2025 NFL Draft Summer Scouting: Quarterbacks

Continuing our new Summer Scouting series here at NFLTR, I’ll be going position by position breaking down my preliminary top five prospects for each position to set the table for the upcoming collegiate season and 2025 draft cycle. You can find the other positions done so far here: 

• Running Backs
• Edge Rushers

Today, I’m ranking the position everyone cares about the most: quarterbacks. The 2025 quarterback class already has the reputation of being a weaker class, similar to how the 2022 class was viewed by draft time. As we stand right now, there are no surefire top-five picks in this group. There might not even be a consensus first-round prospect.

There’s some hidden talent in this class, however, with some names worth monitoring when college football gets underway. Quarterbacks always get pushed up draft boards as desperate teams search for an answer under center. A good quarterback can completely change the direction of a franchise.

Let’s take a look at the early top five quarterbacks in 2025:

1: Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

The most infamous quarterback in college football right now, Sanders is a bit of a polarizing figure. He and his father certainly grab a lot of headlines, but that shouldn’t take away from what Sanders does on the field.

Coming up from Jackson State last season, there were a lot of questions about how Sanders would handle the jump in competition despite being a standout at the FCS level. It’s fair to say Sanders quieted those concerns, as he racked up 3,230 passing yards and 27 touchdowns to just 3 interceptions during his junior year. Sanders wowed viewers on a weekly basis while overcoming significant roster issues and became one of the faces of college football. Looking forward, Sanders has some work to do to push his name firmly into the first round, but all signs point to him being up to the task.

Sanders checks in at 6-2 and 215, with obvious athleticism in the way he plays. His arm isn’t elite by NFL standards, but it is good enough to attack every area of the field. He can fire passes into tight windows, though this falls off a bit on deeper throws. Accuracy is one of the hallmarks of his game, as he can hit receivers in stride no matter where they are. He displays excellent feel on timing routes and routinely throws his receivers open to maximize throwing windows and yards after the catch.

The biggest strengths of Sanders’ game — and what sets him apart from other quarterbacks in this class — are his poise under pressure and intuitive ability to thrive amidst chaos. Sanders stays remarkably even-keeled when the play breaks down, using his athleticism to buy time and find open receivers. Even with pass rushers bearing down on him, he doesn’t panic and throw dangerous passes or fold and take unnecessary sacks. He knows how to maneuver behind the line of scrimmage and always knows where his receivers are, and he can gain significant yards scrambling when he wants to.

Sanders doesn’t quite have the total package of an elite quarterback talent but there aren’t many obvious flaws in his game. He has a bit of a fumbling problem and it’s hard to evaluate how good he’ll be within the structure of an NFL offense given how bad his offensive line was at Colorado in 2023. The very function of the offense often required him to bail from the pocket and make plays happen. Even so, he’s best viewed as a solid prospect with upside rather than an elite stud.

I have a late-first-round grade on Sanders as the clear top quarterback in this class going into the 2024 college football season. He can elevate his grade if he continues to elevate his game. It would not surprise me at all to see him go in the top ten next April, but as it stands right now, he has some work to do to get there. Still, he does so much so well and in a weaker quarterback class, he’s as safe as they come.

2: Conner Weigman, Texas A&M

Despite starting just four games in 2023 before a foot injury ended his sophomore campaign, Weigman made some waves in scouting circles. In those four games, Weigman threw for 979 yards with a 68.9% completion rate and an 8:2 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Stats aside, he showcased some high-level processing and traits that translate well to NFL success.

The first step for Weigman is making it through a full healthy season as the starter, but he’ll be watched closely by scouts hoping he can be the exciting quarterback prospect this class is missing.

Standing at 6-3 and weighing 215 pounds, Weigman is a legitimate athlete. He was one of Texas’ premiere dual-threat quarterbacks in high school, and though he had limited carries in his few starts in college, he still ran for two touchdowns in those games. His athleticism genuinely pops on tape; his movement abilities in and out of the pocket are eye-catching, both from a speed and agility standpoint. Combine that with an NFL-caliber arm, and Weigman has an impressive physical profile that will stand out even among other NFL prospects.

