There will inevitably be some teams at the end of the 2024 NFL season that will be aching for a new quarterback for 2025. Rumors abound concerning the job security of Daniel Jones in New York, no one seems to be taking firm control of the starting job in Las Vegas, and uncertainty surrounds the recent investments in the position made in Indianapolis, Cleveland, Carolina, and Tennessee. The 2025 NFL Draft class may not offer enough answers for all these teams, so many are doing their research on the next couple of draft classes. 
That doesn’t mean there are no options in 2025. Two passers seem to top the list for the upcoming draft: Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Miami’s Cam Ward. Sanders and his father (head coach and NFL legend Deion Sanders) have worked hard over the past two seasons to put the Buffaloes on track for a berth in the Big 12 title game and a chance at the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff. Not quite elite with his arm or his legs, Sanders succeeds on technique utilizing good timing and ball placement to lead his offense. Having only played under his father in college, scouts have concerns about Sanders’ maturity and leadership abilities.
Ward, who formerly declared for the 2024 NFL Draft before withdrawing to transfer from Washington State to Coral Gables, has earned his place in the first-round conversation. Starting as a zero-star recruit at Incarnate Ward at the FCS level, Ward found a home in Pullman before joining the Hurricanes. The 22-year-old has led the Canes to a 9-1 record, throwing for 348 yards and three touchdowns in the team’s only loss. His composure in the pocket and elite arm talent make him an enticing prospect but can lead him into making some questionable decisions. He’s an obvious contender for the Heisman trophy, but his draft stock is still far from solidified.
Behind Sanders and Ward, there’s a pretty significant drop off to players like LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, Georgia’s Carson Beck, and Penn State’s Drew Allar. All four players hold mid-round intrigue, but there’s plenty of time for any of them to work their way into the first-round conversations late like we saw Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix do last year.
While a couple teams will be in a position to take a quarterback early in the 2025 draft, and some may decide that Sanders or Ward are a fit for their organization, others are already doing their homework on the next few classes of college passers. Two redshirt freshmen and one true freshman have scouts licking their chops before they’ve even reached draft eligibility.
In Austin, redshirt freshman Arch Manning has been quietly building a ton of anticipation from the bench. The grandson of former Saints quarterback Archie Manning and son of Peyton and Eli’s brother Cooper, Manning has waited patiently behind the Longhorns’ starting passer Quinn Ewers. Seeing time in six games in relief of Ewers in 2024, Manning has shined in spurts for Texas.
Another NFL legacy player, Dylan Raiola — son of long-time Lions center Dominic Raiola — started off his true freshman season for Nebraska hot before falling off in recent weeks. After drawing early comparisons to Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (mostly visually), Raiola came on strong in his collegiate start, throwing nine touchdowns to only two interceptions in his first five games. Since then, the Cornhuskers passer has cooled off quite a bit throwing only one touchdown to six picks.
Lastly, South Carolina has a redshirt freshman passer in LaNorris Sellers whose name is resounding in NFL scouting circles already. While his arm isn’t electric quite yet, Sellers has been effective en route to a 5-3 record as a starter. He also adds some dynamism with his legs averaging about 50 rushing yards per game on his way to four scores on the ground.
The talk for players like Manning, Raiola, and Sellers is obviously far too premature, as can be seen by Raiola’s midseason slump. The existence of such conversations, though, seems to underline the lack of excitement from the NFL in the 2025 draft class. Sanders and Ward are well on their way to hearing their names on the first night of the draft, but Nussmeier, Milroe, Beck, Allar, and others have some work ahead of them if they’re going to convince NFL squads to take a shot on them this offseason.
I don’t think Arch is coming out next year
Neither is Dylan he is a true freshman. It’s in the draft rules a player must have been out of high school for 3 years.
Depends, he obviously does not need the money but he will be a #1 pick if Texas isn’t complete trash. Mannings may steer him to a team though like Eli was.
None of these guys look like top of the first round talents, and all the teams needing QBs are drafting in the top 10.
Other teams who may be interested in taking a QB: Miami, Seattle, LA Rams,
Raiola. I’ll believe the hype when I see it. Honestly, the best value option mentioned in this article is Milroe.
I agree. He has the tools and upside.
And quote frankly I thought his floor was higher earlier in the year, but I’m not ready to concede the ceiling, and it’s not like he’s got a Richardson-level floor either.
my value option not mentioned is jaxson dart. also not mentioned, probably because he’s 3 draft classes from now i think, marcel reed at a&m.
