Final 2025 NFL Draft Rankings: Quarterbacks

Here we have my final quarterback rankings for the 2025 NFL draft. The tape has been studied, Combine and pro day numbers are in, and we’ve seen these players around various All-Star games and other throwing performances. It’s time to tally that up and rank the top 15 passers in this class. The top 10 have full scouting reports, and the rest of the list have shorter write-ups that should still give you an excellent idea of who these prospects are and why I have them ranked a certain way.

Quarterback can be a tough position to evaluate, as seeing what a quarterback is and isn’t doing on the field can be difficult to discern on tape at times. But once you know what to look for and how each offense operates, you can begin to paint a picture of a quarterback’s capabilities. This is not a strong class, and it’s unlikely we get more than two taken in the first round. Most of the depth in this class is sifting through prospects looking for viable backups. Not the most exciting work, but important evaluations nonetheless, as many of these quarterbacks will earn roster spots on a number of teams.

Stay tuned for more draft content coming soon, as we’ll have you covered here at NFLTR! For now, let’s take a look at my 2025 quarterback rankings:

1: Cam Ward, Miami

Ward started his career at Incarnate Word, rising from an unheralded recruit from Texas into a Heisman finalist in his last collegiate season. After spending two years in San Antonio, he transferred to Washington State, lighting up the Pac-12 as one of college football’s most exciting players. As a senior in 2023, Ward generated a fair amount of draft buzz but ultimately chose to use his final year of eligibility with the Hurricanes. It proved to be a good choice, as he racked up 4,313 passing yards, 39 touchdowns to seven interceptions, 204 rushing yards and another four touchdowns, making the first-team All-ACC and rising from a mid-round pick to a likely top-5 selection.

The combination of accuracy and velocity on Ward’s throws is breathtaking. He zips passes into tight coverage without hesitation, using a lightning-quick throwing motion and firm base to maintain his accuracy at all levels of the field. He can layer throws over linebackers and displays nice touch on his passes, even at deeper levels of the field. The timing and anticipation on his passes, particularly over the middle of the field, is NFL-caliber. He can run an NFL offense from day one, hitting routes between the hashes and gashing defenses for chunk plays repeatedly.

Creation ability is a plus-plus with Ward. It’s his best trait and what makes him such an alluring prospect. He keeps his eyes downfield when scrambling, maintaining his solid mechanics when on the run or in less-than-optimal positions. It’s not that he can’t run, as he does scramble for first downs, but he’s not scrambling just to run. He’s primarily a passer, and he can spot opportunities in crazy locations and fit the ball into windows no one expects, often catching the defense by surprise.

Ward believes in himself more than anything, and you love that mindset. It can also lead to some terrible mistakes. He’ll attempt passes he probably shouldn’t, leading to avoidable turnovers. While he cut down on his insanity in 2024, you still hold your breath as Ward improvises, as it can be a rollercoaster. He may struggle with turnovers early in his pro career as he adjusts to the speed of NFL defenses and has to relearn what he can get away with. Additionally, there were potential character concerns with Ward after he sat out of the second half of Miami’s bowl game against Iowa State. He got his personal records in the first half and removed himself from the game, leading to a Miami loss. However, this doesn’t seem to be a major concern for NFL teams, though I’m sure he had to answer some questions about his choice in team interviews.

As time goes on, Ward has separated himself from the others as the consensus top quarterback in this class. I ranked him QB2 in my post-college football season position rankings update, but that was solely due to how he took himself out of the Iowa State bowl game. His tape is the best in the class, not by a ton but by enough to create some distance. He’s the favorite to go No. 1 overall, and the Titans are geared to take a quarterback. Ward’s playmaking and arm talent make him a Day 1 NFL starter.

2: Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

A 6-1 and a half, 212-pound senior from Dallas, Sanders is undoubtedly the biggest name in this quarterback class. Out of high school, he committed to play for his dad, Deion Sanders, and Jackson State. He totaled 6,963 passing yards and 70 touchdowns in two seasons at the FCS level, following his father to Colorado when he took the head coaching job there. As a junior, Sanders threw for 3,230 yards and 27 touchdowns to just three interceptions. He upped his game as a senior, earning consensus first-team All-Big 12 honors behind 4,134 passing yards and 37 touchdowns, this time with 10 interceptions in a stellar season.

