𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬

Abhay Pancharathi Long maligned as a 'weak' quarterback class, some strong showings from college quarterbacks over this last year have created intriguing questions throughout the draft. Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders? How has the recent play of Jalen Milroe and Carson Beck impacted their draft stock? Who are the sleepers of the class?

To make this simple, I've divided the quarterbacks into various tiers listed below. Please note that quarterbacks can move between tiers, for example, it is possible that Quinn Ewers, who is listed as a Tier 3 quarterback, can progress into Tier 2 or Tier 1, but as of right now, he is not that. Some quarterbacks will have the "Project" tag, meaning while they are in a certain tier they have the capacity to be far higher or far lower depending on the situation they land in.

Tier 1 Quarterbacks - Franchise Quarterbacks

Quarterbacks who can be the long-term answer to teams, and are good enough to take teams on playoff runs. If a team can develop these guys, they're set for a decade. Top 5 picks.

Tier 2 Quarterbacks - Starting Quarterbacks With Upside

Can be the answer to a team, but have a lot more questions than Tier 1 QBs. Their success is more directly hitched to what team they end up on, but they have the potential to become franchise quarterbacks. Late First/Early Second round picks.

Tier 3 Quarterbacks - Solid Starting Quarterbacks

While they might never be top 10 quarterbacks, or be able to lead their teams to deep playoff runs, they can bring stability to a franchise. Competent starting quarterbacks who have some intriguing traits. Second-round picks.

Tier 4 Quarterbacks - Bridge Quarterbacks

Probably not full-time starters but can save a struggling coach's career by winning a few more games than expected. Third/Fourth round picks.

Tier 5 Quarterbacks - High-End Backups / Spot Starters

Every team needs a solid backup quarterback in case their starter goes down so that their season isn't flushed down the drain. In some cases, they might be able to parlay this success into a big contract i.e. Jimmy Garropolo. Fourth-Sixth round pick.

Tier 6 Quarterbacks - Backups

Backup quarterbacks who can bounce around the league for a long time / be mentors later down the line. Seventh-round picks.

Tier 1

QB1 - Shedeur Sanders

In my opinion, Sheduer Sanders is a slightly better prospect than Cam Ward. What he has done with a truly subpar offensive line at Colorado has been nothing short of miraculous. Although he couldn't beat Kansas, that game's tape tells the tale of a very accurate, on-time quarterback who can make reads when structure breaks down. He has shown dramatic strides in pocket presence, going from 52 sacks in 11 games last year to 32 in the same number this year. He has done a far better job of throwing the ball away under heavy pressure, and he has made a noticeable improvement in going through his reads faster, checking the ball down when he has to. There are still questions about his arm, while it isn't a weak arm it also isn't a strength. He struggles to drive balls outside of the numbers occasionally. My only knock on Shedeur is that he often undersells his athleticism. He has the legs to pick up chunk plays yet is always hesitant to do so, somewhat similar to CJ Stroud out of college. Player Comparison: C.J. Stroud/Geno Smith

QB2 - Cam Ward

Cam Ward is the big-armed quarterback from Miami who has been everything the Canes dreamed of when they (and 2 million dollars) convinced him to withdraw from the NFL Draft and return to college, including being a Heisman Hopeful. Ward is exceptionally accurate in all three areas of the field and can make every throw an NFL team would ask of him. He is also the more creative of the two QBs, being more willing to use his physical gifts to extend plays and pick up yards on the ground. Although usually a great processor, Ward occasionally pre-determines his reads resulting in turnover-worthy plays, and also occasionally struggles with ball security in the pocket. He is also exceptionally clutch, repeatedly bailing out Miami with multiple game-winning drives. His arm flexibility stands out, being able to throw without a solid base. Player Comparison: Jordan Love/Slightly post-prime Aaron Rodgers

Tier 2

QB3 - Jalen Milroe PROJECT

Jalen Milroe might be the best rushing-quarterback prospect since Lamar Jackson came out in 2018. Both a home-run hitter and a powerful runner, Milroe looks like a running back when he steps out of the pocket. Not only is he supremely gifted as a runner athletically, but he also shows incredible vision, navigating defenders and picking his way downfield. He pairs this with a very strong arm, showing no problem airing it out at Alabama to the deep quarters of the field. He is by far the most athletic quarterback in this draft, as he'd be an NFL-caliber athlete at running back or any other skill position as well. Although he has all these athletic traits, he has a litany of things holding him back as a passer. His footwork is among the rawest from a prospect I've seen, and. inexplicably, he neglects to use his athletic traits to escape pressure. Although he has impressive rushing stats, most of these are from designed run plays, not Milroe creating out of pressure. He takes a lot of drive-killing sacks that look easy to escape for an athlete of his caliber. Additionally, although he shows a beautiful deep ball on go routes, Milroe struggles with anticipating throwing windows. He'll hold the ball for a second extra, waiting for his man to get open before throwing the ball rather than throwing his man open. Even with his cannon of an arm, he's sometimes timid, opting for check-downs instead of potential chunk plays. Whoever drafts Milroe is drafting a blank slate, an immensely talented but immensely raw quarterback. If someone told me Milroe became the best quarterback from the class 7 years from now, it would shock me no more than being told he's out of the league 7 years from now. Hopefully, he goes to a situation such as Seattle, where he can sit behind a veteran quarterback and develop. Because of all the questions surrounding Milroe, he falls to this second tier. Player Comparison: Justin Fields/More Raw Jalen Hurts with a stronger arm

