2025 NFL Draft prospect primer: Next Donovan McNabb? Ranking QBs to watch, plus pro comparisons and more

NFL football will be here before you know it with the start of most training camps happening within the next 10 days. That also means college football is coming soon too, something the league's front offices will be keeping a close watch on in advance of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Now, it's time to kick off our CBS Sports 2025 NFL Draft summer prospect series on some of the NFL's most valuable positions, beginning with the most valuable of them all: the quarterbacks. 

The 2024 NFL Draft valued the quarterback position like no other with six being selected in the first 12 picks: USC's Caleb Williams (No. 1 overall to Chicago Bears), LSU's Jayden Daniels (No. 2 overall to Washington Commanders), North Carolina's Drake Maye (No. 3 overall to New England Patriots), Washington's Michael Penix Jr. (No. 8 overall to Atlanta Falcons), Michigan's J.J.McCarthy (No. 10 overall to Minnesota Vikings), Oregon's Bo Nix (No. 12 overall to Denver Broncos).  

According to CBS Sports Research, the most recent NFL draft featured history in this regard becoming the: 

• First draft with four quarterbacks in the first eight picks 
• First draft with five quarterbacks in the first 10 picks
• First draft with six quarterbacks in the top 12
• Draft with shortest span of picks for six quarterbacks at any point in a draft (previous mark: 20 picks in 1992 from picks 211-230)

However, this latest class had a have and have-not's in terms of their draft slots. After those first 12 picks, the 2024 NFL Draft turned into only the third all-time to have no quarterbacks taken in the second or third round, joining the 1983 and 1994 drafts. When it was all said and done, here were a record number of picks between QBs, 138 picks separating Bo Nix going to the Broncos at No. 12 and Spencer Rattler joining the Saints at No. 150.

Going into the 2025 NFL Draft at this stage, it's not fair to expect a high volume of passers to go within the first 15 picks like there were this past year. Caleb Williams and Drake Maye were talked about for multiple years, and then Jayden Daniels ascended to their tier after the record-setting Heisman campaign in 2023. The 2025 class probably has more Day 2 picks (rounds two and three) and depth than the 2024 class, but also much less of the top-tier guys. 

This summer series will take a look at where things stand based on CBS HQ analyst and "With The First Pick" podcast analyst Rick Spielman's rankings are entering this point in the football calendar. Things could certainly change throughout and after the upcoming collegiate season. Here's an up-close look at the top 10 passers with comparisons and rankings from Spielman, the former longtime Minnesota Vikings general manager, and analysis from yours truly. The QB prospects are ranked by their readiness for the NFL entering the 2024 college football season. 

10. Garrett Nussmeier (LSU)

• Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 198 pounds
• Accolades/notable statistics: 2024 MVP ReliaQuest Bowl -- career-highs in completions (31), pass attempts (45), pass yards (395), pass TD (3) in 35-31 win over Wisconsin
• Rick Spielman's comp: Houston Texans backup QB Davis Mills

• Games to circle: vs. USC (Sep. 1), vs. Alabama (Nov. 9)
• Draft range: Fifth through seventh round

Final thoughts

Garrett Nussmeier is the definition of a small sample size study at this point: entering his fourth season with LSU he has appeared in 18 games with one start. However, the one start was in the Tigers' 35-31 ReliaQuest Bowl victory over the Wisconsin Badgers to end the 2023 season. Jayden Daniels opted out, and in his stead, Nussmeier led a 98-yard drive for game-winning touchdown, a four-yarder to 2023 first-round pick wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. with 3:08 left in the game.

Nussmeier's father Doug is the current quarterbacks coach for the Philadelphia Eagles, a role he has held with the Dallas Cowboys (2020-2022), the Los Angeles Chargers and the Rams when they were in St. Louis (2006-2007). Nussmeier doesn't have high-end athletic traits, but he is adept at reading his progressions and ball placement. If he can play near his bowl game level performance for an entire season in 2024, Nussmeier could climb higher come next April. 

