Ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft, ESPN’s Jordan Reid shook up his top 12 QB rankings following the NFL Scouting Combine. The usual suspects are at the top, but there could be some surprises along the way.
Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders headline this class as likely the only first round picks. But other QBs could turn some heads!
Let’s dive into Reid’s top 12 quarterbacks following the conclusion of the NFL Scouting Combine. It includes pros and cons for each passer.
The Miami quarterback is the top passer in the draft and could certainly go No. 1 overall in April. This has been the general consensus over the last month or two.
Reid loves pretty much everything about him, but Ward has to stay healthy. If he doesn’t succumb to the injury bug, he could have a long prosperous career.
(Ron Chenoy | Imagn Images)
The next quarterback is Sanders, which again, has been the general opinion throughout the offseason. Sanders ended his career as the most accurate QB in FBS history. Pretty darn good.
As Reid points out, Sanders, while excellent from the pocket, does have to release the ball a little quicker. Hanging onto the ball too much at this level could lead to sack problems he had in college behind a subpar offensive line, especially in 2023.
Dart put up big numbers at Ole Miss as Lane Kiffin seemingly unlocked the quarterback in the latter half of his college career. While he might not be a first round pick, Dart is likely the No. 3 signal caller in this draft.
A very fluid thrower, per Reid, Dart had a good showing at the NFL Scouting Combine. But how does Dart’s production at Ole Miss, which was a great scheme from Kiffin, translate to the NFL?
Milroe is an interesting case when it comes to evaluating the quarterbacks in this draft class. He has high highs and low lows.
Milroe, when he’s playing well, looks like a great dual threat quarterback. But his accuracy on the intermediate throws remains a work in progress and that’ll be a massive part to most NFL offenses, as Reid pointed out. Not to mention developing under center and not strictly from the shotgun.
Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images
Shough took the long road to get here, with stops at Oregon, Texas Tech and Louisville. But the quarterback finally got something going at Louisville when he was healthy.
Shough, like Sanders, needs to work on a quicker release at the NFL level, per Reid. The QB is also one of the older prospects at 26, which actually could be a positive for some teams.
McCord is a curious case because he was a good quarterback at Ohio State, but left for his final season. Once he was at Syracuse, he truly broke out under Fran Brown as a QB.
This guy aired it out like no one else in the ACC. As Reid pointed out, while he impressed at the combine and Senior Bowl, he still needs to work on ball placement to really lead his receivers. He should be a Day 3 pick, per Reid.
Ewers left Ohio State after a brief stint and then excelled at Texas. The quarterback was a big part of the team’s resurgence into a regular at the College Football Playoff.
While Ewers has elite traits, the injuries are a concern as he was dinged up a lot during his time in Austin. So, how will he respond to pressure in the pocket at the NFL level?
Gabriel was highly productive at UCF, Oklahoma and Oregon throughout his college career. But this veteran quarterback is ranked as high as others.
As Reid pointed out, Gabriel’s arm strength is certainly a question compared to others. His adjustment to under center will take some time as well.
Howard went from Kansas State to Ohio State and became a national championship quarterback. Well, that’ll certainly help your draft stock!
He was very comfortable in the pocket all year and could escape the pocket when needed. However, he’ll have to adjust to things breaking down at the next level, per Reid. Rather than look to run immediately, maybe find a different read.
Brosmer was quite solid in 2024 for Minnesota, especially being an FCS quarterback first. He’s got a quick release and can make some good reads.
But, Reid noted that the inconsistent drive on his throws could be concerning. It’s almost as if he’s unsure about some throws, especially over the middle where it’s anyone’s ball.
USA Today Sports
Rourke was a big reason why Indiana managed to set a program record in wins and get to the College Football Playoff. He had high production at Ohio and Indiana with 7,651 passing yards and 61 total touchdowns.
Rourke’s progressions need to improve as a quarterback, per Reid. Sometimes, he can get stuck on his first or second read and try to force things too much.
Leonard is a dual threat quarterback, similar to a Josh Allen build as he’s been described as a quarterback. The production was up and down at Duke and Notre Dame though.
However, his passing numbers improved in 2024. But the concerns, per Reid, stemmed from Notre Dame’s offense which didn’t primarily push the ball down field.