The poise and feel Sanders has in his game is exceptional. He processes the game at an extremely high level, making complex reads and taking on a lot of pre-snap responsibility for a college quarterback. It’s no surprise that he’s a coach’s son, and you can tell Sanders grew up around the game. Sanders combines the mental side of the game with the physical — his release is stable and consistent, and he maintains his throwing platform even under immense pressure. This leads to his stellar accuracy, with a 74-percent completion rate as a senior. It’s really hard to rattle him, and he’ll keep making plays no matter the situation around him.

When Sanders wants to make a throw, he makes it. His throwing mechanics are buttery smooth and lightning fast, rifling the ball into tight windows down the field. He throws his receivers open regularly, playing with elite timing and anticipation to keep the offense humming. Again, Sanders’ mental processing is a step above everyone else, and he plays every snap with an advantage as a result. He possesses true escapability, with the necessary athleticism to keep plays alive and escape sacks to make big plays, something he does routinely. Sanders rarely makes mistakes when throwing, and his ability to protect the football and value possessions will be sought after at the next level.

Now, Sanders takes a lot of sacks. As in, he was sacked 40 times in just his senior season alone. It’s a problem, as those kinds of sack numbers will get you benched in the NFL. It’s crippling to an offense. At Colorado, Sanders was given a lot of freedom to improvise when the play broke down, and he simply refused to let a play die. In the NFL, that will need to be coached out of him. He doesn’t have the elite arm talent or athleticism to always make the plays he did in college at the pro level. 

Sanders’ draft stock is hard to pin down. He has one of the widest ranges of outcomes of any first-round hopeful. While he’s not quite the elite-level prospect at the top of the draft we’ve enjoyed in recent years, he’s still a great one. Ward is seen as the consensus top guy, and there are rumblings that the league sees Sanders as closer to that QB3 tier than to Ward at the top. Regardless, the Browns and Giants at Nos. 2 and 3 are in desperate need of a quarterback, and behind them the Jets, Saints, and Steelers are waiting, and others could get involved too.

Personally, I like Sanders as a first-round pick, and he was very close to being my QB1. I see him and Ward similarly, but there’s a chance for Sanders to tumble on draft night. Pittsburgh at No. 21 feels like his floor, if nothing else, but he could easily go in the top five just due to demand. He plays and carries himself like a franchise quarterback, and that swagger will endear him to some teams. He didn’t practice or throw at the Shrine Bowl or the Combine, and he’s met extensively with the quarterback-needy teams picking near the top of the draft. That should tell you all you need to know about where he’s going to be taken.

3: Jalen Milroe, Alabama

A 6-2, 217-pound junior from Texas, Milroe might be the most controversial player in this class. After redshirting, he spent a year as current Panthers QB Bryce Young’s backup in Tuscaloosa before winning the starting job out of camp in 2023. That season was a rocky road for Milroe, with his inconsistent play finding him benched for a game early in the year before starting the rest of the season. He totaled 2,834 passing yards, 23 touchdowns and six interceptions to go with 531 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior, earning second-team All-SEC honors. As a junior, all those totals went up, with 2,844 passing yards, 726 rushing yards, 36 total touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Although he was still more inconsistent this year than he would’ve liked, he has fans in NFL circles.

The first thing on Milroe’s scouting report is his rushing ability. Some quarterbacks are rushers, some are scramblers — Milroe is both, and one of the most dangerous rushing threats to come out of the draft in recent memory. He had a whopping 20 touchdowns on the ground in 2024 alone, frequently running to move the chains and to score once in the red zone. This skill is enabled by an elite combination of speed, strength and agility on tape, with him running a reported 4.37 40-yard dash at the Crimson Tide’s pro day.