9. Drew Allar (Penn State)

• Height: 6-foot-5 | Weight: 238 pounds
• Accolades/notable statistics: One of two FBS QBs all-time to throw for 25 or more pass TD (25) and 2 or fewer INT (2) in a season in 2023 (also Tennessee's Hendon Hooker in 2022), ranked second in FBS in TD-INT in 2023 behind only Bo Nix's 45-3
• Rick Spielman's comp: New England Patriots backup QB Joe Milton III
• Games to circle: vs. Ohio State  (Nov. 2), vs. Washington (Nov. 9)
• Draft range: Fourth through fifth round

Final thoughts

Drew Allar is reminiscent to J.J. McCarthy up to this point as a prospect in that his offense hasn't asked him to carry much responsibility with his arm. Penn State's offense was incredibly conservative in 2022, something that is crystal clear in Allar's air yards per pass metric: his 7.3 air yards per pass attempt ranked 98th out of 110 qualified FBS quarterbacks in 2023.  

It wasn't that he was afraid to throw the ball, it's just he didn't have a lot of dynamic options to throw to a year ago. Allar possesses the ideal NFL body type for the quarterback position with a massive arm, and he doesn't turn the ball over as evidenced by his touchdown to interception ratio of 25-2, the second-best in college football. However, the accuracy is a question mark. Allar has yet to average at least 60% in the completion percentage department. That's simply not going to work in the NFL. Maybe he needs another year or two of seasoning at the collegiate level. 

8. Cam Ward (Miami)

• Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 223 pounds
• Accolades/notable statistics: 6,963 pass yards at Washington State (seventh-most pass yards in FBS since 2022)
• Rick Spielman's comp: New York Jets backup QB Tyrod Taylor
• Games to circle: at Florida  (Aug. 31), vs. Florida State (Oct. 26)
• Draft range: Third through fourth round

Cam Ward Since 2022

* Since transferring to Washington State and FBS level from Incarnate Word

Final thoughts

Cam Ward spent his first two years of college football at the FCS level with Incarnate Word before jumping to the FBS level at Washington State, and he flashed signs of both quality arm talent and rushing ability. He isn't afraid to make any throw, which can be both a positive and a negative, but the footwork in the pocket needs to improve as he will sometimes get flat footed, which can lead to sacks. Ward was sacked 42 times in 2023, which ranked as the fifth-most in the FBS.  

Ward can be a victim of trying to do too much, but with a much more talented supporting cast in Miami, Ward could take a big step forward in his football development. 

7. Riley Leonard (Notre Dame)

• Height: 6-foot-4 | Weight: 216 pounds
• Accolades/notable statistics: 1 of 5 Power 5 QBs with 20 Pass TD and 10 Rush TD in 2022 at Duke; underwent season-ending ankle surgery after seven games in 2023
• Rick Spielman's comp: Arizona Cardinals backup QB Desmond Ridder 
• Games to circle: vs. Florida State (Nov. 9), at USC (Nov. 30)
• Draft range: Second through third round

Final thoughts

The athletic gifts are evident with Leonard. He has shown he can be accurate going deep, and that's thanks to his touch. Leonard can improve at throwing guys open and leading receivers with more anticipation. The arm talent is solid, but becoming a better processer is paramount. The ankle injury is notable, but he does have some of the best natural athleticism of any of the prospects on this list. Seeing Leonard play around much more talent in his supporting cast at Notre Dame than he had at Duke should help his evaluation. 

6. Jalen Milroe (Alabama)

• Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 220 pounds
• Accolades/notable statistics: Third-most yards per attempt (10.0) in FBS in 2023, fifth-best pass efficiency (172.2) in 2023
• Rick Spielman's comp: Tennessee Titans backup QB Malik Willis
• Games to circle: vs. Georgia (Sep. 28), at LSU (Nov. 9)
• Draft range: Second through third round

Final thoughts

Jalen Milroe has the arm talent to hurl the football downfield as his 10 yards per pass attempt suggests. The accuracy appeared to improved after he was benched during the season, but he still needs to tighten up his footwork as a pocket passer. Good news for Milroe is his head coach is now Kalen DeBoer, the former Washington head coach who helped turn Michael Penix Jr. into a top 10 draft pick. 

