As the pre-draft process has worn on, some things have become extremely clear while others have become increasingly muddled. After some early competition from Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward has easily established himself as the top passing option in this year’s draft class, and the closer we get to the draft, the clearer that appears to be. What has become muddled is Sanders’ positioning up top with Ward. 
Sanders has been experiencing a drop in draft stock following a series of reportedly poor interviews during the NFL Scouting Combine, per Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed of The Athletic. While Sanders still has the experience and talent to be a high draft pick, some have wondered if he could slide out of the first round entirely. Even More have posited that another quarterback may end up surpassing him as QB2 on most draft boards.
Per Jeff Howe, also of The Athletic, Jaxson Dart out of Ole Miss has continuously forced himself into the picture. Dart first established himself as a potential first-rounder with an impressive week at the Senior Bowl. As talk continued at the combine, two teams expressed that they strongly believed Dart would get taken in the top half of the first round.
Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports noted that Louisville’s Tyler Shough is another passer who’s drawn rave reviews during the pre-draft process. Shough has a strong, quick arm and found a way to deliver a 4.64-second 40-yard dash despite a massive 6-foot-5 frame. Though we’re still a ways away from the start of the draft, one personnel director claimed that Shough may have done enough to work his way up into QB3 talk and a potential first-round grade.
While Sanders, Dart, and Shough battle it out for second place, the overwhelming sentiment coming out of the combine was that there is a wide gap between Ward and QB2, which begs the question of which team up top will make a move to draft him. Of course, the Titans hold the No. 1 overall pick, but the Giants have been linked to a possible trade up for that pick.
Giants general manager Joe Schoen was publicly linked to Sanders early and often throughout the college football season, but The Athletic’s Dan Duggan points out that, despite little coverage, Schoen attended three Miami games (one more than Colorado) and went to a Hurricanes practice before the team’s bowl game. The general consensus was that Ward left quite an impression on Schoen and is likely sitting atop the team’s quarterback rankings.
The Raiders are another team rumored to be in the running for Ward and Sanders, and some thought that may have changed with the team’s acquisition of veteran starter Geno Smith. Well, we know that Las Vegas is still very much considered to be in play for a first-round quarterback, but their approach to doing so may have changed. If you’re to buy the predictions of Tafur and Reed above, the Raiders may even trade back with confidence that they could still land Sanders in the middle of the first round.
One team that was recently rumored to be in the hunt for a rookie quarterback, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, is the Cowboys. It seems hard to believe that, with Dak Prescott recently getting his extension, Dallas would spend a quality draft pick on a passer — a sentiment echoed by Clarence Hill Jr. of All City DLLS — but Rapoport, nonetheless, believes that with the loss of key backup Cooper Rush to Baltimore, the team could pick a quarterback in the second or third round.
How early Dallas takes a stab at the quarterback position could very well depend on how quickly Ward, Sanders, Dart, and, potentially, Shough come off the board. If the Sanders, Dart, and Shough all slide a bit, the Cowboys could be tempted to use an earlier pick to secure a rookie backup with a higher ceiling. If Sanders, Dart, and Shough all come off the board fairly early on Day 1, Dallas may be content to wait a bit and select one of the project passers of the draft.
If the latter occurs, there are plenty of options, including Syracuse’s Kyle McCord, Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, Texas’ Quinn Ewers, and Ohio State’s Will Howard. While all these quarterbacks are held in varying esteems across the league, each team seemingly has a project passer in mind. For instance, Milroe spent today with Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, general manager Omar Khan, and quarterbacks coach Tom Arth ahead of tomorrow’s pro day, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
One thing remains clear: Ward is QB1 and a potential No. 1 overall pick. Behind that, pundits and analysts are muddy on who stands as QBs 2-4, where a team like Dallas could choose a passer, and which teams have which quarterbacks on their radar as potential project picks. We have lots to learn in the next month and a half about the options surrounding the 2025 quarterback draft class.
These rumors sound very legitimate and do not in any way appear to be some kind of smokescreen intended to push Sanders down the board.