As a passer, Weigman’s best traits are his poise and mobility. He’s equally capable of standing tall in the pocket and taking a hit while delivering a pass as he is evading pressure and throwing a dime on the run. These are both necessary traits for starting NFL quarterbacks, and it’s good to see Weigman has mastered them so early in his career. Additionally, he shows good accuracy in his passes, especially on deep throws. He has no issues zipping the ball into tight windows or utilizing subtle pocket movements to free himself and create throwing lanes.

The biggest thing for Weigman is he just needs to play more, as he has only nine career games played and 251 attempts. Putting together a full season of starting tape will be important for his chances to go high in the draft, both to give scouts a clear view of what he can do and to avoid the “injury-prone” label.

However, I’d also highlight his lack of anticipation as something to work on. He has no problem throwing to small windows in coverage, but he still needs to see his receivers open before he makes the pass. Anticipating where his receivers will be and delivering the ball on time is key for his development.

It’s difficult to make a projection for Weigman when we’ve seen him play so little at the college level. Even in just four games, though, he checked so many boxes that you need to see in first-round prospects that it’s hard not to get excited. I have a second-round grade on Weigman for the moment. That said, if he picks up where he left off last season and stays healthy, he’ll climb up draft boards quickly.

3: Jalen Milroe, Alabama

Former Alabama quarterback Bryce Young left big shoes to fill (metaphorically, at least) and Milroe earned the first chance to succeed him. After a rocky start to the season, Milroe developed into a star, becoming one of the best and most clutch quarterbacks in college football down the stretch of the 2023 season.

A true dual-threat quarterback, Milroe had 3,365 combined passing and rushing yards to go with 35 total touchdowns. Now entering his senior year, Milroe looks to take the next step and establish himself as a legitimate top-flight NFL prospect.

Milroe oozes athleticism. At 6-2, 220 pounds, he is easily the best rushing quarterback in this class. He’s both agile and strong, with excellent speed for a quarterback. He’ll make you miss in the open field or run you over in the hole — either way, he’s getting the yards he wants on the ground. A lot of mobile quarterbacks choose not to run the 40 during the pre-draft process, so we might not ever get an official time on Milroe. But he’s fast enough to play any skill position. 

While Milroe started the year primarily burning defenses on the ground, his passing developed quickly throughout the season and he demonstrated he has more than just a cannon for an arm. He can make plays on the run and isn’t exclusively looking to scramble when he escapes the pocket. Accurate throws on the move are some of the hardest to make in the game, and Milroe demonstrated he could make them last season.

Surprisingly for someone of his inexperience, Milroe was excellent at reading the field and throwing with anticipation, particularly over the middle of the field. He’s not afraid to fire passes into tight windows and trusts his receivers will be where he expects them to be. He will never shy away from the big moments and chances to make special plays — the miracle 2023 Iron Bowl game-winning fourth-down conversion touchdown will live on in Alabama fans’ memories for years to come.

As much as Milroe will make big plays under pressure, he also has a tendency to turn the ball over in these situations, too. He needs to value possessions more and learn to live for the next down. Developing his reads and committing to going through his progressions is also important as he looks to continue the next stage of his development. More than anything else, though, he needs to take far fewer sacks. His sack rate is staggeringly bad: he took 44 sacks in 2023 alone, for a sack rate of over ten percent. That’s simply unplayable in the NFL. He needs to stop holding onto the ball so long and make faster decisions.

Taking his game to the next level will be important for Milroe in 2024, as he looks to become a coveted draft prospect. Reducing his sacks and interceptions without losing his big-play ability is what scouts will want to see. I have a second-round grade on Milroe as a developmental prospect, but it’s easy to see how he can take a massive jump in 2024. If he becomes more consistent in his play, he could easily see his name firmly in first-round discussions by the end of the season.

4: Carson Beck, Georgia

Beck, a 6-4, 220-pound quarterback out of Georgia, was one of college football’s most productive passers in 2023. Following in the footsteps of current Rams backup QB Stetson Bennett, Beck stepped into a starting role this past season and lit the SEC on fire, leading Georgia to an undefeated regular season and SEC championship game appearance. Beck enters the 2024 as the top quarterback on many evaluators’ boards, 3,941 yards and 24 touchdowns later. He certainly needs more experience, but what he’s put on tape so far is promising.

