Risen Star
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Five quarterbacks were taken in the first round — combined — in the 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1998 drafts. Three times as many, or 15, were selected in each of the last two four-year periods: 2017-’20 and 2021-’24.
Back then, the rules making the NFL a quarterback-centric game had yet to be enacted, offenses ran the ball at least half the time and defenses still had license to intimidate and frequently dominate a game.
Many owners and coaches of the era not only believed but practiced the idea that developing quarterbacks was worth their time and patience.
If this were the typical draft of a generation ago, Cam Ward’s talent probably still would have merited a first-round pick but he surely wouldn’t be the No. 1 overall selection. As for the others in the 2025 class, well, they should feel fortunate to be playing today.
“The league has just lost their way,” a seasoned NFL executive in personnel said. “We can’t be honest with ourselves anymore because everybody needs them. This is the most overblown group of quarterbacks. Every last one of them is overrated and inflated. Wherever they end up, they’re half a round to a round overrated.”
Or, as another veteran scout put it: “Quarterback’s a f----d-up position to do. It’s why so many guys fail. You have to have one to win, and then you end up picking one not worthy of where you’re picking him.”
Another personnel man with 25-plus years in the field preferred a more pragmatic approach.
“None of these players will come out ready-made,” he said. “It just doesn’t happen. But those three guys — Ward, (Shedeur) Sanders and (Jaxson) Dart — have enough traits to be starters in the league.
“What’s the difference between 10 and 20? If you think a quarterback can come in and be a starter for you, it’s worth a first-round pick. Quarterback is just different than other positions because there’s so few of them. If you think he can be a starter you’ve got to take him in the first whether you like it or not. Tennessee’s got to play with somebody.”
Can Ward grow into a star? Is Sanders worthy of a top 5 pick? Which of the other quarterbacks is worth a shot in the second or third rounds? See how scouts view all of the top quarterbacks below.
Started 19 games in two seasons at FCS Incarnate Word, compiling an NFL passer rating of 107.2. Started 25 games at Washington State in 2022-’23 before rewriting the Miami record book in 13 starts last year. His passer rating in Power 5 was 103.4. “He plays like a modern NFL quarterback,” another scout said. “He can play off schedule. He’s got some dynamic ability. There’s no doubt he needs some work. At this point, his physical traits outweigh his pure quarterback play but we have coaches. We can work with his feet and feel in the pocket and decision-making and processing. Fundamentally, he may not be perfect, but he’s fun to watch. I wish he was a little taller but he’s got a sturdy frame. I would say he’d be a 4.7 maybe.” Rushed 400 times for 486 yards (1.2-yard average) and 20 touchdowns. “This will be the ideal kid if you can sit him for a year,” said a third scout. “It never happens except in Green Bay. I’ve watched him since he was at Incarnate Word. He’s got the most tools in this class and enough size to work with. It’s just the decision-making. Sometimes he doesn’t trust his eyes. Sometimes he trusts his arm too much. He needs a lot more coaching. He’s getting better but he still isn’t NFL-ready from the neck up.” His hands measured at 9 inches, tied for smallest at the position. “He was a disaster at Washington State,” a fourth scout said. “I’m kind of laughing hearing he’s gonna go first. Two years ago, he was throwing interceptions like nobody’s business. Michael Penix and Bo Nix were no-brainers as NFL starters. Cam Ward is a backup to me. He better fit the system or it’s going to be a disaster. I’m really kind of flabbergasted he’s being talked about in the top five. That (desperation) is when you make those kinds of mistakes.” Outstanding high-school basketball player in West Columbia, Texas. “The kid knows that if he’ll throw some sidearm shots outside like a second baseman or shortstop and loft a few deep balls with the scouts there everybody will be oohing and aahing,” said a fifth scout. “His arm talent has been his entrée ticket to every level, and the NFL will be no exception. Is he going to go where they’ll train him and coach him? Because I’m telling you, he’ll get sacked maybe 85 times his rookie year. He will set the record for sacks because he will not get rid of the ball. He just holds it and drifts around and the Wake Forest guy falls off him and the NC State guy can’t get him on the ground and the Louisville guy is just grasping at air. It’s laughable. It’s not even real. Bad body, lazy. This guy’s so unpolished. You recognize the arm talent but it begins and ends there.” A sixth scout said Ward wasn’t as good a prospect as Baker Mayfield and wasn’t close to Jayden Daniels or Caleb Williams. “He’s got talent but he’s got a bad body and he’s short,” a seventh scout said. “He’s the best guy but he pissed me off as much as breaking down the good things. I don’t like the fact that a quarterback’s been to three schools. I guess it’s the time we’re in now.”