Once he gets into the open field as a runner, Milroe has the ability to break anyone's ankles. That tantalizing ability can cause him to hold the football an incredibly long time when dropping back to pass: his 3.07 seconds was the second-longest average time to throw in all of college football. Something like that provides plenty of pause regarding his NFL future. Milroe needs to speed up his work through his route progressions in order to make himself a viable NFL starter. Much of this evaluation, at the moment, is placing a lot of faith in DeBoer and his coaching staff. 

5. Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss)

• Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 220 pounds
• Accolades/notable statistics: 1 of 7 QBs with 20+ pass TD, 5+ rush TD while averaging 9 or more pass yards per attempt
• Rick Spielman's comp: Seattle Seahawks backup QB Sam Howell
• Games to circle: at LSU (Oct. 12), vs. Georgia (Nov. 9)
• Draft range: Third through fifth round

FBS quarterbacks with 20+ pass TD, 5+ rush TD, 9+ pass yards/att (2023 season)

Final thoughts

Jaxson Dart doesn't have a rocket launcher for an arm, but his accuracy is decent. Dart can fall victim to putting too much air underneath the ball on deep throws, but he gets the ball out quickly and in the right place on short and intermediate throws. Battling in the SEC West week in and week out and continually getting positive results gets Dart a lot of credit. He isn't spectacular, but he is solid. A concern is that Ole Miss' offense is pretty watered down from what it asks out of its quarterbacks mentally. 

4. Conner Weigman (Texas A&M)

• Height: 6-foot-3 | Weight: 215 pounds
• Accolades/notable statistics: 5 pass TD vs. New Mexico were most pass TD by an Aggie QB since Johnny Manziel in 2013
• Rick Spielman's comp: Tennessee Titans QB Will Levis
• Games to circle: vs. Notre Dame (Aug. 31), vs LSU (Oct. 26), vs. Texas (Nov. 30)
• Draft range: Second round

Final thoughts

Conner Weigman's evaluation is very much a projection at the moment because he only completed four full games in 2023 before fracturing a bone in his foot against Auburn. His stats across those games were solid as he completed 69% of his passes for 979 passing yards, eight passing touchdowns and two interceptions. 

However, both of the interceptions came in the only game against a Power 5 opponent that he finished last season, a 48-33 defeat at the Miami Hurricanes. Five of his eight touchdown passes also came in the season opener against an overmatched New Mexico squad the Aggies crushed 52-10. 

What is impressive about Weigman is he handled pressure well while he was healthy, creating space for himself to reset and throw off platform and outside the pocket with the pass rush closing in. He has a compact throwing motion Texas A&M's quarterback pressure rate allowed was 41.2%, which ranked 127th out of 133 FBS teams last season: The Aggies had the seventh-worst pass protection in all of college football in 2023. 

Staying healthy is obviously the most important thing for him to get reps and prove he deserves to be considered a prospect worth a pick in the first couple of rounds of the draft. Weigman is a small sample size evaluation at the moment, but a larger body of work will be critical. 

3. Quinn Ewers (Texas)

• Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 210 pounds
• Accolades/notable statistics: Career-high 452 pass yards, 4 pass TD (T-career high) in Big 12 title game win vs OKST
• Rick Spielman's comp: Denver Broncos QB Bo Nix
• Games to circle: vs. Notre Dame (Aug. 31), vs LSU (Oct. 26), vs. Texas (Nov. 30)
• Draft range: First round

Final thoughts

Quinn Ewers is a rollercoaster evaluation. The natural velocity and touch that comes with his throws is a major plus. As is his quick release: Ewers' 2.46 average time to throw was the 19th-best in the FBS last season. That touch comes and goes without warning.

It's especially tough to watch on tape considering he was throwing to 28th overall pick wide receiver Xavier Worthy, the NFL Combine's 40-yard dash record holder (4.21), and Adonai Mitchell, the 52nd overall pick (second round) by the Indianapolis Colts who led the Big 12 with 11 receiving touchdowns, last season. 

