Look, let's be real for a second. Every single year, we hear the same song and dance about how the upcoming quarterback class is "historic" or "generational." Then April rolls around, and half these guys look like projects that need three years in a dark room with a clipboard. The 2025 cycle is different, but maybe not in the way you'd think.
Honestly, the top qb prospects 2025 draft board is a bit of a mess right now. We don't have a Caleb Williams or a Trevor Lawrence. What we do have is a group of wildly talented, deeply flawed, and incredibly polarizing signal-callers who have scouts arguing in war rooms across the league. You've got guys with "video game" stats and guys with "prototypical" frames, but finding the one who can actually read a disguised Cover 2 on 3rd-and-long? That’s the trick.
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The Big Two: Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders
If you’ve watched even ten minutes of college football lately, you know these names. They are the headliners.
Cam Ward is basically the poster child for the modern "transfer-portal-to-stardom" arc. He went from Incarnate Word to Washington State and finally to Miami, picking up an ACC Player of the Year trophy and a 1st-Team All-American nod along the way. In 2024, he was surgical, leading the FBS with 39 passing touchdowns.
The thing about Ward is his "unorthodox" style. Some scouts compare his release to a weird hybrid of Philip Rivers and Jordan Love. It’s quick. It’s flick-of-the-wrist. But it also leads to some erratic ball placement when he gets bored and tries to be too cute with the football.
Then there is Shedeur Sanders.
You can’t talk about Shedeur without talking about the "Colorado Factor." He’s been playing in his father’s system for years. People love to hate on him, but the numbers don't lie: he was second-best in the class at completing passes while under pressure (55.1%). Considering the state of Colorado's offensive line for most of his tenure, that's borderline miraculous.
Scouts love his poise. He doesn't panic. He will stand in the pocket and take a hit just to deliver a strike. But there are real questions about his " Superman complex." He holds the ball forever. He’s looking for the home run when a check-down would suffice. In the NFL, that leads to a lot of sacks and a very unhappy head coach.
Jaxson Dart and the "Safe" Bet?
If you want a guy who looks the part and has the production to back it up, Jaxson Dart at Ole Miss is your guy. He led the FBS with 10.8 yards per attempt in 2024. That is an absurd number. He threw for over 4,200 yards and earned 1st-Team All-SEC honors in the toughest conference in the country.
Dart is tough. He’ll lower his shoulder on a scramble, which scouts both love and hate. He's got the arm to hit the deep out, but he does benefit significantly from Lane Kiffin’s QB-friendly system. Is he a product of the scheme? Maybe. But he’s shown enough "NFL throws" to make him a lock for the first round.
The Jalen Milroe Dilemma
Jalen Milroe is the ultimate Rorschach test for NFL evaluators. What do you see when you look at him?
- The Pros: He’s a freak athlete. We’re talking about a guy who reportedly clocked a 4.37-second 40-yard dash at 217 pounds. He set the Alabama record for rushing TDs by a QB with 20 in 2024. His deep ball is gorgeous—he had a 95.8 PFF grade on passes over 40 air yards.
- The Cons: His processing is... slow. Sometimes painfully slow. He struggles with short-to-intermediate accuracy and often looks lost if his first read isn't wide open.
Basically, he’s Anthony Richardson 2.0. If you’re a team like the Giants or the Raiders and you’re desperate for a spark, you take him in the top 10 and pray your coaching staff can teach him how to read a defense. If you’re a "win now" team, you stay far away.
Why Quinn Ewers is Falling
It wasn't long ago that Quinn Ewers was the "chosen one." The former #1 overall recruit has the pedigree and the arm talent, and he did lead Texas to the Playoff. But the tape from 2024 was... shaky.
He’s skittish. Despite playing behind one of the best offensive lines in college football, he had a habit of bailing on clean pockets. He also struggles with injuries, missing time in each of his three seasons at Texas. Scouts are starting to view him more as a high-end backup or a "bridge" QB rather than a franchise savior. His 23.2% pressure-to-sack rate is a massive red flag.
A Quick Look at the Numbers (2024 Stats)
While stats aren't everything, they give us a good baseline for how these guys compare:
Cam Ward (Miami): 4,313 Yards, 39 TD, 7 INT. He is the volume king.
Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss): 4,279 Yards, 31 TD, 6 INT. The efficiency expert.
Shedeur Sanders (Colorado): 4,449 Yards (approx), 38 TD, 9 INT. The volume hunter under pressure.
Jalen Milroe (Alabama): 2,844 passing yards, 16 TD, 11 INT (plus 20 rushing TDs). The dual-threat project.
The Sleeper: Kyle McCord
Don't sleep on Kyle McCord. After leaving Ohio State, everyone wrote him off. Then he went to Syracuse and set an ACC record with 4,779 passing yards. He’s a traditional pocket passer. He won't wow you with his legs, but he can throw guys open and operates with a level of veteran savvy that a lot of these younger prospects lack. He’s likely a Day 2 pick, but he could be the "Brock Purdy" type who surprises everyone.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Class
The biggest misconception is that there is a "clear #1." There isn't. Depending on who you ask, Ward, Sanders, or Dart could be the first QB off the board.
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NFL teams are also shifting their "type." It used to be all about the 6'4" statue in the pocket. Now? They want the "creators." They want the guys like Ward and Sanders who can make something out of nothing when the play breaks down.
Actionable Insights for Your Dynasty Draft or Mock
- Don't overvalue the helmet. Just because a guy played at Alabama (Milroe) or Texas (Ewers) doesn't mean his game translates. Look at the pressure-to-sack ratios.
- Watch the Senior Bowl. Milroe reportedly struggled in Mobile, which is a big reason his stock is slipping into Day 2 territory for some.
- Follow the medicals. For guys like Ewers and Tyler Shough (Louisville), the Combine medical checks will be more important than the actual 40-yard dash.
- Target the "high floor" guys. If you need a starter now, Dart or Ward are the picks. If you're building for three years from now, Milroe is the gamble.
This 2025 class might not have the "generational" label, but it has plenty of drama. Whether it’s Shedeur’s high-profile personality or Milroe’s Olympic-level athleticism, the top of the draft is going to be a wild ride. Keep an eye on the landing spots—a bad coach will ruin these guys faster than a bad arm.