2. SHEDEUR SANDERS, Colorado (6-1 ½, 212, no 40, 1): Finished eighth in voting for the Heisman Trophy. “I like him over Ward,” one scout said. “He’ll start from Day 1 wherever he goes. Biggest thing he’s gonna have to do is getting used to his dad (Deion, Colorado coach) not being around all the time. He’s poised. Things aren’t going to faze him. He got hit more than anybody in college football over the last couple years (behind) bad lines. He’s going to have to get used to getting rid of the ball quicker. Outside of that, he gives you everything you want. He’s athletic enough. It’s not fair to say he’s not his dad, but he’s not his dad. But he’s got a strong arm and he can slide and move in the pocket. He’s been coached and trained by all these people. I don’t see a lot holding him back right away. And he’s going to work. He’s a worker.” Led FCS Jackson State to a 23-3 record in 2021-’22 and a pair of Southwestern Athletic Conference titles, the school’s first since 2007. His NFL passer rating at JSU was 110.8. “He does a lot of things from a mental standpoint that are going to translate well to the NFL,” said a second scout. “He’s got borderline arm talent, maybe more than that. The concern with him is, at times he developed bad habits holding the ball too long. He’s always kind of going for a home run instead of settling for singles and doubles. From all accounts, he’s a great kid. Sometimes people almost feel badly because his dad is the coach and puts all this extra pressure on him. He might actually thrive without ‘Coach Prime.’ I think Ward has the much higher ceiling. They’re both capable of being winning starting quarterbacks. I think Ward, eventually, could drag subpar talent to a win where Shedeur, even though he did it at the college level, his ceiling is lowest.” The Buffaloes went 13-11 the past two seasons as Sanders compiled a passer rating of 113.3. “The one thing I can tell you is he is tough,” said a third scout. “There again, he’s also a guy who holds the ball trying to wait, wait, wait and make a play. A year ago I said I’d bet my future earnings in the National Football League that he will never put his hand in the ground and run a 40-yard dash. No way, no how, nowhere. He’s a 4.75, 4.8 or worse. You got example after example of that. He goes to scramble and there’s no juice there. Cam has one explosive trait: his arm. Shedeur has no explosive traits. He is the flashiest, most overhyped game manager I’ve ever graded. There’s no way on this earth he should go in the top three. He’s a second- or third-rounder, at best, and he’s gonna go top 10?” Played for six offensive coordinators in his collegiate career. “If his name was Joe Blow I don’t know if he’d get talked about nearly as much,” a fourth scout said. “He’s tough and has decent arm talent. He’s a pretty accurate thrower. Problem is, he’s a complete backyard football player. Hero balls, holds the ball. He’s not going to be able to play the way he plays in college. He’ll get crippled his first season. Not a wow athlete for his size, and not a big man. He just scares me. I think he’s in for a very rude awakening. His dad was so uniquely gifted. He’s not that guy. The (son’s) got mom’s talent.” In four seasons he finished with 30 yards rushing and 17 TDs. “You’re just setting yourself up for failure to take him high,” said a fifth scout. “He’s a system pocket passer without any redeeming special qualities. He doesn’t really have a quick mind or quick eyes to see things. If he knows he can throw it right here, he can do that. He can’t move. Very heavy-legged. It’s amazing he had two sons that played at this level and neither one of them is a good athlete. He’d be 5-flat, 4.9. Let’s give him 4.9. He doesn’t have much upside. I don’t see how he survives. In a lot of ways he’s been trained so much since he was young that he’s almost a robot as opposed to being a natural quarterback. Carried himself like a star (at the combine as an on-field observer). Everybody (on the field) gravitated towards him. He seemed like a very confident, professional quarterback.” A four-star recruit, four-year starter at Trinity Christian in Dallas, he led the team to three state titles. Hands were 9 3/8.
Back then, the rules making the NFL a quarterback-centric game had yet to be enacted, offenses ran the ball at least half the time and defenses still had license to intimidate and frequently dominate a game.
Many owners and coaches of the era not only believed but practiced the idea that developing quarterbacks was worth their time and patience.
If this were the typical draft of a generation ago, Cam Ward’s talent probably still would have merited a first-round pick but he surely wouldn’t be the No. 1 overall selection. As for the others in the 2025 class, well, they should feel fortunate to be playing today.