As a passer, Milroe has all the tools to succeed in the NFL. His arm is a weapon, capable of making every throw in the book, and he can fire bullet passes or launch deep throws with the best of them. In flashes, he’s displayed an impressive handle on more advanced quarterbacking skills, manipulating defenders to widen throwing lanes and navigating complex reads. For the most part, he’s run a pro-style offense at Alabama, and he’s more prepared to adapt to an NFL system than you might expect. His best trait is his creativity, as he has a knack for big plays and can rise to the occasion with some exceptional moments.

Milroe still takes too many sacks, something I noted he needed to clean up this season and he was largely unable to do. This stems from two things: a desire to make hero plays and being unable to give up on a busted play, and a lack of understanding of what he’s seeing on the field. A lot of his inconsistencies boil down to him being a step slow reading coverages or recognizing blitz patterns, leading to a frantic playstyle that lends itself to mistakes. More starting experience and generally more time being coached up in these skills might lead to Milroe improving on them. Additionally, his accuracy is sporadic, and this notably continued to be a problem at the Senior Bowl and the Combine.

After Ward and Sanders, this quarterback class becomes “pick your flavor.” All of these guys have issues in their profiles but also have reasons to believe in them. Of the group, Milroe is the guy I would bet on. He’s raw and unrefined, but he has all the traits in the world and has stretches of high-end play on his tape. It might not be a popular pick to fans, to whom memories of his disappointing finish to the 2024 season won’t fade quickly, but some coaches will be confident in their ability to get the best out of him. He’s gotten a little first-round buzz, but Milroe’s range likely starts on Day 2 and spans most of the second round into the beginning of the third.

4: Dillon Gabriel, Oregon

Well-traveled and a winning player at every stop, Gabriel enters the 2025 draft as one of the historical leaders in basically every college statistical category for quarterbacks. The Hawaii native started his career at Central Florida, lighting up the south before suffering a serious season-ending injury as a junior. From there, Gabriel transferred to Oklahoma, where he played for two seasons and totaled over 6,800 passing yards. His final stop was at Oregon, where he threw for 3,857 yards and 30 touchdowns, rushing for seven touchdowns as well, and led the Ducks to the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff. In terms of postseason honors, Gabriel was named second-team All-Big 12 in 2022, first-team All-Big 12 in 2023, and first-team All-Big 10 in 2024.

It’s hard to quit Gabriel as a prospect. He’s undersized, at just 5-11, 205, making his journey to the NFL an uphill climb. But he’s a veteran of the game who plays with an unshakable poise. He reads the field well, going through his progressions and manipulating defenses with his eyes. When presented with a tight window or long throw, he showcases adequate arm talent to get the ball where it needs to be. He won’t wow in any arm strength drills, but there also isn’t an NFL throw he can’t make.

Touch and ball placement are among Gabriel’s best skills. He layers throws well, with catchable passes landing in his receivers’ arms. He knows how to help his receivers with where he places his passes, leading them upfield or away from coverage to maximize yards after the catch and help them avoid big hits. Not only that, but he might be the best timing passer in this class, hitting receivers out of their breaks on slants and out-routes for best results. This was on display at the Senior Bowl, where his rhythm throwing with receivers he’d only worked with for a few days was impressive. Additionally, he’s more mobile than he gets credit for, with excellent pocket movement and true scrambling ability. You wouldn’t run him on a ton of designed reads, but he’s a weapon with his legs in the red zone and will punish defenses who leave him alone on third down.

That said, Gabriel won’t be an elite creator in the NFL. He lacks the physical profile and the natural athleticism to do so. If he succeeds, it will largely be as a pocket passer, and that won’t come without its challenges. As an undersized quarterback, teams will be more critical of him than they will of a quarterback with prototypical measurements. As I said, he doesn’t have quite the zip on his passes other quarterbacks do, and he can struggle to escape sacks at times. He also hesitates to attack the middle of the field on occasion, which is something to monitor.

Gabriel was the best quarterback at the Senior Bowl and Combine, and that has to count for something. While he projects as a priority backup more than someone you’re drafting to be the starter, he does all the little things really well. He’s smart and experienced, with elite ball placement and pocket movement. Even though he lacks ideal measurements, the NFL has overlooked similar prospects in the past and gotten burned for it. Gabriel could make a team very happy somewhere on Day 2 or early Day 3.

