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How would Cam Ward stack up to Drake Maye? How about if we threw C.J. Stroud or Bryce Young in the mix? What about Jordan Love, Caleb Williams and Brock Purdy?
Although these questions relate to the same position, this exercise can be likened to comparing apples to oranges to grapes. There's no perfect way to rank a collection of players mixed between the NFL and college.
Based on what we've seen in the first four years in the NFL from the reasonably disappointing 2021 quarterback group, the more disappointing class that followed in 2022, the first two seasons from Stroud and Co., the rookie years of Jayden Daniels, Williams and Maye, and projecting the 2025 class forward, below is how I'd rank the passers from 2021 all the way to 2024.
As for how these rankings are formulated, I'm comparing across levels based on everything we know about each quarterback's talent today, and what they've shown on a field to date. Of course, even an average season in the NFL is much more difficult than an amazing collegiate campaign.
(Note: For the sake of this article, the 2025 quarterbacks are ranked mostly due to how much individual success I believe they will have in the pros based on their talent and overall skill sets. These rankings are also largely contingent upon a prediction of future NFL success.)
1. C.J. Stroud, Texans
Last year, I hinted that an interception regression was imminent for Stroud after his spectacular rookie campaign. It happened. But I don't think it was totally on him. Losing Stefon Diggs and later Tank Dell was simply too much for the young passer, and, frankly, the entire Texans offense to overcome. The offensive line was also one of the worst in football, which impacted his pressure rate and didn't give Houston the necessary run-game boost.
Still, Stroud gets the top spot based on his body of efficient work across two seasons compared to Daniels' one. He's one of the most savvy, accurate, anticipatory quarterbacks in football today.
2. Jayden Daniels, Commanders
From last year's article on Daniels -- "He'll instantly be one of the most explosive athletes at the position in the NFL, demonstrated uncanny downfield accuracy in the SEC, and has plenty of arm to make essentially every throw needed." Yep. That's precisely what Daniels showed during his runaway Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign in 2024.
I'll be the first to admit, his under-pressure play surprised me, and I didn't think he'd be able to breeze past NFL linebackers and defensive backs as a scrambler. He did repeatedly. He was excellent from inside the pocket, pressured or not, in essentially every situation, against any style of defense. Can Daniels grow from one of the best rookie seasons we've seen at the quarterback position in NFL history? Big ask.
3. Brock Purdy, 49ers
Last season was the one in which we saw Purdy take a clear step back as the talent around him wasn't on the field. Did he absolutely bomb? No. That suggests he's not entirely a product of what has been a dazzling environment in San Francisco. And entering 2025, I couldn't bring myself to rank him any lower in this subset. He deserves this.
His 2023 season was borderline MVP worthy. That efficient. In 2024, Purdy had more turnover-worthy plays (17) than big-time throws (15), the highest sack rate of his young career (6.38%), and, for the first time, a quarterback rating under 100. No, Purdy doesn't check what have become requisite boxes for the modern-day quarterback. But he possesses an amazing grasp of Kyle Shanahan's scheme and how it aims to combat coverages on a weekly basis.
4. Jordan Love, Packers
I'm still placing Love ahead of Lawrence despite a regression of a 2024 campaign. He looked ready to move into elite-level status following the 2023 season in which the Packers were a few plays away from advancing to the NFC title game with the youngest roster in the league. We just didn't see that ascension last season.
As is the case with Stroud, and essentially every quarterback, it's incredibly challenging to overcome injuries at the receiver position for any quarterback, and those were a theme for the Packers last season. In terms of pure talent throwing the football from inside and outside the pocket, Love is in the upper echelon in the NFL. Starting the season without an awkward knee injury would probably work wonders for his 2025 campaign, too.
5. Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars
Draft status is undefeated, and Lawrence is drifting toward being another example of that. I won't suggest the Jaguars should be ready to move on from him after his season, and they really can't given the mega extension he signed in 2023. But they could be in a brutal scenario if he doesn't return to 2022 form coming off his season-ending injury in 2024.
Because he was the golden prospect and went No. 1 overall in 2021, chances are Lawrence will be given more than just ample opportunity to prove himself, even with a totally new coaching staff in Jacksonville. And while that's probably a bit unfair to, say, the random third-rounder who's given a few reps in training camp before a team gives up on him, there is some justification because with Lawrence it was always about his polish and his upside as an athletic, strong-armed passer with mature quarterback qualities he demonstrated as a 19-year-old at Clemson.