Hmm. Is this comment a smokescreen?
Hmm is THIS comment a smokescreen?
Nobody needs to do that. He’s not a top ten player.
On what team’s behalf are you here talking down Lil’ Prime? ‘notimportant,’ eh? Sounds like a burner name for a GM
I know that people say this every year, but there really isn’t a QB that I like here as a worry-free use of a first round pick.
Hey, come on. Use your imagination. EVERY first round pick comes with worry.
Upvoted for that sentiment.
We notice quarterback busts a lot more, but we’ve seen some pretty bad busts and overdrafts at every position in recent years. At least quarterback has the upside of being a quarterback.
Or in the more world weary way, what CAN’T go wrong?
@ Oooof and AK185, as the two I most respect on all the boards on TR, don’t join forces and have even keel and thought out dialogue. LOL. I really appreciate what both of you bring to the table and to help see the big picture.
It’s funny, Oooof and Ak185 are the best posters here and I actually have no idea which teams they follow. They’re knowledgeable enough about all of the teams.
Oooof has claimed allegiance to the Jets so as a Giants fan you two should have some good discussions. I don’t recall AK ever stating any team allegiance. He has frequently defended Aaron Rodgers in the past so I thought he might be a Packers fan. I think he stated he’s from Carolina but he wisely regards Tepper as an idiot so he probably isn’t a Panthers fan.
I’m a lifelong Jets fan, so I pay attention to the whole league, because I love football and the Jets don’t exactly satisfy that all the time.
Thanks, rct. I really enjoy your thoughts, as well, especially on the Giants. You’re very knowledgeable about football in general and them in particular. I’m not a Packers fan, for the record, even if I’m more defensive of Rodgers than probably most. I try not to have a particular team bias, but hey, would someone truly notice his/her own bias if there was one?
I really like all of you guys, I learn from all of you. And, even if Oof and I disagree as much as we do agree, I respect the hell out of his knowledge and intellect.
Likewise. I generally like and respect you, even if we disagree a fair amount.
PFR should consider offering a podcast with Oooof and AK185 as hosts. Add arty into the mix to create some real mayhem…lol.
I would pay cash money to hear arty’s thoughts on Belichick right now.
BB got such a merciless whipping from arty that he had no choice but to leave the NFL…lol. I already pity the next GM/HC arty puts the crosshairs on but I suspect the final candidate has yet to be determined.
b the
I think Sanders has swung around to being underrated—maybe not by teams, but by fans. Dart is a much riskier prospect. He could turn out better, but his production in college involved a whole lot of deep shots to open receivers that won’t happen in the NFL. Sanders might only have upside that looks more like a healthy Teddy Bridgewater, but he’s shown accuracy and decision making with an atrocious offensive line. In an offseason when rebuilding teams are looking at Rodgers and Wilson, taking a shot on a guy like that on a rookie deal sounds pretty worthwhile.
If Ewers and everyone at Texas are telling the truth about him gutting out an injury most of last season, he’s my favorite gamble of the quarterbacks who won’t go day one.
Howard is the sleeper.
I think Howard is better than he looked at his unbelievably bad combine, but I also don’t think he has much chance to be more than a career backup.
I still think Shedeur is the most pro ready QB right now and could be good enough to save some jobs that are on the hot seat (Browns and Giants). Doesn’t mean he’ll have a long, successful career as an elite starter or be the best in the class but I think he won’t look as bad as people expect him to. His last name is a double-edged sword…I think he’s getting a little more hype than he probably should based solely on his last name—like he’s probably a Day 2 pick with a different last name—but I also think people are quicker and more eager to poke holes in his profile for the same reason.
But Sanders is a pretty common last name
I heard a scout comp Sanders to Tyrod Taylor.
I don’t watch college but from the highlights I’ve seen, he seems to run OK and thrown on the run well, has some accuracy but not much zip on the ball…which you need in the NFL.
Tyrod Taylor could actually run decently well and had some speed out of VT, sanders doesn’t.
