2025 NFL Draft: Top Midseason Quarterback Prospects

Jalen Milroe’s combination of speed and power as a runner, improvement as a passer, and an insatiable thirst for knowledge and growth put him at No. 1 in midseason NFL draft quarterback rankings.

But which other quarterbacks will NFL scouts be watching throughout the thick of the college football season? We ranked our top quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft. 

Ranking the best QBs in the 2025 NFL Draft

There are 177 scouting days left before the 2025 NFL Draft. 

Finding a consensus on a QB1 before the draft begins April 24, 2025, could be complicated for reasons different than those that invited mixed opinions on Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels in April. 

Williams was undoubtedly the most NFL-ready, pro-style quarterback. There was wiggle room for reasons being displayed weekly for “rogue” evaluators, with the opinion Daniels had the higher ceiling because of his combination of tools. 

The dual-threat QB at the top of our rankings is Alabama’s Jalen Milroe. Not every team will share the same position preferences, weighing a versatile skill set with a projection to their scheme. There’s a lot of time for these rankings to shift, and a wildcard or two almost always presents itself (Anthony Richardson, Bo Nix). 

Supply-and-demand pushes quarterbacks to the early part of the first round, even in years like 2025 when none of the options appear best suited for immediate playing time—or worthy of the No. 1 pick. 

1. Jalen Milroe, Alabama

Milroe’s athleticism can be measured across multiple categories, and there isn’t a great comparison at hand for the two-year Crimson Tide starter because of his diverse strengths and ability to win in multiple ways. He’s an imposing physical specimen with lower-body power and straight-line speed rated as elite for the position. Milroe can run over cornerbacks and fly when he hits the gas in the open field. In terms of measurables, Milroe isn’t far from the Justin Fields body type. Fields ran a 4.44 40-yard dash at his pro day and thew a beautiful deep ball in workouts. Don’t be surprised if Milroe is better in both areas and draws interest as a top-10 pick. Much like Fields and, to an extent, Williams, Milroe isn’t completely comfortable in a pro-style system demanding repeatable mechanics and polished footwork. He should benefit from the system change under Kalen DeBoer, who produced a No. 8 overall pick in 2024—Washington QB Michael Penix Jr.

2. Carson Beck, Georgia

All of the traits and potential are present with Beck, but at midseason of the 2024 season, his projection remains based largely on promise rather than proven pro-ready performance. Some of that concern can be dismissed as part of the plan at all-we-do-is-win Georgia. Beck stands out as the closest physical prototype to the NFL wish list at the position. He’s 6-4, 219 and displays well-trained anticipation and football instincts. Pro comparison to Lions quarterback Jared Goff includes a near carbon copy in some areas. 

Accuracy, velocity and touch all stand out with Beck against a schedule loaded with top prospects in the SEC. He’s advanced in manipulating the secondary with his head and eyes, and while not the most explosive runner in this class, he can escape pressure and shows some speed in tight quarters. Wins in multiple ways, especially between the ears, and comes to the NFL versed in pro-level preparation.

3. Cam Ward, Miami

Ward’s climb had many steps, and his rung-by-rung progression is a testament to his leadership and self-propelled determination. At Miami, he’s become a demanding leader in his first season with the Hurricanes, with the results to back it up. 

Ward took the long route in part because he operated the Wing-T offense at Columbia (Texas) High School and college programs, naturally, didn’t see the complete picture of his ability. He was unranked in the Class of 2020. Then he found a taker at Incarnate Word, was the top freshman in the FCS (Jerry Rice Award) with 24 TD passes in six games. As a sophomore, he won Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Year and bounced to Washington State for two years after delivering a conference title and a two-season total of 4,648 yards with 47 touchdowns (10 INTs). In two seasons with the Cougars, Ward played 25 games and had 6,963 passing yards and 48 touchdowns. 

At Miami, Ward has the undefeated Hurricanes in the mix for an ACC title and a spot in the 12-team playoff. He’s in a volatile Heisman race with 24 touchdowns and five interceptions, flashing a live arm, improved accuracy, creativity and bravado to fight his way into the first round of the 2025 draft.

4. Shedeur Sanders

Based on natural arm talent and pure passing ability, Sanders rates as an NFL starter. His height and weight (6-1, 195) are below prototype markers, a dealbreaker for old-school GMs, and his frame borders on small by NFL standards. 

Sanders looks the part dropping back from center, can fire to any level of the field with good-to-great accuracy, and stands tall in the face of pressure. He can invite mistakes by holding the ball too long or panicking into forcing errors (see 2023 USC), but generally makes the right decision. Won’t hold up if he decides to meet linebackers at the edge. He’s also capable of extending plays in and outside the pocket with the zip to throw diagonally or get the ball deep off-platform. With slight mechanical refinement—he’s already improved under the tutelage of Pat Shurmur—and pocket discipline, he’s capable of making the most of his frame and average-plus athleticism in the NFL.

5. Quinn Ewers, Texas

Barring a string of stellar performances in the big stage games remaining for Texas—Texas A&M on Nov. 30; possible SEC Championship, playoff games—Ewers grades as a second-round pick. The No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2021, Ewers spent one season at Ohio State, bailing on an early commitment to stay home and play at Texas. After a freshman year in Columbus, Ewers changed his mind again and found greener grass at Texas. His skills and development are on par with another Steve Sarkisian pupil, Mac Jones and others see parts of Andy Dalton’s game in Ewers. Dalton (drafted 35th out of TCU) is the more accurate physical comp to Ewers, who is around 6-2 unofficially.

Could Ewers jump into the first round? He could. Jones threw for 4,500 yards, 41 touchdowns and four interceptions in 2020, and he was a first-round pick of the Patriots (15th overall). Ewers has a better arm, accuracy on the move, can throw strikes from almost any angle and has matured rapidly processing what a defense is attempting to do pre-snap. But he’s relatively undersized for the position and his arm strength isn’t on the level of most first-round picks. The frustration for NFL evaluators with Ewers remains consistency and response to pressure. Some of the same knocks were scattered around Caleb Williams at this time last season.