2025 NFL draft QB rankings: Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders lead top 10 quarterbacks

[ASFN Admin]

There's less than a month until the 2025 NFL draft and prospects across the country are partaking in their schools' pro day to show off for NFL scouts and team personnel.

This week, Miami quarterback Cam Ward went through drills and threw dozens of passes at the Hurricanes' pro day. The favorite to be the No. 1 pick felt confident after his performance that included throws to all levels of the field and on the run.

Ward's not the only quarterback expected to go in the first round. Colorado's Shedeur Sanders will have his pro day on April 4 as teams at the top of the draft consider when to take a swing on the big-name quarterback.

Unlike last year, there likely won't be six quarterbacks selected in the first round. Ward and Sanders are considered near-locks, but they may ultimately be the only ones selected in the first 32 picks.

There are still other quarterbacks worth drafting in this class, though. Most of them will be Day 2 picks as teams look to fill out the depth chart at the position. Here's how we stack the top 10 quarterbacks in the class with Ward and Sanders leading the way:

2025 NFL draft: Top 10 quarterback prospects​

1. Cam Ward, Miami​

• Strengths: Has one of, if not the strongest arms in the class with the arm slots to release layered throws to multiple levels of the field. Has the mobility to escape the pocket and extend plays or gain extra yards on scrambles. Creative passer out of structure. Very efficient red zone passer in 2024. Improved as a quarterback at all three stops of his college career (Incarnate Word, Washington State, Miami).
• Weaknesses: Can hunt big plays too often, leading to a high-risk gunslinger mentality. Not elite athleticism to be a dual-threat quarterback. Can rely too often on pre-snap reads.
• Draft projection: Round 1 (top 3).

2. Shedeur Sanders, Colorado​

• Strengths: Tough, accurate passer who led the country in completion percentage in 2024 (74%). Great delivery that speeds up when needed. Builds trust with pass-catchers and will work with them to make plays downfield. Picks apart defenses with his football IQ and vision. Can scramble for extra yards.
• Weaknesses: Average arm strength. Not a dual-threat quarterback. Can hold on to the ball for too long and take on unnecessary sacks.
• Draft projection: Round 1 (top 20).

3. Tyler Shough, Louisville​

• Strengths: Big-bodied pocket passer with lots of college experience. Good arm strength and can access deep shots as well as intermediate throws. Great vision to create throwing windows and a smooth delivery that works on various angles and platforms. Athletic enough to extend plays (ran a 4.63-second 40-yard dash). Stands tall against pressure and can climb the pocket.
• Weaknesses: Will turn 26 years old as a rookie. Missed significant time in the 2021, 2022 and 2023 seasons because of injury. Only one full season as a starter out of seven years in college.
• Draft projection: Round 2.

4. Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss​

• Strengths: Excellent touch and timing on short and intermediate throws. Strong enough arm that will not limit passing concepts in the NFL. Tough against pressure and will deliver the ball under duress. Good back-shoulder fade passer. Good enough vision and mobility to make plays as a scrambler.
• Weaknesses: Played in a quarterback-friendly system at Ole Miss. Decision making can falter when pressured. Footwork needs improvement. Struggled against zone coverages at times.
• Draft projection: Late Round 1/early Round 2.

5. Jalen Milroe, Alabama​

• Strengths: One of the best athletes in the class, regardless of position, who can make plays as a pure runner. Strong arm that can drive the ball outside the hash marks. Very quick release.
• Weaknesses: Accuracy was an issue in 2024. Struggles to layer the ball on intermediate passes. Threw 10 of his career-high 11 interceptions in 2024 to SEC competition. Needs to improve his anticipation and timing.
• Draft projection: Late Round 3/early Round 4.

6. Kyle McCord, Syracuse​

• Strengths: Transferred to Syracuse from Ohio State for the 2024 season and improved. Prolific pocket passer who goes through progressions quickly. Quick delivery to get the ball out before pressure can get to him. Great pocket mobility and can climb up or slide to buy time. Plays like a point guard and looks to challenge defenses downfield.
• Weaknesses: Not athletic enough to be a scrambler at the NFL level. Lacks elite arm talent. Can take risks with throwing to covered targets. Mechanics can falter when under pressure. Led the country in passing yards in 2024 but also threw a conference-high 12 interceptions.
• Draft projection: Round 4.

7. Will Howard, Ohio State​

• Strengths: Prototypical size (6-foot-4, 236 pounds) and toughness to handle NFL pressure. Improved in 2024 to win a national championship in his lone season with Ohio State. Stood tall with poise and accuracy against blitzes. Great arm talent with the ability to layer throws. Good short-yardage runner.
• Weaknesses: Mechanics can be inconsistent, leading to turnover-worthy plays. No truly elite tools. Doesn't use vision to manipulate coverage. May have benefitted from talent advantage at Ohio State in 2024.
• Draft projection: Round 4.

8. Quinn Ewers, Texas​

• Strengths: Makes off-platform throws on the move when flushed from the pocket. Mobile to evade pressure and extend plays for receivers to get open. Can throw around defenders with various arm angles. Quick release and excels as a rhythm passer. Tough player.
• Weaknesses: Lacks elite arm talent. Can rely on pre-snap reads. Mechanics can break down, which causes deep passes to sail or die out. Affected by pressure, leading to inconsistencies against top competition.
• Draft projection: Late Round 4/early Round 5.

9. Riley Leonard, Notre Dame​

• Strengths: Tough, mobile quarterback who improved as a passer in 2024 with Notre Dame. Can drive the football with his good arm talent. Shows touch to layer passes against zone coverage. Deep passes are placed well with great touch. Avoids turnovers in the red zone.
• Weaknesses: Lacks the elite arm talent to throw off-platform or out of multiple angles. Inconsistent accuracy due to lower body mechanics. Can try to throw out of sacks and take risks in doing so. Underwhelming on third down as a passer.
• Draft projection: Round 5.

10. Dillon Gabriel, Oregon​

• Strengths: Good improviser with the mobility to extend plays when pressured and evade the rush in the pocket. Played in multiple systems with UCF, Oklahoma and Oregon. Solid processor when it comes to deep shots. Consistently accurate thrower in the short and intermediate areas.
• Weaknesses: Undersized prospect (5-foot-11, 205 pounds) who doesn't have any elite traits. Threw mostly short passes in 2024. Deeper throws can fall away if he's on the run. Questionable decision-making in the red zone. Will turn 25 years old during his rookie season.
• Draft projection: Round 5.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 2025 NFL draft QB rankings: Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders lead top 10

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