The highs were high like when he threw for 349 yards and three touchdowns in the Longhorns' 34-24 victory over Alabama that featured a 44-yard touchdown to Worthy and a 39-yard touchdown to Mitchell. Much of the issues have to do with mechanics, but those can be fixed with better fundamentals. Synching up his footwork with his upper body and improving at moving through his progressions a little quicker could lead to a big leap for Ewers. 

If the Ewers that showed up against Alabama, Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship and Washington in the College Football Playoff semifinal is what we see regularly in 2024, he'll be a no-doubt first-round pick. 

2. Shedeur Sanders (Colorado)

• Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 215 pounds
• Accolades/notable statistics: 5th in FBS TD-INT ratio (27-3), 8th in FBS in comp pct (69.3%) in 2023
• Rick Spielman's comp: Retired Philadelphia Eagles six-time Pro Bowl QB Donovan McNabb
• Games to circle: vs. Baylor (Sep. 21), vs. Utah (Nov. 16)
• Draft range: First round

Final thoughts

Given the totality of Shedeur Sanders' first season at Colorado, jumping from the FCS (Jackson State) to the FBS), and ranking inside the top 10 across the entire country in both touchdown-to-interception ratio (fifth) and completion percentage (eighth), it was overall an impressive effort. That's especially when accounting for Colorado's offensive line after Sanders' dad and head coach, Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, remade the entire Buffaloes' program through the transfer portal. 

Colorado allowed quarterback pressure on 36.7% of dropbacks, which ranked 110th out of 133 FBS football teams. That's horrendous. Sanders' 49 sacks taken were the second-most in the nation, 109th out of 110 qualified passers, last season. Much of that was his line, but some of that was on him: Sanders' 2.69 average time to throw last season was the 78th-fastest in the country out of 110 qualified passers. Sanders does a nice job of creating passing lanes outside of the pocket with his feet, but he needs clean up the way he goes about doing that. He missed some open receivers because he stared down a progression while scrambling, which led to some sacks. 

The offensive coordinator change midseason, shifting from Sean Lewis to Pat Shurmur, didn't help the situation either. 

However, the arm strength is well above average, and Sanders is accurate. Maturing in his on-field poise with regards to playing a little within a play's structure could help him find greater heights to his game and lock him in as a first-round draft choice. 

1. Carson Beck (Georgia)

• Height: 6-foot-4 | Weight: 220 pounds
• Accolades/notable statistics: Third-most pass yards (3,941) in FBS, fourth-best comp pct (72.9%) in FBS in 2023
• Rick Spielman's comp: New England Patriots QB Drake Maye
• Games to circle: vs. Clemson (Aug. 31), at Alabama (Sep. 28), at Texas (Oct. 19), at Ole Miss (Nov. 9)
• Draft range: First round, first 10 picks 

Final thoughts

Carson Beck is the cleanest quarterback prospect in the 2025 class. His low's aren't all that low, and he is mechanically sound all the way around. He possesses good timing and touch, especially over the middle. Part of that was aided by throwing to All-American tight end Brock Bowers, 13th overall to the Las Vegas Raiders, and wide receiver Ladd McConkey, 34th overall to the Los Angeles Chargers, but he was accurate throwing to the non-slam dunk NFL guys in that part of the field as well.

Beck seems to be at his best as a rhythm passer, looking much better after completing a few passes in a row. The arm strength is solid on tight window throws, but he could use more touch going deep to avoid underthrows.  One of the few non-transfer guys on this list, Beck's 24 touchdown passes were the third-most in the SEC last season, his first as the starter after sitting behind Stetson Bennett for three years, trailing only Kentucky's Devin Leary (25) and LSU's Jayden Daniels (40). 

With another full year of starter's reps, the expectation is for Beck, who has prototypical NFL quarterback size, to play himself into the top 10 or maybe even top five picks in 2025 given the thirst for young, quality quarterback play.