QB4 - Drew Allar PROJECT

Originally my QB8, after a disappointing third year, Allar flashed what he can be in a masterpiece of a game against Number One Oregon. At 6'5 240, he has the prototypical size of a franchise quarterback and the arm talent of an elite one. He is adequately mobile; able to extend plays or pick up chunk plays on his own. Allar can release the ball off any platform with any arm angle. One of the prettiest releases in recent memory, when his deep ball connects it looks like a work of art. Unfortunately, as of now, Allar has not shown enough high-level processing for him to be higher. While he is able to make every throw, he doesn't consistently make the reads to get to those throws. Player Comparison: Wyoming Josh Allen

QB5 - Tyler Shough

Tyler Shough is a true prism of a quarterback. What do I mean by that? I mean that depending on how you look at him he goes from a potential first-rounder to an undraftable mess. On the one hand, Shough is 26 years old and coming off multiple serious injuries. He's also had 1 year of starting experience despite being so old. So how is he even in consideration for a first-round pick? Well, he's big with a strong arm and adequate mobility, but unlike other big-armed quarterbacks in this draft, he can also throw with timing and throw accurately. He is a little too willing to throw balls into dangerous situations but that same aggression makes him a big play catalyst. Along with Cam Ward, he led the ACC in big plays. by a quarterback. Although the history of older quarterback prospects with injury concerns is bleak, Shough has the size speed, and arm to succeed at the NFL level, and can be a close to immediate starter. Since he didn't actually play too much in college, he doesn't have the wear and tear on his body as fellow old prospects like Brandon Weeden. Player Comparison: Mason Rudolph but Smarter

Tier 3

QB6 - Carson Beck

Once heralded as the zenith of this QB class, Beck has toppled down draft boards after a less-than-ideal season. Most of this can be chalked up to losing his top 2 targets, Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey but he has also shown some alarming flaws that didn't show last year. Beck is far more traditional than anyone above him on this list, preferring to operate in the pocket but offers some mobility. He has the weakest arm of anyone on this list thus far, and it shows. He is notably hesitant to take deep shots, perhaps a product of his lack of trust in his arm. He is great inside the pocket, maneuvering the pocket and making rushers miss along with a good understanding of when to throw the ball away. In the NFL, he is the definition of a system quarterback, surround him with adequate protection, weapons, and coaching, and he can put up big numbers and take a team to the playoffs. However, if you ask him to carry your team the results would be disastrous. Player Comparison: Bo Nix/Right-handed Tua Tagovoiloa

QB7 - Quinn Ewers PROJECT

The big-armed Ohio State transfer and Texas alum, Ewers has never lacked physical traits. Second to Milroe, no one in this class has Ewers' blend of arm talent, size, and strength. Ewers's arm would be massive even by NFL player standards, rivaling the top QBs in the league. His game vs Alabama as a sophomore was especially impressive and remains his best to date. He put forth incredible tape that game, showing the anticipation and decision-making that we haven't seen all that often since that moment. He struggles to read the full field, especially against elite defenses. His game against Georgia this year was a glimpse into just how behind he is at processing defenses. He repeatedly blessed Georgia with a favorable field position. Because he is very prone to locking onto his first read, most of his turnovers come from throwing to covered wide receivers that he thinks he has an advantage pre-snap. He flashes of being a plus athlete who can pick up yards from scrambles, but he refuses to use his athleticism. His accuracy leaves a lot to be desired, especially on deep throws. He tends to leave them with a very high arc which NFL defenders will surely be able to make a play on. Similar to Milroe, Ewers' draft situation will make or break his NFL career. If forced to start immediately, the results will not be pretty. However, if he can sit behind a veteran, such as Mathew Stafford in LA, he may blossom into a star. Player Comparison: Bigger Baker Mayfield/Less mobile Josh Allen

QB8 - Jaxson Dart

Only 21 years old, Dart has played a lot more College Football than his age would suggest. A natural-born gunslinger, Dart is blessed with great speed and arm flexibility, seemingly preferring to make off-platform throws than to set his feet. His accuracy comes and goes, but when it's on it's on. He layers throws in the seam, has the arm strength to test the boundaries, and can spray the ball everywhere between. Unfortunately, he is not good at everything a quarterback has to do besides throwing. He is not a good processor as of right now, and this is masked heavily by Ole Miss' simplified offense. Additionally, his pocket presence is underdeveloped and despite his physical gifts, it seems hard for him to make defenders miss within the pocket. If football was a point-and-shoot game, where the goal was to hit a target without pressure, Dart would be a top 3 quarterback. However, since the NFL is not a 7-on-7 tournament, I don't understand the recent push to raise Dart into the first round. He's not so different from prior years' highly talented but raw quarterbacks, most of which don't end up panning out. He has notably struggled vs higher levels of competition where those schemed throws that Lane Kiffin don't always come open. Player Comparison: Sam Howell

Tier 4

QB9 - Will Howard

QB10 - Kyle McCord

To Be Continued.