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- Riley Leonard – Notre Dame
Leonard is a natural dual-threat quarterback with good height, a decent arm and adequate placement on his throws. He is an experienced college quarterback which has led to natural field general qualities and savviness while operating in the pocket. As a dynamic runner, he is fearless, which leads to some major gains on the ground. Leonard has plenty of concerns though, including struggles manipulating opposing secondaries, a need to refine his mechanics under center, telegraphing throws and plenty of missed opportunities in most games. Leonard has the makings of a good backup with value as a runner, but he lacks the “it factor” needed to ever be an NFL starter.
Player Comparisons: Adrian Martinez / Justin Fields
Projection: 6th – 7th Round
Best Fits: Jets, Colts, 49ers (Wild Card – Bills)
- Kurtis Rourke – Indiana
Rourke is a true pocket passer with great size, smooth mechanics and natural arm talent. His anticipation when throwing receivers open is solid and he always manages to maintain his base when throwing. Rourke is savvy when it comes to shoulder fakes that manipulate the secondary. He is absolutely pro ready as a passer. If this were 15 years ago, Rourke’s ceiling might be higher but in the current era of the NFL, his old-school style with virtually no mobility doesn’t translate too well. His older age compared to other prospects also lowers his ceiling. Rourke will miss some windows versus complex defenses, which is something that can be worked on early in his career.
Player Comparisons: Kyle Trask / Joe Flacco
Projection: 4th – 6th Round
Best Fits: Rams, Lions, Vikings (Wild Card – Broncos)
- Will Howard – Ohio State
In one year at Ohio State, the Kansas State transfer became an Ohio State legend. The now National Champion saw his draft stock continue to rise during the season, yet that stock has continued to rise since January. Howard is a mobile pocket passer with a big 6’4” and 235-pound frame. He is one of the more experienced college quarterbacks in the country, which couples well with his natural intelligence. With Howard’s running ability, high-level processing skills in play action and RPO, plus his good footwork and accuracy, he is the ideal NFL backup. Howard’s lack of natural arm strength, hip tightness and issues with weight transfer and placement are too glaring to ignore. I truly believe he has a low ceiling, but there are plenty of qualities that signal long-term NFL potential. In the right situation, Howard gets to sit behind a veteran quarterback and get his shot in a year or two.
Player Comparisons: Ryan Tannehill / Carson Strong
Projection: 3rd – 5th Round
Best Fits: Browns, Saints, 49ers (Wild Card – Texans)
- Jalen Milroe – Alabama
Milroe is a complicated prospect. He is the best runner in the class with running back speed. He is explosive, takes contact and fights for yards and is actually fairly poised under pressure. Despite not being a great passer, Milroe can drive the football when he steps into his throws. At Alabama, he had flashes of brilliance but many moments that lead to major questions. His processing speed is less than ideal, footwork is choppy, bails from clean pockets way too early and lacks touch and control on his passes. Despite plenty of college experience, Milroe’s pre-snap diagnosis skills are not NFL-ready. Milroe has a higher ceiling than both Rourke and Howard, but his floor feels lower as well. Selecting Milroe is a chance only teams with good starting quarterbacks should consider. Learning from a talented veteran could be what Milroe needs to harness control and consistency.
Player Comparisons: Malik Willis / Trey Lance
Projection: 3rd – 5th Round
Best Fits: Raiders, Panthers, Dolphins (Wild Card – Cowboys)
- Jaxson Dart – Ole Miss
Dart is an excellent prospect with true pocket passer skills but enough mobility to escape pressure and scramble. With the Rebels, he showed passing accuracy at every level and even demonstrated the ability to easily change arm angles. He is a master of RPO, making him a dual-threat quarterback who can throw on the run with ease. Overall, Dart is technically sound, stands tall in the pocket and demonstrates good anticipation. He lacks elite arm strength, forces too many throws at the moment and needs to be more consistent. The potential as an NFL starter is evident though.
Player Comparisons: Bo Nix / Desmond Ridder
Projection: 2nd – 3rd Round
Best Fits: Browns, Steelers, Vikings (Wild Card – Jaguars)
- Shedeur Sanders – Colorado
Sanders has been the consensus number two quarterback in this class by most outlets. Despite the weak quarterback class in 2025, I still don’t see it. Sure, Sanders has plenty of skills and positive traits. He is a pocket passer with escapability and athleticism, similar to Jaxson Dart. Sanders also has a fairly strong arm, great accuracy and can make every throw. His processing speed is elite, he elevates the level of teammates and his poise is noticeable. The list of concerns should make most teams at least a little hesitant. Sanders tends to struggle versus complex defensive fronts, appears overconfident in his arm, doesn’t throw the ball away enough and takes a lot of sacks. With just average size, Sanders also tends to drift backwards when there is just a little pressure in his face. He could be a great NFL quarterback, but he could also be one to lose his starting job in less than two years.
Player Comparisons: C.J. Stroud / Will Levis
Projection: Top 10
Best Fits: Titans, Giants, Steelers (Wild Card – Raiders)
Watch as Cole unveils the top 3 – highlights included!