“The league has just lost their way,” a seasoned NFL executive in personnel said. “We can’t be honest with ourselves anymore because everybody needs them. This is the most overblown group of quarterbacks. Every last one of them is overrated and inflated. Wherever they end up, they’re half a round to a round overrated.”
Or, as another veteran scout put it: “Quarterback’s a f----d-up position to do. It’s why so many guys fail. You have to have one to win, and then you end up picking one not worthy of where you’re picking him.”
Another personnel man with 25-plus years in the field preferred a more pragmatic approach.
“None of these players will come out ready-made,” he said. “It just doesn’t happen. But those three guys — Ward, (Shedeur) Sanders and (Jaxson) Dart — have enough traits to be starters in the league.
“What’s the difference between 10 and 20? If you think a quarterback can come in and be a starter for you, it’s worth a first-round pick. Quarterback is just different than other positions because there’s so few of them. If you think he can be a starter you’ve got to take him in the first whether you like it or not. Tennessee’s got to play with somebody.”
Can Ward grow into a star? Is Sanders worthy of a top 5 pick? Which of the other quarterbacks is worth a shot in the second or third rounds? See how scouts view all of the top quarterbacks below.
QUARTERBACKS
1. CAM WARD, Miami (6-1 ½, 219, no 40, 1): First Heisman Trophy finalist at Miami since 2002. Finished fourth in the voting. “He’s the best by far — I don’t think there’s really a comparison between him and Shedeur,” one scout said. “I did him last year (2023) when he initially was going to come out. He was wild. Not a great feel. All over the place, really. But he’s gotten so much better this year. He’s a playmaker. He’s quick with his eyes and the decision-making. His release is quick. The arm is good. He can throw from all angles. He’s so calm and poised. When **** gets ramped up at the end of games he ratchets it up, too, where you see the competitor in him. He’s got (Patrick) Mahomes-like escapability. Very similar to Mahomes athletically. Mahomes doesn’t look like he’s a great athlete but he’s always getting away from people and running. That’s this guy. He’s got that backyard style but he has gotten so much better being on time and precise and with accuracy and quick decisions. Tennessee has to pick this guy (at No. 1).”Started 19 games in two seasons at FCS Incarnate Word, compiling an NFL passer rating of 107.2. Started 25 games at Washington State in 2022-’23 before rewriting the Miami record book in 13 starts last year. His passer rating in Power 5 was 103.4. “He plays like a modern NFL quarterback,” another scout said. “He can play off schedule. He’s got some dynamic ability. There’s no doubt he needs some work. At this point, his physical traits outweigh his pure quarterback play but we have coaches. We can work with his feet and feel in the pocket and decision-making and processing. Fundamentally, he may not be perfect, but he’s fun to watch. I wish he was a little taller but he’s got a sturdy frame. I would say he’d be a 4.7 maybe.” Rushed 400 times for 486 yards (1.2-yard average) and 20 touchdowns. “This will be the ideal kid if you can sit him for a year,” said a third scout. “It never happens except in Green Bay. I’ve watched him since he was at Incarnate Word. He’s got the most tools in this class and enough size to work with. It’s just the decision-making. Sometimes he doesn’t trust his eyes. Sometimes he trusts his arm too much. He needs a lot more coaching. He’s getting better but he still isn’t NFL-ready from the neck up.” His hands measured at 9 inches, tied for smallest at the position. “He was a disaster at Washington State,” a fourth scout said. “I’m kind of laughing hearing he’s gonna go first. Two years ago, he was throwing interceptions like nobody’s business. Michael Penix and Bo Nix were no-brainers as NFL starters. Cam Ward is a backup to me. He better fit the system or it’s going to be a disaster. I’m really kind of flabbergasted he’s being talked about in the top five. That (desperation) is when you make those kinds of mistakes.” Outstanding high-school basketball player in West Columbia, Texas. “The kid knows that if he’ll throw some sidearm shots outside like a second baseman or shortstop and loft a few deep balls with the scouts there everybody will be oohing and aahing,” said a fifth scout. “His arm talent has been his entrée ticket to every level, and the NFL will be no exception. Is he going to go where they’ll train him and coach him? Because I’m telling you, he’ll get sacked maybe 85 times his rookie year. He will set the record for sacks because he will not get rid of the ball. He just holds it and drifts around and the Wake Forest guy falls off him and the NC State guy can’t get him on the ground and the Louisville guy is just grasping at air. It’s laughable. It’s not even real. Bad body, lazy. This guy’s so unpolished. You recognize the arm talent but it begins and ends there.” A sixth scout said Ward wasn’t as good a prospect as Baker Mayfield and wasn’t close to Jayden Daniels or Caleb Williams. “He’s got talent but he’s got a bad body and he’s short,” a seventh scout said. “He’s the best guy but he pissed me off as much as breaking down the good things. I don’t like the fact that a quarterback’s been to three schools. I guess it’s the time we’re in now.”