5: Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss

Dart began his career at USC, getting three starts in 2021 before transferring to Ole Miss in 2022 and cementing himself as the starting quarterback there for three seasons. Originally from Utah, Dart threw for 1,353 yards as a freshman in Los Angeles, totaling 10,617 passing yards in his three seasons at Mississippi, with 72 passing touchdowns in that time as well. As a senior, he was named first-team All-SEC with 4,279 passing yards, 29 passing touchdowns, 495 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns.

At 6-2, 223, Dart isn’t undersized by NFL standards at all. With a good arm and stable release platform, he has the fundamentals and tools the league covets. He can hit all the NFL throws, providing impressive velocity at the intermediate and deep levels of the field to beat coverages. Despite doing this more frequently than he needs to, he can throw off-platform and at varying arm angles with a good degree of success. Pressure doesn’t faze him, standing tall and delivering clutch passes just before taking a big hit. He throws with anticipation, hitting timing routes and quick concepts routinely and accurately.

As a runner, Dart adds a lot more than you’d first expect. He’s fast for a quarterback, able to beat defenses to the edge and get upfield. With utility in read-options, designed runs, and as a scrambler, Dart will be a plus runner at the position in the NFL. And although he ran a gimmicky offense at Ole Miss, he does display some advanced pro-level ability to read and react to defenses, both pre-snap and during a play. He put on a show at the Combine, too. After a shaky Senior Bowl, he responded with an impressive throwing session in Indy, displaying the tools that have NFL teams intrigued with his upside.

The Rebels’ offense is a tough one to evaluate. So much of Dart’s production is schemed up — it’s not that he never displays NFL-like throws and skills on his tape, it’s that the offense he ran in college looks nothing like the offense he’ll run at the next level. It makes it difficult to extrapolate how much of his performance will carry over. Dart has bouts of inaccuracy at times from inconsistent footwork, and when under pressure, he makes a lot of mistakes. Turnovers and sacks are a problem for Dart, and he struggles a bit more when asked to carry the offense. These are concerning trends for his NFL projection.

I said Milroe might be the most controversial player in the draft, but that label could easily apply to Dart too. A few evaluators have started ranking him as their QB2 ahead of Sanders, and although that’s crazy to me, it goes to show that Dart has serious fans in NFL circles. He’s been getting first-round hype for a few months now. I doubt he actually hears his name called on Day 1, but it wouldn’t surprise me at all if he was one of the first picks of the second round. He has NFL traits in an offense that doesn’t ask him to use them much. He combines that with some advanced quarterbacking and a slew of concerning trends from his tape. I’d grade him as a solid third-round pick, but it seems like he’ll go much higher than that.

6: Quinn Ewers, Texas

The former No. 1 overall recruit and Texas native initially committed to Ohio State out of high school, spending a year there redshirting before returning home to play for the Longhorns. He flashed as a freshman in Austin, torching the Alabama defense for a quarter before leaving that game with a shoulder injury, and ultimately missed a chunk of the season due to said injury. As a sophomore, he made the second-team All-Big 12, throwing for 3,479 yards and 22 touchdowns. He had similar numbers as a junior, with 3,472 passing yards and 31 touchdowns, earning second-team All-SEC in the process.

There’s a reason Ewers was such a prodigious high school recruit. At 6-2, 214 and with an absolute howitzer for an arm, he’s got the prototypical arm talent and a good enough frame to be a top-flight NFL quarterback. Ewers is at his best attacking the middle of the field, where he’s able to layer throws over zones and fire them in against tight man coverage. The velocity on his passes is noteworthy and it lets him make plays other quarterbacks couldn’t. He can throw from different platforms and arm angles, adjusting to what’s available to him, and can make plays on the run.

With a quick-twitch release, Ewers beats the rush on his passes consistently. Though you might not expect it for a quarterback with his profile, he’s also a solid rhythm thrower, capable of hitting timing routes and throwing lanes consistently and impactfully. He comes out of his play fakes ready to fire away, freezing defenses and hitting isolated receivers in stride. These are the skills that project well to the NFL, and he’s capable of executing pro-style concepts.