But everything dipped for Lawrence in what was supposed to be potentially an MVP-caliber 2023 that followed a breakout Year 2 in 2022. And while the draft can absolutely change a narrative, the receiver group isn't spectacular right now, although Brian Thomas Jr. looks like a future All-Pro.
6. Bo Nix, Broncos
Before last season, I wrote the following on Nix: "I have a hunch he'll get more of a longer leash at the NFL level. He can be an extension of the offensive coordinator on the field, doing exactly what's asked of him, particularly in the high-percentage, schemed-up game." That is exactly what transpired in Denver, under Sean Payton, in a successful 2024.
Nix leaned on his legs early, made many classic rookie mistakes, kept his starting job, then as the season progressed got more comfortable. I don't think he was often a true game-changer. But like he did at Oregon, Nix limited mistakes, found the schemed-open target reasonably often, then ran when he didn't like what he saw when scanning the field.
I'm looking forward to seeing whether or not he can take matters into his own hands more frequently in Year 2 and beyond with the Broncos.
7. Caleb Williams, Bears
Having watched every dropback from Williams' rookie season, I firmly believe it was individually better than the overall reputation of it, or the Bears' long losing streak in the back end of 2024.
For as jaw-dropping as he can be creating outside the pocket as a runner and a how-did-he-find-that-receiver thrower, I'm slightly worried about him resorting to that backyard style a bit too much. That was the case at USC and in his rookie season as evidenced by his league-worst 68 sacks that came with a rather sizable 10.6% sack rate.
For as much as Williams did demonstrate the ability to fit the football into tight spaces as a rookie, there were far too many clear-cut misses. Those need to be reduced from here on out for him to reach his massive expectations.
8. Drake Maye, Patriots
The next two sentences are what I wrote on Maye last year in this piece, and most of all of it came to fruition as the Patriots starter in 2024: "He's close to a mega talent at the quarterback spot who will, yes, make a mistake, then come back the next drive and connect on three spectacular throws and dive to get that critical third-down conversion in the red zone. Of course, like all the other rookies, his situation will be vital in projecting his career forward. But I have the least worries about Maye's acclimation to the NFL."
Now with an infusion of talent on both sides of the ball, and the draft ahead for the Patriots, Maye is positioned to take a sizable step in Year 2 and continue to climb these rankings.
9. Bryce Young, Panthers
We need a "30 for 30" on Young pre-2024 benching and afterward, because they felt like completely different quarterbacks. Like, not the same guy whatsoever.
From his rookie season until the early Year 2 benching in favor of Andy Dalton, Young would've been at the bottom of this list, as one of the biggest No. 1 overall pick busts of all time. Afterward, he played very much like a passer who deserved to be a No. 1 overall pick. Now, even in those positive moments down the stretch for the Panthers, you still wonder how someone so small without big-time traits was selected over Stroud. Young looked stretched to the limit mentally and physically, but the football was mostly arriving on time and on target. His overall 2024 sack rate dipped to 7.0% from over 10% as a rookie.
10. Michael Penix Jr., Falcons
Penix clearly was inserted into the starting lineup far too late to save the Falcons season, and he showed flashes on the field. He had 10 big-time throws to just two turnover-worthy plays in 2024. That was good. The adjusted completion rate of 70.4% was not. Had he been a full-time qualifier at the position, it would've been the fourth-lowest adjusted completion rate among 45 passers.
Because of his howitzer of an arm, Penix has immense upside. He does, however, clearly need to rein in the accuracy, and it'll be fascinating to see how he ultimately performs against pressure in Atlanta as a mostly pocket-based quarterback.
11. Cam Ward, Miami
I like Ward as a prospect. If this was any other draft class, he'd be everyone's favorite mid-to-late first-round quarterback who'd represent tremendous value at the position.
He's above-average traits-wise, which is important, but has lightyears to go with his footwork, and I worry about his ability to elude defenders in the pocket or simply run away from them when he's already been forced out. Then, I'm thinking of his likely landing spot in Tennessee, with what is still probably the most barren roster in the NFL. It won't be easy for Ward, but he bounced from school to school to school in college and consistently produced. He absolutely is an overachiever.
12. Justin Fields, Jets
By now, we know what Fields is at times -- a dynamic, borderline elite-level scrambler. He's not a deft processor or a pocket passer who throws with consistent accuracy through complex coverages. Over 1,000 attempts into his NFL career, we know.
