Top College Quarterbacks to Look Out For in the 2025 NFL Draft
- Gareth Evans
- Apr 21
- 6 min read
With the 2025 NFL Draft rapidly approaching, fans are devouring mock drafts and player guides to see who their favourite teams will select and where the top talent in college football will land.
With many NFL teams preferring pass-heavy attacks, the quarterback position is scrutinised more closely than ever. Its value in the Draft can often be overrated with teams realising they need to pay a "quarterback tax" to secure their signal caller, often at the expense of players with higher graded skill sets.
The 2024 NFL Draft saw six quarterbacks selected in the first 12 picks. The Class of 2025 has less depth at the quarterback position, but I would expect three, possibly four quarterbacks to be selected in the first round.
Who are the Top 10 college football quarterbacks to look out for over the 2025 NFL Draft weekend?
Cam Ward, Miami, 6'2", 223 lbs.
The Tennessee Titans appear poised to grab Miami's quarterback as the top overall pick. Ward has honed his career in spells producing big numbers initially with Incarnate Word and then Washington State before landing with the Hurricanes as the most valued athlete available in last season's transfer portal.
His senior season with Miami, throwing for 4,313 yards and 39 touchdowns sharply elevated his draft stock. Ward's ability to improvise and make plays on the run make him a dangerous weapon. I'll be shocked if he isn't selected No.1 overall.
Shedeur Sanders, Colorado, 6'2", 215 lbs.
For such a talented player, Shedeur Sanders is one of the more polarising prospects in the 2025 quarterback draft class. Sanders, along with his father, Colorado coach and former NFL great Deion Sanders, has helped to inject some excitement into a sluggish Buffaloes program.
Winner of the 2024 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, Sanders completed over 75% of his passes, throwing 37 touchdowns for 4,134 yards. He led Colorado to a 9-4 season and a whisker away from a place in the College Football Playoff. He throws with touch and accuracy, often while escaping extreme defensive pressure thanks to a porous offensive line.
Cleveland at No.2, the New York teams (Giants at No.4, Jets at No.7) or New Orleans at No.9 look like the favourites to select the headline-grabbing star who NFL Draft expert Todd McShay describes as the best processor of the quarterback class.
Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss, 6'2", 225 lbs.
Dart is rising up many analysts' draft boards. The Ole Miss quarterback transferred to Oxford in 2022 from USC after the arrival of Caleb Williams. Dart has flourished under the offensive nous of coach Lane Kiffin, overtaking Eli Manning as the most productive passer in Rebels history.
More athletic than he appears, Dart is a mobile threat with a variety of throws in his locker and impressed at the Reese's Senior Bowl and NFL Combine. Some scouts rate him higher than Shedeur Sanders, so he could provide an early surprise on Day One. New Orleans and Pittsburgh could be teams to watch, as could both New York teams, who may be tempted to trade back to take him off the board late in the first round.
Jalen Milroe, Alabama, 6'2", 225 lbs.
Drawing comparisons to another athletic Alabama quarterback, Super Bowl winner Jalen Hurts, Milroe has flattered to deceive at times in Tuscaloosa. Magnificent against LSU and in the first half against Georgia, he has also been erratic at times. His inconsistency means he is likely to fall out of the first round but look for him to be selected early in the second.
Arguably the best dual-threat quarterback in the draft, Milroe added 20 rushing touchdown and 719 yards on the ground in addition to 16 passing touchdowns and 2,844 passing yards. He is not the finished article yet, and would suit a team with the luxury to develop him for a season or two. He could be taken late in the first or early in the second round by a team looking to trade u
Tyler Shough, Louisville, 6'5", 225 lbs.
Six seasons in college football should give NFL Draft analysts enough material to assess the Louisville quarterback. In a career starting in Oregon, Shough transferred to Texas Tech before enjoying his most successful season with the Cardinals, where he passed for 23 touchdowns and 3,195 yards.
At 6'5", Shough is a classic pocket passer who is able to play under center and in the shotgun, being equally comfortable in either formation. At 26 years old, he is one of the older quarterbacks in the NFL Draft, but his experience and resilience in bouncing back from numerous injuries will stand him in good stead in the professional ranks. Expect him to be selected in Rounds 2 or 3.
Quinn Ewers, Texas, 6'2", 210 lbs.
The Texas native topped the 2022 high school recruiting class, heading initially to Ohio State before transferring back to his home state to help rejuvenate the Longhorns program under Steve Sarkisian, leading Texas to consecutive College Football Playoff semi-finals and impressing in wins against top-ranked opponents in Alabama and Michigan.
With arguably the best pure arm talent in the Draft, Ewers can make throws from all angles which can stretch defenses. He ranks less high on processing and natural athleticism. Defenses that close down his first or second pass options can cause him problems. He projects as a potential back up for NFL teams.
Will Howard, Ohio State, 6'4", 235 lbs.
In hindsight, Howard's arrival in Columbus as a transfer from Kansas State was the final piece in the jigsaw that enabled Ohio State to win the national championship. Howard has been described as the joystick controlling the Buckeyes' explosive offense, and his stock rose the further he led Ohio State through the College Football Playoff.
Ohio State's run in the Playoff saw Howard throw for eight touchdowns and 1,150 yards in four games and his ability to lead in the locker room and manage games effectively is appealing to NFL teams. He looks to be a mid-to-late round pick for teams looking for a solid backup quarterback with potential to start.
Kyle McCord, Syracuse, 6'3", 220 lbs.
McCord could be the most underrated quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft. Solid yet unspectacular in his Ohio State career, he flourished after transferring to Syracuse where he broke the ACC passing record with 4,779 passing yards that led the FBS, and threw for 34 touchdowns.
McCord has the abilty to get rid of the ball quickly, and completed 36 passes of 20+yards, also leading the FBS, so can move offenses forward. His decision making has been questioned at times, however, as he threw five interceptions in a surprise loss to Pittsburgh. He could be selected as early as Round 4, but likely will hear his name called one or two rounds later.
Dillon Gabriel, Oregon, 5'11", 200 lbs
I was fortunate enough to watch Gabriel and Oregon dismantle UCLA in the Rose Bowl early in the regular season and thought he looked like an extremely effective quarterback, if a little short, at 5'11". Like Ohio State's Will Howard, he is an excellent game manager with a high completion percentage.
Gabriel has enjoyed a highly productive college football career, throwing for 155 touchdowns and 18,722 yards over six seasons with UCF, Oklahoma and then Oregon, who he led to the Big Ten championship and a 13-0 regular season record before their blowout loss to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff. His weakness is arm strength, so would suit an offense whose receivers can gain yard after the catch. Expect a mid-to-late round selection.
Kurtis Rourke, Indiana, 6'5", 223 lbs.
After a superb season with Indiana, who he led to their first College Football Playoff appearance, Rourke has slipped slightly under radar due to surgery on a torn ACL he received in January, ruling him out of the pre-Draft process.
With 29 touchdowns and 3,042 passing yards with a near 70% completion percentage, the Canadian quarterback had previously drawn interest in the MAC in five seasons with Ohio where he threw for 7,651 yards and 50 touchdowns, running in another 11. He is likely selected on Day 3, or as an undrafted free agent.
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