Ewers’ throwing motion is bizarre, to say the least. He effectively squares up on the line of scrimmage and throws sideways, severely impacting his throwing power and accuracy. The unorthodox throwing motion makes him extremely adaptable, but he routinely misses targets as a result, just misfiring wildly at times, even on short “layup” passes. It also impacts his downfield velocity, particularly on deep balls. Over the last three seasons, Ewers has struggled to hit deep routes consistently, with both accuracy and strength a concern. His throwing motion is the main culprit. That said, he showcased some retooled mechanics at the Combine and had a great throwing session. While it’s much too early to say he fixed his throwing motion, if he’s putting in the work to do so now, it would be a major boost to his profile.

Additionally, Ewers struggles under pressure. His footwork becomes sloppy and he is often visibly rattled, missing more throws than usual and buckling when the pressure gets to him. He checks the ball down frequently, showcasing growth from early in his career. But he often checks it down at the first sign of adversity, failing to go through his progressions or make something happen on his own.

Ewers is a prospect I see very similarly to Dart. The difference is I trust Dart’s mechanics and fundamentals to translate more than I trust Ewers’, which is crazy to say. Where you take Ewers really depends on your plans for him. He won’t be a fit for every team, and he’s certainly not ready to start in 2025. If you can sit him for a year or two behind a veteran and work on rebuilding his mechanics, he offers a ton of upside. His work under pressure is a problem, but I like the timing and anticipation he plays with otherwise. All the tools are there, he just needs to put them all together. He might be the project of all projects, but if he pans out, there might not be a passer in this class with a higher ceiling.

7: Kyle McCord, Syracuse

A former five-star recruit in the 2021 cycle from New Jersey, McCord started his career at Ohio State, backing up current Texans QB C.J. Stroud for two seasons before getting his starting opportunity in 2023. It was not a great season for McCord — though he was decently productive, he struggled in the big moments and was ultimately blamed for the Buckeyes’ lack of team success relative to expectations that year. He was subsequently run out of town and transferred to Syracuse for his senior season where he exploded, throwing for 4,779 yards and 34 touchdowns, with 12 interceptions as well. That performance earned him second-team All-ACC honors and put him squarely on draft radars, a place no one expected him to be just a year prior.

At 6-3, 218, McCord has good NFL size, and he’s probably your favorite quarterback’s favorite quarterback prospect. He has tight mechanics, with a quick throwing motion and reliable footwork. The growth he showed at Syracuse this season was remarkable — he was deadly accurate on his passes, particularly in the intermediate ranges, hitting receivers in stride and in tiny windows for chunk plays. When a quarterback is hitting near-perfect throws regularly, there isn’t much a defense can do, and that was a calling card of McCord’s game as a senior.

Despite only having two years of starting experience, McCord demonstrated an advanced understanding of how to attack defenses. Pre-snap, he’s capable of adjusting protections and reading coverages, getting his team into the right play. Once the ball is snapped, he uses subtle pocket movements to avoid pressure and keep his eyes downfield, able to adapt to post-snap defensive changes and go through his progressions, finding the open man. When his offense is clicking, he’s hitting timing routes with precision, keeping everyone on schedule and making big plays.

Under pressure, McCord can struggle. His usually solid mechanics break down when a defender is in his face, leading to bad decisions and overthrows. He took a lot of sacks in college, in part because he held on to the ball for too long, and also because he lacks NFL-caliber escapability and athleticism. With a true gunslinger mentality, McCord had a lot of turnover-worthy plays in 2024, 22 to be exact. He’ll make big plays, but he’ll turn the ball over a lot, too.

In this class, I think there’s a tier break after McCord, but he’s right there with Dart and Ewers as third- or fourth-round guys you take a chance on. Of the three, I think I trust McCord the most to have a long career as a backup. He does so many things well. In an environment with less pressure, he was able to showcase his natural ability and came to thrive. His inconsistency under pressure and his struggles in the limelight at Ohio State would give me pause asking him to be a starter, but he can grow from that too. McCord is the kind of quarterback some evaluators will really pound the table for, and he’ll have his fans in draft rooms.

