Many years at this time scouts and analysts already have a good idea of who will be the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. While the 2025 draft order is still in flux, chances are Travis Hunter, Ashton Jeanty, Shedeur Sanders, and Cam Ward will all be selected in the first round. But of course no one knows which teams any of these super prospects will end up with.
But there’s another question that’s been rattling around the brains of draft experts, just how many first-round quarterback prospects exist in the 2025 NFL Draft class?
Related: 2025 NFL mock draft: How many quarterbacks will be drafted in the first round?
2025 NFL Draft may have just two first-round quarterbacks
There are still a lot of unknowns surrounding the 2025 NFL Draft’s QB class. One thing that few debate at this point is that Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward are at the top of the pecking order, but many still can’t agree on who should be selected before the other quarterback. Of course, since each player has their own unique style, with Ward being a dual-threat weapon and Sanders being a cerebral pocket passer, it’s only natural for scouts to have individualized preferences.
While Ward and Sanders are the top quarterback prospects in the 2025 draft class, who’s next? How many quarterbacks are projected as first-round picks in 2025?
According to ESPN’s NFL Draft expert Jordan Reid, there are only two first-round quarterback prospects this year.
“Right now, Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Miami’s Cam Ward are the only two passers with first-round grades. They have clearly separated themselves from the rest in what’s considered to be an underwhelming class of signal-callers. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Sanders is a polished pocket passer whose game centers around his excellent ball placement. And the 6-foot-2, 223-pound Ward is an electric playmaker with a shortstop-like release, though he is still inconsistent in his decision-making.”
ESPN’s Jordan Reid on 2025 NFL Draft QB class
Meanwhile, Reid noted that the quarterbacks in the next tier are Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, Penn State’s Drew Allar, and Georgia’s Carson Beck. Yet none of these prospects have emerged as first-round prospects after inconsistent seasons thus far.
After struggling with bottom-tier offenses, chances are the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants will be looking to draft a new franchise quarterback in April, and both are currently projected to have top-five picks.
Yet if Sanders and Ward are gone after the Raiders and Giants make their selections, other teams with quarterback needs could be forced to start the 2025 season without a franchise QB on the roster.