Pure pocket passers aren’t as popular as they once were, but the good ones are still coveted. That’s where Beck shines. He has good feel inside the pocket and can dance in tight spaces, keeping himself open to create throws. He keeps consistent throwing mechanics that utilize his full body to maximize the power on his passes. This makes him remarkably accurate throwing to all levels of the field. He has some pinpoint precise deep passes on his film and delivers elite ball-placement throws in the short and intermediate parts of the field with regularity.

Despite his lack of in-game experience, Beck is a high-level processor. He’s still learning to make pre-snap reads, so Georgia didn’t ask him to do a ton of that last year. But he thinks quickly on his feet during live plays, able to make his reads and find open receivers even as the play breaks down. He doesn’t panic when things fall apart.

All that said, there are two reasons I’m lower on Beck than most. First, while he doesn’t panic under pressure, he’s not great at remaining steady either. Beck tends to rely on off-platform passes instead of standing tall and making his reads. For a guy who lacks the premiere athleticism to routinely make those throws, it’s not a winning habit.

Second, he too often relies on seeing receivers open. There are some anticipatory throws on his tape, but not enough. Moreso than other prospects, Beck needs to significantly improve this part of his game to succeed in the NFL. It simply won’t work if he can’t deliver passes before the defense has time to react.

Beck is a fundamentally sound quarterback with good NFL size and mechanics. He has one of the higher floors of this group, as it’s hard to see him being worse than a good backup in the league for a long time. I have a second-round grade on Beck at the moment, but another year of starting experience and growth could easily change that. Mostly, he just needs to be more comfortable sticking to his reads under pressure and throwing with more anticipation. If he can do those two things, he’ll contend for the QB1 spot next spring.

5: Noah Fifita, Arizona

Perhaps no quarterback in this class is more universally loved than Fifita. In 2023, as a redshirt freshman, he took over as Arizona’s starter after the first few weeks and immediately elevated their offense with an electric style of play that captured the hearts of college football fans all over. He threw for 2,869 yards and 25 touchdowns on the way to winning Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year. Armed with a gunslinger mentality and the poise to make every throw, Fifita looks to build on his freshman season and put his name on scouts’ radars heading into the 2025 draft cycle.

At 5-11 and 194 pounds, Fifita doesn’t meet the typical measurements for NFL quarterbacks. That rule has proven to be flexible in recent years, however, and Fifita has enough to his game that some teams may be willing to overlook that fact. He has a quick release and pinpoint accuracy, particularly over the middle of the field. Advanced ball placement is leading your receivers and delivering passes to places that help them gain yards after the catch, and Fifita does this as well as anyone. He consistently throws with good anticipation and will hit receivers square out of their breaks.

Under pressure, Fifita can shine. He makes smart decisions with the ball, never panicking and sticking to his reads. He can make defenders miss in the pocket and is quick on the run, either to throw or scramble. Throwing off-platform doesn’t reduce his accuracy, and he’s smart about getting down or running out of bounds to avoid big hits from linebackers and safeties in the open field.

Unfortunately, Fifita’s small frame does hamper him in some ways. He lacks elite arm strength, and this often shows up in his deep-ball velocity. The ball will get there, it just won’t have the zip other passers can put on it. He can struggle to see throwing lanes over his lineman, more often than I’d like. It’s not all the time, but it’s common enough. When pressure begins to close the pocket, he scrambles out of necessity. It’s too difficult for him to stand in the pocket and see over rushers. This will limit him in the NFL.

Fifita might ultimately be a better college quarterback than NFL quarterback, and there’s no shame in that. Right now, he has a third-round grade from me. With another season of growth, however, we might be having a different conversation. He makes good reads and delivers incredibly accurate passes. If he can get more comfortable navigating the pocket, he’ll catch the attention of NFL teams.

Best of the Rest

6 — Dillon Gabriel, Oregon: Possesses good arm talent and rushing ability. Excellent reader of the field, consistently stands in the pocket to make tough throws. Hesitates on anticipatory throws too often.

7 — Riley Leonard, Notre Dame: Elite arm talent and footwork, showcasing a high ceiling. Struggles to create out of structure and accuracy can lag at times.

8 — Quinn Ewers, Texas: The best arm in college football with good deep-ball accuracy, Ewers stays strong under pressure. Erratic ball placement and struggles to throw with timing and anticipation.

9 — Graham Mertz, Florida: Veteran college quarterback with advanced pocket awareness and the ability to deliver from a variety of throwing platforms. Needs to improve reading the field and throwing over the middle.