This week’s prospect update will look at the quarterback position. The prospects highlighted are likely 2025 NFL Draft prospects. This year’s quarterback class falls short of the top-end talent that we saw last year, but there are still starting-caliber quarterbacks available. There are multiple quarterbacks that I expect to be drafted as immediate starters, with a number of others that could compete for starting roles within their first couple of seasons in the league. While quarterbacks may not be pushed to the top of rookie drafts, they’ll likely occupy much of the middle of the 1st round.
In this update, I’ve ranked the prospects against each other and also provided an NFL Draft capital projection for each to give you a rough idea of how they stack up against previous incoming rookies. I know it’s very early to be talking about draft capital, and lots can and will change from now through the summer, but providing draft capital projections allows managers to see just how well this class matches up against previous classes.
1. Cam Ward – Miami – Top 5
Ward has been the most consistent and well-rounded quarterback in this class. He’s shown great poise in the pocket and can complete any throw asked of him. He’s able to push the ball into tight areas with great accuracy, he can push the ball deep downfield, and he can throw accurately on the run.
Ward isn’t an elite runner, but he uses his mobility and size to maneuver well outside of the pocket while always looking to pass. He’s a good enough runner to pick up first downs while escaping the pocket. The biggest strength with his mobility is his ability to avoid pressure and prolong plays, allowing his receivers to get open.
While Ward can occasionally try to do too much to create a play, leading to potential turnovers, it’s not a lack of ability to read a defense that leads to those errors. Ward has shown he can progress through his reads quickly while still being aware of pressure.
I think Ward has a very high ceiling with his combination of vision, mobility, and arm talent. While I don’t think he’s quite as talented as the top 3 quarterbacks from the 2024 class, the need for a franchise quarterback among teams at the top of the 2025 NFL Draft will mean Ward is among the top 5 selections in the NFL Draft.
2. Sheduer Sanders – Colorado – Mid 1st round
Sanders could absolutely move his way up into the early portion of the first round alongside Ward based on his talent on the field. Sanders has as much arm talent as anyone in the class. He’s great under pressure, which he has to deal with a lot, and he can push the ball downfield with great accuracy and touch.
The problem is the question of his ability to be a leader for a franchise. Some of the negative attention on Sanders has certainly been unfair, but Sanders hasn’t helped by throwing his teammates under the bus. Teams are not going to want to spend a top pick on a quarterback that brings unnecessary drama and can cause a rift in the locker room.
If Sanders is able to ease concerns about his ability as a leader, I think his ceiling as a passer will bring a lot of interest from NFL teams. Sanders will likely need some time to adjust to the NFL game, but if he’s given a competent offensive line, he may show off another level than what he was able to manage for Colorado. Sanders is the only player who approaches Ward’s ceiling as an all-around talent, even if the floor is much lower than some of the other passers in this class.
3. Jaxson Dart – Ole Miss – Late 1st round
Dart’s biggest skill is his deep ball. It’s a skill that pushes him above other passers that are generally ranked above him in this class. I think NFL teams are also looking for that type of deep ball accuracy and arm strength that can unlock a whole other area of the field for an offense.
Dart shows composure when facing pressure and is able to use his legs to escape the pocket when needed. Dart’s lack of awareness of rushers can sometimes get him into trouble and lead to big sacks when trying to escape the pocket. The Ole Miss coaching staff utilizes Dart as a rusher quite often, but they’re often not successful plays and hurt the offense. While Dart is a solid rusher at the college level, I don’t believe he’ll be much of a rusher in the NFL.
Accuracy on short and intermediate routes has been an area where Dart has impressed me. He’s able to place the ball well in tight windows and has shown some great touch. While a lot of his early season opponents weren’t very tough matchups, he’s continued to impress in this area as the schedule ramped up in difficulty.
I think one of the quarterback-needy teams will see Dart as a high-potential option that can be molded to run a variety of offenses at the NFL level. Trading up for Dart at the back end of the 1st will be a lot cheaper than the top quarterbacks in the first round, but still offer lots of hope for rebuilding teams.
4. Quinn Ewers – Texas – Early 2nd round
It’s hard to evaluate Ewers’ play this season. The Texas offense was rolling early in the season, and Ewers’ stats looked great because of it. Underlying those great stats though were some serious issues with inaccuracy. While Ewers has shown the ability to make any throw an offense needs, he sometimes outright misses open receivers with seemingly no reason. Ewers then missed multiple games with an injury and had a tough outing in his return this past week.