8: Riley Leonard, Notre Dame

Originally a three-star recruit from Alabama, Leonard committed to Duke out of high school and earned the starting job as a sophomore. That year, he threw for 2,967 yards and 20 touchdowns, adding 699 rushing yards and another 13 touchdowns to earn honorable mention All-ACC recognition. Entering 2023, Leonard had considerable hype as a draft sleeper, but he struggled early in the season before a season-ending injury. Transferring to Notre Dame as a senior, Leonard rebounded, leading his team to the College Football Playoff national championship game and racking up 2,861 passing yards and 21 touchdowns, plus 906 rushing yards and an eye-popping 17 touchdowns on the ground.

At 6-4, 216 pounds, Leonard has a plus frame and arm talent for the position. The pop on his passes is visible on tape, especially when throwing deep or over the middle of the field. He can take a three-step drop and fire the ball up the seam, driving off his back foot and delivering an accurate throw. His arm lets him attack all areas of the field, and he can make every NFL throw with precision. Natural rhythm on timing routes lets him attack the middle of the field with impunity, carving up defenses on crossing and in-breaking routes.

As a runner, Leonard is both elusive and electric. He’s big-bodied and powerful, able to drive through defenders and earn tough yards in short-yardage and goal-line scenarios. When asked to carry an offense through his rushing ability, Leonard delivered, as he’s fast enough to win the edge and can outrun defensive backs down the field. Evading pressure and scrambling for extra yards is a hallmark of Leonard’s game, as well. He’s effective both as a scrambler and a designed rusher.

For someone who spent four years in college, Leonard’s game is still fairly raw. He struggles with full-field reads, often bailing from his progressions prematurely and attempting to ad-lib something himself. His pocket awareness lapses at times, drifting into pressure or simply not clocking an incoming defender. His anticipation down the field simply isn’t NFL-caliber — he is often late on throws and hesitates on routes through progressions, wanting to see his receiver open before throwing the ball on anything but his first read.

Some people are going to be higher on Leonard than I am. He’s got all the NFL tools and a rushing upside that’s appealing in the modern game. I have concerns with his ability to run a pro-level offense, however, and I think he leaves much to be desired on tape. That’s as a starter, though. As a backup, I like his upside quite a bit. He’s a fantastic athlete with a big arm who carries developmental upside down the line. As a mid-Day 3 selection, you could do a lot worse, and Leonard can have a positive impact in an NFL quarterback room.

9: Seth Henigan, Memphis

A four-year starter at Memphis, Henigan was a three-star recruit out of Texas and won the starting job as a true freshman. He was a second-team All-AAC honoree in 2023 and third-team in 2024. For his career, he threw for 14,278 yards and 104 touchdowns, adding 900 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. He was one of the most productive quarterbacks in Memphis history and played well at the Senior Bowl, making him an intriguing later-round prospect.

Henigan is a natural pocket passer through-and-through, standing at 6-3, 215. When he’s comfortable, he’s one of the best readers of the field in this class. He can pick apart defenses, throwing with zip and touch on various passes and delivering on-target to all levels of the field. He’s NFL-ready in the sense that he already has experience with full-field reads and multi-tiered progressions, something not all college quarterbacks boast. At all three levels of the field, Henigan is precise and varied in his passing — he can strike a seam route before a safety can come over or hit a Cover 2 sideline hole with power just as easily as he can layer a throw over a linebacker or loft a touch pass to the back corner of the end zone.

Surprisingly, Henigan displayed more mobility than I expected. He can make plays on the run, extending his time to throw by avoiding pressure and still delivering accurate passes. When faced with immediate pressure or a man in his face as he’s ready to throw, Henigan can deliver from alternate arm angles and off-platform releases. He manipulates the pocket well, stepping up to avoid pressure and dodging rushers without bailing too soon. Over the middle of the field, Henigan showcases his plus anticipation and timing, hitting tight windows on time before defenders can close.

