Colorado's Shedeur Sanders leads pack
The 2024 NFL Draft saw an unprecedented four quarterbacks taken in the top 10 and six taken in the top 12 as the talent pool was stacked heading into the new season.
As those rookies get acclimated to their new teams, a group of highly talented quarterbacks await their turn in the 2025 NFL Draft.
College football is set to have another talented group of quarterbacks potentially hit the NFL Draft next year, but they must first cement their draft stock during the 2024-2025 collegiate campaign.
Who are some top options to watch? Let’s break them down, starting with one who received tons of national spotlight despite a poor team record last season.
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Shedeur Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes (Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
Shedeur Sanders – Colorado
Sanders, the son of Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders, has already solidified himself as one of the most intriguing quarterback prospects ahead of the 2025 Draft.
He’s mobile, he’s confident passing in the pocket, he’s accurate, he’s strong both in his arm and his legs. Sanders possesses the qualities teams want to see in a potential franchise man.
He decided to forgo the draft this year, opting to run it back with his father at Colorado, where they had a putrid season despite starting 3-0. They finished 4-8 on the season (1-8 in Pac-12 play) in Sanders’ first season with the Buffaloes.
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The 6-foot-2-inch, 215-pound signal-caller had 3,230 yards with 27 touchdowns and just three interceptions over 11 games last season, passing for a 69.3% completion rate on 430 attempts.
Sanders possesses NFL pedigree, considering his father’s Hall of Fame achievements, and evaluators are looking to see what he can do in year 2, when he will hopefully have a better offensive line that doesn’t force him to scramble too much and force throws into areas where he shouldn’t.
Quinn Ewers of the Texas Longhorns (Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
Quinn Ewers – Texas
He led the Longhorns to a College Football Playoff appearance last season, eventually falling to Michael Penix Jr., the No. 8 overall pick in this year’s draft, and the Washington Huskies.
Ewers was another player who could’ve gone out into the NFL, but he decided to stay with head coach Steve Sarkisian and see if they can make it to the national title game this time.
Armed with tremendous talent at wide receiver, including Kansas City Chiefs first-round pick Xavier Worthy, Ewers’ second year at Texas saw 3,479 yards with 22 touchdowns and six interceptions over 12 games. It was a significant improvement from his 2,177 yards and 15 touchdowns over 10 games in 2022.
Ewers, a strong pocket passer, and Sarkisian, a quarterback guru, will continue working together to see if he can fulfill the rating as the top player and quarterback in his high school class. Footwork and deep-ball accuracy will be areas to watch for Ewers in 2024.
Carson Beck – Georgia
Beck and the Bulldogs appeared on their way to repeat as national champions last season before losing to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game, which ultimately left them without a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Beck returns to Georgia and head coach Kirby Smart for a fifth season after finally getting the chance to be the team’s full-time starter. He had 3,941 yards with 24 touchdowns and six interceptions with a 72.4% completion rate.
Carson Beck of the Georgia Bulldogs (Rich Storry/Getty Images)
He has the prototypical quarterback build at 6 feet 4 inches tall and 215 pounds, and his play shows a traditional pocket passer who can deliver the ball anywhere thanks to precise mechanics and the ability to feel and navigate pressure.
Experience is the big kicker for Beck, which is why he’s returning this season. It’s in 2024-2025 when Beck can solidify a first-round selection with more solid play for the Bulldogs.
Jalen Milroe – Alabama
Kalen DeBoer heads from Washington to Alabama, where he shoulders tons of expectations after taking over the Crimson Tide program from Nick Saban, who surprisingly retired after a College Football Playoff run last year.
But what helps DeBoer and his offensive mind is having Milroe return as quarterback for Alabama, where he could elevate his draft stock just like Penix did when he joined the Huskies two years ago.
Jalen Milroe of the Alabama Crimson Tide (Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Milroe had 2,834 yards with 23 passing touchdowns while also rushing for 531 yards and 12 touchdowns on his way to falling just short of the national title game.
The expectation is Milroe will unlock another level of play under DeBoer in 2024. NFL teams will want to see more of what Milroe worked on this spring: progressions and pocket presence before taking off with his signature elusive abilities.
A Heisman Trophy might be in Milroe’s future if he can continue developing toward the first-round talent many expect him to be.
Cam Ward – Miami
The Hurricanes’ program decided to keep Ward from entering the draft this year. Ward was a star at Washington State this past season, throwing for 3,726 yards with 25 touchdowns and seven interceptions with a 66.6% completion rate. This came after he totaled 23 touchdowns and 3,232 yards in 2022.
Ward’s experience was also seen at FCS school Immaculate Word, which brings him to his fifth collegiate season in Miami, where he could raise his draft stock.
Cameron Ward played for the Washington State Cougars last season. (Lydia Ely/Getty Images)
This is expected to be Ward’s toughest task yet with the Hurricanes while playing in the ACC. And while he isn’t considered first-round talent, that can all change just like Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy did on his way to a national title last season.
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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.