That doesn't stop him from being an asset with the right offensive plan, as he's the Jets starter right now. He's reasonably low on this list because it feels like he'll never come close to battling with the top-tier passers in the AFC despite big-time arm strength and supreme athletic gifts.
13. Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
Sanders is drastically more situation and scheme dependent than most perceived-to-be top quarterback prospects. If he plays for an offensive coordinator who wants things very structured, mostly getting in-rhythm passes from the pocket from his quarterback and the offensive line is a rock-solid group, Sanders can do an admirable job quieting the naysayers like myself.
But as we've come to realize, landing in an environment without flaws is reasonably rare in the NFL, and even early in a young passer's career, teams are forced to ask said passer to mask those flaws. I don't think Sanders has that type of arm talent, accuracy or athleticism to be that type right away.
14. Mac Jones, Jaguars
Jones didn't play horrible football in relief of Lawrence last season. There were lots of screens, RPOs, etc and plenty of Brian Thomas Jr. Jones has been relegated to backup role after being a first-round pick four years ago. He doesn't have high-caliber arm strength, accuracy or athleticism. Bad combination.
It all leads to Jones having minimal upside, thereby dashing his chance for the Baker Mayfield resurgence in his new locale. And he's the entrenched backup anyway.
15. Will Levis, Titans
The brilliant flashes from Levis in Year 1 gave way to inopportune and at times ridiculous decisions on turnovers early in the season that were only made worse by more injuries for what we are realizing is a pretty reckless quarterback. He's higher than Anthony Richardson because there've been longer stretches of quality play -- like that amazing comeback in Miami in prime time as a rookie in 2023, and a 98-yard touchdown last season.
Levis needs to acknowledge taking the easy completion or throwing the football away is completely fine -- and actually needed -- to succeed in the NFL.
16. Anthony Richardson, Colts
The 2024 season for Richardson did major damage to the reputation of the raw quarterback oozing with upside. Some of the completion percentage figures in individual games were ugly for Richardson, and the dual-threat skills at 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds with 4.40 speed haven't fully materialized to date.
There have been deep-strike flashes, no doubt. But they've been outweighed by wayward misses on easy throws and bad decisions outside of structure. He's higher than other clear first-round bust quarterbacks because he's played in 28 games since high school, counting college and the NFL, has fewer than 350 attempts on his professional resume, and only turns 23 in May. The upside still exists.
17. Zach Wilson, Dolphins
Wilson is now on his third team in the past three seasons, rejoining the AFC East with the Dolphins. While there have been flashes from Wilson, it's felt like they've come as often as a solar eclipse. By now, with nearly 1,000 NFL attempts on his resume, he's relegated to backup-only duties. While we shouldn't ever rule out a Ryan Tannehill or Baker Mayfield-type resurgence later in his career, Wilson's seemingly inherent panic against pressure and bad decision-making will be hard to shake in any environment.
18. Kenny Pickett, Browns
Pickett has always been an early pocket leaver, meaning even in college he escaped at the first sign of an oncoming defender. In the ACC, he was athletic enough with a strong enough arm in which that anxious wrinkle to his game didn't matter. In the NFL, it certainly has. At time of publication of this article, he's penciled in as the Browns starter. One early-round draft pick, and he again could be slated for a backup role.
As noted to me by Pittsburgh's beloved son, Dave Dameshek, the Steelers turned on Pickett fast, even by NFL standards as they shipped him to the Eagles last year. Maybe because he's relatively inexperienced, just 713 NFL attempts to his name, there's a glimmer of hope Pickett eventually rebounds. But his play vs. pressure, and tentative style don't mix well with what's asked of the top quarterbacks in the game today.
19. J.J. McCarthy, Vikings
I'll keep this short and sweet with McCarthy -- he has to take this spot because we haven't seen him on the field in the NFL yet. But I have a feeling he's going to be ranked significantly higher than this position when I write this article next year. The talent is impressive and the situation is Minnesota is magnificent.
20. Trey Lance, unsigned free agent
With a mere 102 NFL pass attempts to his name, Lance defaults to the bottom of this list. Even after just one season at North Dakota State, the pro hype for Lance was justified. Huge arm, sizable explosive athlete. He's just so far behind the eight-ball in terms of development, and he's technically a free agent currently, without an NFL team. Unfortunate how it all turned out for Lance as a professional. Is he bound for the CFL?