Though he can make plays with his legs and avoid pressure, Henigan is not a quick-twitch athlete. He’s often caught by pass rushers and linebackers who are bigger and faster than he is, cutting off his escape windows. His arm, while decent, will lag behind many of his colleagues in the NFL, and he may struggle to hit some of the deep-field concepts in certain schemes. Additionally, he can get tunnel-vision at times, losing pocket awareness and keying defenses into his primary read, leading to sacks and turnovers. He’s a big believer in his own ability to make hero plays, and his lack of athleticism and arm strength in the NFL will greatly hinder his ability to make those plays consistently.

At the Senior Bowl, Henigan was quietly one of the best quarterbacks in attendance. He projects as an NFL backup, but the volatility present in his game makes him a risky pick. He just doesn’t protect the football well enough for the kind of passer he’ll need to be to succeed at the next level. In that sense, he’s similar to Leonard, but Leonard has much better physical tools and I like his game a bit more. As a mid-to-late-round pick, Henigan can be your backup quarterback and keep an offense on schedule in spot-starter duties, something not every backup is capable of.

10: Tyler Shough, Louisville

A seventh-year senior, Shough was a four-star recruit from Chandler, Arizona who committed to Oregon out of high school. He redshirted, then was Chargers QB Justin Herbert’s backup for a season, getting his turn to be the starter in 2020. That year, he threw for 1,559 yards and 13 touchdowns in the COVID-shortened season, transferring to Texas Tech after the Rose Bowl. Three separate season-ending injuries stonewalled his Red Raiders career, temporarily derailing his NFL hopes. In his final collegiate season, Shough was finally healthy at Louisville, throwing for 3,195 yards and 23 touchdowns to six interceptions. He thrived in Cardinals HC Jeff Brohm’s system, earning his shot at the league.

The sell on Shough from the start has been his frame and fundamentals. At 6-5, 219, he’ll have old-school quarterback coaches drooling over his potential. Natural arm talent jumps off the screen when you watch Shough — he has a quick, easy throwing motion and just launches the ball downfield. Whether he’s throwing deep over routes or hitting underneath creases, he can deliver passes with velocity and touch, showcasing a range of arm angles, delivery platforms, and varied passes on his tape. He can adapt to the situation and find ways to get the ball where it needs to go in less-than-ideal scenarios.

Though injuries have hampered him in this department somewhat, Shough is still a solid runner at the quarterback position. He has a big body and knows how to leverage it, making people feel him and falling forward for extra yards. There’s legitimate juice to his game with the ball in his hands, and he displays nice pocket movement and feel for when to hang in there and throw and when to tuck and run. Additionally, Shough has an advanced understanding of offensive systems and defensive schemes, and he handled a lot of pre-snap responsibility at Louisville last year.

For all his positives, Shough does come with a couple big negatives. First, he struggles to maintain consistency under pressure. His accuracy drops, and you can tell he gets happy feet. It never looks natural or comfortable under pressure with Shough, and it can lead to sloppy play and poor mistakes. Second would be his age and injury history. At 25 years old, he simply doesn’t carry the same upside of others in this class, and his string of serious injuries needs to be considered as well.

Just off the tape, Shough would rank higher on this list. Unfortunately, these other factors are important when completing his evaluation. I don’t see his age as being a major deterrent at all, and for me it would really only come into play if you needed to split hairs between similarly-rated prospects. But the injuries are a real concern, and one I can’t properly evaluate. From the sounds of it, Shough has some big fans in NFL front offices, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he heard his name called on Day 2 — as long as his medical evaluations come back clean.

The Next Five

11 — Will Howard, Ohio State:

A 6-4, 236-pound transfer from Kansas State, Howard has a powerful frame and is a great athlete. He’s got good build-up speed with the burst to beat defenders to the edge, and is a true weapon in the designed running game. As a passer, he has a rocket arm and can really fling it, hitting tight-window throws in stride and taking the top off of defenses with his ability to stretch the field.

Howard had an abysmal throwing session at the Combine that really highlighted his weaknesses. He’s a one-speed passer, meaning for the most part he only has his fastball. Throws that require touch, timing and layering he struggles with, and his accuracy is hit-or-miss (pun intended). Because he’s always throwing at top speed, he can miss badly, or fire in passes that his receivers have no chance of catching. At this point, Howard is most likely going to be a Day 3 pick.