There’s no doubt that Ewers can make all the throws you need an NFL quarterback to make. He has a great arm, he can throw on the run, and he’s shown the ability to work well through his progressions to find the open man. As long as he struggles with his accuracy, though, I don’t think he’s worthy of 1st round draft capital.
In the early 2nd, a team that misses out on the first batch of passers will be happy to take on Ewers with the hopes of refining his mechanics and unlocking his full potential. Ewers has a lot of upside, but if the accuracy issues persist, his time in the NFL won’t be very long.
5. Drew Allar – Penn State – Mid 2nd round
NFL scouts love quarterbacks with size who have the physical tools to succeed in the NFL, and Allar fits that mold perfectly. His size at 6’5” and 235 lbs is exactly how you’d design a quarterback in a lab. His arm strength matches his large frame as he’s able to air the ball out and push intermediate passes to his receivers much faster than defenders can react.
Allar has shown this year that it isn’t just his size and strength that makes him an intriguing prospect. Allar has shown the ability to consistently throw accurate passes at each level of the field. He has great pocket presence and can also throw effectively on the run. While he’s not particularly fast, he’s mobile for his size.
What’s holding Allar back from 1st round consideration is his production profile. He’s shown all of the skills he needs to show, he just hasn’t done it at a high enough volume to be included among the top prospects in the class. That’s not entirely his fault. Penn State has relied on a very productive run game and done so successfully. They haven’t needed Allar to air the ball out 30+ times a game.
Drafting Allar in the 2nd round of the NFL Draft is certainly a risk. We haven’t had the chance to see him as the focal point of an offense very often, and learning how to do so at the NFL level may just be too large a task. If Allar receives the right coaching and is given time to develop into a high-level processor, then the sky is the limit.
6. Jalen Milroe – Alabama – Early 3rd round
Milroe is a hard prospect to scout. As a pure passer, I don’t think he has the skills to succeed at the NFL level. He’s not particularly accurate at any level of the field, he doesn’t seem to have great vision, and too often he relies on his legs because of it.
What makes Milroe tough to evaluate, especially from a fantasy perspective, is his elite athleticism. His running ability reminds me of Robert Griffin III, and he would immediately become one of the best rushing quarterbacks in the league if given the opportunity.
I simply don’t think will, or should, get that opportunity. There have certainly been flashes where he’s hit on deep throws, and you can see why a team would take the chance, but there are more than enough red flags to not get swept away with his athleticism.
7. Garrett Nussmeier – LSU – Late 3rd round
Nussmeier doesn’t have the experience that the rest of the players on this list, but he’s made a big impact in his first year as the starter. While the LSU quarterback doesn’t have the big arm that some of the other passers in the class have, he’s shown impeccable accuracy and touch. He’s been able to hit his receivers in stride and place the ball into tight pockets.
While Nussmeier’s lack of experience and limitations in his downfield game means he’s a long shot to be given a starting role early in his NFL career, I think he’s a perfect developmental quarterback for a team with a veteran passer who wants to plan for the future.
8. Carson Beck – Georgia – 4th round+
Beck started the season much higher on my list of quarterbacks. Early in the season, he seemed to maintain his evaluation from last season as an accurate passer who doesn’t look to push the ball downfield. Unfortunately, once the competition became more difficult, Beck’s significant flaws became apparent.
Through about half the season, we’ve yet to see Beck have much success pushing the ball downfield. If he’s unable to make deep throws at this level, his prospects in the NFL will be even more bleak. He doesn’t have the strongest arm and his touch is inconsistent at best when airing it out. His struggles aren’t restricted to the deep ball, either. His accuracy when facing more competent defenses has been inconsistent. He hasn’t managed to hit the tight windows that he needs to in order to be successful in the intermediate part of the field and occasionally is forced into bad decisions.
While Beck isn’t a bad quarterback, his limitations on deep balls means he needs to excel in his accuracy and touch in the shorter areas of the field, and that hasn’t been the case against tougher competition. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a team take a shot on Beck as a backup with potential early on Day 3 of the NFL Draft, but his fantasy value simply won’t be there.
