The 2025 NFL Draft is just around the corner. But as the College Football Playoff begins, it’s fair to wonder how many of these postseason quarterbacks will make it to the pros next year.

These 2025 NFL Draft QB rankings highlight the strength of the opening round teams, with Kurtis Rourke and Riley Leonard leading their respective teams.

2025 draft QB rankings, 1-10

We’ve considered these quarterbacks here at College Football Network as college football prospects for some time. And while these draft QB rankings will look a little different than our college football QB rankings, one thing is for sure: We know what these quarterbacks did during their college careers, and now we’re piecing together what they’ll bring take him to the NFL at some point.

The list of top 10 2025 NFL Draft QBs continues to evolve, but we’re pretty sure who belongs at the top.

QBs just outside the top 10

10) Will Howard, Ohio State

Debuting in front of a national audience with the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2024, Howard was a dominant quarterback who once led an overmatched Kansas State team to a Big 12 championship. Howard’s arm isn’t the greatest, but when he’s at his best, few can make the defense underneath as strong as Howard.

His downside will be his inability to drive defenses deep, but he may not be asked to do that often in an NFL system. For Howard, playing within the structure of his offense is a huge success.

Playing from the back could pose problems, but when push comes to shove, Howard can accurately push the ball to either side of the field, whether inside or outside from 0 to 19 yards.

9) Kyle McCord, Syracuse

Kyle McCord increased his platform with the Syracuse Orange — rather than the Ohio State Buckeyes — and looked like a completely different quarterback in 2024. McCord dominated the Orange offense.

He had a few hiccups here and there this year, but in every way he outperformed the player Ohio State replaced in Will Howard.

McCord has a strong arm and makes quick, lively decisions. When his decision-making ability is at its best, McCord has no problem dissecting defenses and picking them apart from all angles.

However, when pressure is applied, he typically struggles with accuracy and the aforementioned decision making. Honing his talents for another year isn’t a bad decision at this point.

8) Dillon Gabriel, Oregon

There’s a lot to love about Gabriel’s playing. He has all of the arm talent you would expect from an NFL-level quarterback, and with the same offensive system that helped Bo Nix succeed last year, Gabriel has truly broken out.

However, this is where the comparisons end with nothing. The big-armed left-hander is a completely different type of quarterback. Gabriel is a progressive passer with excellent anticipation who excels at analyzing defenses step by step.

MORE: Simulate the college football season with CFN’s College Football Playoff Predictor

What sets Gabriel apart in the battle for No. 10 is his downfield ability. Although he hasn’t always demonstrated it during his time at Oregon, his previous outings have shown how dominant and accurate he can be on long throws outside the numbers. Over the past five years, few quarterbacks have been able to match his accuracy in this area.

Gabriel makes NFL-level throws with ease, and with the right system, he has all the tools to become a reliable and effective QB in the near future.

7) Carson Beck, Georgia

Carson Beck’s game has so much to offer when he’s at his best. However, his struggles in Mike Bobo’s offense this year have left his status on the brink of collapse.

When Beck releases his ball downfield, he shows that he can throw with precision, anticipation and impressive power. But all too often this season he has faltered under both the physical pressure in the pocket and the mental strain of high-pressure situations.

Beck collapsed under duress and didn’t even make the simplest throws when things got hot.

However, when Beck clicks, he has probably the smoothest release among his colleagues, coupled with solid mechanics and the highest level of accuracy. Unfortunately, this version of Beck was rarely seen this season.

With a strong performance against Texas in the SEC Championship Game, he has a chance to right those wrongs and cure those ills.

6) Quinn Ewers, Texas

Quinn Ewers commands the field with confidence and authority, although the question of durability remains. He consistently demonstrates the ability to read defenses and deliver pinpoint throws to open targets, finding success whether the pocket is clean or under pressure.

Given time, Ewers shows remarkable accuracy and arm strength, making him a dangerous threat at all levels of the field. What really sets him apart, however, is his relentless all-in mentality – a trait that is sure to win over his future NFL fan base.

If Ewers, like Beck right below him, can appear in the SEC Championship Game again and win the conference in his first season, it will actually mean more for the Longhorn.

5) Jalen Milroe, Alabama

Jalen Milroe is exactly the athlete you would expect him to be. And he has the necessary elasticity in his arm to show his dominant power.