12 — Kurtis Rourke, Indiana:

After spending five years at Ohio, the 6-4, 220-pound Ontario-native committed to Indiana to elevate his game. With the newfound national attention that comes from playing in the Big Ten, Rourke put on a show, leading the Hoosiers to the College Football Playoff and earning second-team All-Big 10. He plays with consistent, repeatable mechanics, navigating the pocket well and maintaining a stable throwing platform. Timing and anticipation are Rourke’s hallmarks, and he can carve up a defense when the protection holds up in front of him. He’s one of the best in the class at reading defenses, both pre- and post-snap, and he’s rarely fooled by complex coverages.

For all his strengths, Rourke’s upside is pretty limited. He’s simply not a creator — when the play breaks down, it’s a race for him to throw the ball away before he’s sacked. He’s not an athlete, and he struggled against the best defenses he faced. Additionally, he had surgery to repair a damaged ACL in January that puts his status for the start of the 2025 season in jeopardy. Still, I like Rourke as a high-floor backup. He’s so smart and capable that it seems inevitable he lasts a long time in the league, and he’ll likely have a more successful career than many of the names ranked ahead of him, even though he lacks their upside.

13 — Max Brosmer, Minnesota:

A sixth-year senior from Georgia, Brosmer spent five seasons as New Hampshire’s starting quarterback before transferring to Minnesota. He was fantastic for the Golden Gophers, setting a school record for completions in a season and proving he belonged at the Big 10 level. At 6-2, 217, he has a capable NFL frame and the skills to go with it. His footwork is immaculate, and he pairs it with a savvy veteran presence and expert pocket movement. Brosmer is an efficient, tough quarterback who can hit tight windows and plays with good anticipation.

Brosmer isn’t a high-level athlete, nor does he operate well under pressure. When the offense is on schedule, he can keep things running, but when the play breaks down he doesn’t have much to offer. He simply lacks the athleticism, arm strength, and natural creation ability to be a plus in that area. For these reasons, he projects purely as a backup with limited starting upside. Still, that’s an important role on an NFL team, and Brosmer is one of the higher-floor backups in this class.

14 — KJ Jefferson, Central Florida:

A 6-3, 247-pound tank of a quarterback out of Mississippi, Jefferson began his career at Arkansas, where he started for three seasons. He currently holds the Arkansas school records for passing yards, completions, and touchdowns, and transferred to UCF for his final college season. As a designed runner, Jefferson can be devastating, as he showcases good speed in the open field and can run through defenders as easily as around them. His experience shows in how he navigates the pocket, keeping his eyes downfield and delivering tough throws. Jefferson has the arm strength to make every NFL throw and he has some touch and nuance on his passes that not all of his peers do.

What holds Jefferson back is generally a lack of development. He still struggles reading coverages and blitzes, leading to pre- and post-snap errors. Inconsistent footwork leads to bouts of inaccuracy and he tends to lock on to his first read to the exclusion of all else. Still, Jefferson is a player who could hear his name called in the seventh round or will be a priority undrafted free agent. A quarterback with his tools will be given a look, and if he can’t make a roster as a quarterback, don’t rule out a move to tight end with that frame.

15 — Brady Cook, Missouri:

A local kid who waited his turn and broke out in 2023, Cook stands at 6-2, 214. He’s a speedster at the quarterback position, with true scrambling ability and escapability in the pocket. Cook knows how to use leverage on his passes, setting up his receivers to make plays and throwing them away from coverage. With solid touch on his throws and the ability to make layered passes over defenders, Cook demonstrates versatility in his passes that NFL teams will appreciate.

The way Cook plays in college will get him in trouble in the NFL. He locks onto reads too long and often decides where he’ll throw presnap, leading to bad interceptions in double- or triple-coverage. He only has average arm strength and athleticism, outside of his speed, and his constant scrambling and creating will get him sacked repeatedly in the NFL. But there’s something here to work with, and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if Cook caught on as a solid backup for years wherever he’s drafted.