surprises of the season. He had 3,170 passing yards with 24 touchdowns and six interceptions as Ohio State's starter last season but didn't show high-upside, pro-ready attributes.

He transferred last December and found an ideal landing spot at Syracuse. When I visited practices during preseason camp, I had the opportunity to observe McCord, and it was clear he looked more comfortable in first-year coach Fran Brown's scheme. The move has paid off, as he has an FBS-leading 3,946 passing yards with 26 touchdowns and 12 interceptions this season.

What to know for the 2025 NFL draft

• Early mock drafts: Miller | Reid | Yates
• Ranks: Kiper Big Board | Miller top 50
• Big questions | QB Board | Pos. ranks
• Projected order | Scouting evals | More
McCord has been a quick decision-maker for the Orange, getting rid of the ball in 2.49 seconds on average, the ninth-fastest rate in the country. He also understands his limitations as a passer, playing in structure and immediately taking what's available early in his progressions.

Where he needs work: McCord's ball placement still has plenty of room for improvement. He's effective in getting the ball to the correct spots on his reads, but locations tend to be in unpredictable spots of the strike zone. His 10.9% off-target rate ranks 46th.

"It's clear that he knows where to go with it, but receivers still have to work way too hard to catch it at times," an AFC national scout said.

A nightmare five-interception performance against Pittsburgh highlighted many of McCord's flaws. Head-scratching decision-making when facing early pressure forced him into the worst game of his career. The 12 interceptions he has thrown are tied for second most in the nation.


12. Will Howard, Ohio State

Height: 6-foot-4 | Weight: 235 pounds
Class: Senior | Projected range: Late Day 3, UDFA


Where he excels: Howard spent four seasons at Kansas State (2020-2023) before transferring to Ohio State, which has plenty of playmakers around him on offense. He has 2,685 passing yards, 26 touchdowns and six interceptions this season. He has added another six scores on the ground. A physically imposing QB, Howard is a dual-threat passer with a good enough arm to facilitate the ball, combined with the mobility to be an extension of the run game.

Where he needs work: Many of Howard's warts show up when defenses have been able to speed up his processing. He tends to drop his eyes and immediately look for running lanes; he must become more patient and read progressions even at the hint of pressure.

Another factor is how wide open the Buckeyes' targets tend to be when making completions, as 42% of Howard's attempts this season have been deemed as wide open, the highest mark in the FBS. Throws into tight windows or contested coverages are what scouts want to see more from Howard, because that's what he'll have to do at the NFL level.

[Philosophers]

The comment about Jaxson Dart is particularly revealing in that Kiffin can scheme his WRs to be very open so Dart never seems to have to throw to tight windows, something that is really required in the NFL.  Interesting.