Tyrod was way better than Shedeur is.
That dude could flat out fly. Still kind of can.
I feel like the past decade or so, there’s always chatter about this or that QB not being a worth a high 1st round pick, then come draft time, teams panic and start grabbing QBs. I mean, last year we had six QBs in the top 12. I get that QB is by far the most important position, but sometimes patience is key. If the Raiders had panicked and traded up last year, like many experts predicted, they would have missed out on Bowers.
Maybe I’m just saying all of this because I’m a Giants fan and I have a bad feeling that they’ll pass on Hunter and overdraft Sanders instead.
Teams do get way too caught up in filling the QB position, often to the detriment of their drafts. At some point you have to say our guy isn’t there this year, at this spot, so let’s take this non-QB that could help us win football games. Overdrafting a QB is just a waste of a pick.
Your Giants will be the most fascinating team to watch in the draft. I think any team that passes on Hunter is making a mistake, even to take Ward. If he is there for the Giants at #3, they should grab him. I do wonder if they mortgage everything to trade up to #1 in a bit of desperation, though?
According to team sources and all the pundits, its highly unlikely that the Giants have the draft capital to pull off a trade up to #1….their roster is in desperate need of building out and trading up would certainly cost them their #3 and #34…they simply can’t afford that with their track record in previous drafts (24 is the exception right now) to give away two picks that should net them 2 starting players….
If you’re a QB you hope you slide down the draft board.
Imagine Sanders falling to the Steelers or dare I say the 49ers. Would 49ers move on from Purdy and take Sanders to give them 5 years of a rookie QB contract?
That would be incredibly stupid considering Purdy is a thousand times better than Sanders and was even in college.
Well that’s false lmao. The simple fact sanders is a first round prospect and Purdy was the last pick in the draft tells you who was better in college.
Sanders this past year was better than any of Purdys 4 years at Iowa State
Except it’s literally not.
Purdy was a prolific passer at Iowa State.
He was drafted as low as he is because he’s not athletic and was always getting injured.
Don’t talk if you don’t actually know what you’re talking about.
Purdy’s stats
10 games 66% 2250 yards 16 TDs 7 Ints
13 games 66% 3982 yards 27 TDs 9 Ints
13 games 66% 2750 yards 19 TDs 9 Ints
13 games 72% 3188 yarss 19 TDs 8 Ints
Sanders
11 games 69% 3230 yards 27 TDs 3 ints
13 games 74% 4132 yards 37 TDs 10 Ints
Sit this one out before you embarass yourself again. Purdys best season was outdone by Sanders with 8% higher completion percentage, 150 more yards, 10 more TDs, 1 more Int. Purdy had 475 attempts that season and Sanders had 477.
Don’t believe the hype Sanders is still going in the top 5 .. Not every QB in the nfl is a generational talent , and some of those aren’t very productive..
Sanders isn’t good enough to be a top five pick.
Doesn’t matter, positional value matters..if you are drafting in the top 5 there’s a good chance your QB stinks, you don’t really have a guy or you drafted one last year .. Everyone knows QB is the most over drafted position by far .. they are saying J.Dart or Q. Ewers might be late first rd picks
This happens every year. Media invents a qb dark horse as clickbait. Keep your mock drafts where they are. Next month you’ll see a clickbait headline that Dart could go no.1 overall. It’s what they do.
Malik Willis was mocked at #2 overall.
That was because he was considered the next Lamar Jackson and looked every bit the part in college.
Quarterbacks should either be drafted early in the first round or very late in the draft.
You either believe a guy is a potential franchise QB or you do not.
If you DO, you do everything you can to get him, which means trading up ahead of other teams, etc. If you DON’T believe they are a potential franchise QB, don’t waste time with them.
So, for example, if you think Sanders can be a franchise QB, so be it…BUT if you don’t, you don’t say “hey, we got him in the second round, what a bargain!”. You don’t turn over your franchise to him because everyone else passed on him and you got him at the clearance aisle.