But when push comes to shove, Milroe hasn’t shown the development we wanted in terms of his short-to-intermediate passing game so far in 2024. The talent is there and he can win some NFL games as a starter. But right now the NFL’s shots aren’t high enough to justify anything higher than No. 5.

Milroe is arguably the most dynamic and perhaps most athletic quarterback of the entire group. That just means he’ll “win” the Combine next year, but it doesn’t make up for some of the issues he has with his accuracy and consistency from the ground up.

He’s got power tools, his legs and his scissor arm talent, but he’ll need to step up to the next level quickly to keep his job with his future franchise.

4) Kurtis Rourke, Indiana

For MAC fans, Kurtis Rourke needs no introduction. And for those who witnessed his stunning debut with the Hoosiers, welcome to the main event.

Rourke is an electrifying athlete who followed his brother Nathan to Ohio, but it didn’t take long for Kurtis to emerge as the more polished and pro-ready talent.

After four standout years in Athens, the younger Rourke took a bold leap, entered the transfer portal and immediately made a splash on the national stage alongside Curt Cignetti and Indiana’s offense. He’s a real look-alike with the ball in his hands, but what sets him apart is his surgical precision at every level.

Given a clean bag, Rourke is a surgeon, dissecting defenses with ease. But he’s just as dangerous when the game fails, showcasing his ability to create magic on the move. His arm strength may not be at the top of the list, but it is more than enough to consistently deliver throws at the NFL level.

3) Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss

Jaxson Dart commands attention with his natural leadership, his ability to inspire those around him and his unwavering trust in his receivers. He is a quarterback who is able to improve zone coverage, exploit weak points with pinpoint accuracy and achieve clear results even against complex defensive strategies.

What really sets Dart apart is his talent for diagnosing man coverage. He consistently identifies favorable matchups and passes the ball accurately, giving his receivers an advantage on those critical 50-50 plays. Simply put, Dart is a game-changing gamemaker.

There is criticism of his tendency to aim for deep targets for a little too long, which occasionally leads to problems with ball security. At the next level, those tight single-coverage throws won’t always work against NFL-caliber defenders.

To be successful, Dart must utilize his entire repertoire – and he has the tools to do just that.

2) Cam Ward, Miami-FL

Cam Ward shot into the top 10 of the NFL Draft’s quarterback rankings after an excellent start to the 2024 season. By the end of the regular season, no quarterback had done more to increase his stock. Ward demonstrated supreme precision and elite anticipation at all levels of the field.

What separated Ward from his peers was his mastery of arm angles and pocket navigation. His rare ability to create throwing lanes and turn chaos into opportunities was unmatched. Whether he was throwing a precise punch on the move or threading the needle under intense pressure, Ward always delivered.

At times his game felt like backyard football – unpredictable and electric. At other times, he played with a calm, confident presence that made even the most stressful moments seem routine. This mix of creativity and maturity was exactly what the scouts had been waiting for.

Turnovers have always been the biggest setback to Ward’s game, but in 2024 he made huge strides in protecting the football with Miami. With his raw talent and the progress he showed, Ward’s goal looked sky-high heading into the second half of the season.

1) Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

Shedeur Sanders was without question the top quarterback prospect for the 2025 NFL Draft during the 2024 college football season. Colorado’s starting quarterback hasn’t just evolved his team in 2024 – he’s evolved himself and reached a new height in his own Game achieved.

Sanders proved what he was capable of when given time, a rare luxury given the relentless pressure he faces in 2023. Within the structure of the offense he was brilliant. But what really set Sanders apart was his ability to thrive under duress – something no quarterback has done better in the final two years of college football.

MORE: Try the College Football Network Mock Draft Simulator!

His play under pressure in 2024 ranked among the best quarterbacks of the year. As defenders closed in, Sanders had a knack for breaking through the defense, looking downfield and firing his cannon arm at the perfect moment to hit a streaking receiver – a masterclass in backyard football.

The trust and chemistry he built with his receivers in Colorado was remarkable, and while that will be difficult to replicate, it’s only a matter of time before he develops similar connections at the NFL level. Once he has done this, he is ready to take the next step without missing a step.

The College Football Network brings you the latest from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC and every Group of Five conference, as well as the FBS Independent schedule.