2. SHEDEUR SANDERS, Colorado (6-1 ½, 212, no 40, 1): Finished eighth in voting for the Heisman Trophy. “I like him over Ward,” one scout said. “He’ll start from Day 1 wherever he goes. Biggest thing he’s gonna have to do is getting used to his dad (Deion, Colorado coach) not being around all the time. He’s poised. Things aren’t going to faze him. He got hit more than anybody in college football over the last couple years (behind) bad lines. He’s going to have to get used to getting rid of the ball quicker. Outside of that, he gives you everything you want. He’s athletic enough. It’s not fair to say he’s not his dad, but he’s not his dad. But he’s got a strong arm and he can slide and move in the pocket. He’s been coached and trained by all these people. I don’t see a lot holding him back right away. And he’s going to work. He’s a worker.” Led FCS Jackson State to a 23-3 record in 2021-’22 and a pair of Southwestern Athletic Conference titles, the school’s first since 2007. His NFL passer rating at JSU was 110.8. “He does a lot of things from a mental standpoint that are going to translate well to the NFL,” said a second scout. “He’s got borderline arm talent, maybe more than that. The concern with him is, at times he developed bad habits holding the ball too long. He’s always kind of going for a home run instead of settling for singles and doubles. From all accounts, he’s a great kid. Sometimes people almost feel badly because his dad is the coach and puts all this extra pressure on him. He might actually thrive without ‘Coach Prime.’ I think Ward has the much higher ceiling. They’re both capable of being winning starting quarterbacks. I think Ward, eventually, could drag subpar talent to a win where Shedeur, even though he did it at the college level, his ceiling is lowest.” The Buffaloes went 13-11 the past two seasons as Sanders compiled a passer rating of 113.3. “The one thing I can tell you is he is tough,” said a third scout. “There again, he’s also a guy who holds the ball trying to wait, wait, wait and make a play. A year ago I said I’d bet my future earnings in the National Football League that he will never put his hand in the ground and run a 40-yard dash. No way, no how, nowhere. He’s a 4.75, 4.8 or worse. You got example after example of that. He goes to scramble and there’s no juice there. Cam has one explosive trait: his arm. Shedeur has no explosive traits. He is the flashiest, most overhyped game manager I’ve ever graded. There’s no way on this earth he should go in the top three. He’s a second- or third-rounder, at best, and he’s gonna go top 10?” Played for six offensive coordinators in his collegiate career. “If his name was Joe Blow I don’t know if he’d get talked about nearly as much,” a fourth scout said. “He’s tough and has decent arm talent. He’s a pretty accurate thrower. Problem is, he’s a complete backyard football player. Hero balls, holds the ball. He’s not going to be able to play the way he plays in college. He’ll get crippled his first season. Not a wow athlete for his size, and not a big man. He just scares me. I think he’s in for a very rude awakening. His dad was so uniquely gifted. He’s not that guy. The (son’s) got mom’s talent.” In four seasons he finished with 30 yards rushing and 17 TDs. “You’re just setting yourself up for failure to take him high,” said a fifth scout. “He’s a system pocket passer without any redeeming special qualities. He doesn’t really have a quick mind or quick eyes to see things. If he knows he can throw it right here, he can do that. He can’t move. Very heavy-legged. It’s amazing he had two sons that played at this level and neither one of them is a good athlete. He’d be 5-flat, 4.9. Let’s give him 4.9. He doesn’t have much upside. I don’t see how he survives. In a lot of ways he’s been trained so much since he was young that he’s almost a robot as opposed to being a natural quarterback. Carried himself like a star (at the combine as an on-field observer). Everybody (on the field) gravitated towards him. He seemed like a very confident, professional quarterback.” A four-star recruit, four-year starter at Trinity Christian in Dallas, he led the team to three state titles. Hands were 9 3/8.