I don’t watch college football and have only seen a small amount of highlights and combine…
How good is Ward? Where would he have been drafted last year? Seems like if he were a slam dunk pick, there would be no question as to what the QB needy Titans will be doing…
Keep hearing about Dart, but all I know about him are two throws I saw him make at the combine and neither was even close to his WR.
Everything I know about Tyler Shough I read in this article here, but…6’5 and fast with a strong arm sounds intriguing. Is he any good in actual games?
Keep seeing the Steelers linked to Milroe, but not many other teams. Do they magically know something everyone else doesn’t or is that another pointless half measure stop gap plan like Pickett?
I kinda think Milroe could be someone that could be developed – possibly the new staff/system at Bama may have hurt his development. In ’23 when he played for Saban/Bill O’Brien, they ran more of pro style system where he improved greatly throughout the season. In ’24 under Deboer it looked like a lot of 1 read, tuck and run stuff. He has the physical traits, strong arm and wheels. Steelers taking him low 2nd I think would be highest he would go.
Ward transferring to Miami and putting up good numbers combined with starting over 50 games in college is something evaluators like.
Milroe is the definition of intriguing to me. A lot of the time people say that by default about QBs, but I do think that it’s genuinely true here. The reason is not because of his physical traits-which are easily observed-but because of his experience.
Milroe played at a big-probably the biggest-college program in the NCAA. When I say biggest, to clarify, I mean as a combination of being successful collegiately and also having a pro-esque environment. Milroe should have some idea of what it’s like to be in that type of organization.
Playing under Saban in the pre-NIL environment probably helped, too. Even with the consistency there, Milroe also played under a very different coach in DeBoer and in a different offensive system. He played in Tommy Rees’ more complex scheme, which required a lot of reads and defensive scheme recognition. That’s why there was a significant upswing in Milroe’s late 2023 as compared to his early results. DeBoer’s spread/Air Raid style was much simpler, and generally only used a one or maybe two read progression. They’re very different schemes.
Milroe seems pretty bright, and seems to have a fantastic work ethic. The physical talent is off the charts, but we see that latter thing every year. The thing that I really like is the adaptation to different schemes at a massive program, with mostly having success. The thing that keeps you from being totally comfortable is the inconsistency in that success. Sometimes Milroe really struggled to get into a rhythm, and in 2024, there were a lot of times that he had to look for Ryan Williams to make a bail-out play. Now, that could be partly a function of the one read type system of DeBoer, and also a function of comparative leader talent of the 2024 team to past iterations, but it’s still a question to ask.
I don’t know if Milroe can walk in and be your starter on Day One, but I do think that you get a quarterback who can be relied on to learn your system and work hard. He does have huge athletic upside-he’s massively strong, is blazing fast despite his size, and has a cannon like a Pershing tank. You may not get pinpoint precision from him-which could be permanent, you never know-but you could get overall accuracy engineered by smarts and scheme. Given how lukewarm the top prospects are, I’d probably be just as comfortable with Milroe as a bench project later as I would be with, say, Dart as a project early. Milroe does give me pause, but I’m also intrigued. But that’s my personal opinion-I really value Milroe’s work ethic and his calm demeanor in some desperate situations in college.
I see him as Richardson redux, but without the premium draft pick attached to him.
It could be, it could be. His skillset would beg the comparison. Milroe does have the advantage of more starts (at significantly larger stages, as well) and being at a more stable program, though. For those reasons, I am intrigued by his ability to learn under a pro staff. I’m not going to lie, his pedigree in being Saban’s last starter does offer more of a boost than it would if Milroe started at a different program. There are tangible arguments to be made for that, but in any case, it’s the last time that we can analyze that aspect of college preparation for a player. I’m not confidant, but I am certainly intrigued enough to follow.
As a Raiders fan, I’d be glad to take a flyer with my #3, even though there is a good chance he’ll be gone. Depending on how the draft falls, maybe trade up a couple of slot. The NYG and Cle have the #65 & #67 picks and could very well be looking at him, if they don’t draft a QB earlier.