Do Ward or Sanders have the pocket presence to go through reads and process defenses at a pro level? You would hope that Sanders could. His father probably is harping on that, and he’s displayed it at Colorado. But the defensive scheming/skill of Sanders’ opponents, in addition to the outside concern of Deion’s interference, is a concern in determining how pro ready Sanders actually is.
Ward Is a great college QB. There’s not much doubt about that. Is he a franchise pro QB? That I don’t know. Snaps that are big plays in college usually don’t translate one for one in the pros. Ward’s paid his dues, and has been the engine to Cristobal’s current success in Miami, but I’m still hesitant to say that he’s ready to be a franchise savior.
Nussmeier plays like an NFL QB, as does Southern Cal’s Moss. Some poor decision making at critical times has sunken both prospects, as well as the overall team record. I don’t think that either are slam dunks, and certainly are developmental, but they play an NFL style from the pocket.
Alabama’s Milroe is a bit unique to me. He has elite physical traits, and, most importantly, has elite experience in meaningful games where he’s had to take control of circumstances. Has he shown that he can be a threat with more than his legs? In some ways, yes. He can make big plays with his strong arm, particularly downfield. His threat to run-powerfully, might I add-adds another ground threat for offenses to consider. In some ways, he plays very similarly to Russell Wilson in his heyday. Here’s the thing-those stars are usually short burning. Can Milroe make enough plays passing-little plays-to be respectable as a passer? He’s played under two different schemes in his high profile career with Saban and DeBoer. He’s obviously a good leader. Can he show the consistency as a passer to make it at an NFL level? We’ll see, but I do like his transition between high profile coaches and experience in big games. I can’t say whether Milroe will be a franchise QB, but he’s definitely interesting as a later pick. A team that can use a runner at QB could be a good start for Milroe, because I definitely don’t see him as a passer at the moment.
Ewers is interesting in some ways-sometimes he makes great reads, and sometimes he misses obvious plays. His arm talent is definitely NFL level, but you have to wonder about inconsistency. Texas has the talent to win before the pass is thrown, too. Ewers doesn’t seem like bad prospect necessarily, of course. That’d be ludicrous to suggest. But I also wonder what his signature moment at Texas is. Does Ewers bring an offense with him, or does he manage what is there? The latter isn’t bad, but is it enough to elevate a franchise?
Not sure if there are any slam dunks so far this year, but there certainly could be worse. As far as QBs go, this might just be one of those years where we have to see which teams these guys end up on to see if the fit helps emphasize their respective strengths. You never really know, but there don’t seem to be any sure things this year.
I thought Ewers’s signature moment was being in that Dr Pepper commercial
At least he doesn’t need backup…
I think Shedeur not being fast at all helps him, if he was fast like his dad he would rely on it more. He moves around in pocket and escapes sacks but always keeps eyes down field. The NFL has faster players but he has played behind bad olines.
You may have a point there. At the very least, it showcases his pocket presence. I think for him a big on-field concern is level of competition that Colorado has beaten versus who they’ve lost to in the last two years. It’s not a cakewalk, but it also isn’t the same as the top competition.
The so called experts can claim one draft class is stronger than another but there will be disappointing busts and surprising over-achievers in any draft you look at…it’s a lottery.
According to these kinds of articles we see every year Trevor Lawrence should be the modern John Elway right now, Caleb Williams should be the next Pat Mahomes, Pat Mahomes and Josh Allen should be nobodies, CJ Stroud should be mediocre, and Johnny Manzel and Christian Hackenberg should be franchise QBs based off their freshman seasons.
Well, the team that they go to is 50% of the equation. That explains most of it, in alongside the natural errors that experts make that you refer to.
Sanders will disappoint BUT will turn the tables later on. Like a Baker or Geno
did
Whoever is selected by where ever, just stop immediately putting them behind center; hasn’t that brain fart been proven enough?
I don’t care where you played college ball, the NFL is its own speed & complexity; you aren’t ready.
If your coaching is suspect, you’re just tossing your first years into the abyss.
Sure Stroud was great last season but prove to me that sitting wasn’t the best thing for Love and not sitting wrecked many bright careers
Bigger names and marketing for media is in 2026-27 but the better QBs maybe in this year as all of them should sit 1 year or more.