“general consensus”. Consensus defined is general agreement. So the general general agreement.
Sorry, drives me crazy.
If anyone takes Tyler Slough in the first round they deserve to be fired; he’ll be a month away from 26 when the season starts this year.
I mean, if you think he’s your guy.
There are teams legitimately thinking about starting a 42 year old broken down camel. (Yes, Aaron Rodgers reminds me of Joe Camel).
Meh. You’re right.
They should all be fired.
Has anyone talked about him in the first? That would be nuts. I think Shough is worth a look… in the fifth round or later. You’re right, there’s a limit to how high you can draft a guy born in the ’90s.
That’s fair, but QBs play until their 40s in today’s NFL. If you hit a home run in the first and get 10 years out of your pick, that’s the best that you could imagine. In today’s league, you could get a 10 year career out of a great quarterback at 26, in theory. I don’t think that age matters so much at that position as it used to.
The quarterbacks playing until their 40s thing has become overstated. It’s still only been a handful of guys in recent years, and most of them had been stars at their peak. Very few quarterbacks have been rookies older than 25 and turned out to be good starters, and most of them had played in other leagues. Shough also has a lot of injury history, including two shoulder injuries.
And I say all this as someone who’s intrigued by Shough as a later round flyer, but he has way too many red flags to go in the first three rounds.
I agree with the last part, for the record. I don’t see Shough as a first day guy (I haven’t seen much of his tape, either, for the record). But even minus the fact that only a handful of QBs have been 40 year old starters, consider his unimaginable that would have been years ago. There are plenty of 35 year old starts in theory last few years.
And now, I don’t mean to say that Shough is even that guy. The only argument I really want to impart is that if a guy is your guy-meaning if, by whatever standard, you’ve decided accurately that some guy is a great pick-age should not be a limiting factor for a quarterback. Of course, there’s a limit, but it’s been expanded with today’s rules. If you figure that the rookie deal is four years, and you get a second extension for, say, another four from that pick, that’s eight years of play. We can see a quarterback starting effectively at 33 in today’s league, can’t we?
Again, this isn’t specifically aimed at Slough, just about age in general. Younger is better, physically speaking, of course (though I’d argue that experience is really valuable mentally). Still, we have a greater opportunity for older players at a few positions in today’s league at certain positions.
All reasonable, though part of the issue with Shough is that he’s not actually that experienced because of the injuries. This isn’t like Bo Nix, who attempted twice as many passes in college.
No argument there. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to imply that I was taking up for Slough specifically. That’s my bad.
Reading my comment now, I realize that it makes it look like it was aimed at your post, rather than the original header that it was meant to be. It was just the age argument that I wanted to discuss.
Ak185 • 2 hours ago
I don’t think that age matters so much at that position as it used to.
======================
I think it works in reverse. I like the idea of drafting someone with a ton of experience. The beauty of Nix was that he didn’t really need polishing. The problem with Richardson was that he almost no college starts.
It was 61 starts v 13 starts.
Yeah, I actually like that argument. Physically, I don’t think that that the age limitations work the same as they did even ten years ago at the QB position. Of course, younger is better for the body. Absolutely no arguments there. But I think, and the major thing that I’m clinging to, is that QBs can play longer today so that age isn’t as much of a concern.
To Oof’s point, injury is a different story. Nothing’s changed there-prior injury history is and always should be a concern for teams in evaluating long term draft picks.
I liken it to BB. Usually, there are very few reasons to promote a player at age 20-21. I’d rather wait for the age 22-27 or 23-28 seasons since they are your core seasons. I don’t think a QBs’ best years are at age 22, particularly if that comes at the expense of more years of experience.
No one really considers Milroe a NFL QB do they?
It’s not a matter of him being a QB as much as how much of a return on your investment. If the Raiders still had their (2) #3 picks, I’d have used one of them on Milroe. It’s a likely fail, but the possible payoff is huge.
I’m getting Zack Wilson flashbacks…